Set foot on any university campus today and one thing is clear.  Students from all over the world make up a significant portion of the student body.  And that’s especially true at graduate schools of business.

According to the Institute of International Education, during the last academic year there were almost 900,000 international undergraduate and graduate students studying at American colleges and universities, an increase of eight percent.  In Massachusetts alone, there were more than 50,000 international students, up more than 10 percent from the year before, according to Wendy D’Ambrose, Director of MBA and MS Employer Outreach at Bentley University's Graduate School of Business.

Why do students come? There are a number of reasons, beginning with the global reputation of American business schools and the fact that the American economy, while still not spectacular, is doing far better than any other country’s or region’s. That might seem to translate into opportunity for many international students.  But there are obstacles as well.

The website workpermit.com notes there are just 85,000 H1B visas (allowing foreign citizens to work in the U.S. for up to six years) available on an annual basis and, of these, just 20,000 go to graduate students. The demand far outstrips the supply and last year officials, in response, went quickly to a lottery system to award the visas, D’Ambrose points out.

For some business students, the OPT (Optional Practical Training) visa provides a potential option.  The OPT is limited to just 12 months but can be extended for an additional 17 months for programs deemed to have relevance to STEM (Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering). It also is limited to 29 months, D’Ambrose points out. The 17 month extension was specifically designed to allow American corporations to recruit highly sought students in STEM disciplines.  The OPT visa is still classified as a student F1 visa and for the OPT student to remain in the US, the employer must file an application for an H1B visa.

Still, the rewards can be significant for those who persevere, she adds.  Among the reasons:  the salaries in America are typically higher than those from students’ home countries; there is prestige associated with securing a job and a coveted US visa; and the experience and perspective gained by international students who study in the US is highly valuable in a global market.

There are no guarantees, of course, and many students who study in the U.S. are unable to secure the necessary visas.  Still, for those students, and especially for students who are fortunate enough to actually secure a visa because the benefits are extended and enhanced, there are a variety of advantages beyond the professional education itself.  They include: 

1. The chance to enhance career opportunities at home or elsewhere abroad.  Students whose F1 student visas or OPT visas eventually expire, still enjoy distinct career benefits. The increasing strength of the global economy will only enhance these benefits in the future.
2. The chance to establish a network. Doing so can enhance professional opportunities and personal growth for many years.  Students interact with other students, of course, but also with faculty and influential business leaders who often visit graduate schools to provide guest lectures and even to engage in “immersion” programs through which students work with business leaders to solve real problems and exploit real opportunities within their organizations.
3. The chance to polish English language skills. This is especially valuable when doing so in a business-focused environment.  There is no doubt that English is the global lingua franca, especially when it comes to business.  Graduate school provides students with the opportunity to literally learn the “language of business,” not only through words and terms that are part of a technical lexicon but also through the use of slang and short-hand expressions that are ever-changing, especially in fields that are increasingly technology-driven.
4. The chance to understand different cultural norms. There are many differences that characterize the practice of business in the US and elsewhere.  Whether it is in understanding the role of small talk pleasantries before getting down to business or appreciating how certain tangible expressions of gratitude are regarded from an ethical standpoint, many important aspects of business are often learned by interacting with students in a multi-cultural environment.

To reap the rewards of studying at graduate school of business in the United States, business students should pay attention to three important considerations, according to U.S. News & World Report.  They are academic credentials, English language proficiency, and finances.  Even if there are concerns about one or more of these three important areas, there may also be ways to address them.

It’s harder than ever before to get into business school, and the competition is getting younger. Universities are now conferring 74 percent more MBA degrees than in 2000, and more millennials are opting for graduate school in the hopes of gaining a competitive edge in a tough job market. So, if you’re applying to an MBA program, how do you make your application stand out? According to admissions deans, by being your best self.

“It sounds obvious, but many applicants get tripped up trying to get inside our heads,” says Bruce DelMonico, assistant dean and director of admissions at Yale School of Management. “Don’t out-think yourself. Tell us about what you care about, not what you think we want to hear.”

Here are seven specific things business school deans say they do want to see from MBA candidates:

Sincerity and Preparation

Many business school deans cite a lack of attention to detail as the reason an application gets tossed in the “no” pile. Donald C. Martin, author of the book Roadmap for Graduate Study and former dean of admissions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, says that on many occasions he would read an essay that was prepared for, say, Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, but was mistakenly sent to him at Booth.

“The applicant would stress that ‘Tuck’ was his or her ‘first choice,’” Martin says. “Sometimes my outwardly vocal response was a good laugh. However, my regular unspoken response was: ‘I hope you get into that program, because you won’t get into mine.’”

Motivation and Passion

It’s quickly evident to deans of admissions which students have done their homework on a program, are taking the interview seriously, and know the expectations schools set with their students about where that particular MBA program can take them as an individual, and which components of that particular program interest to them.

“It’s gratifying to meet with someone who’s sincerely passionate about our institution and our programs,” says Sharon Hill, assistant dean and director of graduate admissions at Bentley University. “Students clearly apply to more than one institution but the ones who impress me are the candidates who are truly taking the time to see whether our program is right them and us.”

Self-Awareness and Humility

Along with a decreasing median age among MBA applicants, many MBA deans of admission are also noticing a decreasing lack of respect for the process. Infusing the MBA application process with braggadocio rather than using it as an opportunity to professionally display your accomplishments or business acumen will often backfire on candidates, as well.

“It’s amazing to me how many candidates, once they get accepted into a program, will continuously try to re-negotiate the terms of their admission offer,” says Bentley’s Hill. “Candidates don’t realize that can be a negative reflection of the candidate. It’s not showing how aggressive you can be in business or what a good negotiator you are; it can actually appear arrogant and makes us question whether the student really wants to be part of our community or is just looking for a better deal regardless of the school.”

Candidates, even those with perfect test scores or successful business backgrounds, would be well served to display some humility when applying to MBA programs.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect applicant,” says Bruce DelMonico at Yale. “Everyone has weaknesses. We’ll see them, so you’re better off acknowledging them and incorporating them into your application than hoping we’ll miss them.”

Diversity

Executive boardrooms have long been scrutinized for their lack of women, minorities, and socioeconomic representation. Today, it’s the mission of many deans to not only be the bridge to that change, but to make sure their classrooms optimize learning potential for their students by bringing together a brightly varied mix of perspectives.

“There’s no cookie-cutter profile that makes a perfect candidate for our program — in fact, the more diverse a person, the better,” says Hill. “Candidates should take the time to look at what the current profile of a particular school’s MBA student looks like and ask themselves, ‘How do I set myself apart?’ Traditional diversity, geographic diversity, cultural diversity, diversity of educational backgrounds are all important, and are sought after by admissions deans because they can make the classroom experience much richer for all of the MBA students in their program.”

As you sit behind your desk at the end of the workday, you find yourself wondering, Is this job really the right fit for me? When you start to think about the last few months, you realize you’ve been wondering that for a while now. You’ve always had getting an MBA program in the back of your mind, thinking it could be the next step, but the timing never seemed right.

Have you ever thought maybe these feelings about work are a sign that you’re ready? As it turns out, there are actually several things about your job that can prove it’s time for you to get your MBA. See if these five sound familiar.

1. You feel stuck in your current job, like there’s no room for upward mobility.

Do you feel static in your current position? Maybe your skills aren’t being tapped, or you feel like your contributions aren’t valued. Maybe your boss’s job as a director is coming open, but it requires 10 years of experience, and you only have three. Whatever situation you’re in, you feel like it’s keeping you from ever moving up, in or outside of your current job.

2. A promotion within your current organization is only possible with an MBA.

Maybe that director’s position that just opened up is something you really want, and the description states that an MBA is required as an alternative to years of experience. You could still apply and probably get an interview since you’re already a manager, but without the MBA, your chances are slim. You begin to question whether or not you really see yourself there long-term.

3. Other job openings you’ve seen are only available to those with MBAs.

Since you’re feeling stuck at this point, you make your way over to some job sites in your free time, just to check out what might be available outside of your company. But once you get there, you start seeing a trend. “MBA required” or “MBA preferred” seems to be a qualification for every job you’d be interested in. Who knew MBAs were in such demand?

4. You’re applying for new jobs, but are losing out to people who have MBAs.

Maybe you decide you’d be willing to work somewhere new, so you actually start applying for some of these jobs. But every job you apply for goes to someone who has an MBA—even the ones that don’t state it as a requirement. You even lose out on the one you had a really great interview for. They tell you that although you seem highly qualified, they have the chance to hire a similar candidate with an MBA, so they’re going in that direction.

5. You’re investing a lot of time into your career, but aren’t seeing positive results.

You know having a strong and successful career would be fulfilling, but investing this much of yourself into your career so far without seeing the results you want is anything but. You don’t want to become one of those stuck-in-a-job-that-I-hate people, but that might be where your current path is leading.

Maybe it really is time for your MBA.

Do you want even more signs to look for—in all areas of your life—to know if you might be ready for an MBA program? If so, download this free ebook with 32 ways to know, as well as quotes from real students about how they knew an MBA was right for them. It might just help you make your own decision.

Date:               Monday , April 27, 2015
Time:              7:00 EST (informal reception/snacks) 7:30 pm  EST (lecture)
Location:        Center for Marketing Technology (CMT), Morison Building, Bentley University
                       175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA  Click here for Map
Speaker:         Dr. Nathaniel Lin
Title:              “Big Data Analytics amidst Zombies, Bots and Fake Traffic in China”

Summary: "With the emergence of China economic power, more and more businesses are reaching out to the Chinese consumers through the use of social media. Unlike the US, despite the semblance of “law and order”, few rules actually are observed when it comes to online and mobile advertising in China. This creates a confused situation of large number of fans, likes and even comments or clicks inflated by armies of fake fans (known as zombie fans in China), mercenary for hire for “Likes” and “Comments”. In order to mine insights with analytics, we need to know what actually works and what doesn’t. Therefore it is critical we are able to distinguish real from fake online and social media activities. In this talk, I will present examples of “Big Data” analytics used. The topics I will cover are to discern which social media posts are genuine among fakes,  predicting who are the true KOL’s (Key Opinion Leader) and estimate their true “Reach" and “Influence”. I will also touch briefly on some of the work in progress in leveraging Chinese Language text mining, emerging RTB (Real Time Bids) technology and Predictive Analytics to achieve superior precision targeting in China. I will also share how customer insights from advanced big data analytics are being combined with leading edge marketing and CRM technologies to achieve real business impacts in the crowded online market space in China.”

My bio: Dr. Nathaniel Lin is a recognized leader in marketing and business analytics across various industries worldwide. He has over 20 years of frontline experience applying actionable advanced analytics strategies to the world’s largest companies in technology, finance, automotive, telecommunications, retail, and across many other businesses, including IBM, Fidelity Investments, OgilvyOne, and Aspen (now Epsilon) Marketing Analytics.

Nathaniel is currently the President of Analytics Consult and was the Chief Customer Insights Officer of Attract China. He has been leading the efforts to develop leading edge Big Data Analytics technology and knowledge assets to deliver unparalleled values to Chinese consumers and U.S. clients. Nathaniel is widely recognized as an expert, teacher, author, and hands-on leader and accomplished business executive in the application of data and advanced analytics in a wide variety of businesses. Together with his team, Nathaniel serves as a trusted strategic advisor to senior management. He is frequently invited as the keynote speaker in analytics events and advised over 150 CEOs in the U.S. and abroad on analytics and Big Data issues. He was also invited by WWW2010 as one of the four expert panelists (together with the heads of Google Analytics, eBay Analytics, and Web Analytics Association) on the Future of Predictive Analytics. As a recognized analytics expert, Nathaniel has partnered with Professor Tom Davenport to benchmark analytics competencies of major corporations across different industries. He also demonstrates his passion in developing future analytics leaders by teaching as Adjunct Professor in Strategic CRM and Advanced Business Analytics for MBA and PhD students at the Georgia Tech College of Management, Boston College Carroll School of Management, and Bentley University. Nathaniel holds a PhD in Engineering from Birmingham University (UK) and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also the author of Applied Business Analytics recently published by the Financial Times/Pearson Press focusing in bridging the gap between analytics and business insights and strategies.

If you’re considering enrolling in a part-time or full-time MBA program but are worried about whether you can maintain any semblance of work-life balance, Eddy Villalta has some advice for you.

“If you want to break out of your comfort zone and achieve everything possible, you’ll need balance to do it,” says Villalta, a Bentley Professional MBA student who will graduate this May.

But it won’t be easy, he admits, and his wife Andrea emphatically agrees. They stress that it takes two to make it work — or in their case, four, when you factor in two young sons who are very much part of the work-life balance dynamic.

What can help you get through the sacrifices? Here are the main the things that the couple says are important:

• Watch your finances, especially if you have kids and have decided that one spouse will stay home with the children.
• Have a mentor, someone who can advise you about your career and the relative benefits of getting the advanced degree. In the end, though, you must be the first to be convinced that it will all be worth it.
• Don’t compromise your long-term goals even if opportunity seems to strike. When you’re focused, you’ll be able to tell if it the timing is not right. 
• Set guidelines from the beginning. For example, perhaps you’ll decide, like Villalta, that Sunday is always a day off: No work, no study, no group projects, even if other members of your team would like to meet.
• If you have a spouse or partner, make sure you can count on him or her to be there for you. You will need someone you can confide in, someone who will encourage you when things get tough.
• Surround yourself with a network of people who may or may not have a lot in common with you but whom you can rely on for help, for friendship, and for guidance.
• Take advantage of the resources and connections at the university where you enrolled and try to ascertain if there’s a supportive culture. You might find it will pay off in ways you never imagined.
• Get ready for a shock, especially if you haven’t been in school for a while, because the academic challenge will be substantial. But you’ll survive.
• If you can “fast track” your program of studies, by all means do it. Sprint toward the finish as long as it doesn’t kill you!

That advice comes from a couple whose need for balance has been especially pronounced. Enrolled in Bentley’s part-time Professional MBA program, Villalta works during the day for EMC Corp., commuting about an hour each way, and takes his courses on certain evenings and occasionally on weekends. 

In part-time programs, that schedule is not uncommon. But what really makes Villalta different is his decision to give up a 13-year, highly successful career in Costa Rica and move 2,400 miles to earn this Bentley MBA. He knows why he’s here, and strives to do everything in his power to be successful.

Before deciding to get a graduate degree, Villalta worked in both product development and call-center operations in Central America after graduating with an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering. In his last position with COINCA Telematics, he had major responsibilities for developing and executing a business plan that included product development, procurement of hardware and software, personnel, and sales and training, all spread across six Central American countries. 

After five years, Villalta was a C-level executive. But he knew that he wanted more, that he wanted to test himself and needed “to break out of my comfort zone.”

And did he ever. Encouraged by a former supervisor who was “like my father,” Villalta decided he had to get an MBA because it would provide a comprehensive perspective that he knew he didn’t have and would need. And while he could have studied in Central America, he decided that if he was going to break out of his comfort zone, he might as well go all the way.

Villalta opted for the Bentley Professional MBA instead of the Bentley MBA, which is an 11-month, full-time intensive program. While that may seem surprising, he was again influenced by his mentor, who said that the opportunity to experience the American culture in every way, especially in Boston, was one that Villalta ought to grasp, something that would have been more difficult in the shorter, immersive program. As things turned out, Villalta will gain his degree in less than two years, a very fast pace for a program that caters especially to people who are working.

“Andrea and I both quit our jobs (she was in private equity), sold everything we had (except their house) and moved to Massachusetts,” he says. “I did it for myself and for the kids,” both of whom now are excelling in the highly regarded schools in Belmont, where the family lives. His landlady, who has an Masters in Taxation from Bentley, made it clear that being a Bentley student mattered. “It was another indication to me that Bentley had a culture of people helping each other out,” adds Villalta.

With a concentration in Business Analytics, Villalta is considering several employment opportunities and, consistent with his goals, he plans to be selective, looking not just for a good job but for a clear path to success. Wanting to give his family a boost while ensuring that they are safe and happy has always been part of work-life balance, Villalta insists, especially during his time as a student. “If I get the best job in the world but I don’t have them, then it will not have been worth it.” 

Once he’s fully launched, the focus on balance may well continue in the Villalta family as Andrea considers her own turn at graduate school.

When you went to college as an undergrad, did you know exactly what career path you wanted to take and stick with your original plan? If you were anything like the majority of students, you didn’t.

An estimated 75 percent of undergraduate students change their majors at least once before they graduate, while 20 to 50 percent enter college as “undecided.” That’s OK, though! And actually beneficial, according to Penn State— undergrad degrees are an opportunity to explore different career paths to figure out which one is right for you.

When it comes to graduate school, the process is a little different. It’s better to know your goals from the start so you can make the most of your courses and networking opportunities during the program. But narrowing down the right choice before you begin can be tricky, since the job market is constantly changing.  

To help you know what the best options are, we rounded up Time magazine’s 2015 career predictions, as well as the best jobs for MBAs from U.S. News & World Report, to identify these five career paths as great choices for MBAs in today’s job market. We’ll also tell you what skills you need to make landing one of these jobs possible.

5 Of The Best Careers For MBAs

1. Data Analytics

Today’s technology, along with the Internet of Things, has made collecting endless amounts of raw data not only possible, but beneficial for companies and organizations. Analyzing this data and turning it into meaningful information allows them to make better business decisions. As a result, the demand for data analysts in all business sectors has skyrocketed. By 2018, the U.S. labor market will face a shortage of as many as 190,000 people with the requisite analytical skills to support demand. A Master of Business Analytics can be the first step in entering this field.

2. Advertising & Marketing

In the coming years, marketing jobs will remain plentiful as the media landscape shifts from traditional advertising to content marketing — especially for marketers who can mine data to inform decisions. The demand for marketing research analysts is expected to increase by 41 percent, and other jobs within the sector (such as sales reps, writers, and graphic designers) will increase as well. This field is ripe for professionals with marketing MBAs.

3. Finance

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, university degree holders with specialized skills in areas such as financial analysis will fall well below the national unemployment average. In fact, jobs for financial analysts look promising — employment of financial analysts is expected to increase by 16 percent. An MBA coupled with a background as a financial analyst, accountant, or loan officer, positions graduates for jobs as financial managers, CFOs, and more.

4. Entrepreneurship

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an annual assessment of entrepreneurial activity around the world, estimates that 13 percent of all Americans are involved in entrepreneurial activity, which is up significantly as trends like social entrepreneurship gain traction and funding. The success of any entrepreneur is dependant upon their ability to build relationships, manage teams, think on their feet, and lead effectively, regardless of the scenario at hand.

5. Information Technology

The demand for software developers with business skills (think CTO) is growing, and information security analysts are good bets for MBAs who also have knowledge of information systems, whether through a dual MS + MBA program, an MBA concentration in IT, or a complementary undergraduate degree. Employment and output in the tech industry are, of course, growing more rapidly as time passes.

Getting involved

The key to landing a job in one of these growing fields is having a specific set of skills in your workplace toolkit. An MBA delivers breadth of knowledge, giving graduates the ability to navigate any field. But you’ll be a game-changer in a company if your skill set includes deeper knowledge in a particular discipline. There are two different ways to measure your skills when it comes time for job searching.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are what will land you your first job — think of them as demonstrable abilities and knowledge required for success in the position. This subject-matter expertise can be learned, evaluated, and measured, and includes things like computer programming, web design, accounting, writing, market research and segmentation, and financial modeling and forecasting. You can gain hard skills by taking graduate classes, a certificate program, an internship, or tackling a freelance project. These skills are essential to have on your resume, and can even determine whether or not you get an interview.

Soft Skills

In order to retain that job and be successful in it, you need soft skills. Broadly speaking, soft skills are the portable and valuable “people skills” we use to interact with others at work. Your work ethic, attitude, communication skills, and emotional intelligence or self-awareness are all in play as you develop relationships and trust within an organization. You can develop soft skills in grad school through extracurriculars, student organizations, and networking events, and those skills will further develop through work and personal situations over a lifetime. Look to establish relationships with mentors and supervisors who have these skills and are willing to share some of the stories that contributed to their development.

Be Successful

Picking the right career is essential when getting a graduate degree — it helps you make the most of your studies and networking opportunities during the program. If you’re deciding which path to go down, know that these five options are great for those with MBAs. Choose the field that is best for you and work to develop the skills that will lead to your success.    

If you found this information helpful, check out our free resource, The MBA’s Guide to Workplace Success. You’ll learn what else should be in your workplace toolkit, what valuable organizations you should be part of in grad school, and other valuable career knowledge that will ensure your workplace success.

Are you preparing to start your MBA this fall, or considering the idea? Getting all of the necessary prep work done can seem a bit overwhelming—especially with a job and personal life to balance. But, if you can spread out the workload and get a few things done in advance, the pressure you feel will decrease substantially.

We’ve compiled a list of things you should do now, to make sure you’re prepared later. Whether you’ve already completed the GMAT exam and been accepted to a graduate school, or are just curious about some of the prep work involved, here’s everything you should do in the Spring to make sure you’re ready for school in the Fall.

Spring Preparation

Apply for health insurance.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that students have appropriate health insurance coverage. Since most U.S. medical institutions won’t accept non-U.S. insurance for payment, international students attending Bentley are required to purchase Bentley Student Health Insurance to comply with state law.

Make sure you meet vaccination requirements.

Massachusetts also requires all students to be fully immunized against various diseases. To verify compliance with state law, you must provide the Center for Health and Wellness with a completed medical history form and immunization certificate signed by a medical doctor before the start of classes.

Arrange for housing.

Some places we recommend looking for housing options are FullDorm (once you have a college email address), Craigslist, Trulia, and Zillow. You can also look at the the Campus Life section of the college website or contact an admissions officer for help.

If you’re an international student:

• Obtain a passport from your country of citizenship. You will not be permitted to enter the United States without a valid passport and an F-1 or J-1 visa stamp.

• If you’ve been admitted to Bentley (and submitted your deposit), the Graduate Admissions office will forward your financial documents to the Center for International Students and Scholars (CISS) to issue you a Form I-20. We will forward the I-20 to you as soon as possible to allow you time to obtain an F-1 student visa. You should allow three weeks to process and complete the I-20.

• Obtain an F-1 or J-1 visa from the U.S. consulate in your home country. At your appointment, you will present to the consular officer the SEVIS fee receipt (see below), all pages of your Form I-20 or DS-2019, and the original financial documents you submitted to the school with your application.

• Prior to your appointment, you should pay the SEVIS I-901 fee online through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Print and retain the paid receipt.

• Once you have received the F-1 or J-1 visa stamp on your passport, pick up your passport at the U.S. consulate in your home country.

• Plan to arrive in the United States no more than 30 days prior to the start of your academic program. Before arriving at a U.S. airport or border facility, be sure to have your passport/F-1 or J-1 visa and your original Form I-20 or DS-2019. An immigration officer will review these documents and return them to you.

Summer Preparation

As the fall semester gets closer, you’ll want to finalize all student loans and aid information so you know how much you will owe by the payment deadline. You’ll also want to plan on arriving to campus or to the new city one month before classes begin. This will give you time to secure housing and become familiar with the area. Then all that’s left to do is register for courses, buy textbooks and supplies, and attend new student orientation before classes begin.

Be Prepared!

If you’re getting ready to start your MBA this fall, or think you might be ready to start the application process for next year, make sure you know what needs to be done so you can start the semester stress-free. For a full timeline of the application process, download this free MBA application toolkit. You’ll get a year-long, step-by-step guide that tells you exactly what you need to do to become an MBA student.

UX magazine, one of our go-to sources for all things UX (follow them on twitter @UXmag, you'll see!), names winners each year for their Design for Experience Awards. There are several categories, and the winners "are doing vanguard work in the field of experience design, and were selected as winners based in large part on what we can learn from their work." We are thrilled to see that Bentley’s HFID graduate program came out on top in the "Academic Program" category, up against other graduate programs around the globe. The magazine had this to say about the Human Factors in Information Design program:

"As an experience designer, it’s easy to get distracted by creative aspects of your work and ignore the business needs that drive projects. Bentley University’s Human Factors in Information Design (HFID) graduate program is part of a business program, not just a UX program, which allows students to learn more than just how to create UX deliverables. Understanding the impact that UX has on business (and that business has on UX) is crucial, and can also help foster the soft skills that many pure UX programs lack. Taking this approach to UX education put Bentley University ahead of the pack."

You can see all of the categories and Design for Experience award winners here.

UX education has begun moving online, allowing students around the world to study UX. Despite of the challenges faced by online education, today’s programs are producing effective UX professionals. Read the full article on the UXPA magazine website: "Studying UX Online: Advantages, Difficulties, and Best Practices."

Planning Workshop for a Thought Leadership Network on Data-driven Innovation and Value Creation
Bentley University – June 22, 2015

What is a TLN? Thought-Leadership Network is a coordinated network of scholars and practitioners aimed provide to advance knowledge and innovation. Our TLN focuses on topics related to data-driven innovation and value creation.

Broader Initiative: The workshop is funded by a grant from the Bentley Research Council in the context of the Bentley University thought leadership network initiative

Main objectives of the workshop:

• Communicating the core idea underlying the network to the Bentley community
• Evaluating the feasibility of the concept underlying this network collaboratively, potentially changing the direction if necessary
• Encouraging as many members of the Bentley community as possible to explore the potential value of this network
• Engaging the invited external experts in the network planning process and maximizing the learning based on their experience and expertise
• Planning the next stages for various elements of the process of creating this network.

Tentative workshop schedule:We will start the event with breakfast at 8:30am and end the day by 4:30pm.

Core Bentley TLN Team

• Heikki Topi (CIS, PI)

• Mystica Alexander (LTFP, Co-PI)
• Joel Deichmann (GLS, participant)
• Jeff Gulati (GLS, Co-PI)

• Wendy Lucas (CIS, Co-PI)

• Marco Marabelli (IPM, Co-PI)
• David Oury (MA, Co-PI)

• David Szymanski (NAS, participant)
• Sam Woolford (MA, Co-PI)

• David Yates (CIS, Co-PI)
   

TLN External Advisory Board Members Attending the Workshop

• Azer Bestavros (Boston University; http://azer.bestavros.net/)
• Ola Henfridsson (Warwick Business School; http://www.wbs.ac.uk/about/person/ola-henfridsson); will participate remotely because of a conflict with an accreditation visit
• Gerry Kane (Boston College; http://www.bc.edu/schools/csom/faculty/bios/kane-g.html)
• Theresa Pardo (University of Albany, SUNY; http://www.albany.edu/news/experts/14269.php)
• Jason Thatcher (Clemson University; http://www.clemson.edu/cbbs/about/profiles/?userid=JTHATCH)
• Joseph Valacich (University of Arizona; https://mis.eller.arizona.edu/people/joseph-valacich)

Contact information: htopi@bentley.edu

Choosing to attend grad school is a big decision. But once you’ve decided you want to go back to school, there are tons of other decisions to make—what school to attend, what program to join, what area to focus on. Among those decisions is whether to obtain a degree through an online environment or traditional classes.

When comparing an online MBA vs. traditional MBA, there are several things to take into consideration. We’ve broken those things down into four categories—flexibility, discipline, interaction, and experience—to help uncover the strengths and weaknesses of each program. Take a look at these facts to figure out which option comes out on top. (Hint: the answer may surprise you.)

Online MBA Vs. Traditional MBA

Flexibility

One of the biggest benefits of an online degree is its flexibility. Online classes give you the freedom to complete coursework whenever you choose, from anywhere you are. You don’t have to live in the same city (or even the same country) to attend a university, and those with families or full-time jobs can choose when school fits into their busy schedules.

Traditional MBA programs are less flexible—you are required to attend scheduled classes if you want to receive assignments and take tests, which means you have to live on or near campus. Most schools offer both day and evening classes, so you can still pick a time that fits better with your schedule, but traditional classes are generally less convenient.

Discipline

While the freedom of online classes is a benefit, the self-motivation they require can sometimes be a hindrance. For an online MBA program, you should be able to set deadlines, prioritize your school schedule, and complete tasks without reminders from teachers or classmates. You won’t have anyone checking in or feeding you information, so you need to be able to get work done on your own.  

With traditional classes, you have daily support and encouragement from professors and peers, as well as more structure and stability in coursework and classes. You still need to be diligent and disciplined, but you can rely on having a steady routine and getting help from others when needed.

Interaction

An obvious downside to online MBA programs is the lack of in-person interaction among students and staff. While you won’t be totally isolated, it’s just not possible to have as much interaction online as you would in a classroom. Communication is limited to email, phone calls, or online video, so you don’t have immediate access to help or attention.

Being on campus for traditional MBA programs gets you face-to-face interaction with professors and classmates. Attending a physical class allows you to ask questions mid-lecture, or get clarity on homework assignments or tests immediately. You can also participate in on-campus events and student organizations to further your education.

Experience

The overall experience of an online MBA program can be rewarding—it teaches discipline, advances technical skills, and proves that you have what it takes to get a graduate degree on your own terms. You learn to create an independent study environment that works with your needs, and work to improve upon your personal and professional skills.

Traditional MBA programs are also rewarding—you meet lots of new people, have great networking opportunities, get to experience new places, and are part of a sense of community. You also get hands-on experience while learning how to work with a team and build leadership skills.

So, Who Wins?

As you can see, online and traditional MBA programs both have pros and cons (which you probably knew before reading this article). But before we say that it’s up to you to decide which one is better, you should know that there is a third option—one that provides only the benefits of online and traditional programs. Sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not—it’s called the hybrid classroom.

The Hybrid Classroom

At Bentley, we’ve created a learning environment that combines both the traditional classroom experience with online flexibility. Using Saba Meeting, a web conferencing software, students can fully participate in a class no matter where they happen to be during the time of the class that week. Remote students can actively listen in on lectures, engage in classroom discussion, and participate in projects with fellow classmates—all without needing to be in class.

Hybrid classrooms are equipped with video cameras, smartboards, ceiling-mounted student microphones, and wireless microphones for professors to deliver an interactive experience for online participants. How do hybrid classes compare?

Flexibility

Hybrid classrooms are a flexible option for students with jobs, families, or traveling responsibilities who would not always be able to attend class physically. At the same time, students can—and are encouraged to—attend class in-person whenever possible.

Discipline

Hybrid classes allow you to have a schedule and routine without feeling locked in. You get the benefits of daily support and encouragement from professors and peers without the restrictions of attending class.

Interaction

One of the best parts of the hybrid classroom is that students can take advantage of online technology while fully interacting and engaging with teachers and classmates in real-time.

Experience

A study by Athabasca University revealed that online learning allows for greater explanatory and cognitive learning, while residential study improves social and procedural learning (that study here). With hybrid classes, you get to experience and improve both—giving you all of the benefits of both online and traditional.

Choose The Best Option For You

As you decide what kind of degree to pursue, keep in mind that there’s more than just an online MBA vs. traditional MBA to consider. Your third option—the hybrid classroom—is an opportunity to experience the best of both worlds. Keep it in mind as you make your decision, and remember to ultimately choose what’s best for you.

Heart racing, palms sweating, stomach sinking… You know the feeling—the nerves that take over right before walking into an interview.

What are they going to ask? What am I going to say? What if I screw it all up?

Believe it or not, everyone experiences those feelings at one point or another, even those really, really confident looking people! Even if you can’t get rid of it completely, you can reduce the amount of stress you feel by preparing for an interview before it happens. Knowing in advance what the interviewer might ask can give you time to come up with the best possible answers, which should keep your nerves from completely taking over.

If you’re getting ready for an MBA interview, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up a list of 12 commonly-asked MBA interview questions and given a little guidance on the best answers.

Common MBA Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.

This universal, completely open-ended interview question has the potential to trip you into a bottomless pit—don’t let it. Prove that you’re well-versed and have the ability to articulate and structure your thoughts. Keep your answer around 2-3 minutes, and make sure to focus on your undergraduate education, your work experience and accomplishments, and your career goals. Everything you talk about should lead to why you’re right, and why the school would benefit from you pursuing an MBA there.

2. Why do you want to receive an MBA? Why now?

Explain your motivation for pursuing a graduate business degree and why you feel now is the right time. Describe how an MBA will help you achieve your career goals and emphasize that the degree is a critical part of your plan.

3. Why are you interested in this school or program?

Show that you’ve done your research. List all of the reasons you feel the school or program is ideally suited for you, whether it’s their faculty, facilities, course offerings, class size, student activities, job placement record, networking opportunities, or location. You want to convey that this school is one of, if not the top choice for you.

See Also: 7 Things MBA Admissions Deans Want To See In Your Application

4. What has been your most challenging or rewarding academic experience so far?

Think back to your time as an undergrad—your favorite (or least favorite) professors, classes, projects, and organizations. If you’re going to talk about a challenge you faced, describe how you were able to overcome the challenge and turn it into a positive or successful experience. If you’re talking about a situation that was rewarding, explain why it was rewarding and what you gained from the experience.

5. Discuss a time when you were a leader.

It’s very likely that the interviewer will be interested in your leadership skills—this is common among MBA interview questions. Have several specific examples ready that illustrate different forms of leadership, from leading a team, to taking the ethical high ground, to making a positive impact. Can Ahtam, Assistant Director of Admission for Bentley's Graduate School of Business, says that the best answers always involve potential students' involvement with extracurricular activities or organizations outside of their workplace. "We can see that they are doing things that allow them to develop valuable skills like organizing events, managing people and other resources, and creating value in a certain area," he says.

6. What do you like most about your current work?

This is an opportunity to direct the conversation toward something you are truly passionate about. What do you love about your job, and why did you choose that particular career path? What do you find rewarding or satisfying about what you currently do? Even if you’re unhappy in your current position, you should be able to name at least one good thing about it—this shows you’re able to find positivity in a negative situation.

7. What kinds of changes would you make at work if you could?

Describe how you would make positive changes within your workplace. Make sure to keep your ideas business-related—maybe creating a new team within your firm or reaching out to a new industry. This shows that you’re innovative and that you know how to improve and impact a business.  

8. How would your colleagues and/or supervisor describe you?

Highlight both professional and personal characteristics that will indicate what kind of student and classmate you’ll be. Just remember that your supervisor is most likely the one who wrote your recommendation, so the interviewer already knows what they’d say. That means don’t make something up! Paint an accurate picture of what you’re really like at work.

9. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?

Coming up with strengths is fairly easy—you know what you’re good at. Pick two or three that would set you apart and back yourself up with a few examples. When it comes to weaknesses, it gets a little harder. You may be nervous to admit a weakness for fear that it’ll turn the interview south, but the interviewer will probably be more interested in how you handle yourself during this tough question than your actual answer. After you state a weakness, make sure you’re able to recover from the blow by leading the conversation back to a positive.

10. What are your short- and long-term goals?

Your short-term goals should be concrete and achievable, while your long-term goals should line up with your passions and personality. You should include at least a couple of business and career-oriented goals so you can show how an MBA would play a part in helping you achieve them.  

11. If you’re admitted to our program, what do you think your biggest challenge will be?

For interview questions like this, prove that you’re aware of the demands of a graduate degree program and that you’re ready to face them. Be candid, explain how you’ll address the challenge, and show that you’re thinking about how to manage your time and resources wisely.

12. Do you have any questions for me?

You’ll most certainly be asked if you have any questions yourself, and you definitely should. You want to show that you’re serious, that you’ve done your homework, and that you’re putting a great amount of thought into the process. Here are some questions you could ask:

• What do you think sets this campus apart from others?

• What major changes do you see on the horizon for this program?

• How does your program work to develop relationships with that field or industry?

• If you were in my position, with my goals, what would you say are your program’s biggest advantages to me?

Be Prepared

If you’re getting ready for a graduate degree interview, make sure you prepare with these MBA interview questions. Take the time to carefully consider your answers, and make sure those answers truly convey your skills and passion for the business world. If you do that, the nerves may not fully subside, but your interview will be a success!

Iris

Professor Iris Berdrow’s work focuses on inter-cultural management practices.  Her specific research interests are in developing inter-cultural competencies, and pedagogies designed to effectively prepare students for inter-cultural work environments.  Her teaching case “Experience-Wine.com: The Monte Lauro Vineyards Story” received highly commended mention for outstanding quality from the 2013 EFMD Case Writing Competition.  Her latest work with Dr. Allan Bird of Northeastern University develops a model for assessment and development of intercultural effectiveness, and presents results from a 5 year longitudinal study of undergraduate intercultural effectiveness.

Joe B

Professor Joe Byrnes focuses on optimal ways to advance student learning of negotiating research and practice at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. A major emphasis of his work is the creation of unique and complex negotiating simulations to help students develop their negotiating skills. In addition, his most recent articles and presentations have emphasized effective, practical methods to develop learning opportunities in his negotiating classes for students with different ability levels. The Teaching Professor in its 2009 Special Report on Group Work published his article (“I Hate Groups” with M. Byrnes) on forming motivated, high performance student teams in negotiating classes.
 

Mark

Professor Mark Davis’s research focuses on service operations management. He recently published a case with Harvard Business School Publishing titled “Three Jays Company” (August, 2014). He has also developed a workshop on “Education as a Service,” in which he discusses the various teaching innovations he has introduced into his classroom. This workshop has been presented at several academic conferences and Professor Davis has been invited to present it to faculty at Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary and the University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carols, Brazil (October, 2014). He also was invited to present an abbreviated online version to the members of International Society of Service Innovations Professionals (August, 2014).

Alan

Professor Alan Hoffman is a Strategic Management case writer and textbook author. His current research interest is the areas of Design Thinking, Creativity and Innovation. He recently published a textbook entitled, Strategic Management and Business Policy: Globalization, Innovation and Sustainability, 14th Edition, Pearson 2015, with co-author Charles E. Bamford. He is also a strategic management case writer and has published more than 30 cases that appear regularly in all of the major strategic management textbooks. His recent cases on Staples, Harley Davidson and JC Penney are available through the Rotterdam School of Management Case Development Center and theCasecentre.org.

Diane

Professor Diane Kellogg’s scholarship focusing on public-private partnerships (PPPs) engaged in large-scale social change is an extension of her career-long interest in leadership and organization change.  She initiated The Ghana Project at Bentley which introduces students to the potential for private business to address social problems.   Her chapter in Socially Responsive  Organizations and the Challenge of Poverty (Gudic, Rosenbloom and Parkes, 2014) is titled “Partners in Learning on the Front Lines of Poverty” and analyzes approaches to educating and motivating business students to not only think about issues of poverty and inequality but to take action.  

George

Professor George Marron’s research interests focuses on the ever changing workplace. Another area of interest includes workforce diversity issues especially as they impact Hispanic business professionals. He also focuses on issues involved in the assessment and assurance of student learning outcomes. Three current projects in this area are: “Three Tools to Improve Student Learning and Contribute to the Assessment Process in Undergraduate Business Education Courses”; “I Don’t Remember Learning That:  An Assessment of Learning in an Integrative Business Course” and “Faculty Motivation and The Impact on Assessment”.

Duncan

Professor Duncan Spelman’s current scholarship focuses on exploring pedagogical approaches that help students to develop the capacity to think about their own thinking. Such thinking (metacognition) is particularly valuable for leaders, especially when operating in situations characterized by significant cultural and demographic diversity.  The model he has developed with Bentley co-authors Wiley Davi and Earl Avery highlights the impact on our thinking of unconscious processes, emotions, social identities and the drive for certainty.  He and his coauthors have presented at several conferences including the International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, and the Academic Chairpersons Conference. 

Corporate Advisory Board Members:

Tom Clancy, VP Education, EMC
Pete D'Orsi, Sr. Managing Actuary, Commercial Insurance Product Management, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group
Vic Hoffman, Director, Analytical Consulting, Teradata
Fotios Kokkotos, Partner, Trinity Partners
Jay Leatherman, Senior Solutions Architect, SAS
John Lin, VP Analytics, Epsilon
Victor Lo, VP, Fidelity Investments
Christopher Lynch, Co-founder, Hack/Reduce
Doug Newell, Principal, Calexus
Jacque Paige, Principal, Smith-Hanley
Karl Rexer, Founder & President, Rexer Analytics
Ilona Sobkowiak, Director Marketing Analytics, Vistaprint
Allen Thompson, Bank of America

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