If you are a member of LinkedIn, you will notice that there is a section in there where people can ask questions on any number of topics.  One of those topics is education.  I troll around in there looking for random opportunities to provide my assistance where I can.  I recently came across a really great QA session that I wanted to share with you.

There’s been a lot of discussion on the eLearners forum about getting degrees, when is the right time, what school should I attend, etc.  The contributors here at eLearners are more than happy to help out whenever we can.  One problem is that some of the people who ask questions aren’t sure what they want to do or why they want to do it.  They don’t have a plan formulated, and that’s one of the hardest things to do.  

When getting advice from eLearners or anywhere else, you need to have a plan with goals.  Do you want to get into Nursing?  Are you a business major who is looking for an inexpensive MBA?  Once you have a plan, others can better help you to reach those goals.

The person who asks the question is in the same kind of position.  

The question is as follows:

I am in my senior year in college, getting ready to graduate in December 2007 with a dual major in Management Information Systems and Business Management.

I am looking to pursue my MBA possibly after 3 years once I gain more work experience so I can relate to the courses that I would be taking.

What are your thoughts on when the "best" time to pursue an MBA should be?

I understand that is it important to be that hard worker, but if you want to move up within an organization, isn't an MBA preferred?

Thanks everyone for all of your feedback and advice. I am currently interning at SC Johnson, and will know if I get a full time offer within a matter of weeks.

SCJ is my first career choice and if I get a full time offer there, they would cover the MBA costs after working there for 1 year. So with that said, I figured it would be a better idea to get the experience while working there, then go and pursue an MBA approximately 3 years later.

So, is it better to wait the 1 year as specified from the employer, or gain more experience working there, then pursue the MBA?

I think the best answer came from the Principal Economist at Freddie Mac.  He replies:

Before you get an MBA, you really need to be clear on why you want one. "To move up within and organization" is not a good reason to get one. In fact there are many ways "to move up" with or without one. And getting an MBA is expensive, especially from a top tier school, and it's entirely possible that you will not recover the costs of the MBA in your working life, unless you're very clear on what you are doing.

One of the things you need to decide is what company do you hope to work for in the long run. For many companies, if you don't have a top tier MBA, you're simply not going to get in. That doesn't mean that you learn anything different, but the employer uses it as a screening tool. If the employer isn't one that demands a top MBA program, then you have to ask yourself if you can do just as well getting a masters degree in another field that will cost you less, and possibly even pay you as you earn it (having a teaching assistantship, for example). Would you get a MBA with a focus on MIS too, or something else?

As your career advances, your degree and where you got it from will matter less and less because your experience is what will count.

An MBA isn't going to solve your issue of moving up, in and of itself. How long should you wait? I'd say wait until you've worked long enough to see the answer yourself. You will know when you need to start thinking about the degree. If it's not coming to you after a couple years, then you may not need it or it may not help. There's no reason to rush in now.

This is just another point of view to consider.  Much like some of the concerns people have such as, “Is this school right for me?” we also have to take into consideration WHY we want the degree and what our goal is in the end.  Don’t just get a college degree because you want to.  That’s a lot of money to spend “just because”.  As with all undertakings, you should have a plan before you start, and follow it through to the end.  I think the advice presented in this particular case is very telling and valuable.  

I also decided to add another perspective to the conversation.  Here’s my response:

If age is not an issue with you, then my response may not be applicable.  But if it is, you might want to consider the reality of how much your MBA will be put to use after a certain age.