Enrollment: 605
Average GMAT: 667.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 630-710
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.29
Rolling Admission: Yes
School Type: Private
Average Age: 27.00
Average Work Experience (months): 48
Student Faculty Ratio: 9:1

Part Time Program: No
Evening Program: Yes
Executive MBA Program Offered: Yes
Total Faculty: 108

Average Starting Salary: $93,005.00
Hired Consulting: 8.14%
Hired Finance: 45.35%
Hired Operations: 3.5%
Hired Marketing: 15.12%

Out-of-State Tuition: $36,000.00
In-State Tuition: $36,000.00
Financial Aid Deadline: 05/15
Students Receiving Some Aid: 90%
Average Annual Total Financial Aid: $35,881.00

2010 Entrepreneurial Programs: Business Schools

School Says - General Information
Ranked as the #1 Finance program (2nd in the world) by The Economist in 2003, the Rice MBA program at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management of Rice University has risen quickly from its founding in 1974. The small class size provides an intimate, dynamic learning environment in the new state-of-the-art facility. Close connections with the faculty and alumni open a world of opportunities as does the location -- Houston -- home to the second largest concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters. Whether you are interested in staying in Texas, working elsewhere in the U.S. or relocating internationally, you can achieve your goals with a Rice MBA. Additional information and a full list of media mentions are available through our website at www.jonesgsm.rice.edu.

School Says - Student Body
The Jones School attracts students both nationally and internationally. In fact, 32 percent of first year students hail from outside the United States and another 23% are from outside of Texas. The average Jones Schools student has five years of experience and is 28 years old. Our students have worked in a wide array of industries and functions and bring that diverse knowledge to the classroom and to their teammates. Our students like to be involved on campus and in the community. Jones School students have formed a number of organizations to learn more about various professions and to improve their skills. These organizations sponsor guest speakers, visit area businesses, and take on special projects. A sampling of the many clubs at the Jones School includes: Consulting Club, Energy Club; International Management Club; Marketing Club; National Association of Women MBAs, Toastmaster Club and Wine Club. In addition, weekly corporate-sponsored "partios"Ââ€"parties on the Jones School patioÂâ€"provide relaxation and opportunities to network and bond with fellow students. Prominent Jones School alums include: James S. Turley Ââ€" Chairman and CEO, Ernst & Young; Abby Rodgers Ââ€" Vice President of Marketing, Coca Cola Company; Keith Anderson Ââ€" Managing Director, BlackRock Financial Management; Doug Foshee Ââ€" Chairman, President & CEO, El Paso Corporation; Caroline Caskey Ââ€" Founder and CEO, Identigene.

School Says - Academics
In every course, you'll have an unparalleled opportunity to work one-on-one with an accessible, involved, and energetic faculty. The Jones School faculty maintains an important balance between teaching and research, believing that current industry knowledge is as critical as textbooks to your education. Depending on what's most appropriate for each course, Jones School instructors use multiple instructional methods to enhance your learning: process-case-method study, analytical and quantitative approaches, lectures and discussions, oral and written reports, theoretical studies, management simulation games, individual study, and teamwork. A comprehensive core curriculum focuses on managerial and leadership skills, ethics, information technology, and communication skills in addition to the functional areas. An Action Learning Project in first year gives students the opportunity to learn how to integrate disciplines and turn knowledge into action. A core entrepreneurship course in second year further refines integration of business disciplines. Students take 25 credit hours of electives in their second year, which allows them to custom design their curriculum to suit career goals.

School Says - Admissions
Admissions Selection Criteria: The Jones School considers each aspect of the application when making admissions decision. The application requirements include: GMAT (GRE or MCAT for join candidates); TOEFL for international applicants; transcripts from educational institutions; resume; confidential evaluations; essays; interview (invitation only); completed application form and application fee. Academic Background: You must have a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university if you received your education in the United States. If you are an international applicant, your undergraduate degree must be the equivalent of a U.S. four-year degree. If you have completed a three-year Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree, we also require a two-year Master of Commerce (MCom) degree. Your undergraduate and graduate GPAs, GMAT scores (GRE or MCAT for joint candidates), choice of major, electives, course load, and grade patterns are all considered. Leadership Potential: Your demonstrated leadership and management experiences, both on the job and through extracurricular activities, will help us assess your leadership potential. We look for individuals with at least 2 years of professional work experience. Confidential Evaluations: Evaluations from employers and/or professors shed perspective on your capabilities, enabling us to assess your qualifications more accurately. Essays: Three essays that articulate your career goals, work experience, and reasons for choosing Rice University's Jones School are a crucial component of your application. Use them to convey intangibles: why you are pursuing an MBA; how you have benefited from your academic, professional and personal opportunities; what qualities you will bring to the Jones School; what you will seek from us; etc.

School Says - Campus Life
The Jones School moved into its home in August 2002. The 167,000-square-foot building offers state-of-the-art facilities, including the best, broadest, and most in-depth finance center of any business school. Other features include the Business Information Center (BIC), an extension of the universityÂ's main library; tiered classrooms; behavior research and observation room for marketing research and interviews; a 450-seat auditorium; and a career planning center. Fully loaded laptops are provided to all students, and the Jones School is equipped to make sophisticated use of electronic access.

Students Say - Academics
Prestigious, rigorous, and well-rounded, Rice University's MBA program combines a challenging core curriculum with "cutting edge" elective coursework and practical projects. You'll hit the ground running at Rice, where the comprehensive core provides a of qualitative and quantitative" material, designed to "expose you to a little bit of everything." Well planned and executed, "the coordination between classes is incredible; the same day you review a new concept in one class you link it and review it in another one." After completing the core, students can tailor their education through academic concentrations and fieldwork. Of particular note, Rice has a "strong focus on [the] energy industry," and "close ties to energy firms in Houston." In addition, the school's finance program is "known throughout the south."
At Rice, the workload is demanding, especially in the first semester. You can expect to spend some quality time in the library; students warn us that "no one can even come close to coasting" through their classes. In particular, the program "moves very fast for someone with no business undergraduate degree." While challenges are manifold, "The faculty is dynamic, and very willing to help students fully grasp class concepts." In fact, on the whole, "Professors are warm, approachable, and foster an atmosphere for learning." With an excellent faculty to student ratio, "Every professor knows every student by name," professors integrate "teamwork into each class." A current student concurs, "I chose Rice because I wanted a smaller program where I would be able to get face time with my professors and establish a strong network with my classmates." In fact, many students describe the school community as a "big family."
Rice augments traditional classroom instruction with hands-on learning experiences, including the required Action Learning Project in the first year. A student details, "The Action Learning Project is a unique consulting experience that allows us to work with a local company on a project they select. It is a welcome addition to classroom learning, and they often implement our recommendations into their business." Students can further hone their business education through one of three functional concentrations in accounting, finance, or marketing, or one of five cross-functional industry concentrations in energy, entrepreneurship, global business, management consulting, or mastering creativity and innovation.
If Rice students have one consistent gripe, it is that the school's national rankings do not accurately convey the caliber of the MBA program. However, they also say the school distinguishes itself through a continuous commitment to improvement. In order to solicit student feedback, the administrators "run surveys and focus groups regularly, ask for feedback and apply suggestions from students." Overall, faculty, students, and staff are "truly one team working together to constantly improve ourselves and our program."

Students Say - Admissions
To apply for admission to Rice University, applicants must submit official transcripts of all college-level work, GMAT scores, two letters of recommendation, a current resume, and three personal essays. When evaluating applicants, Rice looks for both qualitative and quantitative skills; however, a strong academic track record is paramount in an admissions decision. There are no minimum GMAT or GPA scores required for admission. The mid-50% GMAT range is 630 to 710, though a high score does not guarantee admission, just as a low score does not prohibit it.

Students Say - Campus Life
Drawing students from a range of industries and backgrounds, Rice excels at "fostering class unity while maintaining class diversity." To bring students together, the school offers "dinner and beer on our school patio ("the partio") every Thursday evening, which is a great way to connect with other students." At these weekly events, "recruiters and alumni speak with students in an informal fashion," while students mingle with their classmates.
With a highly demanding curriculum, Rice students definitely keep busy; "Monday through Thursday is around-the-clock academics, networking, company presentations, student activities, and job search." Fortunately, students enjoy the comfort and amenities of the business school building, which offers, "parking underground, wireless everywhere, nice library, [and] plenty of study rooms."
Students warn us that there is a "tremendous amount of academic pressure and students do tend to worry a bit too much about grades." However, most are able to maintain a "solid balance between social and academic." If you can make the time, there are plenty of "academic lectures, competitions, social activities, or intramural games" to take your mind off classes. Of the many student clubs, "The National Association of Women MBAs chapter is particularly strong and holds many activities for the women at the school."

Students Say - Careers
Rice helps students prepare for a career through a range of curricular and extracurricular career development programs. The Career Management Center offers personal counseling, mock interviews, expert speakers, and industry panels. In addition, the Action Learning Project at the end of the first year helps students explore industries and, potentially, secure a job or internship. Strategically located, Rice is "the strongest school in Texas and the Southwest, therefore you have unparalleled access to the energy companies in Houston, the entrepreneurial companies in Austin, and all the other opportunities in this region." In recent years, more than 75 percent of Rice graduates have taken jobs in the Southwest.
While the business school is small, Rice has a "strong and supportive alumni network," and "there are a lot of companies in this area that recruit" on campus. Thirty-four percent of graduates took jobs in the Petroleum/energy industry; however, students take jobs in a range of fields and, in recent years, Rice students were recruited and interviewed by such diverse organizations as Amazon.com, Baylor College of Medicine, Citigroup, Deloitte & Touche, ExxonMobil, Lehman Brothers, Northwest Airlines, Toyota, and the Houston Zoo.

The University of Texas at Austin
University of Virginia

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