# Australian Universities



## happyhippie (Sep 23, 2012)

Hi everyone,

My sister wants to study a double major in Accounting and Finance (undergraduate program), a passion of hers since early childhood (and piggy bank days lol). 

I have done plenty of research with her and read many good and bad reviews about all the major universities. As an international student she will be paying more or less the same tuition fees, so my question are where (location) and which university?

Some have gained the reputation based on their research programs, MBAs, or the Medical field. However, as she is a business student I wanted to know what are the best choices for her. It doesn't matter if it the campus is in a regional area or a major city, my aim is her getting the best out of what she is paying for.

What universities would you recommend?

Any help would be appreciated 

Thank you.


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## Dolly (Feb 17, 2008)

Hi,

You might find this website of some help: http://www.gooduniguide.com.au/

Here in Melbourne, Monash and Melbourne Uni have excellent reputations.

Dolly


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## twister292 (Mar 25, 2011)

Any of the Go8 unis will do fine.

UniMelb no longer does the specialised under-grad programs (they do more generalised undergrad degrees based on the American model now).

If in Melbourne, Monash is your best option...Sydney has USyd and UNSW, both excellent unis.


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## Suraj Thomas (Sep 29, 2012)

I am currently studying for my Bachelor of Commerce Degree (with a major in accounting and finance) at the Australian National University in Canberra. Canberra itself isnt a very exciting place but I find the institution itself to be of high standard. Hope this helps.


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## happyhippie (Sep 23, 2012)

Thx a ton for the link Dolly .. the website was indeed very helpful .. 

twister..I've read a lot about the 'Melbourne Model" , quite the noise they made with that change. I will take a better look at Monash . Location is still undecided, although I see the focus is mostly on NSW, ACT & VIC. 

Suraj, Oh great, just the major she wants. What made you choose ANU amongst all the other options? How is the standard of their lectures in terms of theory vs. practical for both account and finance?


General question, any idea how UWA, Adelaide and U. South Australia stand in comparison, in both reputation and academics, to ANU, Sydney, and Melbourne?


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

For business, University of Melbourne and University of Sydney. (If you're talking about Undergrad). Both have a great reputation outside of Australia as well. Monash, UNSW all have great reputation. ANU has the highest rank in Australia for Research. All are good universities.

For MBA, Melbourne Business School (University of Melbourne), and AGSM (Uni UNSW/Syd).


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## louisecm (Oct 17, 2012)

Hi there,

I studied and now work at UNSW and think it is excellent. A few years ago they set up the Australian School of Business which has a lot of excellent facilities, the commerce degree (I studied this) is very comprehensive and UNSW has excellent worldwide rankings and is part of the top 8 universities in Australia. In terms of the atmosphere of this uni, it is in a great location close to the beach and the city and the campus has a very fun atmosphere and it's easy to meet people. Worth checking out


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

happyhippie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> My sister wants to study a double major in Accounting and Finance (undergraduate program), a passion of hers since early childhood (and piggy bank days lol).
> 
> Some have gained the reputation based on their research programs, MBAs, or the Medical field. However, as she is a business student I wanted to know what are the best choices for her.



Not sure about Accounting and Finance (undergraduate program), but I did summarize sth for MBA once. Melbourne Business School (Mel), and AGSM (Syd) are among the top. Following is comparison of Accreditation for MBA Oz Uni have, i think your ultimate target will remain within this shortlist. Btw, Only UoM & USyd has accreditation for Accounting-(AACSB).


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## happyhippie (Sep 23, 2012)

unixguy /louisecm ... thank you for the details.. I have heard a lot of good things about them and its good to know they are worth targeting.

thewall... Accreditation is important and honestly that summary has made a huge difference. A lot of the universities mention the general footnote of their degrees being part of ICAA but this puts things into perspective, knowing that my sister will pursue an MBA. 

Speaking of MBA, is having an honors undergrad a prerequisite in australia to enter any MBA program?


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

happyhippie said:


> unixguy /louisecm ... thank you for the details.. I have heard a lot of good things about them and its good to know they are worth targeting.
> 
> thewall... Accreditation is important and honestly that summary has made a huge difference. A lot of the universities mention the general footnote of their degrees being part of ICAA but this puts things into perspective, knowing that my sister will pursue an MBA.
> 
> Speaking of MBA, is having an honors undergrad a prerequisite in australia to enter any MBA program?



It varies, most of them ask Bachelor + experience (2~5 yrs), top ones ask GMAT too (MBS & AGSM). I have offer from UWA (G8, AACSB & EQUIS) best fit for my budget & time, can finish in less than 1 year (i got 4 unit waiver from RPL & experience), but waiting for PR. Not sure if i can catch-up Jan session, btw - Cost drops about 22% with PR. 

Cheers!


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## twister292 (Mar 25, 2011)

For accounting, AACSB means very little in the professional accounting industry. Majority of the professional accountants will be CAs or CPAs here.


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## mansi786 (Sep 13, 2012)

Hello ppl.. Can anyone help me.. I m interested in an interior designing course and a fashion designing course.. Wch reputed universities in Melbourne offer this course...
Regards


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

happyhippie said:


> unixguy /louisecm ... thank you for the details.. I have heard a lot of good things about them and its good to know they are worth targeting.
> 
> thewall... Accreditation is important and honestly that summary has made a huge difference. A lot of the universities mention the general footnote of their degrees being part of ICAA but this puts things into perspective, knowing that my sister will pursue an MBA.
> 
> Speaking of MBA, is having an honors undergrad a prerequisite in australia to enter any MBA program?



Honors is not required. Honors is a research component, not related to professional degrees like MBA.

However, work experience is required and highly recommended before an MBA. The good university will not accept a candidate without at least 2 yrs of experience, and you will make the most of your MBA IF you have work experience you can relate to.

in Australia, I can only recommend MBS (Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne) and AGSM(Australian Graduate School of Management, University of Sydney and UNSW).


Honestly though, for the money you will be paying, you should look for University of Cambridge or University of Oxford. You can get a more internationally recognized MBA with the same price.

If you are very keen on studying in Australian, then personally I'd choose Melbourne Business School without a second though


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

unixguy said:


> Honors is not required. Honors is a research component, not related to professional degrees like MBA.
> 
> However, work experience is required and highly recommended before an MBA. The good university will not accept a candidate without at least 2 yrs of experience, and you will make the most of your MBA IF you have work experience you can relate to.
> 
> ...


I share your sentiment; when deciding on an MBA I would generally recommend doing it in Europe or the US, though I would definitely choose London Business School (LBS) over Cambridge or Oxford.

General requirements include a 4-year Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 2 - 3 years work experience (depending on the school), and a GMAT score of at least 550 (schools in the top 50 have average GMAT scores between 650 and 730).

In Australia MBS and AGSM are the only really recognized MBA programs. Just a small correction though: AGSM is in no way related to University of Sydney. It's the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), which is part of the Australian School of Business (ASB) at University of New South Wales (UNSW).

I would definitely choose AGSM over MBS (maybe I'm biased though, because I DID choose AGSM over MBS)


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> I share your sentiment; when deciding on an MBA I would generally recommend doing it in Europe or the US, though I would definitely choose London Business School (LBS) over Cambridge or Oxford.
> 
> General requirements include a 4-year Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 2 - 3 years work experience (depending on the school), and a GMAT score of at least 550 (schools in the top 50 have average GMAT scores between 650 and 730).
> 
> ...



hmm... I can already feel the heat of *MBS* vs *AGSM* :boxing:,


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> hmm... I can already feel the heat of *MBS* vs *AGSM* :boxing:,


haha, you seem to know what you are talking about 
But honestly, the relationship between the schools is very friendly; every year AGSM & MBS have a big debate where students from both schools meet, network & have a lot of fun together. No :boxing: whatsoever


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> hmm... I can already feel the heat of *MBS* vs *AGSM* :boxing:,


Btw, if you don't mind me asking, what was your main consideration to choose UWA?


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> Btw, if you don't mind me asking, what was your main consideration to choose UWA?


Not sure if i can make it still, but who knows..

I was too lazy to sit for GMAT after having 8+ yrs experience. AGSM & MBS need GMAT a MUST
UWA fit my pocket if I am left jobless for a year, (38k if *573*, 30k if *189*)
They match my time budget 3 Trimester < 1year ( i got 4 of 12 unit waived), 
They have EQUIS+AACSB+G8


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> Not sure if i can make it still, but who knows..
> 
> I was too lazy to sit for GMAT after having 8+ yrs experience. AGSM & MBS need GMAT a MUST
> UWA fit my pocket if I am left jobless for a year, (38k if *573*, 30k if *189*)
> ...


I didn't know it cost so much less. I checked on their webpage and the calculator gave me a total cost of $57k which is almost the same as MBS & AGSM, but $30 - $38k is really quite a difference.
And I understand your concerns about the GMAT; it's quite a pain, particularly if you want to do well.
Am wondering though whether the post-MBA benefits wouldn't make up for the higher cost and extra effort, i.e. at AGSM for example the average post-MBA salary is approx. $130k. Additionally scholarships could reduce the cost of the studies...
But anyways, I agree that G8 in general is pretty good... Hopefully you'll be able to start soon!


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> I didn't know it cost so much less. I checked on their webpage and the calculator gave me a total cost of $57k which is almost the same as MBS & AGSM, but $30 - $38k is really quite a difference.
> And I understand your concerns about the GMAT; it's quite a pain, particularly if you want to do well.
> Am wondering though whether the post-MBA benefits wouldn't make up for the higher cost and extra effort, i.e. at AGSM for example the average post-MBA salary is approx. $130k. Additionally scholarships could reduce the cost of the studies...
> But anyways, I agree that G8 in general is pretty good... Hopefully you'll be able to start soon!



i got 4 units waived - that's why 57k dropped to 38.5k.

Not sure if AGSM & MBS will be kind enough for RPL (waiver based on Experience/studies), GMAT I could take care - if cost drops like 20k+


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> i got 4 units waived - that's why 57k dropped to 38.5k.
> 
> Not sure if AGSM & MBS will be kind enough for RPL (waiver based on Experience/studies), GMAT I could take care - if cost drops like 20k+


AT AGSM you can get an RPL for the core courses, but not for the electives. However, in order to get the RPL you need to sit a test at the beginning of the session and score >=70%. Thus you cannot be sure whether you'll actually receive an RPL at the time of enrollment. Additionally, not everybody can apply for RPL; you must either have relevant work experience or previous studies at the Master's level (not Bachelor's) in order to qualify. Finally, as the RPL can only be taken for core courses, there is no way to reduce the time of the MBA, i.e. it's def 16 months.
Guess this doesn't sound very enticing, huh?!

Btw, here the link to scholarships available at AGSM... another way to reduce tuition by about $25k: AGSM MBA scholarships - AGSM MBA - Postgraduate coursework degrees - Future students - Australian School of Business - UNSW


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> AT AGSM you can get an RPL for the core courses, but not for the electives. However, in order to get the RPL you need to sit a test at the beginning of the session and score >=70%. Thus you cannot be sure whether you'll actually receive an RPL at the time of enrollment. Additionally, not everybody can apply for RPL; you must either have relevant work experience or previous studies at the Master's level (not Bachelor's) in order to qualify. Finally, as the RPL can only be taken for core courses, there is no way to reduce the time of the MBA, i.e. it's def 16 months.
> Guess this doesn't sound very enticing, huh?!
> 
> Btw, here the link to scholarships available at AGSM... another way to reduce tuition by about $25k: AGSM MBA scholarships - AGSM MBA - Postgraduate coursework degrees - Future students - Australian School of Business - UNSW



Based on above - I'd rather vote for MBS, they started 1-yr MBA. (both cost 72k+ but Time is very imp factor, specially for old & impatient ppl like me with 8+ yr exp). Btw, i left my previous MBA half-way as I got Job relocation offer. I guess UWA wouldnt waive so easily either (so it was my unfinished MBA+experience).

One last question, Do u kno where can i check CSP, if at all AGSM/MBS have any. UWA has it for EMBA - if i m not mistaken. 


I think Happyhippe will kick me out for hijaking his Accounting discussion. :focus:


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> Based on above - I'd rather vote for MBS, they started 1-yr MBA. (both cost 72k+ but Time is very imp factor, specially for old & impatient ppl like me with 8+ yr exp). Btw, i left my previous MBA half-way as I got Job relocation offer. I guess UWA wouldnt waive so easily either (so it was my unfinished MBA+experience).
> 
> One last question, Do u kno where can i check CSP, if at all AGSM/MBS have any. UWA has it for EMBA - if i m not mistaken.
> 
> ...


Sorry, I don't even know what CSP is  Is this what you are talking about? https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/CSP.html

Am not really familiar, but at AGSM no one received anything like this. Several locals and PR holders took advantage of the Governmental FEE-HELP though, i.e. a loan which only had to be repaid once a certain income was earned. Sorry, can't really be of any help here.
And btw, the 1-year MBS MBA is really interesting. Didn't know that!

You are right, should stop polluting this Accounting threat


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> I share your sentiment; when deciding on an MBA I would generally recommend doing it in Europe or the US, though I would definitely choose London Business School (LBS) over Cambridge or Oxford.
> 
> General requirements include a 4-year Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 2 - 3 years work experience (depending on the school), and a GMAT score of at least 550 (schools in the top 50 have average GMAT scores between 650 and 730).
> 
> ...





Excellent points.

Well, LBS (London Business School), INSEAD (In France), and US Unis like (Wharton, Harvard) are the top of the top but they are VERY expensive. If the OP can afford them, then good for them. Also note that the average student age in these school is 27 (i.e. 2-3 yrs of experience).


Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester Business School, and even Warwick, all have a price tag that's comparable (or even less than) AGSM and MBS in Australia. And reputation wise, they're comparatively better, specially if we're talking international recognition.


MBA is just a professional degree. It's what you make of it, and it is what you make of the network/alumni. I was considering doing MBA for a while ( I have 5+ yrs of experience) so I did some research, that's how I know  Eventually, I decided(at least so far lol) that a technical master will help me more.


So you went to AGSM? that's awesome! How was your experience? Were you working in Australia before you attend the school? Were you working in management before? Are you in management now?

I'd like to read about your experience 


I don't see a point in debating MBS vs. AGSM. However, a point worth mentioning, it is recently that MBS started to get more world recognition, and started doing slightly better than AGSM, but they're both IMHO on the same level.


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

thewall said:


> Not sure if i can make it still, but who knows..
> 
> I was too lazy to sit for GMAT after having 8+ yrs experience. AGSM & MBS need GMAT a MUST
> UWA fit my pocket if I am left jobless for a year, (38k if *573*, 30k if *189*)
> ...



mmm, word of advice, don't take the easy route. Just take the GMAT. If AGSM/MBS cost more than UWA, just work for an extra year or two and save the difference.

If you want to do an MBA, go the best school possible. It makes a difference. The reviews I got from UWA MBA are not good to be honest.


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

thewall said:


> Based on above - I'd rather vote for MBS, they started 1-yr MBA. (both cost 72k+ but Time is very imp factor, specially for old & impatient ppl like me with 8+ yr exp). Btw, i left my previous MBA half-way as I got Job relocation offer. I guess UWA wouldnt waive so easily either (so it was my unfinished MBA+experience).
> 
> One last question, Do u kno where can i check CSP, if at all AGSM/MBS have any. UWA has it for EMBA - if i m not mistaken.
> 
> ...


I don't think CSP is available for MBAs. Here's a link: (They don't mention CSP so I think it's not available)
MBS: Fees 

Fees - MBA (full-time) - AGSM MBA - Postgraduate coursework degrees - Future students - Australian School of Business - UNSW


PS: FEE-Help/HECS is for Australian citizens and Humanitarian Permanent Residents, not for Permanent Residents.


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

unixguy said:


> I don't think CSP is available for MBAs. Here's a link: (They don't mention CSP so I think it's not available)
> MBS: Fees
> 
> Fees - MBA (full-time) - AGSM MBA - Postgraduate coursework degrees - Future students - Australian School of Business - UNSW
> ...



hmm... looks like i shud choose any of these later if UNSW, Business is not in CSP at all. 
Master of Engineering Science (Photovoltaics and Solar Energy)
Master of Information Technology
Master of Biomedical Engineering
Master of Statistics


for MBA, MBS is enticing - seriously, i need a 2nd thought - ways to bridge the gap.


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

unixguy said:


> Excellent points.
> 
> Well, LBS (London Business School), INSEAD (In France), and US Unis like (Wharton, Harvard) are the top of the top but they are VERY expensive. If the OP can afford them, then good for them. Also note that the average student age in these school is 27 (i.e. 2-3 yrs of experience).
> 
> ...


Ditto, excellent points 

Regarding the age: You are absolutely right that the average age at US schools is pretty low, particularly because some of them don't even require any work experience at all. At AGSM and LBS alike the average age is actually 29 years with an average of about 6 years work experience. 

You are also right that MBS is better known internationally. And furthermore, in the last 3 years MBS improved their FT rankings while AGSM dropped by several ranks. Nonetheless AGSM is still ranked higher, and at the moment the school is undergoing some changes which will hopefully be reflected in the near future. You are right though that there is no point in debating AGSM vs. MBS; both schools are pretty good and have different strengths and weaknesses.

Regarding my personal experience, I really enjoyed my time at AGSM. I met a bunch of really interesting and smart people from all over the world and learned some stuff that I had never even heard of before my MBA. The class size at AGSM is pretty small (45 - 70 students in recent years) so you really get to know your class mates pretty well. On a down-side, this also means that the number of elective courses is somewhat limited. However, in order to take some of the electives that AGSM does not offer I went on International exchange (about half the class goes on exchange), and you may have already guessed it; I did my exchange at LBS  

Even though I really enjoyed ‘regular’ courses such as “Quantitative Business Modelling” etc., my favourite course at AGSM was prob “International Business Strategy in Asia”. This course took us for 2 weeks to Hong Kong and Mumbai where we visited companies and learned about the local business culture. What I appreciated the most about that course was that it was offered to full-time and Exec. MBAs together, so I got to know some of the more experienced Exec. MBA students and expand my network.

You are also right regarding the importance of networking; most of my classmates who got a job here in Australia either got it by attending networking events with companies, or by contacting AGSM alumni. Even though the recruiting process is always somewhat tedious, several coffee catch-ups can definitely help.

Me personally, I have not worked in Australia before commencing my MBA. I worked as an Accountant in the US. In fact, I selected AGSM because I wanted to move to Australia. As previously mentioned, if you go solely by international recognition it would make more sense to do an MBA in other countries, but if you want to live at the beach and go to uni in flip flops then AGSM is your choice 

Haha, well, should prob stop writing… This already resembles a book...


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> hmm... looks like i shud choose any of these later if UNSW, Business is not in CSP at all.
> Master of Engineering Science (Photovoltaics and Solar Energy)
> Master of Information Technology
> Master of Biomedical Engineering
> ...


May I ask what is your motivation for doing another degree, i.e. your career ambition? Do you want to change industries, advance quicker in your chosen profession, or what? The degrees you have listed all lead to very different career prospects after on.


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

thewall said:


> hmm... looks like i shud choose any of these later if UNSW, Business is not in CSP at all.
> Master of Engineering Science (Photovoltaics and Solar Energy)
> Master of Information Technology
> Master of Biomedical Engineering
> ...


I also like to ask why do you want to do the degrees? The degrees you mentioned are all unrelated, and very different. There's no correlation between IT and Biomedical engineering? Why would you waste 1.5-2 yrs of your life + lots of money + lots income?


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> Ditto, excellent points
> 
> Regarding the age: You are absolutely right that the average age at US schools is pretty low, particularly because some of them don't even require any work experience at all. At AGSM and LBS alike the average age is actually 29 years with an average of about 6 years work experience.
> 
> ...



What a great review! Super LIKE 

Sounds like a great experience, and LBS is my dream school. My career is taking the path of a deep technical consultant, so that's why I put the MBA on hold.

I'm glad that you enjoyed your time. I talked to several MBS grads, and they all seemed to have a blast as well! Stories like yours with a positive vibe give me a push towards making the move to Australia.

I'm visiting Melbourne in a reccie on December. I will relocate permanently on March-2013.

Congrats on the excellent experience you got, and good luck with your new life in Australia


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

unixguy said:


> I also like to ask why do you want to do the degrees? The degrees you mentioned are all unrelated, and very different. There's no correlation between IT and Biomedical engineering? Why would you waste 1.5-2 yrs of your life + lots of money + lots income?


Good point, this is Plan B, My BE (ECE) was closer to these and also my experience is in Business/Sales but across equipments Electronics/Electrical/Networking/IT (u can easily guess which German giant has it all ). Anyhow, my current priority is to complete Business degree fast (not more than 1 yr), let me explore a bit more. thanks both of u for valuable advice.


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

unixguy said:


> What a great review! Super LIKE
> 
> Sounds like a great experience, and LBS is my dream school. My career is taking the path of a deep technical consultant, so that's why I put the MBA on hold.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much & good luck to you too with your relocation to VIC. Sounds like a really exciting time for you right now! All the best


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> Good point, this is Plan B, My BE (ECE) was closer to these and also my experience is in Business/Sales but across equipments Electronics/Electrical/Networking/IT (u can easily guess which German giant has it all ). Anyhow, my current priority is to complete Business degree fast (not more than 1 yr), let me explore a bit more. thanks both of u for valuable advice.


Well, I hope the MBS MBA or whatever you decide on works out for you! Good luck


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## happyhippie (Sep 23, 2012)

Wow! I just stepped out for a few days and look what I found lol

I must admit AnneChristina got me thinking my sister should consider an MBA in London or at least consider the option. She is currently adamant about her undergraduate in Australia. I did a lot of research with her and frankly I see her leaning towards University of Adelaide, UNSW, and University of Queensland. I understand they are all part of the Go8 but the cost of living between each city seems to vary, specially in the south. 

I don't know if this question would make any sense but given that my sister is likely to search for work to gain experience in Australia to get her CPA done, if she decides to do her MBA at a school other than the one she got her undergrads would that be considered "disloyalty" to your school? e.g. undergraduate from UoA and MBA from UNSW or MBS?


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

happyhippie said:


> Wow! I just stepped out for a few days and look what I found lol
> 
> I must admit AnneChristina got me thinking my sister should consider an MBA in London or at least consider the option. She is currently adamant about her undergraduate in Australia. I did a lot of research with her and frankly I see her leaning towards University of Adelaide, UNSW, and University of Queensland. I understand they are all part of the Go8 but the cost of living between each city seems to vary, specially in the south.
> 
> I don't know if this question would make any sense but given that my sister is likely to search for work to gain experience in Australia to get her CPA done, if she decides to do her MBA at a school other than the one she got her undergrads would that be considered "disloyalty" to your school? e.g. undergraduate from UoA and MBA from UNSW or MBS?


No, there is no problem in terms of "disloyalty" whatsoever. Just to confirm though, I assume you are planning undergrad, then work experience & CPA, and then MBA for your sister?!

And btw, talking about CPA... Not sure whether you are aware of this, but in Australia there are actually several recognized accounting bodies, most notably ICAA & CPA. While "CPA" is the recognition best known Internationally (in part because it is the abbreviation used in other countries such as the US, though the bodies and qualifications are quite different), ICAA is actually considered to be of slightly higher standard than CPA. In fact the big 4 accounting firms all work with ICAA (the CA program) and not CPA. Just another thing to look into once the time comes...


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

Same for mee too.... Just ordered Manhattan GMAT  thought I'd give it a shot. Amazon price was 47% less - wow, i dont quite understand their business model.

btw, I have brought Singapore within my radar now. I was quite surprised to fine Singapore based Unis (INSEAD-sg campus 5th, NUS 23rd & Nanyang 31st) all above Oz ones (all of them asking GMAT). 

In FT MBA ranking AGSM 37th and MBS further down in 54th, how could little singapore beat all these mighity Oz ones and also cost much less (below SGD 60k) ?!


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## cy71_shyam (Jun 8, 2012)

*Mgsm???*

Thanks for this thread.

I am seriously planning to pursue mba from MGSM cause my GMAT score is not great..

Can you please suggest me as i have an offer from MGSM .I do consider my job prospects to be good considering i have a PR and 8 + years of IT exp .

need your urgent advise..


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> Same for mee too.... Just ordered Manhattan GMAT  thought I'd give it a shot. Amazon price was 47% less - wow, i dont quite understand their business model.
> 
> btw, I have brought Singapore within my radar now. I was quite surprised to fine Singapore based Unis (INSEAD-sg campus 5th, NUS 23rd & Nanyang 31st) all above Oz ones (all of them asking GMAT).
> 
> In FT MBA ranking AGSM 37th and MBS further down in 54th, how could little singapore beat all these mighity Oz ones and also cost much less (below SGD 60k) ?!


Oh yeah, I remember those fun GMAT times... Enjoy :spit:

Btw, you should def get the official GMAT guide in addition to the one you have (it's relatively cheap - I think I bought it for like $10 - $15 in the US). There are just hundreds over hundreds of example questions which are really good practice...


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

cy71_shyam said:


> Thanks for this thread.
> 
> I am seriously planning to pursue mba from MGSM cause my GMAT score is not great..
> 
> ...


First of all congrats on your PR :clap2:

To be honest, I'm not quite sure about MGSM. I did recognize that they made a huge improvement in the Economist ranking, but I'm not sure how beneficial their MBA would really be.

The question is though, what do you want to get out of your MBA?

And btw, re GMAT: GMAT is one factor, but other things count as well. They really look at your overall profile, so it might be worth applying to more schools, even if your GMAT ain't that great. I think in our class the GMAT varied between 570 and 760...


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## cy71_shyam (Jun 8, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> First of all congrats on your PR :clap2:
> 
> To be honest, I'm not quite sure about MGSM. I did recognize that they made a huge improvement in the Economist ranking, but I'm not sure how beneficial their MBA would really be.
> 
> ...


My idea is like this.I am a IT consultant and would like to move out of IT (technical- SAP).Since i intend to settle in AUS for good and MBA was a long cherished dream, i felt i should do it now.

After the MBA i hope to be accepted better in the country and i want to shift into Mgt Consulting or any other decent Management profile thats all!!!

I was also contemplating the masters in public policy ( as i also intend to work in the govt sector) but realised that i might not be accepted well in AU post that. 

Your comments please.


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

cy71_shyam said:


> My idea is like this.I am a IT consultant and would like to move out of IT (technical- SAP).Since i intend to settle in AUS for good and MBA was a long cherished dream, i felt i should do it now.
> 
> After the MBA i hope to be accepted better in the country and i want to shift into Mgt Consulting or any other decent Management profile thats all!!!
> 
> ...


You prob know that it's quite hard to get into management consulting, and in order to get into that field, particularly within a recognizable company, the reputation of the MBA program is really quite important.

I would suggest to look at the companies that you are actually interested in and see whether they recruit from MGSM. Bain for example has this page where they outline the recruiting process for different universities; Unfortunately they do not specifically recruit from MGSM. Join Bain & Company: Bain on your campus > Apply to Bain

The MBA is such a huge investment, I would honestly suggest buying some GMAT prep material (Veritas, Kaplan, Princeton) and giving it a 100%. Nowadays so many people have an MBA it's nothing special anymore, unless employers recognize the name of the school...


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## cy71_shyam (Jun 8, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> You prob know that it's quite hard to get into management consulting, and in order to get into that field, particularly within a recognizable company, the reputation of the MBA program is really quite important.
> 
> I would suggest to look at the companies that you are actually interested in and see whether they recruit from MGSM. Bain for example has this page where they outline the recruiting process for different universities; Unfortunately they do not specifically recruit from MGSM. Join Bain & Company: Bain on your campus > Apply to Bain
> 
> The MBA is such a huge investment, I would honestly suggest buying some GMAT prep material (Veritas, Kaplan, Princeton) and giving it a 100%. Nowadays so many people have an MBA it's nothing special anymore, unless employers recognize the name of the school...



Bain and Booz are prolly the top most in its class.. I am sure there are smaller boutique management consulting companies..

I understand what u are saying.. Just that i dont have the time to prepare for GMAT anymore as i would be travelling and that i wanna migrate to AU soon enough to study..

In double minds what to so..But i have been told MGSM is #3 in AU for MBA..
Correct me if i am wrong here..


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

I'd say - if not AGSM or MBS, go for any of the G8.

USyd (Sydney) or Monash (Mel) would be next best option since most ppl choose to settle in Sydney/Melbourne


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

cy71_shyam said:


> Bain and Booz are prolly the top most in its class.. I am sure there are smaller boutique management consulting companies..
> 
> I understand what u are saying.. Just that i dont have the time to prepare for GMAT anymore as i would be travelling and that i wanna migrate to AU soon enough to study..
> 
> ...


Not quite sure whether it's no. 3 (it really depends on which ranking you look at), but it's definitely one of the top Australian MBAs. Just be aware that from an employer's perspective there is really quite a gap between AGSM & MBS, and the next in rank such as MGSM, University of Queensland, Curtin, etc.

However, I wish you lots of luck with your relocation & your new Aussie life. And good luck with your studies... it's an adventure of it's own


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> I'd say - if not AGSM or MBS, go for any of the G8.
> 
> USyd (Sydney) or Monash (Mel) would be next best option since most ppl choose to settle in Sydney/Melbourne


For an MBA the general G8 rule doesn't quite apply. You should really look at specific MBA rankings and features of the individual programs...


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## thewall (Jul 5, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> For an MBA the general G8 rule doesn't quite apply. You should really look at specific MBA rankings and features of the individual programs...



hmm... this is sth surprise me.

I did not find any Oz MBA in top 100 FT ranking (other than AGSM & MBS)


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

thewall said:


> hmm... this is sth surprise me.
> 
> I did not find any Oz MBA in top 100 FT ranking (other than AGSM & MBS)


You will find MBS, MGSM, Curtin & University of Queensland in the top 100 in the Economist ranking (AGSM doesn't participate in the Economist survey).
If you research Australian MBA rankings in particular you will find a few more, but obviously they won't really be known Internationally...


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## unixguy (Mar 25, 2012)

cy71_shyam said:


> Thanks for this thread.
> 
> I am seriously planning to pursue mba from MGSM cause my GMAT score is not great..
> 
> ...



it really depends on the nature of your experience, your people skills, your English proficiency, and a lot of factors. I'd be careful as Australia has many unemployed MBAs, specially from overseas.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2012)

I would agree with Unixguy. From what I can see on here and elsewhere lots of countries seem to place an MBA in great esteem. People automatically being chosen for top jobs, high pay and better prospects than those without. 

Not so in Australia really, could say the same in the UK and many places in Europe. The job hunting process is much more competitive with anti discrimination laws meaning they cant often just cherry pick MBA grads. They must go through processes to ensure openness and equality. That is of course unless you come from a certain class of people who went elite boarding schools as children and whose parents are already involved with high flyers. 

Someone with a BA with the right experience would be just as likely to get a job as someone with an MBA! Where if the person with the MBA has no experience because they have been studying years they might get picked last.


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## happyhippie (Sep 23, 2012)

AnneChristina said:


> No, there is no problem in terms of "disloyalty" whatsoever. Just to confirm though, I assume you are planning undergrad, then work experience & CPA, and then MBA for your sister?!
> 
> And btw, talking about CPA... Not sure whether you are aware of this, but in Australia there are actually several recognized accounting bodies, most notably ICAA & CPA. While "CPA" is the recognition best known Internationally (in part because it is the abbreviation used in other countries such as the US, though the bodies and qualifications are quite different), ICAA is actually considered to be of slightly higher standard than CPA. In fact the big 4 accounting firms all work with ICAA (the CA program) and not CPA. Just another thing to look into once the time comes...



Phew! I’m glad that it doesn’t matter, I was just thinking of how it may be perceived by employers in Australia.

Speaking of which, thank you for pointing that out AnnaChristina. I am planning that route because I do want her to put her education to use and then pursue the MBA program that she wants. 

I did look into the “CPA” and realized that the Australian government still assesses any “accountant” based on the guidelines of only three bodies:
1.	CPA Australia
2.	ICAA
3.	IPA
Here is a link I found on their website.

Accountant (General) - 221111

It may also be worth mentioning that ICAA’s program though similar in concepts has a few more rigorous processes for accreditation given that they are the only account body part of GAA (Global Accounting Alliance) in Australia.

Global Accounting Alliance



_shel said:


> I would agree with Unixguy. From what I can see on here and elsewhere lots of countries seem to place an MBA in great esteem. People automatically being chosen for top jobs, high pay and better prospects than those without.
> 
> Not so in Australia really, could say the same in the UK and many places in Europe. The job hunting process is much more competitive with anti discrimination laws meaning they cant often just cherry pick MBA grads. They must go through processes to ensure openness and equality. That is of course unless you come from a certain class of people who went elite boarding schools as children and whose parents are already involved with high flyers.
> 
> Someone with a BA with the right experience would be just as likely to get a job as someone with an MBA! Where if the person with the MBA has no experience because they have been studying years they might get picked last.



Shel/Unixguy

Doesn't the network of people that you know matter in this case, whether the person has a BA or an MBA under their belt? And aren't 'good networks' associated with reputed programs?


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