MBA Equals More Dollars, But Is MBA Right for You?

Here is a conversation between two friends, Rahul and Anuja, about applying to a business school in the US to study MBA.

Abuja: Hey Rahul, I heard that you are preparing for the GMAT and planning to apply for the Fall semester at US Universities. I’m also planning to apply for Fall semester. I’m studying for the GRE.

Rahul: Oh, that’s good, maybe we can both apply at the same universities, but I’m preparing for GMAT. One of my friends, who went to the US a few years back to study MBA, is now working for a bank in Wall Street in New York. He completed his MBA and right now is making a ton of money. He said, MBA graduates pay is very high compared to M.S degree graduates. So, I decided to apply at business schools.

Anuja: Really? If the salary is high for MBA, even I, will apply for an MBA. I will start studying for GMAT, instead of the GRE. Do you have any books that I can borrow to help me study for GMAT?

MBA vs Money

  1. Studying a degree because you’ll get more money is WRONG, totally wrong.
  2. After completing the high school, Indian parents play a major role in where and what you want to study (mostly engineering or a Medical School)
  3. Students sometimes don’t have much options except to listen to what parents have to say.
  4. Now, some friend’s friend in the US says that MBA graduates make more money and then you decide to study MBA. That’s plain wrong and dumb.
  5. Parents did their best to give you a good education, but after a certain stage, you have to take control of your life.
  6. It’s your life, only you know what you would like to do for work/ to live.
  7. Selecting a field of study just for money will not give real satisfaction in life.
  8. Selecting a field of study based on some stranger’s words is a most ridiculous thing you can ever do.
  9. Doing some job that you don’t love will drain your energy, despite the salary it gives.
  10. As young students it’s tough to know what you really want. So, go exploring to see what interests you.
  11. Take up internship, short-term programs to figure things out.
  12. The money will follow when you follow your passion.

MBA without Work Experience

If you don’t have any work experience, don’t even think about applying for an MBA program in the US or Europen program. You will be spending a lot of money, but what you will gain from MBA will be very little.

3 to 5 years or Work or Business experience is a must for the MBA degree.

A business degree like MBA is based on problems that occur in everyday business activities. It’s not something you can relate via text books and theoretical knowledge.

You need to have work experience to understand and appreciate the business courses taught in MBA. Most top business schools in the US and around the world only accept students with at least 2 years of work experience.

If you are targeting Ivy League school, then plan to apply with more than three years of work or business experience.

Harvard Business School offers its HBS 2+2 MBA program, where students currently studying a bachelor’s degree can apply for MBA, but they have to work for 2 years, before they can study the MBA program at Harvard University.

So, if you don’t have work experience, it’s better to apply for master of science or MIS programs. After gaining a couple of years of work experience, you can opt to study MBA part time or as full time.

And, please don’t choose a degree just because there’s money to be made.

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21 Comments

  1. hi, I’m planning to do my Masters in USA, i choose this country because for computer science engineering US have more scope and quality of education that i can able to get.
    I’m planing to take GRE in March or April 2015 and planing to go to USA for January batch, Currently i’m working in one start up company from last 6 months as a developer in Bigdata Hadoop Technology.
    Give me suggestion for how to take up test, about Scholarship that i can able to get in USA, Best University to Choose, Visa and Documents that require to it..

    Thanking in advance

      1. hope for that, but i’m not sure i can able to come or not because of bond what i gave to company when i was joining. For Dec it will get over, if my manager allow me to break the bond then only i can able to come there for Masters.

        How can i able to apply for Scholarship form university to which i’m going to join? is there any criteria for that?
        what will be the average score need to get in GRE and TOFEL for to get Good University in US?

  2. hi……i am doing 4 yr btech from jaipur…..i would like to know the processes involved in studying USA. Is work experience really important to get good universities in USA…..what are the basic steps involved in doing MBA from USA…….???

  3. hi
    i completed my Btech and M.Tech in Computer Sceince and Engineering i would like to know details to pursue PhD in US.Is Mtech is elgible for do PhD(3yrs) in USA.Please let me knw the reply as early as possible

  4. Hi,
    My spouse has graduate and 5 years retail experience and working as Store manager for reputed company.
    Now he has applied for H4 visa as I will move their on h1 B trough my company by this month end.
    Is he able to take admission to for MBA (retail in marketing) in USA? what are the requisite for same?
    Please suggest.

  5. Hi,

    I have done Msc in IT (16Years) of Education and I am having 3.5 years of Experience in Pre-Paid Card Industry. I am interested in MBA from US.

    What do you suggest and what will i have to do in this regard.

  6. hello sir,

    i have completed my graduation in B.SC. IT in september 2010.

    i dont have work experience…

    i got admisson from univrsity of findlay and jhonson & wales univeristy…..

    so should i go for MBA without experience……

  7. Hi! You have told that those students who have not work experience can not apply for MBA. Well, can you prove what you have written!! If Yes! Does it hold up?

  8. Why do people restrict the minimum years of experience to 2 years.?Is MBA not useful if done with one year of experience?

  9. HI,

    I have completed my Electronics Engineering. i have software industry work experience of 2+ years. i am planning to pursue MS in computer science.

    how feasible it is being a Electronics graduate, going for M.S in Computer science. Pros and Cons of the same.

    Please guide me on this

  10. hii

    i have done my engg in computer science (2007 passed out) , i have worked as lecturer for an year in india, now am in US after my marriage, am thinking to do my masters here ,but as every1 else even i am not able to decide MS or MBA basicaly i am very much intrested in MBA , but i dont have any management backround,wat do u thnk wil it be difficult for me to do MBA? wat wil be helpful to me is it MS or MBA , its very necessary fr me to get a good job once i graduate.. plz guide me…

  11. Hi Sir

    I am 30yr old, I discontinued my chemical engg in 3rd yr in the year 2002 and i joined my family business and i was dedicated to business for about 5 yrs. In 2007, i joined loyola college and took bsc computer maintenance and engg. I completed my graduation recently with an aggregate of 81%. I even stood 3rd in the entire department. The zeal to study is still there , i wish to study ms(computer science) in usa

    "CAN YOU LIST OUT THE UNIVERSITIES WHICH OFFER MS(computer science) , for a Bsc (3yr graduation) guy"

    I did 2 yr of chemical engg can it be considered in to account to make up 16yrs of education.

  12. i'm doing my engeneering in IT. i'm in fourth year now …

    i do have interest in business management ..

    but i dont want to work for 2 years and study mba then.

    i also read that doing mba without work experience is impossible.

    so, please suggestme some solution

  13. Hello Sir,

    Am planning for an MBA in marketing for Spring 2011. i have a year experience in a bank and prior to that I have got a six months experience in two media industries (cos I studied mass communication)..please Sir, do u think I should go ahead for this…

    Regards

  14. i have completed my B.E. in telecommunication in jan 2010 in second class. my school record is good though, a distiction there with 75 odd %age. basically i never really liked wat i ws studyin in engineering till i reached my final yr. and being carefree as i ws, never really made an effort to develop interest. but after going thru a lot i finally developed genuine interest in management related subjects as well as higher level technical subjects(basically technology tht is being used nowadays, not something so obsolete tht ppl dun even knw wat it is)

    i am looking for management courses in telecommunication specifically or technology in general. as u said above tht such courses are available only in europe and as i had researched this, it suits me more since the courses re almost half as expensive as the ones in the US, ofcourse since the duration of these courses is generally a yr only. also i would really love to get to travel europe and always wanted to do so.i plan to take GMAT in the next six months and then use my score sometime in the following 2 yrs wen i have some work ex under the belt and basically a clearer understanding of exactly wat i want to study.

    now i have 2 questions:

    1)i have already started to prepare for my GMAT as i think i would do better in the verbal section of gmat since it does not test the memory as the GRE does. so my question is that is GMAT accepted for these MS courses in management in universities across europe easily.

    2)are these courses good enough considering the fact tht only a yr of studies fr a degree doesnt sound too good to ppl generally.

    looking fwd fr a good and quick reply

    vishal

  15. Hello Sir,
    I need your help,I am doing my masters in industrial biotech from S.P.University and would like ask dat wid dis degree will i b paid good through a good company? My average score is 73% till now considering bachelors. And should I go for MBA in Biotech?
    Please reply me need your help for making my future bright.

    Thank you

    Your’s faithfully,
    Shalvi Arora

  16. Does any of the US Universities provide Integrated course(1yr MS + 1yr MBA) as do some Europian Universities? If so, how good are they?

    1. Well about a course in the US where you have an integrated MS and an MBA…ya it is there…but you should understand that there is a difference between the programs offered by the US universities and those of European universities…taking an integrated MS and MBA together is tough work because you have to study for both the degrees at the same time and its a lot of credits.You have to do research and decide for yourself.

      About the MBA degree in the US…yes there are a lot of universities that take in students without work-ex but you should understand that they chose students for this category should be extraordinarily exceptional…and i agree that an MBA is not worth doing without work-ex…for me its a polishing degree where it will only enhance what qualities you already have and may not give you something new…this is the reason B-Schools in Europe ask for a minimum of 3yrs work-ex…but for those who want to pursue management studies without any work-ex there are programs in Europe called MS in Management which are designed specifically for ppl without work-ex and these programs are highly rated too…check Financial Times website…also all top universities in Europe offer this..also this program is not available in US…cos they view management degrees differently…in the end it all depends on the individual…has to know what he/she wants…do his own research and then decide for themselves…

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