What's the "best MBA"? Is it the number one in a specific ranking? Is it the most expensive one? Is it the MBA with the hightest average GMAT score?
What's the "best" MBA?
In my philosophy, the "best" MBA is the best MBA "for you". And given that the Master of Business Adninistration is a huge investment of your time, motivation, and financial resources, we should define what "for you" means.
Whats the "best MBA for you"?
In my philosophy, "the best MBA for you" is the MBA that helps you most in reaching your career goals. In other words, it is the program (and school) that provides you with the most benefits for your career goals.
What are the potential benefits of an MBA?
In my philosophy, an MBA can provide you with three major benefits: competence, reputation, and network. With competence, I mean information, knowledge, and skills such as intercultural competence or leadership skills. WIth reputation I refer to the perspective of employers that may get excited (or not) when they read the name of your institution in your CV. With network I mean the connections a school has to employers and the strength and size of the school's alumni network.
Again: What's the best MBA for you?
Is the best MBA for you the program that covers all three benefits optimally? And are you willing to pay for it? Not necessarily, at least in my philosophy. If you want to work for BCG, McKinsey, Google, or Apple, of course, you should study at a campus where these companies recruit - reputation plays a key role if your career plans ain at these employers, accordingly. But what if you are only interested in building up business knowledge and if network or reputation play a minor role in your plans? Then an internationally unknown but solid program that does not appear on any ranking may be the right MBA for you.
How do you find YOUR MBA?
In my guidebook "Business Masters: How you find the best Master in Management or MBA" I help you define your ideal MBA and find the program that satisfies you. Moreover, in my MBA Coaching I guide you through the process of linking your career goals to the right qualification.
Contact me
I have more than 15 years of experience in helping students and professionals find their next career step in business education. Feel welcome to take advantage of this experience either via my guidebook or my coaching.
Thomas Graf
Founder of MIM Compass, MBA Compass, and DBA Compass
