Are one-year MBA programs a joke? Northwestern offers one and...

[Anonymous]

I know this younger, bro-ish type of guy who (I'm not kidding) brags it only took him one year to complete his MBA from Northwestern. He was in their one-year MBA program. There's just no chance he did well on his GMAT, so I assume the standards much lower for this, i.e. they're not as prestigious? But then again, nobody would know the diff if you still get to put MBA on your resume.

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/programs/full-time-mba/one-year-mba-program.aspx

[Anonymous]

Honestly, and I say this as a grad of a top program, this program look pretty good. It’s basically 3 semesters instead of 4 and requires 4 prereqs that might otherwise be taken in the first year.

You graduate from northwestern with an MBA. Since you are joining the second year class I assume it doesn’t distinguish between the two programs.

I think the 2 year MBA model is under pressure because they require great work experience but if you’ve been in a good job you need to factor in lost income along with tuition. Fewer students are applying. Losing 1 year of income is more appealing.

[Anonymous]

MBAs are kind of a joke to begin with.

The only reason people do them is for their signaling power. It's an extra hoop companies can ask you to jump through to see how much you want to move up and if you're willing to say "how high" when they say jump.

Some people are too lazy to do the work so they languish in middle management forever.

[Anonymous]

No, it depends on his undergraduate. I was able to do my graduate degree in a year but it was the same major as my undergraduate and many classes overlapped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, and I say this as a grad of a top program, this program look pretty good. It’s basically 3 semesters instead of 4 and requires 4 prereqs that might otherwise be taken in the first year.

You graduate from northwestern with an MBA. Since you are joining the second year class I assume it doesn’t distinguish between the two programs.

I think the 2 year MBA model is under pressure because they require great work experience but if you’ve been in a good job you need to factor in lost income along with tuition. Fewer students are applying. Losing 1 year of income is more appealing.

It sounds like a scheme to pack in lower stats students into the b-school without needing to disclose their admissions stats to US News, etc. Can anyone find a profile of the 1-yr MBA admits?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, it depends on his undergraduate. I was able to do my graduate degree in a year but it was the same major as my undergraduate and many classes overlapped.

The bro I'm referencing took 5 or 5.5 years to graduate from Pitt...

[Anonymous]

MBA programs are not exactly academically rigorous, you know. They are a hoop through which yes-men/women jump on their way up the corporate ladder; the programs are not designed to require any kind of serious scholarship. A Mickey Mouse degree, like a Masters in Education or Human Resources.

I once dated a guy who was doing his MBA at MIT/Sloane, and he/we went to many social events with MBA students at MIT and Harvard. I was shocked at how fratty those parties were (and we were in our late 20s), and by just how much time MBA students spent socializing (totally different among academic program students, who spend much of their time writing/reading). I had the distinct impression that social skills and "connections" were the main point of the program. Also, I did some of his "homework" without ever attending a class, and it was super easy and simple compared to what was required of my academic program.

That being said, I would not be able to complete an MBA program because I hate working in groups, and I'm an introvert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it depends on his undergraduate. I was able to do my graduate degree in a year but it was the same major as my undergraduate and many classes overlapped.

The bro I'm referencing took 5 or 5.5 years to graduate from Pitt...

You sound bitter. Ultimately it will be job performance that separates you from him. Wether he got his degree in 1 or 2 years won’t make much difference. I’m in my 50s, with an MBA, and have seen plenty of people succeed with and without top degrees. Being smart isn’t even a prerequisite. Some succeed by surrounding themselves with smart people. Some of the guys from my program (top 10) who have been the most successful were not the brightest or anywhere near the top of the class.

[Anonymous]

Why are you so concerned about other people? "There's no way he did well on his GMAT?" "Bro"? Who cares?

I think you need to grow the heck up and focus on your own career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you so concerned about other people? "There's no way he did well on his GMAT?" "Bro"? Who cares?

I think you need to grow the heck up and focus on your own career.

+1 OP sounds really immature.

[Anonymous]

Op, you have some serious issues you might want to talk to a therapist.

[Anonymous]

lame thread, OP. Worry about your own career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MBA programs are not exactly academically rigorous, you know. They are a hoop through which yes-men/women jump on their way up the corporate ladder; the programs are not designed to require any kind of serious scholarship. A Mickey Mouse degree, like a Masters in Education or Human Resources.

I once dated a guy who was doing his MBA at MIT/Sloane, and he/we went to many social events with MBA students at MIT and Harvard. I was shocked at how fratty those parties were (and we were in our late 20s), and by just how much time MBA students spent socializing (totally different among academic program students, who spend much of their time writing/reading). I had the distinct impression that social skills and "connections" were the main point of the program. Also, I did some of his "homework" without ever attending a class, and it was super easy and simple compared to what was required of my academic program.

That being said, I would not be able to complete an MBA program because I hate working in groups, and I'm an introvert.

Yes for sure they are not academically rigorous- my best friend went to Wharton for her MBA and she said the biggest thing she learned was how to pace herself when drinking. It’s a super crafty atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it depends on his undergraduate. I was able to do my graduate degree in a year but it was the same major as my undergraduate and many classes overlapped.

The bro I'm referencing took 5 or 5.5 years to graduate from Pitt...

Pitt has several advanced standing programs. He probably had his business degree and they gave him credits to gradate early. I did that but started at Pitt and transferred as the other program were a semester shorter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this younger, bro-ish type of guy who (I'm not kidding) brags it only took him one year to complete his MBA from Northwestern. He was in their one-year MBA program. There's just no chance he did well on his GMAT, so I assume the standards much lower for this, i.e. they're not as prestigious? But then again, nobody would know the diff if you still get to put MBA on your resume.

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/programs/full-time-mba/one-year-mba-program.aspx

Northwestern has a one-year journalism master's program with a decent track record. If the journalism alumni do OK, it seems reasonable to think the MBA program alumni could do OK.

Possible advantages of going to Northwestern:

- Evanston is safe and nice.

- The parts of Chicago that might be relevant are safe and nice. Anyone who could survive in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood can handle Chicago.

- Chicago has a great, varied job market.

I think the disadvantage to attending Northwestern is that the people outside Kellogg might be too much in love with Chicago and the United States. People who really want to end up in London or Tokyo might be happier at a university where people have a more cosmopolitan outlook.