Will MOOCs Make MBA Programs Dinosaurs?

How To Seek Employer Support For Your Executive MBA

 

“Are you OK with me starting an MBA program?”

It’s the kind of question that can blow up your face, much like “Can we just be friends?” or “Are you really going to wear that?” When you broach this subject, your boss probably isn’t thinking about your career path and personal growth. No, her first reaction is likely fear: Is he unhappy? Is he leaving us? Is he gunning for my job?

Before the market crash, employers helped sponsor two-thirds of executive MBAs. Fast forward to 2013 and the number is now a third. Budgets are tight and margins are thin. And there is little room for “investments” that don’t produce immediate return. Let’s face it: Executive MBAs are expensive, with costs climbing into the six figures. Even worse, student-employees have less flexibility due to the weekend classes, travel, and extra-curricular activities inherent to executive MBA programs. Your employer knows that. And they know you’ll be more attractive to other employers and can command a higher wage once you own an MBA. So how can you get your employer on board – or even help you defray some of the costs?  The key is tying what you learn to how it’ll benefit your employer.

According to Steve Cousins, MBA Recruitment and Admissions Manager at the Cass Business School, many companies will expect a statement outlining how your program will make you a better employee. As a result, you’ll need to share your career goals within the organization and how an MBA will help you achieve them.

In particular, you should produce a business plan, clarifying the value your education will bring to the long-term health of the organization. In addition, you should solicit testimonials from MBAs, both inside and outside your company, to illustrate the value of your program. Even more, according to Lee Weiss of Kaplan Test Prep, you should tie the curriculum to your company’s vision and plans, with special emphasis on emerging trends, needs, and markets.

If that doesn’t work, you can always look at scholarships or grants, which may not necessarily be earmarked for younger students or full-time programs.

Source: cityam.com

Blast from the Past:

The Gatekeeper To Michigan’s Ross

They are the hidden hand who may never speak to you. With a cross word from an adcom, they can slip your application into the “reject” pile (or worse…the wait list). They are the ones who ultimately pull the trigger and determine your fate. They may know everything about you, but you probably know precious little about them. They are admissions directors. And they are the most feared and misunderstood members of any business school.

At the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the admissions director’s name is Soojin Kwon Koh. Like you, she once shuffled between the mailbox and phone, waiting to learn if she was accepted at Ross. Now, she sits at the other end of the desk. From there, the world looks entirely different!

Last year, Koh sat down with Poets and Quants to take readers through the admissions process at Ross. What are they looking for in during an interview? Why are placing less emphasis on GMAT scores? What happens to an application once it arrives with admissions? And why does Koh discourage the use of admissions consultants? Whether you’re looking to enroll at Ross or Haas, you won’t find this inside information anywhere else. Click below to learn more.

Source: Poets and Quants