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 got a lot out of the MBA program at IU. It was a very heavy workload, but now that I am done and can reflect back upon it, I really did learn a lot. IU is very good in the traditional courses in corporate finance and brand management, but I feel it needs to improve in the emerging field of IT. But I doubt that there are many if any programs that are better for corporate finance or brand management than IU. Since I came to school with the intent of going into corporate finance, I don't think I could have done any better than IU, especially when compared to the amount I spent on tuition. The faculty and the staff have shown a lot of support for the students and seem very open to new suggestions and ideas.
When comparing my experiences and my classes to the experiences of friends at other top MBA programs, I felt that IU was just as good if not better in many areas. IU students always seemed to be professional and asked good questions whereas students for other higher rated schools seemed to sometimes lack those skills. I realize this perception is based on only a small handful of personal experiences. However I know IU is not perfect, and a number of friends here were not completely satisfied with the program. But I think for the traditional MBA education, IU is still a top 10 school. --Finance
After completing a double major in finance and accounting in my undergraduate career, I was originally skeptical as to how much I would actually learn from an MBA program. However, after only a short period of time in this program, I quickly realized how little I knew. I was amazingly surprised at the caliber of teaching at Kelley. The professors here have been completely accessible outside of the classroom and go out of their way to make sure that students have every opportunity to get their questions answered. While the classes do spend time on the theories behind the concepts, the majority of the time is spent applying the concepts to real-world business situations and figuring out how to resolve current pressing issues in business.
When looking for an internship, a permanent position or just seeking career advice, the alumni I contacted went out of their way to help. Bob Klemkosky, director of the Investment Management Academy, goes beyond the call of duty to help academy members find an internship or a permanent position and is a real asset to the program. Through my experience with the academy, I've landed the job of my dreams and will be eternally grateful for this experience.
If I had any complaints regarding the program, it might be concerning the workload and level of team-based projects. While I truly value the education I've received, at times the workload can be extremely demanding. Between team meetings, papers, readings and interview preparation, I experienced many a sleepless night. However, this experience has greatly improved my time management skills and helped me learn how to more efficiently prioritize my work. --Anonymous
Indiana University has really worked hard in revamping this program. In the two years I have been here, they have created a new placement office, introduced several new electives, created a new core for the first year that will debut this fall and also they have created international learning opportunities (such as Kelly International Perspectives (KIPs). I appreciate the work Dean Dalton and Dan Smith have done to keep IU on the cutting edge. --Finance
Indiana University was an excellent choice with regards to the people and the environment. The faculty and staff are always there to help the students and that is exhibited in all they do for us. Bloomington is a wonderful town to get an MBA in because its small enough not to have to many attractions but big enough to have something to do. Its also only a short drive from Chicago. I couldnĄt have made a better choice. --Marketing
Overall, the program far exceeded my expectations. The program does an outstanding job with application of critical thinking from the start. Also, not only do the faculty demand "high-level thinking," but detailed execution as well! --Marketing
I loved this program!! The faculty and administration are so responsive to student concerns. My classmates were amazingly cooperative. I learned so much in the program and grew so much in terms of time management and leadership style. And, I am leaving with a great job and salary. I would highly recommend this program to anyone. --Human Resources
There is no doubt in my mind that the faculty at Kelley are the best. Even at the Air Force Academy where spending time after class with the students is a requirement for the instructors, I got more personal attention here. It was quite normal for me to go up to an instructor's office just to chat about the events of the day, even if they were busy they'd go out of their way to find me later. That's nice. Dating sucks... one of the major drawbacks to going to school in a small town is the number of available professional adults to date is horribly low, and if you want to hang out with the undergraduates you probably don't have the maturity to be a graduate program.
Kelley certainly loves to trumpet how our classmates all care about each other and work together, blah blah blah... I think that's a bit of an overstatement, frankly I think there's an air of overt superficiality to it. I'd rather people be a bit more up front about how they feel and then continue to get the job done rather than pretending to like people and then turning around and talking about others behind their back. Its all quite high school in nature. --Human Resources
The Graduate Career Services (GSC) has not been able to meet international students' expectations: less than 10% of the companies recruiting on campus actually allowed foreign nationals to interview. According to the data published by the GCS itself, only 37% of the international students looking for a US-based position managed to find a job in the United States. The career services failed to provide any kind of support to those students looking for a job in their home country as well. Domestic students seeking employment out of the Midwest were not in an enviable position either.
Apparently, the main focus of the career services is to attract traditional Midwestern employers and match them with domestic students. No elite consulting firms recruits on campus. The important role played by class attendance in determining the final grade for all the courses reduces the chances to gain high grades for those students who conduct their job-search out of campus and therefore have to travel internationally in order to interview. --Consulting
I think Kelley School of Business is a very good school academically speaking. I, however, feel that the academic workload is really too intense, and it really hurts during the recruitment season. Having said that, I am a completely transformed person after going to school here. All the hard work and the emphasis on analytical thinking as opposed to rote learning have contributed my confidence. The school created a highly conducive atmosphere for learning. The faculty almost invariably were brilliant people. The information systems department, however, needs more strengthening as far as faculty quality is concerned. --Finance
IU is a unique place. It's location is somewhat a detriment for recruiting and job search, but is a blessing in disguise. Bloomington is beautiful, laid back, affordable, and a lot of fun. A school should not be penalized for its location, and yet I feel that we are at times. The social life in combination with the academic experience is unmatched by other top 20 schools as far as I am concerned. I have befriended people from all over the country and world, IU is an "international" university. Additionally, the non-cutthroat atmosphere allows for close teamwork and trust. I never felt a peer was trying to ladder climb at my expense. --Marketing
IU is far from perfect, the facilities are somewhat inadequate for the expectations placed on students. It is impossible to get a meeting room, and with the great emphasis placed on teamwork, this gets very aggravating. In the big picture, parking may seem like a paltry thing compared to curriculum, but the lack of parking is really trying. I suppose however, the bargain tuition makes up for the facilities. Also be prepared to work! The philosophy in the first year seems to be 'let's give the students more that they can possibly handle and then triple it.' As a first-year student, things like going to the movies or even watching an hour of TV become fond memories.
On the positive side, the administration has tirelessly worked to make the school better. The placement office (GCS) is excellent! The Kelley experience has been heart wrenching at times, but in the end it has been tremendously rewarding. I have managed to go into the exact field I wanted in the exact location I wanted and more than doubled my pre-school salary. Indiana University is a superb school and if I had to do it all over again, I can't think of another school I would have rather gone to! --Consulting
Indiana has a lot to offer any prospective MBA. The faculty is extremely focused on providing the best education and knowledge that will allow students to excel in the business world. The faculty is also very responsive to student suggestions and proposals to change. In fact, I almost think the faculty goes to far in tinkering with the program to provide the best curriculum, but that may be necessary in today's business world as many of the traditional business training methods are no longer valid and helpful.
While the workload in the first year is demanding, I feel IU produces MBAs with a greater foundation of knowledge in business theory and practice than other top-flight MBA schools. The professors are not only at the top of their subject areas, they are personable, enjoy teaching, but they treat the students as peers. How many other schools would a professor throw a Super Bowl party for an entire class? Or, a Final Four party? The Kelley School creates a wonderful environment for learning and growing as student of business. --Information Technology
I feel that the first-year cohort system, with its lack of flexibility, really hindered my learning experience in the first-year. For example, I am a CPA with several years of work experience, but was still forced to sit through the introductory accounting class due to the nature of the cohort system. Had I been able to waive this class and take an elective (something which is not allowed at IU), I feel that I could have made better use of the time spent in the accounting class. The teaching in the second year finance electives was very inconsistent with respect to the quality of the teaching. Also, there was a significant amount of overlap among much of the material taught in the second-year finance electives. The eight-week semesters in the second year prevented in-depth analysis of many important topics in a lot of the classes due to the time constraints that the shortened semesters placed on the faculty and students. This is primarily the result of the first-year cohort system. --Finance
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