I am currently pursuing my MBA at North Park University. I have the option to transfer into Northern Illinois University, and start phase 2 of their program. The only reason I am considering transferring to NIU is because it is AACSB accredited.
However, I really like North Park, and have really enjoyed the North Park experience. North Park is close to home, while NIU is a 45 minute to 1 hour drive for me. I am visiting NIU?s open house before making a decision. North Park is IACBE accredited and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. At North Park I would get an MBA with a specialization, at NIU it would be a general MBA.
My questions are: How significant is AACSB accreditation? How do the 2 accreditations compare (AACSB vs IACBE)? How do the reputations of the two schools compare?

Kevin

AACSB is by far the more reputable of the two accreditation bodies, and guarantees that the curriculum meets international standards. It also seems to me that Northern Illinois has a more developed b-school in general, and a degree from their program would carry more weight nationally and have more robust resources for almuni.

That said, it's not a program that is ranked in any of the major rankings, so its reputation is not going to compare to those even second-tier schools like the University of Illinois.

What are your career goals? I would talk to placement people at both programs, and see what kind of positions alumni usually land, and see which match most closely to what you are looking for. Also check out alumni networks to see where people end up, because alumni connections in high places can be very valuable once you graduate.

Also, when looking at schools of this size, most advantages will be regional in nature: local companies tend to build relationships with certain schools because they can trust that their graduates have potential. Try to find out who hires from which school, and again - see if those opportunities match what you are going to want.

If you look at these factors and NIU comes out ahead, it might make it worth the extra driving time.