A most-unfortunate article on on-line MBAs names a most unexpected "largest school."

The current (October 2003) issue of Selling Power magazine (www.sellingpower.com) has a long article on on-line MBAs: "How an Online MBA can help, even if you're selling up a storm."

While the text contains a lot of good advice, and some pretty strong warnings on doing due diligence, and avoiding the phonies (including a number of sound bites from yours truly), then there is this dreadful two-page chart called THE TOP 50 ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS.

Along with Purdue, the University of Phoenix, University of Wisconsin, Bellevue, and the like we also find, in the "top 50" Canyon College, Rushmore University, Akamai University, Preston University, and Frederick Taylor.

I have written Editor Gerhard Gschwandtner*, suggesting that putting schools whose degrees have near-zero acceptance in the academic world, and whose use could be a criminal offense in Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, etc., is not a good service to his readers.

Oh, and the largest on-line MBA in the US, they say, by far: the American College of Computer and Information Sciences, with 4,000 graduates in 2003. Of course they also say ACCIS was founded in 2003, which is way off.

Finally, the article is called, in very small type, an "Advertorial," which I suspect means that people paid to be included.
_________
*A surname that starts with five consonants. I think I've never seen the like.

 

I'm guessing that somebody set up the advertorial, recruited a bunch of schools, and neglected to tell the legitimate ones that they would be sharing space with a bunch of less-than-wonderful institutions.

I'm emailing my contact at Bellevue, who I'm sure won't be at all pleased...

 

Thanks for the word on the advertorial!

I received an email from Bellevue University last week mentioning that they had appeared in the list. So I dutifully went and looked it up. I then started searching out the schools on the "Selling Power" 10 least expensive MBA list. I gave up after none of the top 5 were regionally accredited.

I noticed Norwich University on the list though. That is an online MBA that really appeals to me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's in Vermont?

 

re: top 50 online mbas

http://www.sellingpower.com/topmbaprograms/top50mbaprograms.pdf

here's the url

 

When you think about it, this does more harm than good for ACCIS... 4000 graduates the same year they were established, not to speak of the fact that we are still in the year 2003....

If I had paid for placement (we don't currently do that, but a lot of schools do) I would be stopping payment on the check.

Best, Mary

 

John,

Like you, I received a call from the magazine several months ago. At that time, it appeared the interview was sincere and productive. In fact, I thought it was an excellent opportunity to share with others, from a first hand perspective, advantages of distance learning and benefits that can be recognized from earning a legitimate MBA. However, I am disappointed to see my enthusiasm and respect for credible online institutions and distance education programs displayed so proximate to bogus schools that offer worthless degrees -- especially, since I strongly emphasized the importance of regional accreditation. Moreover, I had no clue the interview would be used for an “Advertorial” article, which certainly tends to diminish the credibility of what is said.

Hopefully, a majority of readers will still embrace my main points: 1) distance learning is an excellent option for busy working professionals; 2) an MBA from an accredited institution has significant utility for sales, consulting and other working professionals; 3) the rewards from earning a truly legitimate MBA [can] exceed one’s expectation.

Indeed, it is unfortunate that such a dreadful list containing illegitimate schools was permitted by the editor and allowed to weaken the credibility of an otherwise useful and informative article.

Tom Esch

 

I did just get a letter of apology from editor Gschwandtler, saying that he did have an "expert" (his quotes, not mine) vett the lists, but clearly should have done more, or perhaps vetted his own "expert."

He says he will take the five offenders off the on-line version of the article.

 

Your pursuit of the issue is appreciated.

Hopefully, the printed versions will soon make their way out of circulation and into the waste basket.

Tom

 

Not to disparage my alma mater, but . . .

Not quite the best reason to go for a program.

I've examined Norwich's MBA program, and it seems highly rote. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they essentially bought a canned program, then hired adjunct faculty to teach the courses. The program is also very expensive, and you can get a much better value from other schools that have been in the distance biz much longer than Norwich.
______________________

The usual appropriate disclosure statement: I earned my M.A. from Vermont College of Norwich University in 1989. V.C. was sold a couple of years ago, and is now part of Union Institute & University. Norwich has begun to reemphasize its older identity as a military college, and has gone on to establish a few distance programs that do not follow the more personal V.C. model.

 

Re: Not to disparage my alma mater, but . . .

Thanks for the reply Steve.

One of my major concerns about Norwich has been that the courses are taught by outside faculty. That can be good or bad, of course. But the fact that they play up the Norwich name while at the same time not having much obvious Norwich content was a little disconcerting to me, to be honest.

Two things I liked: Vermont is close to home for me, so if I put Norwich on my resume it has a "safe" feeling for local employers. I also liked their apparently strategic emphasis in the course content. Of course, I am skeptical about that. It's easy to put the word strategic in the course title. It's another to really teach it from a strategic perspective.

All in all I ended up unconvinced and at almost $20,000 (and that's big old Yankee bucks) I decided it wasn't for me. But damned if I still don't like Vermont.

If I may ask, what schools do you consider provide much better MBA value? I've put the MBA on the back burner but I still have a pretty keen interest.

 

It appears Mr. Gschwandtler honored his comittment. The illigitimate schools have been removed from the online version of the article.

http://www.sellingpower.com/topmbaprograms/ExecEd.pdf

 

Re: Point of clarification

Perhaps you've mentioned it elsewhere and I missed it, but it's usually common courtesy around these parts to identify yourself when posting about your employer.

If I missed it, I do apologize. If I didn't, it seems reasonable to state that you are the vice president of said university.



Tom Nixon

 

Point of clarification

Dear John and tesch,

While I cannot speak for the other schools selected for the Selling Power list, I do know that Akamai University did not seek the aforementioned listing nor pay for it. The school was approached by Selling Power and provided the article researcher full and honest information about the nature of its programs and its unaccredited status. From what I've been told, the magazine decided to list Akamai anyway based on the low overall tuition
rate. The school was nothing but honest and forthright in the
representation of its unaccredited programs.

As for being an "illegitimate school"... Akamai is currently not accredited, but is working to develop itself into a quality academic institution. The school is working towards the development of academically sound distance learning programs that can be presented to a regional or national accrediting body at some point in the near future. In the meantime, for those students who are seeking an education with Akamai (fully knowledgeable of the limitations that may accompany a non-accredited degree), the school is providing meaningful instruction, guidance, and mentorship. Akamai is not in the business of deceptive degree mill practices nor does the school seek to provide anything
but quality educational services for its students. Just some clarification for anyone interested.

Cheers,
Tony Maranto

 

Tony: even if I've mentioned my affilations in the in the past, I definitely should have posted it again in conjunction with that last message.

John: Actually I don't believe you did mention them before.

Akamai is the new venture of Doug Capogrossi, former president of Greenwich University, Ph.D. from Cornell, and, I've always felt, quite sincere in what he does.

I wonder if there is a plan or intent for Akamai to apply to get off the Oregon black list.

 

Re: Re: Point of clarification

Sorry, Tom (and others),

You are quite right. I serve on the Akamai Faculty and Administration as Center Director for Ecological and Environmental Studies and as Vice President. While I'm an infrequent poster, I have been around this forum for a while... but even if I've mentioned my affilations in the in the past, I definitely should have posted it again in conjunction with that last message. Sorry for the unintentional oversight/breech of protocol.

Tony Maranto

BA- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
MA- Environmental Science, Goddard College
Ph.D.- Environmental Science, Union Institute