The Online MBA: Can You Have Your Cake and Eat it Too?

I was a year and a half from completing my service obligation and in the process of evaluating my life and career options.  Despite having multiple goals and various paths to reach those goals, earning an MBA was the common ground in all my plans and the next logical step in my trajectory.  I researched relentlessly, scoured the rankings, read about “fit” and “culture”, and considered how each school’s geography would contribute to my post-MBA job search success.  Meanwhile, I considered how I was going to support a family on a GI Bill stipend, pay for all of the tuition costs, and manage being out of work for 2 years.  

During my research, I realized there were countless options for pursuing an MBA.  There were part-time, executive, customizable, corporate-sponsored, hybrid, and all sorts of other programs.  Then there were the online MBA’s.  I wasn’t even considering online as a credible option but internet searches and advertising reminded me they were there.  Phoenix, Kaplan, Capella, and wait….Indiana? UNC?  Were these the real top 20 B-schools or some scam masquerading as an elite program?  A few phone calls later and some fact-finding and I was seriously considering the virtual MBA.

I ultimately applied, was accepted, and decided to attend Kelley Direct, the online format for Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.  The decision was the result of two realizations.  First, I considered the costs, lost wages, and limitations of living on a GI Bill stipend while supporting a family.  The other consideration was that it mitigated risk.  I would be able to have the MBA in hand, participate in on-campus recruiting, interview, and accept a job offer without leaving the military.  For me, attending a top tier business school without any of the sacrifices and uncertainty was like having my cake and eating it too. 

Without a doubt, the decision to attend school virtually was a great decision.  At Kelley, as with the other credible online MBA’s, there is an in-residence requirement.  It was during the week on campus that I realized the quality of the instruction, the faculty, and the other students.  Classes are rigorous but flexible with a constant focus on applying the knowledge to your job.  To me, this creates a symbiotic relationship, whereby bringing work into the classroom intensifies the discussion.  Conversely, bringing classroom knowledge to work on a daily basis solidifies understanding and elevates job performance.  

As for the skeptics out there, be advised this program is no walk in the park.  You will be challenged like never before.  The academics are rigorous, the program is very quant oriented, and you will be doing more than just posting on a discussion forum.  It’s typical to spend your weekends working on team assignments with people all over the world.  In Financial Management, I was teamed up with a Finance professional who lived in Moscow and another that lived in Colorado.  Finding times for virtual meetings that match everyone’s schedule and learning to work as part of a diverse team are a vital part of the Kelley Direct program.  Having graduated from a rigorous major research university and being in the top 10% of every military school I ever attended, I was a bit naïve going into this and thought that I would be able to make it through fairly easily.  Never did I imagine that I would be challenged like this, and that I would have to work so hard to succeed.  But the journey has been worth it, and I’m convinced that when I’m done, the results will be tangible and will translate into success in whatever field I choose to go into.

I have recently teamed with other student veterans to found the Kelley Direct Veterans Club.  The club is the first of its kind as a virtual club and is also an official Student Veterans of America chapter.  KD Veterans Club is available to prospective applicants as an information source. Please contact the club’s leadership at KDVetsClub@gmail.com for additional information about online B-school or Kelley Direct.       

---

Brian M. Misuraca is a Kelley Direct MBA candidate and the Founder/President of the KD Veterans Club.