<p>I understand what an MBA is but what do you actually learn in Business school that's different from your Undergrad?</p>
<p>Also for any parents who know of Parsons School of Design, which I heard has a very business like major for fashion design. Do you think Business schools would take that into consideration if you're interested in applying to their MBA programs or would they actually rather see a business related major which I heard is not requiered. But I think it would be great to get my undergrad in fashion and then go on to get an mba in business.</p>
<p>My husband has his MBA. The backgrounds of the students who were in the program with him generally had BAs. No particular pattern of majors with the LAC framework, some engineering students, and only one business major that year. No one from an arts related major but that does not mean the are excluded. However, a heavy duty MBA is different from an undergrad major in the math that you have to know. And that could be an issue coming from a school that does not have tough academics, and is light in the math. My brother's girlfriend was accepted to a major MBA program a few years ago, and had to take a summer course to get her math up to par since she had been an English major as an undergrad and was out of school for 5 or more years before applying for the MBA progam. The summer course was specifically provided by the school for students in her category. You should check the prereqs for the MBA programs that you think you might like and see if the curriculum at Parson's would provide those prereqs. Otherwise you may have to take some bridge courses or get another master's before embarking on the MBA journey.</p>
<p>You should work a few years after undergrad school before embarking on an MBA. </p>
<p>In answer to your question "what do you actually learn in Business school that's different from your Undergrad?"
From mbaworld.com:</p>
<p>The MBA opens doors and provides the modern manager with the tools needed to identify new business opportunities and threats.
Options for the MBA-qualified manager have never been greater-provided that your qualification is from a reputable institution.
The MBA is a postgraduate and post-experience degree for managers with several years' work experience. It provides skills and knowledge relevant for managers in both public and private sectors.
MBA students may have technical degrees, liberal arts or traditional professional qualifications. They may be looking to move into a management role, and acquire the relevant skills. Some want to broaden their international business understanding; others are seeking a change of career.
The MBA widens horizons and provides an overview of business. Across Europe, the average age of the student on a full-time programme is 27 years, and 34 years for those studying part-time or distance learning. They will have a significant number of years work experience as middle managers. Not all MBA students have first degrees but they will have proven academic and management ability. Non-graduates are common on part-time and distance learning programmes where up to 25% may be non-graduates,
In 2000 1300 members of the Association of MBAs were asked why they took an MBA. Most gave several reasons. In order of priority these were:</p>
<p>To obtain a business qualification 82%
To improve job opportunities 79%
For Intellectual stimulation 70%
To increase salary 67%
To obtain general skills 64%
To change career direction 61%
To increase self-confidence 52%</p>
<p>So much of the MBA experience deals with sharing experiences from the working world with your team. If you're a newbie to the working world - you won't have much to bring to the table.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure some of you have watched the Apprentice, do you remember Quame, I think that's his name from the first season, who didn't have any experience, but yet had like an MBA from one of the top schools, how was he able to enter into a top MBA program without work experience. I remember Donald didn't pick him partly for that reason, he had no experience, all he had was the education.</p>
<p>Also I remember reading somewhere how one of Harvard's publications said that the MFA was the new MBA, and that companies preferred people with MFA because they bring creative something. I can't remember, has anyone read that?</p>
<p>i know at my college we have the whole 5 year-mba program and it's open for all majors. the one girl that lives in my apartment building is a public relations major, and is getting her mba from our school in her 5th year.</p>
<p>liek0806, An MBA has become almost a prerequisite for a management job in business. Of course, many, many people climb the corporate ladder with BA's (or no degree at all) but getting started with a large corporation is easier with an MBA.</p>
<p>Parsons is a wonderful school, for design generally, not just fashion. I know many, many Parsons grads but I've never heard of one going on to get an MBA. That would be a good question to ask Parsons directly. (I actually have a relative who got an MBA, went into finance, hated it and so went to Pratt to study environmental design. He got a great sales job with a top architecture firm, Because of his background he could relate to both the architects and their corporate clients.)</p>
<p>What is your motivation for studying both fashion and business? If it is to go into the garment business or fashion retailing, I would suggest you get a BA or BS at a university or LAC first. Then try to get an internship or entry level job at a large garment manufacturing company or retailer. After you understand better the types of jobs available in the industry you could decide whether to go back to design school or business school. For example, if you want to design, you should (obviously) go to design school. If you want to be a buyer or sourcing manager or merchandiser or marketing manager, then you'd be better off with the MBA. Either way the communication and analytic skills you gain with your BA/BS are critical to success in business.</p>
<p>So, is it still probable to get accepted into a top MBA school right out of college...and just transition from undergrad to business school (given that the undergrad school is one of the best in the nation)?</p>
<p>It is next to impossible to get into a top MBA program right out of college. The only people I have seen do so are older students who had lots of work experience before getting their undergrad degree. It is, however, quite possible to get into lower tier MBA programs right out of college. The value of those programs is something I'm not sure of. My dad, a grad of a top MBA program, had his acceptance before he left college and was required to do something for 2 years before attending. Things are different now. What you do after undergrad is more important than your GPA and GMAT score. Of course the latter two are also very important. The formula at top schools is high GPA, high GMAT and 4 or 5 years of progressively responsible work experience. Great references from business leaders are a great help as well. At top B schools, the majority will have gone to top undergrad schools, that's just not enough. The real trick, after you've done well and gotten a GMAT score in range, is just to get a really interesting job after college and do well in it.</p>
<p>H had quite a few years in the industry before enrolling in an MBA program. Another positive side to waiting is that often your company will help with the expenses of the MBA program.</p>
<p>As for my motivation to study both fashion and business: I am really interested in fashion design, and that's what I want to study, however I am also interested in Business, but not so to study it for undergrad, and I thought that you could automatically apply into an MBA after undergrad, that's why I asked the original questions because I assumed that I could learn business during the 2 years of MBA, instead of 4 during undergrad.</p>
<p>I would think that having an MBA, additionally to having studied fashion for undergrad, could better prepare me to open my own business in the future. Or if the fashion thing didn't work out in the long run, I could go into real estate(some thing I really enjoy as well), and still know the business side of it, and not just what i learn from those training courses you can get from a real estate class/program.</p>
<p>And also, having taken Economics has also sparked my interest in investing in the stock market, I wish I could right now, but I don't know how to effectively go about doing so.</p>
<p>With the internet, individual investing has never been easier...no need to call some sleazy stock broker. Just pick an online brokerage house, which range from the absolute barebones discounters who just make trades and don't offer advice (Scottrade-$7/trade; Sharebuilder-$4/trade) to more comprehensive services that come with basic advice, access to advisers in brick-and-mortar offices and research tools (Fidelity and Schwab come to mind).</p>
<p>Just set up an account with one of these places. You can fund it with checks/money orders, or just conveniently link it to your bank account. No need to invest as soon as the money shows up in your account; you can bide your time in the unpredictable markets of today but then be able to jump on attractive investment opportunities.</p>
<p>PS Every single person with earned income and any disposable income should start an IRA, specifically a Roth IRA for people who are in lower tax brackets (i.e. teens, twenties).</p>
<p>An IRA is an 'Individual Retirement Arrangement', also known as an 'Individual Retirement Account'. Basically, it's just a designation of an investment portfolio as being earmarked for your retirement, which gets you pretty awesome tax advantages. A Roth IRA is the best of the bunch if you are eligible, because everything you earn in one can be withdrawn TAX FREE (after you pass a certain age; these are meant for retirement, after all). IRA earnings can be withdrawn early if you are willing to pay something like a 10% penalty, so they really encourage you to stay the course for retirement savings. The initial capital (amount you contributed) can always be withdrawn with no tax consequences. Also, earnings can be withdrawn for educational expenses, home down payments, and a few other exceptions.</p>
<p>P.S. Such tax advantages are hard to come by in the investing world. Also, starting a Roth IRA when you are young will allow you to capture an enormous compounding effect by the time you are older. Much better to start now then to realize, "Oh ****! Retirement!" when you are 35 and saving for your kid's college education.</p>
<p>liek, I think a fashion designer with an MBA would be hot property on 7th Avenue, but I just don't know if you could get into business school with only a degree from a design school. You need to ask the design schools or business schools if this is feasible. You don't need to have an undergraduate degree in business to get into b-school; however, you usually do need a BA or a BS, preferably in an analytical and writing focused discipline (plus some work experience). Some colleges offer BA's in fashion design. Maybe you could try this route instead of design school.</p>