There are several reasons someone should and shouldn’t enroll in a master’s degree program. For starters, someone who has nothing better to do with their time may find the degree pretty worthless. On the other hand, if you have a high-paying job lined up but need to fulfill a minimum educational level requirement, why are you reading this? Enroll in an MBA program right now!
Admittedly, the two examples we provided above are at two very different extremes. So, what about the rest of us—the guys who fall somewhere in between?
Are Online MBA Programs Worth It?
First and foremost, let’s talk about the foundation of this article—whether or not an online MBA degree is worth the time and effort. You can find everything you need about enrolling in an online MBA program, but how much value will you get from it?
Let’s be honest—MBA programs are just two years/four semesters of nonstop networking. One of the main points of attending an MBA program is to meet the right people who will hold strategic positions in companies that will benefit you in one way or another. After all, business is about scratching each other’s backs.
Online MBA programs do not offer the same face-to-face networking opportunities. Even though you will technically attend lectures and seminars with people who are just as money-oriented as you are, not getting to know them on a personal level can be a huge roadblock to your future goals.
Who Would Benefit from an Online MBA Degree?
Now, we may have painted a pretty horrific picture about online MBA degrees. We’re just trying to be as straightforward as possible.
With that said, online MBA degrees aren’t all bad. If you fall into one of the categories below, there’s a good chance that you could benefit from an online MBA degree.
You Have a Job
One of the great things about online MBAs, as well as any online learning program, is that you don’t have to leave your job. You don’t have to sacrifice your professional life for your academic life and vice versa. Online MBA programs generally let you learn at any pace you’re comfortable with, as long as you can continue to afford the subsequent semester’s tuition.
A Promotion Requires a Higher Degree
If a higher-up is dangling a promotion in front of you, you should do your best not to let it get away. As you may already know, business moves fast, and if you make the wrong move—i.e., leaving your position to go to school before getting a promotion offer in writing—you pretty much lost. Earn your MBA while also staying in the office!
You Don’t Want to Move
Unless you plan on attending a university near your home, you will have to plan an exhaustive move to another city/state/country. Online learning eliminates the need to uproot you and your family, allowing you to continue with life as normal.
Who Wouldn’t Benefit?
So, other than those who want to network for the next four semesters with their highly ambitious peers, who else would probably not benefit from an online MBA?
You Want to Learn How to Become an Entrepreneur
Even though some MBA programs offer one or two classes on entrepreneurship, it’s not the program’s main focus. In simple terms, MBA programs teach skin-deep lessons on a multitude of business aspects. While you won’t master one particular field in business, you’ll graduate with enough knowledge to know how a business works. Plus, there is the possibility that the next two years/four semesters of schooling will cause you to deviate from your brilliant business idea.
You Have No Interest in Business
Business is business is business. If you’re more fascinated with the production or research side of businesses, or maybe you’re crafty with your hands, then an MBA—online or otherwise—may not help you achieve your goals. Of course, there are exceptions to this. For instance, a carpenter who wants to learn how to make money from their craft can benefit from an online MBA program as it will teach them different aspects of business while allowing them to continue doing what they do.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a group of people who should pursue an online MBA degree and a group of people who should avoid it. It’s up to you to decide which category you fall in and whether or not you want to dedicate the next two years of your life to get MBA online.
Before we part ways, we just want to let you know that an online MBA degree isn’t as bad as some people make it out to be, especially when recruiters may not differentiate between online and offline MBA degrees. If you’re seriously considering earning an MBA online, don’t let anyone or anything stop you!
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