Previous MBA credit disclosure

Hello, gc901. I am of a mind that if no credits have been earned, and if you have already applied and been accepted to the full-time program without having mentioned your participation in the online program, then you stand to gain little by disclosing such information now. I would think of the situation as similar to taking adult education courses, something done for personal fulfillment rather than for academic progress or career advancement. If you have earned credits, then I would say that such a disclosure depends on when you applied to the full-time program. Maybe you applied at the start of the online program and, while waiting to hear back, completed a course or two and earned credits. I would not contact the school to update any information, since the decision was made based on your former profile. On the other hand, if you have completed, say, half of the online program and applied to the full-time program when you had already earned credits, then it seems odd that you would have left that bit out, as though you may have been aiming to hide something. One final consideration: If your grades in the online program are outstanding, feel free to report them as a show of intent.

If all this seems confusing, let me boil it down. I adopt more of a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to going out of my way to tell others about myself. If I had gained acceptance, I would probably let matters be. If I felt I had something to gain by disclosing more information, I would do so, but not out of a guilty conscience.

It will be interesting to see what others think. Good luck, whatever you decide.

- Andrew