MBA Advice needed...

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by dandichka, Jun 28, 2011.

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  1. dandichka

    dandichka New Member

    Hello all, I have been perusing these forums the last few weeks and have learned a lot and made a lot of decisions about my educational future. Now I need some advice for any willing to help out a fellow learner.

    I am 37. Received my BA in Russian Area Studies back in '96 and worked in youth ministry in Russia for 14 years. Now, back in the US I have decided to return to school. I am at home and can devote myself to full-time status, but online. My dilemma is whether I should obtain a BBA or MBA, and if I do pursue the MBA, what kind. First of all, do I really need the MBA? My goal is to obtain the knowledge I need to be able to start my own small business OR seek temporary management positions as we travel (seasonal work in the hospitality and travel industry, parks, etc.); in other words, I have no intention of seeking corporate employment or climbing the business ladder. From what I've read, the MBA sounds like a better idea for a resume, but I would need to take (study and test out of) a lot (all) of the foundational courses before the MBA.

    Secondly, if I do go the MBA route, I've narrowed down my options to 4 schools: 2 RA universities in my home state (Louisiana Tech and University of Louisiana Monroe) (both around $10000 total), each having, it seems to me, a traditional course offering of classes; Amberton, also RA and somewhat less expensive and more flexible course selection; and the special deal with William Taft University ($3500), a nationally accredited DETC school. The later school's curriculum seems more focused on small business/entrepreneurship and requires no prerequisites other than my BA which are both attractive, BUT I am concerned about the courses/information that I will have missed not having to have taken those courses. Will getting such a MBA (not RA) be sufficient for my career plans?

    Finally, there is the issue of time. Through the local colleges here, it would take at least 2-2 1/2 years to get the MBA including the foundation classes. With the Taft MBA I could finish in 1 - 1/2 and it would be very inexpensive and I would not have to pay for any of the foundation class exams, etc. (Although I would personally want to read up on the subjects myself.)

    Any advice? Sorry for the detailed narrative :) No one around here to talk to about any of this. Thanks for your help O Wise Ones.
     
  2. Fortunato

    Fortunato Member

    If you decide to go back to school, do the MBA. Contrary to popular belief, an undergrad degree in business isn't required - that's why MBA programs have core courses, to teach you the basics. I'm not going to address your choice of schools - they're all quality schools, but finding any of their names on a resume is unlikely to set an HR drone's heart aflutter. Taft's MBA, at least its current incarnation, is new and unproven, but Dave Lady is not going to put out a low-quality product, so you're pretty safe there, even though it's not RA.

    Honestly, an MBA is going to be more of a hindrance than a help in chasing seasonal work. No matter what you tell a prospective employer, they're going to assume you're simply using them until you can land a permanent gig. You're going to hear the words "over-qualified" a lot, too. You would probably be better off building a functional resume explaining how your overseas minstry experience translates into the hospitality sector than going back to school.

    You're going to hear differing opinions on whether or not a MBA helps a prospective entrepreneur. I know some serial entrepreneurs who didn't start their first company until after b-school, some entrepreneurs who decided to earn their MBA while running their companies, and some entrepreneurs who like to brag about earning their degree from the school of hard knocks. I always ask the last category what their GPA was.

    Seriously, a good MBA degree gives you a toolkit, a way of looking at business problems and breaking them down into their constituent parts. All the cracking cases and building endless spreadsheets and slide decks seems like pointless drudgery at times, but when you get to the other end, you have an analytical framework built that is amazing portable. You'll be able to justify your decisions instead of flying by the seat of your pants. And for some small businesses, that might be a problem. Starting a small business is a huge risk, and if you over-analyze the decision, you'll likely talk youself out of it. Plus, if you want to start a business now, why take valuable time you could be using to get your venture off the ground to read textbooks and write papers? There are tons of resources like SCORE and the SBA, plus local organizations, dedicated to helping small businesses get started and grow.

    It really boils down to personal preference. If you want to run a small business, a MBA degree will help, but it isn't a prerequisite. Best of luck to you!
     

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