Arizona State University - W. P. Carey School of Business

With the full weight of Arizona State University behind it, the W.P. Carey School of Business provides its students with small classes, a top name degree, and a “wealth of information and resources.” Even with its stellar reputation, “professors and admin are hungry to improve” and the school “constantly evaluates the MBA programs to optimize/improve according to feedback, needs of the business community, and trends in business teaching.” Academics are “demanding but rewarding, and extremely thorough,” with multiple concentrations available for students to customize their education in areas such as Healthcare Management, International Business, and the lauded Supply Chain Management program. Students can expect “group projects galore” with the first year bringing “an enormous amount of information” and very little time to do much else; by the second year, “the coursework has decreased significantly.”

The “outstanding” professors are “brilliant technically and readily make themselves available outside of class” and are always encouraging the students to attend office hours if the students feel if they are falling behind. “Our professors have held us to the highest level of professionalism and demand,” says a student. The administration is similarly accessible, and “regularly hold town hall meetings to get a feel of the vibe of the student body and get feedback.” “It has been a pleasure to work with school administration and faculty on adjusting class setups and extracurricular activities. They only want what the students want and proactively try to accommodate for those preferences,” says a student.

The career placement center has “a variety of effective resources” and plenty of job-finding events such as case competitions, business competitions, networking events, and corporate connections. There is a real focus on leadership at Arizona State, and students are directed towards career leadership courses from the start. Full-time MBAs must complete a required summer internship, and “outreach trips and case competitions are coordinated with various companies in different industries.” The executive coaching program is a great way “to network with leadership within the local community and how they are able to operate in the real world.” The Supply Chain Management concentration is definitely the crown jewel of the W. P. Carey crown and receives attention as such as far as resources go, and say that there are “[fewer] employers in non-SCM related fields” and wish the spectrum of recruiters could be broadened. Employers who frequently hire Arizona State MBAs include Amazon, Intel, CVS, Applied Materials, and Dell.

The student body itself is composed of “interesting folks from around the country accompanied by a strong international component.” Cohorts tend to be knit tightly, and the overall sense among the student body is “competitive but not cutthroat, [and] very collaborative,” with diverse industry backgrounds encouraging new ideas and ways of approaching problems. Arizona State does an excellent job of providing social structure to what can feel like hectic times; regular happy hours are held for students every Thursday, and “there are many intramural teams that we are encouraged to participate in to get our mind off school for a couple hours out of the week.” Every Monday, faculty will set up coffee and snacks before class starts and have everyone in the lobby congregate to socialize, and after class brings student-run club meetings for which the school provides lunch. The business school also has “a dedicated graduate-students only floor with team rooms, technology assistance, and food and beverages on elective days and Saturdays.”