How to Get Your MBA and Finding The Right School

How to get your MBA - finding the right school - is the key to your success as a graduate business student.  Earning an MBA can also be the stepping stone you need to reach the level of upper management.  The MBA program teaches the theory of business management.  It can accelerate your career, and allow you to demand a higher salary.  If you are at a point in your career where the only thing you need to get to the next level is an MBA, then it is time to find the right school.

How to get your MBA - finding the right school depends on which schools are ranked the highest, and whether you can afford them.  The best business schools are ranked every year by a number of prestigious publications.  No matter the publication, the same schools always seem to rise to the top.  The Harvard Business School, The Wharton School, Stanford, and The University of Chicago are regularly in the top five every year.  Their programs are also very expensive and acceptance is highly competitive.  </P> <P>If you need a masters in business administration to further your career but cannot afford any of the most prestigious institutions, you can still get a quality education on line.  The on line MBA is a new phenomenon that addresses the reality that today&#39;s business professionals do not have the time to go back to school.  Earning an on line MBA lets students fit their studies into their current work schedule.  Some classes are self-directed, while others require group participation.  Even some of the best business schools are offering on line classes.

The timing of your masters in business administration degree can be important.  An MBA with no relevant job experience is not very valuable.  Some programs actually require proof of job experience before accepting students into their program.  Some employers will help pay for your MBA, usually with the agreement that you will stay with the company for a certain period of time.

While it is entirely possible to reach the levels of upper management without an MBA, there are some occasions when an MBA can be essential.  During tough economic times when the job market becomes highly competitive, an MBA can be a difference maker.  In some organizations, an MBA is expected of high level managers.  Banking and management consulting are two niches where an MBA is considered a minimum standard, not an asset.  An MBA can also help round out your business education, especially if your undergraduate degree is not in business.  Consider you MBA as a way into the game, but your success and future advancement still depends on how well you play that game.

From a value standpoint, an MBA is worth an average of$10,000 to $30,000 more in annual salary than a bachelor&#39;s degree.  This increase depends on your job experience, the reputation of your graduate school, and the industry in which you will be working.  The cost for an MBA can be as high as $100,000 for two years of study.  State colleges can be almost half that price, but their degrees are worth half as much as well. 

An MBA is the goal of most business majors, but not everyone achieves that goal.  How to get your MBA - finding the right school can be a big different in how high a salary you can demand after graduation.  After all, the point of an MBA is to reach the upper levels of management where the pay scale is much greater.  Some of the highest earners in the country have an MBA degree.  The course of study is difficult, but rewarding.  And in two years, you will be a highly coveted business leader.