20 Biggest Regrets Of MBA Graduates

I wish I had done it sooner, done it differently – or just done it more or less often. These are some of the biggest regrets of the MBA Class of 2022. This spring, P&Q surveyed graduates from 75 top business schools – from Alliance Manchester to the Yale School of Management – on their biggest regrets as MBAs. In the process, we learned what … [ Read more ]

Who Should & Who Should Not Apply For An MBA

Poets&Quants spoke with Andrew Knight, vice dean for education and globalization and professor of organizational behavior at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, about when an MBA makes the most sense, what the degree still does really well, and when to consider other paths for business education.

15 Biggest Regrets Of MBA Students

We asked top graduates the following question: “Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why?” Wondering what mistakes you should avoid as you begin preparing for business school? From pursuing perfection to skipping case competitions, here are the biggest regrets of the top MBAs from the Class of 2020.

The Problem with Harvard Business School Case Studies

Even if you didn’t go to business school, you’ve probably heard of Harvard case studies and the Harvard case method, the pedagogical system of choice at one of the world’s most elite business schools. The case method, as a style of learning, asks students to imagine themselves in the role of the “protagonist” (typically the CEO) leading the firm profiled in the case. They’re required … [ Read more ]

Why We Should Bulldoze the Business School

There are 13,000 business schools on Earth. That’s 13,000 too many. And I should know – I’ve taught in them for 20 years.

Should you get an MBA?

The question many people wrestle with: Should you get an MBA? Is it worth it? Our flowchart will make your decision just a little bit easier.

The Best Age to Go to Business School

To get the best pay out of your MBA, you have to graduate within a narrow age window.

Business Education’s Loudest Enemy Takes on Harvard

In the space of a 45-minute conversation, Henry Mintzberg called out Harvard Business School for misleading ads, dismissed MBA programs as “overrated,” and declared he’s “had it” with all the focus on leadership. In other words: classic Mintzberg.

Should You Get an MBA?

At least once a month an ambitious and hard-working person in their 20s asks me, “Should I get an MBA?” Here’s how I respond to those inquiries. First, it’s critical to determine whether your expectations for an MBA are aligned with what the degree will likely do for you. MBA programs offer three different types of benefits, all of which vary tremendously from one school … [ Read more ]

This Is the Unauthorized Letter Passed to Elite MBAs For Decades

A student’s survival guide from the 1980s is still quietly being forwarded to first-year students at some business schools.

In B-School, Is That a Syllabus, or an Itinerary?

In many M.B.A. programs, lifestyle experiences are gaining on academic ones in importance.

What’s an MBA for, Anyway?

The rise of the MBA inspired much handwringing, which was chronicled in a 1950 Fortune essay by management guru Peter Drucker. A look at the arguments for and against the degree.

T-Minus 30 Days and Counting: Getting Ready for B-School

The transition from worker bee to MBA student can be challenging. That’s why business schools offer programs and advice over the summer to help newbies maximize the MBA experience. If you’re among the first-year students heading back to school in the fall, here are some ways you can train to sit in a classroom again.

The Business of Change

Stanford Dean Garth Saloner discusses why and how business schools must change if they are to serve their students and society well.

Columbia B-school’s Glenn Hubbard: Is an MBA worth it?

Hubbard discusses the anxiety in MBA programs, Columbia’s MBA application plunge, and why alum Warren Buffett has not donated.

The Multipolar MBA

To Rakesh Khurana, a Harvard Business School professor known for his histories of management knowledge, business schools are facing a crisis of global irrelevance.

Does the case method still work for business schools? – An interview with Amir Ziv, Vice Dean at Columbia Business School

The case method is a key teaching tool in most business schools. A case study provides students with mostly real events and challenges from the corporate world. These can be 30 pages on the introduction of a new frequent flyer program or a company’s re-branding campaign for example … During a case students have to turn into decision makers, they are confronted with a problem … [ Read more ]

Getting a Head Start on Becoming an MBA Entrepreneur

A Q&A with Timothy Faley, managing director of the Zell/Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan

Does Working Before B-School Cost Grads $112,000?

Is the admissions strategy followed by the world’s most elite business schools cheating MBAs out of a small fortune?

Full-Time or Part-Time MBA: A Primer

Fundamentally, the content is the same, but program delivery will impact your personal experience. As with all other aspects of career transitions, there is no single “right” answer, but identifying the right fit for you is a matter of “trade-offs.” Here are a few to consider.