DL MBA - How difficult is it to get 'A' grades?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Dave C., Sep 14, 2005.

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  1. Dave C.

    Dave C. New Member

    CALLING ALL PAST AND PRESENT MBA STUDENTS!

    It looks like my employer is finally going to agree to sponsoring my DL MBA, however there will be performance-based caveats, i.e. the level of sponsorship will be grade dependant.
    What this means in essence is to get 100% funding I will need to average an 'A' grade across the three years...

    So, is this achievable?

    I know the obvious answer is yes, if you put the work in, but I would be very interested in more specific experiences with the MBA grading system.

    The MBA I plan to take is the Henley Management College (UK) DL MBA, 75% assignment and 25% exam based with a graded dissertation in the third year.

    Looking forward to your comments!

    Peace,

    Dave C.
     
  2. The short answer is "it depends":

    - it depends on the grading system. Can everyone achieve an 'A' or is there a distribution curve? For my program only 10-15% of students in a class can get an 'A'.

    - it depends on the # of credits. a 30-credit MBA program gives you less chance to boost your grade back up if you slip over a 48-credit program. However, less courses also means each grade counts that much more.

    - it depends on how much work you're prepared to put into it. Like anything else, there is a strong correlation between your grade and your level of effort!

    Unless your program has an 'A+' your company is expecting you to get the highest grades possible for every course. That's a lot of pressure!

    Cheers,
    Mark

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  3. bing

    bing New Member

    In my DL MBA, I managed all A's. I thought it was challenging enough but there were those in my class who got B's. I worked hard in my classes, though. Not sure if I ever saw anyone with a C in a grad school class. Do run of the mill grad programs give C's?

    I can only speak for the CSUDH MBA. A's were doable but required work. Else, one might end up with a B there. I did not know anyone getting a C in that program but there might have been. If not, the C students might not have been so bold as to say what their grades were.

     
  4. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

    I'm not very familiar with the UK system, but I do know the percentages are calculated in a much different way than in the U.S. A "70%" might be an A-equivalent in the UK, even though they may not call it an A, and in difficulty it might be the equivalent of a U.S. 95%.

    My advice is to ask Henley to send you something official that explains their grading system and gives American equivalencies, and make sure the HR dept. has that on file and understands it... so you can avoid any nasty surprises the first time you file reimbursement.
     
  5. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    Re: Re: DL MBA - How difficult is it to get 'A' grades?

    Bing

    How tough was the capstone course at CSU-DH? I have only 3 more courses to go after this quarter and am taking MGT590 (the capstone course) in January.
     
  6. bing

    bing New Member

    Re: Re: Re: DL MBA - How difficult is it to get 'A' grades?

    I recall the accounting class to more difficult than the capstone(the accounting course was the most difficult there i thought). The capstone went smoothly and I believe that it was taught by then B school Dean. I know it wasn't all that bad. It was a group project so, the coordination took a while.

    Most of the people in my group were with me all through the program. We still keep in touch today.

     
  7. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    I thought the hardest courses in order were:

    1. BUS495 _ Operations Research/Statistics

    2. FIN502 - Finance. I received my one an only B+ since JC in 1985. I would have gotten lower but I had a great work group.

    3. ACC502 - Accounting.

    The law classes were the easiest for me as all we had to do is write 11 legal briefs (1.5 pages each) on certain subjects.

    I am taking MKT500 (Strategic Marketing) and MGT590 (Change management) this quarter. Wow - almost done. Unfortunatly, I had to take the 4 bridge courses because my undergrad was not business (it was IT). -- that added an extra 4-6 months to the program. I will finish about the same time my wife finishes her BSTM from DeVry next March. We are wondering what we are going to do with ourselves. :D


    Did you get an MBA ring? I am looking into the executive ring with the diamond - not sure how to get the entire name onto the ring though - do you know how they handle this?
     
  8. Dave C.

    Dave C. New Member

    Ooops, the first thread hijack!

    qvatlanta you are correct. At Henley an A- grade is 70-72%, an 'A' is 72-73%, and an A+ is 74% and above. (Mark, I guess this fits in with your comment). I am based in the UK so the USA equivalencies will not be necessary.

    I have just received an e-mail from a current Henley student and it seems to average an 'A' there is close to impossible, as the exams are very tough. The two units she sent me the results for show that around 15.5% average an 'A' on the assignments and she said she didn't know of anyone who had attained an 'A' grade in the corresponding exams. The fact that a 'D-' of 40% is still considered a pass indicates the level of difficulty.

    It looks as if I should prepare myself for paying a percentage of the fees myself. (If I average a 'B' I will need to pay 20%).

    Keep the comments coming guys, thanks!

    Peace,

    Dave C.
     
  9. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    ooops -- me bad (or my bad? -- my daugther says something like that). Sorry for the thread hijack! :eek:

    UoP gave out A's like candy. In order to get less than an B+ you basically had to not show up or turn in any work.
     
  10. bing

    bing New Member

    I had an excellent marketing class (Roger Berry) there. Finance was not bad at all. It may just depend on the teachers I guess.

    I never took any bridge courses. One of my degrees is in business so that met all the pre-reqs. The only think I had to do was take the GWAR.

    Nope. Did not get a ring. I got one when I first graduated college many moons ago(hard to believe so many years ago now). Wore it that first year and never really wore it again(thing weighs a ton). I told my oldest she could trade it in for a college ring if she wanted one. Just a wedding ring and a watch for me. I just want to get out of school at the bare bones cost. Maybe if I had gone to Harvard MBA I might have gotten one. :)

    Having trouble fitting "Mr. Engineer" onto the ring or "California State University-Dominguez Hills"? CSUDH is a long one. CSU-Chico would be much easier.

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 14, 2005
  11. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    It looks like you answered your own question, but I will second it. An A in the UK is not the same as an A in the US. They are much more difficult to get, especially if you are planning to work full-time as well.
     
  12. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    I can only speak of the situation of the school I am now attending, and purely based on my observation.

    Getting an 'A' is never easy. Well, in the school I am attending, it is not letter grade anyway. Getting 50 is pass. Getting average of 70 in all subjects and project would probably get a "distinction" of the degree. But oo one I know of is dreaming of this.

    When I read of general result statistics after exams, I realise that there are even subjects without anyone achieving 70+ score. Failing students is not uncommon here. One subject did make the record of failing half of the class in a year! I am working hard only to meet the passing line.

    Getting a 'distinction' in the programme is almost close to impossible. There maybe one or two can make it in one or even two batch of enrolment.

    My advice would be trying to ask if Henley can offer you the result statistics and communicate with your company on the proper cutting line to offer the grant while showing you really pay effort in the study.
     
  13. Dave C.

    Dave C. New Member

    All,

    Thanks for your comments. I like your suggestion tcmak, I think I will contact Henley and get such information.

    What has happened here is the UK HR management did not have a policy in place for such sponsorshsip, so basically copied the US policy. If the US grading system is indeed easier then perhaps we are not comparing apples for apples, and I have got a slightly raw deal. However if I bust a gut and get a 'B' I will still only have to pay 20% of the fees.

    This is a difficult one, do I look the gift horse in the mouth and tell management the offer is not perhaps completely fair, or do I keep stum and do my best...

    Comments welcome!! Now the psychologists can join in!!

    Peace,

    Dave
     
  14. jtaee1920

    jtaee1920 New Member

    "This is a difficult one, do I look the gift horse in the mouth and tell management the offer is not perhaps completely fair, or do I keep stum and do my best... "

    I would be thankful your employer is offering anything at all. Even at 80% reimbursement for a B average, you win. Some employers (including mine) will not pay for any educational expenses regardless of GPA.
     
  15. morganplus8

    morganplus8 New Member

    Below are some numbers to help you with the conversion:

    UK Scale U.S. Grade Equivalents
    70-100 A
    65-69 A-
    60-64 B+
    50-59 B
    45-49 C+
    40-44 C
    0-39 F
    Source: World Education Services (http://www.wes.org/)


    Rank-based grading
    Informally, grading "on the curve" refers to any system wherein the group performance is used to moderate evaluation. In the most severe form, students are ranked and grades are assigned according to a student's rank, placing students in direct competition with one another.
    The following is an example of a grade distribution commonly used when this sort of grading is employed.
    grade percentage
    A 7%
    B 24%
    C 38%
    D 24%
    F 7%
    These percentages derive from a normal distribution model of educational performance. An "A" is given here for performance that exceeds the mean by +1.5 standard deviations, a "B" for performance between +0.5 and +1.5 standard deviations above the mean, and so on.
    When rank-based systems are used cutthroat behavior and cheating become rampant. In some situations, high-scoring students are disliked by their classmates for "raising the curve". Rank-based grading is strongly out-of-favor in American education, yet often used in employment situations.
     
  16. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

    I would say your HR department is being pretty damn stingy. From all accounts I've heard a UK A is much, much much more difficult than a US A. Still, as others have noted, it's better than nothing.
     
  17. Michael Lloyd

    Michael Lloyd New Member

    By all means see if you can negotiate the issue of tuition reimbursement with your HR department. Those of us who paid for our MBAs entirely out of pocket, since we have no tutition reimbursement, will look on enviously.
     
  18. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

    I read that there's been a trend in HR to maintain tuition reimbursement but tighten it substantially. For example, in August our company policy was tightened so that percentages for B and C grades were reduced substantially (it's now zero for C). They also added a clause that if we quit or get fired within 12 months of the class we have to give all the money back.
     
  19. zvavda

    zvavda New Member

    It's depend on you and school standard.
     
  20. Dave C.

    Dave C. New Member

    All,

    At tcmak's excellent suggestion I contacted Henley to see exactly what the statistics show would be the likelihood of graduating with an 'A' average.

    The answer (from the Director of Studies for the DLMBA):

    'In terms of our grade structure, the average grade across subjects and time is about 52-54. A's account for about 10% of students, but people who get A's consistently, i.e. an average of A, are rare and are also prizewinners - about 10 per year, or 1% of the graduate population'.
    So, there you go. 1%. On reflection I don't just want an MBA, after months of laborious research I selected Henley as my best option and will stick with that. I will put the work in, and gain the best grades I can, and if I pay some, well I pay some...as Michael Lloyd points out; that is what most have to do anyway.

    Thanks for all the input!

    Peace,

    Dave C.
     

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