U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Webchat Transcript

CO.NX Chat: Applying to MBA Programs

Guest:      Mr. David McKee
Date:       October 2, 2009
Time:       2 a.m. - 3 a.m. EDT (6:00 GMT)

AIT 02: Join us and learn about key elements to successfully apply for MBA admissions. Taiwan students are invited to ask questions about the MBA program and chat directly with our guest speaker Mr. David McKee, Admissions Officer at St Louis University in Missouri who is in Taiwan to participate in an upcoming American education fair. We look forward to hearing from you in our chat room.

eric: my girlfriend applied graduate school this June and successfully got F1 visa. she postponed the admission to next year. can she still enter US by B1 visa?

AIT 02: Thank you for your question. Our speakers will be on-line at 2:00 p.m. to answer your question.

AIT Moderator: Good afternoon participants! Welcome to today's web chat. The live chat with our speakers will begin at 2:00 p.m. (Taiwan local time). Our speakers today are: Mr. David McKee, Admissions Officer at St Louis University in Missouri and Ms. Pearl Wu, EducationUSA adviser at AIEF Taipei Office.

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi everyone. My name is David McKee from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri USA. I'm excited to answer your questions. Please come see me at the AIEF fair this weekend.

eric: my girlfriend applied graduate school this June and successfully got F1 visa. she postponed the admission to next year. can she still enter US by B1 visa?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Eric. Your girlfriend can still enter the United States under a B-1 visa. She would not however be able to enter under the F-1 visa

Judy: Can I apply for MBA program if I am a science major student in college?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: Yes, you can apply for NBA program with a science major in college.

AIT Moderator: You can begin asking questions now. Just click the “Submit Question or Comment” button.

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: This is Pearl, counselor from AIEF. Welcome any questions on American Education.

Judy: Is working experience required to apply for MBA?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Judy, Work experience is sometimes required for mba programs. However this is quickly changing and the average mba student has less work experience now than in years past

Judy: My friend wants to know if military duty be considered as working experience?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: it actually depends on schools you want to apply.

Judy: Mr. Mckee, what do you mean by less? Is one year enough?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: It depends on the specific programs. Some programs require two or more years of work experience. In the future this will change. MBA programs are beginning to realize that work experience is not that important for MBA admissions.

Judy: What is the minimum GMAT score required for MBA admissions?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: It depends. The average score is 500-600, but if you want to go to top schools, you’ll need 650-800.

Phoebe: I work over 7 years and I am not sure if it is worthy for me to quit my job and persue a MBA degree. Is it true I can get more pay if I get a MBA degree?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Phoebe, I would definitely encourage you to go after that MBA. It can offer you a lot of opportunities to change careers and or make more money. It really depends on what your career will be after you complete your MBA. But the opportunities are there to be successful. Also there are a growing number of one year MBA programs in the United States that may help you offset some of the costs of obtaining an MBA

Judy: Which one is more important? GPA, GMAT, TOEFL for MBA admissions?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: The average program will look at your application as a whole. Meaning that not one of these is more imporant than another. But they probably have minimum scores and GPA's that they require.

Phoebe: I have financial concerns, and most top schools charge a lot. Do you have have suggestions?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Some schools do offer scholarships for their students. These scholarships are often based on financial need and or gmat and gpa. However scholarships aren't as plentiful in business schools as other graduate majors. There aren't a lot of one year mba programs in the United States but they are becoming more popular. My school Saint Louis University offers one. There are other schools out there I would search for one year mba programs on the internet.

Jason: Do I need to specify concentration major when apply for MBA, such as finance, marketing, and etc.?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: No, you don't have to choose your concentration when apply for MBA program.

AIT Moderator: You can attend a free group advising session: every Thursday from 6:00-7:00 pm at the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright); tel:(202) 388-7600; website: www.ustudy.org.tw

Miller: Is work experience necessary?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Work experience is often required. However Universities are beginning to change this policy and in the future fewer schools will require work experience. Fewer MBA students have significant work experience these days.

Jason: Is it required to write a thesis for MBA?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: It depends. Some schools require a thesis when some choose to work on project.

Miller: What's the difference between Global MBA, International MBA, and regular MBA?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Global MBA programs are done on campuses throughout the world. So a University that has campuses or connections to other campuses in different countries can send their students to take mba courses. an International MBA is an mba with classes that focus on International business and an mba is more generic business issues.

Miller: Is it more difficult nowadays to get a job with a MBA degree?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: No in fact college graduates are finding that it is more difficult to find work without graduate education. I think your chances of finding work with an mba will only increase.

Guest: How many courses do I need to take as a full time student in MBA program?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: it depends on school. normally, 30-40 credits for MBA program

Miller: People told me that a license works better than a MBA degree. What do you think? What your suggestion for a student who is going to graduate?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: I think that getting a certificate can sometimes be a good idea for professional development. However a business certificate does not offer the same opportunities for advancement and higher pay that an mba does. You should also look into the accreditation of any school you apply to for business study. Some accreditation bodies are not as good as others. Businesses will look into the quality of education you received. I find that in life there are few short cuts. Only by really working hard do any of us get ahead,

Jason: I took some on-line MBA courses, would those units be recognized by accredited schools?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Jason and Phoebe. Online MBA programs are often not accredited by the premier business accreditation in the world AACSB. Without this accreditation it may be difficult to obtain a job later. However some online courses may transfer to an accredited school.

AIT Moderator: Attend a free group advising session every Wednesday, from 2:00 - 3:30 pm at AIEF Taipei Office, tel: (202)705-8840; website: www.aief.org.tw

Miller: What's the difference between MBA and MS? Which one is better for a graduate?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: An MBA program is more flexible in terms of going into a variety of business careers. MS programs are often related to specific focuses and will force you into a specific career. Which may limit your opportunities. A one year mba program is challenging but the benefit is that you can complete the program quickly and I think it shows employers that you have a strong work ethic.

Phoebe: is there any on-line course for mba program?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: The E in EMBA refers to the Executive schedule of the program. An EMBA will be on weekends, usually on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. EMBA schedule is normally marketed to professionals who have significant work experience. In an EMBA program the students have much more work experience on average. Sometimes full time students participate in an EMBA but not as often as an mba.

Miller: I don't have academic background related to business. Does MBA program accept this kind of student?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: MBA program is open to students with all kinds of backgrounds. In fact, MBA programs in the States look for a variety of talents to participate, so thoughts from different aspects will be brought to the class.

Judy: Will MBA students apply for OPT?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Students can do OPT after they graduate with any degree. I would strongly encourage you to use your university's connections to obtain an excellent OPT experience tp put on your resume.

Irene: Is there any age limitation for applying?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: The University should still give you the admission if you meet the admission requirements. They will not take age into consideration.

Miller: If I apply for a MBA after having a long work experience, and my GPA is common, does my GPA affect my application? or with long work experience will weak the GPA's affection?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: If you have worked for more than 10 years, GPA will not be a key. Schools will look into other qualifications more.

Irene: What is MSF graduate career in the future?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: MS Business graduate usually has a focus of accounting or finance. These programs will see their graduates go into the specific focus of the MS program.

Irene: What is your MBA speciality in your program?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Irene, we have a highly ranked mba program with a number of specialties. It is also accredited by the AACSB.

Miller: After working for a long time, I may lose the connection with my professor in university. Then what can I do for my recommendation letter? Can I just ask my superviser or clients to do it?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: Yes, you can ask your supervisors to write it for you.

amandy: how time will finish the mba program normally?

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: It normally takes 2 years to finish MBA programs, but some schools do offer 1 year MBA program.

Irene: If I get low grade in TOEFL and GMAT. Could I apply your school?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Hi Irene, a low TOEFL score would tell our school that you would need to start English classes before beginning your MBA classes. This would not affect your admission but you would begin studying English.

Miller: If I want to re-take TOEFL after the deadline, will admission committee wait for my new TEOFL score?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: If the school gives you a deadline I would try and meet it. But it depends on what the deadline is asking for. If the school wants all scores and transcripts before the deadline they won't accept the score afterwards. If the school doesn't require the TOEFL for admission then they you can retake the TOEFL and send them the score after the deadline. I would contact the school.

amandy: how much the tuition I have to pay yearly?

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: The tuition depends on the specific schools. But tuition can be anywhere between 20,000 and 90,000 for two years.

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: IELTS is accepted in many schools in the U.S. Check with the specific schools to be sure.

AIT Moderator: Our speakers are taking the last question.

Speaker Mr. David Mckee: Thank you for all of your questions. I hope to see you all at the fair this weekend.

Speaker MS. Pearl Wu: Thank you and goodbye! If you have more questions about American Education, please come to the Fair this weekend or stop by AIEF TAIPEI office. I'd be glad to meet you,

AIT Moderator: Thank you for joining our program today. You can read transcripts of today and past web chats at: www.EducationUSA.org.tw

We wish to thank Mr. David Mcee and Ms. Pearl Wu. Our web chat is now closed.