Many friends have asked me about the difference between an MBA and other graduate degrees like a Masters of Finance or Masters in Real Estate Development. While I’m a big proponent of any sort of higher education, I also believe that you should research the different programs to see what they have to offer. If you are considering a degree outside of a full-time MBA program, you should be sure that the benefits of the program outweigh the costs. A MF or MRED can be helpful but they are very specific fields. One aspect of MBA programs that many people don’t understand is the track breakouts. Once beginning an MBA program students are highly encouraged to select a track of study, mainly Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain/Operations, and Organizational Behavior/Human Resources. By focusing your studies in one of these areas, you can narrow your job hunt. Also, a few friends have wondered about marketing type jobs coming out the MBA program. From my experience, MBA programs do a great job preparing students for top managerial positions in marketing, HR, finance, and supply chain. If one of these areas of business interest you, I highly recommend looking into an MBA.
Ah the personal network. An MBA (at the right schools) is great for building your personal network. BYU has a great network. I've already had a ton of opportunities from some major companies because of the BYU brand/network. Our alumni reach out to us and love it when we reach out to them. Other schools have great alumni networks as well, and really it's a BIG part of where you should go. Sometimes “networking” can be seen as a dirty word. However my experience has been different. Networking to me is making connections with like-minded successful people of whom you can draw on for help, support, and learning. Likewise you can help them when they need. I’ve loved my networking experience so far.
The last item is cost. I worked at Cisco this summer with guys from Univ of Chicago who are paying FIVE TIMES the tuition I'm paying at BYU and yet we end up with the same job after school paying the same thing. This was probably my #1 reason why I came to BYU. It's a top 20 school, and it’s by far and away the best return on my money. I’m also a big fan of the mission and aims of BYU.
If anyone wants some personalized advice for their unique situation let me know the reasons why you are considering grad school. I'll throw in any more advice if you want.
1 comments:
Rhett- these are the exact same reasons I chose BYU! It's a triple threat combo, and you can't beat it. It's amazing what a good deal it is for such a great reputation and academic standing.
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