UIUC (Illinois) iMBA - is there a gotcha?

[bjcheung77]

UIUC IMSM is good on its own, it's one of many or several that has AACSB and is not in Accounting... UIUC just wants to use that as a 'ladder' into their IMBA, but you really don't need to get the IMBA or ladder into that. IMSM already has 30 credits, it's a full or proper Masters in Management like any other out there. People just don't know and fall for their advertising as a ladder into the IMBA.

[ss20ts]

Thanks - I am far from a traditional fresh graduate - I am 53 with lots of work experience. But I'm still interested in the iMSM, because there doesn't seem to be a downside to it, if I understand it right. You can still get the MBA in the same amount of time, if you choose to do so, but meantime, you get a MSM halfway through. What's not to like, especially if it has the same performance-based admissions concept?

An MSM may be enough of a credential, anyway, especially from somewhere like Illinois.

I am not in position to do any master's program yet, but when I am, this is definitely a path I will consider seriously. Thanks for the additional info!

At 53 years old, there's no way I would spend 25 K on an MBA. At 30, it's one thing, but in your 50's. No way. The ROI just isn't there. Your experience will do far more than the MBA at that point.

[Kjnova]

That is a sort of depressing thought!

But, I think it would be difficult to be sure because we can't run A/B tests of our life.

A few months of employment as opposed to unemployment would pay for it. Or, one big raise or promotion for one year would pay for it. Or, one small raise over a period of years would pay for it.

However, it's. hard to calculate that vs other options. For example, it's hard to say if the odds of being employed vs unemployed would be different with the Illinois master's vs (say) a UMPI MAOL vs any other option.

However, I will say that $25K for something that might help does not seem excessive to me. I've spent $25K for less important things

Anyway, this thread isn't intended to be about my personal choice. I mainly wanted to point out the performance-based admission option, because I think that's unusual and admirable for this sort of school and program.

[Vle045]

The iMSM looks really interesting! Though I am not sure if they have that admissions plan I mentioned for it.

I don't see why they wouldn't, unless they haven't resourced it. I wonder if there is a workaround. Like using the performance admissions plan to get into iMBA and then transferring to iMSM. It also may not be as hard to get admitted through normal channels as I am imagining.

I guess the main advantage to that is, you get a master's degree in half the time, without delaying or giving up on the MBA.

I had replied earlier about Boston U. and Illinois, but I apparently deleted that reply by mistake fumbling with post quoting features. Here in the Mid Atlantic - ie the upper part of the Southeast - I have to consciously think about which is which between Boston University and Boston College, though I am aware that they are both highly regarded. I am more familiar with the Illinois brand from sports, though I don't know much about them, aside from a vague awareness that they are a well-regarded state flagship university.

The iMSM also has performance based admissions options, but the courses are different. No need for a workaround. https://giesonline.illinois.edu/explore-...ions-track

Also, these programs are offered through Coursera as well.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to do their MBA program for the simple fact that it’s like double the coursework.  Holy smokes!  However, I am sure it’s an excellent program. 

Just to throw another MBA program out there, this one from Illinois Tech on Coursera is performance based.  Plus if you have done any of the professional certificates (like from google or ibm on Coursera), you may be able to transfer in three credits for that.
https://www.coursera.org/degrees/mba-ill...ch/landing

Illinois Tech is a far cry from UI though. Maaaaybe if you honestly just need to check the box. But given the relative importance of name/prestige in the MBA glut-o-sphere, I would do UI in a heartbeat over I-tech.

IL resident btw.

Perhaps there are some who would find value in it, but at double the cost and double the work, it’s a hard pass for me.  I doubt there are that many places where one accredited MBA is better than another accredited MBA with all else being equal.  Maybe if they change that acronym to DBA considering the amount of credits they pack on to it.

[Duneranger]

The iMSM looks really interesting! Though I am not sure if they have that admissions plan I mentioned for it.

I don't see why they wouldn't, unless they haven't resourced it. I wonder if there is a workaround. Like using the performance admissions plan to get into iMBA and then transferring to iMSM. It also may not be as hard to get admitted through normal channels as I am imagining.

I guess the main advantage to that is, you get a master's degree in half the time, without delaying or giving up on the MBA.

I had replied earlier about Boston U. and Illinois, but I apparently deleted that reply by mistake fumbling with post quoting features. Here in the Mid Atlantic - ie the upper part of the Southeast - I have to consciously think about which is which between Boston University and Boston College, though I am aware that they are both highly regarded. I am more familiar with the Illinois brand from sports, though I don't know much about them, aside from a vague awareness that they are a well-regarded state flagship university.

The iMSM also has performance based admissions options, but the courses are different. No need for a workaround. https://giesonline.illinois.edu/explore-...ions-track

Also, these programs are offered through Coursera as well.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to do their MBA program for the simple fact that it’s like double the coursework.  Holy smokes!  However, I am sure it’s an excellent program. 

Just to throw another MBA program out there, this one from Illinois Tech on Coursera is performance based.  Plus if you have done any of the professional certificates (like from google or ibm on Coursera), you may be able to transfer in three credits for that.
https://www.coursera.org/degrees/mba-ill...ch/landing

Illinois Tech is a far cry from UI though. Maaaaybe if you honestly just need to check the box. But given the relative importance of name/prestige in the MBA glut-o-sphere, I would do UI in a heartbeat over I-tech.

IL resident btw.

Perhaps there are some who would find value in it, but at double the cost and double the work, it’s a hard pass for me.  I doubt there are that many places where one accredited MBA is better than another accredited MBA with all else being equal.  Maybe if they change that acronym to DBA considering the amount of credits they pack on to it.

There definitely is. Some things in life arent about going after the cheapest/easiest thing possible. There are MANY MANY places where it matters but degreeforum is going to be biased considering the purpose of this board. Its a bizarre trope on here that the school you go to magically doesn't matter. Especially bizarre is this day and age of degreeflation. These top firms (or not even top) get flooded with apps, ALL with MBAs and solid experience. The job market is not easy. Spend a little time on the MBA subreddit and you'll get a decent picture.

A DBA is pointless in real life, but all of my consulting/UL management friends in Chicago attended top MBA programs. Same with their colleagues Salaries range from 200-500k. The ROI is there. Maybe in your 50s not so much but you only live once and 25k really isn't all that much. My grad program was 150k but the first job offer I got was 275k + a 100k bonus...gotta spend money to make money sometimes,

These MBA programs and tuition wouldn't exist if there wasn't the demand and ROI for them. When you get into the top realm of salaries or careers, you gotta pass beyond a simple check the box HR filter. 

UI isn't a top top school but its a respectable name with solid connections.

[Kjnova]

I think it's hard to know what factors will matter. The name of the school may or may not matter to a particular company or hiring manager. I've seen it go both ways in my own professional career, observing people around me.

Sometimes, it can be due to the school's network, where either the hiring manager or somebody influential in the company is a fellow alum.

Sometimes, it can simply be perception ("because School A is highly selective and School B is not, most likely, the candidate from School A is more capable" - of course, this is often not the case, I am only talking about perception).

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

If you want the U of I name on the resume and access to the alumni networks the 11k iMSM might be the way to go.

If you still "need" an MBA after that, look at the Hellenic American MBA for 3,500.

Not a brand name there, but the UIUC program will outshine that.

[ifomonay]

If you want the U of I name on the resume and access to the alumni networks the 11k iMSM might be the way to go.

If you still "need" an MBA after that, look at the Hellenic American MBA for 3,500.

Not a brand name there, but the UIUC program will outshine that.

I agree with fire, once you get UIUC on your resume, that's all you need. You need just one big name university on your resume and other degrees can be whatever.

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Also,

If it hasn't been pointed out, the IMSM and IMBA are "overrun" with foreign students, who may be rough with English skills. Both are "mostly" asynchronous, but are cohort based and I have heard they both require massive amounts of group work with your classmates.

Something to keep in mind if considering either program.

Also, MSM and the accounting/finance program are both 30 credits. The MBA is over 70. Both the MSM and finance programs ladder into the MBA at which point you only have 10-15 credits left, with a certificate and multiple degrees. That might or might not be overkill.

But of all the Illinois residents I talk to, they end up leaving the online programs in disgust over the amount of foreign students without English skills or basic study skills that muck up the required group projects.

Gies does have an in person version of all these programs but they cost 3x as much.

[Kjnova]

I don't know if these two deserve their own thread, since the cost only makes sense if you are a North Carolina resident, so I'll just add them here because I personally am mainly considering these two vs Illinois MSM.

https://online-distance.ncsu.edu/program...analytics/

https://online-distance.ncsu.edu/program/management/

These are both more specific than the MSM, but might work for some situations. The appeal to me is that I live 30 minutes from the campus, and NCSU has a strong network in my part of the country.

At a national level, I'd give the advantage to the Illinois brand, and I'd also give the edge to MSM as a more general master's for business than either of these. It is also a plus that the MSM ladders into the MBA.

I might not be admitted to the NCSU programs, though, due to my inglorious NCSU undergrad transcript and NCSU's general pain-in-the-neck approach to everything. Vs Illinois has that alternate admissions track if I need it.