In your grandfather’s day, MBA degrees were fairly standard nationwide. Not anymore.
Today’s MBA comes in many types and formats to fit the needs of a global, highly technical and complex business environment. There are MBA programs geared toward international business, e-commerce, finance, marketing, human resources, sustainability and more. Classes are delivered during the day, evenings, on the weekends and online.
“Choosing an MBA is more complicated now, because there are so many choices, so many formats and so many variables to consider,” said Karen Wells, recruiting coordinator for the MBA department at Georgia Southern University. “You can gather a lot of information online, but to really understand a program, a face-to-face approach is best. Information sessions and open houses are always valuable.”
Georgia Southern offers MBA courses in Statesboro and Savannah and hosts regular evening and lunch information sessions at both locations.
“We have a Powerpoint [presentation] that we show and we often take a faculty member who can answer questions about the curriculum, and we offer advice about the GMAT [Graduate Management Admission Test],” Wells said. “We will stay until every last question is answered.”
Students not only get their own questions answered, they benefit from hearing the questions of others.
“If you really want to know what a school is like, it’s best to go visit,” Wells said.
She advises prospective students to attend information sessions as soon as they start thinking about getting an MBA. “It’s not a commitment. It’s just a way to learn more and be able to make a better decision. With so many students paying for their own education in this economy, you want to have a good idea of what you’re getting with the degree before you write the big check.”
‘Schools have different strengths’
There are many advantages of attending an information session, said Julie Barefoot, associate dean of MBA admissions at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
“It’s the best place to learn about the particular academic experience of a school,” she said. “The core curriculum of an MBA is similar for most programs, but schools have different strengths and formats for different types of students. Emory is known for experiential learning, and you’ll see and hear what that means when you visit.”
The Goizueta Business School hosts Super Saturdays, in which prospective MBA students can schedule an interview, tour the facilities, listen to a faculty lecture, learn about the admissions process and hear about degree results from faculty and alumni.
“You’ll get the feel of our environment and facilities, meet faculty members and students, and find out how to get in,” Barefoot said. “Information sessions are fabulous for finding out exactly what you need to know.”
Ask questions
Come with an eager mind and be ready to ask questions, advises Tiffany Nelson, associate director of graduate recruiting at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.
“We hold about three open houses a year to introduce prospective students to all our graduate business programs,” she said. “It’s a good place to start if you don’t know what graduate degree would be best for you.”
Georgia State hosts degree-specific information sessions once or twice a month.
“These are great times to engage the experts and get answers to your personal questions,” Nelson said. “Attending will help you compare and contrast different programs, especially if you ask those questions that pertain to your interests and goals.”
Asking what alums have gone on to do after they’ve earned a certain type of MBA, or what factors were considered in the development of a specialty degree will net richer information than you can find on the Internet.
“Making contacts within a program is always helpful,” Nelson said. “We’re such a large school [that] people think they can’t call us directly, but my team is very accessible. We give out business cards at information sessions, and we have a champion for every program who knows that program inside and out.”
While choosing the right program can take up to two years for some candidates, Nelson says it’s never too early to open communication. “With so much choice out there, doing the research is key.”
MBA meet-and-greet schedule
Clayton State University
College of Business MBA open houses
Sept. 11, Nov. 13: 5:30-7 p.m., Harry S. Downs Center for Continuing Education, Room 101
Oct. 9: 5:30-7 p.m., dean’s conference room
Information: 678-466-4520, www.clayton.edu/business
Emory University
Goizueta Business School
Full-time MBA program on-campus events
Sept. 29: Super Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Oct. 27: Women’s open house, 8:30-11:30 a.m. (for full-time, evening and executive MBA programs)
Dec. 1: Super Saturday, 8:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m. (special military track)
Jan. 12, 2013: Super Saturday, 8:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m.
Emory evening MBA program open houses
Oct. 2: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
March 19, April 23, 2013: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Emory evening MBA program information breakfasts
Dec. 4: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Jan. 8, Feb. 5, May 21, 2013: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Information: 404-727-6311, www.goizueta.emory.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology
Scheller College of Business
Sept. 24: 6:30-8 p.m., Midtown
Information: 404-894-8722, http://scheller.gatech.edu
Georgia Southern University
College of Business Administration
Savannah information sessions, Coastal Georgia Center
Sept. 11: 5:30 p.m.
Oct: 9: noon (box lunch provided)
Nov. 6: 5:30 p.m.
Statesboro session, Georgia Southern, College of Business Administration
Sept. 18: 5 p.m.
Information: 1-912-478-5767, http://coba.georgiasouthern.edu
Georgia State University
Robinson College of Business
Flexible MBA information sessions
Sept. 5: 6-7 p.m., downtown campus
Sept. 19: Noon-1 p.m., Peachtree-Dunwoody Center
Oct. 3: 6-7 p.m., Brookhaven Center
Oct. 19: Noon-1 p.m., Alpharetta Center
Nov. 1: Noon-1 p.m., downtown campus
Nov. 14: 6-7 p.m., Alpharetta Center
Professional MBA and PMBA/MHA information sessions
Sept: 11: 8-9 p.m., Peachtree-Dunwoody Center
Sept. 20: 6-7 p.m., Alpharetta Center
Oct. 16: Noon-1 p.m., Peachtree-Dunwoody Center
Oct. 24, Nov. 8: 6-7 p.m., Buckhead Center
Nov. 2: Noon-1 p.m., Buckhead Center
Global Partners information sessions
Oct. 24: Noon-1 p.m., Buckhead Center
Executive MBA program information sessions
Sept. 14, Sept. 26, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2: Noon-1 p.m., Buckhead Center
Information: 404-413-7167, http://robinson.gsu.edu
Kennesaw State University
Coles College of Business MBA information session
Sept. 20: 6-8 p.m., KSU Center
Information: 770-423-6435, http://coles.kennesaw.edu/graduate
Mercer University
Stetson School of Business and Economics
Virtual professional MBA, Atlanta Administration and Conference Center, RSVP at ExecutiveSSBE@mercer.edu
Sept. 21, Oct. 5, Nov. 2: 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 22, Oct. 6, Nov. 3: 10 a.m.-noon
Flex evening MBA, Master of Accountancy, Joint MBA/MAcc
Sept. 25, Oct. 30: 6:30 p.m.
Information: 678-547-6147, http://business.mercer.edu
University of Georgia
Terry College of Business, Brooks Hall, Athens
Sept. 17, Oct. 8, Nov. 12: 9 a.m. -1 p.m., full-time MBA campus visit days
Information: 706-542-5671, http://mba.terry.uga.edu
