Should I Stay or Should I Quit?
I’m having some major second thoughts about doing this whole EMBA thing. After considering all of the work and all of the time this program will take out of my life, I’m not sure I want to do it. The bottom line is that I don’t want to spend every waking hour I have outside of my job doing homework.
I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days and here are the pros and cons I’ve come up with:
I’ll start with the cons of doing the EMBA program:
- I know what my weaknesses are: Accounting, Finance and every can always learn to be a better leader. I’m sure that I could piece together my own curriculum and learn a lot of these things on my own time and on my own terms.
- I don’t NEED an MBA. I love my job and it’s not like I need to get this degree to get a promotion or a new job.
- I like watching football.
Pros:
- From what people tell me, it’s more about the journey than the classes themselves. The real value in this particular program is hearing the successes, challenges and point of view of others in the class.
- I was previously freaking out about the workload. I’ve talked to a lot of people who have been thru similar programs and they tell me that it’s harder to fail than it is to get an “A”.
If I move forward with this, I will have to set my boundaries. I’ll set aside a certain number of hours to dedicate to schoolwork and once I reach that, then I’ve fulfilled my obligation. If I do that, I can deal with the results – whatever they are.
BTW, I totally respect the people that have been able to do an EMBA program, or any kind of MBA for that matter. It’s a huge commitment and takes a lot of discipline.
So, what do you think? Should I stay or should I quit. Vote here.
I don’t have any other points of reference except this post, things I’ve read about MBA’s online, how they’re viewed in the business world and what is possible with, or without one.
With that said, you seem to lay it out pretty black and white. Have you considered the Personal MBA? http://personalmba.com/. I’d most likely head down this road first, at least.
Neal … obviously you think having an MBA will benefit you in some way. (Otherwise you would never have enrolled.)
So, what windows are you hoping an MBA will open for you? Knowing that should help you decide if getting an MBA now is the best use of your time and money.
If you can find balance, then do then finish the program, if its going to destroy your life, then move on. The little I know of you it looks like you can suceed in life with or with out the emba
Hmmmm…………
Well, first thing: track down a copy of AHEAD OF THE CURVE, a new book by a guy who decided to leave his (successful) career to return to school for an MBA. Just came out, so you won’t have trouble finding it.
Second, and now speaking as someone who dropped out of college several times and then went back for seven years hard labor to get three degrees (and taking a cue from John Moore’s comment above):
What’s your long-term goal? And is it worth giving up immediate gratification for that goal.
Because being in grad school definitely requires a person to sacrifice short-term gratification in favor of a goal that is long-term.
And by short-term, I mean you have to give up all those immediate moments pleasure:
You can’t watch football whenever you want. You gotta say no to the trip to the pub w/your friends. You gotta say no to sleep and money. You gotta say no to the TV set, your family, and just hanging out.
SO: the real pro/con question to ask yourself is this: Are you willing to sacrifice these instant-gratification goodies for the bigger, but long-term, prize?