Three years ago, 43-year-old Janice Barnwell began her MBA course work at Kaplan University. Shortly after starting her program, she learned she was pregnant. "It's been difficult, to say the least," she remarks, laughing. "It was a challenge, but I was excited about my pregnancy and my MBA." Today, she holds a Master of Business Administration and is the mother of two daughters—a college student and a 15-month-old.
In February 2006, Janice started her graduate work, taking one 6-week course she describes as "very intense." For many years she had mulled over the idea of graduate school. "I've always wanted to get my master's degree. I never found the time, though I'd looked," she recalls. Time was an important factor to consider; Janice's commute averages about an hour and a half each way and she works 35 to 40 hours a week. "There have been times when I was stressed out," she admits. "It is a lot."
Janice lives in a major metropolitan area where a number of universities are local to her, but none offered the kind of flexibility she required. "I knew I was going online," she remembers. After reviewing a number of universities with distance learning programs, Kaplan University had the best program for her. She was contacted by an Admissions Advisor who "was on the ball. I felt like that was key," she says. Kaplan University's School of Business and Management is unique in that it offers 10-week terms with no delay between courses. Once a student completes a course, a subsequent course begins. The classes are small and intimate as well, with an average of 10 to 12 students per course. "I've recommended Kaplan to others. It's a really good program," Janice says. "I feel I made the best choice."
Janice had no prior experience with distance learning when she began the MBA program. "I think I was a little paranoid at first until I was used to the process," she says, recalling how she would ask herself "How is this going to work? What is the course load I should expect?" After the first month, Janice began to feel comfortable in her online classroom. She also began to notice how her communication skills had improved. "It was similar to a physical classroom," she says of her first class. "It helped me with my writing skills. Now it's like second nature."
The convenience of studying online was a great benefit to her, especially when her second daughter was born. "It seemed like a very difficult situation; in the midst of it, I was doing it," she remembers of managing motherhood and her academic career. "It was fine. It was something I wanted and had to do." Janice speaks of her experience at Kaplan with pride and accomplishment. "An MBA puts you at a different level. I see it as a huge asset to me," says Janice, who finished her MBA, but returned to Kaplan University to earn a specialization. "The professors have so much knowledge in the field. Their résumés are amazing." In the MBA program, she was able to progress through her course work quickly and earned her degree in approximately 18 months.
Janice offers positive comments regarding her program. "I've been fairly pleased," she says. "It's been very rewarding." Distance education proved to be a great option for her as well. The best thing for Janice was the flexibility of taking courses online. "Not having the problem of getting into a physical classroom," she offers, "has been the best thing. That would have been a huge problem for me."
Time management and prioritization were key factors in Janice's success in graduate school. She advises, "At the beginning, give yourself a benchmark and do it." Being able to establish an objective and follow through helped her to progress steadily through the program requirements. "You have to make sure you live by your schedule," she continues. "Sometimes in the office I would get course work done." Another benefit of Kaplan University's programs is that they are typically structured for working adults. Janice's professors would post the week's assignments on Wednesdays. The completed assignments were due the following Tuesdays. The assignment schedule allowed her to study through the weekend and submit the work each Tuesday.
Janice is now well-practiced in managing her time and finds herself to be more disciplined in her life—such as paying bills and using small portions of time to complete tasks. When it was time for her eldest daughter to consider going to college, Janice's graduate work set a strong example. "With me being in graduate school," Janice says, "she knew that going to college was something she wanted. She pretty much took the reins on that one!"
Having an MBA has helped Janice do well. She was able to advance professionally in the spring of 2008—when the employment rate was at five percent and climbing—and "it was because of my MBA," she says. She sums up her current outlook rather aptly when she says, "I’m getting everything out of life that I want."
Learn more about the degree and continuing education programs at Kaplan University.