Some questions about MBA and working experience

[ee6077]

Dear Tracy,

i aim to apply for an MBA this year but as i just started collecting information, here are my basic questions:

First of all i am a greek citizen and i have just finished the 5-year program @ the department of electrical engineering and computer science (Polytechnical school of Patras).

I want a second opinion about my choice (business administration) after this first degree. In addition i'd like to mention that i have worked only for 1 year (part time) at the greek communications organisation.

Do you believe that i should prepare myshelf this year for applying for an MBA program (GMAT,TOEFL etc.) or it will be better for me start with a simple Master of Business Management?

As far as the tuition fees are concerned, i have heard that there are full tuition scholarships from some employers with the obligation to work for them some years after the studies. Is this possible for someone new at the country where he goes for studies? Also, how can i find companies that offer scholarships like these mentioned above?

Thank you for your time! I hope that your answers will be helpful for other students with similar questions!

George Rozakis

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear George,

Most MBA programs prefer applicants to have worked at least two years full-time after completing their bachelor's degree. It is not a requirement for many schools, but if you apply without it, you will be expected to address why you feel you need to enter business school directly from your undergraduate studies. Working while in school is important in your evaluation, but will not be counted in the number of years of work experience. Whether or not business school is the right path for you depends on your career goals. You need to determine what your career goals are and the plan for achieving those goals. If business school is the next step, then pursuing an MBA makes sense.

As for scholarships provided by employers, I cannot speak to how those work in the EU, but in the US, these are negotiated between an employee and employer--not handled by the school. The employee will usually have worked for the employer for quite some time before this type of arrangement would be considered.

I encourage you to do some additional research into business school. I think learning more about what schools look for, how to determine if an MBA is right for you, and the career paths pursued by MBAs will be helpful to you.

Good luck,
Lisa