Search Results matching tag 'mba'

$$ Hey Cajun, did your MBA payoff yet? $$

Cajun — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:16:00 GMT

I know this is the Bellevue University blog but I welcome any and all reader questions, even personal ones having to do with my personal finances (part of the benefit of using an anonymous name). Anyhow I received a reader question asking me if I’m making more money and summarized in how he, the reader, hopes his MBA will “pay off”.

First to my reader, sorry it took me so long to answer your question, my wife is so far along in pregnancy my household obligations have skyrocketed so I don’t have a ton of time. So with that in mind allow me to answer your question:

First, my MBA paid off within 6 months of graduation, sort of. As a police officer I earned a differential of 15% for working night shifts, something I had done for 7 straight years. That combined with my salary was more money than I am making now, but only barely. That and it took me 7 years to get to that point, in my current position I am making nearly as much as the base salary, plus 15% and I’ve only been at it for 8 months. So in terms of dollars, certainly a 15% difference in base salary is worth it and I don’t have to do shift work to make up the difference.

Second, my current job allows me to be home evenings, holidays, weekends and so far I’ve had no mandatory overtime where I get called in the middle of the night with someone telling me I have to go in to work in a few hours, or right then, whichever the case may be. Instead I have regular hours (sort of) and a more routine schedule. Which brings me back to my very pregnant wife (baby due any day now) and I am able to be here for her and soon for our baby. So yeah, the MBA paid off in quality of life issues as well.

Third while I’m on the topic, almost everyone who has asked me about my education in my new job is impressed with my credentials. The MBA packs weight, even one from Ashford University. Between that, my good looks and natural charm (yeah right) people seem to listen to what I have to say. My opinion carries weight. Not the kind of weight where people have to listen to what I have to say but instead they want to listen to what I have to say. So yeah, in terms of respect the MBA is paying off.

In short, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Fan Mail From Natalie

WheelCipher — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Dear Scott,

I am very grateful for the article you wrote about Northeastern's online MBA at:
http://community.elearners.com/blogs/kaplan_management_degree/archive/2007/06/23/Northeastern-University-_2E002E002E00_-Not-For-Me.aspx

As a busy working mother, I am searching for the most viable, valuable online MBA program. Having found Northeastern, I was as impressed as you initially were. The cost is outrageous, though. I couldn't agree with you more. I am also interested in Norwich and wonder how you feel about your experience there? It seems to be a solid school with reasonable tuition (roughly $18-19,000 per year?).

Thanks so much for any insights you might have.

--------

Northeastern did have a good program and yes, it was way too expensive for a lot of people I know or come into contact with. They are almost Ivy League without being Ivy League. At least it felt that way in terms of price.

Norwich was not “cheap”, but did offer some things that appealed to me. First, because of my undergrad in Management combined with my years of work experience, I was able to get the first few classes waived. That cut my program down to a year and a half. That made a huge difference for me. At that time, I had been going to school for four years with no breaks and wanted to get every advantage I could. I think the Norwich MBA program still costs about $35,000 total. You will need to contact them for the cost.

The other option (if cost is a concern) is to look at in-state schools. A lot of them have distance programs now and are in direct competition with schools like Walden and University of Phoenix. The key to finding the right program is to shop around.

My Norwich experience was great. I would not trade it for anything. With that said, if you end up at Norwich, I wish you luck. At the same time, do your homework before committing to any school. Weigh the pros and cons and make an educated decision. You will be glad you did.

What’s an Online MBA Worth?

WheelCipher — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:19:00 GMT

You might remember a while back when I posted a link to a poll about online MBA programs. Well, the story that came out of that poll has arrived.

“What’s an Online MBA Worth?” can be found at BNET.com

The poll for the article was highly favorable to on-line MBA programs. The story hits some important points.

"Why would a respected business school go online? Because that’s where the money is. Corporate middle managers who would rather not leave their jobs to attend a full-time MBA program are a huge, barely tapped market."

I have been saying this for a long time. Top universities and traditional brick and mortar schools that do not adopt some form of on-line degree programs are realizing that other schools are taking away from their bottom line. On-line degrees are an up-and-coming market that will eventually take the place of traditional degrees. I recently read that last year, 12 million students took some form of on-line education. That should be a hint to those who are not adopting this method of learning at a much faster pace.

The article focuses a lot on “elite” schools. What it does not spend enough time on is that people who seek online degrees are not ones looking for high-paying Wall Street jobs. They are looking more to advance their career and create more value for themselves and their employer.

"The ultra-elite’s resistance to distance learning makes intuitive sense. How can sitting in front of a computer compare, say, to the intense, 90-minute case-study lectures at Harvard Business School, in which students do 80 percent of the talking and well-known business leaders often show up in person to spur conversation? Technology like digital blackboards, Web conferencing, and Skype make collaboration and class participation easier for students in online programs, but the experience is not the same."

They are right about this. The experience is not the same. What is different is that most people who seek this type of degree are working professionals who are not in need of some of the things traditional, on-campus programs offer. They are usually very independent and can work on their own.

I will let you read the article and make your own judgment. Overall, it’s not a bad article. But I do think it misses some important points.

Your Ignorance is Blinding and Embarrassing

WheelCipher — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:53:00 GMT

I almost wanted to throw up yesterday. Yeah, it sounds like “too much information”. But I was so angry and miffed that nausea was the default response to what happened to me. Here is the short version of what happened.

Last week, a very nice recruiter contacted me and did a 30-minute phone screen for a really good job here in town. That phone screen went well enough that he wanted to schedule another phone screen with the hiring manager, the Vice President of the department I would be working in if I were hired. He called me yesterday.

The interview went well. I think I was able to articulate my position and work history very well. At the end of the day, I knew that it was not going to work out because I do not have the background they are looking for in this position. I am perfectly OK with that. Not a big deal. But that is not how he handled it. Instead if just saying that he did not think I had the right skill set, he told me that he would think about it and have the recruiter to give me some “feedback”.

Then it gets weird!

As he was putting his cell phone back in the holster, the phone called me back accidentally!

I then overheard the entire conversation he had with his partner about me, my experience, and my education. None of which was good. Instead of just saying that I was not the person he was looking for, he laughed and ridiculed my nearly two decades of professional experience saying, “He should take any other offer that comes along”.

He then proceeded to ridicule Kaplan and Norwich and their on-line programs, saying, “Right up there with Harvard”.

I could not let it go! I called him back after he finally hung up his phone. He was a little surprised when I told him that I didn’t know why he had any issues with the schools that I attended. He was at a loss for words. He was caught completely caught off-guard. After about two minutes of him trying to gather himself, I ended the call and wrote him an email. This is what I wrote:

The way you discuss interviewees after you think you have hung up the phone is quite interesting. The laughing and ridiculing was very telling. I would never have expected that from a Vice President in such a publicly-visible, forward-thinking company.

Furthermore, five minutes of homework before calling would have revealed that I received my undergrad from a school that has been in existence since 1937. My MBA was earned from Norwich University, an institution that has been around since 1819. This school is the first military academy in the United States (before VMI and West Point). The US Army is full of officers from this school. Both schools are accredited. My programs were hybrid (on-line and on-campus) just like 12 million other students last year.

The fact that these schools are not in Texas or Ivy League means everything to someone who briefly attended University of Dallas, I guess. Just a suggestion: Before making negative connotations about distance or hybrid education or sarcastically referring to institutions and/or instructional methods that you are completely unfamiliar with as "right up there with Harvard", please do your homework and ask questions. Your future human capital will thank you.

If I did not have the skills you were looking for, you could have just said it. I'm a big boy. I can take it. But ultimately you made the decision for me. You have embarrassed yourself and your company.

Was I wrong to write this?

What this does is to make me want to do more to promote education and expose the ignorance that exists in some people. It makes me believe even more in what I am doing. I was pretty angry and upset after all of this, but I am over it. Now I am re-dedicated to what I am doing. No matter how much experience and education I have, I will never be able to eradicate the ignorance and bias that exists in some people.

MBA Poll at BNET

WheelCipher — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:28:00 GMT

There has been a lot of good discussion lately about online degrees. I found one at BNET.com. For those not familiar with the site, it is a business related site that caters to management-types like me. The site is gearing up for a big article on on-line MBA’s and is taking a poll. You can see it here: http://bit.ly/1oRrgH. As of this writing, and with 943 votes, the results are about even. See below.

Poll: Would You Get an Online MBA?

1 - Maybe, but only from an accredited university that also has an on-campus program. (41%)

2 - Definitely. I work full-time, so it's the best option for me. (30%)

3 - No way! Top companies don't take them seriously. (16%)

4 - Sure. I don't need the prestige of a fancy school, I just need the skills. (10%)

5 - I have another take on it. I'll leave my thoughts in the comments below. (3%)

So if you add up options 2 and 4, we have about 40% of the people favoring on-line MBA’s. If you add in option 1 to that, we have an 81% in favor! This is great. The good news for those people who picked option 1 is that many schools that are seen as a traditionally on-campus institution are developing or offering on-line programs. Norwich University (my alma mater) is just one of those.

I also see that there are people who are against the whole idea. I understand why. At the same time, I do not agree with it. I believe there are still some people, right or wrong, who are not willing to accept the changes in the education system. Academia is becoming a hybrid animal and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Others are worried more about “prestige” and cosmetics. Not me.

I cannot wait for the article to come out. If you are not a frequent visitor to BNET, try it out. There is a lot to learn there. This is especially true if you are a manager.

My Top Ranked Schools? A word on rankings…

Cajun — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:56:00 GMT

So I’ve been asked to give my top ten schools for an MBA. Well, being as I’m an Ashford University MBA grad, I think this person was merely fishing for me to rank Ashford within my top 10 picks. I could do that, in fact for my unique needs, circumstances and abilities Ashford was my #1 pick, Bellevue would have been my #2. This brings me to ranking systems, I can’t stand them. I feel that they are often misleading, that they create the illusion of “best” when that term is so highly subjective and of course I find people lend way, way too much credence in ranking systems without actually understanding how these systems work.

For example there are at least a dozen top ten school lists, those by how much the average graduate makes within a set time frame, those that are ranked by college professors, those that are ranked on alumni surveys, those that are ranked on the size of their freshman classes, those that are ranked on their freshman retention rates, etc. The fact of the matter is you will rarely find two surveys, even supposedly measuring schools by the same criteria who agree on the “best”. For example top business schools ranked worldwide by a popular UK publication has their number 1 school being someone other than an American school yet a similar American publication has their number 1 business school as a famous American school. Supposedly both publications are measuring the same thing but come to different conclusions. Thus to the crux of why I can’t stand these kind of lists…they don’t work. They instead mislead and create this mystique of quality where I’m sure quality does exist but is it really the “best”? Do these Harvards, Yales, etc. really produce the cream of the crop? Do the cream of the crop really attend these schools exclusively? Oh sure, statistically I’m sure many Harvard alumni will go on to great things compared to say, Peru State College, but then that could have more to do with that grads family connections, the alumni society, or any other of a million factors that could come into play. On the flip side that Peru grad may have every bit the success a Harvard grad will or more. I don’t mean to pick on Harvard of course but for some reason this seems to be the only school constantly mentioned anytime “business” and “best” are thrown into the same sentence.

I won’t beat the war drum on rankings but instead let’s just say this. You are an individual, you are the genetic culmination of both of your parents combined. You have a unique DNA, fingerprints, retina, way of thinking, ideas, background, circumstances, tastes, etc. You have strengths that others do not have, you have weaknesses that some others do not have (mine is dark chocolate) but you are you and only you can decide what is “best” by your standards, needs and desires. Looking at a magazine to make a decision, based upon a criteria you probably wouldn’t even consider important or agree with just doesn’t seem logical. Hey if you’ve always wanted to be “Harvard material” and you’re going to break your neck to get there, more power to you, but if you’re like the rest of us and just looking to grow into the best that you can be, given your uniqueness, eLearners and the people here can really help you narrow down some choices to find your number 1 ranked school. Or at least get you into the top ten based on what’s important to you. So if you are wondering what my top ten schools are for an MBA, let me answer this by asking “who exactly are you and what do you want to do with this MBA?”

Chadron State College Online MBA

Carldeb — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:04:22 GMT

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience with Chadron State's Online MBA program? I would appreciate hearing the good, the bad and the ugly.

If you had to do it again, would you do at Chadron again? Any problems with getting the classes you needed? Are the professors responsive? Any problems? What are the positives?

Thanks in advance.

My Final Post to the Norwich Blog

WheelCipher — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Today marks the end of my postings on the Norwich University blog at eLearners. In the next few days, I will begin my new blog that will focus on my next “adventure in education” as I earn my Doctor of Business Administration at Walden University. I have already enrolled and begin classes on June 29. As I write this, that is a mere six hours away. Even though I have not done any work, there is already a lot to write.

I want to close out this final post on my Norwich blog with the following statement:

When I decided to go to graduate school, the word “Norwich” had never crossed my mind or my lips. Living a few thousand miles away from Vermont, I believe that I have a valid excuse. I already had my choice of schools narrowed down to three and Norwich was not one of them.

Then I received an email informing be about Norwich. After doing some investigating, I signed up for the MBA program. Being a school that was nearly 200 years old, I knew the education I would receive would be of high quality. I was not disappointed. The 18 months I spent in that program was more challenging than four years of undergraduate work. Moreover, the residency program at the end was an event that made it all worth it.

During this adventure, I met some of the most interesting people and learned things that I do not know that I would have been exposed to at another institution. Everyone on the faculty, administration, student body and ever nook and cranny of Norwich has been a pleasure to work with.

The visit to Vermont was something I will never forget! I have lived in the city and in the country. I have seen mountains and desert. Nevertheless, I can honestly say that Vermont is unique in a way that I cannot explain. It is a beautiful, humble place that I will visit in the future.

Now I am on to other challenges. Of the three schools I will have attended when I graduate with my D.B.A., I will only wear the Norwich ring. I will look back at Norwich as my most memorable experience.

Norwich Forever!

My Norwich GPA

WheelCipher — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:56:00 GMT

I was fortunate enough to find out what my final GPA was for the Norwich MBA program! It was not stellar, but certainly not bad, either. I earned a 3.36 GPA throughout the entire program. That is a borderline B+ / A- and from what I hear, is about average for most students. That equates to around an 84% - 85%. I was hoping for a low A, but it was not to be. The program was challenging and I knew that earning an “A” with the other responsibilities in life (working full time, family, etc.) was going to derail that.

What does this GPA mean to me? It means I will not be going to MIT or Harvard. Nevertheless, I am OK with that. What I am planning on doing, after several months of research on a quality doctoral program, is to enroll in Walden University. I am aiming at the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program.

I spent most of the last few days on the phone with representatives from several schools and this one seems like the best one for me. I do not foresee any problems getting into Walden, but like strategic planning in business, the smart person will have a “Plan B”. My “Plan B” is the PhD program at Capella University. But I am well on my way to fulfilling my entrance requirements at Walden.

I got an unofficial copy of my transcripts sent from Norwich. They did that very quickly and I do appreciate it. The time constraints here are short. I filled out the online application over the weekend. Next, I will send them my resume and a letter that explains why I want to be in the program. I will get that done in the next day or so. The program starts in a week or so. I have no time to waste.

Back Home Safe and Sound (PHOTOS!!!)

WheelCipher — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:59:00 GMT

I am home at last. After a very exciting week at Norwich, we received our diplomas Friday morning. It was a defining moment for everyone I talked to and probably for everyone there. In order to have some free time, I took an extra day and did not fly back to Texas until Saturday afternoon. I am glad I took the extra day.

With that extra time, I was able to visit downtown Montpelier (the state capital) and get some great photos. (The following photos were taken at the capitol building) SEE NORWICH PHOTOS HERE - There is a link to the whole gallery after the last photo

I flew from Burlington to Detroit. After some delays, I was finally on my way home. I arrived in Dallas at around 11pm. My promise to myself to read a book while I was gone was delayed by a week because of all the activities at school. But on the way home, I was able to read “A Class With Drucker”. For anyone who is interested in the father of modern management, I would highly suggest this book.

I must say that one does not often appreciate the very nice climate until they are exposed to the opposite extreme. When I walked out of the Dallas airport to catch a bus to the parking lot, I thought my face was going to melt off.

It was a miserable change from the pristine atmosphere of Vermont. At 11:30pm, it was still 90 degrees. In my whole time in Vermont, it only got into the low 70-degree range with low humidity. I was dying and wishing I was back in Vermont. Or maybe the North Pole. Or perhaps Canada. I wanted to be anywhere but Texas.

Alas I am stuck.

But the good news is that I have decided what I am going to do in the next step of my educational journey. Read the next post for the details. I am filling out my FAFSA today.