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Ask a Part - Time MBA Student.

Talk to current MBA students about life in MBA programs (not for app advice/discussion)
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Ask a Part - Time MBA Student.

by beatvit » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:40 pm
I already graduated from a part-time MBA program at George Washington University School of Business in May 2012. But I am still available to answer the questions on this forum. I realize that some of the questions you might have are specific to the programs you are applying to. However, there could be other questions pertaining part-time programs that are of more universal nature and applicable across the board to part-time MBA students regardless of particular business school they are attending. I would try to help you to get insight on that kind of questions, as well as more specific ones on GWSB and its part-time Professional program.
Last edited by beatvit on Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by beatthegmat » Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:25 pm
Thanks beatvit for starting this thread! Many of our community members are considering part-time programs, so we really appreciate having an 'insider' like yourself provide perspective.

Let the questions begin. :)
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by classycareergirl » Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:47 pm
I am also available to answer any questions about attending grad school part time and working during the day. Currently, I am a student at the Rady School of Management at UCSD and I work as a Consultant during the day.

Let me know if you have any questions!
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by beatthegmat » Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:40 am
Welcome Classy Career Girl! :)
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by DC MBA » Tue May 24, 2011 9:53 am
Hello,

I'm interested in doing a part time program and had a few questions.

1) How much time do you usually spend on MBA related things during the week?

2) How hard is it to maintain a good work/school/life balance while doing a part time program?

3) Do you feel like you are getting the same quality of education as your school's full time program?

Thanks in advance.
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by undertaker » Tue May 24, 2011 9:17 pm
DC MBA wrote:Hello,

I'm interested in doing a part time program and had a few questions.

1) How much time do you usually spend on MBA related things during the week?

2) How hard is it to maintain a good work/school/life balance while doing a part time program?

3) Do you feel like you are getting the same quality of education as your school's full time program?

Thanks in advance.

Part- time courses are beneficial only for those , who don't have time to attend regular classes, and extraordinary capturing skills and who capable to learn from books and time management skills.
As you asked - time for part -time MBA students- daily 3 hours honestly. But for this you need to time management and have a strong determination power for it.
And mainly drawbacks of part- time courses is lacking of atmosphere. If you are a working professional it not a drawback to you, because you have a good environment in your organization to improve your communication skills.
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by beatvit » Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:44 am
To elaborate on undertaker's answer, you basically use the standard college formula for out of class preparation: for every hour in class you spend 2.5-3 hours on self-study/homework. If my typical schedule is 2 or 3 classes a week and each class is 2.5 hours, then it's 5 or 7.5 hours in class. It roughly translates into 12 to 22 hours per week. Realistically, this is what I have been spending on average, depending on the classes. You also need to factor time for group meetings, if there are group projects. Those meetings are not always very productive and take additional time. And try not to forget your day time job and, if applicable, family obligations. Get ready to be slave-driven ;-)
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by global20 » Sun Nov 13, 2011 10:07 pm
MBA is 2 or 1 years regular or correspondence program ,MBA can be part time by many university or colleges.
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by avaluxe » Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:55 am
DC MBA wrote:Hello,

I'm interested in doing a part time program and had a few questions.

1) How much time do you usually spend on MBA related things during the week?

2) How hard is it to maintain a good work/school/life balance while doing a part time program?

3) Do you feel like you are getting the same quality of education as your school's full time program?

Thanks in advance.
Hi there! I'm a part-time student at Tepper right now, so I can answer your questions as well.

1) Our schedule is two nights a week from 6-10pm. We take two classes each mini (half-semester). The first mini was rough and I spent around 10-15 hours per week on homework and group projects, but this second mini is slower and I'm spending maybe 5 hours on homework outside of class. Next semester is our stats/probability class, and I expect to be spending more than 5 hours per week on that homework.

2) It was crazy at first, with school overwhelming me and taking over my life, but things have since calmed down, we've all settled into our routines, and it's not so bad. Though all my coworkers comment that they have no idea how I do it. My Saturdays from morning until dinner are now school days for me with help sessions/recitations in the morning and some in the afternoon, plus meeting my classmates on campus to work on group projects.

3) I realize this varies by school, but at Tepper, we have the same exact classes and professors as the full time program, so we're definitely receiving the same education. Weekend help sessions/recitations are for both part- and full-time students, so we have a good mix.
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by pradeepsarathy » Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:27 am
Hello,

I am intending to pursue my MBA through Part Time. I have 7+ years of experience in technology consulting. Currently, I am employed with Capgemini. I have previously worked for Deloitte (18 Months). I intend to progress my career in Consulting.I am targeting Booth, Kellogs, NYU - Weekend Programs. My GMAT score is 670.

What kind of profile does that the above programs expect? Am I Ok from the GMAT stand point? What areas should I focus / work on?

Appreciate your feedback regarding this.

Regards,
Pradeep
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by beatvit » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:00 am
Some remarks to your questions. First, you need to better formulate what you need to get from your MBA. The schools you mentioned are quite a bit different from your current career field, as well as in their focus and culture. The only thing that unites them is that they are all from the top tier. So it seems your main concern is to get the coveted MBA designation from the well-known, well-ranked school.
It is a legit intention, but for yourself you need to decide what kind of environment you want to go through for the next three years, and what post-MBA goals you have that will be best served by each of these schools.
In terms of GMAT, you are slightly below the mean for Booth, and slightly above for NYU. But I think you are in the ball park for both, so your main concern is to bedazzle the adcom with other parts of your application, such as essays, LORs, etc.
Start your school research from https://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/, check out their respective websites, and by all means attend whatever information sessions, open house, etc. events are available at each school to get a better feel for your fit.
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by avaluxe » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:54 am
Pardon me, pradeepsarathy, but if you don't mind me adding to beatvit's response:

Are you mobile with Capgemini? I'm not sure where you're currently located or if you can be transferred within your company to a location closer to these schools, but if you're planning to uproot and move yourself to a new city, you'll need to consider cost of living, moving costs, etc. Also, consider the environment: at some schools most students commute in from suburbs, and at others they live close to the school.

Everyone here is intensely focused on the GMAT - for good reason - but there are other factors involved when looking at the programs. As for me, I initially applied to Stern's full-time program (got dinged) but before they sent their decision, I had decided to apply to part-time programs instead. Moving costs and the stress of moving to another city was just too much for me at the time.

Good luck wherever you apply!
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by naqsa » Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:29 pm
Thank you for starting this thread...I haven't seen many discussions related to Part-time MBA students/programs.

Are there any moms who can shed light on how they managed to get through a part-time MBA program?


I am currently working full-time in IT and luckily my job isn't very demanding. I average about 40 hours a week. I also live 10 minutes from work so I save a ton of time on the commute. I am currently studying for the GMAT and planning on applying to UC Berkeley's part-time MBA program. I don't find it too challenging to devote 2-3 hours a day to GMAT prep. Therefore I don't see myself having too much trouble adjusting to a part-time MBA program. What I am contemplating is whether or not I should start a family now and put off the MBA for another year. I can easily cut down my hours at work (my company is very flexible) and try to juggle the MBA, baby, and work.

Is this something anyone else here has experienced? I would hate to put-off starting a family for another 4 years only to do it when my career becomes more demanding and I no longer have the luxury of cutting my hours or a short commute.
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by beatvit » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:20 pm
Since no MBA moms answer the question, I will try to give some perspective based on my observations. Even though it seems like it is going to be easy to find 2-3 hours daily for school work based on your current job situation, once you have a baby the picture will change dramatically.

I remember seeing in the past some posts from one MBA mom on this or some other MBA forum who managed to have a baby during her school. She was doing a full-time program though. She was juggling two major commitments: MBA and the baby, I believe in that order. She also seemed to have huge support from her family. You however, will have three commitments: MBA, a job, and a baby.

Everything is doable, but the question is at what cost. Sometimes it is perceived that part-time MBA is less time challenging than the full-time program. It is true in a sense that you are not required or expected to participate in as many extracurricular events. However, academically it will be the same load. You will be pressed for time and you will be torn apart between the school and the baby. You will have to rob one experience or the other. And it may be a grueling choice to make on an ongoing basis.

In my three years of part-time MBA at GW I don't remember a single lady who had a baby during the school. I know of at least four guys who had a baby in the family towards the last year of the program. Did not ask them if their wives were housewives or had a job at the time. So if you have a complete buy in from your spouse and he is ready to become a "semi-single" dad while you are in school, it will be doable to manage it. Still, it would be advisable to wait until the end of the first-second year in the program that are going to be more challenging.

Speaking of the ladies, my married classmates started to pop up babies within the first year after graduation like champagne corks on the New Year eve :-)

There are a lot of working moms who have babies, but from my observations the number of working women who go through the graduate degree and have a baby at the same time is disproportionately less.

Again, I am not a mom. I had two teenage daughters while doing my MBA and they were significantly deprived of my attention most of those three years.

Still waiting on some part-time MBA moms to chime in. Do they even exist?
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by naqsa » Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:02 pm
Thanks beatvit. That was very insightful. It's something I need to think long and hard about. Just want to get the GMAT out of the way and then ponder over the decision to 'apply now or wait'. Thanks again for your response. I'm sure other female 'g-maters' will find this useful as well.
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