Q: Should the 3-5 years of work experience rule to enter MBA programs be lowered or even dropped for women to encourage more female applicants?
| posted by Fast Company staff
That depends. How many female applicants with a desire to enter MBA programs are deterred because they may not have the 3-5 years of work experience? Perhaps a little more research would be prudent before proposing solutions?
I believe this is true to a certain extent. The popularity of social networking has given risen to those that simply want to get their name out there for selfish reasons. On the other hand, it has opened up a door to the virtual world of genuinely getting to know people and developing relationships. With any good idea comes those that choose to profit from it in their own selfish ways-this will never change- the best one can do is act in a way that works for each of us. In the end, we get out of it what we put in to it.
Daniela
What does 3-5 years of work experience really tell you about someone? Only that they were employed.
How would dropping this requirement result in more women entering MBA programs? There is no evidence that this discourages applications.
This is about as ridiculous as beliefs about the value of tenure and resume parsing. The most tenured individual is often burned out and the only candidates that rise to the top when resumes are parsed are those that have inflated their resumes with all of the relevant keywords.
Let's move on to a discussion about whether females are not applying to MBA programs, and then if so, why.
First, what research has been done to suggest that this is the reason for less female applications? Somehow this suggestion raises an assumption on woman's capability to establish significant work experience and I would ask, what is getting in the way of women gaining the criteria of "work experience" for these programs as well why would we lower the standard- this just sets up more inequity in the mind set of both women and men.
'Work experience' should not be a criteria to decide an entry into a business school. MBA is a degree which many pursue to enhance their career profiles. Many countries do not have this clause for the simple reason that the capability of an individual to do such courses cannot be decided on qualification. Moreover, there should be any linkages of this to gender. Everyone is free to make his / her choices and criteria should be same for all.
Gender discrimination has no place in education or anywhere else for that matter. The more relevant(and difficult to measure) criteria for MBA programs should be willingness, ability and preparedness to contribute. I'm not convinced that gender or work experience is a mandatory precursor to any of the above.
This is a pretty sophomoric question as to not even address b/c there's no grounding that work experience is an inhibitor for women not applying to business schools. First, there are business schools that don't require work experience. Second, (being an MBA student myself), it adds value to everyone - yourself and your classmates, when what you are learning can be put into context. Third, half of the MBAs I meet today are women so obviously not a factor. Please...ask intelligent questions.
This is a pretty sophomoric question as to not even address b/c there's no grounding that work experience is an inhibitor for women not applying to business schools. First, there are business schools that don't require work experience. Second, (being an MBA student myself), it adds value to everyone - yourself and your classmates, when what you are learning can be put into context. Third, half of the MBAs I meet today are women so obviously not a factor.
No. Experienced students leads to deeper discussions and better, real-life understanding of the topics. As an experienced woman in an MBA program in the late 90s, I garnered considerable knowledge and understanding by being able to apply the concepts to my real-world experience (even if my experience came from 4 years of retail management after college).
As a woman that completed her MBA, I do think the question is ridiculous. I would have been really disappointed if I ended up attending class with a group of individuals that had little or no work experience. I would have questioned why the school could not attract talent that had broad work experiences. Bottom line is you don't know what you don't know so even if you are the smartest person in the world the application of an idea is still the best learning.
I tend to think that the playing field appears to be equal. Not being a woman, obviously my perspective is from a mans point of view. It is important to bear in mind that no woman or man should be discriminated against. All opportunities including the educational system should be equal.
No. The 3-5 years of work experience ensures that students have a rich dialogue with "real" life problems/resolutions to learn from. An MBA program worth its weight in gold will require work experience as a tenant for delivering a successful program.
The 3 to 5 year gate is there because the value of an MBA raises as the student has real world experience. It has nothing to do with gender, race or occupation. After going through an MBA program, I would have considered it a waste of time and resources for me to enter an MBA program with zero work experience. I would consider a graduate from an MBA with no experience in a much different light for hiring than one who has work experience with the degree.
This question was maybe asked previously, but I want to ask it again.... Its career orientated; If there is no company who wants to give a "new" employee or person a chance at a certain field for which he/she studied for, how can one then get the necessary "experience"????
Nop, there are plenty of competitive-business driven women with 3-5 years of experience out there.
Additionally, having at least 3-5 years of experience allows MBA students to undertand how to better apply the concepts they learn at class
No. But maybe there should be a broader range of what is considered acceptable work experience. You shouldn't lower standards you should expand them to consider nontraditional career paths instead of the typical Ivy League pedigree.
Why? I am a single mother, with a degree (that I finished while pregnant) and have managed to move into a senior mgmt position within 3 years of employment. While I really want to see more women involved in business, lowering standards does not level the playing ground for women. If anything, we end up fighting the impression that we would not have been able to get there without the help. If you want to help, provide child care and flexible scheduling so that we can still support our families.
25 Total
May 1, 2008 at 10:41am by Tim JohnPress
That depends. How many female applicants with a desire to enter MBA programs are deterred because they may not have the 3-5 years of work experience? Perhaps a little more research would be prudent before proposing solutions?
May 1, 2008 at 11:05am by Daniela Rodriguez
I believe this is true to a certain extent. The popularity of social networking has given risen to those that simply want to get their name out there for selfish reasons. On the other hand, it has opened up a door to the virtual world of genuinely getting to know people and developing relationships. With any good idea comes those that choose to profit from it in their own selfish ways-this will never change- the best one can do is act in a way that works for each of us. In the end, we get out of it what we put in to it.
Daniela
May 1, 2008 at 12:03pm by Dan Hern
It should stay the same. There is no subsitute for experience. People with professional experience will usually take school more seriously.
May 1, 2008 at 12:24pm by Darin Phillips
What does 3-5 years of work experience really tell you about someone? Only that they were employed.
How would dropping this requirement result in more women entering MBA programs? There is no evidence that this discourages applications.
This is about as ridiculous as beliefs about the value of tenure and resume parsing. The most tenured individual is often burned out and the only candidates that rise to the top when resumes are parsed are those that have inflated their resumes with all of the relevant keywords.
Let's move on to a discussion about whether females are not applying to MBA programs, and then if so, why.
May 1, 2008 at 12:28pm by Susan Wright
First, what research has been done to suggest that this is the reason for less female applications? Somehow this suggestion raises an assumption on woman's capability to establish significant work experience and I would ask, what is getting in the way of women gaining the criteria of "work experience" for these programs as well why would we lower the standard- this just sets up more inequity in the mind set of both women and men.
May 1, 2008 at 5:59pm by Luke Robertson
Absolutely ridiculous. Equal rights for all, equal time requirements for all. Simple as that.
May 2, 2008 at 1:28am by Catherine Kunst
No. Work and life experience is crucial to a meaningful MBA experience.
May 2, 2008 at 7:41am by Anish Behl
'Work experience' should not be a criteria to decide an entry into a business school. MBA is a degree which many pursue to enhance their career profiles. Many countries do not have this clause for the simple reason that the capability of an individual to do such courses cannot be decided on qualification. Moreover, there should be any linkages of this to gender. Everyone is free to make his / her choices and criteria should be same for all.
May 2, 2008 at 8:54am by David Hackett
Gender discrimination has no place in education or anywhere else for that matter. The more relevant(and difficult to measure) criteria for MBA programs should be willingness, ability and preparedness to contribute. I'm not convinced that gender or work experience is a mandatory precursor to any of the above.
May 2, 2008 at 7:34pm by Siri Wolf
This is a pretty sophomoric question as to not even address b/c there's no grounding that work experience is an inhibitor for women not applying to business schools. First, there are business schools that don't require work experience. Second, (being an MBA student myself), it adds value to everyone - yourself and your classmates, when what you are learning can be put into context. Third, half of the MBAs I meet today are women so obviously not a factor. Please...ask intelligent questions.
May 2, 2008 at 7:34pm by Siri Wolf
This is a pretty sophomoric question as to not even address b/c there's no grounding that work experience is an inhibitor for women not applying to business schools. First, there are business schools that don't require work experience. Second, (being an MBA student myself), it adds value to everyone - yourself and your classmates, when what you are learning can be put into context. Third, half of the MBAs I meet today are women so obviously not a factor.
May 2, 2008 at 9:18pm by Ray Gardner
How would it sound if someone said "Women need extra help since they are not capable of doing better on their own accord"?
It's just as asinine as the posted question, but not euphemistically worded.
May 3, 2008 at 1:23am by ankit shukla
no i dont think so but who know marketing they do everything and commu. skill attraction. smartness sharpness of mind
May 4, 2008 at 9:25am by Tonia Whitney
No. Experienced students leads to deeper discussions and better, real-life understanding of the topics. As an experienced woman in an MBA program in the late 90s, I garnered considerable knowledge and understanding by being able to apply the concepts to my real-world experience (even if my experience came from 4 years of retail management after college).
May 4, 2008 at 9:50am by Jennifer Tracy
As a woman that completed her MBA, I do think the question is ridiculous. I would have been really disappointed if I ended up attending class with a group of individuals that had little or no work experience. I would have questioned why the school could not attract talent that had broad work experiences. Bottom line is you don't know what you don't know so even if you are the smartest person in the world the application of an idea is still the best learning.
May 5, 2008 at 11:16am by Mark Salinas
I tend to think that the playing field appears to be equal. Not being a woman, obviously my perspective is from a mans point of view. It is important to bear in mind that no woman or man should be discriminated against. All opportunities including the educational system should be equal.
Mark Salinas, Viscom Technology Group Inc.
May 5, 2008 at 2:16pm by Jesus Rios
No. The 3-5 years of work experience ensures that students have a rich dialogue with "real" life problems/resolutions to learn from. An MBA program worth its weight in gold will require work experience as a tenant for delivering a successful program.
May 5, 2008 at 2:55pm by Jennifer Stentz
The 3 to 5 year gate is there because the value of an MBA raises as the student has real world experience. It has nothing to do with gender, race or occupation. After going through an MBA program, I would have considered it a waste of time and resources for me to enter an MBA program with zero work experience. I would consider a graduate from an MBA with no experience in a much different light for hiring than one who has work experience with the degree.
May 5, 2008 at 3:05pm by Marshall Ashworth
Would more female applicants be an improvement and if so can you explain why?
May 6, 2008 at 1:44pm by Jacques Nortje
This question was maybe asked previously, but I want to ask it again.... Its career orientated; If there is no company who wants to give a "new" employee or person a chance at a certain field for which he/she studied for, how can one then get the necessary "experience"????
May 7, 2008 at 10:45am by
Nop, there are plenty of competitive-business driven women with 3-5 years of experience out there.
Additionally, having at least 3-5 years of experience allows MBA students to undertand how to better apply the concepts they learn at class
May 13, 2008 at 6:01pm by Michael Krakovskiy
No! There are too many MBAs as it is.
May 26, 2008 at 6:33am by Larry Levine
It should be dropped for me and women.
May 26, 2008 at 3:36pm by Liz Pullen
No. But maybe there should be a broader range of what is considered acceptable work experience. You shouldn't lower standards you should expand them to consider nontraditional career paths instead of the typical Ivy League pedigree.
May 27, 2008 at 2:55pm by Rhonda Bly
Why? I am a single mother, with a degree (that I finished while pregnant) and have managed to move into a senior mgmt position within 3 years of employment. While I really want to see more women involved in business, lowering standards does not level the playing ground for women. If anything, we end up fighting the impression that we would not have been able to get there without the help. If you want to help, provide child care and flexible scheduling so that we can still support our families.