San Jose State or Distance Learning MBA?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by PrincessChelle, Dec 9, 2002.

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  1. PrincessChelle

    PrincessChelle New Member

    Hello everyone,

    I'm new to this forum and have been enjoying all your posts and threads. I am very interested in studying for my MBA. I did my undergraduate work at Stanford in Management Science and Engineering and have been working for the past few years, mostly in sales and marketing. I am very interested in business and think an MBA might be useful for my career. Besides potential career growth, a big motivator for my wanting the degree is personal growth and learning. The courses look really interesting and I have always believed that you can never have too much education.

    Here's my dilemma: Normally, I would consider the traditional grad school app process... taking and studying for the GMAT, applying to the top schools, and doing a traditional 2-year program. However, two big factors are cost and time. I don't know if it's going to pay off for me to spend $80K plus on a big name school, since I'm not yet sure what I want to do with the degree after I receive it.

    I have been looking into distance learning programs because of their convenience and also savings in time and cost. However, I have read some of the threads with concerns about the degree being recognized by employers. Many of these programs still cost around the 10K range.

    Recently, I discovered the Cal State system, and San Jose State in particular, which is closest to where I live, in Silicon Valley. San Jose State University offers several MBA program options, the cheapest being the on-campus MBA program. (For California residents, it's only $691 a semester if you are taking 1-6 units, and $996 a semester for more than 6 units) The degree takes about 1.5 years if you do it full-time, and 3 years if you do it part-time. Classes are held on-campus in the evenings.

    Since the program would cost me roughly $5000 to do it part-time (but I could continue working full-time) or $3000 full-time, I think this seems like a great deal. Plus, San Jose State, is AACSB accredited, and I think the degree would be recognized in the Silicon Valley, since it is a local school. (They do require the GMAT, but I don't think it will be a problem for me to meet the requirement)

    I would some advice on what would be the best option for me and to hear from some people who have worked full-time while completing their MBA part-time. My options are:

    Working full-time, and a part-time distance learning MBA option
    Working full-time, and part-time program at San Jose State
    Full-time program at San Jose State
    Full-time program distance learning
    Full-time program at a higher ranked traditional school (more expensive, more time, need to relocate)

    Also, if anyone has experience with San Jose State University and the quality of the program, I would really appreciate hearing your opinions and thoughts.

    Many thanks!
    Chelle
     
  2. John Roberts

    John Roberts New Member

    Princesschelle, what a great handle and welcome to the board. So you said cheap and fast. Dont you know by now, since you say you have visited the site and probably read all of the postings on MBA's, short and long.

    Down to your question, you already know where your going to take the program, your mind is made up, it's at S.J.S, its a good school, close to home for you and since you have already checked it out, including the GMAT requirement and the fees, then go for it.

    As for the F/T, P/T, DL, you are the only one that can answer this.

    Whats your personal schedule like, can you goof off for the year or so (money thing), does it allow you to do P/T over F/T, can you cope and schedule it with your personal life and are you willing to quit working to go F/T?

    Answer these questions to yourself and you have your answer.

    J.R(ic)
     
  3. defii

    defii New Member

    Another Option!

    There is another option: California State University, Hayward. Like San Jose State, it is a part of the larger California State University System. I have two friends who earned MBAs from the institution. Everything you've said about San Jose State holds true for Cal State, Hayward with only one exception. Hayward costs a little bit less than San Jose.

    Now, neither of them would give you a degree with the Stanford or Haas Business School (Berkeley) clout. However, with a Stanford undergraduate degree and a state school MBA, I imagine you will do well.

    Given the job market in this area, I would not suggest you leave your job to do this full-time. Hayward and San Jose State offer evening classes and allow you to complete your degree in 1 1/2 - 3 years. Ultimately, you'll have to decide on that one though.

    Good luck!
     
  4. PrincessChelle

    PrincessChelle New Member

    Thanks for your comments so far... I guess I have been leaning towards SJ State because of the time and cost factor. Time is less a factor for me than cost (and esp. opportunity cost). I am leaning towards working full-time and doing my degree part-time, but am a little concerned about whether it will be too overwhelming.

    Thanks, also, for the suggestion to look into Cal State Hayward. Hayward is a little bit farther distance-wise for me, so I haven't considered it as much as SJ State.

    I agree that with the way the economy and job market is out here, it would probably be wise not to take the year or two off that it would take to complete the degree.

    If anyone has other thoughts on SJ State or would recommend a distance learning option let me know... The main drawback with SJ State would be that the drive, though, not too far, is still not super close to where I live (about 25-30 minutes away). The Off-Campus MBA option has a much closer campus (about 10-15 minutes away) but the cost is 3 or 4 times higher.
     
  5. John Roberts

    John Roberts New Member

    Chelle, mind made up. Take it P/T, work at your own pace, get the work related experience whilst studying, that is if you like your present job. If you can afford the F/T route then this is always the best option.

    Good luck with your studies, let us all know how the choice that you made.

    J.R(ic)
     
  6. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    I like San Jose State a lot, and may be taking a course or two from them through Open University, come January. You will definitely see me in their new mega-library when it's completed.

    Personally, I'd go with the on-campus courses. DL is absolutely wonderful, but on-campus classes usually offer a student more. Simply meeting people is sometimes worth the price of admission. Add in the cost savings...

    San Jose State isn't a prestige school by any means. But it does have a surprisingly high profile, particularly in the tech industry. Studying there won't overwhelm anyone, but then again, everybody seems to have studied there themselves.

    For example, Sun Microsystems employs more SJ State alums than they do graduates of any other college or university.

    There don't seem to be a lot of glass ceilings either. Alums include past or present:

    Founders or co-founders: Quantum Corp., Conner Peripherals, Seagate, Oracle, Intel

    CEOs: Tenet Healthcare, Rockwell Intl., Allstate, Airtouch, Selectron, NCR, Sysco Food

    Presidents: Levi Strauss, the Discovery Channel, Palm Computing, Old Navy, AMD

    CFOs: Xilinx, Yahoo, S3

    SJSU alums include Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, OJ Simpson prosecutor Chris Darden, fashion designer Jessica McClintock, comedians Tom and Dick Smothers, writer Amy Tan, 49'ers quarterback Jeff Garcia and football coaches Dick Vermeil and Bill Walsh

    http://www.sjsu.edu/development/alumniceo.html
     
  7. Myoptimism

    Myoptimism New Member

    Hello Princess,

    SJSU sounds like a very good program. If you are positive you want to pursue an MBA at this time, I would concur with most of the others and agree that a residential AACSB MBA is a pretty good thing. I would also agree with the others, and yourself, that now is not the time to give up your job to pursue an unknown. So, if you are only looking at an MBA right now, San Jose seems like a good fit.

    However, it seems as if you are doing this for education, not necessarily for the MBA. Have you considered holding off on the MBA and taking a look at other Masters programs that might apply to your field or your personal interests? A couple that I have looked at that sound very interesting to me are the MA in Complexity and Chaos, Univ. West Sydney and the Ma in the European Union, Leeds Univ.(Thanks Lawrie) :D . I am not trying to imply that you may be interested in these; I am only suggesting that if you are interested in more education that would be interesting and possibly applicable to your employment there may be more options than the MBA right now. The possible advantages of taking this route are
    -Taking the unknown economic future into consideration, this approach allows you to study something that is interesting personally and also applicable to your area of employment.
    -Specialization in an important field or area may give you 'the leg up' on the competition.
    -This is the most important in my opinion. If you earn an MBA now from a respectable but not prestigious school, this is an opportunity cost. With your Stanford background, why not wait for the economy to rebound, and your thoughts for the future to solidify, before possibly giving away the chance to go to a top school.

    It seems to me that a specialized masters might be something to consider.

    Tony
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 10, 2002
  8. Orson

    Orson New Member

    More than any other field...

    the B-school experience benefits from socialization and networking. In fact, the arguably best benefit from a top-tier program IS the networking! (Top-class talent rubbing elbows.)

    And recent studies have cast doubt on the degrees benefits--so, apart from the MBA toolkit, intellectual curiosity satisfied or developed, I'd heavily weigh the social/networking factor--why choose anything but the p/t or full-time options....?

    Companies also want to know how people work in groups and who has leadership potentials--this is best developed and tested in B-school.

    OF Course, all this ignores the "what do I want to do with it?" issue! If you were a mother or wife, then the online option might well make better sense--but absent this...? Why cheat oneself of the personalized experience?
     
  9. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    Many of the online programs require the GMAT, especialy AACSB accredited ones.

    Also take a look at the Haas Eveneing & Weekend and Executive MBA program: HAAS

    I went through Cal State Haywards program, but would have prefeered Haas, except at that time it was full time or nothing.
     

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