The MBA isn't dying. The part critics attack was never the product.

Aug 04, 2026

Connect

Everywhere you look, someone is declaring the MBA dead. The newest version: AI is automating the analytical work business graduates were trained to do, so why pay six figures for it?

Here's what that argument misses.

The education was never the primary value of the MBA.

Business knowledge has been commoditized for over a decade. You could learn finance, strategy, and operations on Coursera for a fraction of the price. If knowledge were the product, the MBA should have died years ago.

It didn't. Applications grew again last year, and the format that grew was the full-time, in-person, two-year MBA. The most immersive and most expensive version, while online formats declined.

People aren't buying education. They're buying the network, the access, the experiences, and the brand.

And here's the part almost nobody says out loud. AI makes knowledge abundant, but it does nothing to make a seat at Oxford, Harvard, or INSEAD less scarce.

Status doesn't depreciate when information does.

So the question isn't whether the MBA still teaches valuable things. It's whether you're buying the real product.

I break it all down in the full video:

Is the MBA Worth It in 2026? → HERE.

That’s it for this week.

Keep showing up, keep cheering each other on — and as always, happy applying! 💛

Caitlin Andersen

Admissions Coach & Oxford MBA

The scholarship money that never makes it to the website

My students have won over $1 million in scholarships over the years, and I can tell you the biggest reason most applicants get nothing. It usually isn't a weak profile. It's that they never found out the money existed in the first place. Here is what you need to know: Most merit scholarships are automatic. Your application is your scholarship application. There's no second chance at it, and bec...

MBA or Master of Finance? It's often a timing question, not a choice

If you want a career in finance, you've probably wrestled with this: the MBA, or the shorter, cheaper Master of Finance built specifically for finance? Here's what most people get wrong. These two aren't really competitors. The Master of Finance goes deep. It's built for people early in their career, straight out of undergrad or with a year or two of experience, who already know they want a def...

The Framework I Use to Build a School List That Actually Works

Most applicants build their school list by starting with rankings, adding the brand names they recognize, and then trying to bend themselves to fit the schools. That is not how you get in. The way you do it is to build your school list as you develop your narrative, because the two inform each other and you end up applying to schools that are a genuine fit. Admissions committees read thousands ...

MasterPlan

For ambitious professionals and students navigating the world of master's-level business admissions. MasterPlan delivers sharp, honest insights on programs, applications, and strategy — so you can make better decisions, faster.

The MBA isn't dying. The part critics attack was never the product.

That’s it for this week.

MasterPlan

For ambitious professionals and students navigating the world of master's-level business admissions. MasterPlan delivers sharp, honest insights on programs, applications, and strategy — so you can make better decisions, faster.

Join Our Free Trial