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re: LSUS Online MBA Reviews
Posted on 11/15/18 at 6:24 pm to BusinessKnight
Posted on 11/15/18 at 6:24 pm to BusinessKnight
LOOOOOOOLLL
we have a real badass here!!!
we have a real badass here!!!
0
Posted on 11/15/18 at 9:05 pm to hollywd
quote:
I agree, Mclaughlin, I believe, is teaching at too many other schools at the same time.
If the posts are due by Tues. then she should have them up Sunday night.
To be honest, LSUS IT should have created a bot that automatically opens the forum at the correct time. Having the class scratching there head way into Tuesday is unacceptable, especially since many brought it to her attention on Monday but maybe that goes back to your point of her being distracted. 3 weeks!
Posted on 11/15/18 at 9:35 pm to pineveillj
pineveillj I am ISDS 705 with Lin right now. Just go through the text, assigned articles and abstracts, cut and paste all the definitions from each of the bold paragraphs. I did this and got an A. You don't really need to read the text. I was able to get everything on one page double sided 9pt Times New Roman font.
Posted on 11/15/18 at 9:49 pm to craigp53
@craigp53.
Yah I know.
I’m going to work on the next module this Sunday.
Yah I know.
I’m going to work on the next module this Sunday.
Posted on 11/15/18 at 9:54 pm to BusinessKnight
@BusinessKnight
I'm going to have to agree... and disagree.
Quite frankly, few MBAs really prepare you for the business world. I spoke to several VP, SVP, and even a couple of C suite level executives at a few Fortune 500 companies in the US about MBA programs before I decided on LSUS (I have some good connections). The consensus was essentially that any MBA outside of the top 10 schools is little more than a tie-breaker. Experience trumps degree any day of the week. It is only when experience is minimal that an MBA can become a differentiator, as the MBA can give a small head start.
A friend of mine (who is one of the C-suite execs) that graduated from an Ivy League business school said the primary benefit of his MBA has been the alumni connections he made, not the education. Most of his MBA friends are also extremely well positioned in the corporate world and would be willing to offer him a job one day, if he decided to change professions. It's a safety net.
As far as the LSUS MBA is concerned... it's frankly about the same level as my understand BSBA was. Perhaps all programs are actually like that, I have no idea. Despite this, I have either learned or re-learned a few concepts that are pretty applicable. It hasn't been worthless, but it certainly hasn't been life changing. Perhaps it is more meaningful to those who did not have an undergrad background or experience in business.
As far as my own reasons for taking an MBA? Some industries and places take that piece of paper more seriously than others. I recently hired an MBA. He's an office clerk. I know of several other MBAs in front line positions. If you're going to ask me if he is better than the other office clerks, then I would have to say that he is... but that's a pretty low bar. That said, it just felt a bit awkward to be leading a number of people with a higher level of education. It also felt like something missing on my resume.
It does not ADD anything at this point in my career, but it does fill a small gap that has always just... bothered me. I'm paying for this program mostly out of pocket, so my requirements were affordable, fast, and AACBS accredited. I understand your concerns as well, those of us with extensive business experience have little tolerance for APA compliance and other academic silliness but its part of the process. I guarantee that the top schools also make a point of it. It's simply a part of the academic world.
At the end of the day, I'm working towards the BGS and SIE inductions. Not because it's so valuable, but because they're probably more meaningful than the MBA certificate, lol. If you do a search you will find a few postings regarding BGS inductions at LSUS. One of them from 2013 shows only 2 invitations from the MBA program. Another from 2016 shows only 7. If your disdain for the program has come from reading your fellow classmates discussion posts and assuming they are also getting A's, it would seem that a 4.0 or even a 3.5+ GPA isn't given out quite like candy.
An MBA is a general degree, open to any background. That's the nature of the degree at any university, although some do require the foundation courses. For those of us with business backgrounds already, it's only a slight polish on top of that. Sometimes we have to keep that in mind. If you wanted a more meaningful MBA program, then you would have needed to add at least another zero to the price...
I'm going to have to agree... and disagree.
Quite frankly, few MBAs really prepare you for the business world. I spoke to several VP, SVP, and even a couple of C suite level executives at a few Fortune 500 companies in the US about MBA programs before I decided on LSUS (I have some good connections). The consensus was essentially that any MBA outside of the top 10 schools is little more than a tie-breaker. Experience trumps degree any day of the week. It is only when experience is minimal that an MBA can become a differentiator, as the MBA can give a small head start.
A friend of mine (who is one of the C-suite execs) that graduated from an Ivy League business school said the primary benefit of his MBA has been the alumni connections he made, not the education. Most of his MBA friends are also extremely well positioned in the corporate world and would be willing to offer him a job one day, if he decided to change professions. It's a safety net.
As far as the LSUS MBA is concerned... it's frankly about the same level as my understand BSBA was. Perhaps all programs are actually like that, I have no idea. Despite this, I have either learned or re-learned a few concepts that are pretty applicable. It hasn't been worthless, but it certainly hasn't been life changing. Perhaps it is more meaningful to those who did not have an undergrad background or experience in business.
As far as my own reasons for taking an MBA? Some industries and places take that piece of paper more seriously than others. I recently hired an MBA. He's an office clerk. I know of several other MBAs in front line positions. If you're going to ask me if he is better than the other office clerks, then I would have to say that he is... but that's a pretty low bar. That said, it just felt a bit awkward to be leading a number of people with a higher level of education. It also felt like something missing on my resume.
It does not ADD anything at this point in my career, but it does fill a small gap that has always just... bothered me. I'm paying for this program mostly out of pocket, so my requirements were affordable, fast, and AACBS accredited. I understand your concerns as well, those of us with extensive business experience have little tolerance for APA compliance and other academic silliness but its part of the process. I guarantee that the top schools also make a point of it. It's simply a part of the academic world.
At the end of the day, I'm working towards the BGS and SIE inductions. Not because it's so valuable, but because they're probably more meaningful than the MBA certificate, lol. If you do a search you will find a few postings regarding BGS inductions at LSUS. One of them from 2013 shows only 2 invitations from the MBA program. Another from 2016 shows only 7. If your disdain for the program has come from reading your fellow classmates discussion posts and assuming they are also getting A's, it would seem that a 4.0 or even a 3.5+ GPA isn't given out quite like candy.
An MBA is a general degree, open to any background. That's the nature of the degree at any university, although some do require the foundation courses. For those of us with business backgrounds already, it's only a slight polish on top of that. Sometimes we have to keep that in mind. If you wanted a more meaningful MBA program, then you would have needed to add at least another zero to the price...
Posted on 11/15/18 at 11:08 pm to baroqen
baroqen,
I really appreciated your post. I'm in a similar position - 25+ years into my post-bachelors business career. Earning an MBA was a personal goal of mine. I operate my own business, so am not looking to climb some corporate ladder. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. My wife has a Masters in Microbiology and many of my friends have Masters degrees or higher (we live in an academic community anchored my a major medical university).
Like you, price was important to me since I paid for it out-of-pocket. LSUS offered the best balance between the prestige of the LSU academic system along with the low cost.
I also agree that earning this degree wasn't life changing. What it did for me was clarify much of the business knowledge I'd collected over the years.
I'm glad I did it and will always support the program, flaws and all. I've talked to friends who attended more prestigious and expensive MBA programs. They share tails very similar to the issues we see at LSUS.
I think there's a perception out there that LSUS has all these issues because it's low-cost. And that high-cost programs are much better organized. This is a misnomer in many cases.
I really appreciated your post. I'm in a similar position - 25+ years into my post-bachelors business career. Earning an MBA was a personal goal of mine. I operate my own business, so am not looking to climb some corporate ladder. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. My wife has a Masters in Microbiology and many of my friends have Masters degrees or higher (we live in an academic community anchored my a major medical university).
Like you, price was important to me since I paid for it out-of-pocket. LSUS offered the best balance between the prestige of the LSU academic system along with the low cost.
I also agree that earning this degree wasn't life changing. What it did for me was clarify much of the business knowledge I'd collected over the years.
I'm glad I did it and will always support the program, flaws and all. I've talked to friends who attended more prestigious and expensive MBA programs. They share tails very similar to the issues we see at LSUS.
I think there's a perception out there that LSUS has all these issues because it's low-cost. And that high-cost programs are much better organized. This is a misnomer in many cases.
This post was edited on 11/15/18 at 11:23 pm
Posted on 11/16/18 at 9:07 am to baroqen
quote:
An MBA is a general degree, open to any background. That's the nature of the degree at any university, although some do require the foundation courses. For those of us with business backgrounds already, it's only a slight polish on top of that. Sometimes we have to keep that in mind. If you wanted a more meaningful MBA program, then you would have needed to add at least another zero to the price...
This is also why I'm putting myself through this program. I have been in my industry for 20+ years. I have a degree of recognition in that industry. I have many people in my life congratulating me on being weeks away from a "tremendous accomplishment." For me, it's not an accomplishment so much as it is keeping pace with my peers and fulfilling a requirement. I am quite simply "checking a checkbox." I am filling a gap in my resume that has bothered me for a very long time.
The job market for senior-level leadership within the small geography I'm tied to is fierce. The neighborhood I live in is filled with lakefront, million dollar homes near golf clubs inhabited by executives of major corporations. CXOs and VPs from across the country are competing for these positions. Their experience is equal to mine and sometimes exceeds it. The recruiting world we live in today is dominated by resume algorithms disqualifying candidates before ever getting to an interview. When competing for positions at this level, your experience is just part of the equation. Having that MBA is a tie-breaker and a qualifier that can put you ahead of those with only undergrad degrees. Of course, networking is even more powerful, but that's another topic.
There is major entrepreneurial value as well. I currently run a consulting business. Educationally, the program has taken a lot of what I knew from experience and shaped it into mental models I can easily refer to. The MBA provides legitimacy from a marketing standpoint. It has given me practical tools I can use to evaluate where both my business and a client's business stands. It provides a perspective that helps you speak the language of business more eloquently. It provides a strong data point about my background when talking with potential investors and partners.
quote:
At the end of the day, I'm working towards the BGS and SIE inductions. Not because it's so valuable, but because they're probably more meaningful than the MBA certificate.
I completely agree and would argue that it has very real value in combination with the MBA itself. This is the reason I've been so laser-focused on a 4.0 GPA, and so vocal on non-educational factors within the program that put non-sensical roadblocks to achieving it (looking at you, ISDS 710). That GPA, combined with BGS and SIE membership, is what I feel really adds value to the external perception of an MBA at a school like LSUS. It not only demonstrates that you completed a degree, but that you took it as seriously as you would take stewardship of a business and excelled at the highest level possible. Given the admission requirements, practically anyone can complete the LSUS MBA in two years with a 3.0 and a couple of Cs. Crushing it by getting a 4.0 and invited to BGS and SIE within 10 months is a much more difficult task.
This post was edited on 11/16/18 at 10:42 am
Posted on 11/16/18 at 9:41 am to socal77
quote:
I think there's a perception out there that LSUS has all these issues because it's low-cost. And that high-cost programs are much better organized. This is a misnomer in many cases.
I think that the concern about the issues at LSUS is that LSUS is more vulnerable than other programs at more well-known institutions. LSUS is a small school who has had recent funding issues. They suffer from an inherent perception problem due to public school status, satellite school status, school size, and low tuition cost, which are reflected in low overall rankings. Not only is it not an Ivy League school, it's not even the main LSU campus.
A school like LSU Baton Rouge is large enough and prestigious enough that it can absorb negative consequences stemming from underperforming instructors and mismanaged school administration to retain funding and accreditation. LSUS is not in that same position, so these issues carry a higher proportion of risk.
Posted on 11/16/18 at 9:58 am to GeauxUF
GeauxUF,
I agree with your comments on LSUS as it compares to the main campus. But for those of us who do not live in Louisiana or the surrounding area, no one is aware of or cares about these issues with the satellite campus.
My diploma hangs in my office here in Southern California. It says "Louisiana State University" in big font and "Shreveport" in small font underneath. No one pays attention to the campus city when looking at my diploma. All I get is admiration for going to the prestigious LSU system. All my USC and UCLA clients and friends respect LSU (the USC Alums love Coach O from his days there). The fact that LSUS may be a struggling satellite school is not on anyone's radar out here and never will be.
I realize that those students who live in or around Louisiana don't have this advantage.
I agree with your comments on LSUS as it compares to the main campus. But for those of us who do not live in Louisiana or the surrounding area, no one is aware of or cares about these issues with the satellite campus.
My diploma hangs in my office here in Southern California. It says "Louisiana State University" in big font and "Shreveport" in small font underneath. No one pays attention to the campus city when looking at my diploma. All I get is admiration for going to the prestigious LSU system. All my USC and UCLA clients and friends respect LSU (the USC Alums love Coach O from his days there). The fact that LSUS may be a struggling satellite school is not on anyone's radar out here and never will be.
I realize that those students who live in or around Louisiana don't have this advantage.
This post was edited on 11/16/18 at 3:46 pm
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:27 am to WDE251
WDE:
I see what you are saying. But, if getting an MBA is about learning to prioritize, study, read, and write, it is basically what high school used to be, and you are saying that in general, people don't know how to do those things anymore even after completing an undergraduate degree.
I got something from the program because not all classes and professors fit the norm at LSUS, thankfully.
I will say that the program was far better when I started than it is now, and I started exactly a year ago.
As for a Harvard/LSUS debate, it is comical. The debate ought to be LSUS vs any school that has tougher entrance requirements and at least some level of rigor. LSUS is not rigorous at all.
I will say this as well and it will be unpopular, but all of you know it is true:
Reading most of our classmates discussion posts in classes (which is graded academic work) is a chore and embarrassing. I find it hard to dignify most of them with a response. Most of us cannot formulate a real sentence, cannot spell worth a flip, are guilty of malaprops left and right which shows nobody reads anymore, much less apply critical thinking and higher level reasoning. Far too many students have a grade school level vocabulary. Far too many students give a half-assed answer. Sorry you don't like it, but you know it is true. These are the people who will have an MBA from LSUS just like you and me. These are our peers.
I see what you are saying. But, if getting an MBA is about learning to prioritize, study, read, and write, it is basically what high school used to be, and you are saying that in general, people don't know how to do those things anymore even after completing an undergraduate degree.
I got something from the program because not all classes and professors fit the norm at LSUS, thankfully.
I will say that the program was far better when I started than it is now, and I started exactly a year ago.
As for a Harvard/LSUS debate, it is comical. The debate ought to be LSUS vs any school that has tougher entrance requirements and at least some level of rigor. LSUS is not rigorous at all.
I will say this as well and it will be unpopular, but all of you know it is true:
Reading most of our classmates discussion posts in classes (which is graded academic work) is a chore and embarrassing. I find it hard to dignify most of them with a response. Most of us cannot formulate a real sentence, cannot spell worth a flip, are guilty of malaprops left and right which shows nobody reads anymore, much less apply critical thinking and higher level reasoning. Far too many students have a grade school level vocabulary. Far too many students give a half-assed answer. Sorry you don't like it, but you know it is true. These are the people who will have an MBA from LSUS just like you and me. These are our peers.
This post was edited on 11/16/18 at 10:45 am
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:27 am to socal77
Socal77 -
I totally agree with you on how the LSUS MBA compares in prestige, especially outside of Louisiana. Here in Atlanta, the heart of SEC country, LSU is an extremely recognizable brand, and LSUS certainly feeds off that.
I think the general concern is the impact these issues have on the long-term viability of LSUS as an institution, the longevity of the MBA program, and the ability to retain the AACSB accreditation. If funding is cut by the state, or enrollment drops as a result of issues that we continue to see, a school closure, program shutdown, or accreditation change would pose a threat to the value to the degrees. We've already seen LSUS face a temporary closure due to funding cuts two years ago.
No one knows how realistic any of this is or what impact it would have, but I think it is what drives a lot of the concern here.
I totally agree with you on how the LSUS MBA compares in prestige, especially outside of Louisiana. Here in Atlanta, the heart of SEC country, LSU is an extremely recognizable brand, and LSUS certainly feeds off that.
I think the general concern is the impact these issues have on the long-term viability of LSUS as an institution, the longevity of the MBA program, and the ability to retain the AACSB accreditation. If funding is cut by the state, or enrollment drops as a result of issues that we continue to see, a school closure, program shutdown, or accreditation change would pose a threat to the value to the degrees. We've already seen LSUS face a temporary closure due to funding cuts two years ago.
No one knows how realistic any of this is or what impact it would have, but I think it is what drives a lot of the concern here.
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:34 am to socal77
SoCal:
I agree mostly. I will say that the entrance requirements basically allow anybody in the program and the level of teaching drifts to the common denominator. This might be the fundamental flaw.
I agree mostly. I will say that the entrance requirements basically allow anybody in the program and the level of teaching drifts to the common denominator. This might be the fundamental flaw.
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:37 am to baroqen
baroquen:
Those are good comments, and I agree mostly. I am still glad I did not have to pay a lot more and am glad I did the program. It doesn't change that I am disappointed in the quality of the program. In my view, the accreditation ought to indicate that it has met a quality threshold. So, the bar is set far too low.
Those are good comments, and I agree mostly. I am still glad I did not have to pay a lot more and am glad I did the program. It doesn't change that I am disappointed in the quality of the program. In my view, the accreditation ought to indicate that it has met a quality threshold. So, the bar is set far too low.
This post was edited on 11/16/18 at 10:41 am
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:38 am to BusinessKnight
quote:
Reading most of our classmates discussion posts in classes is a chore and embarrassing. I find it hard to dignify most of them with a response. Most of us cannot formulate a real sentence, cannot spell worth a flip, are guilty of malaprops left and right which shows nobody reads anymore, much less apply critical thinking and higher level reasoning. Far too many students have a grade school level vocabulary. Far too many students give a half-assed answer. Sorry you don't like it, but you know it is true. These are the people who will have an MBA from LSUS just like you and me. These are our peers.
Totally true. All the more reason those of us with bonafide experience and credentials should be focused on achieving excellence in the program. High GPA and BGS/SIE invites combined with the MBA are what will set us apart from those who coast through the program in this fashion.
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:49 am to GeauxUF
GeauxUF:
Exactly right. Get the 4.0 and the honors. And, you are right about the concern of this program drifting into the realm of losing accreditation. The program needs to be upgraded. I am afraid it has become about increasing revenue by increasing enrollment by lowering standards, and then keeping them in the program by raising the curve so that C's become A's and D's become B's.
Exactly right. Get the 4.0 and the honors. And, you are right about the concern of this program drifting into the realm of losing accreditation. The program needs to be upgraded. I am afraid it has become about increasing revenue by increasing enrollment by lowering standards, and then keeping them in the program by raising the curve so that C's become A's and D's become B's.
This post was edited on 11/16/18 at 10:51 am
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:55 am to GeauxUF
quote:
We've already seen LSUS face a temporary closure due to funding cuts two years ago.
I had no idea LSUS was at risk for a temporary closure two years ago. I started the program in July 2016 so must have just missed this.
Posted on 11/16/18 at 10:59 am to socal77
I agree with the comments that admission standards are too low. I also agree that some people in the program are not proficient in basic writing skills.
There's too much complaining when classes actually challenge students. As I've said before, this is an MBA program. It's the BIG LEAGUES. It's not supposed to be community college level. It's supposed to push us.
There's too much complaining when classes actually challenge students. As I've said before, this is an MBA program. It's the BIG LEAGUES. It's not supposed to be community college level. It's supposed to push us.
This post was edited on 11/17/18 at 7:36 pm
Posted on 11/16/18 at 12:43 pm to GeauxUF
Wow GeauxUF, I had no idea of this issue just 2 months before I started the program. I'm very grateful now to know that they were able to work out the budget!
Posted on 11/16/18 at 12:59 pm to BusinessKnight
Some interesting data:
LINK
Bear in mind that the course "passage" rates include "C" grades. They're still a bit higher than I would expect from some of the things I've seen, but it's still interesting to note what kid of pass rates each class has.
LINK
Bear in mind that the course "passage" rates include "C" grades. They're still a bit higher than I would expect from some of the things I've seen, but it's still interesting to note what kid of pass rates each class has.
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