Stuck with the Wrong Degree? It's Not too Late for Business School.

So ... here's where things stand. Six months out of college with a prestigious Bachelor's Degree in Art History and you are back home, living in your old bedroom and contemplating how to make a career out of Cubism. The prospects are certainly grim. The art museum, local elementary school, and art gallery all sent your resume back unread; Mom and Dad are getting on your nerves; and that greeter job at the local supermarket is starting to look mighty tempting. What's a poor Liberal Arts graduate to do?

Well, pilgrim, say goodbye to van Gogh and say hello to Adam Smith and Peter Drucker! Out with Impressionism and in with Capitalism and Management Science! That's right, perhaps it's time to go to graduate school and earn your MBA. After all, you are living in your old bedroom...

According to a recent survey conducted by AACSB International, the average tuition and fees for an MBA degree at a public, accredited university is 18,500 USD. If you don't think that's a bargain, you haven't looked at your annual expenditures on gasoline and fast food. What makes it an even better bargain is the high probability that you will graduate with a real job with a real salary. For example, there have been Wharton MBA graduates that have landed jobs with a base pay of 350,000 USD—although keep in mind that Wharton is one of the top business schools in the world. But still, 60,000 USD a year would be nice. Right?

Now, this doesn't mean to click on the ad on your Facebook page entitled, "Get my MBA from home in three months" either. It means doing your homework and going to a university with an AACSB-accredited MBA program that is the real deal, whether it is online or in the classroom. That's if you want to get a job and earn a decent salary after you graduate. AA...C...S...B...what? An AACSB-accredited school—a school that has earned accreditation from the longest standing, most prestigious, internationally known business-degree program accreditation in the world. You know...schools like Harvard, Yale, University of California, London Business School, to name a few. Long story short, AACSB Accreditation basically makes sure you and your future employer get your money's worth. 

So, how do you find an AACSB-accredited MBA program? First, visit AACSB International's student website, www.bestbizschools.com, and enter the Masters/MBA section where you can search among only AACSB-accredited schools with MBA programs. Or, learn about more specific master's degrees in business, such as in accounting, finance, management, and others. All of which are degrees that provide opportunities for bright graduates like you (and you are bright, aren't you?) abound from Wall Street to Main Street. And if you play your cards right (that means actually attending an accredited school and graduating with honors), one day you just might own that art museum or local supermarket!