The How, Where, And Why Of Getting An Mba

If you are currently an undergraduate, chances are you have at least vaguely thought about the idea of going to graduate school in the future. You’ve heard stories about the big salary gains or higher level positions behind doors that an MBA can open for you. On average, people with graduate-level or higher degrees earn at least $400,000 more in their lifetime than those who do not1. As a graduated student with plentiful experience in the job market, I would like to sort through all this cluttered information and lay out why an MBA is an excellent idea, when it is more appropriate and beneficial, and which resources are best for funding your advanced degree.

What is an MBA?

A Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) is essentially a specialization and much deeper course of learning than what you covered at your undergraduate school. It is centered around the sharing of strategy, very fine technical details, and networking with your fellow graduate students. It can be of general nature, or focus narrowly on one discipline of business: Forensic Accounting, Interactive Marketing, or Quantitative Analysis, to name a few. The length of the program depends entirely on what you intend to be studying, and you can complete an MBA as quickly as one year (full-time), or up to three years (part-time) both on-campus and online.

How will an MBA help me?

In a nutshell, an MBA is your way of saying, “I’m an expert in