Forget About Business School Rankings… What is the Best Full Time MBA Program for You?

So you’re thinking about advancing your education and making the plunge into pursuing a full-time MBA. What is the first thing that comes to mind when considering all of your options? “Check the rankings.” Right?

Rankings are the primary way prospective students think about their education options, particularly when it comes to the MBA. But why do we think that way? It’s not the best way for you to understand your options in business schools and full-time MBA programs. Nor is it the best way for schools to communicate what they offer. Business school rankings have flourished simply because they are a great business model for publishers.

So when you’re thinking about which full-time MBA program to choose, get away from the “best business school” mentality. Shift your thinking towards, “Which school has the best full-time MBA program for me?”

Most business school websites offer similar information, when in fact there are a plethora of differences between schools. These differences are hard to perceive just by visiting a website, or even talking to an admissions counselor. To find the best full-time MBA program for you, make sure you evaluate the following:

•    Alumni networks
•    Regional cost of living
•    Regional culture and lifestyles
•    Social Media Self-Representation
•    Faculty teaching style
•    Curriculum

By looking closely at each of these factors, you will be able to reach a more personal decision about your MBA education.

All of this being said, it’s important to note that rankings do provide some value for sure, otherwise they wouldn’t exist. There is no doubt that the #1 ranked school or full-time MBA program has many high-quality characteristics that ultimately led to its high ranking. However, the majority of people pursuing an MBA are not going to go to a top-20 ranked school.  Finally, the whole concept of ranking, or qualifying these schools to a single number, is highly arbitrary and does not typically help students find the best school for them.

Some schools even give prospective students the opportunity to connect with current students. This is an excellent way to get an insider’s perspective on your top schools of choice. For example, Thunderbird School of Global Management encourages prospects to make a T-bird connection with one of their current students by filling out a simple form which you can view here: http://www.thunderbird.edu/meet-t-bird

Choosing a full-time MBA program is a complex decision. So rather than focusing your efforts on increasing your test scores and paying for coaching to get into the highest ranked school, it’s best to think about what you personally need and want out of a business school.

Speed up your degree with a One-Year MBA program

An accelerated MBA program or a one-year MBA program is the answer to many people who do not have the time to go through the full program of two to four years. This works well for working individuals who cannot afford to take more than a year off from work to get their MBA degree.

Whether you are doing distance learning or the traditional classroom training, accelerated classes help you to earn credits faster through intensive courses. The goal is to finish in one year; however the path taken to achieve this goal by different universities may be different. So the duration of a course in an accelerated MBA program can be anything between 2 to 6 months.

One-year MBA programs offer the same specialties such as Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Human Resources and Management that an extended MBA program would offer. So you would have the same opportunities to specialize and then look for a job that matches with your qualification.

It is less expensive to go through a one-year MBA program than the full program. If you add to this the cost of living that is saved for an additional number of years then the savings achieved becomes quite substantial.

The one-year MBA program is accredited and has strict admission criteria that look at the work experience and educational record of the student. The accreditation of the university you are applying to must be checked thoroughly at the time of admission. You can have a look at their curriculum making sure that all the main subjects are covered.

Enrolling in an online shortened course decreases the waiting time to start the program since you may start in the same month rather than wait for the start of term. Besides this you can complete your study from home and not have to leave your family to pursue your studies. Working professionals who are aiming to complete their MBA can do so without quitting their jobs or having to travel to another city or country. They can easily adjust their courses according to their current schedules.

The accelerated learning means that each course will be done faster leaving little time for students to be bored of any given course. However this also means that students will have to keep up with the fast pace of the program and complete projects and assignments that much faster. This is not an easy job and requires a lot of commitment on the part of the student enrolling for this program.

A one-year MBA program from an accredited university will be considered a full time Master’s degree and will serve the student well in terms of accelerating career opportunities and improving self growth.

The popularity of the shortened courses has compelled many universities to offer abbreviated MBA programs. However there are some drawbacks as well and these include the missed chance of gaining a summer internship which could have led to a full time job, fewer networking opportunities and missing out on immersing in a subject completely.