Patten MBA in 4 months???

[iwant2stalku]

I agree! The main thing pushing me to WGU instead of Patten is my fear that they will slow my pace with grading and limiting number of classes taken at once.

I spoke with the adviser again yesterday. He said they do not approve courses started in the last 6 weeks of a student's term. I told him my plan was to get through one every week or so. He said they could make exception if the student was working at a faster pace. The only thing pushing me out of WGU is the fact that I need a GPA higher than 3.0.

He also told me if I did it in 4 months he would like me to do a video for their marketing department. I asked if they would reimburse my tuition. lol

When do you plan on starting ?

Hopefully you can start a thread on your experience

I was trying to start this coming Monday, but the registrar hasn't reviewed my transcripts. Looks like it would be next Monday (8/3). I'd start a thread, but I will probably be too busy getting through the courses to really keep it updated. I still think it would be useful to others since Patten is relatively uncharted territory.

EDIT: I just looked at the schedule. The term that starts 8/3 ends on 11/20 (fifteen full weeks). But waiting one week (starting on 8/10) would give me two extra weeks (12/4). I'm sure I would lose a few days to their Thanksgiving break, but it may net me a few extra days overall to wait.

[mednat]

I spoke with the adviser again yesterday. He said they do not approve courses started in the last 6 weeks of a student's term. I told him my plan was to get through one every week or so. He said they could make exception if the student was working at a faster pace. The only thing pushing me out of WGU is the fact that I need a GPA higher than 3.0.

He also told me if I did it in 4 months he would like me to do a video for their marketing department. I asked if they would reimburse my tuition. lol



I was trying to start this coming Monday, but the registrar hasn't reviewed my transcripts. Looks like it would be next Monday (8/3). I'd start a thread, but I will probably be too busy getting through the courses to really keep it updated. I still think it would be useful to others since Patten is relatively uncharted territory.

EDIT: I just looked at the schedule. The term that starts 8/3 ends on 11/20 (fifteen full weeks). But waiting one week (starting on 8/10) would give me two extra weeks (12/4). I'm sure I would lose a few days to their Thanksgiving break, but it may net me a few extra days overall to wait.

That does sound interesting. I am rethinking my WGU decision. I would much rather have a GPA, since I don't have one for my undergrad (other than a couple of transfer classes).

[cptdilbert]

That does sound interesting. I am rethinking my WGU decision. I would much rather have a GPA, since I don't have one for my undergrad (other than a couple of transfer classes).

What situation would your MBA GPA ever matter? While I think there is value in either program, unless you have a specific plan in mind there is going to be less stigma with WGU over Patten.

[mednat]

What situation would your MBA GPA ever matter? While I think there is value in either program, unless you have a specific plan in mind there is going to be less stigma with WGU over Patten.

I intend to apply to other graduate programs after I complete my MBA. I don't think a GPA would matter, however I currently only have about 6 total graded credits for my undergrad.

[iwant2stalku]

What situation would your MBA GPA ever matter? While I think there is value in either program, unless you have a specific plan in mind there is going to be less stigma with WGU over Patten.

What is the "stigma" you speak of?

For me, I keep getting selected for opportunities that require a 3.5 or better undergrad GPA and I have no GPA from TESC. It's really been a stumbling block for me bc people don't seem to understand the school's GPA policy, even though it's explained on the back of my transcript. I want my master's to reflect the level of work I can do and having a GPA like what I would have if I were attending a traditional brick and mortor school would, I feel, paint a clearer picture for hiring managers.

[sanantone]

What is the "stigma" you speak of?

For me, I keep getting selected for opportunities that require a 3.5 or better undergrad GPA and I have no GPA from TESC. It's really been a stumbling block for me bc people don't seem to understand the school's GPA policy, even though it's explained on the back of my transcript. I want my master's to reflect the level of work I can do and having a GPA like what I would have if I were attending a traditional brick and mortor school would, I feel, paint a clearer picture for hiring managers.

Patten University is a brick and mortar school. It used to be a traditional Christian university until it was bought out by a for-profit company. That is the stigma people are talking about. However, Patten University is less-known than WGU. WGU is becoming widely known as that "online school." For awhile, I was seeing a lot of commercials for WGU-Texas.

[cookderosa]

I intend to apply to other graduate programs after I complete my MBA. I don't think a GPA would matter, however I currently only have about 6 total graded credits for my undergrad.

>>


Ughhh....I can't imagine. Maybe it's like childbirth, eventually I'll forget the pain?

[Yanji]

I want my master's to reflect the level of work I can do and having a GPA like what I would have if I were attending a traditional brick and mortor school would, I feel, paint a clearer picture for hiring managers.

I don't think the point is that GPA itself irrelevant, but that MBA GPAs are irrelevant, which is true. Anybody who goes to a traditional MBA program (or hires graduates regularly) knows that learning is arguably one of the less important parts of the program. What else would you expect when you stick a bunch of students in their late 20s or early 30s from upper-middle class or wealthy backgrounds together for 2 years in a college environment? This is all done under the guise of "networking" and hiring managers are in on the joke too, because most of them are MBAs themselves. Add in the strict GPA non-disclosure policies at many of those "traditional brick and mortar" business schools you speak of, and it sums up to MBA GPAs meaning nothing.

Yes, undergraduate GPA matters sometimes and graduate GPAs can matter too, in some fields. I could even see GPAs being somewhat important for part-time MBAs or those who attend lesser-known schools, but that does not paint a picture of equivalency with a "traditional MBA" in anyone's mind - it makes you different in all but name, which is just fine.

[cptdilbert]

What is the "stigma" you speak of?

For me, I keep getting selected for opportunities that require a 3.5 or better undergrad GPA and I have no GPA from TESC. It's really been a stumbling block for me bc people don't seem to understand the school's GPA policy, even though it's explained on the back of my transcript. I want my master's to reflect the level of work I can do and having a GPA like what I would have if I were attending a traditional brick and mortor school would, I feel, paint a clearer picture for hiring managers.

The "stigma" is the stigma that is attached to private for-profit schools. While it's unfair to lump all of the schools together, the failure of Corinthian Colleges (Heald being the most well none brand) is a strong reminder of the possible issues.

Patten falls in the same group as ITT Tech, DeVry, Heald, University of Phoenix, Kaplan, Strayer, Capella, etc. While I am not commenting on the quality of the education, you should realize you will run into people who will have a negative view on the school. You will run into the same challenges in both the professional world and the academic world, long after people stop caring about your GPA.

Also out of curiousity, what 'opportunities' are you running into outside of grad school that require a 3.5 GPA?

I intend to apply to other graduate programs after I complete my MBA. I don't think a GPA would matter, however I currently only have about 6 total graded credits for my undergrad.

MBAs tend to be the second graduate degree you get, not the first, if you are intending on having more than one graduate degree. There is no wrong way to do it, but a MBA is considered a professional degree. Generally it's the degree people go back for to add practical acumen to their more academic pursuits from a traditional graduate degree. Why are you doing the MBA before the other graduate programs? Why are you doing two graduate programs?

[Goblue34]

[quote=cptdilbert]The "stigma" is the stigma that is attached to private for-profit schools. While it's unfair to lump all of the schools together, the failure of Corinthian Colleges (Heald being the most well none brand) is a strong reminder of the possible issues.

Patten falls in the same group as ITT Tech, DeVry, Heald, University of Phoenix, Kaplan, Strayer, Capella, etc. While I am not commenting on the quality of the education, you should realize you will run into people who will have a negative view on the school. You will run into the same challenges in both the professional world and the academic world, long after people stop caring about your GPA.


While most for profits are terrible and do have stigma attached to them, I disagree that Patten would fall into that stigma category. Patten is unknown and that is a good thing since they are for-profits. One of the reasons for-profits get slammed is their high cost and Patten is the opposite of that, offering one of the most affordable degrees in higher ed. Patten is gaining attention for being competency based and affordable, both are all the rage in higher ed. Patten can and hopefully will gain the same respect as APU/AMU (Both for profits).