I'm Done! - JSU MBA

I have just completed my final 2 courses for the MBA program at Jacksonville State University and I am confirmed to graduate on April 30th! I am so excited to finally be done.

Before anyone asks, I have no plans to further my education in the near future. The only thing I would consider is possibly adding some sort of certification like Six Sigma, which my company would be willing to pay for. I have been going pretty hard at school for the past 2 1/2 years.

I started with about 50 undergrad credits at the beginning of 2008. I took a class at Strayer and that is where I learned about CLEP and DSST. That led me to Excelsior and testing. I completed my Excelsior undergrad in October of 2008. Fortunately, JSU allowed me to start the MBA program before I had officially graduated from Excelsior, so I started at JSU in the Fall of ’08.

The JSU experience was very good. JSU is relatively new to the DL world and some of my experiences were negative because of their lack of organization and overall experience in working with distance education students. No one class seemed to be the same as it related to course delivery and other details that would have made it a lot easier. Some professors asked for assignments to be sent via email, some asked for them to be sent via the online portal, some even asked me to fax in documents because of problems with “convertibility.” I thought that one was pretty funny. Despite some of their technical deficiencies, the professors were top-notch. Every class was taught by a tenured professor. I missed out on some of the “team” type assignments that they typically would have had in an on-site environment, but overall I thought the education I received was superb.

As shallow as it may sound, the thing that I am most proud of as it relates to my MBA is the price at which I received it. My company offers tuition reimbursement of $5,000 per year. With books and tuition, the entire program cost me $9,872 over 2 years. Thus, the entire AACSB MBA program was completely paid for.

I appreciate the people on this site, as well as the instacert forum, for all of your help and support. It is so inspiring to be able to share and read about the stories of others that are going down similar paths. It definitely makes it easier for a distance education student when, at times, you can feel like you are on an island all by yourself.

Anyway, I am headed down for graduation next Friday. It is about a 6 hour drive for me from Charlotte. Wish me luck!

 

Congrats! JSU would be near the top of the list for me if I were considering an MBA program. AACSB for less than $10k from a state school is a pretty sweet deal. Well, free is even better if a person can get it

Anyway congrats on your achievement!

 

That is great news - an affordable AACSB MBA, graduation, etc. Way to go!

Shawn

 

Congratulations on your momentous accomplishment. Welcome to the MBA club … no snobbery intended.

 

Um, well I certainly intend snobbery...being a Marine with an MBA puts me into a elite status that should make mere mortals quake in their shoes.

Or at least make people proffer backhanded self-righteous comments in my general direction.

By the way, good job on your accomplishment. Well done and I agree that you should take a break from your studies. Take a bike ride, walk down by the river, hold your significant other's hand and go to a movie with no "homework" pressure.

Get out of the echo chamber of education.

 

It certainly does...a Marine that can read

GO ARMY!

 

Oh, no. Here we go again.

 

Perhaps I should change my call-sign. Hey let’s not highjack this thread … this is bmills072200’s day.

 

Don't worry about hijacking the thread... I enjoy the banter...

But Randall may be making a mistake, it sounds like he is assuming that all MBA's can read...

 

Congratulations! It's a great feeling to finish a post-grad degree, isn't it? It's so much work and quite a bit of pressure, but when you are done, there's nothing like it.

 

He could be assuming that all Marines, even former, with an MBA can read … Semper fi!

 

I'm sure that was it...

 

Thanks Michael... it does feel great... the weight off of my shoulders is a tremendous feeling...

 

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well played sir, well played.

Here are my actual enlistment papers:

03310151 Oath of enlistment:

"I, (pick a name the police won't recognize), swear..uhhhh....high-and-tight.... grunt... cammies....kill....fix bayonets....charge....slash....dig....burn....blowup....ugh...Air Force women....beer.....sailors wives.....air strikes....yes SIR!....whiskey....liberty call....salute....Ooorah Gunny....grenades...women....OORAH! So Help Me Chesty PULLER!"

OP: Other than the great satisfaction of having completed the degree, what benefit will you see from the degree? More respect from associates? More cash from the employer? Upward/lateral mobility?

 

Good job - congratulations.

 

Congratulations! Welcome to the MBA club (Ted should be along with the secret decoder ring soon):

"Oh, you have an MBA!"

Just remember when you come over from Charlotte to turn your clock back an hour and your year about twenty....

 

That is too funny. By te way - GREAT JOB. I just recommended the JSU Program to my sister.

 

Congratulations, and great job!

Phillip

 

Not looking for respect from associates... I would love to stay with my current employer, but I think I am going to have the best promotion opportunities outside of my current company. I feel a little guilty about this being that they did pay for my education, but it is what it is. I already have a few opportunities lined up. I have actually received several potential employment leads from professors at JSU, which is not something that I expected.

 

Congratulations and Welcome to the MBA Club!

When do you start doctoral studies?