CLASS OF 2000 GRADUATE COMMENTS
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.
I have loved my two years at the Johnson Graduate School of Management. It is no coincidence that Cornell's Business School is known as the friendly school. While everyone here is intelligent, fascinating, and ambitious, there is a general sense of helpfulness and caring that flows throughout the school. The faculty and administration work side by side with the students to continuously improve the school and to respond to our needs. There is always someone willing to help you out in tough times. The faculty love to teach and are ALWAYS available and accessible to students. Students are challenged intellectually and are trained to be successful -- however, NEVER at the expense of someone else. It is a school of strong values and ethics and provides a very warm and caring environment for two years. -- Consulting
Cornell is an excellent choice if you want to know your professors and classmates, and desire solid training in business fundamentals. The teaching is excellent, the facilities are great, and the location is a nice escape from big city life. The placement office gets better all the time and will help you get interviews with both the best-known firms and with smaller firms off-campus. There is an exception: financial analysis/investments. This is not a place to specialize. Because it is a small program, only a limited number of electives can be offered. The school has a heavy finance/accounting slant and will prepare you well in those subjects. However, electives in marketing, strategy, and especially IT are limited and, in some cases, of questionable value. -- Information Technology
The best thing about the Johnson School is the intimate learning environment that it provides. Johnson is a small school, inside Cornell, the largest ivy league university, which provided me with the best of both worlds. I know everybody in my class and I have made some friendships that should last a lifetime. -- Venture Capital/Private Equity
My overall experience at Cornell JGSM far exceeded my expectations. I learned much more than I imagined I would and I grew as a person beyond what I thought I would. Several experiences were key to this result. First, I was fortunate to be accepted in the Park Leadership Program (which paid my full tuition expenses). The Park program provided extensive leadership and teamwork development that has benefited me to a remarkable degree. Second, I was also fortunate to participate in the brand management immersion. As a student transitioning out of investment banking into marketing, the brand immersion provided an intensive introduction into the world of marketing and product management. The immersion enabled an easy and very successful career switch that began with my summer internship and continued into my permanent career subsequent to my MBA. Third, the faculty at Cornell were amazingly available to students. Most faculty have open-door policies, and were almost always available to students outside of class. Many faculty became friendly with students, and I was often invited into their homes for dinner and discussion. Johnson faculty encouraged us to contact them post-graduation for ongoing advice, class notes, research articles, etc. As one faculty member termed it: "Your MBA is a ticket to a permanent, ongoing consulting relationship with me." Fourth, the administration was extremely responsive to student concerns. When students last year approached the faculty with a request to create an e-business immersion, the administration responded quickly, creating an all-new curriculum by the next semester. Fifth, my classmates came from surprisingly diverse backgrounds and provided enormous support and stimulation. The school is a very friendly place, with helpful smiles refreshingly common and teamwork the rule rather than the exception. I never once experienced undue griping, complaining, or backstabbing of any kind. In short, Cornell JGSM gave me two of the best, most productive, special, and exhilarating years of my life. I am absolutely ecstatic about my experiences here. -- Marketing
I am extremely pleased with my decision of going for MBA at Cornell. I went to the one year program (as I already have a Ph.D). Initially, I was a little wary about going for MBA after already having a Ph.D and also substantial work experience. But now in retrospect, [it is] one of the best decisions, I have made in my life so far. -- Finance
I highly recommend the Johnson School. One aspect of the school that I feel strongly about is its commitment to the advancement of women and minorities. The school recently hired Angela Noble to focus specifically on women and minority issues. Having her at the school has made a difference to a number of people, including myself. She not only is an advocate for important causes, she is also a support system that is many times needed. One improvement that I would like to see made to the Johnson School is the diversity of faculty members. I like and have confidence in the current faculty members, but I would like to see an African American on staff. -- Anonymous
The Johnson School exceeded my expectations. I am very pleased with my education. The school gave me the tools I needed to receive a full-time employment offer from my first-choice firm. -- Consulting
I was amazed at how technical a lot of interviews are becoming, but glad that my education prepared me very well for them. Throughout the interviewing process, I found economics, strategy, and valuation principles to be the most useful. For the summer internship interviews, the core finance class was indispensable. One of the most important aspects of the Johnson School education is the experience of being an integral part of the larger Cornell community. After the core, one can take classes from any academic department of Cornell. I took a class each at the Africana Studies Center and the Hotel School. These classes not only exposed me to other disciplines and methods of education, but allowed me to develop broader friendships as well. Perhaps my most important experience came from being a Park Fellow. Not only did the fellowship virtually pay for education at Johnson, but also, it provided me with great opportunities to develop leadership skills. Through a combination of classes and experiential training in leadership, I am coming away from Johnson more confident in my ability to lead. -- Finance
I was blown away when I noticed our two core statistics professors wandering through the Atrium at 10 p.m. on a SUNDAY night to answer questions that struggling groups might have on an assignment due the next day. I knew right then and there that the professors at this school would go above and beyond my expectations to make sure I had a great experience at the Johnson School. The faculty at the Johnson School are top notch. They all care tremendously about the progress of students and will bend over backwards to make each student's experience a success. The career services office also did a great job in working with me throughout my job search. -- Marketing
I, personally, had a great time in my school and really satisfied with my experience in Johnson School. The school has areas to improve, for sure, but they are really responsible and willing to do the changes required. -- Operations
I've had a wonderful experience at the Johnson School. Cornell's program bucks the b-school stereotype that it's every man for himself. Students, faculty, and staff bend over backwards to help and learn from each other. Strengths of the school include its small size -- so you not only meet, but get to know and learn from all of your classmates, its location -- again, the small town environment encourages interaction between classmates, faculty, etc, and its general management focus -- I did not attend a school "dominated" by marketers, financiers, etc. Instead, I met a variety of people with a variety of interests, which I believe will improve my network post graduation. Finally, after having attended a major university for my undergraduate degree, I cannot underscore enough how accessible and helpful are the faculty and staff at the Johnson School. Professors stay in Ithaca and hold reasonable office hours. It's fantastic. -- Marketing
Cornell has made significant progress in the last four years reinventing a program built on a tradition of excellence. The resurgence is mostly due to the efforts of the administration, faculty, and alumni, who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improvement and change. I have never seen a more responsive or dedicated group of people in my life. As I leave Cornell, I feel a sense of responsibility to contribute to the school (both fiscally and intellectually) and I thank Cornell for all it has done for my classmates and me. -- Marketing
The Johnson School is a small school in terms of enrollment, and is somewhat geographically remote. As a result, the school tends to be a very tight-knit community. For better or worse, everyone knows everyone. It is great to know your entire class by name, and to be known personally by all your professors. There is also a sense of a common goal between students, faculty, and administration, and the groups work well together. Other than perhaps Tuck, my sense is that the level of intimacy of the program is greater at the Johnson School than other top-flight b-schools. For students looking to be a big fish in a small pond, the Johnson school might be a good fit. -- Anonymous
Two years of hard work, but deciding to attend b-school was definitely one of my wisest decisions. I have been sponsored by my company, and have to return to them. Thus, I did not have to go through the hardships of recruiting. Concentrating on the education was good. The Johnson School is a perfect match for me, as I have a wife and a baby boy that was born in my first semester. Ithaca is a good place to raise kids. I take my hat off for the faculty, who were available at all times -- and who were very friendly and most approachable. -- Operations
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