Reading Time: 3 minutesColleen Hynes, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College joins us today to discuss their blended learning MBA degree.
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Can you tell us about the MBA program at Babson College?
The Blended Learning MBA is Babson’s accelerated 21-month MBA designed for working professionals who value the in-person networking benefits of a cohort-based MBA but need the flexibility of online course content. The program is offered at Babson’s main campus in Wellesley, MA as well as our Hub locations of San Francisco, Miami, and Dubai. In the Blended Learning MBA, students can expect to complete the majority of their work online through dynamic case-based discussions and remote group work with classmates, and will come to campus several times each semester for in-person class sessions.
Is the GMAT & GRE required for acceptance into the program? Do international students have the same requirement?
We do not require the GMAT or GRE. In the Blended Learning MBA program, the average work experience is usually around 10 years, so the GMAT/GRE may not be as accurate an indicator of success for these more experienced professionals as it is for students who are more junior in their careers. Quantitative skills are important, so we look closely at professional experience, past undergraduate or graduate performance, and letters of recommendation to better understand these skills. See 160+ Best Online Masters Degree Programs.
How long does a typical online business program take at Babson? What is the maximum and minimum time of completion?
Babson’s Blended Learning MBA is an accelerated 21-month cohort-based program.
What do you think makes Babson MBA program stand out from other MBA programs offered by similar schools?
The cohort structure of the Blended Learning MBA programs ensures that our students have the opportunity to build a strong network of peers despite having much of their coursework completed online.
How important would you say accreditation is when choosing an MBA program?
It’s always helpful to have a third party benchmark, like AACSB accreditation, to indicate a certain level of academic rigor and excellence among the business schools a student may be researching.
What are the advantages to earning an MBA degree in general and where are you seeing employer demand for this degree?
According to the Financial Times’ Online MBA rankings, Babson’s Blended Learning MBA has been ranked in the top 3 in the US for career progression for three consecutive years, with an average alumni salary of $167,386 and an average 26 percent salary increase three years after graduation. The program gives students the opportunity to complete the degree in 21 months, a time period similar to most full-time Two-Year MBA programs, but simultaneously maintain their jobs to maximize growth potential.
Does Babson offer job placement for students who graduate with an MBA degree?
At Babson, all students who complete an MBA, regardless of delivery format, have access to the same career center, advisors, and alumni network. Students who receive the Blended Learning MBA have completed the same course objectives as those in our Full-Time programs, and all students graduate with the same Babson MBA credential.
What type of financial aid packages are available for students in business? Are there any fellowships, grants and scholarships available?
Babson offers several merit-based scholarship opportunities, and all applications are automatically considered for scholarship awards. We also have several corporate partnerships and deferred tuition billing options for working professionals to help make managing payments easier.
Do you have any advice for students enrolling in an MBA program for the first time?
Business school is about more than course content- it’s about understanding the potential return on investment of your time and money and building a peer network upon which you’ll call for advice and opportunities for the majority of your career. Make sure you understand how best to connect with your network and career team in a mostly-online format. The cohort nature and required residencies at Babson help to cultivate these networking opportunities for our students.
What do you enjoy most about your position at Babson?
I meet some incredible students during the admissions process at Babson. Babson has been ranked #1 in Entrepreneurship for 25 consecutive years by US News & World Report, and because of this ranking we attract students who are really internally motivated and innovative and who want to drive change and take action within all types of different organizations. I’m always impressed by the diverse backgrounds we have in each cohort of the Blended Learning MBA.
That concludes our interview!
Thank you Colleen, for sharing and participating in this piece.
