Having an MBA degree in your 20s can create career paths that could otherwise be impossible in your 30s. Certain industries such as investment banking and new media often look for younger candidates to mold into their company culture; having an MBA degree at this point will significantly differentiate you from your peers of the same age. Fresh minds are valued in these new types of companies, and the companies typically offer early MBA students exclusive employment opportunities during the program or immediately afterward.
Getting an MBA level degree right out of college makes practical sense because younger people still have the student's mentality. With the assumption that the student retains his college learning, early MBA programs are designed to cover new material almost immediately without the need for a lengthy review session. Fresh graduate students would also be more primed to thrive in this type of environment than their counterparts who spent five or more years away from academia.
MBA programs develop both management and technical skills significantly beyond the college level. Getting these skills early is a definite advantage over other candidates who would require learning these same skills on the job. Right out of the program, the graduate has gained the experience to communicate effectively, manage teams and have a high understanding of his industry. In the eyes of the employer, management skills mean lesser transition times, increased efficiency and, ultimately, a more favorable candidate.
Career consultants maintain that the most important factors to consider when choosing which type of MBA to take are still the student's circumstances, career choice and goals. For example, a student with a distinct career goal might benefit more from gaining work experience first in order to centralize the lessons of the future MBA around that career. On the other hand, getting an early MBA might be more convenient for the student who has no major obligations or life sacrifices to make.