Debunking 6 Popular Myths of the Part-Time MBA

Do you think that you aren’t a good fit for a part-time MBA? Think again! Part-time MBA programs have rapidly evolved over the last five years, adapting to the changing needs of the workforce and to their students. Here are some common myths about part-time MBAs and why you shouldn’t let them stop you from applying: Myth #1 – â€Å"I don’t have enough work experience.†Ã‚  Ã‚   Sure, the average part-time MBA student has more years of work experience than the average full-time student. The reality is, on average, this  is only a two year difference an average of  seven years of experience, compared to  the average of five years that full-time students have.  If you have a â€Å"below average† tenure of work experience, the scope of your responsibilities and quality of your experiences can outweigh the quantity. If you manage and evaluate a team of employees, handle large projects or budgets, or have PL responsibilities, don’t rule out a part-time MBA. Myth #2 – â€Å"I don’t live close enough to the school.† Part-time MBAs have evolved from weeknight only programs to weekend programs, hybrid flex/commute programs, online programs, and opened alternate campuses in other cities. Just because you don’t live within a reasonable drive of a school doesn’t make it out of reach anymore. For example, many UCLA FEMBA, Kellogg and Booth part-time students fly in and out for Saturday classes (typically up to 2 hour flights each way, including across borders), and many more fly across the country for flex programs. NYU Stern has opened an additional location in Westchester,  UT Austin McCombs  also  has campuses in Dallas and Houston, and  UNC Kenan-Flagler now has a fully online part-time program. Myth #3 – â€Å"I travel too frequently for my  job to do a part-time program.† Similar to Myth #2, enrolling in Saturday classes, flexible programs or online programs can allow you to earn your MBA while still managing your career and travel schedule. Part-time programs are also understanding that there is a reason you are enrolled in a part-time program – your current career is important to you. Schools want you to be successful and will work with you to meet your schedule. This can mean switching from a weeknight program to a weekend program, or taking a semester or even a year off. Most part-time programs will allow up to five years for students to  complete their graduation requirements, so depending on the school, you will have plenty of time to travel for work and attend your MBA classes. Myth #4 – â€Å"It takes too long to do the program part-time.† While a typical part-time MBA program is three years instead of two, there are many options for acceleration. If you have  the  flexibility to take additional classes, many programs will allow you to graduate early. For instance, McCombs in Dallas and Houston both have two-year part-time program options, and Kellogg has an accelerated part-time program that takes just over one year to complete. Myth #5 – â€Å"I can’t make a career switch without doing an internship.† This may still be the case for some industries, but certainly not the majority. Leveraging your transferable skills, the knowledge youve acquired at business school, the network you’ve developed, and career services your school offers  are often enough to make your career  change. Many part-time programs also have capstone projects that students complete for companies, allowing them to complete an â€Å"externship† while still working full-time to help facilitate their transitions. Myth #6 – â€Å"I don’t have access to on-campus recruiting or career services as a part-time student.† Generally, unless you are fully-sponsored by your employer (and even then, with their permission, this restriction can be waived), you’ll have the same access to career services and on-campus recruiters that full-time students do. Keep these points in mind when considering applying to a part-time MBA program these programs are a lot  more accessible than you might think! Applying to business school? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation  for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+  and Twitter. Nita Losoponkul, a Veritas Prep consultant for UCLA, received her undergraduate degree in Engineering from Caltech and went from engineering to operations to global marketing to education management/non-profit. Her non-traditional background allows her to advise students from many areas of study, and she has successfully helped low GPA students get admitted into UCLA.

2017-18 Quirky College Application Essay Prompts

Students Need to Get Creative With These Unusual College Essay Prompts It’s that time of year again! The 2017-18 Common Application is open, and now's the time for the class of 2022 to start on their college application essays and supplements – which can sometimes include weird and unusual essay prompts and short answer questions. In addition to the Common Application essay (or the Coalition application essay), colleges will often require additional essays within their school-specific supplements. These essays can be as general as â€Å"Why do you want to attend X University?† However, many schools will also include quirky college application essay prompts or short answer questions as a way to get to know applicants better. Supplemental essays are important because, not only do they help students demonstrate their knowledge of school, but they also help students reveal information that the university might not otherwise gather from other parts of the application. They can also give students the opportunity to show why that institution or major is a good fit for them, and vice versa. Colleges have been coming up with unusual andquirky essay prompts for years now, with some prompts getting stranger each application season! These unusual essay prompts may seem silly at first, but they offer applicants a great opportunity to set themselves apart. Here are some quirky and unusual supplement questions and essay prompts from this year’s college applications: In Love Medicine, author Louise Erdrich ’76 writes, ''Society is like this card game here, cousin. We got dealt our hand before we were even born, and as we grow we have to play as best as we can.'' Describe your ''hand'' and reflect on how you have played it. (Dartmouth College) What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (Stanford University) Short Answer: Hashtag to describe yourself (University of Southern California) Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History... a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available here:https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/academics/majors-minors.-Inspired by Josh Kaufman, Class of 2018 (University of Chicago) What do you hope will change about the place where you live? (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill) For whom are you responsible? (University of Notre Dame) UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message? (University of Virginia) "Become what you are not yet" - Saint Augustine When you daydream, who do you hope to become in the future? (Villanova University) You have a popular podcast. What’s the title? What’s the topic? (Wake Forest University) You are teaching a Yale course. What is it called? (Yale University) Are you ready to get started on your college application essays? For more information on how can help you with your essays and supplements, contact us today. Christine: Be Genuine in Your College Applications from on Vimeo.