Having trouble deciding between your target school’s MBA program offerings? What if you didn’t have to choose?
Like most consumer choices in the marketplace today, MBA programs know that one size does not fit all. There’s been an extreme amount of tailoring post graduate business education over the decades, to the point that today’s MBA applicants have a myriad of diverse options when going back to b-school.
One of the most common choices is full-time vs. part-time MBA.
This one decision can dramatically affect your career since it dramatically affects how you use your time. For schools with both full time and part time options, it can be frustrating deciding which way to go, but it doesn’t have to be. Many schools now will consider you for both programs with one application. Even though you generally disclose which one you are most interested in, the schools themselves can help you decide which one is the best fit.
One year programs are often offered up as an alternative for applicants who may not be a match for a school’s full time, two-year program.
If you majored in business as an undergrad and are having trouble hitting the GMAT score required to make you competitive for a school’s two-year program, you may get a phone call from admissions to explore your interest in their one-year program. One-year programs are cheaper and more efficient since they skip much of the business basics you learned as a undergrad. Since the schools are not required to report the admissions stats on one-year programs to the rankings boards, they can also be more lenient on the admissions decisions as well.
The good news about a one-year MBA, is it still says MBA on your diploma and resume.
As a terminal degree, the MBA is hopefully the last stop on the graduate school train for you, and employers don’t generally poke around for exactly which flavor of MBA you obtained. This can mean you save money, get into the school of your choice and finish early. Not a bad deal in the current economy, where every minute in business school is a minute not earning a nice salary. So if you’re not sure which program at your target school is most ideal for you, don’t be shy about reaching out to the admissions office to discuss. You might just find they will invite you to do one application and be considered for several versions of their MBA. It won’t hurt to ask.
For information on how we can guide your business school application process, email us at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com or go to http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact