An HBS degree will definitely help. For one thing, nearly 33% of the VCs in Silicon Valley graduated from HBS. For another, your various classmates will make great beta customers. Finally, you’ll be able to use the alumni network to get in the door just about anywhere.

By the way, if you’re interested in redefining the bookstore, you may want to check out some of my writing on this topic:

http://chrisyeh.blogspot.com/2006/10/indie-bookstores-part-xxii.html

I’m applying to the new HBS 2+2 program as a Biology major from Stanford. But what I want to do (at least what I’ve been thinking about a lot over the last 2 months) is redefining the bookstore as a place for people to gather and immerse in books rather than as a competitor to Amazon.

Do you the the MBA will help me do that?

Great question, as always.

If SJ State and GGU follow the same principle (classroom + networking + alumni), they certainly still have value.

The classroom value is still there no matter what. And especially if you attend a b-school which caters to working professionals, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll make some good contacts and meet some cool alumni.

I know that I’ve met a lot of Haas and Santa Clara part-time MBA alums over the years.

But realistically, the value is less. I’d say that they are still useful if you want to work a normal corporate job. But they won’t really help you if you’re trying to be an entrepreneur.

Are _they_ useful? Since most of humanity won’t get into Harvard, this is a more interesting question…