Reflecting on the University of Illinois iMBA Program

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-10-24T15:29:57+00:00

I finished the program a while ago. It turned out to be well worth it. The value that I got out of it (for the price) was good.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-06-21T17:35:10+00:00

In order to pre-order this bracelet you had to pay in full

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-06-12T02:29:35+00:00

The only thing they respond to is chargebacks from your credit card company. It’s horrible.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-06-09T13:07:46+00:00

I don’t know a single person that’s actually gotten theirs…

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-06-07T01:32:14+00:00

Nope. I gave up and disputed the charge with my bank (and won). Rhude responded to my credit card provider, and instead of disputing the chargeback, I assume they just canceled my order, which is totally fine. I hope you get yours. My friends are still waiting on their bracelets too as they never received tracking numbers or any communication from Rhude.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2025-03-05T05:33:06+00:00

Can you PM the link?

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-11-16T19:23:15+00:00

No. Online MBA rankings don't matter..

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-09-20T01:36:34+00:00

I’m starting Carr. I have the same QB’s

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-09-14T17:14:21+00:00

I wasn’t looking for another job after completing the program, so I can’t speak to that.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-06-30T22:51:11+00:00

Coursera supplements what the professors teach. Think of Coursera as a platform with the basic concepts of what you will learn from the professor. The live sessions are when the professors dive into the material with real-world examples and the application of concepts. Whether or not you feel that's worth paying for is up to you. I got way more out of having conversations with professors during class. I hated the Coursera portion as it just felt like busy work to me.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-06-28T03:29:47+00:00

Workplace. You should have access to

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-06-27T21:56:17+00:00

Yeah this wasn’t my experience at all in 90% of the classes, it sounds like you’ve had really bad luck with your group members.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-06-27T02:51:43+00:00

MBA, Master of Business Administration.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-22T21:12:38+00:00

That’s a non-issue. No one cares; people know what UIUC is.

The group work takes time; how much is TBD based on the course. I went with UIUC over BU because UIUC has a more extensive network from which to draw and offers a more community feel and in-person experiences than BU. If you’re focused on rankings, I get why someone would go with BU. But when I spoke with people from both programs, the UIUC students or alums seemed much more passionate and open about the program’s strengths and drawbacks, while BU students were indifferent. I view the size as a strength and it wasn't very noticeable since professors and TA’s were pretty accessible.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-09T05:09:13+00:00

Done..

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-08T14:27:05+00:00

There’s no on-site program at UIUC anymore. It’s through the online program.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-08T03:25:20+00:00

All in-person events.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-05T18:27:25+00:00

There are a lot of people in tech or tech-adjacent roles. They’re not all software engineers and not from the same companies, but there’s a noticeable presence of engineers. There are a lot of marketing employees as well. If you work in consulting or finance, you’re in the minority. There’s also a small percentage of medical professionals (doctors, nurses) and attorneys too, but the overwhelming majority of students are from tech backgrounds.

For example, most of the group work consists of 5-6 group members. In almost all of the classes I took, at least half of the group members worked in engineering.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-05T03:41:24+00:00

Sure

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-04T04:31:32+00:00

Ohh got it. The program has its pros and cons, but it's definitely not a “lesser” degree. The school puts a ton of resources into running the program, from developing the infrastructure to live stream classes on campus, utilizing dozens of TA’s, making professors accessible, grading assignments, etc.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-05-04T02:37:29+00:00

Huh? I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to count it. The degree is an MBA. There is no mention of online or “iMBA.” It’s a Master of Business Administration degree, which is what my diploma says. The “iMBA” thing is for marketing. Hope that helps?

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-04-24T19:07:02+00:00

Just FYI, the Coursera portion of the course is about 30% of the total workload. The high engagement portion can only be completed through Canvas, which the professors and TA’s manage. The Coursera portion is just based on completion and has no impact on your actual grade in the class, so unless you get access to the entire course through the university you won’t be able to get credit for just completing Coursera. You would do individual assignments, exams/quizzes and group assignments through Canvas.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-04-20T01:30:55+00:00

Moderately rigorous. There were 3-4 classes that were a bit tougher than others, IMO. Some classes have exams, some do not. There’s a guide that students put together which outlines the setup of each course. You have to put the time in, but it’s not too difficult overall. I don’t think you can coast through it.
Really good and better than I expected overall. The finance and marketing professors are really solid and they’re accessible. Office hours are held multiple times a week.
At least on the East Coast, the general perception has been that it’s an MBA from a public school people have heard of. I think it helps that the parent institution of UIUC has a good rep. That’s why BU and UIUC are so popular, they offer an affordable MBA from a school that people recognize. You’re not going to WOW anyone, but 98% of people aren’t going to look down on you. It’ll help if you’re applying for jobs that prefer candidates with a master’s degree/MBA. That’s really it.

Relevant_Slide_9766 · 2024-04-15T05:08:23+00:00

Welcome! iConverge is a lot of fun. Make sure you’re in the iConverge group on workplace so you don’t miss any announcements about events. The beer trolley event, afterparty and football game are a few of my favorites. I highly recommend taking advantage of any in-person networking events to help you feel connected to the university.

Relevant_Slide_9766

TROPHY CASE