Skipping the MBA and Questioning the Benefits of College – Why is it Uncomfortable?

I make the case that you don’t have to go to business school to learn practical business skills and do well in the working world. In fact, skipping the MBA may actually help you be more successful in the long run. That’s a position that makes many people uncomfortable, and has sparked quite a bit of controversy. The question is: why? Because I’ve publicly advocated skipping business school, I’ve been standing squarely in the middle of this firestorm for six years. To be honest, I’ve always wondered why people get so worked up. From my point of view, it’s pretty straightforward: do the math and consider the risks – ALL of the risks. I’m not really the enemy of the MBA – I’m firmly against unnecessary student loan debt. MBA programs can generate enormous debt loads extremely quickly, without providing enough value to compensate for the risks. Business schools are, on average, over ten times more expensive than were twenty years ago – after you account for inflation.