101 Reasons to Go to Business School
If you're thinking about getting your MBA, here are 101 reasons to consider it. What are your reasons for going to business school? Let us know in the comments!
1. You want to change careers.
2. Youre gunning for a promotion.
3. You need (okay, want) a bigger paycheck.
4. You want to start your own business.
5. You want to learn from the best and the brightest.
6. You want to do good.
7. You want to find a job.
8. Your spouse will leave you if you dont find a job
9. Why work 9-5 when you can work 24/7?
10. Its your only chance at ever being called Master [of Business Administration].
11. Checking that graduate degree box will do wonders for your online dating prospects.
12. You might meet your future spouse -- and be able to delete your online dating profile.
13. Which would make your mother happy.
14. Its shorter than medical school -- and theres no risk of killing someone.
15. Its shorter than law school -- and there are fewer jokes about MBAs than lawyers.
16. Its shorter than a PhD. program -- and you dont have to wear Tevas.
17. Its a good excuse for an anemic social life.
18. It might help you find a better social life.
19. You can reframe all your problems and character flaws as improvement opportunities.
20. Youll learn to juggle. Metaphorically speaking.
21. Grad-school chic is so in this season.
22. Sleep deprivation can be an interesting social experiment.
23. Youll learn exactly how many drinks are too many drinks at professional networking events -- the hard way.
24. Youll learn exactly how few drinks are too few drinks at professional networking events -- the boring way.
25. But seriously -- there will be a lot of chances to network.
26. Youll have lots of new things to talk about at cocktail parties...
27. ...of which youll be invited to many -- thanks to all that networking!
28. Core curriculum: statistics, marketing, finance, financial reporting, operational management and organizational behavior, oh my!
29. You could become an astronaut.
30. Or president.
31. Or learn to fire people.
32. Or displace someone on this list.
33. Or be the next Warren Buffett.
34. Just do it.
35. Youll learn How to Win Friends and Influence People -- without having to read the book.
36. You can get another chance at being a summer intern, this time without having to make coffee for anyone.
37. Your reading list will grow right before your eyes. (Hello, case studies.)
38. You can finally avenge that sub-par SAT score by rocking the GMAT.
39. If youre too risk-averse, youll learn to get over it. (In other words, just ask him out already.)
40. If youre not risk-averse enough, youll get over that too.
41. Turns out there arent a whole lot of jobs for that B.A. in Slavic Studies.
42. Figure out how to prioritize, all over again. Maybe you can party til 4 a.m., finish your reading, and get to class by 9 -- or maybe you cant.
43. You can use b-school as an excuse to quit your lame job.
44. You can use b-school to make your lame job less lame.
45. You want to make $100,000 right out of school.
46. You want to spend $100,000 really, really quickly (a few student loans dont scare you!).
47. Youll learn how to be resourceful and creative.
48. Going to be school is a great reason to move to a better climate.
49. Or be be near more colorful foliage.
50. Or live in a more vibrant city.
51. Or experience the foreign land of your choice!
52. B-school is like college, part II (only with more homework, bigger consequences, and worse hangovers, since youre not 21 anymore).
53. Youll learn a new language -- its called jargon.
54. You can use aforementioned jargon to impress and/or alienate friends, family and acquaintances.
55. Youll become a master of the delicate art of the elevator pitch.
56. Youll get another diploma to hang on the wall!
57. You can learn when the newspaper is lying to you. Thank you, Statistics 101.
58. You dont really know how to collaborate until youve worked with a team of Type A business school students.
59. Boredom will no longer be a part of your vocabulary.
60. Youll discover a newfound appreciation for caffeine.
61. Youll gain confidence in your abilities.
62. Think of how fancy your 20-year reunions will be. Fat cats of the world unite!
63. Think of how fancy you will be. (Fingers crossed!)
64. M.B.A. will look great on your resume.
65. Maybe the economy will have rebounded by the time you get out.
66. B-school campuses are so picturesque!
67. You'll learn how teams work best together.
68. Youll boost your leadership skills.
69. Youll become over-qualified for all those jobs you didnt want to do anyway. Goodbye, deep-fryer. Goodbye forever.
70. It will keep your mind sharp -- without having to do Sudoku.
71. Youll feel special when people use adjectives like driven and goal-oriented to describe you.
72. You can (hopefully) learn how to balance your personal and professional lives.
73. You'll ensure your girlfriend's or boyfriends parents think of you as marriage material.
74. Former classmates will be impressed at your high school reunion.
75. It will give your parents something to brag about.
76. Someday, you can walk around with a Bluetooth in your ear, babbling to yourself -- and no one will think youre a crazy person.
77. Lost? An MBA program might help you find your passion.
78. Youll learn a ton from your professors.
79. And a ton from your classmates.
80. And a ton about yourself.
81. Youll get an amazing challenge.
82. You'll find all kinds fun things to do while youre procrastinating during finals.
83. Youll meet people from all over the world.
84. Youll learn how to recover from failure.
85. You can help change the world.
86. You can take a two-year break from the world.
87. You'll eat plenty of free food (hello, recruiting parties).
88. And learn industry-specific best practices.
89. One (hyphenated) word: value-add.
90. Youll gain a deep appreciation for sleep.
91. Youll get better job security upon graduation.
92. Youll have an excuse to buy super-stylish business apparel.
93. Labor is a pleasure in itself. -- Marcus Manilius
94. Youll increase your earning potential.
95. Youll learn how to leverage... everything.
96. Student discounts!
97. A little competition will make you feel alive.
98. A lot of competition will take you even further.
99. Its one more opportunity to wear that funny hat!
100. What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger.
101. No seriously, itll be awesome.
So many reasons... What are yours? Let us know in the comments!
Written by Meghan Daniels.