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Most folks don’t want an online-only degree. But if you did…

May 28, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

We tossed out some names of some schools the other day that, even pre-covid, had started to embrace online education for business.

What questions should you be asking if you’re considering an online MBA or any degree program delivered natively online?

The first is, what is the format? How is designed?

Yes it’s online, but how exactly is the teaching implemented and delivered? What will be your experience as a student during the program?

Some online programs are what’s called asynchronous, which is the epitome of convenience: You log on and go through the coursework whenever you have time, submitting your assignments by uploading them into the learning management system. There are often other assignments and you may have a standard academic textbook that you have to purchase as well (textbooks, for whatever reason, have been really really slow to migrate to an ebook format for online learning, though that seems to be finally changing these days).

In this async model, the majority of your interactions with your professor and other students are through a discussion board or forum software. You never actually meet them except through text or, sometimes, pre-recorded video by the instructor. This is the model that most people think of with “online education” and it’s very limited. It’s essentially the Khan Academy format that many current students have been so unhappy about.

Other program formats include that type of asynchronous material, combined with a synchronous session which is a real-time class period with your professor holding a lecture and all students in the class together at the same time. These require you to use your webcam through a platform like Zoom (or for some more antiquated systems, WebEx), where everyone is on screen at once. You’re able to have a real classroom experience in this way.

Who is creating the content?

Is the professor doing their own webcam recordings? Or was the curriculum professionally produced? The quality of your education may not be dependent on the production quality of the videos, but it sure does make for a different experience if it seems like your professor recorded the lecture on her phone, versus having it built out in an actual studio with some editing and the PowerPoint slides timed to the delivery of the material.

Also, a Pro Tip: If the program requires an actual application, where they review your transcripts and everything and (usually) ask for an interview, you’re much more likely to get more out of the actual experience. Why? Because there will be less attrition (student drop-off where people quit the program) and the overall cohort is going to be of higher quality. If you go for a program that only requires a registration where they have you sign up and they take your money, it’s still potentially valuable, but your fellow students might not be as personally invested and they might not stick around. These are very broad-strokes generalizations (there’s plenty of students who drop out of by-admission programs too, and there’s lots of amazing people taking open-registration courses).

But it’s something to keep in mind, depending on what you’re looking for through this educational opportunity.

There’s a lot of talk in higher ed right now that this entire coronavirus thing is going to disrupt education for good. Some are saying that it’s going to force schools to discount tuition, and that a whole tier of university system will move to an online model.

But college kids go to college at least in part for the social experiences. For everything that’s involved in that stage of life. For the fraternities and sororities and late night parties. Maybe to meet someone. In many cases, they really really really want to do college away from home.

For folks who are looking at graduate education, the priorities change. All those social reasons still apply for many bschool students, but there’s often also a lot of other pulls. Many are already married or in significant relationships, and some even have kids. The priorities for school are not the party scene.

Obviously yes, the network the network the network. But honestly, we see gobs of candidates touting “the network” in their apps for bschool and the more we learn about them, the more we learn that they’re introverts who cannot stand networking! (doh!) It’s definitely true that an online education is completely different than the experience IRL. We’re not trying to suggest that they are interchangeable. But, we are suggesting that perhaps priorities have changed for you as an individual? This experience is shaping all of us in ways large and small.

This pandemic is certainly also going to change higher ed. EssaySnark is not convinced it’s going to create a massive wave in remote-only learning. However, one very probable outcome is that it’s going to remove the stigma from ‘online program’ and lots of schools are going to innovate, and get better at, the delivery of an online education. If you’re looking around right now and the convenience of an online degree is appealing, then there are some schools that had started down that path earlier, that might be good to look at first. We also expect to see more and more changes in the overall landscape, on an accelerated or even frantic pace through the rest of 2020, and then on a continuous basis going forward. You might be one who will benefit!!

And… Many of you are looking towards

Filed Under: online MBA

« Previous: ($) Heads up international students and prospects…
Next: So what are you going to do about it? »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

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Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

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From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


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by 2020-21 r1 candidate on Waitlist Assist
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What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: What "rolling admissions" means right now
  • 2020: ($) Coronavirus and the MBA: Which MBA programs are more likely to (possibly) resume oncampus instruction?
  • 2018: ($) International Re-applicants to U.S. schools who still haven't made it in
  • 2017: Success Story! Beyond bschool to the next big thing!
  • 2017: International student headed to the US for school? DO NOT BREAK THE LAW.
  • 2016: ($) If you thought you'd go to law school and now...
  • 2016: The other likely driver of increased MBA app volumes
  • 2015: To the adcoms: Nobody wants a deadline on a Thurs or Fri.
  • 2014: ($) MBA application challenge: "I work for a small local employer..."
  • 2012: The changes to Kellogg's programs Part 3
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