Why I Chose to Pursue an Mba

WHY A MASTER AND HOW

Why a Master of Business Administration and How I Decided

Master of Business Administration: A Stepping Stone To Success

Noted American poet, Robert Frost, once wrote, "Two roads diverged in wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." (Frost, 1920). As I struggled to decide how to pursue my long-term educational goals, I found the above-mentioned passage replaying in my mind.

Ultimately, it is because I recognize the importance of taking the proverbial "road less traveled" that I have chosen to pursue a master of business administration degree (hereinafter "MBA") at the University of Phoenix. The discussion that follows details the thought process and factors that helped me make the decision and describes what I hope to achieve as a result.

According to a report based on the 2000 census, only 14.3% of African-Americans over the age of twenty-five have a bachelor's degree. (Bauman and Graf, 2003). Even more alarming is the fact that only 4.8% of the same group hold an advanced degree. (Bauman and Graf, 2003). These numbers are a sad, but telling commentary on the status of education in this country. I, however, am not a statistic. As an immigrant and the first member of my immediate family to complete high school and attend college, I have always known that education would be my passport to a better life. I am also fully aware that it is incumbent on me to not be complacent, but rather to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure academic success and economic achievement. I firmly believe that an MBA is an integral part of that plan and is clearly a stepping stone to success.

Though it requires a substantial commitment of both time and resources, the MBA is, in itself, a very valuable asset. Last year, the Graduate Management Admission Counsel conducted a survey of thousands of students who had recently earned an MBA. When asked how satisfied they were with the value of the degree as compared with the financial pressures associated with earning it, 63% of respondents indicated that the degree was of excellent or outstanding value. (Graduate Management Admission Counsel [GMAC], 2006). Still another 29% percent indicated that the degree was of good value. (GMAC, 2006). In addition to appreciating the increase in earning capacity - the typical graduate saw their income increase 41% upon earning the degree - graduates also respected the ways in which earning the degree helped them grow as individuals. (GMAC, 2006). I find this data extremely encouraging and it was exactly this type of sentiment such that prompted me to pursue an MBA.

Furthermore, when I look toward various individuals in my life who I perceive to be successful, I notice that while they may have achieved greatness in different professions, they all have something very specific in common: an advanced degree. For example, my immediate supervisor, the vice-president of finance at American Reading Company, has a master of arts