Saint Louis University John Cook School of Business

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Students Say - Academics
"The John Cook School of Business at St. Louis University gets you the most bang for the buck," students in this Jesuit-affiliated MBA program insist. Indeed, compared to some of the higher profile MBA programs in the area, SLU is "reasonably priced," and the savings are further enhanced for those who pursue the school's recently implemented fulltime one-year MBA. SLU also offers a part-time MBA to serve the needs of area professionals. Students in both programs cite the "strong ethical values" of the curriculum as another major incentive to choose SLU. Students in the new one-year MBA praise the "innovative program that really tries to integrate the whole MBA learning process," warning that it is "intense" but ultimately worth the hard work. The administration earns praise for its responsiveness to student feedback during this early stage of the program's development. As one MBA tells it, "This administration is far and away the most flexible and willing to listen of any I've ever encountered. With the one-year program in its second year, the administration is constantly encouraging students to help make the program better by providing feedback. The administration is very clearly committed to continuous improvement." Part-time students also praise the administration, reporting that it has "created a very easy environment for part-time students to get into and get going on the MBA. They make sure to resolve any problems quickly and effectively." In past surveys, students have complained that the SLU faculty is too academicallyoriented. This is changing, though, as SLU has made "a push lately to get professors with real-world experience. As a graduate student with 5+ years of work experience, I appreciate learning from the professors with real-world experience much more than from the ‘typical' college professor. The main difference lies in the specific insights the teachers with real-world experience can provide. They typically have plenty of war stories to share and a lot can be learned from listening to their past experiences." While many "need to sharpen their lecturing skills," instructors are generally "easy to work with, and much is learned in most classes."

Students Say - Admissions
St. Louis University accepts both online and paper-and-pencil applications; an Adobe Acrobat file of the application can be downloaded at the school's website. All applications must include a completed application form, a personal statement (500 word maximum), two letters of recommendation (at least one professional), official transcripts for all post-secondary academic work, a current resume, and an official GMAT score report. International applicants must provide all of the above plus certification of financial support and, for non-native English speakers, an official TOEFL score report representing a score no more than two years old. The part-time program admits students prior to the fall session, the spring intersession, and the two summer sessions. Full-time applicants must enter at the start of the summer session.

Students Say - Campus Life
Saint Louis University is, of course, located in St. Louis, "a great city" with plenty of opportunities for career professionals and entrepreneurs. Full-time students exploit the city's many assets during "business school networking events such as hockey games, baseball games, etc." Because the Jesuit tradition seeks to educate the whole person, SLU brings numerous cultural events to campus. Through the campus ministry, opportunities for service and spiritual growth are readily available. SLU competes in 16 NCAA Division I sports; the men's basketball and soccer teams both draw hefty crowds. Parttimers enjoy the same extracurricular opportunities but rarely have the time to engage in clubs, daytime guest speakers and symposia, and other such events. The SLU campus offers "excellent facilities: library, gym, buildings, etc." Classrooms "are equipped with computer/multimedia resources" and the school is conveniently "located right in downtown St. Louis, yet it is still safe, like it's in own little world" because the "beautiful campus" is self-contained. The school's midtown location provides students easy access to the Fox Theatre, the Sheldon Concert Hall, the Grandel Square Theatre, and the Powell Symphony Hall. SLU MBAs represent "a wide range of work experiences. Some people are in their forties and have worked for Boeing or Anheuser Busch for years. Others are just out of college. Everyone is friendly and cooperative." Some feel that most full-time students "are a little younger and less experienced in the working world" than they ought to be, and that their "lack of professional experience" limits the quality of in-class discussion.

Students Say - Careers
The Career Resources Center at the John Cook School of Business provides career services and counseling for all MBAs here. The center offers self-assessments, personal advising, resume and cover letter assistance, mock interviews, networking workshops and counseling, and access to multiple online and hard-copy databases and reference sources. Students tell us that the school's regional reputation and alumni network are its most effective career-enhancing assets. "SLU has a good reputation in the area, which helps in getting a job," one student tells us. About one-quarter of all SLU MBAs pursue careers in finance and accounting; about as many build careers in marketing and sales. The manufacturing sector claims about one-third of each graduating class; nonprofits attract about one-fifth of each class. Recent employers of SLU MBAs include Accenture, Anheuser Busch Companies, Inc., Covidien, Ernst & Young, Edward Jones, Emerson, JC Penney Company Inc., Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and RubinBrown.

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