mba programs

mba programs questions and answers

More information about mba programs at Education News.

Q: Do ex Military Officers get any preference with top mba programs?
Or are there a certain number of spots that MBA programs reserve for ex military?

A: Not specifically, but it counts as good work experience. Your GPA and GMAT score will be more important than having a military background. Before you consider which MBA program is for you, consult the Official MBA Guide, a comprehensive free public service with more than 2,000 MBA programs listed worldwide. It allows you to search for programs by location (US, Europe, Far East, etc.), by concentration (finance, marketing, aviation management, health management, accounting, etc.), by type of program (full-time, distance learning, part-time, etc), and by listing your own criteria and preferences to get a list of universities that satisfy your needs. You can use the Guide to contact schools of your choice, examine their data, visit their web site, and send them pre applications. You can see lists of top 40 schools ranked by starting salaries of graduates, GMAT scores, and other criteria. It's the best service available at http://officialmbaguide.org.

Q: Will most MBA programs let you take a semester off if your wife has just had a baby and needs help?
My wife will probably return to her home country to have our next baby (whenever that is), and I wonder if it is reasonable to assume that I can ask my MBA program (still applying, not in yet) for some time to go with and take care of her and the newborn.

A: wouldn't you rather have the baby here so it has US citizenship? anyway, I am in the USC MBA program (almost done) ... there have been classmates who have taken a semester off but they really discourage it and it derails the student. in the first year though it will probably be a problem. after first year it's usually more flexible. i wouldn't mention it though in your application. with a new kid, all the more reason to speed up your pace in grad school, not slow down.

Q: Is it possible to do MBA self study, when you know specifically what they teach in the MBA programs?
Considering the fact that nowadays the life is becoming more and more dynamic and young graduate professionals do not have much time to do their MBA's, because they are working full time and its difficult to leave everything in order to do the MBA. Knowing the importance of a Master. Better future, career and opportunities and a lot more Recently I have been doing some research of what are the subjects that they teach in a typical MBA program, and asked myself: Is it possible to do a self-study MBA. By getting all the books needed for each subject, online research and also find some quizzes online to test myself. Therefore I became very curios about it and wanted to post a question in the yahoo answers. So I am very much looking forward to get some thoughts and opinions about it, I would preferably like to get some answers from professors who teach MBA's at universities. Wishing a good day to everyone who takes time to answer this question, I am looking forward to hearing from u.

A: Sure you can teach yourself, but without the testing by a school, you don't get the diploma. And the diploma is what counts on a resume, and in a job interview.

Q: What do top MBA programs look at for acceptance?
I am a junior in college and want to get my mba from a top program. I am going to work 2 years after i graduate and then apply. I am graduating with a degree in accounting and work as an accountant/bookkeeper right now. I was wondering will these schools care that i went to a community college and then went to a state college in california to get an accounting degree. I did this for financial reasons. I could have gone to better schools, but money was a big problem. I do have a 4.0 GPA so far, many awards, will be joining clubs and doing community service the next two years to make my application look better. How important is it that i went to community college and a state college rather than huge schools. Will the schools hold it against me that i did go to these schools or other things like GPA, GMAT, and work experience more important? Thanks

A: I would say that in general which school(s) you went to (so long as they are accredited) will be a very small part of what will get looked at. The other matters you list will be of far greater importance. Good luck.

Q: Resume for high-quality MBA programs, different from regular in terms of format?
I'm in the process of applying to several top-level MBA programs. I am very particular about all aspects of the application process of which I have control over, namely the resume I submit. From your experiences, should the resume used for an MBA application be just like the one I would use to seek a job in business? For instance, should my education section be more detailed than usual or featured more toward the top of the page? I have contacted several schools and I am told they offer no guidance in this matter and have no preference. However, I still want to make my resume as strong as possible. Thanks for your insights and advice.

A: I haven't worked in MBA admissions, but I did get my MBA from a good school. I used my regular work resume. My impression was that, since I'd been working for a couple of years and was applying for a Masters in Business, the committee would be most interested in my work experience. And since it was a business program, I kept it to a standard, business resume. Lastly, I've seen the resume books these programs publish for their graduates, and those all have standard business resumes. However, I was sure that my education section included my GPA, any awards I'd won in undergrad, etc.

Q: How important is work experience applying to MBA programs?
I am a psychology undergraduate (junior) and I am getting a minor in organization and leadership. I was thinking about getting an MBA, but I want to go right after undergrad, Do you think I have a chance of getting accepted with no work experience? how much do admissions officers weight work experience?

A: Most quality MBA programs prefer 2-4 years work experience after graduation, but many accept students right out of college if they have good grades and a high GMAT score. Some programs are designed specifically for students with litle or no work experience. One of them is Rollins College, ranked the #1 MBA program in Florida and about 27th nation-wide. There are others. Consult the Official MBA Guide. It's a comprehensive free public service with more than 2,000 MBA programs listed worldwide. It allows you to search for programs by location (US, Europe, Far East, etc.), by concentration (finance, marketing, aviation management, health management, accounting, etc.), by type of program (full-time, distance learning, part-time, etc), and by listing your own criteria and preferences to get a list of universities that satisfy your needs. You can use the Guide to contact schools of your choice, examine their data, visit their web site, and send them pre applications. You can see lists of top 40 schools ranked by starting salaries of graduates, GMAT scores, and other criteria. It's the best service available at http://officialmbaguide.org.

Q: Will MBA programs check authenticity of letter of recommendation?
I am currently working full time in NYC and am applying to several full time MBA programs outside of the area which would require that I leave my job. One of the letters of recommendation I am using is from my current job (unavoidable as I need a letter from my current employer); however, my employer does not know that I am exploring grad school options outside of the area. I am concerned that admissions committees might get in touch with her to verify the authenticity of the letter of recommendation and she will learn I am applying to schools outside of the area. Should that happen, I'm fairly certain that my employment security would be compromised. I'm hoping someone will share their experiences or thoughts on this, relative to the likelyhood that admissions committees will get in touch with her via phone or email to confirm the recommendation's authenticity. The schools I am applying to are generally 2nd tier - SUNY Albany, Northeastern, Suffolk Univ., Brandeis University. Thanks.

A: Even if the schools do not contact your employer the fact that you are considering doing this does not speak very highly to your business ethics. These schools will more than likely trust that the letter is authentic, but if they find out later that it was not you could not only be compromising your employment but also your chance for admission to any business school. If schools find out after you are admitted you could be expelled or have your degree revoked. The chance you are considering taking is not worth it.

Q: What are the top MBA programs for economics in southern California?
Also, how much variance is there among the state sporsored schools for graduate degrees. Thanks.

A: There are no MBA programs in economics - an MBA is a masters in business administration, so if you want a masters in economics, you get either an MA or an MS in that subject matter. If you want an MBA, you get it in a business subject matter. You would expect the same schools that are always on top to have the top programs there, too - Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA.

Q: Any MBA programs in marketing under $15 000 in US or Europe?
I wonder if there is any nice MBA programs in marketing, with tuition fees under $15 000 you can recommend in US or Europe? Thank you in advance. P.S. YES I KNOW HOW TO USE GOOGLE, I NEED YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS!

A: Consult the Official MBA Guide to look for schools with low tuition. It's a free service with over 2,000 MBA programs world wide. You have many criteria and preferences available to choose from.

Q: What are some good US based MBA Programs that let you study abroad for an extended amount of time?
I am looking to study abroad for about a year, preferably somewhere in Europe. What is a good school to apply to that will let me study abroad for longer than just a semester?

A: MBA programs never last more than two years, so they can't really let you study abroad for more than a semester. Even a semester is 25% of the program, which is the equivalent of spending a year out of your undergraduate education abroad!

Q: where can I find pre MBA programs schools in the san francisco bay area ?
I need school names so I can contact them, I need help in preparing the Gmat and Toefl, not taking the test but preparing them. The self study didn't work so well for me. If you have good helpful advices, experiences and tips please share them Thanks a lot

A: Look in the Official MBA Guide, a free public service. Use the ranking criteria link then select CA to get a list of California schools. It's a big state so you have to look at each program to find its location. Obvious choices are UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, California State University East Bay, Golden Gate University, San Francisco State, Santa Clara, and Stanford.

Q: when MBA programs speak of leadership experience, are they looking for a particular type?
as in, is it more beneficial to have a specific typeof leadership (inthe workplace, extracurriculars in college, community involvement, somethng crazy like building schools in cambodia)? Do you have any prime examples ofhow youddmonstrated leadership qualities to MBA programs? Ps: I apologize for the terrible grammar. This was typed on my iPhone

A: Leadership experience is very important when applying to MBA programs. Especially those top MBA programs always prefer those applicants who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in things like student clubs, students guild at university or through internships experience. I dont think they are looking for a particular type, as long as you take some positions, b/c what you're showing is a kind of ability, that's it.