Education or Vacation? Why Not Both!
MBA Program Spotlight: Destination Schools
Destination weddings may be all the rage, but future MBA graduates generally do not consider location a major deciding factor when selecting a school. However, if you already live in a region that is off the beaten path, you may not want to stray far from home. In addition, if you already plan to move to an exotic locale, completing your MBA in that area can be beneficial because you can start building your local network while in school and potentially land an internship that parlays into a full time job after graduation. So this week’s program spotlight looks at three schools that are in locations that may not be on the top of everyone’s mind.
University of Hawaii, Manoa – Shidler College of Business
What’s so great about this school? Well, again, not to imply that anyone would select a business school just because it is in an amazing location, but Hawaii itself certainly is an attraction. Located on the beautiful island of Oahu, this school is a great choice for people who envision themselves in an international company with a heavy presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Students can select the China track or the Japan track and take advantage of international internship and study abroad experiences, as well as the excellent language programs offered by the University of Hawaii, to give them a heads up in the competition for jobs.
School Type: Public
Median GMAT Score: 634
Average Incoming GPA: 3.3
Percent of Applicants Accepted: 28%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 2:1
Average Student Age: 27
University of Alaska – Fairbanks
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What’s so great about this school? UAF offers a concentration in capital markets for those who are interested in finance. This is the only concentration offered by the school, so if investing is your game, you can be sure to be surrounded be a lot of like-minded students at UAF. The concentration includes coursework in portfolio theory, derivative securities, and fixed income securities. The school also likes to make sure that all students are well qualified for the program, so if your undergraduate degree was not in business, you will be required to take four business foundation courses and pass them with a grade of B or better to be allowed into the program.
School Type: Public
Median GMAT Score: 547
Average Incoming GPA: 3.51
Percent of Applicants Accepted: 53%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 5:1
Average Student Age: 32
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What’s so great about this school? Not surprisingly, UVI is a great school to obtain your MBA if you are interested in a career in hospitality. The Hotel/Motel Administration concentration is popular, and with roughly half the students coming from the United States and half coming from a variety of Caribbean countries, you will have the opportunity to interact regularly with people from a variety of backgrounds to learn about different cultures and customs. This school also has the distinction of being the only one located outside the continental United States that has been designated by Congress as a member of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Although not much information is available on the program, it is fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
School Type: Public
Median GMAT Score: n/a
Average Incoming GPA: 2.5 (minimum)
Percent of Applicants Accepted: 53%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 2:1
Average Student Age: n/a
Image Courtesy of F H Mirawith Creative Commons License.
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University of the Virgin Islands
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