Hey all

First off a big thanks to all the folks who make this a vibrant and useful forum! I've already spent hours reading past posts - I'll even admit to laughing out loud when 'bogus schools' are uncovered and commented upon :-)

I dropped out of university when I was 18. For the past 10+ years, I have been very focussed on building a successful marketing career and am now at senior management level (director). I passed a (single) award from the CIM in the UK in 2016 and really enjoyed this academic experience. As I am now looking to progress my career further (potential country move and/or aiming for executive level), I have been considering an MBA. My budget for tuition in the UK is £25k or elsewhere in Europe Eur15k. I'd like to know if my plans are realistic and if I'm headed in the right direction.

So far here are the MBAs I have preselected, with my reasoning:
+ Alliance MBS blended MBA: this is probably the most awesome program on the list. Realistic?
+ Kingston: double accreditation, one year program.. so great, but this being from an actual Uni, will they be any more strict than other business schools on the entry requirements?
+ Westminster: good reputation (including on this forum! :-) one year program and same question as Kingston, worried about the entry criteria
+ Brunel: same as Westminster
+ UC3M: a year in Spain would be an interesting global facet added to my profile + this is very affordable but will they consider me?
+ MIB: same as UC3M (but not low cost of course)

If none of the above plans works I will then consider:
+ QMUL: the online course seems appealing and I would aim to complete in 18 months but I am VERY worried about the lack of international accreditations -- is this one a definite no go on this basis?
+ Durham online: Worried about the 2-year timeframe it takes to complete but apart from that this seems pretty good.
I would still be happy with any of the two above - The education paragraph on my CV would jump from 'no qualification' to MBA, but I fear that online learning misses out on the MBA experience.

My next steps are prep and take a GMAT assessment, just so I know where I stand in this regard... and then start applying on my short list.

Questions: Do I stand reasonable chances to be admitted to the above schools without a prior degree but some great experience? If so are the above choices a good selection based on my budget?

Many thanks for all the comments!
Cheers

[Edited by Cotall on Feb 06, 2018]

I'm not sure why you are not considering the obvious choice: the Open University. The OU is a great school with a triple crown MBA and a great reputation. It is also designed for people like you who might not have the prior experience with a university that can really help with the more academic aspects of the course.

I think almost all the schools you have mentioned will ask for an undergraduate degree.

Surprisingly, most universities in UK (but only in UK) accept great experience instead of undergraduate degree for entry to masters programs. They all go out of their way to specifically mention this in the entry requirements, so I think they mean it, especially at director level, upper management applicants are well liked

If you managed to reach director it shows strong career progression, get a good GMAT to show your dedication, and i'd say you definitely stand chance. But you can contact them and ask if in doubt

The universities will want to know that you can do it. And also that you won't lower their ranking (if you end up without job or with low salary afterwards)

Manchester and Durham are great choices. Other options may be Edinburgh, Leeds, and Lancaster?

Thank you both for the replies!

- The OU is indeed a great online choice, the reason I did leave it to the side is that given my background it seems that the only route forward is via a 'Professional Certificate in Management' course which adds another year or so, so best case is an overall 3 years for completion and that is quite a timeline. I will revisit if other efforts fail.

- I had also left aside Edinburgh, Leeds and Lancaster based on the geography but I will check again and could challenge myself on that front.

Since you mention Brunel and Kingston, you might be around West London, in which has there is a great-value part-time option at Henley, a much better brand name: https://www.henley.ac.uk/mba/course/flexible-executive-mba#bottom-entryRequirements

Henley has a start date in a month's time, so you might be lucky.....

Hey all

First off a big thanks to all the folks who make this a vibrant and useful forum! I've already spent hours reading past posts - I'll even admit to laughing out loud when 'bogus schools' are uncovered and commented upon :-)

I dropped out of university when I was 18. For the past 10+ years, I have been very focussed on building a successful marketing career and am now at senior management level (director). I passed a (single) award from the CIM in the UK in 2016 and really enjoyed this academic experience. As I am now looking to progress my career further (potential country move and/or aiming for executive level), I have been considering an MBA. My budget for tuition in the UK is £25k or elsewhere in Europe Eur15k. I'd like to know if my plans are realistic and if I'm headed in the right direction.

So far here are the MBAs I have preselected, with my reasoning:
+ Alliance MBS blended MBA: this is probably the most awesome program on the list. Realistic?
+ Kingston: double accreditation, one year program.. so great, but this being from an actual Uni, will they be any more strict than other business schools on the entry requirements?
+ Westminster: good reputation (including on this forum! :-) one year program and same question as Kingston, worried about the entry criteria
+ Brunel: same as Westminster
+ UC3M: a year in Spain would be an interesting global facet added to my profile + this is very affordable but will they consider me?
+ MIB: same as UC3M (but not low cost of course)

If none of the above plans works I will then consider:
+ QMUL: the online course seems appealing and I would aim to complete in 18 months but I am VERY worried about the lack of international accreditations -- is this one a definite no go on this basis?
+ Durham online: Worried about the 2-year timeframe it takes to complete but apart from that this seems pretty good.
I would still be happy with any of the two above - The education paragraph on my CV would jump from 'no qualification' to MBA, but I fear that online learning misses out on the MBA experience.

My next steps are prep and take a GMAT assessment, just so I know where I stand in this regard... and then start applying on my short list.

Questions: Do I stand reasonable chances to be admitted to the above schools without a prior degree but some great experience? If so are the above choices a good selection based on my budget?

Many thanks for all the comments!
Cheers

Hey all

First off a big thanks to all the folks who make this a vibrant and useful forum! I've already spent hours reading past posts - I'll even admit to laughing out loud when 'bogus schools' are uncovered and commented upon :-)

I dropped out of university when I was 18. For the past 10+ years, I have been very focussed on building a successful marketing career and am now at senior management level (director). I passed a (single) award from the CIM in the UK in 2016 and really enjoyed this academic experience. As I am now looking to progress my career further (potential country move and/or aiming for executive level), I have been considering an MBA. My budget for tuition in the UK is £25k or elsewhere in Europe Eur15k. I'd like to know if my plans are realistic and if I'm headed in the right direction.

So far here are the MBAs I have preselected, with my reasoning:
+ Alliance MBS blended MBA: this is probably the most awesome program on the list. Realistic?
+ Kingston: double accreditation, one year program.. so great, but this being from an actual Uni, will they be any more strict than other business schools on the entry requirements?
+ Westminster: good reputation (including on this forum! :-) one year program and same question as Kingston, worried about the entry criteria
+ Brunel: same as Westminster
+ UC3M: a year in Spain would be an interesting global facet added to my profile + this is very affordable but will they consider me?
+ MIB: same as UC3M (but not low cost of course)

If none of the above plans works I will then consider:
+ QMUL: the online course seems appealing and I would aim to complete in 18 months but I am VERY worried about the lack of international accreditations -- is this one a definite no go on this basis?
+ Durham online: Worried about the 2-year timeframe it takes to complete but apart from that this seems pretty good.
I would still be happy with any of the two above - The education paragraph on my CV would jump from 'no qualification' to MBA, but I fear that online learning misses out on the MBA experience.

My next steps are prep and take a GMAT assessment, just so I know where I stand in this regard... and then start applying on my short list.

Questions: Do I stand reasonable chances to be admitted to the above schools without a prior degree but some great experience? If so are the above choices a good selection based on my budget?

Many thanks for all the comments!
Cheers

Thank you!

Duncan: I'm actually East, so Kingston and Brunel were a bit of a stretch already..

As I said in my original message, the fully online options are really my fall back plans.

A GMAT test is definitely on the table (but a robust research on schools and options so far has taken most of my free time!), I certainly will want to know how I fare on that and if I stand a chance with the bigger names.

Interesting perspective about the Executive Masters also - I think I have read elsewhere on this forum, and maybe I am paraphrasing too much here, that a master from a Tier 1 school could be equally if not better valued that a Tier 2 MBA. This has been playing in the back of my mind as a potential plan B, before the online MBA options. So that means I'll have to start another spreadsheet to sift through my options, though haha (with LSE, Oxford, Imperial, UCL to be looked at first!).

[Edited by Cotall on Feb 06, 2018]

If you were serious about a country move, then you would probably focus on full time MBAs in the country that you're interested in moving too. Of course, this would probably mean learning the language, which takes time... I think that people who choose to go to MIB and UC3M are probably less likely to stay in those countries after graduation if they do not speak Italian / Spanish.

But if you were simply looking to climb the career ladder, in your current industry, and not make such a drastic career shift, the part time MBA at Henley or a similar Executive-level program could work.

For a bigger career move within the UK (such as switching industries), a full-time MBA, especially one from a great school like LBS or some such, would probably be a wise choice.

Thank you, that sounds quite sensible.

I'll be opportunistic about a country move, I've already lived and worked in 3 different countries, so while I'm unlikely to stay here in London forever that's not necessarily my driver right now.

My objective is rather to firm up my profile with some high-level education to prepare me for executive level in my industry or a neighbouring one - also the addition of a diploma recognised by employers will definitely help for future career moves. So I think that I could be OK with a good DL or part-time program. Also full-time I can only afford some mid-ranking or not ranked unis (Westminster, MMU, , Kingston, Brunel) so not sure it would really be worth the aggravation of quitting my job, etc. Does this makes sense?

Regarding school options, my list has many moving parts at this stage, but I do have some questions:

- I haven't seen much about Manchester MMU on this forum, is it any good? Alliance MBS is the big name over there, but there's quite a difference in cost. And MMU has both the AMBA and AACSB accreditations. As I said above it would be one of the few only double-accredited that I could afford full time; and their part time and DL options seem very affordable too. What's the catch?

- The Open University - suggested earlier by duncan. I am really concerned about how (stupidly so) some recruiters would see this brand on a CV. At the end of the day, the MBA is supposed to make you shine. Does this work if you have to start any conversation by justifying 'no, but the UOBS has great credentials...'?

- Final deep dive and similar to Manchester, I read a lot of comments on RG Aberdeen but not so many on the the U of Aberdeen BS. They offer an interesting 100% online MBA and also, surprise, a London based executive MBA which would be just fine for me. From what I see they only have the AACSB accred though. Do you guys have any feedback on this school and in particular on their DL or part time/exec MBA programs?

Thank you again! I've spent so much time looking into all the options and tweaking my list so I'm almost ready to start publishing my own official rankings now, ha!

Cheers all

[Edited by Cotall on Feb 10, 2018]

I'm still finding hard to get a grasp on your goals and the sort of viable career paths you have. For an international career you need an international network and a strong brand, and I don't see why you are considering a full-time degree but not an better part-time option like Henley which would have a lower opportunity cost because it would allow you to keep working and even take up a few full-time role.

The OU is a rock-solid brand with many employers. I teach at the University of Edinburgh's business school, and one of my very senior colleague here used to work at the OUBS and returned here. Just look in LinkedIn at the people who have graduated. Remember, unlike recently it was the only accredited MBA available part-time at anything less than half the cost. Employers want to sponsor people for the learning, not for brand equity. In terms of active alumni, you won't find a better network at the former polytechnics.

MMU is a good school. For a long time it has an international MBA with the VŠE in Prague, a very strong university. I don't think it gives you a big edge over the other options you are considering, with the exception that the AACSB-only schools, which aim at people with no or little work experience, will have weaker cohorts.

In contrast, The Henley flexible MBA is £25,500, right on your budget, and gives you a really world-class brand, a great cohort and a much more powerful alumni network.

Thank you duncan. Just to be clear, my latest burst of questions above refered not to my prefered choices but those that I recently found out about and wasn’t sure of. I have taken earlier comments onboard and so far I have in my go-to lists:

- no full time option really stands out within my budget

- I’d like to try the best schools I can afford offering blended part time learning: Durham, Henley, MBS and Warwick.

- In the ‘online only’ group I will try my luck with QMUL, OU, Aston, Birmingham (and potentially MMU as fall back).

- Finally, I’m also looking at some affordable executive MBA options (is there such a thing though?). this is where so far I only find weaker options around the London area within my budget, such as Westminster part time MBA, and the University of Aberdeen BS Executive MBA in London but again I have very little information on this last one. If I can try and stretch my budget, Cranfield would be a very welcome addition at the top of this list. The reason I’m looking at these is that short of a full time, this would be my prefered delivery more, for ease of learning but also networking with fellow students. I appreciate that (of course with the exeption of Cranfield here) the value of other schools that I list under the other learning modes outweigh the benefits of a part time mode in london just for the sake of it.

In total that would be 12 applications though, so I’m probably going to have to narrow it down, especially for my referees who may have to go through several hoops to submit their prose..

Send them your CV first. My guess is they will give you feedback that can help you focus on fewer options. Henley starts very soon so telephone them on Monday if you can. Cranfield would be better, indeed.

Thank you! Yes, I've sent my CV to pretty much all the the schools in my list and if I haven't received all the answers, those who did respond were quite positive that I should apply.

I'm nowhere near being ready for a GMAT test, so maybe I could go ahead with a first round of applications where a gmat is not required - I noticed that in the case of executive mbas it is sometimes the case. That will narrow down my list, allow me to see what me chances actually are and then once the rush of applying for the March/April intakes is over I can focus on my gmat if I haven't found a suitalbe school.

I will get in touch with Henley quickly. I am very interested in this program and would love to jump on the opportunity but I fear this is going to be a bit rushed for my referees, so really I need to find out how much time the school could give me to put my application together!

A quick update, I have now received two offers, from the Open University Business School and Manchester's Alliance MBS. I'm waiting to see the outcome on a couple more applications but the time window to accept or decline the above offers won't allow for much exploration.

I am over the moon though. I was ready to jump in with the OU, some of the points made above (thank you Duncan) really resonated with me, and amongst other things their dedication to look after their MBA alumni network really impressed me.

Now, the MBS seems even more appealing to me. The teaching ('the manchester method') seems a great fit, and the fact that they encourage and even support you to take two electives in two different countries is a good demonstration of their commitment to offering a 'global' MBA.

Reading again my very first post, MBS was my first choice... Maybe I should just trust my instinct, accept the offer and move on. It has been a journey! And this forum has been great, challenging me with the right questions.

To be continued!

[Edited by Cotall on Mar 07, 2018]

You will not regret it

I have now accepted the offer and will start my part-time MBA in July at Manchester. Thank you so much for the advice!

Well done. My former flatmate was going that course and I was really impressed. It seems like the closest thing you can get to the full-time experience.