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2004 FULL-TIME MBA PROFILE
Michigan State University
Eli Broad Graduate School of Management
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CLASS OF 2004 GRADUATE COMMENTS
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] I majored in supply-chain management and finance at the Broad school. Academically, the school is good in the sense that it provides the option of dual majors, which is very good for career-switchers. The supply-chain education is good and there are a couple of good finance professors as well. So the education is satisfactory. What makes me a bit hesitant in recommending the school, particularly to international students, is the placement situation at the school. Location of the school is a big disadvantage with respect to attracting companies from outside of Michigan. And with the economic downturn, not many companies that hire international students were visiting the campus. My experience at school can be appropriately described as a "two-year job search". The business school does not market itself well with the recruiters and the effort of the MBA placement center is not sufficient. Alumni relations is also poor, which reflects on hardships faced by graduates in finding full-time jobs. Another recent development is that the director of placement of the MBA Placement Center has taken up a new job within the school. This director was very active and what happened in the placement scene was because of her. I really dread what's going to happen to the placement situation at the school if a suitable replacement is not found quickly and in time for the hiring season for the Class of 2005.--Consulting
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] Considering the placement record of the scool and the kind of companies visiting campus, doing an MBA at MSU becomes attractive only if one gets an assistantship. Otherwise, it's not a very good investment. Also, the school is too focused on supply-chain management. Students in other disciplines are almost on their own for the job search. Most companies coming to campus are also reluctant to speak to international students.--Finance
I've learned so much about the business world and really am able to look beyond my small functional area now. The school is nice and small, and I received individualized attention and, therefore, would recommend the program to friends and colleagues.--Finance
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] I think the program struggled this year. Some key professors left my concentration and the interim professors did not meet expectations.--Operations
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] It would depend on what their future career goals are. There are some definite strengths of the program and some definite weaknesses. Additionally, what the school feels are the strengths are not what the students would agree with.--Human Resources
I would encourage friends and colleagues to enroll at MSU if they want to do supply chain becuase that major is very strong here. I would not encourage them to enroll at MSU if their interest is in marketing or finance becuase those programs are poor. HR is more of a toss up. The program is good, but so few students choose this major (usually less than 10) that there is no critical mass to attract companies to interview on campus here.--Entrepreneurship
My experiences in the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University vastly exceeded my expectations. The professors were insightful and the coursework was challenging. I feel that I am now prepared for anything that I may encounter in my future business activities. I have already convinced one close friend to attend the program, and I am in the process of encouraging several others.--Finance
I represented the school team for a project for Dow Chemicals Corporation. The company wanted to set up "Sustainable Development projects" in the developing countries. The team had to make a business plan for the project. It was a good learning experience and exposed me to real-life applicaion.--Consulting
Working hands-on with a company was instrumental in testing my ability to apply the concepts taught in class to a real-life situation. Plus, it introduced me to a new industry in which I have accepted a full-time job.--Finance
Michigan State is a solid MBA Program and although there are improvement opportunities within the curriculum, I am pleased with my decision and experience overall.--Operations
There are great people in the program, very little backstabbing amoung the students. Even when interviewing, classmates would tell you how the interview went and what to expect. The feeling was if we can get Broad students into companies the reputation of the program will grow and benefit us all.--Consulting
I feel that one of the important aspects of the experience at Michigan State is the feeling of being part of a family, even before you write your deposit check. Long before I received my acceptance letter, the staff at Michigan State went out of their way to make me feel welcome and know where I stood in the process. That feeling never wavered during my time in the program. The staff and faculty are highly involved with the students on a daily basis. Additionally, the tradition of philanthropy at the program is unheralded. The students put a lot of effort into giving back to the mid-Michigan area and have the full support and assistance of the faculty, staff, local businesses, and community. Michigan State has won the MBA Food Fight for six years running and has donated close to $50,000 to the National Childhood Cancer Foundation in the same time frame. Statistics like these do not show up in the rankings, but make a huge difference in the MBA experience.--Finance
[Recommend program to friends/colleagues?] The MBA program at MSU is deliberately small to give each person a captivated audience and personal experience. This is a program where the dean, the director, and all the professors know your name, your background, and what you want to do. They all work with you to help you learn the material, get good contacts, become a mentor or a peer, and help you find a good job after graduation.--Human Resources
[Did consulting project enhance learning?] I had the opportunity to take a look at a company and industry that I was not familiar with, and I learned a lot in the process. I don't know how far our recommendations went, or how much it benifitted the company, but it was a good experience for us.--Finance
The Broad School provided numerous opportunities to exercise my leadership skills and contribute to the community. Philanthropy and community service was a high priority. I am a better business leader due to these extracurricular experiences.--Operations
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