Question About MBA Programs
 

Hi,

Two quick questions for you:

1. How valid is the thought that one should not get his/her graduate degree from the same school as his undergraduate? I received my Bachellors from UNC Charlotte in 1997. After MONTHS of research, it's starting to look like the MBA program at UNC Charlotte is my best option (location, price, evening classes, flexible schedue, and so on). Would it look bad on my resume? I don't want it to look like UNC Charlotte was the only place where I'd be accepted.

2. What, if anything, have any of you heard of UNC Charlotte's MBA program? Probably nothing, I know... just curious. And, IS the name of the school that important?

thanks!!

Juan

I have heard mixed stories. If it is good program...you should go for it. I am doing mine at a difference school because it is less money..

I did both at the same
 

I had a few interviews a few months ago for very good positions and it never even was mentioned....go for it!

Just a general thought about grad/professional school (my program was NOT a MBA program), but #2 may depend on what your plans are. For example, if you are pursuing this degree to continue to work in your current field, with your current employer, and/or you plan to stay in the Charlotte area, than #2 may not really matter. Especially if graduates of UNC Charlotte's program do well locally. However, if you are making a dramatic switch or are interested in moving locations, than folks may or may not recognize Charlotte's name (although remember, it's your complete package that matters -- school, experience, skills, color of X5, ...).

See if you can get your hands on an alumni directory for the program from their career services department. It probably can give you an idea of where graduates go after completing the program (if you can get some type of sucess measure out of that). Maybe even see if you can get admin or career services to break down their numbers by those students who were full time vs. those who are part time. Find out who comes to recruit there. That may give you an idea of how folks view the school.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it's off base, but they were things I thought about when I selected my grad program.

Not off-base at all! Very, very good and valid points. I certainly appreciate it! :thumbup:

Choosing the right program and/or school has turned into my second job. :(

thanks for all your help and/or comments...

Juan

Juan -

My wife is a senior recruiter at the 'other' bank down the street from you. She tells me it makes absolutely no difference if you go to the same school for your MBA as you did for your undergrad. She also says that it doesn't matter where you go near as much as people think it does (...as long as it is an established, respected, accredited school). And it is true, no one really cares what your GPA was.

The only thing she noted is that if you are applying for a job to a place that has a strong alumni from one school, then the school can give you a leg up on your competition. For example, there is a strong Florida State bias among the capital management group at the bank. Applying for a job in that group with a FSU MBA would give you an advantage obviously.

UNCC's MBA has a good reputation. Also, you probably are aware that Wake Forest has an MBA program that has evening classes in Charlotte. That would be awesome on your resume'.

Just another 2 cents for you to consider. Good luck in your continued search. :thumbup:

Thanks, man. Yes, I considered the Wake MBA, and even went to one of their information session. The only problem with the Wake MBA is price. That thing is $27K a YEAR (that's no typo). I am also seriously considering the USC (U of South Carolina) MBA. It has a great reputation, and they offer "satellite" classes where you can go to a local classroom and see the class on a TV. The closest one is at York Tech. in Rock Hill.

Juan

Yes & No
 

For MBA degrees, there are Tier 1 programs (8 - 10 top schools) and then all the rest. Assuming you are not getting the degree through the mail :) ... then don't sweat the fact that you have two degees from the same institution.

When I am hiring, I really do not care where someone went and in some cases prefer a Tier 2 MBA (it comes with less attitude and more desire to work).

If a hiring manager is looking for a Tier 1 school or a particular program it is usually beacuse they went there, they wanted to go there or thier firm has an image that they are trying to project based on their workers (law firms, VC & bankers, consulting firms, etc.) The rest of the world will not care.

Go with the best program for your needs, location and financial situation.


:thumbup:

I have my BS from Univ. of MD and I am getting my MBA from there as well. It will never come up that the schools are the same....don't worry about it.

Don't worry about getting a graduate degrees from the same school. I found that where you get an MBA matters on your first job and what and where you want to work at. I got an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Business and when we were interviewing some of the top investment banks and management consulting firms, they only want to hire from Harvard and Stanford, but just made a cursory stop at our school.

I had a recruiter that told me point blank that they only hire from those schools and just came to our school for goodwill. Other than those top elite firms, all others were fine, as long as they know that the school has a good program. On the second job, it didn't matter any more.

Go for it. Everyone in our graduating class has done extremely well in life and career, and we have a strong alumni network that has lasted all these years. Best of luck to you.

agreed with all the others here and I think there is some really good advice and experience out there. But here's some food for thought and somethings you might want to ponder on. (and this is not to deter you from doing it)

1) What are you objective for getting an MBA?

Make more money? Easier to get management level jobs? Network and alumni support? Just chasing after the 3 letters after your name? (honestly that was something I thought about!)

2) Cost/Opportunity Cost vs Benefits

The amount of money you spend to get the MBA- Will it reap greater rewards monetarily. The time and money you put into it.. will it really also make life easier/better? Benefit > Cost?

Those are some things to think about and SithJedi can probably also chime in since he's a Stanford MBA grad...

Just a little background.. I was accepted both into Haas School of Business (berkeley) and also the Santa Clara Univ MBA and law combined program and decide not to go many moons ago. I also had my CFA already at the time.

My reasoning was that:
1) getting my MBA really at that point was not going to get me any more $$ than what I was making or will be making at the end of the program.
2) The cost was prohibitively high ($50-60K/year)
3) although the alumni network is great, I had other venues where I could network just as well.
4) The curriculum was nice but at the end of day, you can gather the tools yourself through research and the knowledge gain is predominantly IMHO common sense.

Everybody has different objectives. Your job should you decide to accept it, is to allign your objectives with the appropriate resources to get to a certain end.

Good luck bro!

What great, well-thought out responses. It is very much appreciated.

The main reason I want a graduate degree is because I am reaching both an earnings and responsibility ceiling in my field. Challenges are becoming more difficult to encounter, and my job is becoming a little bland. I am not in business now (technical and corporate writer), but I'm thinking of an MBA to hopefully help me advance my career. Admittedly, though, I'm not sure what I'd like to do. I'm told an MBA is not where you go to "find yourself," and I understand that. I just know that without additional training/schooling, I won't advance much more...

Juan

Topped-Out
 

I have spent the last 23 years in tech jobs. I have both a technical and business degrees and I honestly could not tell you that either has made the difference in an interview situation (at least not since I graduated way back when.)

I have helped many co-workers and freinds that have toppoed out by advising them to look horizontally from thier current job and find a parallel path. Often in the technical trades that means getting a position that is more customer-facing. That can mean training, systems engineering, systems analysts (did I just show my age), or even sales. These positions can leverage a lot of you technical savvy, but put you in a position with much more upside. An MBA cannot give you the pratical expereince that these postionins look for.

This may be outside your comfort zone, but take the risk and sell yourself as the pefect candidate for one of these other jobs.

So who has Dr. Kewl hooked you up with lately? :p That might take some SANg-froid :rofl:

Speaking of the good doctor, where is he this week :dunno: