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seanpatin
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Considering PhD 26 Sep 2007, 23:17
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I know this is really early for me since I am still in undergrad, but I actually have a faculty member that I have been speaking with and I really do think I would like to get my PhD and go into teaching. But, I also have long wanted an MBA and also, think this could help give me a better knowledge heading into a PhD program. And who knows, maybe I would change my mind after getting an MBA anyway.

My plans are something like... finish undergrad... go into the workforce for 3-4 years (not sure where yet, but probably into Corporate Finance), then I am looking at some good MBA programs (Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia) where I think I like the "fit." As for PhD programs, I am still somewhat undecided on what to study here. I would like to teach management, but a lot of schools don't offer this. For instance, HBS has a management program but it is a DBA. Yale has no management program. And neither does Stanford. I realize NYU and Columbia and Wharton have them though. But, does it really make a large difference whether your PhD is in Business Economics or Management regarding what you teach post-doctoral?
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bauble
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Considering PhD 28 Sep 2007, 20:24
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For a Ph.D., particularly for those places you mention, focus on the research and not the teaching. For one, you will be spending nearly all your time building your research career at those places, not your teaching career. For two, let your research drive your teaching. If you like your research, you will like teaching the subjects in that field.
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cabro57
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Considering PhD 04 Oct 2007, 21:24
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seanpatin
My plans are something like... finish undergrad... go into the workforce for 3-4 years (not sure where yet, but probably into Corporate Finance), then I am looking at some good MBA programs (Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia) where I think I like the "fit." As for PhD programs, I am still somewhat undecided on what to study here. I would like to teach management, but a lot of schools don't offer this. For instance, HBS has a management program but it is a DBA. Yale has no management program. And neither does Stanford. I realize NYU and Columbia and Wharton have them though. But, does it really make a large difference whether your PhD is in Business Economics or Management regarding what you teach post-doctoral?
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As far as doctoral programs go, it doesn't really matter what the actual program is called; it's what's actually taught there (and more importantly who the faculty members are) that's important. Stanford doesn't have a "management" program but they have an "organizational behavior" track. It's mostly the same thing. Harvard grants DBAs (Boston U. too), but that's mainly a relic of tradition; the courses are the same as PhD programs in other schools.

The main difference between the choice of a school for an MBA program and the choice for a PhD program is that you need to realize that while you're still getting into a machine that eventually spits out graduates, the whole approach is much more personalized for PhDs than MBAs. People choose MBA programs almost entirely because of the school's brand name, or fit, or something like that. Well, fit at the PhD level is finding one or two faculty members that produce interesting research from your point of view; there are other criteria, but the most important one is probably something related to such fit.

Every field has well-known professors at "lesser" universities, and students of these professors can go on to teach in well-respected universities. (In accounting for example, Iowa and Minnesota have produced more than a few top professors, although they're way under the radar in terms of brand recognition or MBA rankings.)
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jwiner
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Considering PhD 15 Nov 2007, 13:09
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Seanpatin,

Very interesting post... I have very similar goals, I am 3 years further down the road.

When I was a business undergrad, I too was (and still am) very interested in becoming a college professor. I had a few truly remarkable professors who left a lasting impact on me - I would like to one day do the same for others.

I have now been working for 3 years and am applying to MBA programs next Fall. I am not as concerned about prestige as I am with "fit" at these schools. I am not interested in IB or Corporate Finance, more so environmental marketing, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. I'm looking at University of Colorado and UNC primarily.

PhD. - A college professor has to balance research with teaching. The way I (and a past professor) view it is: The more prestigious the school, the more time you can expect to spend on research (80%). Smaller, less prestigious schools (like Western Michigan University - my alma mater) expect more of a 50/50 balance with research and teaching. No matter where you go - getting published will help with earning tenure.

I am 25 and don't feel ready for a PhD. I value the (practical) education I will earn at an MBA and will parlay my success there into PhD admissions.

Best of luck to you! The fact that you are on this site means you are on the right track! Get some GOOD experience out of college and study for the GMAT!
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ChillusHermitus
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Considering PhD 27 Nov 2007, 05:21
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All the best to people applying this year! I'll be applying the PhD programs next year.

Though my post is not relevant to the discussion going on here, I did not want to start a whole new thread.

My background
Nationality - Indian
Undergraduate - Electrical Engg (IIT) (2004)
GPA - 7.92/10
Worked for a year with an auto firm on the shop floor.
Graduate - MBA (IIM) (2007)
GPA - 6.07/9
Currently working with an investment banking / financial advisory firm in India for the last 7 months.

I am yet to take the GMAT. Planning on taking it some time in the month of April or May 2008.

I have been trolling this site, on and off, for last few months. There are quite a few good and informative posts lying around which have been very helpful. I have more or less grasped the dynamics of applying to a b-school PhD, I do have some dilemmas. The biggest are "Which School" and "Which Stream".

Though the "Which School" part is pretty common among the new applicants (I might be wrong), the "Which stream" part is not (I might be wrong again!).

Which Stream
I have not done much by the way of research in my academic life. So it is difficult to draw inspiration from my academic experiences (strictly speaking) when deciding on which line of study to take. I was influenced by a couple of my professors when I was in b-school (their clarity of thought, energy levels, ability to engage the audience in class, their hold on the subject matter etc.) Some subjects were really thought provoking and inherently interesting (Game Theory, Labour eco, Strategy courses, some IT related courses). So where do I go from here? Do I make the prof my role model and try for a Phd in the same stream? Do I go for a PhD in a stream related to one of the subjects I liked in the b-school?

Which School
It is not an inexpensive process, there are so many schools and then there is this question of 'fit' (what exactly does 'fit' mean?). It seems like too much information to process.

I guess I come across as a completely confused person, not sure on what I want to do. (I am sure I want to do a PhD and get into the academia). I would really appreciate if someone can help me get some clarity. What am I doing wrong? How should I approach the whole thing?
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