Business School

[Doodyps]

I'm a recent graduate of Tulane, but I was a Poli sci major. I only took one business class which was financial accounting. How many of you guys went to business school? How important is it? I've been considering taking one or two night classes at Rice this upcoming spring, just to learn some stuff. I would consider going there to get an MBA in the future, although I'm still considering law school. MY real passion is entrepreneurship though. I need to make something. I'm an industrialist at heart I guess. Are business classes that important when starting your own company though?

[CascadeStar]

I went to the Univ. of Washington Evening MBA program while working full time at my corporate job. A MBA should be the sine qua non of all entrepreneurs, even those who are already successful or never needed it. The reason is two-fold. A MBA will help you manage your business far more effectively and it is also a great way to NETWORK with people who may become your business partners, employees, employers, and friends down the road.

Get a MBA at a local university at cheap local tuition rates. Never go to expensive business schools unless you can somehow get into one of the top 10 business schools.

You can still pursue a law degree in parallel with a MBA. I believe that some universities offer a double-degree program in both JD and MBA (I know that UW does).

[MoneyMagnet]

I don't think school is important to run a business. If you want to be an employee, then having a degree is important. Whether you learn to run a business from first hand, a college, or a mentor doesn't make a difference. The learning part is what is important.

[Doodyps]

That's kind of what I was thinking. Learn, as in take a few classes, but I don't see a need to graduate with another diploma unless I'm looking to get hired by a financial institution or large company (which would be nice security, but Tulane has a pretty good rep). Rice is local for me, although its not cheap. I really think taking a few classes there or eventually getting an MBA there if I decide to would be very beneficial networking wise, but I really just need a few classes at this point and the not $80k plus MBA from them. I'm pretty well connected as it stands though. I really need to sack-up and seek out a mentor. I have access to some pretty impressive people, but I don't know what kind of time they want to put in for their son's friend ect. Most are pretty nice though.

[StealYourDreams]

keep in mind that the responses you'll get against "formal" education, on this forum, come from real superstars with thriving blogs, non monetized web pages, and people that really havent achieved all that much beyond tossing the term entrepreneur around lightly.

To each his own and anyone who claims that a formal education prepares you to be an employee is an idiot.

[eliz4biz]

Well, I won't go so far as calling people idiots that I do not know personally, but SYD your user name kind of hits the nail on the head.
I do not think you have to have a degree to run a business; however the first thing that came to mind when I read your question was: if you do not know anything about business how will you know if you are being taken advantage of? You have to have SOME business sense to be able to run a business. You CAN get that without getting an additional degree.
I am a few elective credits away from my BSBM and I can tell you there were numerous times that I knew more about business than my professors because I had been in the real life business world for years prior to going to earn my degree. That's pretty frustrating! Bottom line, nothing can replace real world experience.
I think it's all about what YOU want. I wanted my degree for my own PERSONAL satisfaction, not because I NEEDED one to run a business.