MBA INFORMATION SESSIONS
Clayton State University
Aug. 13, 5:30-7 p.m., College of Business, Dean’s conference room
Sept. 10, 5:30-7 p.m., Harry S. Downs Continuing Education Center, Room 101
Information: 678-466-4500, www.clayton.edu/busines
Emory University
Full-time MBA with women’s and military tracks: Sept. 21, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Goizueta Business School
Full-time MBA: Oct. 19, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Goizueta Business School
Information: 404-727-6311, www.goizueta.emory.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology
Full-time and evening MBA: Aug. 24, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Scheller College of Business, 3rd floor
Executive MBA: Aug. 20, 6:30-8 p.m., Scheller College of Business, 3rd floor
Information: 404-894-8722, http://scheller.gatech.ed
Georgia Southern University
Aug. 27, Sept. 17, Oct. 8, 4-7 p.m., Coastal Georgia Center, Savannah
Information: 912-478-5767, http://coba.georgiasouthern.edu
Georgia State University
Executive MBA: Aug. 14, 6-7 p.m., Grand Hyatt Buckhead
Flexible MBA, Global Partners MBA, Professional MBA: Aug. 14, 6-8 p.m., Grand Hyatt Buckhead
Information: 404-413-7167, http://robinson.gsu.edu
Kennesaw State University
Executive MBA: Aug. 17, 10 a.m.-noon, KSU Center; Aug. 29, 6-8 p.m., The Georgian Club; Sept. 14, Nov. 9, Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-noon, KSU Center, http://coles.kennesaw.edu/graduate/emba/information-sessions.htm
Coles MBA: Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 14, 6-7:30 p.m., KSU Center, colesmba@kennesaw.edu
Information: 770-420-4622, http://coles.kennesaw.edu/graduate
Mercer University
Virtual professional MBA: Aug. 15, Sept. 11, Sept. 26,5-7 p.m.; Aug. 28, 5:30-7 p.m.; Atlanta campus, Business and Education Building, 2nd floor conference room, RSVP at ExecutiveSSBE@mercer.edu
Flex MBA, Master of Accountancy, Joint MBA/MAcc: Aug. 27, Sept. 24, 6:30 p.m., Atlanta campus, Trustee Dining Room, RSVP at GraduateSSBE@mercer.edu
One-year daytime MBA: Sept. 18, noon-1 p.m., Atlanta campus, Business and Education Building, 2nd floor conference room, RSVP at GraduateSSBE@mercer.edu
Virtual professional MBA: Aug. 21, Sept. 13, 5-7 p.m., Macon campus, Stetson Hall, Room 235
Information: 678-547-6147, http://business.mercer.edu
University of Georgia
Full-time MBA: Sept. 23, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Brooks Hall, Room 358, Athens, call 706-542-5671
Professional MBA: Aug. 6, noon-1:30 p.m., Terry Executive Education Center, Buckhead, call 678-985-6811; Aug. 9, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Terry Executive Education Center, Buckhead
Executive MBA: Aug. 6, noon-1:30 p.m., Terry Executive Education Center, Buckhead, call 678-985-6811; Aug. 9, 7:30-8:30, Terry Executive Education Center, Buckhead; call 678-985-6811
Information: http://mba.terry.uga.edu
If you think deciding to enroll in an MBA program is a major decision, try deciding which type to pursue. MBA degrees now seem to come in more flavors than Baskin-Robbins has ice cream.
Because today’s business world is global and complex, people turn to an advanced degree for many reasons.
Do you need to learn about managing overseas? Would a dual MBA/MHA fit your plans to lead a health care organization? Maybe you’re aiming for a chief financial officer position and want to hone your financial expertise. Or, you have multiple IT degrees, but haven’t a clue how to lead your team to its maximum potential.
You can find MBA programs geared toward international business, technology, finance, human resources, marketing, leadership and even entrepreneurship. You can also choose to take classes during the day, at night, on weekends or online. As a glance at The Princeton Review’s 301 Best Business Schools shows, you’ve got choices.
“There are a lot of differences in MBA programs because there are many different audiences seeking this degree,” said Kelly Holloway, director of admissions at Mercer University’s Stetson School of Business and Economics. “Someone who recently graduated from his undergraduate degree has very different needs than an executive with years of work experience.”
One might be looking for traditional management theory and business operations knowledge, while the other is seeking the broader perspective of studying with a cohort of professionals who work in different industries.
Finding the right school and MBA program takes time, but you can speed up the process by turning off the computer and making a few visits. Colleges and university business programs host information sessions, tours, sample lectures, small group meetings and individual interviews to help you get to know them better.
Because an MBA is a major investment in time and money, you want to make sure you’re hitching your career dreams to the right vehicle. Think of an information session as a test drive.
Getting a look in person
“You can read a lot about a program, its purpose, curriculum, requirements and format, but when you visit you have an opportunity to experience a school’s distinct culture,” Holloway said. “Visitors are often surprised that our Atlanta campus sits on 300 wooded acres, with ample surface parking lots, within the Perimeter. Its quiet, serene atmosphere is different from other downtown urban universities, and one of our great assets.”
Prospective students also learn that Mercer’s Atlanta campus focuses on graduate and professional programs and is geared more toward mature, working students.
“We treat our students as colleagues, and get to know them well. It’s a tight-knit community and people see that when they visit,” Holloway said. “Besides getting a first-hand view of campus, you get to meet faculty, current students or alumni who can help you assess how well you might fit into a program.”
Picking the brains of people who are already enrolled in an MBA program can provide valuable perspectives.
“Many incoming students are concerned about balancing classes with their work and families,” Holloway said. “This is a chance to have a real conversation with current students about what they are learning and how they are juggling the workload.”
Finding out which companies recruit on campus and what alums are doing after graduation is good information to have and may offer encouragement that students are headed in the right direction, or not. A visit gives prospective students the opportunity to ask specific questions that pertain to their concerns and goals, and to listen closely to the answers.
“You may learn something that you didn’t even know to ask,” Holloway said. “The information gleaned from another student’s question may be just as valuable to you.”
Face-to-face conversations usually provide richer information than you’ll find on the Internet and it’s a chance to make valuable contacts who can help guide you through the search and application process.
“One of our admissions counselors sends a personalized email to all attendees the day after an information session,” Holloway said. “We thank them for coming, send a bulleted list of requirements of the programs that interested them, and links to sites that could give them more information on questions they raised. A quick, personal response is part of our high-touch culture.”
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