William, thanks for taking the time to write your thoughtful comment.

I don't disagree with anything you're saying. My only comment is this: Many MBAs, upon graduating, want (or possibly, need) to maximize their degree with the highest salary possible. This cuts them off from the most promising smaller companies that can't afford the pricey degrees.

My hat is off to the rare MBA student who's just paid $50k to $100k for a degree and is risk tolerant enough to actually *use* that knowledge at a company where it can be put to good use but not necessarily monetized. Speaking honestly, I haven' met such a person yet.

Great article!. I've read this article several times since you first posted it last year, and I've repeatedly debated whether I should respond, mostly because I suck at writing. But after the course that I took this year, I feel slightly more empowered. Thus "I'm turning over a new leaf" :-)

I will agree that in the past, conventional wisdom and reasons for getting an MBA were so that one can increase his or her marketability and overall compensation. However, in recent years (the past 5 to 7years), the reasons for someone seeking an MBA have become more broad.

For instance, Social Entrepreneurship and Public Management are increasing trends and offerings in most of today's MBA programs because students are seeking specialized education in these areas. Employment opportunities in Social Entrepreneurship and Public Management typically don't pay well, or at least not well enough for some people to justify spending $150 - 200 K on an MBA education. Nonetheless, students are increasingly enrolling in MBA programs choosing to focus in these concentrations. Some business schools (as well as some Law schools), such as Stanford, offer loan forgiveness programs for graduates who work for nonprofits or work in the public sector after graduation. Also, some schools even provide fellowships or money to supplement the salary of those seeking summer internships in these areas.

Additionally, there is an increasing trend of MBA students, such as myself, seeking a concentration or specialized learning in Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship. Both the students and the schools recognize that students may not immediately, if at all, collect high or high enough compensation while starting their own ventures or while working at a start-up upon graduation. Furthermore, several top programs that are recognized for their strength in entrepreneurship offer Entrepreneurial and Venture Capital Summer programs that supplement the salary of students seeking internships at a Venture Capital firms or Start-up companies.

Below are a few links that describe various programs at Stanford and UVA: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/finaid/forgiveness/no... http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/ces/students/internsh... http://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/MBA/Entreprene...

These are just two schools. Other business schools, who can afford to do so, offer or will start to offer similar programs. The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University raises funds each year to assist students seeking summer internships in Social Entrepreneurship. Most likely there are several other school which do the same.

Sorry for the long response. But as you can see, an MBA education is becoming more broad. And in my opinion, an MBA education is becoming more well-rounded and valuable; not just in terms of increasing ones marketability and compensation, but also in increasing one's fundamental knowledge of management, increasing management education in non-traditional fields, sectors, and industries, and, most of all, increasing one's personal satisfaction.

I hope that you consider me for employment with Socialize, Inc. upon graduation from my MBA program. :-)

-Will