This is by far the most common question I receive in my inbox, and I’ve truthfully answered this question in a lot of different ways for a lot of different people. I believe the best way to start this conversation is by providing the key items I took into consideration before applying for the 2017 Quantic cohort(class.)

(Not sure what I’m talking about? Click here to jump down to the about section and read up on the Quantic MBA program.)

The potential MBA program applicant needs to consider what’s important to them. These points are listed in no particular order, as their importance will vary for everyone’s own personal situation.

Name Recognition:

Quantic has very little. While I've definitely noticed this is changing, it is going to take a while to establish itself in the MBA-offering space. After all, schools like Harvard have been offering an MBA program for over 100 years. Without the prestigious name recognition, it may be more difficult to convince employers of the value of the education you received. That's not to say that you can't do it, I've successfully done it in the past, but I think a large part of this uphill battle is that some people seem to think that the ONLY value an MBA degree offers is in the networking opportunities.

Format:

Quantic's offerings are purely online. So consider carefully your reasons for pursuing an MBA. We've all been told that a lot of the value in going to an Ivy League business school is in the people and connections you make. It goes without saying that making valuable connections in a purely online setting will be difficult.

Content:

I have not had the chance to attend a traditional MBA program, so I cannot directly speak to how the content compares between Quantic and any other offering. However, what I can say is that in the conversations I've had with graduates of traditional MBA programs, at least the subjects and topics covered seem to be pretty similar. Additionally, the Quantic MBA program IS accredited by the Distance Education Accreditation Commission (DEAC.) However, do note that this is a different accrediting body than that used by other business schools, the AACSB.

Price:

This is an obvious win in Quantic's court. The program, if admitted, is 100% free. If you complete the courses and exams on time and satisfactorily you will be awarded a degree at no cost to you. Compare that to an average of $50,000-$80,000 for a traditional 2-year MBA program. That's an infinite value proposition in my book!

Time Commitment:

The online MBA will be completed in 10 months, with an average of 5-15 hours per week time commitment by the student. The traditional MBA program typically takes 2 years to complete, while even the accelerated format still takes 12-18 months to complete. For the people juggling multiple jobs, personal commitments, or other time-constraining activities, this short time period is much less daunting than committing to a 2-year program.

So am I happy I completed the program?

Yes, absolutely! While I can’t say obtaining a degree from Quantic put me leaps-and-bounds ahead of other employees or job applicants at any company I’ve interacted with, what I can say is that it opened the door for interesting conversations about my career goals and life motivations.

Obtaining knowledge just for knowledge’s sake is a great way to demonstrate to others your commitment to personal improvement and growth.

While I may not have paid anything to get this degree, I certainly took advantage and learned as much as I could. I believe knowledge is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the cost of acquisition.

Coming up in Part 2 of this conversation: answering any followup questions I receive about the program as well as my own personal experiences in working through the coursework. Stay tuned!

About Quantic:

"Quantic School of Business and Technology has reimagined business education. It brings the MBA curriculum to the modern era, with bite-size lessons optimized for a mobile world. Quantic students are high-achieving leaders with limitless potential, eager to make a difference. Paying for the privilege of recruiting in the network, our partner companies help enable our innovative tuition model, keeping Quantic radically affordable to all accepted students." Source: https://quantic.edu/press