I’m going to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Management in May, and I’m thinking about going to grad school. I don’t really know what to do, though. I’m not a really ‘serious’ student, so I don’t think I’d want to go to MIT Sloan, but if I’m going to bother to take graduate classes, I think “State College” would not be a wise choice, either.
So, I guess too serious for ‘commuter college’ MBA, but not serious enough for MIT.
I’m leaning towards Harvard at this point (MBA in Management).
I’m not sure how business programs break down, but I’d recommend narrowing down what exactly it is you like, find a number of grad schools that have strengths in those areas, and apply to them, including one or more “reach” schools (tough to get in, but you’d like to attend) and one or more “safety” schools (good chance of getting in, but last resorts if you’re accepted nowhere else). Don’t simply pick one school based on perceived difficulty and apply to just that one.
Do you need to work and go to school at the same time? There are a number of schools in the Boston area that are set up for that. Beware that you will lose many nights and weekends for a few years though and it isn’t easy with a family. I have a friend in Melrose that just finished one while working and with two young kids and it was rough on the whole family.
A word of advice: If you have a choice between going to a live program and doing it online, do it live! I’m doing distance education for dual masters right now, and it’s much harder to motivate yourself, and to ask questions about the material. I’m slugging through it, but it really sucks not being able to have a sit down with your instructor and/or other classmates.
If you’ve never had any management experience, I think you’ll be out of place in an MBA program - especially one like Harvard or MIT. With a bachelor’s degree in management, you’ve learned the fundamentals, but you don’t have any of the real world experience that helps distinguish grad school from undergrad. If you’re entering in a class with people who’ve been out working and running things, even on a small scale, you might start out pretty far behind your peers.
My other thought is that business school is hard! It’s expensive, and it’s a lot of work. It doesn’t strike me as the kind of thing that you do because you’re not sure what else to do - especially if you’ve never worked in the field before. It’s a hell of an investment to make for something you may or may not want to do as a career.
(advice null and void if you have past work experience)
Some background, then. I am 38, and have been a white collar worker (IT) for 10 years. A few years ago I decided that to improve my long-term job prospects I’d get a Bachelor’s degree. I started in summer '03, but I took a year and a half off, and I’m graduating in May.
My particular niche in IT has been outsourcing and international operations. I’ve got a ton of experience, but I’m no businessman. I think a graduate business degree will be really really helpful to me in my pursuit to make a lot of money.
And yes, I think Harvard is a better choice for me because they offer a less harrowing night program than MIT. If I went to MIT I’d have to do it in a year, whereas I believe I can take more time at Harvard.
If you are even considering MIT or Harvard as an option, and have a resonable chance to be accepted by either of those schools, then you are in the drivers seat and could go almost anywhere. So, if I had that option, I would look at the program in more detail.
Is there a focus, or a gimmick? Some MBA programs are focusing on one issue through the entire program. For instance the environment will be a thread topic covered in every course or it could be ethics or sustainability. If the program has a “theme” that you do not like, then look elsewhere.