Could I get into the Manchester Global MBA?

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by BacktotheBooks, Feb 25, 2012.

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  1. BacktotheBooks

    BacktotheBooks New Member

    I'd like some opinions, based on my credentials, if it is even reasonable to apply to Manchester Business School. The U of Manchester, Manchester B-School Global MBA has caught my eye. I like what many of the British B-schools have to offer in distance learning. I've found that for MUCH cheaper, you can get, say, a top 50 or top 100 in the world MBA for part of what I'd pay to a similar school in the US. Manchester has caught my eye because it is relatively affordable (if I read tuition info right, looks like I could get it for about 35 grand).

    I'm a bit intimidated by the higher echelon B-schools because, frankly, I'm not sure my credentials are up to par, despite being a pretty intelligent guy. In my undergrad, especially finance classes, I was always the "smartest guy in the room."

    Credentials:
    BBA Accounting (Major GPA of about 3.75) from B&M, AACSB, regional school
    BBA Finance (Major GPA of about a 3.85) from B&M, AACSB, regional school
    Six Sigma Green Belt
    Certified Management Accountant (I will be by the time I apply)
    Worked since age 15, started managing things like auto parts and fast food at 18.
    Worked as an accountant in industry since 22 (intern) and professional at 23 for a Fortune 1000 (I will be 26 this year).
    Several years of service in the US military as a reservist. Two activations and deployments. One in charge of about 4 infantrymen, the other in charge of over 40 infantrymen.

    Caveats:
    My overall undergrad GPA is about a 3.45. I did miserable my first two years of college because I didn't really care about it and I was working 60 hours a week at a crappy job. If only my last two years were considered, it is probably at a Magna Cum Laude level.

    They say that 4 years of post grad work experience are required. By the time I plan to start, I would have over three and a half years. Their site does, however, go on to say something to the effect of, "this is usually the expectation."

    Thoughts? Do I need to aim lower in order to focus my time on possibly more "attainable" things?

    For the record, I believe that I can do anything. In the words of one of my former professors who was counseling me on my post graduate future, " have the ability to learn anything anyone would ever want to teach [me]." I just don't know if my credentials will make Manchester see it that way.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 25, 2012
  2. jhus

    jhus New Member

    why are you in such a rush?

    As you seem to be only 26, with less than four years professional experience, why are you in such a rush? Do you think a prospective employer would overlook the fact that you have little experience just because you waive an MBA from a prestigious school at them? The MBA is only going to be worth as much as you can back it up with experience.

    The MBA you would earn after joining the program now is going to be worth less than the MBA you would earn after gaining more experience and joining the program in -say- five years from now.

    Other than that, the only way to establish with certainty whether you would be accepted into the program is to apply. If you do get accepted, the acceptance is valid for one year and they have three or four intakes per year, you wouldn't have to make a decision immediately.

    As a general rule of thumb though, the more your work experience and age surpasses the average of the program, the higher your chances, the more your work experience and age falls short, the lower your chances. This has to do with the adage that you learn as much from your class mates than from your teacher and good business schools try to compose classes with a high average work experience and complementing backgrounds of students. This also affects the rankings the schools get, therefore they have an incentive to do so to keep their high rankings.

    Anyway, I would recommend that you visit one of the events MBS organises for prospective students, those are geographically well spread, likely there is one not too far from where you live. You could discuss your ambition and all those questions directly with MBS staff whose job it is to answer these questions on an individual basis.
     
  3. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think that this is a good possibility for you. Here's one thing you might want to consider: you might benefit from a bit more work experience, even if it's just that half-year to get you past the 4 year mark. If you were to take a course, a relevant course, and really ace it, you would be demonstrating your current academic ability, you'd be demonstrating your motivation and you'd be helping yourself to feel that the extra waiting period is actually useful time, not just wasted time. Stay positive, you'll do fine.
     
  4. BacktotheBooks

    BacktotheBooks New Member

    Thanks for the replies.

    I don't look at it as being in a hurry. I'm actually 25 right now, but will be 26 in a few months. I've always been aggressive when it came to getting things done, and after finishing my first BBA at 22 I feel like it's high time to get back into things. I always had the goal of getting a Master degree, so I want to get to it. I was essentially activated for a deployment in May of 2011, and I won't be back into the finance / accounting field until probably June or July of this year, so I feel like my peers have been working at moving up that ladder while I will return to the same level. I want to re-level that playing field.

    I know that the experience will compliment the MBA (or maybe even an MSc Finance / MSF if I go that route), but I don't see it as a detriment to have it without all the experience. I'm not looking to be recruited by a top firm here. I'm going to live in a smallish town for about the next four or five years, after which my wife an I have our eye on a fairly large regional financial center center on the gulf cost. I'll be about 30 then, with a few more years of work experience. That's when I want to be able to wave the MBA in an employer's face. I want to go down there set up to secure a very well paying job.

    Plus, my wife got her MS at 24. I can't let her go around thinking she is the only well educated fancy pants in the house. :cool: :cool:

    Thanks for the advice. I'm also all ears if you guys have further suggestions in terms of school, timing, etc.
     
  5. dl_mba

    dl_mba Member

    Manchester Global has a local office in miami. You can talk to them to get more info.
     
  6. jhus

    jhus New Member

    It doesn't matter how *you* look at it. It matters how prospective employers will see it.

    The fact remains that the quality of an MBA is directly related to the work experience gained *when entering* the MBA program. Going directly into an MBA program after finishing one's primary/undergrad education can only diminish the worth of the MBA degree. An MBA you start now *will be worth less* than an MBA you start after having accumulated several years of relevant work experience. Other than bragging rights, there is no worth in being the youngest MBA graduate in town.

    One more thing to reflect upon. It is generally accepted that to achieve mastery in any field, one requires about 10.000 hours of practise in the field. As a rule of thumb those 10.000 hours are typically approximated to about 10 years, not only because of the hours one works in a year but also because it is considered necessary for knowledge and experience to settle in. In countries where there are master titles for craftsmen, it is quite common that there is a requirement for 10 years of work practise before a craftsman can enroll to become a master. This is based on centuries of accumulated wisdom.

    I personally have more respect of a master carpenter or a master chef/baker/butcher/brewer than anyone holding an MBA degree jumped into right after finishing undergraduate education. I know many hiring managers in my industry who think the same. My advice thus is: Don't foolishly diminish your MBA for the questionable pleasure of bragging rights. Ignore it at your own peril.
     

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