Graduate school is not only about getting an education, says Denise Dimon of USD, where class size is limited to 35, allowing students to network. (photo/lambertphoto.com)

Selecting a graduate business school probably involves more consideration than deciding where to attend the first four years of college. The cost of education and how to pay for it are major factors. For working professionals, scheduling classes and study time also are considerations.

In San Diego County, choices abound for where to go and what to study. Some schools offer a general MBA. The executive MBA (EMBA) is designed for managers and executives. Other graduate degrees focus on international business and professions ranging from real estate to sports.

Selecting a school is the first assignment for a person considering an MBA. Take time to plan carefully, recommends JoAnne Starr, assistant dean of MBA programs for UCSD’s Rady School of Management. “Each year, I see one student or two who apply, are admitted and think how wonderful this will be.” Then realities, like “how you’re going to make this investment,” surface.

The Rady School serves students by offering special emphasis in the biotech, life sciences and information technology industries. Its FlexMBA is a part-time, two-year program costing $37,500 annually regardless of residency status. That fee includes books, materials, parking and lodging during class weekends. The one-year full-time MBA costs $23,200 per year for California residents and $35,500 for nonresidents, but does not include lodging.

Start planning by visiting the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Web site, mba.com, suggests Starr. GMAC developed the GMAT, an admissions test required by business schools, including UCSD. On mba.com, topics range from “Does an MBA make sense for you?” and “Picture yourself as an MBA” to financing and evaluating schools. Starr notes that the latter consists of standardized information and is “not pushing particular schools.”

Another way to evaluate schools is to talk to the hiring manager at your company or at another firm, says Keith Butler, director of operations for the College of Business Administration at CSU San Marcos. Ask that person if a specific school is more favored by the company than others.

UCSD’s JoAnne Starr recommends prospective students visit mba.com for an impartial comparison of schools and programs. (photo/lambertphoto.com)

CSUSM’s MBA program costs just under $15,000. A strength is its strong entrance requirements, which include the GMAT, GPA and work experience, says Butler. Working students also appreciate the convenient scheduling. “We offer a part-time Saturday schedule,” Butler says. “They put all the time they need into their job and work on their MBA on Saturdays.”

Concerned about passing the GMAT? Butler advises prospective students to buy a test preparation book with a CD-ROM. Take the practice test and see what areas you need to work on.

For the person with a specific career goal in mind, “Contact someone in that position,” advises June Goodrich, Chapman University lead financial aid officer. “See what degree (that person has).” It’s better to do that than go through a program “and find out you got the wrong degree,” she says. Chapman in San Diego offers graduate degrees in organizational leadership and human resources. Each degree costs $14,544.

Continue your research on campus by attending an information session, advises Ken Marino, associate dean and director of the SDSU Graduate School of Business. SDSU’s EMBA costs about $43,000, which includes books, materials and some meals. The Sports Business Management MBA is about $36,000, a cost that includes receptions and some incidentals. The full-time MBA is $7,400 for California residents.

Marino notes that SDSU has a broad program, but is known for areas such as entrepreneurship. He advises prospective students to look at curriculum. “You might want to visit a class,” he says.

Consider the emphasis of the program and your personal needs, says Denise Dimon, director of MBA programs at the USD School of Business Administration.

USD has a part-time evening MBA program for working professionals, a full-time daytime MBA and an international MBA. Each program costs about $50,000. International projects, such as consulting in Thailand for Ford Motor Co., are required for the IMBA and optional for the MBA. The university also offers focused graduate degrees such as an MS in real estate, supply chain management or executive leadership. The average MS program cost is $35,000.

Dimon says USD is proud that classes are limited to 35 people, giving students a better chance to build lasting networks.

Consider who you will spend time with in class, advises Cherie Scricca, associate dean for the USC Marshall School of Business MBA programs. “Look to be challenged professionally, personally and academically. Check out programs. They all look slightly different.”

Keith Butler, director of operations for the College of Business Administration at CSU San Marcos. (photo/lambertphoto.com)

Last September, USC began an EMBA program at La Costa Resort and Spa. The program costs about $87,000, reports Bridget Engel, administrative director of USC’s EMBA.

One place to research MBA programs is the annual graduate school ranking published by U.S. News & World Report. University of Redlands’ high ranking attracts students, says Keith Roberts, business school associate dean. Redlands’ 46-unit degree costs approximately $29,000 for the two-year program. “Obviously students are very concerned about the reputation of the school,” he says. Redlands has “a good mix of academic instructors and practitioners. Someone who is a CPA during the daytime teaches at night. Working adults appreciate getting information in an evening class they can use on the job the next day.”

Choosing a university is just part of the process that includes finding the best fit for your graduate degree. “Probably a lot of us went to undergraduate school because we were supposed to,” says Tom Green, National University senior vice president for academic affairs. For graduate school, the choice is career-driven. The person earning a master’s in taxation needs the degree for the job and is not interested in being a CFO, he says.

National’s MBA graduate programs average between $14,000 and $15,000. Graduate degrees include an onground MBA, an online version, English and Spanish-language EMBAs and a master’s in human resources management.

Business schools are offering more specialized MBAs, but Green cautions prospective students to evaluate the relevancy of coursework. Make sure you’re learning “the skills needed today or tomorrow,” he says. National’s strength, says Green, is that the staff includes full-time faculty and educators currently working in the field. The person teaching the marketing class can discuss a current campaign, rather than just research.

Because San Diego offers a variety of MBA programs, students should select course emphases that meet their career goals, says Tom Green of National University. (photo/lambertphoto.com)

Other factors to consider are the types of career services and professional development that business schools offer, says Maggie Bailey, Point Loma Nazarene University’s MBA program director. PLNU’s MBA for working adults costs $24,150. For classes held in other countries such as courses in Cambridge this June, students only pay the tuition charged by the university.

Bailey notes that a PLNU professional development event in January led to job interviews for two students. The university provides seminars on topics requested by students. Additionally, the school works to build up the skill sets of MBA candidates who don’t have undergraduate business degrees. Bailey understands their predicament. She didn’t have those skills when she started a graduate business program at UC Berkeley. “It was just brutal,“ says Bailey. She decided to spare students that experience if she ever had the opportunity to create an MBA program.

Aspiring MBA students should evaluate a school’s standing in the community, advises Bailey. That position helps relationships with the business community. “What do you need to develop your career and get that corner office? It’s not just about classes, it’s about a career partnership,” says Bailey.

Last summer, she brought six CEOs to the strategy class she taught. In January, PLNU business students heard about career opportunities from a panel that included San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne.