Editor's Note: BusinessWeek collected graduate comments in 2000 during its ranking of full-time MBA programs. The next ranking is scheduled for fall, 2002.
The MBA program was an intense, grueling experience that has been well worth the effort for me both personally and professionally. --Finance
I needed to stay in Buffalo for my program and was lucky enough to receive a fellowship. UB was the only program I considered, and I was delighted beyond belief with the quality of my experiences. I never considered a distance learning program -- it is not what a business program should be about in my mind. The information in the textbooks is less than 50% of it. --Human Resources
I feel that the Information Technology curriculum does not reflect the skills necessary to compete in today's marketplace. I feel like the curriculum was watered down or slowed, as compared to, say, finance. I have no background in finance, yet the professor never slowed or skipped material to meet the needs of students less familiar with finance. I felt that it was understood that material I didn't understand in class (finance) was my responsibility outside of class. I don't feel like that attitude is present in the Information Technology department. Also, I don't think that the curriculum taught at the undergraduate level is sufficient at the graduate level. There were several instances of the exact same courses being taught at the undergrad and graduate level. Needless to say, I was very disappointed with the IT department and curriculum. Information Technology
The University at Buffalo is truly an underrated institution. I am leaving the program having felt that I have not only expanded my knowledge in different functional areas of business, but that I have grown as a person and feel very confident of my ability to work as a manager. Marketing
Our school has a very unique orientation program (MBA Advantage) and class (PACE) to help students develop their core competencies, e.g. communication skills, leadership, etc. I found it very useful in helping me develop my managerial skills. No Response
SUNY Buffalo MBA program is good for its cost. There is a lot of room for improvement. The course curriculum needs to be updated. Marketing
I started in the University at Buffalo J.D. program prior to entering the M.B.A. program. The buildings that house the two programs are literally 20 yards from each other. Accordingly, I had the opportunity to watch the School of Management (SOM) evolve over the past four years. I sincerely believe that the current administration has worked diligently to SIGNIFICANTLY improve the structure and content of the M.B.A. program -- and to date shows no signs of slowing their pace. Consulting
Students at the UB School of Management are treated as customers. Customer satisfaction is of prime importance. The school's goal is to prepare its students for all the important aspects of the real business world. These include leadership, teamwork, current technology, and so on. The career resource center is "simply the greatest." If I were to describe this school in three words, here's how I would. OUTSTANDING VALUE, OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, OUTSTANDING CAREER RESOURCE CENTER. Information Technology
This survey should have a question that states "Are you employed at this time?" Because, at this time I HAVE NOT STARTED MY CAREER YET! Hence, I found this survey somewhat annoying and the numerous e-mails to my account reminded me of a telemarketer calling at dinnertime. Annoying! My compensation amounts will change on this survey within the next month, thus this survey is not accurate. Marketing
There are too many students with deficient English-language skills. It will drive you crazy doing group work. The school seems to be underpaying faculty, and the older, more experienced faculty are retiring soon. It will be a problem getting the better professionals to come to SUNYAB to teach, research. Lots of instructors here from the Lesser-Developed Countries, definitely indicates a problem with competitive salaries. This is not just inference but first-hand anecdotal information. School has a strong past but uncertain future. There are good students here and many potential successes, but a lot of schlubs too. A degree from this school is OK. People who graduate will be dependable workers, but not ball-busting movers and shakers. The school is good for locals, foreign nationals who want exposure to USA w/ low cost. Finance
The MBA program at SUNY Buffalo has been working towards a Top 25 ranking since I arrived two years ago, and I believe that they are well on their way. There has been an added emphasis on improving the quality of teaching, curriculum, and technology within the School of Management. The Career Resource Center is top-notch, and their staff constantly goes out of their way to prepare students and to assist them in their career search. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience, and I would recommend the program to anyone. Marketing
I would not recommend the school to anybody. I am very frustrated with the level of teaching. There was no enthusiasm on the part of the teachers; they were not up-to-date, and they kept on recycling the same things over and over again. Most of the time, I felt that the class was a waste of time. The internship office is poorly organized, and it is up to the student to find a summer job or internship. The area is nice and shows some signs of growth, but has lost a significant part of the boom that other parts of the United States have enjoyed. The school seems to be doing good in MIS concentration, but still I think that this has a lot to do with the high demand and low supply for the IT people. I should say, however, that some serious efforts are being done towards improving the program, and maybe a few years from now, UB MBA would be a good program. Professors and improvement of the curriculum should be a priority for the school. Basically the professors look like old retirees, bored and unenthusiastic to teach their course. We even had teachers that did not check their PowerPoint presentations before coming to class and were not at all prepared. Buffalo looks like a nice place to get a tenure and then live a peaceful life. Finance
I only applied to one program because I was going to be involved in helping manage property in Latvia and UB had set up a program in Riga, Latvia. Students were attending UB Buffalo from Latvia whom I made contact with. Human Resources
=Subscribers Only
Copyright 2001 , by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
MBA Insider
