There is no better school for Finance. It's unbelievable how good the faculty is. The people I met were so impressive -- both inside the classroom and out! -- Finance
As a career switcher, Columbia was an excellent entrée for me into the world of financial services and Wall Street in particular. Unprecedented access, wonderful adjunct faculty with great current experience and contacts, and a student body to match (many friends ended up with job offers based on other students' contacts/former colleagues). -- Finance
I think that the program is comprehensive, interesting, and fairly rigorous. Furthermore, from my perspective, NYC is a great place to be a business student. -- Consulting
Columbia obviously meets all of the basic expectations of a top business school, but where I believe it has a huge advantage is its location and community. In New York, there is no other alumni network that comes close to ours. Media, Telecom, Finance, Retailing, and Pharma are all here and loaded with our alumni. There is also a sense of community that I just did not expect to find in a B-school. I was prepared for cutthroat competition and instead found a lot of collaborative cooperation. People were always looking for ways to help out. The emphasis was on networking, not on grades. With lots of group work, there was also a push to work together and learn from each other. -- Consulting
Not only is the quality of teaching high at Columbia, but the quality of the people is not at all what one would expect when considering a business school in New York City. The environment is surprisingly laid back and collaborative. It is also nice to see so many women involved in high profile leadership positions in the school. -- Consulting
Columbia is a great program in a great city. It's hard-core academics in a beautiful campus setting. For the most part, the professors have real-world experience and aren't just academic types. However, if people were looking strictly for an HR Concentration, Columbia is not the place. -- Human Resources
Not only do I feel that the MBA itself is an invaluable skill-set acquisition and a priceless network building experience, the opportunity to work with and challenge myself in the midst of such a talented pool of individuals is a once in a lifetime experience. Columbia gave me that. -- Investment Banking
Columbia Business School has been a rising star among business schools. Ten years ago it would not have been mentioned in the same breath as Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton, despite the prominence of its alums (Henry Kravis, Warren Buffett). Today, it is a top-notch academic institution on par with the traditional heavyweights. Ten years from now I predict it will be the number one school in the country. The formula has been simple: an intensely personal education fortified by a world-class faculty (including several Nobel laureates), an administration responsive to student concerns, and a career center that rocks the world. -- Anonymous
Columbia is the best program in the country for finance without a doubt. Being at Columbia means you have access to top academic minds. Being in New York means that you have access to the best practitioners - and allows Columbia to have strong relationships with all of the top recruiters on Wall Street. -- Finance
Columbia is a great school for those with an interest in Finance or anyone who feels strongly about New York City. It needs to learn how to adapt its facilities for others because many students have interest beyond Wall Street and the administration has not found a way to openly accept all of the student body. I still feel that the quality of the teaching is outstanding, but it is an intimidating environment for those with more diverse interests. -- Nonprofit
The MBA program at Columbia changed the way I think about business challenges. Especially coming from a non-profit institution, which was largely dysfunctional and poorly managed, the MBA curriculum helped me develop a keen business acumen, a broad international perspective, a wide social/professional network, and clearly defined concepts and skills that were only instincts when I arrived. Many of my friends in non-profit (and otherwise) could benefit from this experience. -- Marketing
It is an amazing opportunity to learn about several different industries and have contact with multitudes of companies. The same applies to the people you meet in the MBA program and through your career search. In addition, it is a lot of fun. -- Investment Banking
I wouldn't trade my Columbia degree for anything. I have several friends who went to different Business schools and I feel that my education was the best for me. I liked the combination case study/ problem set method as opposed to 100% case study. It's a school that stresses teamwork but also one's individuality (and thus stresses independence). I loved the faculty, the administration, the students, the courses and living in New York City. The one change I would like to see made is the actual business school building. It's an eyesore and needs to be re-built!!! -- Finance
Columbia has really come a long way over the past 10 years. Every recruiter I spoke with emphasized how much Columbia has improved. From the class work, to the buildings, to the faculty, Columbia has really become a star. -- Anonymous
One of the most significant elements in my MBA experience, if not the most significant, was the access I had to top executives. Whether alumni or on the Board of Overseers, they were not only accessible through on-campus events, but they were also gracious about inviting students to their offices for informal visits. This access is invaluable now, as an alumna starting a business. -- Entrepreneurship
=Subscribers Only
Copyright 2003 , by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
MBA Insider
