MBA: Executive or P/T

[oilyfan]

I did my MBA through the Queen's Executive Program. And I dispute the notion of "buying" the degree when doing the exec route. Our workload was massive, 40 hours a week, and I worked full time. The classes were every other Friday (so had to take vacation days and unpaid days off) and Saturday, and then the rest of the time was filled with team work and individual reading and assignments. It was the toughest 15 months of my life, and I consider myself a pretty smart and hardworking guy. You write the same exams and get the same degree as a part time MBA, so I don't know where this concept of the part time MBA "looks better on the resume" comes from.

I am an engineer, when I did my MBA I had about 7 years of experience in a plant and was making ok money. Since the MBA, which was 7 years ago, I have tripled my salary and I manage a medium sized operations group. There is no way I could be where I am without the "letters" behind my name. And frankly I learned a lot about business and finance, which are important as you move up the managerial chain. I guess for someone who has a business degree it might not be as useful.

In the end it is true that only your innate ability to interact positively with people, successfully deliver increasingly complex projects and lead a group of people will determine your professional success. The MBA just provided some tools for me to do well.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

I did my MBA through the Queen's Executive Program. And I dispute the notion of "buying" the degree when doing the exec route. Our workload was massive, 40 hours a week, and I worked full time. The classes were every other Friday (so had to take vacation days and unpaid days off) and Saturday, and then the rest of the time was filled with team work and individual reading and assignments. It was the toughest 15 months of my life, and I consider myself a pretty smart and hardworking guy. You write the same exams and get the same degree as a part time MBA, so I don't know where this concept of the part time MBA "looks better on the resume" comes from.

I am an engineer, when I did my MBA I had about 7 years of experience in a plant and was making ok money. Since the MBA, which was 7 years ago, I have tripled my salary and I manage a medium sized operations group. There is no way I could be where I am without the "letters" behind my name. And frankly I learned a lot about business and finance, which are important as you move up the managerial chain. I guess for someone who has a business degree it might not be as useful.

Yeah this.

[bluejays]

I'm under 30, work for a bank and spoke with Directors and VP's regarding their MBA's and all of them got it at the age of 35+. Everyone said it wouldn't hurt, especially if you're competing with others for a job and they have it. In my business undergrad we did a stats project on the an MBA, Undergrad, College Diploma and High School certificate differences in salary, through getting the stats from Statscan (available online), and without a doubt, getting an MBA is worth your dime monetarily. But man, that $60K is hard to cough up when that's all your savings.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by fleury

I'm under 30, work for a bank and spoke with Directors and VP's regarding their MBA's and all of them got it at the age of 35+. Everyone said it wouldn't hurt, especially if you're competing with others for a job and they have it. In my business undergrad we did a stats project on the an MBA, Undergrad, College Diploma and High School certificate differences in salary, through getting the stats from Statscan (available online), and without a doubt, getting an MBA is worth your dime monetarily. But man, that $60K is hard to cough up when that's all your savings.

It would be a (slight, temporary) threadjack, but I'm sure most of us would love to see any data you collected (if available, don't knock yourself out).

I find it interesting that the biggest Pro to getting an MBA seems to be the ability to compete with others who have one. To be honest, that's not really a ringing endorsement.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

It would be a (slight, temporary) threadjack, but I'm sure most of us would love to see any data you collected (if available, don't knock yourself out).

I find it interesting that the biggest Pro to getting an MBA seems to be the ability to compete with others who have one. To be honest, that's not really a ringing endorsement.

It seems to be useful for career change (e.g. my sister had an interior design degree, got her MBA and is fairly high up at Rogers) or for making you "legitimate" - again using a personal example, I was a manager but only had a History MA. I should have got that MBA 15 years ago and continued down that path. Now, with a law degree, an MBA is of dubious value financially (in terms of dollars/time in and dollars out), but it would allow me (presumably) to change careers and locations. It's a tough decision.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

It seems to be useful for career change (e.g. my sister had an interior design degree, got her MBA and is fairly high up at Rogers) or for making you "legitimate" - again using a personal example, I was a manager but only had a History MA. I should have got that MBA 15 years ago and continued down that path. Now, with a law degree, an MBA is of dubious value financially (in terms of dollars/time in and dollars out), but it would allow me (presumably) to change careers and locations. It's a tough decision.

Most top execs (or Presidents of countries) have your resume plus an MBA from a top b-school.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

I have done full time, part-time and sat in on the Executive classes at the U of C. The biggest difference is the classmates...you can learn more from your classmates in the PT and Exec due to their real world experience...the FT students often are too shiny and new to add much to the class.

Another option is the Thesis based MBA at the U of C. If you like the idea of picking a topic and doing a large research project...its a really underutilized option but could be interesting if you really want to become a subject matter expert in an area that isn't covered by the curriculum.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

It seems to be useful for career change (e.g. my sister had an interior design degree, got her MBA and is fairly high up at Rogers) or for making you "legitimate" - again using a personal example, I was a manager but only had a History MA. I should have got that MBA 15 years ago and continued down that path. Now, with a law degree, an MBA is of dubious value financially (in terms of dollars/time in and dollars out), but it would allow me (presumably) to change careers and locations. It's a tough decision.

Out of thanks, so, thanks.

I could see (some generally minor) benefits before, but as an instrument for change, this has big value......enough to justify the cost for most people anyway.

[troutman]

Lawyers I know that did MBAs became:

commercial lenders
securities compliance

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by troutman

Lawyers I know that did MBAs became:

commercial lenders
securities compliance

Problem is, having done nothing but PI for 10 years, it's not like my legal experience would transfer smoothly into something like that (unless an insurance company wants to throw a management position my way). I would almost be starting at the bottom...

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Problem is, having done nothing but PI for 10 years, it's not like my legal experience would transfer smoothly into something like that (unless an insurance company wants to throw a management position my way). I would almost be starting at the bottom...

If you wanted a career change, an MBA + the contacts you'd make in school would land you a different job fairly quickly.

You're one of the smartest guys on here, you'd have no problem switching careers.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Shazam

If you wanted a career change, an MBA + the contacts you'd make in school would land you a different job fairly quickly.

You're one of the smartest guys on here, you'd have no problem switching careers.

Thanks, but don't forget to add "one of the laziest".

[Shazam]

A man after my own heart *sniff*