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iMBA
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Part Time MBA, Low GPA 03 Feb 2011, 14:40
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I was wondering your opinion on part time MBA Programs. I graduated from Berkeley last spring and I'm working full time for an Aerospace manufacturing company. My GPA at Berkeley was pretty low (2.9) and I am worried that this will affect my chances at getting into a good business school. I'm looking into part time programs for two reasons; 1) They are cheaper in the sense that i will be working full time and possibly get reimbursement from my company and 2) because the profiles seem that it would be easier for me to get into, since my GPA is low.

I just signed up for the Manhattan GMAT prep course. I plan on taking the test in Sept-Nov time. I'm shooting for a mid 600 score, obviously the higher the better. I will be applying to schools in about 4-5 years. I want to get a head start on this. The programs I am looking into are UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, U of Nevada Reno. Again these are for the part time MBA programs. I was wondering if you could let me know where I stand.

Thanks!
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jenniferbloom
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Part Time MBA, Low GPA 04 Feb 2011, 05:47
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iMBA
I was wondering your opinion on part time MBA Programs. I graduated from Berkeley last spring and I'm working full time for an Aerospace manufacturing company. My GPA at Berkeley was pretty low (2.9) and I am worried that this will affect my chances at getting into a good business school. I'm looking into part time programs for two reasons; 1) They are cheaper in the sense that i will be working full time and possibly get reimbursement from my company and 2) because the profiles seem that it would be easier for me to get into, since my GPA is low.

I just signed up for the Manhattan GMAT prep course. I plan on taking the test in Sept-Nov time. I'm shooting for a mid 600 score, obviously the higher the better. I will be applying to schools in about 4-5 years. I want to get a head start on this. The programs I am looking into are UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, U of Nevada Reno. Again these are for the part time MBA programs. I was wondering if you could let me know where I stand.

Thanks!
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Hi, iMBA. Part-time programs provide the same wonderful education, in general, as their full-time siblings, so I think very highly of them. I also feel they provide more class diversity, so your opportunity to meet, collaborate with, and learn from students from a wider range of industry backgrounds and ages is higher. However, there are two downsides to part-time programs: 1) scheduling - since most if not all of the students are working full-time jobs in addition to the education, it is harder to form truly deep relationships with your peers in the program and obviously much more difficult to complete the challenging workload. 2) Career services for the part-time programs is usually much weaker than it is for the full-time ones. This means that while part-time graduates usually have access to the job boards and alumni network of the programs, the actual recruiting options are less robust. If you plan to stay within your industry and/or company, then the part-time option is usually enough to get a foot in the door to promotions. However, career changing is going to be much more difficult.
Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
jbloom@accepted.com
310-815-9553
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iMBA
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Part Time MBA, Low GPA 04 Feb 2011, 09:01
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Thank you for the reply! I understand the downfalls you talked about. But given my situation, I feel it is the only way I can get an MBA.

That being said, can you shed some light on my chances of getting into these programs? Thank you again!
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Part Time MBA, Low GPA 06 Feb 2011, 04:29
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iMBA
Thank you for the reply! I understand the downfalls you talked about. But given my situation, I feel it is the only way I can get an MBA.

That being said, can you shed some light on my chances of getting into these programs? Thank you again!
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I recommend shooting higher on the GMAT to compensate for the lower GPA, certainly for UCLA. The other programs should be less competitive so a high-600's score should suffice if you can prove that you have the interpersonal and leadership skills to thrive in the program and apply its lessons well.