To M.B.A. or Not To M.B.A.?

I was a nontraditional M.B.A. candidate. At my business school the liberal arts majors were nicknamed "poets," but I'm pretty sure I was the only one who spent most of college actually writing poetry. My economics education was comprised of one high school summer class, where a typical day involved watching the movie Wall Street and then discussing it for 15 minutes.

If that doesn't paint a clear picture of my background, let me add that I had used Microsoft ( MSFT - news - people ) Excel exactly four times before business school: once to make the invite list for a barbecue, once for a housewarming party and twice to make the grocery lists for those events. As far as I could tell, Excel's major feature was columns. Columns.

But in other ways, I wasn't all that unusual. More and more, women like me are heading to business school as a way to give themselves the tools and credibility to realize their vision--whether to start a socially responsible business, lead a nonprofit or change systems and institutions to better serve people.

If you are a woman who wants to do meaningful work and contribute something positive to the world, and think an M.B.A. might help you do it, here's my verdict on the pros and cons of the experience.

The Upside

I balanced out my brain
Two years immersed in business school balanced me out as a person. Before, I was comfortable with creating a vision, but unsure how to execute. I was comfortable with words, but avoided doing heavy lifting with numbers. After business school, I was as comfortable with strategy and implementation as with vision. I never grew to love math, but I could deal with it just fine. My classmates with more traditional backgrounds also balanced their brains, though in different ways: finance geniuses took classes about the "people side" of business. People who knew big companies learned about start-ups, and vice-versa.
I learned to see the big picture
Through the business school curriculum, I was trained to see organizations from the CEO's point of view. I learned how to understand an organization's big picture, think about strategy at the highest level and see how all the functional pieces fit together and support (or don't support) that big picture. That's been invaluable to my career.

Gained credibility

No question: I gained a lot of credibility through the degree. Even in the nonprofit sector, my M.B.A. gave me authority and a common language with donors and board members, who were often business people.

Developed relationships with amazing women
The women I met in business school were very different from my other friends. Many work in very corporate, male-dominated environments. They have a passion for business. They are smart, adventurous can do-ers who anyone would be lucky to have on their team. Right now they are doing things like figuring out the market viability of a new medicines, starting management consulting offices in Africa and overseeing divisions of major Internet companies…while running marathons on the weekends. They inspire me and enrich my life. And yes, I developed many wonderful friendships with great men as well.

Connections and resources
It's often said that the best reason to get an M.B.A. is the network.If you are planning to go into a typical M.B.A. career (investing, management consulting, etc.) that network is particularly valuable, because you'll meet many people relevant to your career. If you are planning a less traditional M.B.A. career--such as one in the nonprofit sector--the network may be less valuable, but it's still a significant asset.

On the Other Hand: M.B.A. Myth-Busting
"I'll still be able keep up with everything in my life"
Most M.B.A. programs (even part-time ones) are intense and immersive. Most women I know set out with great intentions to keep in good touch with family and friends, stay well-rested and in shape, take time to reflect on their experience and all of that good stuff. Most of us failed miserably. It can be done, but it takes good boundaries and real commitment.

"I'll find the answer to, What should I do with my life?"

A lot of people go to business school with the idea that the classes, internships and time out of the workforce will allow them to figure out what they want to do with their lives. For most people I know, business school didn't do that. The intensity of the M.B.A. experience, the early start of recruiting for jobs and the nature of career services at most business schools are not conducive to that.

"What should I do with my life?" is a really important question. It gets answered by setting aside time to do the real work of identifying your interests, strengths and lifestyle needs, and by having the courage to face the truth about what is and isn't important to you--what really makes you happy. It's about looking inward and stepping into a more authentic you. It's about finding the courage to do that. Business school can't do that for you. Business school can't even help you do it.
"Once I have an M.B.A. then I’ll be able to…."

Sometimes women who want to change the world think they need a particular degree or education to before they can start that organization or business, before they can feel more confident, exercise more leadership or speak up about their ideas. That's a cop out.
An M.B.A. has many wonderful benefits, but many women also use it as cozy way to postpone stepping out of their comfort zones, owning their abilities now and taking some risks to pursue their dreams. Ask yourself: are you doing that? Pay attention to the answer--the one that comes from your gut not from your head.

For me, the training I received was more than worth it, for all the reasons outlined above. What an M.B.A. can offer is very valuable and tangible: skills, knowledge, connections--and the degree itself.
If you are looking to business school for more than that--for end to insecurities or a roadmap to pursuing your dreams, be careful. Only you can give yourself that, and you can give yourself that starting now.

Tara Sophia Mohr, a 2006 graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, is a coach and writer. You can receive her free goals guide, "Turning Your Goals Upside Down and Inside Out (To Get What You Really Want)" here. Follow her on Twitter @tarasophia.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/23/mba-business-school-education-forbes-woman-leadership-networking_3.html