Business School, Continuing Education, and business educational options

Persons interested in working toward an MBA degree often think they must attend big-name schools like Harvard University, Yale University or the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania to be successful.  That certainly is not the case.  There are excellent MBA programs at other, often lesser-known colleges and universities.

Your pursuit of a high-quality MBA degree will be successful if you are mindful of the following:

1.  The school must be regionally accredited.  This is the single best way of avoiding diploma mills.  There are six regional accrediting associations recognized by the U. S. Department of Education (DOE).  Go to the DOE website and enter "college accreditation" in the search box.

2.  The business program must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).  If the school lacks AACSB accreditation students will have difficulty transferring credits, should they later decide to attend an approved institution.

3.  The school must already be attracting well qualified students.  Ask the dean of admissions what the average score is on the GMAT for entering MBA students.  An average score of 600 or better reflects favorably on the school.

4.  It would be desirable if the school is located at or near the city where you currently work or where you intend to work after graduation.  The Wharton School cannot accomodate all the Pennsylvania residents who apply, but excellent MBA programs also exist at LaSalle University in Philadelphia and at Bloomburg University in Bloomburg, Pennsylvania.  Potential students who are already holding down full-time jobs in or near Philadelphia could also consider Drexel University, which has a number of degree programs for working professionals.

The same principles apply to all other potential MBA students, regardless of where they are geographically located and whether or not they intend to be full- or part-time students.