AACSB Accreditation?

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southhobart: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 10; Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:20 pm

by southhobart » Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:55 pm

If a b-school has not received AACSB accreditation, should I even consider applying, or is that an automatic deal-killer? The specific school I have in mind is Johns Hopkins. Great brand name...they offer a lot of options for working professionals...and, in general, their program seems like a great "fit" for my profile. But I can't seem to get over the fact that AACSB hasn't put its "seal of approval" on their program. Is that a serious red-flag, or is the AACSB accreditation just a stupid formality that I shouldn't worry about?

Source: Beat The GMAT — Ask Stacy Blackman | Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:55 pm

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Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:37 pm

Dear southhobart:

You pose a good question as Johns Hopkins has strong name recognition. I find it interesting the school has not received AACSB accreditation as it must be a deliberate choice on the school's part. Perhaps the business school has received accreditation from another entity? Generally speaking, you want a school with AACSB accreditation as it is viewed as the gold standard for business schools. Schools must not only meet a certain threshold in terms of curriculum and resources, but must maintain those standards with periodic audits for re-accreditation.

In this case, I think you need to look at the reputation for Johns Hopkins MBA graduates in the geographic locale you want to be in post-MBA. If you want to stay in the metro-DC area, then it might not be an issue and the program is fine. If you want to leave the metro-DC area, then look at where students have taken jobs upon graduating and even ask if they have alumni in the industries you wish to pursue. Should the school have a good placement rate (by your estimation) in this industry/geography, then the lack of accreditation might not be an issue.

Best of luck to you!
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

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