Does Business Education Matter?

Does business education matter?

I would hope it is a strong indicator that a person has a minimum proficiency in reading and writing.  It probably also means that you survived for an extended period of time on a diet of beer and pizza – excellent training for future business trips.

There is no doubt that Business degrees should be more vocational in nature than they currently are.  Therefore, it is up to the individual to ensure s/he gets the most pragmatic training from any academic business program.  As a service to anyone considering business education, or is part way through such a program, here are some things I wish I knew before going to business school:

  • Kraft Dinner is not food.
  • Liberal Arts degrees may be fulfilling, but they almost certainly ensure a career in a location with a drive-through window.
  • However, you need at least a few Arts courses so you can learn to write clearly and quickly.  This is a skill you will use far more often than the stats and accounting they teach you in Business School.
  • Likewise, good Project Management skills will serve you much better than anything you’ll learn in an Operational Research course.
  • Cheez Whiz isn’t something you eat – it’s something you seek out urologist for.
  • Take a Gap Year between High School and Post-Secondary.  This is common practice outside of North America, and it will ensure much higher focus when you do start.
  • Your Business School Professors have most likely never been in Business.
  • Take Out and Delivery are not two of the food groups.
  • Student loans aren’t a bad thing.  While it is true that society gets an 8:1 return on any investment they make in your education, you should still pay the bulk of it – your return over your lifetime is 17:1.
  • Build networks – that weird, awkward guy in your lecture might be building the next Facebook in his dorm room.