Help with Business School, Careers in Finance, etc.

[Cheers]

Another question, how does the name of the school and type of school affect it? Because of my work I can't really relocate and knock out school. How important is the name of the school? What about online classes to complete the degree? Is that a no-no? I heard BU and some other big names have online degrees, just don't know how legit they are.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Cheers

Anyway, all you business folks...give me some ideas from those of you who are fresh in the industry. Aren't job prospects bad right now with the economy like shit?

Applications usually go up in recession. Students want to increase their skills, and they know that the economy will be turned around by the time they get out of school. MBA programs get flooded with apps in the downtime, and this isn't necessarily best for the applicants. You face alot more competition in the bad times.

As far as places to start for a job post-MBA, the benefit of going to a t1 school is that you will see top companies coming through in recruiting season. So you better have a great resume and nice GPA, because you will get passed over for interviews. I also saw fellow students focus on getting their degree and then interviewing. That is not good. Its best to divide your time between recruiting events, interviews and classwork. There would also be recruiting events where you could network with the recruiters and try to get on their interview list.

The students that didn't "work" recruiting season were the ones wondering why they didn't have a job at graduation.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Cheers

Another question, how does the name of the school and type of school affect it?

This was discussed in the first few pages of this thread. Go to a t1 or t2 school. If you work for someone, try to get a feel for what HR and your managers think. In some companies, all they care is that you have the three letters after your name. That's great if you never plan on leaving. If you do ever leave, don't be surprised if they wipe their ass with you hole-in-the-wall degree.

Originally Posted by Cheers

Because of my work I can't really relocate and knock out school. How important is the name of the school? What about online classes to complete the degree? Is that a no-no? I heard BU and some other big names have online degrees, just don't know how legit they are.

IMHO, online degrees are a joke. The only time they are any good is when the company sponsors one. My company liked the online Cardean MBA. They said it would be sufficient for them. But I wasn't sure I was staying at the company, and I knew an online degree would be worthless in some companies, so I got the full time degree.

[Cad]

Originally Posted by aychamo_aycono

if you get phd please dont ever refer to yourself as dr

Medical doctors don't have exclusivity rights on the term "doctor", you know. People with phd's have earned the right to the title as much as you have.

Now, you people with JD's..... yea. We're not doctors.

[rinthea]

Originally Posted by Cad

Medical doctors don't have exclusivity rights on the term "doctor", you know. People with phd's have earned the right to the title as much as you have.

Now, you people with JD's..... yea. We're not doctors.

I thought he mentioned it because it would be pretentious to do so, not that hes the only real doctor. I could be wrong though.

I used to know a guy, who was a surgeon and we were at some food and wine festival and he was blind as.
He approached every half decent looking girl with, 'Hi, I'm a Doctor!'. Not sure if it worked or not. But it was cringe worthy.

[Cad]

Originally Posted by rinthea

I thought he mentioned it because it would be pretentious to do so, not that hes the only real doctor. I could be wrong though.

I used to know a guy, who was a surgeon and we were at some food and wine festival and he was blind as.
He approached every half decent looking girl with, 'Hi, I'm a Doctor!'. Not sure if it worked or not. But it was cringe worthy.

My brothers and sister in law are all either doctors or in medical school/residency, and they go off on people taking the "doctor" title who aren't MD's/DO's.. I think a lot of medical doctors really do have that mentality. I quoted everything he said about the dr title, he didn't say anything about pretentiousness.

And yea - approaching people and just telling them you're a Dr is cringe-worthy - but thats a long way from referring to yourself as a dr if you have a phd.

[Desx]

Originally Posted by Cheers

That's encouraging. What did he get his graduate degree(s) in?

Accounting was his BBA. I think his MBA was finance, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Kuriin]

Originally Posted by Lyrical

IMHO, online degrees are a joke. .

Incorrect and you misunderstood him. He said online courses, not online degrees. Huge difference. Online courses are exactly the same as a normal class in terms of work (and sometimes, even more work) and for those who have hectic schedules (I remember having to take my bio/chem class online when I was taking 29 credits) and had work to deal with. It all matters to schedule.

Do NOT go to an online school, though. University of Phoenix and all that shit, no no no.

[Tyreny]

Originally Posted by Kuriin

I remember having to take my bio/chem class online when I was taking 29 credits

29 credits in one semester? WHY

[eVasiege]

Was trying to find that other thread on this topic, but couldn't find it anywhere. Anyways, might possibly do an MBA after I graduate (no longer than a year after) and have been looking at some schools. From what I have heard about MBA's is that online ones are usually a joke and not taken seriously by employers. Thing is I have the option of getting an MBA (or any other masters degree) from an online school absolutely free with no strings attached. Think it would be worth it in this case? I think I'd have the grades to get into a good school, but would prestige be worth the financial loss of a free degree with no strings?

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by eVasiege

From what I have heard about MBA's is that online ones are usually a joke and not taken seriously by employers.

You answered your own question, but I will try to give a longer answer...

If you work for an employer that only cares about you having the three letters after your name, go for it. I worked for an employer that would absolutely not promote anyone past middle management without an MBA, but you could have an MBA from anywhere.

But if you are looking to go to another company, realize they might wipe their ass with your resume and throw it in the garbage bin. And don't expect to see an increase in income with an online MBA when you graduate - you'll probably only see that in a t1 or t2 program.

The only other way an online MBA might be good would be if you are an engineer or scientist. Most of my class (which was in a non-online environment) was full of science people that were told that they could progress no further in their company without some business knowledge.

[Ancalagon]

Originally Posted by eVasiege

Was trying to find that other thread on this topic, but couldn't find it anywhere. Anyways, might possibly do an MBA after I graduate (no longer than a year after) and have been looking at some schools. From what I have heard about MBA's is that online ones are usually a joke and not taken seriously by employers. Thing is I have the option of getting an MBA (or any other masters degree) from an online school absolutely free with no strings attached. Think it would be worth it in this case? I think I'd have the grades to get into a good school, but would prestige be worth the financial loss of a free degree with no strings?

My perspective: Do not waste your time with a bullshit online MBA, free or not. Additionally, no big-name (non-online) MBA program is going to take you with so little work experience unless you've got some incredible shit going for you (if you've got a 4.0 from MIT, aced your GMATs, and speak four languages I think you've got a good shot).

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Ancalagon

My perspective: Do not waste your time with a bullshit online MBA, free or not. Additionally, no big-name (non-online) MBA program is going to take you with so little work experience unless you've got some incredible shit going for you (if you've got a 4.0 from MIT, aced your GMATs, and speak four languages I think you've got a good shot).

Good advice.

P.S.: This could easily be merged in the other thread.

[Tallyn]

Originally Posted by Ancalagon

My perspective: Do not waste your time with a bullshit online MBA, free or not. Additionally, no big-name (non-online) MBA program is going to take you with so little work experience unless you've got some incredible shit going for you (if you've got a 4.0 from MIT, aced your GMATs, and speak four languages I think you've got a good shot).

This is pretty much dead on. Any employer that will think highly of an online MBA is not one you should put much stock in and any highly-regarded employer will put no stock in an online MBA.

As a recent grad of MIT's program, I'll say that the real value of a brand-name MBA is the network, contacts, and shared experiences that you have with present and future business leaders. These are things that are very difficult to get in a low-grade program and impossible to get online. The value simply isn't the "business knowledge" you'll pick up (although some of it is useful; you learn just enough to realize that you don't know shit about most of the complicated technical aspects of business and you should associate with experts who you trust).

[brekk]

Lame MBA programs are okay if its not going to be your primary degree. I have one friend whos a Mechanical Engineer getting his MBA online, and another whos an Electrical Engineer getting get his MBA at the school he got his BS at.

For either of them they'll still be engineers professionally. But having an MBA (no matter where from) will allow them to get higher in the company and not be limited solely to technical jobs.

My dad and stepmom are both Mechanical Engineers with nothing beyond their BS's. They've both been at the their company for 30'ish years, and they are about as high as you can get on the technical side. (I think they they both have maybe two ranks to be as high as an engineer can get) if they had an MBA they could be moved to higher more executive managerial positions.