<p>I am currently a sophmore who will transfer to the University of Washington in the summer as a junior. I am looking into the various MBA programs that are around the Seattle area and of course there are very few. My list so far of potential schools around here includes</p>
<li>University of Washington’s MBA program</li>
<li>Cornell-Queens Executive MBA program (not sure about how that even ranks)</li>
<li>Carnegie-Mellon’s MBA program through Boeing (doesn’t seem like it ranks much higher than the University of Washington at all)</li>
<li>University of Washington-Bothell’s MBA program</li>
</ol>
<p>Obviously my first pick is the University of Washington’s MBA program partially because they seem willing to admit straight from undergrad with no work experience. I am currently in running start and am taking summer quarter at the University of Washington in a few months in order to try to graduate early Autumn of 2008 I’m hoping, age 19. I know that most all programs will only admit for autumn quarter so I am a bit out of luck for trying to get into any sort of program too early. In that the break between the end of autumn 2008 and the beginning of autumn 2009 I am planning on getting what will amount to about 9 to 10 months of work experience.</p>
<p>I am mainly just wondering what people consider to be the best MBA program in the Washington area.</p>
<p>I think that there is really no question that the UW full-time traditional day program is the best by far in the entire NW region. Some of its well deserved prestige may rub off on their non-traditional programs such as the evening program and technology professionals program. However, about the only thing those programs have in common with their traditional program is the fact that they're all from UW. </p>
<p>The drop-off in the value of MBA programs is very steep and their is not a very strong correlation between value and price. Of the programs that you list, the UW traditional program may well be the least expensive, though the substantial opportunity costs of the others is lessened by the fact that they are mostly designed to be completed while you work.</p>
<p>An alternative missing from your list is the Seattle University (Albers School of Business and Econ) program. It is an all evening program so it is always listed in US News etc as a part-time program, but at least a 3rd of the students are actually full-time. It is a good option if you plan to work in the Seattle area, especially if you stick to an Accounting or Finance concentration. Outside of the Seattle area, the brand value of the SU program is greatly diminished.</p>
<p>When it comes to MBA programs, value of the brand is enormously important.</p>
<p>If you're planning to go directly from an undergrad program, you may find that a Master of Finance or Master of Professional Accounting degree is a better value than an MBA. MBAs are directed at experience people ready to make the transition from worker to (quasi-)management. So you need the experience to go with the degree in order to realize the value of the degree. There are always exceptions, but I contend that this is generally true.</p>