As the most widely-pursued master's degree in the world, the job market is saturated with MBA holders (over 200,000 in 2022 alone). So, where you go to business school matters!
Top business schools offer:
🎓 Robust alumni networks that can provide valuable connections for your career growth, with many holding senior positions at top companies (31% of Fortune 500 CEOs, CFOs, and CIOs have M7 MBA degrees.
🧠 A rigorous curriculum and renowned faculty. Particularly in fields like finance, consulting, product management, and marketing, a slight edge in knowledge and skills can make all the difference.
🤓 High selectivity, which means you will have classmates who are top performers, and smart professionals with solid backgrounds in their fields and extensive experience to draw on. Additionally, MBA curricula emphasize team projects and collaboration, so the caliber of classmates matters.
👔 Special recruitment from elite employers. Employers at the top of popular industries like investment banking, consulting, tech, and even healthcare recognize the value of an MBA from a reputable school and are more likely to consider candidates with such credentials.
💰 Better job placement rates and higher salary ranges, reflecting both the caliber of the graduates coming out of the program and the elite firms making those hires. A large factor for a business school's ranking is the career outcomes of its graduates.
Common roadblocks to pursuing a top business school:
💭 "I don't want to put my career on hold to go to business school full time. Is it possible to earn an MBA from a highly-ranked program, on a part-time basis?"
💭 "What's the return on investment? How would I finance the degree?"
💭 "Am I a strong enough candidate based on my academic record and professional experience?"
💭 "How can I fit classes into my busy life?"
💭 "Would I have a similar experience and resources as those pursuing the MBA full-time?"