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An MBA at a Top Program – Is It Worth It?

A 2011 GMAT study found that the vast majority of MBA graduates find their degree extremely valuable and assume they would not have found their current jobs without it, and without a doubt they would do it again. Ninety-three percent of 2011 graduates claimed that their post-graduation jobs are exactly what they were looking for, and 82% of 2011 graduates said their salaries matched or topped their expectations. In terms of investment yield, graduates were able to compensate for a third of their financial investment in tuition costs within the first year post-graduation, and the entire investment within four years post-graduation. After ten years, graduates had doubled the yield of their investment. The alumni who participated in the survey reported a median salary of $95,000 and an average $18,123 in bonuses.
The Forbes 2015 ranking of top MBA programs shows that the average salary for graduates of the 2014 top ten programs stood at $201,000 a year, 2.5 to 3 times their pre-MBA salary.
Among famous MBA graduates are George Bush Jr. (Harvard), Kofi Annan (MIT) and the CEOs of many of the 500 largest corporations in the world.
MBA studies at a top program provide you with management employment opportunities at the world’s top companies. Acceptance at a U.S. MBA program, for example, also includes a work visa post graduation. Companies that recruit MBA students at the top 50 leading programs include:

  • Top strategic consulting companies, like: McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Booz Allen, Mercer, AT Kearney, Marakon.
  • Top Wall Street investment banks, like: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanely, JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers.
  • Top finance companies, like: Citibank, American Express, GE Capital, Mastercard.
  • Top hi-tech, commodities, and industrial firms, like: Amazon, General Electric, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive.

In fact, MBA studies at a top program also afford you the opportunity to work at smaller companies that show leadership or initiative in their field, like top bio-technology companies, top real estate companies, and the top investment, hedge, and venture capital funds.

Are there MBA scholarships for international students?

Yes. Many international students study at MBA programs with full scholarships. Others win partial scholarships, and many students take loans through universities in order to fund their studies.

Scholarships are primarily awarded based on past achievements and potential for future success, and applicants are usually only informed upon acceptance.

Loans are usually offered by universities to anyone accepted to a top MBA program. These loans might require the signature of a U.S. guarantor.

It is important to note that it is easier to win scholarships at programs ranked 10-30 in the U.S. and Europe, than at the top-10.

Why does a top MBA open so many doors for international students?

  1. MBA studies prepare international students to work at English-speaking companies and within an American (or European) culture.
  2. MBA studies connect students to a network of students and alumni from around the world, which will help them succeed in a management position at the world’s top companies.
  3. Top companies recruit on campuses at top programs to their management tracks.

In addition, MBA studies at the world’s top programs are considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Alumni often describe the experience as two intense, unforgettable years with the “best and the brightest” of the business world, in which they formed lifetime relationships with their fellow students.