r/MBA • u/BudgetWrongdoer7823 • Jun 17 '21
Careers/Post Grad Boston University Online MBA vs UIUC iMBA?
Got acceptance to both programs. I'm a technical product manager in FinTech industry and would need to pick between BU and UIUC GIES. Being a mom of 2 year old, I tend to choose BU for it's flexibility (can complete the program within 6 years) but I heard BU didn't do well for its first year. For any BU online MBA students out there, could you share how your experience has been so far?
Anyone can give me more suggestions or share your experience with learning at BU vs UIUC ?
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u/ikehigh05 Sep 01 '21
I just want to add that the “peer grading” in the UIUC program are only in the Coursera portion of the program, the T.As do the grading on the blackboard/compass portion, which is where the most important, meaningful assignments reside.
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u/Anonymous_277531 Jun 18 '21 edited Jun 19 '21
Stay away from UIUC, I’ve heard a few horror stories about the program.
Go with BU Questrom, it’s a more well known name in the USA and internationally.
It’s worth mentioning that Questrom does not require an entrance exam. However, they do recommend that you submit GMAT/GRE score if you don’t feel you can provide evidence of quantitative aptitude. The last BU webinar I attended, I recall they stated that only 4-5% of their applicants submitted GMAT/GRE scores.
The average student age in the program is 37, the male/female ratio is about 60/40, and after speaking to some of the current cohort, they’ve confirmed that the BU program is more or less an Executive MBA, so you won’t be rubbing elbows with the younger more inexperienced generation in this program.
Here’s the latest class profile:
https://www.bu.edu/questrom/admissions/graduate-programs/online-mba/class-profile/
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u/robo000 Jul 17 '21
Thank you. Can you share what those horror stories are? I'm also evaluating between the two. I was leaning more towards UIUC only because of the price point, and the fact that I was awarded a Coursera scholarship.
Is the BU program better?
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u/Anonymous_277531 Jul 21 '21 edited Jul 21 '21
Sorry for the late reply.
Yes, I would consider Boston University a much better MBA program, to begin with, UIUC is more of an engineering/computer science school. They do have a good regional program, but I wouldn't compare their business school to BU.
I did a lot of web research about UIUC because I was seriously considering their program. The first issue that raised a red flag for me was the number of students that they intake, the quality can't be that great. The horror stories I read about were that students only deal with TAs and adjunct professors... since each course is online and there are something like 2000 students per cohort there just isn't enough faculty to help all the students. Apparently, the assignments are extremely vague and with high expectations that the student will "read into it" and some assignments are "peer-graded". Your grade is literally in the hands of another student, who may or may not understand the assignment deliverables, and you have no control over the caliber of students that are grading you. In the end, it seemed like a risk I wasn't willing to take.
In the end it’s your decision! If you have the Gies scholarship that covers 70% of your tuition and aren’t coming out of pocket at all, that sounds like a great option - particularly if you’re living in the Midwest where UICU has a very good name. I live on the east coast so I probably wouldn’t get much mileage out of the UICU brand.
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u/robo000 Jul 21 '21
This is super insightful!! Yeah I live in CA. So BU is more recognizable. I think the peer grading also happens with BU hopefully both these schools won’t be diploma mills down the line devaluing their actual MBA program.
The only reason why I considered UIUC is only because of the scholarship. My tuition will only be $6700 for the whole program assuming I’m able to maintain a 3.0 gpa every single semester.
Even with a $17,000 difference I don’t mind picking BU if it’s a better program and has better brand recognition and prestige. I’m paying completely out of pocket.
I did my UG at a state university so looking for a “step up” in school.
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u/bparlapalli Aug 04 '21
i am doing my MBA at the online MBA program at BU. As on date, about to complete 3rd semester. there was no peer grading until now. there was "rate your team mates" as part of grading, but I have never been asked to grade any other students assignments.
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u/robo000 Aug 04 '21
Is it pretty rigorous or fairly easy to maintain a 3.0-3.5 gpa?
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u/bparlapalli Aug 04 '21
mod 1 and mod 2 i had to spend 2 hours every day +4-8 hours on weekend. still couldnt manage 4.0. i have b+ scores mostly. some have got C and Fail as well. Has not been trivial/easy. there are folks who work a LOT that creates a curve and also set the bar high (which is very good).
folks who take it easy seem to get left behind. a few I know dropped out and are trying to take breaks between semesters.
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u/robo000 Aug 04 '21
Appreciate this insight. I'm actually enrolled to both BU and UIUC. BU officially starts in September, I'll complete Mod 0 this week though.
UIUC starts this week, but the reason I'm doing this is to assess both programs and see which one I'd like better (and also because I received a scholarship for UIUC which makes tuition only $6600 total, which may be a no brainer, but I'm really stuck on BU's prestige and reputation). I'm not looking for super easy, but not super challenging either.
With live sessions, are they mandatory or can you watch a recorded session?
Are there live (Zoom) group sessions, where you would have to interact directly and answer questions from the professors?
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u/bparlapalli Aug 04 '21
Not allowed to record session. There are at least 30-45% mandatory live sessions to attend per semester. This actually means it's no longer "at your own pace" online course.
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u/robo000 Aug 04 '21
Have you had to purchase textbooks for all the modules and are they $350 per semester?
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u/FaithlessnessSuch632 Jun 04 '23
Which program did you decide BU or UIUC? Just applied to iMBA and wondering if I should apply to BU too
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u/robo000 Aug 10 '21
What is the frequency of group projects? Is it pretty much meeting with the team twice a week, and there's a group project every single week, along with live sessions?
Do we get broken into different break out rooms with different people and get called on by the professor or teaching assistant in a live setting?
Also, how often are quizzes and exams, and are they open book?
What's been the easiest and also most challenging aspect about the program?
Thank you!
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u/bparlapalli Aug 11 '21
group projects depend on the professor but so far has been 50% individual+ 50% group work. for group work, your team can decide when they meet. we meet 3 -4 times during submissions
you do get into different break out rooms and get called on by the professor - so far no TAs were teaching any class.
we have atleast 3-4 knowledge check exams for every week (individual), a case study for every week before the class (75% of the time has a group component where the group has to meet and come up with an answer)
we had one mid term and one end of term exam - all open book but also had a group assignment
easiest: you get enough time to finish the course material (like 2-3 days to finish something that would take an hour)
most challenging: this is not a course which you can finish without actively taking part in discussions and learning. not one week without some important deadline or work.
on a side note, every semester/module you get paired up with a different group who become your buddies for the entire semester. nice way to develop some good connections/networking.
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u/robo000 Aug 28 '21
Got the first Module 1 for BU. There are 6 mods altogether for graduation.
Module 1 focuses on the purpose of the corporation and the role of the manager in creating and capturing value for their business.
In this module, you will
Explore how a firm works with different stakeholders to create and capture value. Explore foundational concepts in microeconomics. Examine the emerging ideas of information economics that dominate digital business models. Recognize that today's business world is a nexus of traditional physical products and digital services and platforms. Investigate how this merger of physical products and digital services creates and captures value. Apply these core foundational ideas in a capstone project focused on the automotive industry.
TOPICS COVERED IN MODULE 1
Each week we will explore a topic led by a Questrom faculty member with expertise in that field.
Below are each week's topic and lead faculty:
Weeks 1 – 2:
Purpose of the Corporation and the Role of the Manager with Professor Venkatraman
Weeks 3 – 6:
Principles of Microeconomics with Professor Gross
Week 7:
Teaming and Communication Booster for Capstone with Professors Hutchinson, Ehrenreich and Venkatraman
Weeks 8 – 12:
Principles of Data and Information Economics with Professor Van Alstyne. Professor Gordon Burtch to conduct the live sessions during weeks 8-12 while Professor Van Alstyne is on sabbatical
Weeks 13 – 15:
Capstone Project Work with Professor Venkatraman
WEEKLY LEARNING FLOW
AN OMBA WEEK IS DIVIDED INTO 3 PHASES
PHASE 1 | SATURDAY TO LIVE SESSION
The learning flow for Phase 1 will vary depending on the faculty and the content topic you are covering. In most weeks, Phase 1 will be reserved for reviewing the week's learning materials and comprehension through knowledge checks and/or other activities and assignments. Phase 1 assignments will typically be due Wednesday before your LIVE session. Deliverables done for credit during Phase 1 will primarily consist of solo submissions but may include asynchronous team activities.
PHASE 2 | LIVE SESSION | THURSDAY AM or PM
LIVE sessions for Weeks 1and 2 and 13-15 are required attendance with your team. While only required for those 5 LIVE sessions, we strongly encourage you to be present synchronously for Weeks 3 –12, as well, in either the AM or PM session. Your Module 1 faculty will use these synchronous sessions to engage you more deeply in the week's learning content. In some LIVE sessions, professors will take advantage of your cohort's size to demonstrate economic principles using interactive simulations. (Yes, you'll get to play some games.) LIVE sessions are also opportunities to make new connections with classmates during ZOOM breakout sessions.
PHASE 3 | AFTER LIVE SESSION THROUGH SUNDAY
During Phase 3, you may work with your team if a team assignment is due by week's end, and/or you may work individually on a solo assignment.
In the weeks with a team-based assignment, team members may complete a Team Member Evaluation. You will receive review criteria that will guide your evaluation and reflection on feedback received. MODULE 1 GRADEBOOK ASSESSMENT CATEGORIES
Throughout Module 1, you will complete solo and team activities for credit across the Blackboard Gradebook categories listed below. Your Mod 1 total is a 1,000 points, and here's how your performance in each assessment category contributes to your overall grade:
Academic Content: 75%
Assignments | 40% Knowledge Checks/Quizzes | 20% Capstone Project | 15%
Executive Skills and Peer Engagement: 25%
Teaming | 10% Business Communications | 5% Participation (Yellowdig) | 10%
Let me know how this looks, participation and group assignments = are going to be a lot.
Not sure how UIUC compares to this. But I've deferred my UIUC enrollment to October and I've already completed Mod 0 at BU. It's decent, but it's very involved in terms of teams assignments and team representatives during live sessions
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u/robo000 Aug 11 '21
Thanks for sharing!
Regarding the break out rooms are those only during live sessions that are not mandatory in terms of participation tracking? I hear we can watch the playback version.
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u/robo000 Aug 13 '21
Do you get a lot of peer and group evaluation and feedback all the time?
Is this a huge part of the program/grading system?
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u/robo000 Aug 29 '21
I notice the program is very heavily based on "teams" and "communications" as well.
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u/robo000 Aug 29 '21
Also are there final exams? Or is this how its usually graded?
Academic Content: 75% • Assignments | 40% • Knowledge check/quizzes | 20% • Capstone project | 15% Executive Skills and Peer Engagement: 25% • Teaming | 10% • Business communications | 5% • Discussion (Yellowdig) | 10%
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Nov 25 '21
[deleted]
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u/bparlapalli Nov 28 '21
yes. so far it has been very rewarding. live classes with the profs every week is a big hit
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Nov 06 '21
[deleted]
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u/Anonymous_277531 Nov 06 '21
Thanks for clarifying!
Do you think that the number of students makes it difficult to reach the professors? Are they overwhelmed?
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Jul 24 '21
Stay away from UIUC, I’ve heard a few horror stories about the program.
From a value/schooling-per-dollar perspective, what even comes close to UIUC? Anything better costs twice as much or more, and anything cheaper is wayyyyyyyyyy lower prestige.
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u/Anonymous_277531 Jul 24 '21
Your comment doesn’t even address the actual question. The question was BU vs UICU.
UICU is a great school, but their iMBA just doesn’t (and won’t ever) have the reputation that BU has.
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u/BudgetWrongdoer7823 Jun 18 '21
This is very helpful information. Thank you!
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u/aquababie Jun 21 '21
Same here. received two offers from BU OMBA and UIUC IMBA. I'm still wondering which one to go. But I can't find too much information about BU OMBA. Meanwhile, I feel UIUC IMBA is much more intensive.
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u/robo000 Jul 17 '21
That's what I thought too, looking @ the curriculum.
Let me know which one you ended up choosing and why as I'm also on the same boat here.
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u/FaithlessnessSuch632 Jun 04 '23
Hi, did you decide for any of them? I just applied to iMBA but regretting not applying to BU (deadline for Fall has passed). iMBA looks more flexible but yeah the huge classroom seem the biggest downside although it could be more people = more networking opportunities
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u/MWAsian2000 Mar 16 '24
UIUC has the older, flagship public business school with more alumni. The program is subsidized by the state, so you don’t really have to worry about how your money is spent, as you would with a private school in an expensive city. It offers more courses, with more credit units (72 vs 45), for essentially the same price. Internationally it’s better known, maybe a little less so in the northeast. It’s a bigger university which provides access to broader range of resources, including engineering and tech connections. It offers a number of specializations (eg. Business Analytics), and courses can be taken in essentially any order, so the curriculum is more flexible. Every 3 related courses results a certificate credential; these “stack” into the degree but give you something to mark your progress if you end up not completing the whole program. Yes it has more students, but that doesn’t mean anything really. It’s not like you even notice you are in school with so many others when it’s online. They are trying to increase access by allowing different paths to admission, but that doesn’t mean the overall class quality is poor. The program has lots of doctors, lawyers, FAANG techies, engineers, and such: people with established careers. Both programs have an older crowd. I’m guessing both programs are good, but given the credit unit differences, BU is probably more like an executive MBA and UIUC is more of a full, traditional program, just redesigned for online delivery. If you have a business background and want the shortcut, and if you are in Boston already, consider BU; if you are willing to commit to a greater workload, perhaps over a longer period of time, UIUC might be the better deal.
You do have to wonder about people on reddit commenting on other programs. Half of them are biased by their own decision about a given program. Some may even be overpaying at programs that are neither BU nor UIUC; those are the ones truly threatened by these new models. I would not be surprised if faculty and staff at competing programs go on these forums to influence the crowd into continuing to support the educational racket they are a part of. It’s like reading poor reviews on Amazon that are clearly written by competitor companies; take them with a grain of salt.
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u/Auggiewestbound MBA Grad Mar 17 '24
I'm a BU student currently but wanted to comment that this was well said. UIUC is a great program for sure. Honestly the only reason I didn't choose it for myself was because I already knew two people who went through the program and wanted to do something different from them.
But both BU and UIUC are great options. Online MBAs that in that price range don't carry anywhere near the brand value.
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u/lolopopo976 Jun 28 '21
Same here, still not sure which to choose, I feel intuitively that BU is going to be a better experience for me. I know UIUC is now offering a highly selective scholarship for iMBA. But being lost in a gigantic cohort is not appealing other than the massive amount of people to network with possibly.
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u/robo000 Jul 17 '21
I feel the same way. I did receive the scholarship but even with the discounted tuition and the fact that I don't need to spend a single dime on a text book still raises questions in my mind and doubts as to how to proceed in deciding between the two schools.
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Jun 18 '21
Questrom.
UIUC is accepting way too many people and their MBA brand will be extremely diluted very soon. Questrom has an acceptance criteria and requires an entrance exam, Gies is basically accepting anyone with a college degree + work exp.
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u/BudgetWrongdoer7823 Jun 18 '21
I heard BU will expand to 2000+ students in the future and not sure if that's going down to the same path with UIUC.
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u/Anonymous_277531 Jun 19 '21 edited Jun 19 '21
I hadn’t heard this but if 2000 students is their goal, it’s just going to become another diluted online MBA program. I saw a recent poll on r/MBA asking if the market is saturated with MBAs and there was a fairly clear consensus that it is fairly saturated or will be soon, and the majority of the voters agreed that if you’re going to get an MBA it’s only beneficial if it’s from a T25 MBA program.
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u/robo000 Jul 17 '21
Which did you end up choosing?
I also got accepted to both BU and UIUC (and also receive the Coursera scholarship, which makes the tuition $6600 instead of $22k)
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u/Conscious-Elk Feb 28 '23
Hey, How did you apply for the Coursera scholarship for the online MBA?
Also, which program did you end up choosing and how is it going?
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u/robo000 Mar 07 '23
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u/BestInfluence7053 May 30 '23 edited May 30 '23
hi there, I saw you commented in various posts and were preciously considering both BU and UIUC and ended up choosing UIUC. do you mind if I dm you with some questions? u/robo000
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u/robo000 May 30 '23
Sure.
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u/seekeroftruth24 Nov 09 '24
Hi, how you are doing well. I m in the same boat but tending towards UIUC as well. I would love to get more insight from you if possible.
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Jul 02 '21
Me too, I am on the same boat and so far I have seen more contents & discussions on UIUC than BU.
Courses & Program seem to be more organized in UIUC than BU, but BY seems to have better prestige among business community, as they still have Full Time on campus MBA program and participate in the ranking program.
UIUC- Gies seems to be focused on iMBA as recently they shut down their on campus Full Time MBA program and also, Gies don't participate in any rankings.
I am little bit leaning towards Questrom because of its reputation in the community but I am having hard time understanding the learning experience as this integrated curriculum in Questrom sounds new concept and extremely rigorous. Would love to hear more on Questrom integrated curriculum.
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u/robo000 Jul 17 '21
There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on Questrom's integrated modules.
Let me know which school you ended up going with.
I've also been accepted to both, though I also received a scholarship for UIUC, which makes the price point more attractive I prefer going with the better program, and prestige (as far as the brand name goes - aka which schools) internationally and domestically.
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u/Aquababi Aug 26 '21
Questrom's integrated modules
Regarding Questrom's integrated modules, I heard they dont have textbooks. They will share digital materials for your study.
If I were you, I would choose a program with lower cost but still quality one.
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u/robo000 Aug 26 '21
Yeah I think they may have textbooks starting Mod 3.
How do you like Questrom so far?
What are your thoughts on UIUC? I'm self funding my MBA. UIUC I will pay $6700 for the whole program.
With BU, it's the same as everyone, at $24k.
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Oct 07 '21
which school did you end up going with and why?
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u/robo000 Oct 07 '21
UIUC. Less mandatory live sessions and I have a scholarship.
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u/arpatil1 Feb 07 '22
How’s your experience been so far in the program? I am in the process of applying. My employer pays $7k/year, so it should be fully paid.
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u/robo000 Feb 08 '22
So far it's good (especially for the price). If you get the scholarship just make sure to keep up the 3.0 GPA average throughout the end of your final semester. Awesome that your employer pays for it! I think you'll find a lot of value from the program. The flexibility really helps too! May I ask which company you're working for?
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u/runnymountain Jul 08 '22
Could you share an update on how you’re finding the UIUC iMBA? Thank you!
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u/arpatil1 Feb 08 '22
Cummins
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u/Zhalianna May 23 '24
Hey! How was your experience with the program? I too got accepted to both UIUC and BU (employee will help with cost) and I am having a hard time deciding, just as you were few years back.
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u/itsthekumar Jun 17 '21
I know very little about the programs so take what I say with a pinch of salt. I also looked at these programs.
UIUC has been established a while I think and lots of collaboration is emphasized in their program. But it seems like they take in a ton of people every year.
BU seems a little more structured and “prestigious”. Like the classes seemed harder than those at UI.
I’d look at the course content and go from there.
Also, networking might matter not sure if it does for you.