Why You Should (and Shouldn’t) Pursue an Online MBA Degree

In order to get a master’s degree, there are a number of factors that must be taken into consideration. To begin with, a degree may be of little use to someone with little else to do with their time. For those who have an excellent job lined up but need to meet a minimum educational qualification, now is the time to start looking for a suitable online MBA program.

It’s true that the two examples we’ve given are pretty extreme. For those of us somewhere in the middle, what are our options?

Are Online MBA Degrees Worth Choosing 

The central question in everyone’s mind is probably whether an online MBA degree is worth pursuing or not. While there are very good reasons why you should enroll in an online MBA program, how much value will you get upon graduating?

In the end, MBA programs are a two-year, four-semester whirlwind of networking. Attending an MBA program is a great method to network with influential people who can help you advance your career. It’s all about helping each other out in the professional world.

Face-to-face networking possibilities are lacking in online MBA programs. However, despite having the opportunity to learn from like-minded individuals in virtual classrooms, it is possible to miss out on the opportunity to connect on a personal level.

Who Should Consider Earning an Online MBA Degree?

We may have created an unflattering picture of online MBAs up to this point. Please accept our apologies, but the goal here is to be as clear as possible.

In spite of this, online MBA degrees aren’t a bad option. If you fit into one of the following categories, an online MBA degree, such as one provided by Nexford (https://www.nexford.org/mba), may be right for you.

You’re Currently Employed

You don’t have to leave your current work to pursue an online MBA or any other online learning program. As long as you can afford the upcoming semester’s tuition, most online MBA programs allow you to learn at your own speed. And if you’re fortunate enough, your employer might be willing to subsidize your tuition, provided you return to the office upon graduating.

There’s an Opportunity for Promotion

If a promotion is being offered to you by a higher-up, you should try your best to take it. Because of this, if you leave your job to go back to school before receiving written confirmation of a promotion offer, you may have unofficially lost the opportunity. Online MBA programs allow you to keep your job, so your boss will never question your “integrity,” “loyalty,” or “seriousness.”

You Don’t Want to Relocate to a New Town/City/State/Country

If you don’t want to relocate to another city, state, or country, you’ll need to find a university that’s close to where you live. Online learning affords you the ability to continue on with life without making drastic changes to your day-to-day. However, this is only true for 100% online programs—i.e., those that don’t require attending in-person seminars, lectures, or thesis defenses.

Who May Not Benefit from an Online MBA Degree

Apart from those who want to join the four-semester-long networking fest that is an MBA program, those who fall into any of the categories should reconsider spending resources on pursuing an online MBA degree.

Your End Goal Is to Become an Entrepreneur

While some MBA programs may have one or two elective subjects related to entrepreneurship, they are not the program’s primary focus. MBA programs generally teach skin-deep knowledge about various aspects of business, such as marketing and accounting. If your end goal is to become an entrepreneur or a specialist in any business subfield, you might be better off attending a more specialized post-grad program. Also, for those who have the nest multi-million-dollar idea in mind, spending the next two years in a virtual classroom may cause you to lose focus.

You Hate the Business Side of Companies

For those that are fascinated by the research and production sides of the business, perhaps an MBA degree—online or otherwise—is not a suitable next step. However, there is an exception to this rule. Artists and craftsmen who want to turn their passions into a profession may want to attend an online MBA program and learn how to generate income.

Conclusion

It’s clear that there are certain groups of people who should pursue an online MBA degree, while other groups of people may be better off seeking other opportunities. You should first determine which category you belong to before dedicating four entire semesters of your life to chasing a specific degree.

As a final thought, we just want to remind you that online MBA degrees aren’t all bad. In fact, if you take into account that many recruiters don’t care whether you obtained your MBA degree online or not, you should have more of a reason to consider taking the next step to earn a higher degree.

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