Choice Questions

2. Am I ready for an MBA?

MBA programs vary as to requirements, and you may need further preparation and coursework before you even apply. Gloria Marcus, graduate program recruiter and admissions advisor at Metropolitan State University, encourages students to ask “Am I ready?” Like many programs, Metro State requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited college with two years of full-time professional work experience, and a combined undergraduate GPA and GMAT score greater than 1025. But the application process also includes a goals essay and letters of recommendation. In addition they require students to have taken courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, financial accounting, and statistics before starting Metro State’s program.

Do you want a management position in your present company or the skills to start up a new business?

The Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University in Edina requires a 2.7 GPA and a B or higher in both English composition and college algebra for students to be admitted without the GMAT, GRE, or the Keller admissions test. St. Thomas and the Carlson School both require a bachelor’s degree, competitive GMAT scores, essays, a résumé, letters of recommendation, and an interview with a member of the admissions committee. Most MBA programs offer information sessions a couple times each year, and prospective students should take advantage of these opportunities.

3. Do I know what’s expected?

“Students should ask ‘What’s really expected?’” says Kurt Linberg, dean of the School of Business and Technology at Minneapolis-based Capella University. How accelerated is the program? How often do you need to participate? Full-time programs are generally two years long. Part-time programs, of which Minnesota has many, take longer to complete but are geared to working adults by having classes in the evening, on weekends, and on line. St. Thomas’s full-time MBA students attend classes and meetings several times a day, every weekday, over 21 months, while the part-time MBA students spread learning over three to five years to accommodate full-time work outside of class. Augsburg College’s MBA program has had success with its one day a week, one-class-at-a-time schedule. Carlson’s part-time program allows students to take up to seven years to finish their degrees.