MBA Provides Both Immediate and Lasting Value

Type “the MBA is” into Google, and the autocomplete box fills with inauspicious indicators of the degree’s value. “The MBA is losing its magic” is followed by “the MBA is worthless” and “why the MBA is a waste of time and money.” Students graduating with an MBA disagree—and quite emphatically—according to a survey report released today at the annual Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Conference in Denver.

“Business school graduates are clear in their judgment that their degrees not only provided immediate value, but lasting value,” Bob Alig, GMAC’s executive vice president for school products, said in a statement announcing the results. Indeed, nine out of 10 of the more than 3,000 graduating business school students who responded to the GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey (GMEGS) rate the value of their degree as good to outstanding, and 88 percent would recommend their program to others considering a graduate business degree.

GMAC

Graduates who snagged jobs early in the recruitment process were most likely to credit the degree with helping them develop skills in the areas of managing human capital, knowledge of general business functions and working well with others, GMAC reports.

Class of 2015 graduates—when surveyed in February and March of 2015—felt overwhelmingly that the degree increased their employability. Eighty-six percent said the MBA improved their chances of finding a job that meets their expectations, and 85 percent felt it both provided them with a competitive advantage and prepared them to meet challenges in the job market. The degree also introduced them to new career opportunities, said 78 percent of respondents.

“What stands out in the GMEGS survey, as well as in other surveys we have conducted over the years, is that a graduate management degree is an outstanding investment in the personal, professional, and financial aspirations of these students,” Alig added.

It doesn’t hurt that MBAs are graduating into a great market, with early employment success reaching a three-year high. According to survey respondents, 63 percent of job-seeking graduates from full-time two-year MBA programs had a job offer in hand before graduation, up from 60 percent last year.  Salaries, too, are up. Globally, MBA grads with early job offers report a median 90 percent pay bump over their pre-degree salary. That’s up from 80 percent last year and 73 percent the year before.

So why the disparity between what Google suggests “the MBA is” and what actual degree holders report? Perhaps like the iPhone’s autocorrect function, Google’s autocomplete function still offers room for improvement.

Northwestern Kellogg Essay Topics 2012-2013

Northwestern　Kellogg essay topics have been announced, following up on the earlier release of its 2012-2013 deadlines. This year’s essays are below:

1. Discuss moments or influences in your personal life that have defined who you are today. (500 word limit)

2. What have been your most significant leadership experiences? What challenges did you face, and what impact did you have? This is your opportunity to explain how you Think Bravely (personally and/or professionally). (500 word limit)

3. Imagine yourself at your Kellogg graduation. What career will you be preparing to enter, and how have the MBA and Kellogg helped you get there? (Please answer in terms of your program choice: One-Year, Two-Year, MMM, JD-MBA) (500 word limit)

4. What one interesting or fun fact would you want your future Kellogg classmates to know about you? (25 words or less)

Re-Applicants Only

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

Please note: re-applicants are required to answer this question in addition to #1-4.

Additional Information (Optional)

If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (No word limit)

Source: Kellogg School of Management

Northwestern Kellogg Deadlines 2012-2013

Northwestern Kellogg has released its 2012-2013 deadlines

Round 1
Application Part I
Off-Campus Interview Request Deadline: September 19, 2012
On-Campus Interview Request Deadline: October 16, 2012
On-Campus Interview Completed By: December 1, 2012
Application Part II
Deadline: October 16, 2012
Notification: December 17, 2012



Round 2

Application Part I
Off-Campus Interview Request Deadline: December 4, 2012
On-Campus Interview Request Deadline: January 3, 2013
On-Campus Interview Completed By: March 2, 2013
Application Part II
Deadline: January 3, 2013
Notification: March 21, 2013

Round 3
Application Part I
Off-Campus Interview Request Deadline: April 3, 2013
On-Campus Interview Request Deadline: April 10, 2013
On-Campus Interview Completed By: April 26, 2013
Application Part II
Deadline: April 10, 2013
Notification: May 15, 2013

Source: Kellogg admissions website.

More U.S. B-Schools Offering 1-year MBAs

The one-year full-time MBA, popular in Europe, is starting to become a more prevalent offering in the U.S. as institutions target new markets.
Applications to MBA programs are historically counter-cyclical to economic conditions: applications rise in bad times and fall in good. But the recent global economic downturn has been a different story. According to a survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council, applications to two-year, full-time MBA programmes declined in 2011 for the third consecutive year.
Schools that offer accelerated courses appeal to older, more seasoned students but not Executive MBA (EMBA) programs.
Some schools, like Emory’s Goizueta Business School, have offered an accelerated programme for years; several top-tier schools, including Cornell’s Johnson School and Northwestern’s Kellogg, have one-year programmes. 

For more, see the Financial Times