Editor Note: This article explores the personal and professional motivations behind my decision to pursue an MBA. It highlights the importance of education as a lifelong goal, the desire to set a positive example for my family, and the need to stay competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. By obtaining an MBA, I aim to enhance my career prospects, influence my family’s aspirations, and ensure job security in an uncertain market. Despite the challenges and costs, the benefits of acquiring advanced business skills, networking opportunities, and a strong professional brand outweigh the sacrifices. This journey not only fulfills a personal ambition but also inspires my children and grandchildren to value education and strive for success.
Graduate School Application Essay: Why I Want an MBA
There are many reasons in my life that has helped me to decide “Why I Want an MBA?” How much education I obtain is fulfilling a personal goal that I set for myself a very long time ago, even though it has taken me some years to get there. First and foremost, it is very important for me to be a good role model, and an inspiration to my children and grandchildren; and to ensure that they understand that education leads to many successes in life. I have always believed in leading by example. Also, the changes in this global economy, along with my age and job security are some other reasons for my decision.
Being able to influence and heighten my family members to aspire to greater and better things that life has to offer is very important to me, and I know that getting a good quality education will open more doors for them to be successful. In 1966, the late, great singer/composer, James Brown, had a hit song entitled “Don’t Be a Drop-Out” which has influenced me throughout my life. The global economy, as it changes from day-to-day, dictate that the skills and knowledge I possess today will be null and void tomorrow, unless I continue my education. Therefore, being an older and non-traditional student has made me realize how competitive the job market is in this global workforce. By obtaining my MBA and maybe entering a doctoral program, is something I must also do to ensure my success in today’s workforce. The job I have now depends upon writing a grant proposal and getting it funded through the federal government every four years, but the federal government can stop funding this program in a moment’s notice. And because of this, the advantages for me getting an MBA outweighs the scarifies I have to make to get an MBA.
As far as the advantages to obtaining an MBA, according to Conde (n.d.) are: “the opportunity to increase ones salary, to advance in ones career, and to meet and develop a rapport with influential executives and colleagues in ones industry”; but there are also reasons and disadvantages in obtaining an MBA. The reasons or disadvantages that some people find for not entering an MBA program or furthering their education is the cost (to expensive); “in some cases, the cost of an MBA degree is four times as much as ones average yearly salary”, according to Schweitzer (n.d.); and finding the time to study especially if you have a full time job and other family obligations”. After pondering over the advantages and disadvantages of entering an MBA program, I know that I have made the right decision because obtaining this degree will allow me to keep my family inspired; and this degree will afford the opportunity me to venture out into unknown territories of success.
“The MBA is not an end in itself, but a means to an end; and it should supply three main value propositions: skills, networks, and brand. Hard skills include economics, finance, marketing, operations, management, and accounting; and the soft skills include leadership, teamwork, ethics, and communication that are so critical for effective management. Equally important is the networks which include but is not limited to networking with MBA students, alumni, faculty, and business and community leaders. Networking is very useful when beginning a job search, developing a career path, building business relationships in one’s current career. As far as brand, the article states that the MBA degree is a recognized brand that signifies management and leadership training; and that a powerful brand can give one the flexibility to make changes throughout ones career” (University of Pennsylvania, n.d.). As a result of my “What’s My Jungian 16-Type Personality?” (Marcie & Nutt, 1989), I am coded as an ENTJ that states: “I am outgoing, visionary, and argumentative, have a low tolerance for incompetence, and often seen as a natural leader. This personality test lists my possible career as a manager, management trainer, stockbroker, lawyer, chemical engineer, or police officer.” Therefore, obtaining an MBA will definitely help me become the role model I desire to be for my family, and my educational qualifications will make me better prepared to face this very competitive job market. And I will not forget that there are many successful business owners and CEOs to include self-made millionaires and billionaires that do not possess any formal education.
An article about CEOs states that, Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell computer, was a pre-med biology major at the University of Texas before dropping out of school after his freshman year; and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates also left college without earning a degree (Lewis, n.d.). This article highlights CEOs who did not pursue an MBA and how successful they are in their field of expertise and in business. Just as these two men had the vision and the skill to hone in on what it would take to make them successful, I also know that my education will led me to a path of success.
Without a doubt, the forces that have caused me to travel this journey will help me to be successful in my educational endeavors. Because of my entering an MBA program, my daughter whom I greatly admire and respect, has enrolled in a Master’s program and upon completing this degree, she plans to enter into a doctoral program. I won’t say that we are competitive but as her mother, I know what inspires her, and that is, following in my footsteps. My son, who makes more money than my daughter and I put together, have not entered into college as of this date, but I keep encouraging him to do so. He understands the importance of an education and has assured me that he will be enrolling in school in the near future. I am very proud of my accomplishments thus far, and I will continue to be the inspiration that my family need in this time of economic uncertainty; and I will always stress upon my family the importance of a good quality education.
References
1. Conde, C. (n.d.). Why get an MBA? Retrieved from CollegeView
2. Lewis, A. (n.d.). Many top CEOs say MBA not necessarily ticket to success. Retrieved from Honolulu Hawaii
3. Marcie, D., & Nutt, P. (1989). Self-assessment library: What’s my Jungian 16-type personality. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, MGT521—Management Course Web site.
4.Schweitzer, K. (n.d.). What is an MBA degree? Retrieved from About.com
5.University of Pennsylvania. (n.d.). The Wharton MBA. Retrieved from Wharton MBA