Graduation Happiness © by Kyle James (2009)

Some successful entrepreneurs have an MBA, while others do not. However, many future business owners still swap their dress suits and briefcases for hoodies and backpacks to earn an MBA — myself included. As someone who began in corporate America, earned an MBA, and is now an entrepreneur, here are a few points to think about before returning to school.

What’s right for you?

Though many job seekers hope for a position within a large company, few opportunities in this market environment offer the financial prospects, satisfaction and exhilaration that working at a startup can provide. So how do you weigh the entrepreneurial route against the others options available?

Let’s compare risk-taking to investing: Getting a corporate job is like putting money into fixed-income securities (like bonds) that give you steady and reliable returns, while launching your own business is like investing in stocks — there’s great potential, but also more risk. If you fail, you might end up with nothing. With this view, having an MBA might not seem so bad, right? Hold on a second…

Opportunity cost, and the cost of opportunity.

I’ll be the first to honestly say it: having an MBA can put you at a significant disadvantage in becoming an entrepreneur. Why? Not because it doesn’t help you achieve your goals efficiently, but because of what getting into an MBA program represents:

  1. You are giving up a lot of your time. Every minute you spend working on your personal venture is a minute of salary you’re foregoing. Your opportunity cost increases once you have an MBA because you can command a higher salary in the marketplace, so it’s more expensive to take an entrepreneurial risk and start a business of your own afterwards.
  2. There’s pressure. MBAs are notorious for groupthink mentality, and after graduating from the program, it’s very hard to stay true to your own path while your friends are skyrocketing through their corporate careers, living comfortable lifestyles and enjoying the status that comes with a prestigious firm. In the meantime, you are CEO of a two-person company and eating ramen noodles. Peer pressure doesn’t only happen in high school.
  3. Lastly, MBAs are taught to be fed, not to hunt. Yes, you’ll graduate with a repertoire of great tools, fancy communication skills, and a heck of a network. However, there aren’t any classes that specialize in cold calling customers, persuading skeptical investors, resourcefulness or bootstrapping — the skills startup founders need to thrive.

Consider a “Master’s in Business Entrepreneurship” instead.

Despite all that I’ve just said, getting an MBA can work to your advantage because it’s a fantastic time to actually start your own business – if done correctly. You’ll find yourself pursuing what I call a “Master’s in Business Entrepreneurship:”

  1. Rarely ever again will you be surrounded by the resources you’ll have while in school. Programs like Wharton, Harvard and Stanford offer terrific resources for aspiring entrepreneurs including cash, work space, exposure and mentoring. You’ll also find a huge base of expertise and know-how in your classmates, who will have experience ranging from finance to engineering.
  2. Most MBA program offer two risk-free years. When launching a business during your school years, the worst possible outcome is that you graduate and end up getting a great job. But if you succeed, you can hit the ground running once you turn your tassel.
  3. MBAs offer a fantastic incubation environment: it is a microcosm of the market. You’ll quickly find classmates willing to test your product and zealously support your company as it tries to scale.

In summary, an MBA can be incredibly powerful when leveraged properly. The degree is a solid hedge against the risky proposition of starting your own business, and will provide you with the network, confidence, and environment to succeed. But be warned: the siren calls of MBA groupthink are powerful — you’ll need incredible focus and determination to turn that MBA into a “Master’s in Business Entrepreneurship.”

Tony Navarro is Founder and CEO of Streamcal, the “twitter for calendars and upcoming events”. He is originally from Colombia and strongly believes in the power of entrepreneurship to generate economic growth. He holds an MBA from Wharton and an MPA from Harvard, and currently lives in Boston with his wife.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC recently published #FixYoungAmerica: How to Rebuild Our Economy and Put Young Americans Back to Work (for Good), a book of 30+ proven solutions to help end youth unemployment.