Anyone do an online MBA?

[IndyColtsFan]

Holy crap...while looking I never came across that school, I may have to transfer if I can cram a shit ton of classes all at once it would be way cheaper there...

The fact that the university is non-profit, was founded by 19 state governors, and was seeded by the likes of Oracle, Microsoft, Intel, etc. makes it REALLY attractive for me. It also gets really good reviews as well and you can do it as quickly or as slowly as you prefer. I've been mentioning WGU in these forums for months hoping that someone has tried them out, but I may be the first.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Why blow at least $10k when you're not going to whore it everywhere you go?

Just graduated from graduate school last month and thought about putting MEng. after my name, then thought too douchey...

If I don't flame out after my second technical master's, I am considering either an MA in public policy and admin, or a cheap MBA for shits and giggles. I wouldn't do it online though even if it's just resume padding - I just can't concentrate and do that amount of self-study. Also, being in the class and on campus makes it more manageable psychologically.

That's a great point and something I am worried about and is another reason why WGU is appealing. If I decide it isn't for me and lose motivation, I'm not out anything major.

As far as posting MBA after my name -- no, I won't do that either. I personally feel my engineering degree is far more prestigious and I don't put that in my sig.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I was thinking about getting mine at Western New England until I decided to go for an engineering associates degree first. I did their online bachelor's degree program and they also do their MBA online as well. The one really nice thing is that they have accelerated classes, every 11 weeks.

http://www1.wne.edu/adultlearning/index.cfm?selection=doc.6279

Why would you go for an engineering associates rather than an MBA?

 

[silverpig]

Is it really worth it? I heard the best advantage of an MBA was the contacts you make while being there and being able to network off them.

This. I did an MBA and learned more in one year of physics (my undergrad) than I did in the ~2 years of my MBA. I did get a very large boost to my salary (changed fields) and future employment prospects, but it was mostly due to the contacts and network I made.

I'll repeat something I've often said here on AT. I personally do not believe an MBA is worth it unless your employer is paying OR unless you're given a promotion with a significant raise on condition of getting an MBA. I'll modify that a little and say that it might be worth it if you can get out of it with only spending a few thousand out-of-pocket. I personally think my undergrad (BSEE) is more prestigious and difficult to obtain than an MBA, but I don't make the rules so my opinion doesn't matter.

In corporate America, many management jobs are requesting or requiring MBAs. I don't believe an MBA necessarily makes you a better manager, nor do I believe that you learn something so mysterious and incredible in an MBA program that you must go through a program because you'd never learn it otherwise. That's hogwash. The sad fact, however, is that companies aren't willing to train anyone these days and they would hire someone externally with the MBA checkbox filled rather than encourage or train their employees for the job.

I paid for it myself, and it was definitely worth it. I had no promotion promise, switched fields, and went into debt for the entire amount, but I would easily make the same choice again.

99.9% of companies don't have the internal capabilities to train people to MBA level. They either hire MBAs, or pay to send their top talent to do an MBA.

If my choices are to pay for an average employee to do an MBA with a salary bump when they come back, or take my chances hiring someone who got their own MBA, which do you think I'm going to take?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

This. I did an MBA and learned more in one year of physics (my undergrad) than I did in the ~2 years of my MBA. I did get a very large boost to my salary (changed fields) and future employment prospects, but it was mostly due to the contacts and network I made.

I respect my engineering degree more than I will ever respect my MBA should I get it, but if you can't beat them, you should join them IMO.

I paid for it myself, and it was definitely worth it. I had no promotion promise, switched fields, and went into debt for the entire amount, but I would easily make the same choice again.

I've got 4 friends who went for their MBAs. It helped none of them, but at least two of them got the whole thing paid for by their employers. The other two went into significant debt that will take years to repay.

99.9% of companies don't have the internal capabilities to train people to MBA level. They either hire MBAs, or pay to send their top talent to do an MBA.

You don't need an MBA to be a successful manager. That's my point.

If my choices are to pay for an average employee to do an MBA with a salary bump when they come back, or take my chances hiring someone who got their own MBA, which do you think I'm going to take?

Except the problem is that great employees are passed over time and time again. Additionally, tuitition reimbursement is capped at the IRS limit ($5250) so even if they say "Go back for an MBA and we'll pay," that won't cover much.

Remember, my goal here is to get a decent MBA at a bargain price. If I wanted to go into debt and get a great MBA, I can literally walk across the street (I can actually see the business school out of my office window) to Indiana's Indianapolis campus and enroll. That's a $55K+ program, however.

 

[dfuze]

Why would you go for an engineering associates rather than an MBA?

Promotion at work earlier in the year was to Production Engineer (CAD drafting) so I want to add to my on the job knowledge. Combo of both degrees (business and engineering) will help me with future management promotions.

 

[rcpratt]

2 & 3 aren't mutually exclusive. PMP is nowhere near time and $$ demanding as MBA.

Yup. I had been thinking about/considering/planning for an MBA program through last year, but the costs have led me to decide to pursue my PMP in 2013, and MBA sometime in the future. My company will pay for the courses and all that, I'm already pretty much doing PM work anyways, and there are always a handful of PM openings. That will suffice for now.

 

[Svnla]

OP, make sure it will worth your while (time, money, effort, etc.).

I did mine at a state university because my former employer paid for the whole thing. Don't go into debt.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

UNH has an online MBA option and is fairly good (or so I hear). More expensive (~$35-38k) than what you are talking about, but maybe not *too* much

http://www.unh.edu/business-services/tuitmba.html

 

[SheHateMe]

My mother is working on her MBA right now at Kaplan, but I'm pretty sure in the minds of the ATOT elite, she's dumb for going there.

Shes been working on it for 3 years now and has another year to go. Ive been around to see most of the course work she has and it is definitely challenging and she is learning valuable skills.

If she wasn't a parent with two kids, a husband and a mortgage...I guess she would have finished it eons ago.

She wants to go to Law School too. I don't know if thats a good idea.

 

[Imp]

Damn.. necro...

I posted in here before I dropped out of my second graduate degree. And I seemed to look forward to it too.

I've since learned to save $4k/year ($10k-$15k per program plus a fuckload of time) and just buy some books for a fraction of the price of a degree from Amazon to learn random stuff.

 

[rcpratt]

Damn.. necro...

I posted in here before I dropped out of my second graduate degree. And I seemed to look forward to it too.

I've since learned to save $4k/year ($10k-$15k per program plus a fuckload of time) and just buy some books for a fraction of the price of a degree from Amazon to learn random stuff.

Oops. Didn't even realize.

 

[Blackjack200]

My mother is working on her MBA right now at Kaplan, but I'm pretty sure in the minds of the ATOT elite, she's dumb for going there.

Shes been working on it for 3 years now and has another year to go. Ive been around to see most of the course work she has and it is definitely challenging and she is learning valuable skills.

If she wasn't a parent with two kids, a husband and a mortgage...I guess she would have finished it eons ago.

She wants to go to Law School too. I don't know if thats a good idea.

Why is she getting an MBA if she wants to go to Law School?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

OP, make sure it will worth your while (time, money, effort, etc.).

I did mine at a state university because my former employer paid for the whole thing. Don't go into debt.

This is exactly why I want to go a cheaper route -- I think an MBA is a risky proposition these days and I will not go into debt. I could get an MBA from WGU with very little, if any, money out of my own pocket.

I've never really had much respect for the MBA as a degree, but it seems that it could help in some circumstances in getting interviews.

 

[SheHateMe]

Why is she getting an MBA if she wants to go to Law School?

Because she's the type of person that wants to do everything. She already took the LSAT and started applying to schools.

I just don't understand why she can't just stick with the MBA. We live near DC where practically everyone is a damn lawyer...why would you even wanna join in on that?

 

[Svnla]

This is exactly why I want to go a cheaper route -- I think an MBA is a risky proposition these days and I will not go into debt. I could get an MBA from WGU with very little, if any, money out of my own pocket.

I've never really had much respect for the MBA as a degree, but it seems that it could help in some circumstances in getting interviews.

Ok, then... just want you to be aware the pitfalls.

Since this will be a grad school, you MUST, again, MUST have a B average or higher or they WILL kick you out. Since you are a full time employee (not sure if you are married with kid(s) or not), it will NOT be easy. Been there, done that.

Don't do a grad degree if you think you WILL make more money or be on easy street. It won't. It will help open the doors for you but it still be up to you to prove that you are up to the tasks.

 

[Saint Nick]

Indiana has a top MBA program. Total program cost is quoted at around $55K to $60K so for a top program that isn't bad, but I won't take loans for an MBA program. A friend did IU's program and said he went $40K into debt that that was about half his actual cost. If I were younger, I might consider that but at this stage in my career, the initials after my name are more important than where those initials came from.

Nebraska, for example, has a program that is $20K to $25K IIRC.

I can personally recommend Nebraska's program as several of my friends have completed it. We really do have a great MBA program.