UNDERGRADUATE Profiles Publish Date 2/26/09

Villanova University

Villanova School of Business

Getting In

PROGRAM BASICS

Villanova School of Business

The Clay Center at VSB, 1054 Bartley Hall
Villanova School of Business, 800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova , Pennsylvania 19085-1678

Private Institution

Web site

http://www.villanova.edu/business

Program e-mail address:

gotovu@villanova.edu

Program telephone number:

(610) 519-4333

AACSB accredited:

Yes

Accreditation other than AACSB:

Specialized Accreditation in Accounting (AACSB)

Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded:

1922

Length of entire institution:

Four Year

Business program length:

Four Year

Degrees offered:

Degree/Program Name:
BS/Accountancy
BBA/Honors
BBA with Majors in Economics, Finance, Management, MIS, Marketing
BBA with International Business Co-Major

PROGRAM COSTS

Annual Tuition (Resident):

$ 36,950

Annual Tuition (Non-Resident)

$ 36,950

Cost per academic credit (resident)

$ 1,540

Cost per academic credit (non-resident)

$ 1,540

Required fees

$ 580

Books:

$ 950

Room and board:

$ 10,000

ENROLLMENT

Full-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

1,731

Part-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

Distance undergraduate business student enrollment:

Total College enrollment for 2008-09:

6,390

ADMISSIONS

Minimum SAT score for entire college on 1600 scale:

Minimum ACT score for entire college:

Minimum high school GPA for entire college:

Interviews for entire college:

Not required

Additional application requirements for entire college:

In addition to standardized test scores and application fee, a Villanova Preliminary Application for Undergraduate Admission, Common Application, official high school transcript, Common Application School Report, and Villanova essay must be submitted. International students from non-English speaking countries must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) test and have scores reported directly to the University from the College Board. Students applying to transfer to Villanova must also complete a transfer application and submit official transcripts from each post-secondary school attended and a completed Dean of Students Transfer Evaluation form.

Upcoming application deadlines for entire college:

Semester: Fall 10
Deadline: 01-07-2010
Semester: Fall 10 Early Action
Deadline: 11-01-09

Freshmen admitted into business program:

Yes

Percentage of business students admitted as freshmen:

95 %

Are the freshman admits to the business program required to complete pre-business courses before beginning upper-lever courses in the junior year?

Yes

Freshmen admitted by:

Indicate interest on university application

Minimum requirements for business program:

Minimum SAT score: NA
Minimum ACT score: NA
Minimum high school GPA : NA

Entrance exam requirement other than SAT/ACT for business program:

Interview to enter business program:

Not required

Additional application requirements for freshman admits:

Minimum college GPA for internal business program transfers:

3.2

Additional requirements for internal transfers:

Villanova students interested in transferring to VSB must attend an information session, complete an application, and submit a statement of interest identifying the reasons they wish to pursue a business degree. SAT scores and grades in quantitative courses are weighted heavily by the VSB Academic Standing committee.

Total number of full-time applications for entire college:

15,102

International applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

4 %

Female applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

51 %

Selectivity--applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

40 %

Yield -- applicants enrolled in undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

27 %

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

Secondary School Record:

Very Important

Class Rank:

Very Important

Talent/Ability:

Important

Interview:

Not Considered

Extracurricular Activities:

Important

Volunteer Work:

Important

Character/Personal Abilities:

Very Important

Application Essay:

Considered

Work Experience:

Important

SAT/ACT Scores:

Very Important

Recommendations:

Considered

High School GPA:

Very Important

Admissions program managed by:

The university admissions office

Total undergraduate business program applicants, 2008-09:

4,498

Applicants enrolled in undergrad business program 2008-2009:

32 %

Applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

31 %

CLASS PROFILE

Class Profile:

Female: 30 %
International : 6 %

Entering students by age:

Mean: 18
Median: 18

Citizenship of Entering Students

U.S.: 94 %
Canada: 0 %
Other countries: 6 %
Unknown: 0 %

Percentage of US citizens in entering class who are:

African American: 4 %
Asian American: 10 %
Hispanic or Latino American: 9 %
Multiethnic/Multiracial : 0 %
Native American: 0 %
White (Non-Hispanic): 75 %
Chose not to report: 0 %
Other: 2 %

Entering students from the following region:

Northeast: 60 %
Mid-Atlantic: 23 %
South: 3 %
Southwest: 2 %
Midwest : 5 %
West: 4 %
Possessions and territories: 3 %

SAT Scores for full-time entering business students on 1600 scale:

Mean: 1302
Median: 1320

SAT middle 50% range on 1600 scale:

From: 1,240
To: 1,380

ACT Scores for full-time entering business students:

Mean: 30
Median: 30

ACT middle 50% range:

From: 28
To: 32

Percent of Students Who Were In:

Top 10% of high school class

64 %

Top 25% of high school class:

89 %

HS GPA of 3.75 or higher

62 %

HS GPA of 3.5 to 3.74:

23 %

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid handled by:

Central financial aid office at the university

Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students in previous academic year:

$ 14,222,702

Institutional scholarship money to be distributed to undergraduate business students in current academic year:

$ 16,351,681

Scholarships awarded to students in the business program based on:

A combination of need and merit

Scholarship consideration process:

As part of the admissions application

Other scholarship considerations:

Note: Students who wish to be considered for need-based aid must complete the application process, which is outlined on the Villanova website. Students who wish to be considered for Presidential Scholarships must be nominated, while all other scholarships are awarded on the basis of credentials submitted as part of the admission application.

Students receiving institutional scholarships for 2008-09 academic year:

47 %

Undergraduate business students with full-tuition scholarships 2008-09:

5 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on merit, 2008-09 year:

72 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on need, 2008-09:

44 %

School offers guaranteed loans:

Financial aid web site

http://www.villanova.edu/enroll/finaid/

Academics & Lifestyle

PROGRAM BASICS

Business students who graduate within four years:

92 %

Business students who graduate within 6 years:

99 %

Freshman retention rate:

95 %

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Credit hours required for graduation:

Degree: BS
Hours: 123
Degree: BBA
Hours: 123

Other degree requirements:

N/A

ACADEMICS

Average class size in required business courses:

Average class size in business electives:

Average class size in non-business electives required for admission to business program:

Class size:

Classes with fewer than 20 students: 20 %
Classes with 21 to 50 students: 78 %
Classes with more than 50 students: 2 %

CURRICULUM

Number of elective courses available in business program:

Electives added current year:

1 Management: Business Analytics; 2 Management: Data Mining
3 Management: Global Ethics; 4 Management: Ireland--Celtic Tiger
5 Management: Leveraging Diversity in Global Organizations
6 MIS: Business Intelligence; 7 MIS: Healthcare Informatics
8 Marketing: Understanding the Global Marketplace in a Post-Bailout Economy; 9 Real Estate: Investments; 10: Real Estate: Development

Year of the last major change to the business program's core curriculum:

2008

Leading areas of study:

Accounting

Finance

International Business

Marketing

Strategy

Special programs for business students:

The two most popular special programs at VSB are international experiences and volunteerism. Nearly half of VSB students participate in international academic, internship, and volunteer experiences. Service learning projects are regularly included in VSB coursework, over 60% of Villanova students perform volunteer work, and there is a special one-week fall service break that allows students to perform service projects. Each year, Villanovans provide more than 64,000 hours of service to communities locally, regionally, and nationally.

Business program offers work study or co-op opportunities:

Yes

There are over 500 internship opportunities available to VSB students. Popular recent internship choices include Merrill Lynch, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG (US and London), Grant Thornton (US and France), Johnson & Johnson, Vanguard, Huron Consulting, Goldman Sachs, DuPont, HSBC, Deloitte, JP Morgan, Citi/Smith Barney, Comcast, Deutsche Bank, and SAP. CoOp opportunities include the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Forensic Accounting/Economic Crimes CoOp; the DuPont Marketing Communications CoOp; the Johnson & Johnson Finance/Accounting and Brand Marketing CoOps; and the SAP Management Information Systems CoOp.

Business program offers study abroad opportunities:

Yes

Study abroad program description:

VSB students may go almost anywhere in the world to study abroad, provided that the destination is deemed safe and is approved by Villanova University. Recent VSB student destinations have included Athens, Barcelona, Beijing, Belfast, Cairo, Dublin, Florence, Frankfurt, Galway, Geneva, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Panama City, Paris, Prague, Rome, Shanghai, St. Petersburg, Tokyo, and Warsaw.

Volunteer work and community service opportunities:

Yes

Volunteer opportunities description:

In keeping with Villanova's Augustinian tradition, volunteer work and community service are central to the VSB experience. There are countless volunteer opportunities available to students. From the campus-wide fall Day of Service, to the week-long fall service break, to the Special Olympics (Villanova hosts the largest student-run Special Olympics in the nation), VSB students are immersed in a service-focused community throughout their academic experience. Students may opt to join the Villanova Sophomore Service Learning Community, through which students live, serve, reflect, and attend classes together. Through the Office of Campus Ministry, students of all faiths participate in special volunteer programs, annual events, service break experiences, Habitat for Humanity, and social justice education. Through the Office of Student Life, students participate in the Rays of Sunshine program, which reaches out to community members with kindness and compassion to help people whenever and wherever possible--whether through tutoring, mentoring, or visiting the elderly, sick, and disabled.

Business clubs and extracurricular activities:

Accounting Society; Advertising Society; Ascend; Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society; Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society; Business Honors Association; Business Societies Leadership Council
Economics Honor Society; Economics Society; Entrepreneurial Society; Equity Society (includes student-managed funds)
Financial Management Association; Fixed Income Society; Gamma Phi Honor Society; International Business Society
Management Information Systems Society; Management Society; Marketing Society; National Association of Black Accountants
Omicron Delta Epsilon International; Phi Beta Lambda
Student Government Association Business Senators
Villanova Technical Analysis Group
Villanova Women in Business Society

FACULTY

Faculty:

Full-time faculty : 108
Adjuncts and visiting faculty: 25
Permanent/tenured professors: 76
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are women: 30
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are underrepresented minorities: 5
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are also members of company boards of directors or of advisors: 24
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are business owners: 38

Prominent faculty:

Jonathan P Doh
Ronald Paul Hill
Quinetta Roberson

STUDENT LIFE

Largest on-campus organizations for business students:

Villanova Equity Society
Villanova Marketing Society
Villanova Advertising Society
Villanova Accounting Society
Villanova Women in Business Society

Freshmen are required to live on campus:

Business students are grouped in learning communities:

Yes

TECHNOLOGY

Wireless network available:

Yes

Technological improvements made in the last three years:

Villanova has enhanced audio visual, web, and podcasting and video conferencing options across all 150+ classrooms on campus. The academic portal/learning management system integrates Wimba, iTunesU repository, Safeassign anti-plagiarism software, electronic reserves, wikis and blogs, online testing, and You Tube content. The Microsoft Exchange email and calendar platform is used across campus. Villanova maintains 475 mb of internet bandwidth, which includes a 25 mb Internet 2 connection. In addition to 18,000 network connections, Villanova has wireless connectivity covering 80% of the campus, including most residence halls and all academic buildings. Villanova has “Nova Alert,” an emergency notification system, campus wide digital signage, a web-based laundry reservation system, a campus card-based student print system, an off-campus merchant purchasing program, a basketball lottery system, and a student tracking system. All undergraduate students are provided laptops (Dell or Mac, based on major) with a full suite of office productivity tools and access to an Internet-based backup and vaulting product (U-Vault). In the residence halls, students have access to premium cable channels, high definition broadcasts, and optional phone service.

Trading laboratory available:

Yes

Alumni Affairs & Careers

ALUMNI

Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception:

24,421

Total living alumni:

22,277

Single donation in excess of $10 million in 2007-08?

Prominent alumni:

Name: James V. O'Donnell (BS Economics 1963)
Title: CEO, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Name: Robert F. Moran (BSBA 1972)
Title: President and COO, PetSmart
Name: Robert J. McCarthy (BSBA 1975)
Title: President, North American Lodging Operations, Marriott International

CAREER SERVICES

Percent of 2008 graduates who provided employment information:

83 %

Seeking full-time employment in business: 92 %
Not Seeking full-time employment in business: 8 %

Number of companies recruiting undergraduate students on campus in previous academic year:

265

Companies that posted full-time job offers/positions on school job boards, previous academic year:

1,610

Other activities and services provided for business majors:

Career fairs, career counseling, graduate school counseling, career library, practice interviews, resume critiques, workshops and seminars.

Job offer results, 2008 graduates:

Received first job offer by graduation: NA %
Received first job offer in three months following graduation: NA %
Received first job offer more than 3 months after graduation: NA %
Did not report having received a job offer: NA %
Accepted first job offer by graduation: 77 %
Accepted first job offer in three months following graduation: 9 %
Accepted first job offer more than 3 months after graduation: 12 %
Did not report having accepted a job offer: 2 %

Top hiring firms:

Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
KPMG LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Ernst & Young
Merrill Lynch
Morgan Stanley
Deutsche Bank AG
Goldman Sachs Group
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Lehman Bros.
Johnson & Johnson

Huron Consulting Group
Lincoln Financial Group
Lord & Taylor
Vanguard

Graduate compensation:

Mean base salary: $ 51,254
Median base salary: $ 52,000
Mean signing bonus: $ 5,902
Median signing bonus: $ 5,000
Mean other guaranteed compensation: $ 0
Median other guaranteed compensation: $ 0

Grads accepted jobs in following functional areas:

Consulting: 23 %
Finance/Accounting: 45 %
General Management: 5 %
Human Resources: 0 %
Management Information Systems: 3 %
Marketing/Sales: 17 %
Operations/Production: 5 %
Logistics/Transportation: 0 %
Other: 2 %

Grads accepted jobs in following industries:

Accounting: 26 %
Consumer Products/Retail: 9 %
Consulting Services: 8 %
Financial Services: 36 %
Government/Education: 3 %
Pharma/Biotech/Health: 3 %
Manufacturing: 2 %
Media/Entertainment: 4 %
Petroleum/Energy: 0 %
Real Estate: 1 %
Sports/Leisure: 1 %
Technology/Science: 2 %
Non-Profit: 1 %
Transportation: 0 %
Utilities: 1 %
Other: 3 %

Percentage of job acceptances, US and Canada:

US: 100 %
Canada: 0 %

Grads accepted jobs in the following US regions:

Northeast: 54 %
Mid-Atlantic: 36 %
Midwest: 3 %
South: 2 %
Southwest: 1 %
West: 4 %
US Possessions/Territories: 0 %

Number of companies recruiting interns on-campus, 2007-08 academic year:

101

Internship postings on job boards, previous academic year:

247

Top internship recruiters, 2007-08:

PricewaterhouseCoopers
Merrill Lynch
KPMG LLP
Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
Ernst & Young
Johnson & Johnson
Goldman Sachs Group
Ford Motor
Citigroup Inc.
JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Grant Thornton
Vanguard
Huron Consulting Group
Dupont
Comcast

Percentage of internships that were paid, previous academic year

72 %

Mean internship compensation per week:

$ 727

Median internship compensation per week:

$ 714

Average internship, in weeks:

Graduate Comments

Overall my business experience has been a pleasurable one. However, the one major criticism I have of VSB is the lack of speed with which they have adapted to the changing face of finance. In the modern world of finance it is not enough to simply know how to theoretically create a portfolio, calculate a present value, or know basic economic interactions. There are many other schools where students have the ability to take financial engineering courses and gain a deep understanding of the fundamental mathematics behind finance and economics. This lack of integration of the math and computer science departments with VSB needs to be corrected. I believe that math is more essential than ever to finance and economics. VSB needs to recognize that and offer a much more quantitative route.

The business school at Villanova has always shown a great interest in the needs of the students, which I think is an outstanding quality. The dean of VSB holds open office hours every week in order to hear from students and the new progressive curriculum at the School of Business has proven that Dean Danko listened when students called for more integration between classes. The loyalty that Villanova alumni show for their school is also impressive and very helpful when it comes to getting into the finance industry in particular.

Although the school has tried to beef up its marketing and management programs, there still aren't enough attractive job opportunities for seniors. The program is particularly lacking in advertising and media experiences.

Overall my business experience has been a pleasurable one. However, the one major criticism I have of VSB is the lack of speed with which they have adapted to the changing face of finance. In the modern world of finance it is not enough to simply know how to theoretically create a portfolio, calculate a present value, or know basic economic interactions. There are many other schools where students have the ability to take financial engineering courses and gain a deep understanding of the fundamental mathematics behind finance and economics. This lack of integration of the math and computer science departments with VSB needs to be corrected. I believe that math is more essential than ever to finance and economics. VSB needs to recognize that and offer a much more quantitative route.

The business school at Villanova has always shown a great interest in the needs of the students, which I think is an outstanding quality. The dean of VSB holds open office hours every week in order to hear from students and the new progressive curriculum at the School of Business has proven that Dean Danko listened when students called for more integration between classes. The loyalty that Villanova alumni show for their school is also impressive and very helpful when it comes to getting into the finance industry in particular.

Although the school has tried to beef up its marketing and management programs, there still aren't enough attractive job opportunities for seniors. The program is particularly lacking in advertising and media experiences.

When I first applied to Villanova, I was told that I would not just be a number. Villanova has fully delivered on that promise. The community is open to all people and there is a general sense of caring that pervades the school. People actualize the school's motto of veritas, unitas, caritas. Despite the pressures of the rigorous workload, I can still go to sleep at night and say that I love my school. The school fosters learning for students at all academic levels. The school is filled with forward thinkers who are visionaries in their fields. I am proud to be a part of this community.

I have seen vast improvements in the school as well as the business program specifically since I arrived at Villanova. The amount of resources being pushed into the school and students is significant and the results are showing across campus. There is a genuinely up beat and exciting attitude across campus and I feel a lot of this is due to the efforts of those associated with the program. I am certainly glad I selected Villanova University's business program and regard it as an excellent choice to have made, I am proud to be a part of this amazing business program.

One noteworthy item is that the Villanova School of Business program for today's freshmen is very different than the Villanova School of Business program that I've experienced these past four years. That's one good aspect of the school under our current Dean, James Danko. It's always changing and adapting to the latest demands of today's market.

Classroom sizes are small and provide an extremely personal setting that promotes highly efficient learning. Teachers are extremely accessible and can be found at any time through personal appointment or scheduled office hours. The workload is heavy yet manageable and provides key fundamental business knowledge highly applicable to real world situations.

My one issue with VSB is that I feel the marketing program should be focused more on the growing trends in marketing such as database and targeted marketing. Also digital marketing skills would be greatly utilized post-graduation. There is a very strong emphasis on marketing management, but is becoming somewhat archaic.

Small class sizes strongly encourages interaction in the classroom through participation, group discussions, and team work. Another unique aspect is the extraordinary competitive nature of the students. The competition really pushes students to go above and beyond, and opens students up to excel outside of their comfort zones.

Besides being an innovative, cutting edge business school that enables students to understand the global marketplace and acquire specific business acumen skills, the School of Business produces extremely well rounded students. Our students are not only business students, but are volunteers with interests outside of business and engagement with the whole university. Our core curriculum is one of the most important aspects of the business school.

The professors are heavily involved with their students and are invested in our growth and truly care to see us succeed. I have had personal relationships with most of my professors. One of my former professors, who is an assistant dean at VSB, went as far as to have our group over for dinner at her home. Those are the kinds of professors that we have the privilege to experience. Even in larger classes, they know everyone's name. In this business program you are far from just a number.

From the very beginning we are guided by not only staff members but peers as well. It is so easy to relate and ask questions to peers. The staff and professors are always readily available. I haven't taken a class larger than 5o students and have never had a TA. Every professor knows my first and last name and it is never awkward to approach a professor to say hi.

Villanova's alumni base is almost uniformly helpful and unselfish. Every encounter I've had with an alumnus/a has been pleasant. Also, Villanova allows for individuals to shape their own college experiences in ways that can be wholly unique from their counterparts in other universities. There's a tremendous amount of autonomy granted to students which, along with a great administrative staff and faculty, permits students to pursue some terrific opportunities outside of school.

A number of factors make Villanova's program unique. Primarily, the use of technology, particularly in the classroom setting, makes the program stand out. Additionally, the industry experience of the teaching staff gives each class a foundation or basis for learning that I think really helps in the learning process and preparation for jobs in industry upon graduation.