[joshkaufman]

Here's research on business school outcomes, notably compiled by Dr. Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford GSB: http://www.aomonline.org/Publications/Articles/BSchools.asp. The study was published in 2002, but the costs have skyrocketed and the benefits have imploded even more severely since publication. Net, if you don't want to work in investment banking or Fortune 500 management consulting, you don't need to buy a $150,000+ interview.

If you're planning to start your own company, MBA programs are a waste of time and money. You're far, far better off saving your money, learning on your own, and working on your company. It's not that difficult, and employers/clients/investors care more about results than credentials 99 times out of 100.

That's pretty much the introduction to my book (http://book.personalmba.com). The book itself is a primer on the most important things you need to know to get started.

Hope you find this useful. Good luck!