Monday, September 22, 2008

What should you look for in an MBA program?

When you are looking for an MBA program, what are you looking for? Here are some questions you should ask yourself before you begin your search:

1) Where do I want to do my MBA? This can be state, region, or school. This will help you begin your search.

2) What do I want to spend? MBA programs can be very expensive. Knowing up front what you can afford is important.

3) What concentration do I want to focus on? Different MBA programs specialize in different areas. If you know you want to study HR or real estate or finance, look for MBA programs that offer that concentration.

4) How is this program going to help me to achieve my goals? Not all programs are the same.

Now let me tell you about the Walton MBA in regard to these four questions.

1) We are located in Fayetteville, AR home of the University of Arkansas and more than 300 Fortune 500 companies.

2) Most of our students are on assistantship. A full assistantship will waive your tuition and provide you with a stipend of $2500 each semester. A partial assistantship will waive out-of-state tuition, provide the same stipend of $2500 each semester, plus a scholarship of $2500. It is unusual for an MBA program to offer financial assistance.

3) We have a retail focused MBA. What does this mean? We tend to focus more on the aspects of information systems, marketing, and logistics. These three aspects are the foundation of may businesses, not only retail. The Walton MBA has career concentrations in retail marketing, supply chain management, entrepreneurship, and finance.

4) Since we do have over 300 Fortune 500 companies in our backyard, the opportunity for jobs is staggering. Our Career Development Center works very hard to assist you in finding employment. Since we are the Walton College, we have ties with many local companies. Our students benefit from these connections.

So, not all MBA programs are the same. There are many things to consider. Read our student blogs and don't hesitate to email me with questions.

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