Online classes for MBA/other Masters Program

[Pancake]

There are tons of good schools with online degrees.

There are also plenty of good schools that have evening/part-time in-residence MBA programs. Having both an online MA (Norwich, Diplomacy), and an in-residence MBA (Arizona), I can tell you there is a vast difference in educational experience between online and in-residence programs.

The most important aspect of an MBA: networking. You'll get more mileage from your MBA if you attend class and build relationships with your classmates (especially if you live and work in the region), than if you endeavor an online MBA with little to no direct networking opportunity.

All programs teach the same basic curriculum. Harvard and Wharton's competitive advantage is the grad network and published professors. The grad network directly translates to the most coveted intern and job opportunities. Published faculty is important, but even Eller has several routinely published/referenced faculty, yet its rank isn't close to H or W. There is generally no educational difference between "real" programs.

B-School ranking has nothing to do with educational quality, and everything to do with return on investment. Arizona, for instance, has been victim to the tech and housing bubble: little business growth and subsequent little demand for MBAs. Hence, as demand for MBAs dropped, so did AZ's rank. The east coast, however, has been relatively unscathed by the economic downturn, hence ROI for MBAs has remained stable and schools east of the Mississippi have risen in rank. H and W MBAs have probably become relatively stronger in ranking because of an incredibly loyal grad network that ensures good jobs for grads of those institutions.

BL: Don't discount in-residence evening or part-time MBAs. The networking opportunities that come with "lesser" programs may outweigh the prestige of an online MBA from a "top" B-school where little to no networking opportunity is realized. IMO, you'll get more mileage, for instance, in southern Georgia/northern Florida with an MBA from Valdosta State than you will with a H or W MBA. If you want an MBA to take to NYC/DC, look for schools with the best alum networks (like H and W).

Edited July 16, 2011 by Pancake

[TAMInated]

What kind of certificates has anyone gotten with TA? I was going to get a CFI at the aero club but then saw in the latest change of the TA reg that they added a paragraph that specifically says you can't use TA at the aero club.

[BQZip01]

What kind of certificates has anyone gotten with TA? I was going to get a CFI at the aero club but then saw in the latest change of the TA reg that they added a paragraph that specifically says you can't use TA at the aero club.

WTF? Why not?!?

[Dupe]

WTF? Why not?!?

You ready for this? You can use TA at an aeroclub to get a CFI as long as it's part of a bigger degree program. The thing is, no aeroclub is partnered with an institution to offer such a program.

You can now use Post 9/11 GI Bill to fund aeroclub ratings above your PPL like you can with MGIB, but are you really going to burn months of eligibility on something that won't cost you more than $5k or so to knock out on your own?

[TAMInated]

Needs to be a nationally accredited institution. You would think a part 141 school would count, but no.

Edited August 16, 2012 by TAMInated

[stract]

if you are an instructor, you can mil comp your way to the CFI

[TAMInated]

I am, but not in real airplanes.

[sky_king]

You have to be (or have been) an instructor in a single engine airplane to get a mil comp CFI, otherwise you get an MEI only. That's nearly a worthless ticket. So, unless you were an IP in a T-6, F-16 or U-28, you're pretty much out of luck That's one advantage of the F-35 I guess.

[Jaded]

Yes! The F-16 is best at something finally!

[Whitman]

You have to be (or have been) an instructor in a single engine airplane to get a mil comp CFI, otherwise you get an MEI only. That's nearly a worthless ticket. So, unless you were an IP in a T-6, F-16 or U-28, you're pretty much out of luck That's one advantage of the F-35 I guess.

Which is ridiculous. The majority of multi engine training is flying around on one engine. So I can pull an engine on a student just after V1, rotate, climb out and fly a single engine partial panel approach to a single engine missed, but cannot instruct my child on flying a C-152? Hate to complain, because the FAA did something right with the mil comp for military instructors, but it needs tweaking.

Anyone know how extensive the single engine CFI is after getting the mil comp for MEI/CFII?

[xaarman]

Which is ridiculous. The majority of multi engine training is flying around on one engine. So I can pull an engine on a student just after V1, rotate, climb out and fly a single engine partial panel approach to a single engine missed, but cannot instruct my child on flying a C-152? Hate to complain, because the FAA did something right with the mil comp for military instructors, but it needs tweaking.

Anyone know how extensive the single engine CFI is after getting the mil comp for MEI/CFII?

Sheppard Air has a good FAQ, and has this as one of their questions: https://www.sheppardair.com/Answer11.htm

[Whitman]

Sheppard Air has a good FAQ, and has this as one of their questions: https://www.shepparda...om/Answer11.htm

Seems rather painless, thanks!

[tac airlifter]

I got a CFII & MEI through the mil comp as a multi-engine IP. When I became a single engine IP I got my CFI added when I renewed my ticket & didn't have to pay extra or take any additional tests. Lesson learned though: I had a multi engine commercial ticket & the FAA returned my paperwork; make sure you get single engine commercial added before you apply for the CFI. Same FSDO re-did mine for free.

FWIW, I recommend you use the money from TA for an ATP instead of CFI, I think it's more useful. Just my .02, good luck.

[jcj]

Which is ridiculous. The majority of multi engine training is flying around on one engine. So I can pull an engine on a student just after V1, rotate, climb out and fly a single engine partial panel approach to a single engine missed, but cannot instruct my child on flying a C-152? Hate to complain, because the FAA did something right with the mil comp for military instructors, but it needs tweaking.

Anyone know how extensive the single engine CFI is after getting the mil comp for MEI/CFII?

The commercial ASEL add-on is pretty simple. I knew several AF guys who got it at LIT a few years ago so they could rent (they were C-130 guys who did T-37, T-44 or T-1 and C-130 so their mil equivalency civ rating was Comm Inst limited to AMEL only). Dunno about adding an ASEL to a CFI but I'm guessing about the same except from the right seat...

Theoretically I guess the main difference is the engine failure procedure is a little different for a multi vs. a single engine.

[TAMInated]

Anyone gotten a non-aviation related certificate?