Three subtle factors influence the decision to do an MBA: Selection, Self-Selection and Signalling
By George ILIEV Last week I took part in a Financial Times discussion on the value of business school education and the MBA degree. One question kept coming up in the session: “ Can I get the benefits of an MBA without doing an MBA: skills, networks, stamp of approval? ” Here is my response on the meta-processes involved in the decision to do an MBA and how an MBA enhances one's career. The decision to do an MBA is to a large degree about three subtle processes: self-selection, selection and signalling. 1. SELF-SELECTION Driven and competitive people self-select. By merely deciding to do an MBA, you join a small segment of the business world who have gone down the MBA route. 2. SELECTION The top schools select from the shortlist of self-selected applicants. Harvard Business School admits 1 out of 10 applicants for its full-time MBA. Emory University (Atlanta) admits 3 out of 10 applicants. 3. SIGNALLING By completing an MBA, you signal to the market that yo...