Shaq adds MBA to his NBA title

Originally posted by Rivers
Congratulations Shaq! I don't want to diminish his accomplishment but I am a bit suspect of the fact he graduated from UOP, only because he could have chosen just about any MBA program in the world...I realize that not all MBA programs are DL but he could have just as easily could have done a Duke,Penn State,and many many more. It's not like money was an issue!

Money was obviously not an issue, but the necessity to have a flexible program for working adults available in the L.A. area would have been essential. This would have ruled out Duke, Penn State and most of the other traditional place-bound MBA programs.

(Let's face it George W. Bush graduated from Harvard Business school and if you saw his Yale transcripts, you know that it was only because of family influence).

In the spirit of fairness, would you be willing to say the same thing about John Kerry's acceptance into Boston College (another top rated school), since Kerry's Yale GPA was comparable to Bush's?

It seems that both of these "C" students have done pretty well for themselves.

 

Oy vey!

Could it also be possible that if more athletes finished their degrees and went on for master's and doctoral degrees that maybe, just maybe, the public would notice that it is possible for a mere man to have both brains and brawn?

 

Duke offers a DL Executive MBA program (http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/mba/executive/cc/) and I will admit it might not "fit in" to his NBA schedule but then again he might have been able to do it if they allowed him more time (like 4 years) again I am also assuming matriculating time was not a factor because he did was getting the degree for enrichment purposes.
The Penn State iMba(http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/wc/iMBA/index.shtml) looks to be fairly flexible and I'm sure they could have accommodated their residencies with his off season.

I am very much inclined to agree with Bruce, that most likely his academic credentials were where they needed to be to obtain entrance; But then again couldn't he have bought his way in (e.g. George W. Bush, John Kerry)

Well BC is not Harvard! Boston College is a very good catholic college and yes admission is competitive but if we compare HBS admissions (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/mba/brief/mbarank_brief.php)
To Carroll’s (BC's school of management) (http://www.bc.edu/schools/csom/mba/admission/classprofile/)
We see that although Harvard has more admission spots to fill BC's average GMAT score and Undergrad GPA are lower. Now I realize that John Kerry's degree is in Law not business (GW Bush has an MBA)...Now if we compare Law Schools Harvard v. Boston College, We again find Harvard is still more competitive. Harvard Student body profile (http://www.law.harvard.edu/admissions/jd/body.php)
Boston College (http://www.bc.edu/schools/law/admission/profile/)

I am not saying they both aren't competitive schools, I am saying that Harvard is more difficult (on average) to get into though. Do I feel that both Kerry and W. Bush had help in getting in? Absolutely! Yet there is no doubt in my mind that Harvard is a more Prestigious school. It was not meant as a one sided political ploy.

In the end I must say yes Tony they both have done well for themselves, George W. and John Kerry come from privilege. Most of Americans will NEVER get the opportunites.

Also in the interest of full disclosure I am not nor ever have been affliated with any political party!

 

When did he go to Harvard

Harvard wasn't always this intellectual school extremely hard to get into.

As far as Shaq's MBA. I don't imagine he needed this gold plated MBA to get ahead in the world. He just wanted the knowledge and quite frankly that can be gotten at a lot of schools that are very easy to get into. If anyone seriously believes that the quality of education is so much better at the likes of HBS than can be obtained at like U-Mass they are seriously mistaken.

Duke requires residencies and you move through in a cohort. That is not the type of program someone in the NBA would fit into. Are there other "better" programs he could have done? yes, but maybe he didn't know of them and maybe he didn't care. It is not like he is going to use the quality of his resume to get his next job.....

 

Re: When did he go to Harvard

Ok perhaps I the point I was alluding to was missed. My general point about Mr. O'Neil's MBA was that it appears to be a great marketing ploy by UOP (the real question is if it was intentional or not, this may never be known).
Now as far as my putting HBS on a pedestal, you are missing my point! I totally agree you can get as good of an education at many other schools (not just U Mass Amherst, which by the way has a bit of a reputation as a party school, At least locally). As a matter of fact it maybe in a students best interest to go to a "smaller" college or university, because it's not as "competitive", which in some cases can be an issue with students. Not that they are receiving any less of an education. Yet, what we cannot argue is that having a degree from HBS opens door, which is exactly my point! The overall Value of the degree at least in the beginning is by far greater.
It is true Ivy League Schools at one time were not as competitive as they are today; in fact I had a Professor who graduated from Brown. Who told the story of when he got out of the army after WW2; He used his GI Bill and "signed up" to take classes at Brown, “because in those days that's all that was required for admission ".

BTW President George W. Bush received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1975 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html)

 

I certainly cannot disagree with you here.

 

Re: When did he go to Harvard

So far, Shaq has made over $191 million by playing basketball, so I don't think he's worried about opening many doors. Any that are closed, he can simply buy them.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealsh01.html

 

Re: Re: When did he go to Harvard

I agree, UOP is getting one heck of a free marketing ride out of Shaq. But they aren't the only ones that do it. Celebrities always seem to get into the Ivies when they apply and it is always in the press. Also, the kids of high profile people and other celebrities always seem to have an easier time getting into some of the elite schools. Some fully deserve admission I am sure but I bet Chelsea had a much easier time getting into her school of choice than some kid no one knew. It is the way it is.

My point is, if I was wanting to go get an MBA full time with maximum impact, I would have to go for the HBS degree. It really isn't the education it is the access it brings. Shaq already has access. Does anyone seriously think Chealsea was worth $100k plus right out of undergrad w/o the access provided by her parents? Again, it is the way it....

 

Re: Re: Re: When did he go to Harvard

Aw, man! Give Chelsea a break! She had to get her master's in international relations before she made herself worthy of a $100,000 a year salary! (Anybody remember which prestigious UK university she got her master's from?)

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: When did he go to Harvard

THe same University Her father Attended as a Rhodes scholar, Oxford.

 

Isn't this the coolest thing a celeb ever did in the recent past?
Getting some gooooooood education?

I think Shaq is fulfilling one of the highest human need......self actualization. After all the fame, money, good living, what's next?

And he couldn't have picked a better way of doing it than DL. He has sure opened the way for all those "busy" procrastinators who still think work, school and play can never make good bedfellows.

Go Shaq!!!!We are proud of you.

 

Guess his UoP MBA paid off

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-shaq080205,0,740690.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Shaq signs $100 million deal with Heat

 

Re: Guess his UoP MBA paid off

And who was it who said a UoP MBA wasn't worth it?

 

UOP MBA not worth it????

Guys are going places with DL degrees, for as long as they are accredited.

My immediate boss, an IT director has a distance learning MBA, and that's what helped him scoop the job!