Enrollment: 389
Average GMAT: 560.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 500-620
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.21
Regular Application Deadline: 05/01
Rolling Admission: Yes
School Type: Public
Average Age: 29.00
Average Work Experience (months): 48
Student Faculty Ratio: 14:1

Part Time Program: Yes
Evening Program: Yes
Executive MBA Program Offered: Yes
Total Faculty: 34

Out-of-State Tuition: $13,881.60
In-State Tuition: $5,376.60
Financial Aid Deadline: 03/01
Students Receiving Some Aid: 38%
Average Annual Total Financial Aid: $13,191.00

2010 Entrepreneurial Programs: Business Schools

Students Say - Academics
The combination of academic excellence and low in-state tuition make University of Missouri-Kansas City an unbeatable deal for Missouri residents. One of the "best business schools in the area, as well as one of the most affordable," UMKC operates an EMBA and a part-time MBA program for early-career and mid-level professionals. The curriculum begins with a series of core courses in marketing, management, finance, and operations management (which can be waived based on a student's previous academic preparation), after which students complete their credit requirements through a concentration in entrepreneurship, finance, general management, international business, leadership, management information systems, marketing, or operations management. Of particular note, the school's "Entrepreneurial program is one of the best in the country," managed by "well-respected" and "outstanding" professors. While the MBA program "prepares students for their future careers thoroughly," many say that, "UMKC could also add a little more structure to their program. Students can take any courses they want and only choose an emphasis area where they have to take 12 hours." In fact, "A student could graduate with their MBA without ever taking a finance or management class."
In addition to the traditional part-time program, UMKC offers an Executive MBA for experienced business leaders, defined by a "curriculum with [a] combined focus on business, leadership, policy and innovation designed for executive professionals." In the EMBA program, "classes meet three full days during each month, 8 to 5"-a convenient arrangement for students with demanding professional schedules. No matter which program you choose, UMKC professors are competent and caring. A student shares, "The professors I have had last fall and this semester at UMKC have all been great. They have a lot of real-world career experience and make themselves available for questions or concerns outside of class." In addition to the full-time faculty, "Another value-add is the community business leaders that are brought in as guest speakers who relate relevant and current real-world business leadership experiences." At the same time, there is no uniform pedagogic approach, and "The professors range from easy to challenging." A current student reports, "I have had professors that use a lot of real world examples, which is helpful, but do not focus on theory at all. Conversely, I have had professors teach all theory and not apply it to the real world much at all." By extension, students admit that classes can be hit-or-miss, and, as such, the UMKC education is really what you make it. However, for those willing to put in the effort, you will find that "tenured faculty is interested in you if you are interested in your education."
When it comes to the practical details, students remind us that UMKC is "a large university," which can lead to administrative headaches. For example, "the offices are hard to reach by phone, so you have to go in and sit and wait, sometimes for more than an hour." A current student admits, "I found enrolling at UMKC to be very frustrating." At the same time, the administrators maintain a high "level of professionalism," and most day-to-day functions are "very smooth."

Students Say - Admissions
Students may begin the MBA program any semester. For students admitted to the part-time or fulltime programs, the average GMAT score is 560, and the average undergraduate GPA is 3.2. Letters of recommendation are not required; however, students must submit a one-page statement of purpose, along with their resume. For the executive MBA, students are highly experienced, with an average of 15 years professional work experience before entering the programs. EMBA students join the program from prestigious companies including Accenture, H&R Block, Great Plains Energy, JP Morgan, and the United States Army.

Students Say - Campus Life
Many students choose UMKC for its excellent "location within Kansas City," the second-largest metropolitan area in the state of Missouri. Home to almost 15,000 students, UMKC's vibrant campus is located in the central Rockhill area. In addition to events on campus, there are plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities in the neighborhood, including several art museums and the Country Club Plaza mall.
Within the "comfortable and convenient" business school facilities, students appreciate perks like "free newspaper, TV, and accessible PCs." In addition, "Parking is accessible"-a great boon to students who commute to school every day (the great majority.) Most students are happy to visit campus for class and nothing more, saying "the part time MBA program works very well for me." Others feel "it would be nice to have more networking and social organizations within the MBA program."

Students Say - Careers
The Career Services Center serves at UMKC serves the entire school community. Among other services, they offer resume help, internship placements, career fairs, and campus recruiting to both undergraduate and graduate students. Many MBA candidates complain that "UMKC's Career Services Center is out of date and not in touch with job trends or needs." Fortunately, the business school recently introduced a dedicated career counselor, who has "created the Career Connection (a totally separate entity of UMKC Career Services) which focuses on companies looking to recruit from the Bloch School of Business and Public Administration. Although the program is only in it's infant stages, once the economy picks back up the program will be able to execute many placements with already established relationships with local and national companies." Students in the executive MBA aren't generally looking for new positions after graduation; however, they report that their education offers a high return-on-investment at their current job.

Rockhurst University
University of Kansas

More at PrincetonReview.com