A KU admissions outreach advisor shares top online MBA student considerations

Jeremiah Nast is an admissions outreach advisor for the University of Kansas online MBA program. He spends his workday helping prospective students prepare their application materials and connecting them with helpful resources. Read more about the insights Jeremiah has gained about why students choose KU, common concerns they have before starting, and their reflections after going through the program.

Jeremiah said he talks with potential students at many career levels, from recent college graduates to “people who are very well entrenched in their careers and looking at getting to that next higher level, but they need an MBA to do it. We see students in all types of different industries,” he continued, “pursuing the program because they want a catalyst for their career.”

The top student concern about enrolling in an online MBA

Now that people have become more familiar with working online, and after questions of individual program quality and MBA program cost have been addressed, students are most concerned about whether or not they can manage the workload.

Jeremiah said, “Students tell me all the time that they don't have enough time to pursue the program or, it just won't work for them right now and maybe sometime in the future.” The concern is very real, especially for students who are working professionals with family and other commitments.

Unlike other online MBA programs that require students to attend live classes or in-person events, the KU program is completely asynchronous. “When I speak with students in the program,” Jeremiah said, “they often tell me that it provides a large level of flexibility within their day-to-day lives. The program is not something where they're having to give up on major parts of their lives, whether that's their work, family or social life. Whatever is most important to them, they're able to fit it in around that.”

Jeremiah said the program structure, in which students concentrate on one subject at a time in 8-week courses, also makes it easier for students to really master the material. There’s no need to juggle work for multiple classes while managing all their other commitments.

Top reasons online MBA students choose KU

Although Jeremiah has heard a lot of variations on these themes, the core reasons students want to earn their online MBAs at the University of Kansas School of Business are:

• KU’s well-deserved reputation for providing a high-quality education
• The reasonable cost of tuition, which creates a high return on investment
• Pride in the Jayhawk tradition of excellence

A high-quality business education

Going through an MBA program, whether on campus or online, is an investment of time as well as money. Prospective students want to be sure they’re getting the best quality education they can. KU’s rankings from U.S. News & World Report and the leadership roles that MBA alumni have attained at Fortune 100 companies are two of the proof points Jeremiah offers for the quality of a Jayhawk MBA.

The University of Kansas is proud to be ranked the No. 16 Best Online MBA Program and the No. 10 Best Online MBA for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report in 2022.¹ Jayhawk alumni work in industry-leading organizations including Boeing, Koch Industries, Eli Lilly, Blue Cross Blue Shield, T-Mobile and the U.S. Treasury.

Reasonable cost raises the ROI

“I would, and I do, recommend this program to anybody who's looking for a value, as far as getting that, top-tier education without spending seventy, eighty or a hundred thousand dollars on it,” Jeremiah said.

With total tuition under $40,000, the University of Kansas is ranked above programs charging much higher tuition.² KU students begin to see the benefit of their MBA classes at work right away, and Jayhawk alumni reported 27% average salary growth in a recent survey.³

Rock chalk! Excel in the Jayhawk tradition

The University of Kansas has been educating leaders since 1866 and has a tradition of excellence in everything from basketball to business. “Often students tell me, ‘I've always wanted to be a Jayhawk and that's why I'm pursuing this program.’”

Pointing out that James Naismith invented basketball while on the faculty at KU, Jeremiah said “a lot of people get a kick out of that fact, but there’s more to it.” KU alumni are passionate about and proud of their alma mater. “Students are really proud to get a high-quality education from a school that has such a rich history and they are proud to be able to tell people that they are a Jayhawk.” That shared pride strengthens the alumni network and opens career doors for Jayhawk MBAs.

If they had it to do over, students would do it sooner

Jeremiah keeps in touch with many students as they go through the program and said, The most self-critical comments I get from students are, ‘I should have started this earlier.’” Once they experience the difference the degree can make for them and how they can fit the work into their schedules, many students regret the time lost before they decided to invest in their success.

What’s holding you back? Start your MBA journey at KU today

Join the global network of Jayhawk online MBA alumni who have studied with our expert faculty in small, immersive classes and gone on to thrive in successful careers. Advance on your path to KU by talking with an admissions outreach advisor today.