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 was extremely pleased with my MBA experience at the Olin School of Business. The curriculum was extremely challenging and rewarding, and will prepare me for future business endeavors. I believe the faculty and student body were top-notch and can easily compete with any other school in the top 20. I think if Olin were located on the East or West Coast, our average salaries and the number of companies recruiting on campus would jump significantly. Arguably, I think Olin is the best kept secret in the top 20 rankings and with time will jump to the elite top 10. --Finance
The Olin School of Business (Washington University) is doing an incredible job to provide a great education and MBA experience. It is higly responsive to the students' wishes and concerns. The courses and teaching quality has improved as well. Olin is gaining respect among top tier companies outside the mid-west as a result of the number of students receiving and accepting these offers. Olin needs to continue its efforts in recruiting minority students and professors, and top tier companies especially outside the mid-west. --Marketing
International Perspective: My MBA experience at the Olin School is one of the best times in my life. Most of the professors are excellent, and the classes are challenging but the best part of it is my classmates. On the whole they are the most motivated and accomplished people I have met, and the cooperation which existed between groups and among individuals is amazing. As an International student, I took great advantage of the intimate atmosphere, and I am very satisfied being here as a part of the great Olin community. Like most people, I made big sacrifices to be here, on top of the expenses and the opportunity cost of not working, but I already feel that those sacrifices are paid off. --Investment Banking
Dean Greenbaum has a great rapport with the student body and has promoted close relationships between faculty and students. The school has also taken tremendous strides in my two years in shoring up their Career Resource Center. Guided by a new director, Greg Hutchings, as well as a host of new staff members, the school has greatly expanded its recruiting base as well as program offerings. What was once a weakness for the program has become a strength. --Marketing
My Olin experience more than offset the huge loan debt I've incurred, which is important since my salary is only average. What I am most proud of are the people at Olin who made the extra effort both in and out of the classroom. Like any MBA program, there are Olin students who are very self-centered or do not interact well with others, but the many students who did carry themselves with dignity truly characterized the spirit of my Olin experience. The faculty and staff in our Westin Career Resources Center (WCRC) are of the highest commitment and effort level any MBA program could hope for. Adminstrators have spent numerous hours and trips across the country to help students network for summer internships and full time positions. I have never seen such dedication and results from any placement center. Due to their efforts, I have had untold access to any contact I so desired during my self-directed job search. --Anonymous
Olin has a unique environment which allows and encourages students to take an active role in ensuring that their MBA career is what they want it to be. At Olin, students are responsible for helping and leading the school into the future. This opportunity not only allows us to develop the type of program we want, but it also allows us to utilize the skills we are learning through the program. --Marketing
To be honest, Washington University was not in my [list of] top three schools to go to. However, once I started classes and interacting with the students and faculty, I quickly realized that this is a world-class institution. The professors are top-notch, and always stress academic excellence from the students. Coming from the Naval Academy, I was very leary at first as to the quality of education I would receive. Needless to say, I was extremely surprised at the quality of education and how much of an impact the curricula had on my overall learning experience. --Finance
Washington Uiversity's Olin School of Business has made a tremendous effort in listening to students and trying to address their concerns. It is a continual process here. We have regular open forums with Dean Greenbaum to address any current events, questions and concerns. Furthermore, the programs has various adjunct professors from businesses such as A.G. Edwards and NISA Investment Advisors that teach specialized classes in private equity, mortgage backed securities, and fixed income. The school also makes a tremendous effort to integrate experiential learning into the program with The Hatchery, where students work with outside businesses or any unique concepts that might appeal to venture capitalists, The Practicum, and various other electives. --Investment Banking
Olin is truly committed to its students and their learning experience. The faculty and staff are deeply sincere when they solicit student input and work hard to give students a top-notch experience. Olin genuinely treats its students as customers and does everything it can to make them happy and satisfied. Olin has made great strides in the short two years that I have been there. I am proud to hold an Olin diploma and am confident that it will continue to improve and make an even greater name for itself among the top business schools in the world! --Operations
Olin's career resource staff has gone out of its way to help me secure the job of my dreams. I came here with high expectations and they certainly have exceeded them. The faculty is extremely attentive to our needs and has designed courses to meet our demand. They have extended themselves tremendously and I am grateful for their diligence. --Investment Banking
Olin is on the rise, but has not yet figured out what its identity should be. At the current size, it needs to be more of a niche player. It needs to expand the class size if it wants to really be an elite program. The core courses had 75 students in them. For a school with only 150 per class, that is far too big. The work load needs to be increased significantly. The overall quality of students needs to be improved. The top 20% would do great anywhere. The middle 60% are good, but not top 10 good. The bottom 20% bring the whole program down. The career resource center has made HUGE strides in the last two years. Greg Hutchings has been the most significant addition to Olin in a while. --Anonymous
Olin is an excellent institution. The dean, Stuart Greenbaum, deserves A LOT of credit for the hard work that he has done to turn the Washington University Olin School of Business into a first-class institution. I have no doubt in my mind that Olin will continue in its path to excellence. --Information Technology
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Copyright 2001 , by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
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