MBA Executive Summary Homepage
B-school life, facts and figures. What to know before becoming an MBA.
Before applying to grad school, it's important to understand the differences between full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs. Different programs emphasize different qualities among applicants and convey different benefits, so knowing which type of program is most appropriate is a critical part of an effective admissions strategy.
Start by reading though the "Which MBA" section at right. Then read the guides on visiting campus, MBA age issues, and Peter Drucker.
Which MBA?
Now that you've decided to get an MBA, which program is best?
Full-Time MBA vs. Part-Time MBA vs. Executive MBA
What to Do
When to visit, when NOT to apply to B-school, and who to read.
Who the heck is Peter Drucker, anyway?
Why Peter Drucker?
Because he was the first and he remains the best. Nearly a decade after his passing, Peter Drucker remains the world's most influential management theorist. Read Peter before reading anyone else.
What to Read: Professor Drucker wrote more than 30 books, many of which serve as the foundations of modern management theory. It's hard to know where to begin, but I recommend the "survey" book that summarizes many of Peter's earlier writing. It's called The Essential Drucker. [Amazon Link]
What Else to Read: Read The Theory of the Business. It's a short article and a good introduction to Peter's writing style (the best in the business) and his approach to management theory. [PDF Document at Amazon]
Who Else to Read: Definitely Michael Porter. He's a professor at Harvard and he's known principally for his writings on strategy. My favorite Porter publication is a short piece titled What is Strategy? [PDF Document at Amazon] Porter's other classic is The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy [PDF Document at Amazon]