MBA in California


Norin

Hello everybody, I am actually living in Québec (French Canada) and Im planning to go in California once my studies will be done.

I was wondering if someone could tell me about the current MBA situation in the state of California, is it actually in good position or not etc. Does someone with a MBA job can actually live in California even with the high cost of the houses and life?

(PS: I am currently more interested in Management field)

Also, since I'll more likely get my MBA from Quebec (Université Laval if someone knows), would I have hard time to get a place in the state of California with it? I plan to leave the Quebec with French and English and I'll get some Spanish class at university, but, lack of chance to speak spanish here, I dont think I will be able to master the tongue as well as french or english.

Thanks in advance

Hello everybody, I am actually living in Québec (French Canada) and Im planning to go in California once my studies will be done.

I was wondering if someone could tell me about the current MBA situation in the state of California, is it actually in good position or not etc. Does someone with a MBA job can actually live in California even with the high cost of the houses and life?

(PS: I am currently more interested in Management field)

Also, since I'll more likely get my MBA from Quebec (Université Laval if someone knows), would I have hard time to get a place in the state of California with it? I plan to leave the Quebec with French and English and I'll get some Spanish class at university, but, lack of chance to speak spanish here, I dont think I will be able to master the tongue as well as french or english.

Thanks in advance
quote

I can't answer all your questions, but as I did a bit of research about MBAs in California, I can tell you some things.

Of course you will increase your job chances with an MBA.
But to me it seems obvious that you'd be lot better off if you moved CA to do you MBA there.
In CA you have a high density of MBAs. Of course not all are recommendable, but you have some really good ones such as Southern California or Berkeley. That would allow you to make contacts with and possible employer already while studying.
Just an idea..

I can't answer all your questions, but as I did a bit of research about MBAs in California, I can tell you some things.

Of course you will increase your job chances with an MBA.
But to me it seems obvious that you'd be lot better off if you moved CA to do you MBA there.
In CA you have a high density of MBAs. Of course not all are recommendable, but you have some really good ones such as Southern California or Berkeley. That would allow you to make contacts with and possible employer already while studying.
Just an idea..
quote
masterXX

AN important question is in fact how US/Californian employers will see your MBA. If you do your MBA in California, they will know of course...

So it depends on the reputation of this MBA you intend to do at Laval University. What is the international prestige of a Laval MBA (I personally don't know - but that doesn't mean much, I don't know much about MBAs outside the US) ?

AN important question is in fact how US/Californian employers will see your MBA. If you do your MBA in California, they will know of course...

So it depends on the reputation of this MBA you intend to do at Laval University. What is the international prestige of a Laval MBA (I personally don't know - but that doesn't mean much, I don't know much about MBAs outside the US) ?
quote
Norin

Well Laval MBA is more likely considered a normal MBA program... There might be HEC and McGill which are not that far and more prestigious, but if I was to move I'd personally prefer to move directly to UCLA or USC.

Well Laval MBA is more likely considered a normal MBA program... There might be HEC and McGill which are not that far and more prestigious, but if I was to move I'd personally prefer to move directly to UCLA or USC.
quote

Hello Norin,
If Laval is more a "normal" MBA, why you intend to do it instead of a better one in Canada or even better, in California? Financial reasons?
Or is it an option for you to do UCLA or USC? Then you should go for it and try!

Hello Norin,
If Laval is more a "normal" MBA, why you intend to do it instead of a better one in Canada or even better, in California? Financial reasons?
Or is it an option for you to do UCLA or USC? Then you should go for it and try!
quote
Norin

At the current time, UCLA or USC are not in my "options" since I still have to get my bachelor degree in business administration... Still, I think that it is better to know where I am going for the studies field.

As for UCLA and other well reputed schools, I was only wondering if it would be really worth it to go to a school where I'd have to pay around 80 000$ instead of my local school which is around 5000-10 000$. Financial is not what frighten me the most but it's still an issue I have to plan well before I move and find myself in trouble.

As I read your posts, I guess it would be better for me to apply for the best schools I can with my GMAT score.

Also, I've heard it was better to get like 2 or 3 years of work experience in administration before getting a MBA otherwise I could be considered "overqualified" and have a really hard time to find a job anywhere... I cant deny that this scare me a little bit because during those 2 or 3 years of work, I might "forget" the particularity of the bachelor degree in the program which might lead to some problem during the GMAT...

Also, if I have to work 2 or 3 years, would it be possible to get a job in california with only a bachelor in business administration (from my local university) and still be able to "live" there...

Thanks :)

At the current time, UCLA or USC are not in my "options" since I still have to get my bachelor degree in business administration... Still, I think that it is better to know where I am going for the studies field.

As for UCLA and other well reputed schools, I was only wondering if it would be really worth it to go to a school where I'd have to pay around 80 000$ instead of my local school which is around 5000-10 000$. Financial is not what frighten me the most but it's still an issue I have to plan well before I move and find myself in trouble.

As I read your posts, I guess it would be better for me to apply for the best schools I can with my GMAT score.

Also, I've heard it was better to get like 2 or 3 years of work experience in administration before getting a MBA otherwise I could be considered "overqualified" and have a really hard time to find a job anywhere... I cant deny that this scare me a little bit because during those 2 or 3 years of work, I might "forget" the particularity of the bachelor degree in the program which might lead to some problem during the GMAT...

Also, if I have to work 2 or 3 years, would it be possible to get a job in california with only a bachelor in business administration (from my local university) and still be able to "live" there...

Thanks :)
quote
masterXX

I wasn't aware of the fact that you are currently only doing your bachelor. In that case it's not a good idea to coninue straight away with an MBA.
As you say, it's very much recommended to have some years of work experience before doing an MBA. By the way most serious MBA programs even require several years of work experience as an admission criteria.
Piling up degrees not only makes you overqualified, but at the same time you'll be perceived as lacking practice, experience.

Several detailed discussions have been going on in this board about the subject, you should have a look.

Besides, of course you should evaluate thoroughly if it's worth paying 80 000$ instead of 10 000$. But it's definitely not a good idea to spend 80t for an MBA without any prior work experience.

I wasn't aware of the fact that you are currently only doing your bachelor. In that case it's not a good idea to coninue straight away with an MBA.
As you say, it's very much recommended to have some years of work experience before doing an MBA. By the way most serious MBA programs even require several years of work experience as an admission criteria.
Piling up degrees not only makes you overqualified, but at the same time you'll be perceived as lacking practice, experience.

Several detailed discussions have been going on in this board about the subject, you should have a look.

Besides, of course you should evaluate thoroughly if it's worth paying 80 000$ instead of 10 000$. But it's definitely not a good idea to spend 80t for an MBA without any prior work experience.
quote
einstein

What do you think about Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles?

What do you think about Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles?
quote
Evan2007

I was surprised to see the Mount St. Mary's banner on this site, because I remember it as such a small school when I was living in LA. I knew a few people that went there. For some reason I remember it as a small, Catholic women's college, but it seems like that they're starting to let fellas into the MBA program too. I'm not sure when they started to offer an MBA, but what it lacks in reputation, it's probably a tight community of students and alumni, which is good if you want to stay in the area. Oh, and It's in Brentwood, which is a relatively wealthy part of LA.

I was surprised to see the Mount St. Mary's banner on this site, because I remember it as such a small school when I was living in LA. I knew a few people that went there. For some reason I remember it as a small, Catholic women's college, but it seems like that they're starting to let fellas into the MBA program too. I'm not sure when they started to offer an MBA, but what it lacks in reputation, it's probably a tight community of students and alumni, which is good if you want to stay in the area. Oh, and It's in Brentwood, which is a relatively wealthy part of LA.
quote

Hello,

I am from Boston. As far as I know, UCLA anderson and UC Berkley, Hass are very well reputed University nationwide and very welcomed by the top employers. Other than that, we do not recognize. But that's not the factor. The fact is that which MBA is right for you, and what you are trying to get out of the program which means the one that best fits your career goal.

-Emran

Hello,

I am from Boston. As far as I know, UCLA anderson and UC Berkley, Hass are very well reputed University nationwide and very welcomed by the top employers. Other than that, we do not recognize. But that's not the factor. The fact is that which MBA is right for you, and what you are trying to get out of the program which means the one that best fits your career goal.

-Emran
quote
Evan2007

Well, they say Stanford is pretty good, too. Certainly that is recognized in Boston, as well. ;) You're right about picking schools, though - lots of factors to consider.

Well, they say Stanford is pretty good, too. Certainly that is recognized in Boston, as well. ;) You're right about picking schools, though - lots of factors to consider.
quote

Yes, I forgot about Stanford. Highest salary after graduation ranked in the Financial Times.

Yes, I forgot about Stanford. Highest salary after graduation ranked in the Financial Times.
quote
york

Here are two videos with some nice shots of the major business schools in California

MBA Programs in Northern California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFJmQvwpNbo

MBA Programs in Southern California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKOr3Bt4mKQ

Here are two videos with some nice shots of the major business schools in California

MBA Programs in Northern California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFJmQvwpNbo

MBA Programs in Southern California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKOr3Bt4mKQ
quote

What Are The Top MBA Programs?

If you've read my postings on the Businessweek, GMATClub, or WallStreetOasis forums, you'll undoubtedly know that I try to avoid the rankings talk. Rankings debates usually disintegrate into pissing matches, with the resulting discussion exaggerating the differences that no one else but applicants and students would actually care about.

What I've posted below isn't something I care too much about, but it seems like enough people are curious about my opinion as an admissions consultant. This is the first and last place I will post anything about rankings.

Here?s how the tiers more or less break down:

Top Three: HBS, Stanford, Wharton (some say Wharton is just a rung below HBS and Stanford but above Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia or Tuck, which I won?t dispute ? opinions vary).

Elite Eight: Top 3 plus Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia and Tuck. Some say Tuck is just a rung below; again opinions vary.

Sweet Sixteen: Elite 8, plus Michigan, Duke, Darden, NYU, Berkeley, UCLA, Cornell, Yale (some will say that Cornell and Yale are just a rung below, but again opinions vary).

Rest of the Best: These are the top regional schools including (in no particular order) UT-Austin, Georgetown, USC, UNC, Emory, Babson, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Maryland, Carnegie Mellon.

Big Two International: It?s basically INSEAD and London Business School (LBS), and then everyone else. The caliber of the student body and reputation of both these schools are comparable to the US Elite Eight.

There is no material difference in reputation between schools within the same tier. In other words, don't ask whether Columbia has a better reputation than Chicago or Kellogg, because other than the alums and students, no one cares!

What Are The Top MBA Programs?

If you've read my postings on the Businessweek, GMATClub, or WallStreetOasis forums, you'll undoubtedly know that I try to avoid the rankings talk. Rankings debates usually disintegrate into pissing matches, with the resulting discussion exaggerating the differences that no one else but applicants and students would actually care about.

What I've posted below isn't something I care too much about, but it seems like enough people are curious about my opinion as an admissions consultant. This is the first and last place I will post anything about rankings.

Here?s how the tiers more or less break down:

Top Three: HBS, Stanford, Wharton (some say Wharton is just a rung below HBS and Stanford but above Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia or Tuck, which I won?t dispute ? opinions vary).

Elite Eight: Top 3 plus Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia and Tuck. Some say Tuck is just a rung below; again opinions vary.

Sweet Sixteen: Elite 8, plus Michigan, Duke, Darden, NYU, Berkeley, UCLA, Cornell, Yale (some will say that Cornell and Yale are just a rung below, but again opinions vary).

Rest of the Best: These are the top regional schools including (in no particular order) UT-Austin, Georgetown, USC, UNC, Emory, Babson, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Maryland, Carnegie Mellon.

Big Two International: It?s basically INSEAD and London Business School (LBS), and then everyone else. The caliber of the student body and reputation of both these schools are comparable to the US Elite Eight.

There is no material difference in reputation between schools within the same tier. In other words, don't ask whether Columbia has a better reputation than Chicago or Kellogg, because other than the alums and students, no one cares!
quote

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