MBA at a lesser known school vs. Masters at a well known school?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Koolcypher, Jun 23, 2010.

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  1. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

    A colleague asked me this question, and after giving it some thought I could not come with a definite answer.

    His dilemma is, would it make sense to get an MBA at a regional school such as, FIU, Golden Gate, Sam Houston, Marylhurst University, etc. - Granted these are all good school in their own right, however, not much recognition outside their geographic areas. - Or should one get a Masters degree, such as HR, IT Management, Org Leadership, Management, and so forth, instead of an MBA, from well known national schools? Schools such as Brandeis, Boston University, Penn State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, etc.

    My gut feeling is to go to the most recognized school, and then do an MBA at a school that is well established and respected within your geographic region. I'm curious to see what the board members have to say in this matter, so by all means chime in.
     
  2. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Much of the answer to your question depends on whether or not he is currently working in the field. Is he a veteran or is he trying to break into a field? If he is new, name recognition might help him quite a bit. If he has job experience that speaks to his skill and qualifications, name recognition in a school is not as important.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 23, 2010
  3. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Why not an MBA from a well recongnized school like UF or Duke? You could always go with the MBA from a regional school and boost the resume with a certificate from a well know. That is what I did (the boost part). Besides, who is to say who is looking at your resume? I know someone that went to Pace in NYC for her MBA. She went fulltime a few years after undergrad school and was in between jobs. Everyone in the NY/NJ area knows Pace is a great school. Would a person expect someone in Florida to know how well regarded Pace is? I doubt it. Does that make a point or am I just rambling?

    As MO said, the experience is what matters for someone with a background. You could have an MBA from "Little School on the Hill" but have been the president of Cisco or GE or Rolex. What matters more - the background or degree?
     
  4. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    I think it depends on what he is looking to do. Does he want to be a generalist or a specialist? The MBA is a generalist degree, the other degrees you mentioned are very specialized.

    If you're going to do a MBA, bottom line, go to the best school you are admitted to that you can afford. I'm still not completely sold on MBA programs done entirely at a distance. I have my reasons and I have addressed them before so I won't list them out here, but if someone is going to do a degree entirely online I would direct them to one of the specialized degrees you mentioned.
     
  5. jackrussell

    jackrussell Member

    I feel that an MBA is good for networking. Agree with AUTiger00, go for the best you can get.
     
  6. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    I agree with Michael.
     
  7. mcse2020

    mcse2020 New Member

    I know, old thread, sue me.

    For the record, Golden Gate University is a top Accounting/Taxation school connected with the Big 4, no joke. All the other business/IT/Law programs, albeit very popular, are okay. GGU is legit.

    Campus community is very self-competitive and a big '5pm happy hour' crowd, lots of east coast, colorado, michigan, etc. It's the 'office water cooler' of the bay area, the foot soldiers and staff of the Fortune 500 and Govt, which in some cases, is exactly where job recruiters are looking for new hires or hire-from-withins. It can be an intimidating place for recent college grad when they're classmates already hold CPA's, Six Sigma, SAP, or Cisco certs. GGU is simply a local launchpad. Tuition's expensive for a reason.
     

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