Personal MBA LogoThe Fresh Peel is dedicated to peeling back the old ideas and traditions in business, specifically in marketing, and applying new and innovative methods and solutions.

That includes questing the practice that says, “You need an official MBA diploma or Doctorate degree in order to be successful in business”.

They are both great achievements, and a decade ago obtaining your MBA or Doctorate would have been a sure way to set yourself apart from the masses in the business world, but all that has changed.

The truth is, that in the last five years the market has been flooded with opportunities to achieve higher education. Many of these “drive-thru colleges” have left what was once a prestigious achievement, only a little better than a commodity, in some cases.

So here’s the question: Why not just skip that collegiate garble and learn from the greats?

Josh Kaufman has developed a killer program called The Personal MBA, which challenges traditional thinking on issues of higher education. He recently finalized and released the Recommended Reading List for the program.

So instead of taking out $75,000 school loan, why not sign up for a personal one-on-one class with an industry expert, like Peter Drucker, at an average cost of around $20 per course?

What do you think? Is there still value in the traditional MBA degree?

And how much validity do you think a certification like The Personal MBA holds?