Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Rutgers Business School

With campuses in New Brunswick and Newark, many choose Rutgers Business School because it offers "the very best combination of quality and cost." The fact that it is "more affordable than private schools in the NY area" makes it attractive to many when coupled with its "solid reputation." Strengths include the top ranked Supply Chain Management and Pharmaceutical Management programs (the pharmaceutical industry is thriving in New Jersey, so job prospects abound), as well as strong Marketing and Finance programs. "Some Finance professors are even better than those at Ivy Leagues," one student enthused. "I'm pleasantly surprised and thankful not to get into any Ivy League, where the cost-benefit tradeoff would have been negative."

Professors are described as "hit or miss," but most agree that their teachers fall under the category of "hit," with students praising their "engaging, challenging, and thought provoking curriculum." They are happy to find their professors "have real hands-on experience in the class they teach and are very interested in educating us on their material" and describe them as educators who "do not simply teach, [but also] mentor, offer career advice, and share career opportunities that match with students interests." However, while professors are generally praised, many students complain about a "sorely understaffed" administration, which "can be a red tape nightmare." Overall though, students find them to be "accessible and genuinely concerned with [their] success"

The MBA program is seen as offering strong inroads to a post-school career. The Supply Chain Management and Pharmaceutical Management programs at Rutgers not only win high praise; they draw in "guest speakers from the pharmaceutical industry" among many others. It is "pretty well known and a lot of companies do recruit from the school, such as Johnson and Johnson," as well as Newark-based Prudential. Some students suggest the school "should make more connections with the large financial institutions in the New York City area," claiming a lack of strong recruitment. The same criticism is aired about opportunities coming out of their marketing department.

Students will not have to work alone in making connections. An "excellent" career ser- vices department will "help you with resumes, cover letters and mock interviews," along with soliciting feedback from companies after your interviews. The Office of Career Management will "go to great lengths to bring top companies to recruit on campus and readily go to bat for students who seek positions at companies that would normally only recruit from Ivy League schools." Add to that a "strong alumni network" and a Small Business Development Center, which "helps entrepreneurs prepare business plans and start their own businesses," and students are given excellent preparation for post-school success.

Campus life is rarely relevant for MBA students; for them, "it's a commuter 's lifestyle." Though Rutgers boasts "a very large campus with a lot of activities," offering "many clubs and organizations to join and … a lot of career fairs where companies will recruit," MBA students will find that the commuter lifestyle "doesn't lend well to a strong social network, because people tend to be on campus only for classes." That said, for those on campus, "Rutgers Business School has a congenial environment where everyone is very approachable." Even part-time students "still feel a part of the community." Whether full-time or part-time, "both groups are professional and competitive," a group who are "very driven and are very inspired academically." Working students come from varied career backgrounds—and that is seen as a positive. "As we have different professional backgrounds the contributions made during class are very informative." That said, some complain that the school's curved grading policy "does not encourage the sharing of ideas and help" since "everyone is competing for the same grade of A and the rest of just placed on the curve. "Part-time students are "usually focused on their current careers and applying classroom learning to work situations (and vice versa)," while full-time students "have more time to socialize and to network." This gives the latter "more opportunities to meet people from the industry or recruiters, and to apply for internships, Leadership Development Programs etc." Some say students here "do not team well, they are only concerned with collecting a grade and degree," but that is a minority opinion. Most suggest the student body is "respectful" and "friendly," even "when we have disagreement within class discussions. We respect each other."