University of Maryland, College Park Robert H. Smith School of Business

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Students Say - Academics
A large school with a commanding reputation in the D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas, the Robert H. Smith School of Business offers a wide range of MBA options to a diverse student body of more than 1,000 graduate students. Depending on their professional experience, work schedule, and academic objectives, students can apply to Smith's full-time MBA program, Executive MBA, Accelerated MBA, or the part-time Evening MBAor Weekend MBA. While each of these programs differs in terms of class schedules, enrollment, admissions requirements, overall length, and location, they share an emphasis on the global economy, the integration of technology and business, and entrepreneurship. At the same time, real-world experience is paramount to a Smith education, and the school "allows many opportunities for students to learn outside the classroom, such as case competitions, consulting projects, and international teams." In addition to the aforementioned, "the school has a special program called the Mayer Fund where 12 selected MBA students from the entire school get to manage a $1.2 million endowment fund." Adding to the school's dynamic atmosphere is its urban location (Smith maintains campuses in College Park, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Rockville), which helps "attract some top-notch students to join the school, and also allows the school to offer many opportunities for growth outside the classroom." Smith attracts a team of "incredible" faculty, who "are at the top of their fields in the industry and in research." Fortunately, the classroom experience does not come second to the faculty's research interests; at Smith, professors are "not only experts in their fields, but are also superb teachers (a rare combination)." In fact, evening students tell us that Smith professors "are very good at holding the attention of the class, even late at night." Drawing talent from the local business community, most Smith "professors have been very involved in both the Baltimore and Washington business communities" throughout their career, adding an important practical dynamic to the classroom. In addition to their expertise, Smith professors "are also just great people to be around; very personable and approachable. They work as hard for us as we work for them."

Students Say - Admissions
To apply to Smith, students must submit an official copy of their undergraduate transcripts, official GMAT scores, two letters of recommendation, and a set of personal essays. In the full-time program, the entering class had GMAT scores ranging from 580-, and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.3. The part-time class submitted GMAT scores between 550-670, and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.26. Students have an average of six years' professional work experience before beginning the part-time program.

Students Say - Campus Life
Smith has MBA programs on four campuses in College Park, Rockville, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. At each campus, you'll find a different range of resources and opportunities; however, in general, Smith facilities are excellent. For example, students who attend class at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., describe it as a "top-notch business atmosphere" with "recently renovated rooms with electronic everything." The school's reputation and selective admissions draws a group of students who are "intelligent, well-informed, confident, hardworking, kind, and dependable." You'll also find a range of professional experience amongst the student body, with some students who are "young and fresh without much work experience, while others are seasoned and settled in their careers." In College Park, there is a wide range of student organizations for full-time MBA students, including the Entrepreneurship Club and the International MBA Association. In addition, students and administrators are "working to ensure more community service is woven into student life." When it comes to having fun, students report a lively and social atmosphere among MBAs, including "great happy hours and frequent memorable cultural and variety nights." Luckily, part-time students don't miss out on the fun; while their schedules leave little downtime, part-timers still find time for "happy hours after class, if we are still awake.… We also have parties on weekends."

Students Say - Careers
A large percentage of Smith's part-time students plan to stay at their current company after graduation (in fact, many are receiving tuition reimbursement for their studies.) However, for students seeking a new position or career change after graduation, the Smith School of Business boasts "excellent job placement rates" and lots of deep ties in the local community. On campus, Smith's Office of Career Services offers a full range of professional development resources, including career and communication coaching, an online job database, an active alumni network, research materials, and more. Students can get highly individualized assistance from one of the office's professional staff. Recent companies that have recruited Smith grads include American Express Financial Advisors, Bank of America, Barclays Capital, Capital One, Chase Card Services, Citigroup, Deloitte Services, DuPont, Fannie Mae, FedEx, IBM, Intel Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Morgan Stanley, Motorola, The Washington Post, and The World Bank.

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