Enrollment: 428
Average GMAT: 510.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 450-720
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.00
Rolling Admission: Yes
School Type: Private
Average Age: 32.00
Student Faculty Ratio: 9:1

Part Time Program: Yes
Evening Program: Yes
Executive MBA Program Offered: No
Total Faculty: 39

In-State Tuition: $10,800.00
Financial Aid Deadline: 02/01
Students Receiving Some Aid: 26%
Average Annual Total Financial Aid: $5,813.00

Students Say - Academics
"Class flexibility and reputation" draw area business students to the MBA program at the University of Hartford's Barney School. As one explains, "The program was created for working students. The program structure allows me to continue with my career and still attend school." The school's many full-time workers especially enjoy the convenience of the school's "No Hassle MBA program," under which "the MBA advisor takes full care to register No Hassle MBA students for all of their classes. In addition, books are waiting for graduate students in the No Hassle program on the first night of classes during each term. There is no need to wait on lines at the bookstore or other cumbersome activities typical of registration each term." Students tell us that "The No Hassle option really does work. I don't have to worry about anything but showing up for class. My ID, parking permits, registration, and books are all taken care of for me."

The Barney School benefits from a location that is both convenient to area working people and advantageous to full-time students seeking summer work and internships. Hartford is one of the nation's insurance centers and is also home to numerous financial, manufacturing, and technological concerns (it should be noted that several students feel that finance is among the weaker disciplines here). Most who teach here "have real-life experience, not just book experience, and bring this to the classroom." That expertise, combined with the professional experience of students, makes for "a high quality of class dialogue and discussion among peers from various sectors." One student reports: "In my Capstone course, I am in the company of other full-time professionals who include engineers, insurance industry professionals, an actuary, government executives, retail executives, self-employed entrepreneurs, and business analysts, to name a few."

Several students report that classroom facilities here need an upgrade. One tells us, "Classrooms have a very dated look to them," with "desks and chairs rather than tables and chairs," which would "make the classrooms more team-friendly." They would also like to see an expansion of the curriculum, with additions made in project management, "a hot topic and a necessity in industry today. Also, more courses in operations management and international studies would be pertinent." Students praise the current curriculum for its "global viewpoint" and "engaging and practical" approach to the material. They also love the recently initiated study abroad options, describing them as "great opportunities for the students who can afford to go."

Students Say - Admissions
The Barney admissions office requires all MBA applicants to submit: official transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary schools; two letters of recommendation; official GMAT results; a current resume; a letter of intent describing the applicant's academic and career goals; and, a completed application. Applicants with at least three years of continuous work experience may apply for a GMAT waiver, as may applicants who have already successfully completed another master's program. International students must submit TOEFL scores and a Guarantor's Statement of Financial Support in addition to the above. Applications are processed on a rolling basis; because space in each incoming class is limited, it greatly benefits applicants to apply as early as possible.

Students Say - Campus Life
The Barney School attracts "friendly, smart, motivated" people, "about half of whom are in their twenties and the other half are in their forties. Generally, they are working people looking to take that next step." They arrive from "various industries such as insurance, banking, and financial services." About one in five attends full time; about half of full-time students are international students who "appear to enjoy the university environment and are engaged in various programs as this institution." Students also point out that the "good mix of international and domestic students allows you to develop better understanding of international issues." Full-time students "work in a cohort environment" that allows them to "bond deeply and quickly." Part-timers tell us that there is generally "no out-of-class mingling, which is fine for most classmates because no one has time between working and family life."

The University of Hartford campus offers "many arts and music activities to attend" through the Hartt School Program, which mounts theatre productions, concerts, and similar events. Students also have access to lecture series and other campus-wide activites. Most here, however, simply "take classes after work and then go home," with "participation in the activities at this institution limited to group meetings, project analysis, and data gathering (i.e., using the school's library and computer resources)."

Students Say - Careers
Placement and career-counseling services are provided to Barney MBAs by the Career Services Office (CSO), which serves the entire undergraduate and graduate student body of the university. Services include resume and cover-letter writing workshops, seminars on networking and interviewing strategies, job banks, on-campus interviewing, and job fairs. Students warn that the office "is primarily for undergraduate students. It's rare that there is an event that would be of any interest to an MBA." Independently of the CSO, the Barney School offers a series of Saturday morning "enrichment workshops" covering such subjects as business presentations, negotiations, career planning, and job search strategies. The school also sponsors a mentoring program for MBAs.

Fordham University
University of Connecticut

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