What are you doing with your MBA?

[Anonymous]

I'm going back to school for my MBA this fall and am curious:

1- What are you doing with your MBA?

2- Is there anything you would rather do with your degree? If so, what?

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM. But I gave up a big salary to do so if that makes you feel any better.

[Anonymous]

I recently had the Dean of a business school tell me MBAs are worthless in all but specific cases, and that they are on their way out.

If you want to become an executive, go back for finance or accounting instead.

[Anonymous]

Got a CFA instead. Much better ROI.

Jobs in accounting are really hot right now. But for that, a better degree would be a master's in accounting/CPA.

[Anonymous]

Gestating.

[Anonymous]

I have an MBA from one of the "top" local schools (think G'town or Maryland). I was a liberal arts major, and used it as a way to get a higher paying, better job but still in Marketing, and learn some business things I probably should have learned in undergrad (finance, accounting, statistics, etc.)

It worked to some extent, but it was an expensive way to do it. I was making 45k when I went to school (this was years ago) but came out making 75k. I also had about 90k in student loans.

If you don't mind doing more quantitative jobs after graduation, go for it. If you want to work on Wall St., it's not really necessary, unless you go to a top 10 school and then they have really good recruiters. You will also work a ton of hours and most women I know want more work-life balance than that.

Also, consider if you want to stay in the DC area or not. If you do, it's harder, because there aren't many Fortune 500 companies that have MBA recruiting programs. Many of my class went to work for the GAO, Booz Allen, or Advisory Board, stuff like that.

It's not to late not to go!!!! Save yourself a ton of debt, if you don't know what yo want to do exactly.

[Anonymous]

PP here again: Other degrees that have seemed more useful to me: Masters in Project Management, Org. Development (for an HR role), MS in Accounting, Computer Science/IT training.

[Anonymous]

I went to a top 5 program (harvard, stanford, wharton, chicago, kellogg). What you get out of a program will depend a lot if you are talking about top 10 or top 100 programs.

I've job hopped a bit - first in finance, now in a general management job with P&L responsibility. Its fun.

Going into the program I made $90K a year. Coming out, I made $115K (+ $40K sign on bonus). One year out I hit $140K. Two years out I hit $160K (plus $100K sign on bonus). Three years out I hit $190K. Thats not bad for corporate, but it lags my friends in consulting who made about $150K right out of school and hit $200-$250K 2-3 years out, but its also a lifestyle choice.

My advice is if you want money more than anything:

* Go to Ibanking
* Failing that, go into consulting
* Failing that, go to corporate

If you want to maximize work life balance, do the opposite order.

[Anonymous]

Unless you go to a top 20 school, don't waste your time. I also have a CPA and work in corporate accounting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you go to a top 20 school, don't waste your time. I also have a CPA and work in corporate accounting.

I'd say dont bother unless we are talking top 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you go to a top 20 school, don't waste your time. I also have a CPA and work in corporate accounting.

I'd say dont bother unless we are talking top 10.

I went to top 15, sometimes top 10. Think Virginia, Duke, NYU Stern, Michigan or Cornell. Those are still good enough where the top companies recruit and they look good on a resume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you go to a top 20 school, don't waste your time. I also have a CPA and work in corporate accounting.

I'd say dont bother unless we are talking top 10.

I went to top 15, sometimes top 10. Think Virginia, Duke, NYU Stern, Michigan or Cornell. Those are still good enough where the top companies recruit and they look good on a resume.

True. Okay, top 20.

I guess its also a question of where you are and what you expect. Going from $45K to $90K a year - is in some ways more impactful than going from $100k to $145K.

[Anonymous]

I went to a top 5 (Ivy League) business school. Hugely worth it for me coming out of a liberal arts undergrad with 2 years of work experience. Have been in consulting my whole career, now on my own. Have been earning in the mid 6 figures the last decade. Currently work less than full time, have tons of flexbility, and still in that earnings range. Some/many of my classmates have done way better of course - but most ended up in NY post graduation and that wasn't a path I wanted to take. I don't regret the MBA for even a minute, and I paid for the degree myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to a top 5 (Ivy League) business school. Hugely worth it for me coming out of a liberal arts undergrad with 2 years of work experience. Have been in consulting my whole career, now on my own. Have been earning in the mid 6 figures the last decade. Currently work less than full time, have tons of flexbility, and still in that earnings range. Some/many of my classmates have done way better of course - but most ended up in NY post graduation and that wasn't a path I wanted to take. I don't regret the MBA for even a minute, and I paid for the degree myself.

Mid 6 as in 500,000? That's solid...

[Anonymous]

As SAHM, I am COO of the household. DH is chairman and CEO.