As promised, a discussion about MBAs that is sure to please some and infuriate others (because that’s how these things go.)

Business School is a well-worn path for many officers leaving the service, and that ties into the bigger question of whether to go back to school or not 1/ https://twitter.com/oneminutecall/status/1194619107888566272

(Of course this all applies to talented NCOs who ETS, too.)

Full disclosure: I have an MBA from Harvard. If you didn’t know that, wait 5 mins and I’ll say it again...because maintaining the reputation for insufferably repeating one’s Harvard pedigree is a brand requirement.
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The first thing to know is that not all MBAs are created equal. I’ll get into that in more depth. Before I do, consider that a lot of people will lean on the the Good Will Hunting trope of “an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late charges at a public library.” 3/

There’s some truth to that, insofar as little in an MBA curriculum is massively cerebral. There’s a reason they split the atom in a lab under the football field at U. Chicago and not in a room at the Graduate School of Business (as it was known before Mr. Booth gave them $). 4/

Learning to understand a P&L statement or how marketing works isn’t high calculus. But there’s a Clausewitzian (yipes) element to the subject of business, in that everything in business is very simple but the simplest thing is difficult. There’s a reason most businesses fail. 5/

Speaking of B school specifically, the learning is not a secret. EBITDA and market sizing aren’t magic. The magic of an MBA is how you get it, and with whom.

For young officers (junior O4 & below) I cannot stress enough that you should avoid online or “accelerated” MBAs. 6/

You have time! You can leave the service, have a great two years at business school, and move on to your next career. Even if you have kids. Even if you’re really old (like yours truly). You have options. If an MBA is in your future, don’t squander it by being in rush. 7/

This is part and parcel of the fact that much of the value of an MBA is the immersion and the network. Sitting at home grinding out accounting problems is never going to give you the value of having your views challenged in class. Don’t eat the bun and leave the hot dog. 8/

Perhaps the highest and best use of an MBA is as a pivot point. Most who go to B School do it as a way to switch careers. If you’re not ready to switch (e.g. you’re a LT with 4 years left on your ADSO) don’t do it! Wait, and be sure to capture that springboard effect. 9/

Some of you are probably considering whether or not to go back to school at all. Spoiler: do it, if you can at all afford to do so. Double spoiler: you can. As I’ve said, lack of experience is a huge hurdle. The only shortcut is school, and an MBA is one of many good options. 10/

If you do pursue one, go into it knowing what you’re getting from the institution. There’s a ton of elitism in MBA land (which is esp. fun since about 14 schools claim to be Top 10). There’s a persistent belief that anything but the best is a waste of time and money. Not so. 11/

Does a Harvard or Stanford MBA have greater ROI on average than, say, Ohio State? Absolutely. But when you look under the hood, there’s more to it. HBS and the like place students in finance, PE, MBB consulting, strat & tech. If you want to do supply chain? OSU is stronger. 12/

You also have to consider what’s realistic for you in terms of admissions and life. I was very lucky to end up where I did. The sun shines on a dog’s ass sometimes. Moreover, I knew I wanted to live on the East Coast (overshot a bit). I didn’t want to work in Silicon Valley. 13/

If you’re happy living in Austin, UT is a perfect option. One of my buddies went Florida State. He knew what he wanted and now has the career he desired (in Florida & NYC). Elite programs offer better results on average, but stats are meaningless to the individual. 14/

You’ll always find someone who will say an MBA is useless or overrated or what have you. They’re usually the same folks who think prior service officers are better by default and that all LTs are dumb. Beware the inveterate skeptic. They’re usually compensating. 15/

MBA programs can be a life-changing event, if you do your homework. Know what you want out of it and where you want to make your home. They’re but one of many degrees that can change the arc of your life. With the GI Bill, YRP, and VR&E, you will pay little or nothing for it. 16/

In the end, I paid $0 for mine thanks to the amazing folks at the VA VR&E office. Don’t let money be a showstopper. The money is out there, and you can fund it in many ways. The math works, even if you have to eat a ketchup sandwich once or twice. 17/

And if you’re still not convinced, just read these two books and you’ll know everything under the sun anyhow.

Trust me. I went to Harvard. 18/18