Star838 wrote:
Hi everyone, I need opinions! I got accepted into Haas EWMBA and UCLA full-time. I have not received financial aid for either program, although I may be able to get my MBA paid for by the company I work for if I pursue the Haas EWMBA route.
Which MBA program is better between the two..Haas part time or UCLA full-time? It seems like Haas part-time does not have the prestige as the full time program, which has me worried. I also don't know if it is worth going to a full-time program and taking out large amounts of loans.
Any opinions?
My opinion - I would try not to focus too much on "prestige," especially between different programs within the same school. It's the same degree at the end of the day. You got accepted to two quality programs. Think about what your goals are, and your reasons for investing time and energy into an MBA. Then look at the two programs objectively. Forget the brand (prestige) that each one has built for itself and look at the program's offerings. Do the classes sound interesting to you? Do you have good opportunities to network with classmates, upperclassmen, professors, and business leaders? How about electives? Do they excite you? How about the people you have met so far? Do you imagine yourself spending late nights creating presentations with them? What does their career service offering look like? Do they connect you with internship opportunities? Do they have extracurricular clubs and activities that you might be interested in joining? How about side projects that can help you gain additional experience? How much is this going to cost you personally? $125K in loans is a mortgage in many states. How does your financial situation today align with that reality? How do you expect it to change after MBA?
Ask yourself these questions and many more. Maybe create a model where you weight each answer as you see fit. Then, if after you've answered all of those important questions, both schools are still tied, then include soft things like brand, prestige, etc in the equation.