Thread by @IphieTalk

In 2020 we are prioritizing our time and resources to learn for actual value creation not certificate acquisition.

Amen.

Imagine paying all that money for an MBA and you can't even produce a convincing pitch deck at the end.

To expand on this, learning is a function of 4 things:

- The learning framework
- Who you are learning from
- Who you are learning with
- The reputation of the learning institution

Are you ready? Let's dive in..

The learning framework is the curriculum.
Theories or case studies, projects/group work, internships, excursions ,exams and thesis.
Note what is best for the industry you are in.e.g. courses with practical applications like Prod Mgt can't be heavy on theory and thesis. 👎.

Next!Who are you learning from? I.e. your Faculty. Look out for 'aspire to pespire' folks; you are teaching innovation and entrepreneurship..but you've never done 1..ok o.

Check them out on Linkedin, personal websites, research sites, twitter. Lookout for racists& misogynists.

Then.. .who are learning with? Fellow students.Why is this important? You'll be spending a lot of time with them, gleaning from their experience ,challenging and being challenged by them.Future spouses, business partners, co-founders or board members could be in that network.

Save for clairvoyance,its kinda hard to predict this abi?

Check the eligibility reqs.If they are looking for entry level folks and you're 10 yrs,you maybe a loner.

The only politics know to them is family poilitics 😁.

Look for diversity in race & career, you'll learn a lot.

The last is the learning institution, it's my most favorite to unravel as 'reputation' lends itself to many meanings.

People often google rankings to be informed about school reputation. Its iffy. A lot of those things are paid for.

Same with student reviews on school websites.

You wanna know the real reputation? Get the name of the student in those schl site reviews & search on Linkedin; note their career path *after* the course.

Also look for reviews on Quora and Reddit. Good stuff.
Also note that some schls are reputable for MBAs but maybe not MSc.

So Uni of X might be minting good Accountants but sub-par Economists.
It might be a diff in the faculty or how 'matured' the offering is.

For e.g Some Ivy league schls offer courses in AI, Data or Startups. A couple are selling sub-par content riding on their brand. Look well.

Another useful metric for reputation is accreditations & Industry partnerships. Look for those relevant to each course.

Let's talk about MBAs shall we? I often hear -'I need it for the network'. Fair enough. Just be sure you have a good chance of extracting the value you seek.

You are a hopeless introvert like me and you want to network at a General MBA with no platform. Leemao!!

You apply to a Tech MBA and you think python is the name of a snake..Leemao!!

You apply to MBA specialising in Family business and 4 generations behind you did 9 to 5. 🤣

Ok, this thread is long enough. The last thing I want to say is : All the above also applies to short courses, diplomas, executive education, bootcamps, masterclasses and any learning pursuit.

Let's spend our hard-earned dough well.

Gracias.

End of thread.