5pm Thursday, normally the time for evaluation:
- Will I be ready to leave work at 6pm?
- Will I need to stay a little late?
- Is there a happy hour or two to pass through?
- What can I do to be the most productive in what’s left of today’s cubicle time?
This Thursday was a little different in that I caught a tweet about Penelope Trunk’s podcast Career Considerations and decided to listen in around 330 or 4. In that episode, she was discussing a topic that I’ve been interested in for some time, whether or not it was worth it to get an MBA.
There is a lot of talk online about whether or not it’s smart to get an MBA in this economy, whether or not entrepreneurs need an MBA and whether or not people are getting MBAs for the right reasons (fear of or lack of career success, so automatic response is returning to school).
In the end, I think one of Penelope’s best arguments for not getting an MBA is that you come out of the other side with thousands of dollars in debt. That’s one argument you can’t dispute, but I have a rival feeling, the itch for learning.
While I was certainly not your 3.94 GPA student, I enjoyed college, learning in a group environment, so I was very excited when a former professor of mine extended an invitation to sit in on his class that night. A guy who many many would think of as a highly controversial lobbyist, in a Thank You For Smoking kind of way, was scheduled to speak. I couldn’t miss that, so I wrapped things up at 630pm, headed down to GW and tried to recreate the GW college experience I was beginning to miss.
- Starbucks. Check.
- Notepad. Check.
- Hatchet (Student Newspaper). Check.
I was missing my macbook and GW sweatshirt, but I figured that I’d survive.
Unfortunately, the speaker cancelled because of client issues, but I decided to stay for the lecture anyway. I was quickly reminded of why I enjoyed this class so much. In the 2 hrs spent discussing issues and image management, the professor touched on and included supporting video or online material on the evolution of Starbucks, Jack Bauer and 24, Shell Oil, SxSW, and Jet Blue.
One thing’s for sure, I’ve got the itch for learning. I scratched it just a bit last Thursday, and it felt great. Not sure how I’m going to afford it (pointers here are very welcome), but grad school is definitely in my future. Why? Because I’m confident that if I scratch that itch, it’ll take everything (career, dreams, hopes, thinking, accomplishments) to the next level.
I’m jealous that you (almost) got to see Rick Berman speak. I’d kill to work at BermanCo.
Haha! I bet you would!
I often think about Grad School but the idea of debt turns me off. However, I’m only 1 1/2 years out of college so I know it’s not a rush. I think the experience gained in the workplace is not comparable to classrooms, but I love your point: the itch for learning.
There is something to be said of collaborating with other like-minded intelligent minds, around a project, idea or new theory. I haven’t written off Grad School and I know there are other ways to go without diving into debt (ie. companies often pay for you to go to grad school if you pitch them on it). Thanks for sharing!
“Experience gained in the workplace is not comparable to classrooms”- So very true, but the itch for learning is definitely there. Glad to know I’m not the only one out there who feels this way. Thanks for commenting!
I always rec. grad school, but I do PR for a grad school, so I’m a little bias.
If you do go back, get ready for almost no free time whatsoever…work, study, class, study will be your routine over and over again.
I thought about that as I was leaving the class. Leaving work and darting over to class, never getting home before 10pm- a mild taste of grad life…and that doesn’t even include papers, projects, and reading! It’ll be worth it though. Thanks Brian.