Enrollment: 601
Average GMAT: 594.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 500-690
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.35
Regular Application Deadline: 04/01
Rolling Admission: Yes
School Type: Public
Average Age: 28.00
Average Work Experience (months): 36
Student Faculty Ratio: 24:1

Part Time Program: Yes
Evening Program: Yes
Executive MBA Program Offered: Yes
Total Faculty: 50

Average Starting Salary: $75,000.00

Out-of-State Tuition: $15,006.00
In-State Tuition: $6,870.00
Financial Aid Deadline: 03/01

Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students

School Says - General Information
The MBA Progam is broadly-based and highly-structured, offering a balanced preparation for managerial careers. Management is studied as a function which coordinates people, materials and information to meet selected objectives. The MBA prepares students for responsible positions in a rapidly changing world, heightens intellectual curiosity for life-long learning, and assists the student to develop initiative, imagination and creativity. In both the public and private sectors, the MBA is a widely-recognized degree. After acceptance to the MBA Program, students will need to demonstrate basic competencies in mathematics, statistics and written English. Students will also need to take or waive the 9 foundation courses. These courses will prepare the student for the program's advanced requirements.

School Says - Student Body
The GBA The Graduate Business Association (GBA) is a not-for-profit, volunteer student organization which supports graduate business students at San Francisco State University in their academic endeavors (MBA/MSBA). The association is an active part of the College of Business. It sponsors events, brings speakers to campus, and provides a forum for networking, exchanging ideas and socializing. The GBA is open to all SFSU business graduate students. You can contact us at gba@sfsu.edu. There is also a Yahoo! Usergroup and mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SFSU_GBA/ Recognizing that approximately 70% of the participants in the graduate business program consist of part-time students, our goal is to develop networking events that offer students the opportunity to meet peers, alumni and business professionals. The Graduate Business Association provides its members with current information and updates regarding the graduate program, professional events and workshops that take place throughout the school year.

School Says - Academics
The curriculum balances the art and science of management; not only understand theoretical issues, but also apply theory in diverse management situations. Courses are designed to give a comprehensive and relevant understanding of today's management environment. Case studies of business situations and guest speakers with specialized expertise are essential part of the curriculum.

School Says - Admissions
The Division of Graduate Studies, ADM 254 San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue San Francisco, CA 94132 Students are required to complete or submit the following: Graduate Admissions Application- complete online via "CSU Mentor" Application Fee - $55.00 payable to SFSU. Official Transcripts- Send official transcripts from all colleges, universities, and community colleges attended. GMAT Test Scores- The GMAT Exam is required for admissions by all applicants. Statement of Purpose- State reason for pursuing a graduate business degree at SFSU, past accomplishment that would indicate potential as a successful candidate, and projections for the future. TOEFL Test Scores- TOELF is required for applicants who have earned an undergraduate degree from a country where English is not the official language. Letters of Recommendation and Resume (Optional- highly recommended)

School Says - Campus Life
10 Class Rooms (each rooms with their own projectors) 1 Computer Lab (31 computers) 5 Breakout Rooms 2 Conference Rooms

Students Say - Academics
Affordable, convenient, and exceptionally well located, San Francisco State University is a great place to get a broad-based MBA, while adding depth and distinctiveness to the program through specialized coursework in specific business disciplines. Offering the MBA on a full-time and part-time basis, working students appreciate SF State's "flexible program," which creates "no distinction between full-time and part-time students." In addition, the curriculum's flexibility gives students the opportunity to tailor the program and "focus on topics you are interested in." To that end, San Francisco State provides lots of great academic options. For example, the school boasts a strong accounting program, as well as an "excellent and growing program in sustainable business." The school's international business department also draws its share of praises, and students find the "IBUS department faculty to be extremely engaged and willing to spend time discussing a multitude of topics outside of class."
San Francisco State recently opened a new graduate business facility in downtown San Francisco (the school's main campus is located in a residential neighborhood in the city's outskirts). Thanks to this strategic move, SF State now boasts one of the best business school locations in the Bay Area, offering students unparalleled "proximity to the financial district and the access that provides to global and entrepreneurial leaders in technology, biotech, finance, sustainable business, and more." Fortunately, "the administration in the new facility has been very helpful and efficient, and have worked hard to make the transition to the new campus as smooth as possible." In this and every way, students say the program is "run very smoothly-good communication, quick responses to questions."
Academically, the SF State experience is rewarding. Uniting academic theory and practical insights, the "professors generally have a high level of working knowledge for their areas and they do indeed bring that to their lectures. Here and there you have instructors who rely too much on PowerPoint, but this honestly doesn't happen that often." Despite the program's sizable student body, students nonetheless benefit from the "availability and accessibility" of SF State professors, who "don't disappear between classes and are for the most part engaged with the success of the students... Most really want you to succeed, are patient, and very, very approachable."

Students Say - Admissions
To apply to the graduate business programs at San Francisco State, students must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The current incoming class had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.3, and an average GMAT score of 580. In addition to transcripts and test scores, it is required that candidates submit letters of recommendation and a current resume for consideration.

Students Say - Campus Life
Drawing a mix of students from the Bay Area, as well as "a lot of international students," SF State's student community is friendly, diverse, and cooperative. Unfortunately, the student community is somewhat fragmented, as "none of the graduate students live at the downtown campus." After hours, full-time and international students are eager to hang out with their classmates, whereas "the students who work full time don't tend to socialize much, though they are friendly in class." On top of that, "due to the flexibility of the class schedule, there isn't as much opportunity to form strong networks as students have in cohort-based schools. A lack of social events and spaces further compounds this problem." On the other hand, the school's enviable urban location means there is "lots to see, lots of international students, easy to get to and from (school is on top of a subway station)." In fact, some students feel "the student life has improved since we moved downtown since all the MBA students have classes in the same building. A group of students meet up to network and socialize every Thursday night after classes."
While they can't complain about the school's stellar new campus (there is even a Starbucks in the building), students mention that "it is very difficult for students at the downtown campus to take advantage of many of the resources offered at the Main University Campus (libraries, bookstore, student organizations, and events), leaving MBA students feeling a bit cut-off from the full student experience." Of course, most quickly note that "the proximity to the financial district and the cultural offerings of downtown SF more than make up for this."

Students Say - Careers
An up-and-coming business program, SF State has improved placement possibilities for its students in recent years, thanks to its prime location, growing reputation, and heightened focus on career development. In fact, the school recently expanded the career services programs for MBA graduates, and now provides "a high level of service to students." The career services staff offers "optional seminars and provides one-on-one assistance with resumes," and also coordinates career fairs and campus networking events.
A recent Graduate Business Career Fair at SF State drew a large number of prominent companies, including Bechtel, Charles Schwab, CNET Networks, Hyatt SF Hotels, Kelly Financial Resources, Media Zone, Target Corporation, Ritz-Carlton Club, and UPS. In addition, "the accounting department has two "Meet the Firms" nights where graduating students are recruited and interviewed. Most accounting students are hired through this program." Despite these noteworthy offerings, a current student laments, "My only wish is that more Fortune 500 firms visit the campus to recruit, because they would be pleasantly surprised how much talent is here."

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