Tuesday, July 21, 2009

My perfect MBA

I'm having a lot of trouble summoning any interest to say anything about the MBA, which is just as well since my time is up. But for the sake of completion let's try the following thought experiment. What if anything would I change about my experience? What would make the "perfect MBA" for me?

Much of the Booth experience would remain. The flexible curriculum is non-negotiable for me. Emphasis on academics is important. Sharp student body a must. Gorgeous facilities would be sorely missed. But in addition
  • Primary emphasis on teaching. I wish every professor made those 3 hours in the classroom really count and held their responsibility as a teacher above all else.
  • Required well-taught class on ethics. Not in the hopes of reforming or deflecting the up and coming Skillings or Madoffs but because there is a lot of great emperically-based stuff out there to help us explore our responsibilities and rights and future "business leaders". It's not a side topic, it should be front and center of our education and can be approached through data and hard analysis rather than just a soft, feel-good conversation.
  • Requirement waivers. The curriculum would allow one to waive subjects in which a basic competency could be demonstrated through an exam (such as stats, econ, accounting). Yes, I am asking that the world's most flexible curriculum become even more flexible but a lady can dream!
  • Can't we all just be friends?? ;) It would have just been less competitive. My classmates behaved admirably but I felt like the system sort of ended up pitting us against one another, for employment, for grades, for scholarships, for recognition. It just felt tiring and unnecessary. It's amazing we all remained as supportive and kind to one another as we did given the circumstances.
  • Let's enjoy life! It just would have been more fun, more creative, more exploratory, more tasteful. In all honesty, it was a bit spirit crushing. Not too crushing but less uplifting than I was expecting.
And that would make a more perfect MBA for me.

3 comments:

a fan said...

IMO, regarding the last 2 points, it's possible only when an individual does MBA with a less pressure of money and inturn job.

I want to do it in such a less stressful way and study for the real sake of studying...but so far i am yet to raise the full money required and the MBA seems to getting postponed :)

Anonymous said...

Thought provoking post. BTW, how are you paying back your loans?

luisa said...

Loans....me, too! I would enroll in an MBA program tomorrow here in Fort Worth, but I am 30 and realize I want to have a kid or two.

The prospect of paying back the loans seems like it would proclude taking time off to have those kids and take care of them.