Business school admissions professionals must determine whether you have the ability to succeed both academically and professionally.There's a lot you can do to show them what a good candidate you are, but that is always easiest if you are clear in your knowledge of your own abilities and goals and how they fit in with the schools to which you apply.
Here's some advice for making sure you present yourself well as an MBA candidate:
Be honest. Admissions professionals are good at identifying when someone is just saying what they think the admissions committee wants to hear. Tell the truth about what you are looking to get out of the MBA degree, what your goals and aspirations are, what you are passionate about, and why you are interested in a given school and program.
Be realistic. It's one thing to say you want to be a great chef, but that may not be immediately attainable if you have never cooked anything in your life. Make sure that your career goals are based on an accurate assessment of your experience and skills (see Self-Assessment: The Real Edge). Also, make sure that your credentials match the typical admissions requirements of the schools to which you apply; with all the competition for seats in business school, you'll want to apply where you have a solid chance of being admitted.
Tell not only what you hope to gain but also what you want to contribute. Classmates are an important part of the MBA education. In fact, MBA grads say that the quality of their fellow students is an important part of their MBA experience. Show that you'll be a valuable member of the learning community.
Know about the school and program to which you are applying. In addition to talking in detail about yourself, you'll want to be able to show that you are familiar with the given school and why you are a good fit.
Pay attention to school culture and corporate culture. Part of being a good fit for a school has to do with the culture of the school—whether you will feel comfortable and be able to thrive in the learning community. A visit to campus will tell you more than anything about that aspect of fit; talking with former and current students can help, too. Cultural considerations shouldn't only factor into your school decisions; they should also affect the decisions you make about where to work. Some industries have unique cultures—companies in the tech sector, for instance, typically have a different culture from consulting firms and investment banks. There are cultural differences from company to company within one industry, as well. Know what kinds of cultures will be right for you. The CultureMatch report in the CareerLeader online assessment will help you determine the right cultures for you.
Go back to school at the right time. You will want to develop the right pre-MBA experience to aid your intended career switch or to help you further your current career with an MBA. Your post-MBA employment options will depend largely on your pre-MBA exposure and experience, so make sure that you have enough pre-MBA experience to help you take advantage of all the benefits the degree offers. Do research to find out what MBA employers expect and what MBA admissions committees factor into their considerations about candidates' employment outlook. If you don't feel you have enough work experience right now to benefit fully from an MBA, get some more career experience and apply later.(
Monday, February 18, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Paying for Your MBA: Alternative ways to cut costs
Paying for Your MBA:Alternative ways to cut costs
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Alternative ways to cut costs
Before you take out a loan, put in the time to investigate every source of aid for which you may be eligible.
Payment plans
Check with the schools you're interested in to see if they offer payment arrangements to lessen out-of-pocket expenses. At some schools, you can divide tuition and other fees out over the course of a year rather than paying everything up front. If you have a steady source of income, such an alternative could be a godsend.
Tuition reimbursement
If you work while attending school, your employer may provide tuition assistance, so find out if you have this benefit. Make sure you’re clear on what’s covered and how your employer administers assistance. In most cases, you'll need to pay for your classes up front and then be refunded upon successful completion of your course work ("successful" is usually defined by maintaining a certain GPA, usually a B average or better). Every company has its own rules, however, so be sure to find out all the details before you apply.
If your company doesn't offer this benefit, you may want to make a persuasive argument to your boss for doing so —employers are always looking for ways to keep good employees. Be sure to explore any tax ramifications of accepting tuition reimbursement from your employer. In some cases, it may be taxed as income
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Alternative ways to cut costs
Before you take out a loan, put in the time to investigate every source of aid for which you may be eligible.
Payment plans
Check with the schools you're interested in to see if they offer payment arrangements to lessen out-of-pocket expenses. At some schools, you can divide tuition and other fees out over the course of a year rather than paying everything up front. If you have a steady source of income, such an alternative could be a godsend.
Tuition reimbursement
If you work while attending school, your employer may provide tuition assistance, so find out if you have this benefit. Make sure you’re clear on what’s covered and how your employer administers assistance. In most cases, you'll need to pay for your classes up front and then be refunded upon successful completion of your course work ("successful" is usually defined by maintaining a certain GPA, usually a B average or better). Every company has its own rules, however, so be sure to find out all the details before you apply.
If your company doesn't offer this benefit, you may want to make a persuasive argument to your boss for doing so —employers are always looking for ways to keep good employees. Be sure to explore any tax ramifications of accepting tuition reimbursement from your employer. In some cases, it may be taxed as income
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Paying for Your MBA : Private and alternative financing
Paying for Your MBA:
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Private and alternative financing
Foundations, corporate sponsors, and individuals offer millions of dollars of aid every year through scholarships, grants, internships, and loans awarded either directly to you or to your school. Private sponsors establish their own application procedures and eligibility criteria which may have little or nothing to do with your financial situation. You’ll probably need to do a little work to uncover all of the private aid that you may be eligible to receive, and you’ll have to shop around for the loans that offer the best interest rates and terms of repayment — but the work you put into this process will be well worth the effort.
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Private and alternative financing
Foundations, corporate sponsors, and individuals offer millions of dollars of aid every year through scholarships, grants, internships, and loans awarded either directly to you or to your school. Private sponsors establish their own application procedures and eligibility criteria which may have little or nothing to do with your financial situation. You’ll probably need to do a little work to uncover all of the private aid that you may be eligible to receive, and you’ll have to shop around for the loans that offer the best interest rates and terms of repayment — but the work you put into this process will be well worth the effort.
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Paying for Your MBA: Institutional resources
Paying for Your MBA: Financial Resources
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Institutional Resources
Some schools offer their own loan programs to help you with educational expenses. Your financial aid administrator can tell you what you'll need to do to apply for a loan from the school. You may also be eligible for a variety of school-sponsored scholarships and grants that may be awarded based on either need or merit.
Additionally, many graduate students use teaching assistantships to help pay all or part of the cost of their education — a gig that typically requires a commitment of about 20 hours per week. You should also check with your school to see if they offer any other on-campus employment opportunities that are not based on need or merit. Explore internship opportunities that are available at the school — a paid internship enables you to receive financial support while gaining work experience and, in some cases, academic credit.
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Institutional Resources
Some schools offer their own loan programs to help you with educational expenses. Your financial aid administrator can tell you what you'll need to do to apply for a loan from the school. You may also be eligible for a variety of school-sponsored scholarships and grants that may be awarded based on either need or merit.
Additionally, many graduate students use teaching assistantships to help pay all or part of the cost of their education — a gig that typically requires a commitment of about 20 hours per week. You should also check with your school to see if they offer any other on-campus employment opportunities that are not based on need or merit. Explore internship opportunities that are available at the school — a paid internship enables you to receive financial support while gaining work experience and, in some cases, academic credit.
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Paying for an MBA : Veteran’s assistance
Paying for Your MBA: Financial Resources
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Veteran’s assistance
If you are a veteran and have completed at least one year of active service, Veterans Educational Benefits are available for graduate study. The amount of benefit for which you’re eligible depends on your length of military service, the number of dependents you have, and how many course credits you carry. For more information, check with the veterans' affairs offices at the schools to which you're applying or call the Veterans Affairs Department in Washington, D.C
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Paying for Your MBA Federal and State Aid
Paying for Your MBA: Financial Resources
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Federal and state financial aid
You are probably already aware that the U.S. Department of Education provides financial assistance to students who attend eligible institutions. To determine your eligibility for any of these programs, you need to complete the financial aid process established by the schools to which you're applying, as well as that of the federal government. Fill out the FAFSA! Federal government aid programs include Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Work-Study Programs.
Most state governments also offer grants, loans, and scholarships to their residents. Each school has a different FAFSA submission deadline, so keep this in mind when you're applying for aid.
Institutional resourcesSome schools offer their own loan programs to help you with educational expenses. Your financial aid administrator can tell you what you'll need to do to apply for a loan from the school. You may also be eligible for a variety of school-sponsored scholarships and grants that may be awarded based on either need or merit.
next week Veteran’s assistance
http://top10mbaonlinedegrees.blogspot.com/
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
There’s more to financial aid than the federal government, although it does offer some of the best loans and terms around. However, even the Fed can’t necessarily get you everything you need to get that MBA you’re after, so do a thorough job of checking out what is available to you. You might be surprised by what you find.
Federal and state financial aid
You are probably already aware that the U.S. Department of Education provides financial assistance to students who attend eligible institutions. To determine your eligibility for any of these programs, you need to complete the financial aid process established by the schools to which you're applying, as well as that of the federal government. Fill out the FAFSA! Federal government aid programs include Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Work-Study Programs.
Most state governments also offer grants, loans, and scholarships to their residents. Each school has a different FAFSA submission deadline, so keep this in mind when you're applying for aid.
Institutional resourcesSome schools offer their own loan programs to help you with educational expenses. Your financial aid administrator can tell you what you'll need to do to apply for a loan from the school. You may also be eligible for a variety of school-sponsored scholarships and grants that may be awarded based on either need or merit.
next week Veteran’s assistance
http://top10mbaonlinedegrees.blogspot.com/
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Technorati Tags:
MBA, financial aid, scholarship, state aid, FAFSA
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Online MBA Program Offers SAP Software Training
Central Michigan University is revolutionizing its master of business in administration program by giving working professionals the opportunity to continue their careers while learning software that is used by 85 percent of all Fortune 1000 companies.
Newswise — CMU's College of Business Administration's new online MBA program is the only online MBA program offered that has a management information systems concentration with an emphasis in SAP. SAP enterprise resource planning software provides the capability to manage financial, asset, and cost accounting; production operations and materials; personnel; plants; and archived documents.
"We have been offering a wide array of SAP classes for the past eight years, but extending SAP into an MBA program is a natural and exciting evolution," said D. Michael Fields, dean of the College of Business Administration. "Our new online MBA program allows us to offer our expertise to a larger market of working professionals."
Comprised of management, business and finance classes, the CMU MBA program is designed to prepare graduate students to take leadership positions in the business world. The 18-month accelerated program is taught completely online, and with the exception of an intensive two-week SAP Academy, will be taught in a cohort format that includes a group of students following a set schedule of courses together from start to finish.
"This program will provide immediate added value to its graduates in two ways," said Fields. "Not only will they be adding a valuable skill set, but they can likely immediately apply this knowledge to their workplace and add value to their employer."
An overview of CMU’s online MBA program and admission criteria can be found at http://www.cel.cmich.edu/onlinemba.
Newswise — CMU's College of Business Administration's new online MBA program is the only online MBA program offered that has a management information systems concentration with an emphasis in SAP. SAP enterprise resource planning software provides the capability to manage financial, asset, and cost accounting; production operations and materials; personnel; plants; and archived documents.
"We have been offering a wide array of SAP classes for the past eight years, but extending SAP into an MBA program is a natural and exciting evolution," said D. Michael Fields, dean of the College of Business Administration. "Our new online MBA program allows us to offer our expertise to a larger market of working professionals."
Comprised of management, business and finance classes, the CMU MBA program is designed to prepare graduate students to take leadership positions in the business world. The 18-month accelerated program is taught completely online, and with the exception of an intensive two-week SAP Academy, will be taught in a cohort format that includes a group of students following a set schedule of courses together from start to finish.
"This program will provide immediate added value to its graduates in two ways," said Fields. "Not only will they be adding a valuable skill set, but they can likely immediately apply this knowledge to their workplace and add value to their employer."
An overview of CMU’s online MBA program and admission criteria can be found at http://www.cel.cmich.edu/onlinemba.
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