Last Class

Good Day all, it is April 25th 2007. I am beginning my last class at UPOX. While my entries thus far has been more of a journal of experiences and thoughts the entries that you have read (the ones above this one) will carry more of a conclusive nature and will serve as the topping off of the purpose of this blog.

Thus far, I have learned a lot. However I have interviewed two B&M MBA students and two UPOX (classmates) students before I entered this blog.

A few interesting findings:

• My UPOX classmates did a LOT MORE work that I actually did.
  
• The B&M students wrote fewer papers than I did but read more chapters that I did and had exams. Keep in mind I never read the chapters I only read the summaries and what is on Wikipedia.com about the academic topic.
  
• My UPOX classmates were all 2-3 years out of undergrad.

While the list above is short it has lead me to a few conclusions and without getting into the details of the interviews I will scribe on.

Well, maybe I will just make my 10 statements.

1. If you don’t have more than 5 years work experience do not go to an online MBA go to a B&M school.
   
2. If you never started your own business do not get an online MBA go to a B&M school.
   
3. If you do not like writing large and numerous papers do not get an online MBA got to a B&M school.
   
4. If you like reading text books please do go to a B&M School.
   
5. If you have lots of practical experience in the corporate and entrepreneurial world do not waste your time or money on a B&M school, go online.
   
6. If you hate taking exams do not go to a B&M school, simply go online and write tons of papers to get your grade.
   
7. If you have a busy schedule and will not make class, earn your MBA online.
   
8. If you do not have a professional network a B&M school can easily create one of those for you.
   
9. If you do not want to take the GMAT go online.
   
10. If an MBA will get you a promotion go to a B&M school if its is just a stamp of approval go online.
    

There will be more posts that will add color and clarify my conclusion further, but we are down to the wire here. I would like to cover a few more entries before I close out:

* What I learned

* How have I changed personally

* How have I changed professionally

* Comparing online grads and B&M grads

* What’s next

* Goodbye

More to come. I will not sling mud but will speak the truth :-)

-R