Cara Tragseiler was doing well in her job as an associate manager for BASES—part of The Nielsen Company in the Cincinnati area—where she designed and analyzed consumer research prior to new product launches for Procter & Gamble. She knew that going to business school would be a sacrifice for her and her husband, Mike (not to mention Charlie, their golden retriever).

"Having worked in both advertising and market research, I've gotten to play different roles in the new product development process," says Cara, who had no formal business education as a journalism major at Northwestern. "But I wanted to play a broader role as a brand manager. Ultimately, I realized I needed my MBA to make that transition successfully."

Owen, she says, not only "gave me the credentials to get interviews for the positions I wanted" (she landed an internship with L'Oreal in New York), "it gave me the opportunity to learn, grow and explore. I learned more about myself, and I learned the business skills I needed to be successful. I am so happy I made the decision to come to Owen. Owen was truly an invaluable experience."