ForumWatch: International MBA Applicants Have Unique Issues

Many of the contributors on the Bloomberg Businessweek Business School Forums are international. They come to ask questions about B-schools, but also about American culture and the different ways domestic MBA programs approach the application process. Some international applicants are not used to boasting about accomplishments, which may be seen as a sign of arrogance in their country. Others wonder about the typical American resume and the structure for writing it. The list of questions goes on and on. 

Recently, mba2012_14 asked participants to explain the American GPA system and how to convert and/or compare foreign grades to domestic ones. The response mba2012_14 received explained that business schools usually prefer looking at raw grades. According to the reporting Bloomberg Businessweek has done over the years, most business schools consider the different methods various countries use for doling out grades and recognize the difficulty associated with earning certain scores in a particular region of the world. As a result, international applicants do not have to be as concerned with having their grading system conform to the American one. 

What kind of advice do you have for mba2012_14? To share your thoughts, visit the ?GPA for international applicant???discussion thread.

-Francesca Di Meglio

Editor?s Note: This blog post is part of a series about discussions taking place on the Bloomberg Businessweek Business School Forums where prospective MBA program applicants, current students, and recent alumni trade admissions tips, job-hunting advice, and the occasional barbed comment. We invite you to join these discussions or start one of your own.

How The RoadRunner Got Started

The Plymouth paid for the rights to use the name Road Runner from the Warner Bros. Plymouth's most important goal in manufacturing this carr was to run 13s at the racetrack and at the same time, to be able to market the car for under four thousand dollars.

Here are some important points to note about various Road Runner models:

1968 Model - the 383 was the typical engine in the 1968 and it could only be upgraded to the 426 HEMI. Since Plymouth estimated to sell only two thousand Road Runners, the options available were limited. However, they were able to sell around forty-five thousand of these models.

1969 Model - due to the popularity of the Road Runner, the company decided to include additional options in 1969. They added the convertible option and they also stretched out the selections for engines. Plymouth added the 440-6 Barrel and the 440-4 Barrel and finally, the company changed the black and white Road Runner decals to color. Eventually, Plymouth sold more than eighty-two thousand - almost twice the number they sold the year before. The 1968 and the 1969 models were almost the same in appearance and the only way you can tell the difference is the round marker lights in the 1968 models and the rectangular ones in the 1969 models.

1970 Model - Plymouth continued to add more options in 1970. It released the Air Grabber Hood that flipped open a hood scoop at a press of a button. This feature also provided fresh air to the car engine. However, they did not change anything in the engine line-up. The Side scoop was the only design that was changed from the previous models.

1971 Model - the 1971 model of the Road Runner featured a new body style. The new car design presented more curves and it looked quite the same as the Challengers and the 'Cudas.

This car became one of the most popular models of the muscle car era and today it is easily one of the most collectible of this time.

Top MBA Programs in US

When we think of MBA, we immediately think of colleges such as Harvard, Wharton and the other Ivy League colleges. It is noteworthy that an excellent program from a good college can be more helpful to your career than a good program from an excellent college. In this article, we will cover the seven best MBA programs in the United States. These are programs that allow you to add value to you resume that would be hard to beat otherwise. The list has been made keeping in mind results from nationwide surveys from publications such as Business Week and Financial Times.

?Harvard Business School Harvard has the well-deserved reputation as the best business school on the country. And why not - the college is ranked in top three by four publications: Business Week, Forbes, US News and Financial Times, whereas another fifth, Economic Times, ranks its full-time MBA program as the fourth best. This 21 month program should set you back by about USD $110,000 in fees.

?The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Ranked among the top five by four publications, including second by Financial Times, the full-time MBA program from Wharton is the byword of professional management education the world over. Once you pass out of Wharton, you will share it as your alma mater with such famous people as Donald Trump, Warren Buffet and Donny Deutsch.

?Stanford University, Graduate School of Business With a duration of 21 months, and fees of $106,000, the success rate of applicants at this school is just 6%. The applicants are required to take GMAT score, and the average score accepted is 728. This program is ranked the number one by both Forbes and US News, which is a rare feat indeed even for the best of the colleges.

?University of Chicago, Booth School of Business The Full-time program in the Booth School of Business was ranked third in the composite ranking of best business programs by the third-party site poets&quants. The composite ranking takes into account five rankings from Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, Business Week and US News.

?Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College The full-time MBA program here is ranked the number one program in the world by the economist. With a tuition fees and other allied costs at $104,000, this is a 21 month program too.

?Daytime MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business Located in Durham, North Carolina, this is one of the few programs whose fees are below $100,000 - but this is hardly much comfort, because at $99,500 they are not much lower than that number. Unlike other programs mentioned here, this daytime program is 22 months old.

?Columbia Business School The school has an acceptance rate of just over 15% for first time applicants, and a rate of 24% for re-applicants.

MBASchoolRankings.com provides information on getting an Online MBA Degree.

It will help and prepare you for job opportunities upon graduation if you have a MBA Degree.

Understanding the Executive MBA Program

When you look into an executive MBA program, you are going to begin to see that this tool can help you to advance in business. What most people tend to find is that when they have this item listed on their resume, they are able to get better jobs and have the qualifications needed to be a leader in a company. It is with that in mind that you will want to look more closely at this unique program.

When you look at the executive MBA program, you are going to find that it is geared towards those who have already spent time working in an executive role. The courses are designed to help enhance the skills that the individual is learning and when successfully completed, the individual who is receiving training will likely find that they are able to handle everything their position presents them after going through the training process.

Keep in mind that when you are looking at the different MBA program options, that the executive program isn't necessarily the only option out there. While it is impressive on the resume, you will find that you can locate other alternative programs that are going to have just as much of an impact in this process as well.

Of course, one of the perks of the executive MBA program is the fact that less time is spent in the classroom. The reason is that the executives attending will have too much going on at work to spend time in the classroom. Because of this, they will spend most of their time working on projects in their own time and focusing more on the day to day operations of their company as they use the new techniques that they are being taught.

As you are going through this process, keep in mind that you are going to end up with a number of benefits that will stem from this program. Just be sure that you understand that before you can enter the curriculum, you will need to have your basic core classes completed. This is the approach that you will need to take if you are looking to reduce the overall stress and time consuming aspects that are associated with the MBA program that you are participating in.

MHA or MBA - Which Is Best for You?

Should a person get an MHA or an MBA as his or her advanced degree in health care?

A number of students have been asking that question as they contemplate their future. Physicians who want more management knowledge and skills have also been wondering the same thing.

Is there a definitive way to gauge which choice is best for a particular situation?

The simple answer is -- it depends. It depends on your current level of knowledge about health care and it on how you intend to use the degree. While there are no hard and fast rules, a few simple guidelines might help in deciding which route is the best one for you to take. Here are five:

1. Current Health Care Knowledge. How much do you already know about health care? Is it already a fair amount, having spent the past ten years in the industry or are you new to the industry and want to break in? A master in health administration (MHA) program is likely going to have most, if not all, of its coursework specifically related to health care. Thus, even a financial management course is going to teach you the principles of finance in the context of health care. For some people, that immersion in health care is important; for others it may not be all that crucial. Not surprisingly, a "traditional" MBA program is not going to have that industry focus (unless it's specifically designed for health care).

2. Health Policy. MBA programs generally don't tend to spend much time on health policy issues, while most MHA programs either have specific classes in that area or cover the same material in a variety of different classes. Health policy is significant for health care professionals for several reasons. First, so much of health care is scrutinized and regulated by government entities. Second, policy decisions often wind up driving business decisions. Thus, the more knowledgeable one is on the complexities surrounding health policy, the better one should be in making executive decisions.

3. Peer Learning. Some of the best learning takes place between and among students. The usual advantage of being enrolled in an MHA program is that you are surrounded by peers who are either currently employed in health care (and thus bring a different perspective than yours) or who have a strong interest in the industry. Either way, there's much to be gained from interacting with your peers. And while peer learning will also take place in any MBA program, the knowledge gained is more diffused.

4. Commitment to Others. Most MHA programs have a history of service to others, which goes back to the early days of non-profit hospitals and other medical services. And while more and more health care services are being run either as a for-profit venture or like one, there is still that "service to people" thread that weaves through the industry and MHA programs. MBA programs are actually playing catch-up in that regard as they now offer courses and programs dedicated to social entrepreneurship. Still, if you are most attracted by money and wealth, the MBA is probably the best place to go.

5. Competitiveness. There a lot more people applying to get into a top MBA program at a top school than those trying to get into an MHA program. For example, more than 1,200 people will compete for openings in the MBA program at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Meanwhile, on average, about 120 students apply to the residential MHA program. If you're worried about your chances of getting in or you are looking at the odds, then you might look at the MHA degree. Of course, some students wind up getting a dual MBA/MHA degree, but those are rare and require a much greater commitment of time and energy.

Each situation is different. Perhaps where you live the MBA program is your best bet because it's high quality, affordable and convenient. On the other hand, perhaps the MHA is your best route because you clearly intend to be the CEO of a health system and you need all the knowledge and skills you can find in health care to be considered for the job.

Whichever degree works best for you, get that degree. An advanced degree (whatever it is) will likely do more to boost your career, especially in the early years, than anything else you can do. It's become the required listing in most executive-level job searches.

Gene Pinder is the former director of marketing and communications for the UNC School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management.

Business Accounting Degree Programs

Business accounting degree is offered in the leading universities, community colleges and online colleges around the world.

The course includes a detailed study of the accounting cycle, statement analysis, cost and tax accounting, budget, and inventory valuation.

It involves a variety of specializations; they have the responsibility of checking and organizing the spending of companies as well as individuals.

They can choose to specialize in budget analysis, financial planning auditing or tax accounting and filing.

Graduates can work in different settings right from large corporations to small organizations; others can work on their individual ventures. Various factors can affect people's decisions to pursue a career in accounting.

First, they are in high demand in any economy and can easily secure jobs in various organizations.

Secondly, an accountant provides many career opportunities to progress such as financial auditors and high level jobs such as chief financial officer (CFO). They also have high earning potential; the higher the degree, the higher the salary.

There are several kinds of business accounting degree, in some cases this depends on the level of education.

The first level is the associate's degree. The degree takes about two years and opens doors for entry positions such as bookkeeping, receivables and payable clerks as well as payroll clerks.

The second level is the bachelor degree. The program takes up to four years to complete, it prepares students basic accounting and enables them to work in the accounting field.

For a master degree, learners should enroll in Master of Science in professional accounting.

After receiving a bachelors or masters, accountants can become Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Certified Internal Auditors (CIA) and/or Certified Management Accountants (CMA).

There are online programs in business accounting degree. This has made it easier for people to pursue their accounting careers while still in the workforce.

Leading schools that offer accounting degree online include university of Phoenix, Walden University, Liberty University online, Regis University online and Florida Tech University among others.

You can also look at the list of colleges offering the course both online and on campus.

Students should realize that the first step to build a successful career in accounting is earning the degree that will not only teach you the necessary skills but also provide necessary credentials to embark upon a rewarding career.

If you are seeking to pursue a career in accounting, you should consider taking a business accounting degree.

Discover where to find the best business accounting degree [http://www.onlineaccountingdegreeprograms.net/business-accounting-degree] online. Learn how to apply for accounting master degree [http://www.onlineaccountingdegreeprograms.net/accounting-masters-degree] programs and their requirements at my site today.

Full Time Vs Part Time MBA Programs

There are a lot of decisions to be made when you decide to get your MBA. You have to determine how much time you have to devote to class time and studying. You have to make arrangements for children and other personal responsibilities so you have a clear schedule that works with your chosen program. You may even have to make some arrangements at work to ensure you can fulfill all obligations of your program while still keeping up with your work responsibilities.

The most important decision you will have to make is the type of MBA program you decide to enter. This comes down to whether you will study full time or part time.

Full Time Study Advantages

The benefit of a full time MBA program is that you can get through the course faster without feeling rushed. Accelerated programs are even faster than a standard full time program, but they also require a very fast paced study that is difficult to keep up with while working or doing other things in life. Those who want to get their MBA at a faster pace without going too fast often opt for a full time study program at a local college or university.

Full Time Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage to studying with a full time program is that you have to devote considerable amounts of time to being in class and keeping up with homework and projects. This can get very complicated for those trying to work full time or take care of their families while studying. Those who are trying to juggle too many responsibilities while going to school full time have a much higher risk of falling behind and potentially failing.

Full time programs may also be more expensive than part time programs, but this really depends on where the programs are being offered.

Part Time Advantages

The advantage to studying for an MBA part time is the ability to keep up with a private and work life without risking failure in school. There is less class time involved in a part time curriculum, so students can spend more time at work and with their families and still make it through their program. These programs require less time commitment without sacrificing anything that would be learned through a full time program.

Part Time Disadvantages

The big disadvantage to studying part time is that it takes longer to complete the program. While less time is needed on a weekly basis, more time is needed over a period of years. Those who need to get their degree to increase their chances of landing a job or getting a promotion may not be able to wait for a part time program to run its course.

There are a lot more part time MBA programs surfacing right now, since more people are pressed for time. The job market has become more difficult over the years, which means those in the business world need higher credentials if they want to be successful. This means there is greater demand for MBA programs by many people who simply cannot invest in full time studies.

For those already working in the business world with a bit of executive experience, the executive MBA may be the best form of a part time program.

Coupons That Bring a Smile in the Midst of Economic Gloom

I know there are some of you out there who feel that collecting coupons is probably a favorite past-time for little old ladies. Mention the word "coupon" and you are most likely imagining a small-town granny sitting at the kitchen area cutting out pieces of cut-outs from magazines or newspapers. Not that there's anything wrong with that picture, though. Did you know that almost all brands now give out coupons? It's the most effective marketing tool to convert potential buyers or vaguely interested passersby to regular customers. While waiting for the economic situation to improve, people like you and I are doing whatever we can to keep our expenditures low. After all, a penny saved is indeed a penny earned.

But be careful; with the sheer amount of coupons given to us in every way possible, it's easy for us to get carried away and end up spending even more than we should be saving. The keyword here is purchase smartly. Don't purchase 5 bottles of detergent from a brand that you know is of low quality simply because there's a free gift inside. You need to consider all the factors involved before deciding which brands to focus on. Before you start fretting and complaining that it's hard work, know that it's not.

First things first: list down all your regular household purchases. Good examples are baby diaper, baby food, dog food, toiletries, kitchen supplies, and so on. After you have the initial list, it's time to drill down further to the brands, prices, and how often do you need to restock. This part needs a bit of work, but hey, you are training yourself to be a smart buyer, so this training necessary. But once you've finished, you will be able to see your buying patterns and thus, will make it easier for you to gauge when is your next round of shopping. Then you can match the dates with the coupon availabilities = money saved!

Coupons are not only great for regular household purchases; they are also great for cost-saving gift purchases. If you are like me, chances are, you love to pamper your loved ones with little gifts and treats from time to time. I enjoy seeing my sister's smile when I surprise her with a brand new bottle of EDT from her favorite shop. My mother welcomes great smelling lotions in cute packaging anytime. Sometimes, I can get great deals such as purchase 3 items and get 2 items for free, so I can give the extras to my family and friends. Or I can keep and use them as holiday or birthday gifts. Imagine the money I can save throughout the year, just with coupons.

You can find almost anything on the Internet these days, and coupons are no exceptions. You can get printable coupons just by visiting your favorite brands' websites. What's more, you can even sign up to receive regular updates (including coupons) from them. Your life just got easier. Stop worrying about the economic situation, and start doing something positive about it today.

Michelle loves coupons, and is not afraid to say it! She's enjoying the benefits of using coupons for her purchases. Find out how she saves money on Crabtree & Evelyn products and Gerber baby food products.

Best Online MBA Programs

Also known as distance education programs, online programs for MBA are becoming increasingly popular. This is mostly a result of the advances in technology that allow virtual classrooms to be conducted with a level of realness that approaches brick and mortar classrooms. With reputable colleges such as Carnegie Mellon, Duke and Babson offering online MBA programs, you also do not have to worry about the reputation of your online degree. As long as you carefully choose the college and your program for its suitability and reputation, your online MBA will have as much heft as any full-time MBA, and sometimes even more.

The following is a list of the seven of the best online MBA programs offered by universities across the world. The list has been made by looking up rankings from publications such as Business Week, Economist etc.

1.Curtin Business School's general management program is ranked the top-most program by the Financial Times in its ranking of distance MBA programs. It is not a completely online course - you will need to take 70% of the exams on location. This requirement is not unusual, and is done to make sure that the students take the exams fairly and seriously. Another best course from this college is the specialized course in Oil and Gas Management.

2.Babson College's Fast Track MBA program in general management is one of the most reputed online programs. This program is accredited with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business(AACSB), as well as with Equis. All the exams of this course are done online, so this can be called a 100% online course.

3.ISEAD Though ISEAD is located in Spain, you can take its 3 year long distance MBA program from anywhere. This school is specially suitable if Spanish is your first language. The cost of the program for non-resident students is USD $12,000.

4.RMIT's Online executive MBA program in general management is one of the top five programs in the Financial Times list. The average time taken to complete this program is three years.

5.IE Business School Many of the full-time programs from this Spanish school find mention in the global rankings. This school offers an online program called the Global MBA which has a class strength of 65 for the English class; students are also encouraged to attend community integration events in Shanghai, London, Madrid and New York.

6.Walden University's online MBA program is one of the largest online programs, with a total of 2,255 students enrolled in the academic year 2010-2011. Walden University is itself part of a network of online universities, and has a very good reputation.

7.Warwick Business School from UK has two online MBA programs. The Warwick MBA by distance learning program is the one you should look for if you want a general MBA. This program is accredited to AACSB, Amba and Equis, making it one of the most recognized programs in the world.

Top Five MBA Colleges in India

There are plenty of MBA Colleges in India but few of them are counted as best. These Colleges are world known for churning talented and highly skilled MBA professionals.
This article identifies Top Colleges in India offering MBA courses to help those students who are keen in knowing Top B-Schools in India.
1- Indian Institute of Management (IIM) - The Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) are one of the most reputed business schools not only in India but in the whole world. IIM is ranked amongst top most management college in India. There are total of 6 IIMs situated in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Indore, Kozhikode and Lucknow. In order to get admission in IIM one has to get high Score in Common Admission Test (CAT). Not only that, you also have to perform excellent in personal interview and group discussion conducted by college.
2- Indian School of Business (Hyderabad) - ISB Hyderabad is one of top ranked business school in India. The university was established on December 2, 1999 by a group of fortune 500 entrepreneurs in joint venture with Andhra Pradesh state government. In annual MBA 2009 rankings done By Financial Times, ISB is listed as #15 amongst top 100 global business schools. The have faculty coming down from best institutes of the world which includes London business school, Wharton, Stanford and other good schools. For more information about college you can visit their official website.
3- Jamanlal Bajaj institute of Management Studies (Mumbai) - JBMS was founded in 1965 by the University of Mumbai. It is third oldest Management College in India. The major objective of JBMS is to pioneer and further the Management Education in India. It is included amongst Top 25 Business Schools in Asia-Pacific region. Throughout its existence, the college has shown remarkable and dynamic growth.
4- Xavier Labour Research Institute (Jamshedpur) - XLRI which is widely known as Xavier Labour Research Institute is located in the city of Jamshedpur. The institute was founded in year 1949. Today, it is one of the leading Management Colleges in country providing best quality education to students aiming at a successful career in business management. The institute offers wide range of courses along with Master in Business Management degree.
5- SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (Mumbai) - SP Jain Institute of Management & Research is one of the most popular MBA Colleges in Mumbai. The college was established in year 1981. It is continuously rated amongst Top 10 B-Schools in India. The college provides full circle of courses related to industrial and business needs.

 

MBA Programs Ranked

The popularity of the MBA degree has naturally resulted in rankings of MBA programs and schools. A number of periodicals publish lists of schools ranked according to their presumed quality. Typically, well-known top-tier private and state universities appear on these lists rather consistently. But many excellent MBA programs are omitted from the popular rankings. A university ranked as "number one" by a periodical, may be excellent in finance but only mediocre in taxation or production. The school with the best marketing program may be entirely ignored in the rankings because it is not among the top dozen schools surveyed. The school that is best for you may not be mentioned by popular periodicals that publish rankings.
It is interesting to look at rankings according to a single criterion based on data reported by a large number of MBA programs. Such rankings are available for the top 40 MBA programs, and we'll look at them by showing only the top four US schools in each ranked list.
1. A criterion which ranks the top forty schools by GMAT score of entering students provides a ranking very similar to the popular publications' ranked lists. The GMAT is widely used as a measure of applicant quality. More than 5,000 MBA programs require applicants to submit GMAT scores to be considered for admission. With GMAT scores ranging from 200 to 800, here are the top US schools ranked by GMAT score as of January, 2011:
Stanford University -- 721
University of California, Berkeley - 718
MIT - 718
Dartmouth College - 713
At the bottom of the 40 schools are Georgetown University, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Texas, Austin tied with a score of 684.
2. The undergraduate GPA of entering MBA students is an indication of how well the students did while earning their bachelors degree, another indication of student quality. The top 40 US schools ranked by GPA are
Hawaii Pacific University - 4.0
St. Mary's University - 3.8
California National University - 3.7
Indiana State University - 3.7
At the bottom of the list of 40 are 29 US schools tied with a GPA of 3.5. Who is to say that Brigham Young in this group is better than Washington State simply because its name is higher in an alphabetized list? Note also that the four top schools in the GMAT list are all in the top 40 of the GPA list.
3. An important consideration for MBA students is the salary they will earn upon graduation. At the top of the list of 40 MBA are these US universities' median salaries:
New York University = $117,000
Stanford University - $115,000
MIT - $111,000
Dartmouth College - $107,406
The median is the middle value. It means that for MIT, half the graduates earned more than $111,000 and half earned less. The bottom of this list includes University of Iowa -- $86,078, Babson College, and University of Southern California, tied at $85,000.
If the above three ranking criteria are an indication of the quality of MBA programs, it should be clear that many more than so-called top-tier schools offer excellent quality. GMAT scores of 600 and above, GPA greater than 3.5, and median salaries of $79,000, which is the figure for all 2010 MBA graduates in the US, are found in many more than the top 40 schools. It is clear that you should be able to find a very good MBA program in which you fit well at hundreds of MBA schools.

Prospective MBA students searching for MBA programs to which they can apply should consult the Official MBA Guide before deciding on a program. With more than 2,000 MBA programs listed worldwide, the Official MBA Guide is the most comprehensive data base of program information. It is a free public service and features a search engine that enables candidates to specify their preferences and criteria to obtain a ranked list of MBA programs that satisfy their needs. Look for it at http://officialmbaguide.org/ and find the MBA program that fits you best.
Serge Matulich, Ph.D., CPA