S.K.

Hi everyone,
I am looking into doing an MBA in a US university I wanted to hear your opinion on an option I have set my heart on. I have been looking for a good program for over 8 months now and my attention landed on this university - Chicago Booth (https://www.accessmba.com/school/chicago-booth). I am most interested in it as it has a campuses in three different countries and I can take courses in any of them (London will be the one I will be attending mostly, but diploma will cover all). Due to these specifics price is higher than a normal MBA especially in comparison to the UK costs of the programs. So, here is my question - is it worth it? I did meet up with some representatives of the university and they did mention scholarships, but as this is def not a sure thing I was wondering if having a US degree will make a real difference in life?
Thanks!

Rete

IMHO, only if you are wishing to find employment in the US. Going to college in the US will make it easier to find a US employer willing to take you on right from school/OPT

You had a run of 7 posts on November 29/30, 2017. What is leading you to think that getting your master's in the US is a better thing than getting it in the UK.

S.K.

To be honest, my main goal is to keep my options opened. I am looking into this particular university just because of that - I did an exchange in CA, USA a few years back and loved the experience, but as I did not entered the job market I am not sure if a Diploma from a US University is a must, or I can go with the cheaper option of completing my MBA in UK and then looking into the option of re-locating to US. The H1B visa is really hard to get, so may be an MBA is a good idea in relation to their immigration policies?

uk_grenada

More centrally, what makes you think an mba is the way to secure your future? I am now retired having worked for a number of global concerns in ICT management. I was sponsored for my mba at henley mgmt ctr by disney.

My view is that an mba is an interesting adjunct to years of experience in company management in any discipline, though frequently accountancy or law but by itself is meaningless to a business career unless its from a prestigeous supplier like henley harvard or oxford?

Hiro11

My opinions on MBAs:
1. They're not worth getting unless you go to a top school. Booth definitely qualifies. Getting in isn't easy.
2. The top schools are extraordinarily expensive, obviously. About $140-150K all in for FT or PT. It's not something you should do on a whim "to keep your options open" unless you're well off or employer-sponsored.
3. MBAs are most useful in two situations: you have little (3-5 years) experience OR you're looking to change industries. If your employer is sponsoring, this can change the mental arithmetic.
4. An MBA is an absolute requirement in some industries (management consulting), useful in others (banking) and not really necessary in many. It's important to understand how potential employers in your chosen industry will view an MBA. I hire lots of MBAs in my current role, but I wouldn't say it's a requirement to have one.
5. I didn't take a single class at Kellogg I felt was a waste of time. Top quality instruction, engaged and challenging students and a focused curriculum. People who say an MBA is useless from an educational perspective are dead wrong, IMO.

petitefrancaise

Harvard, Cranfield, Henley, Insead, IMD (lausanne), Regents College,Open University,Edinburgh, Imperial College,Cork, Off the top of my head, these are the places that my personal friends went to for MBA. 25 years later, I think they have all said at various times that the most useful thing to get was the contact list. They all went into very high paying jobs but this was at a time when getting an MBA was the golden ticket, albeit an expensive one.

I've been working with a tech company and what I've seen is that they(tech company) definitely hire people with international experience. One person ( A USC) went to Europe for his MBA for a year. I would imagine that the sort of person who can not only successfully complete an MBA but can do this in a country with a different language and culture is going to be highly sought after by global companies. I don't think an MBA on it's own is the golden ticket it once was, you really have to bring more to the table.

S.K.

Thank you all for your input. I do agree that an MBA is a great investment of money and time and it should be thought through. I am looking into this as I am working in a firm that is willing to invest in my education. As its has offices in quite a few locations I was thinking that I can use this opportunity to open the door to USA relocation. I am just looking for an advise if a US employer will feel more comfortable in hiring someone who has graduated in USA or this is not really a priority (cause in the UK I would say it is).

morpeth

Without knowing more specifics about your experience , I am sure you will get many different opinions. My own comments would be :

1. Getting a MBA certainly is a benefit in having more qualifications rather than less.
2. The MBA qualification is more or less of a benefit depending also on other qualifications academically or work experience. Some "name" schools carry more of a benefit from image, but the sheer cost of many MBA programs does it make it questionable whether such a financial investment is a good one compared to alternatives -in many parts of the USA one can buy a house for the cost of a MBA program.
3. US Programs abroad my in experience often a waste of money, though he increased cultural exposure can be beneficial on a resume.
4. Many MBA programs that have sprung up have academics as teachers often with limited business experience, so choosing a school where the teachers actually have real business experience is an issue I would recommend considering. ( I choose my MBA school partially due to this issue).
5. Whether a US MBA will make a difference hard to answer- I would assume American companies more comfortable with a US degree.

But you write you have your "heart set" on an American degree, so perhaps you are looking way to justify an emotional decision. If so, maybe consider starting a cost-effective program take a few course, but consider early based on that experience whether to finish the MBA in the US. Many programs will allow a transfer of some initial credits gained.