Boy you guys/gals sure make me feel stupid for getting an MBA.

Getting an MBA was the best thing I ever did (besides marrying my wife). It was a fabulous experience where I have made some lasting friendships and received a great education too.

Is it for everyone? No. Will you get your dream job? Not right away.

It has been 5 years since obtaining my MBA and 3 jobs later I am finally in one that I would consider my dream job (at least very close). It likely helped me get an interview for the first job, but the later experience was more important for the other jobs. However, without one I would not be where I am today.

An MBA fills a particular niche and the value one has been distorted by the marketing of some schools. Anyone in North America will have essentially the same education that has an MBA (there may be slight differences due to specializations i.e. finance, marketing, etc). Having been in academic completions while doing my MBA I can attest that the primary difference between schools is their marketing budget and the name attached to the school. The lowly western school I went to soundly defeated all of the eastern schools.

You will get the greatest value out of an MBA if you want to get that core business education, you have several years of experience in some field and you have an undergraduate degree in some other discipline (not a Bcom).

As with anything you get what you put into it, the biggest difference between a Bcom and an MBA is not the course work but the experiences that your classmates bring to the discussions and the ability to see how the theory you are learning can be applied to real situations.

They may help you get in a door or two, but once inside you have to perform or you will be on the other side of that door.