Help with Choosing an MBA Program

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  • #190667
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi! I am looking for an AACSB accredited MBA Online program that has a reasonable cost of about $25k or less. I am looking for a combo of quality but not burning a hole in my pocket. I understand that the best schools are the most expensive. Anywhere in the country would be okay because I am looking for a complete online program. Any help?? I am newly graduated and am would not be enrolling until Fall 2015 at the earliest. By that time I will have 1 year public acctn experience and my CPA.

    Help would be greatly appreciated!!

    P.S. Good luck to everyone getting scores tomorrow 🙂

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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  • #627188
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Why are you choosing an MBA over an Accounting Masters?

    #627189
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @brooks don't really know to be honest. Few of my coworkers are going or have MBA, figure that was the best option.. I plan on going private down the road as well.

    #627190
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am usually not a fan of an MBA because to me it's the “communications” degree in the world of Master's degrees. A lot of my friends who have direct reports tend to choose people who have chosen to specialize in one particular area.

    The main reason I ask though was to make sure that in the absence of an accounting master's you will still have the required curriculum for your CPA. Colorado (my state) is currently changing the rules and under them you will need 33 hours just in accounting. This would be almost impossible to accomplish without an accounting masters.

    You should check this program out. It's $45,000 but it's 100% online through Colorado State University (a reputable school): https://csuglobal.edu/graduate/programs/masters-degrees/professional-accounting/courses/

    #627191
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Just my two cents…

    I was burnt out on accounting after finishing my bachelors and went the MBA route. I really wish I would have specialized and got my accounting masters…

    #627192
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @CorporetteCPAintheMaking interesting, can you please explain?

    #627193
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    MBA's are somewhat general, but there's still a lot of value in the right program. The problem with “the right program” is that your options are somewhat limited. My attitude is a bit snobbish around MBA's, but anything less than top 20 wouldn't be worth my time, and anything less than top 10 wouldn't be worth my money.

    I'm sure within quite a few companies, any MBA can be used as stepping stone towards a promotion – perhaps from low-level management to middle-management. However, in looking at the money and time investment – especially if this is a long-term play towards getting into a “prestigious” or name-conscious field/company – I'd strongly recommend either going big or focusing upon a specialty and not doing the MBA path.

    For many people, an MBA is a reset button, and given that you only get to push it once, I'd strongly urge you consider what you want to accomplish with it. If the intent is to move into industry, an online MBA could work – but I wouldn't bank on it being a ticket into corporate development or any strategic role. If the intent is to move into consulting or financial advisory, then don't even consider an online degree. It won't be considered good enough. No partner pitching a $2mm+ project is going to want to let the prospect know that someone with a “Phoenix online MBA” is being staffed on the project. If the intent is to get into PE, IB, or equity research, then completely erase any thought of online MBA from your mind. If you want to broaden your knowledge, Udacity or any of the other MOOCs are a much more cost effective option than an online MBA. Frankly, as someone who's interviewed hundreds of people (a handful of which were MBAs), I can tell you that I'd have 10x the respect for someone who took Udacity's entire course catalog than someone who got an online MBA. At least then I'd have some confidence in their ability to understand cost/benefit analysis and relative value.

    #627194
    mw798
    Member

    I can't agree more with the above post. The analogy of the MBA to a reset button is spot on. And you can only push it once. Top 10 is what you should be aiming for.

    MBAs are a dime a dozen now with every school offering an MBA program as well as several online/adult learning schools. Basically, anyone can get an MBA and you aren't going to impress any employer by just having a random MBA. In fact, a no name MBA is going to hurt you more than having no MBA. If you are going to get an MBA, you should choose one in the top 15 in at the very least order to separate yourself from the rest of the pack.

    This is even more important if you are spending your own money on it. But again, you are also investing your time as well and your time itself is as important as money so think carefully before investing into a program.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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