University of Utah David Eccles School of Business

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Students Say - Academics
Ask a Utahan about her state's flagship university and chances are good she'll pull from a litany of the school's selling points, including "a great medical school [known for] cancer research and the treatment center; a great business school; and strong athletics traditions." "An outstanding research school," the university's prestige is well known in the Beehive State and widely regarded as well-earned. Students in the Eccles MBA programs are no outliers in this regard; they enthusiastically praise both their program and the university that hosts it. There are strong synergies between the Eccles School of Business and the university at large. The university's offerings in healthcare, international studies, and engineering all impact a business program that has "a strong reputation for innovation and technology commercialization" and provides "opportunities in the life science industry." Eccles' greatest strength is in entrepreneurship, with a program that creates "a great niche for entrepreneurs who want to team up with engineers and the life sciences." Highlights of the entrepreneurship program include the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge, which the university sponsors; the student-run Venture Development Fund; the Lassonde New Venture Center, a "great experience that allows business students to partner with researchers on campus to commercialize technology"; and Gangplank, "a club that connect[s] aspiring students to successful entrepreneurs." Eccles offers a full-time MBA, a Professional MBA (part-time) that "caters to working professionals," and an Executive MBA; the last is "the top-ranked EMBA program in the region," with a student body numbering over 100. All programs benefit from "terrific professors" who "bring real-world experience and insight to class." The program is rigorous, with "material taught in class [that] is the same that is taught at Harvard, Georgetown, University of Chicago, etc., because that was where our professors were recruited from." Administrators are "very hands-on to ensure that the education is of quality and that the experience of the MBA courses is exciting and relevant."

Students Say - Admissions
The Eccles Admissions Department requires applicants to provide the following: an undergraduate transcript demonstrating a GPA of at least 3.0 (students failing to meet this requirement may gain entry based on evaluation of their performance during the final two years of undergraduate work); proof of successful completion of a college-level statistics course; GMAT scores (minimum 50th percentile score in math required); two recommendations, submitted online; responses to essay questions; and a resume. International students whose first language is not English must take the TOEFL (minimum score: 600, paper-based test; 250, computer-based test). Two years of post-undergraduate professional experience are strongly encouraged but not required. The school reports that it administers "several privately donated scholarships reserved for underrepresented groups and to help us build the gender, ethnic, and geographic diversity of our student body."

Students Say - Campus Life
Eccles "is located on a hillside overlooking Salt Lake City" that is "located 15 minutes from world-class skiing (winter time) and mountain biking (summer time). The campus is in a great setting," and students try to take the opportunity to enjoy both the surroundings and campus life. UU fans are "rabid," one student informs us. "The school is confident and walks tall." In short, "the overall environment is excellent" at UU. "The school provides all the resources we need. The campus is excellent; the library is a really comfortable place to study; and most of [the] classrooms at DESB have outlets for every student, access to internet and technology needed to do presentations, etc." The MBA program "is very supportive of students who have kids, and willing to help out any way they can. Once a month, the school hosts a ‘Parent's Night Out' to watch students' children for free." Also, "there have been family-friendly tailgate parties where students can bring their families and mingle with alumni." The program also offers "some good activities for single students as well as families," including sporting events, mixers, and outings. Eccles "is making efforts to be more internationally diverse," but "the school needs to encourage more diversity of opinions as well. Utah is an extremely politically conservative state and the viewpoints within the classroom reflect [a range] from conservative to really, really conservative." While "most of the class is Mormon," there are plenty of students from other religious backgrounds here as well.

Students Say - Careers
The Office of Career Services for Graduate Business Students works in conjunction with the university's Career Services Office to provide counseling and career placement services including career fairs and on-campus recruiting events. Student feedback on the service is mixed. Its harshest critics dismiss it as "poor, especially if you're not in accounting or finance." Others note that the office has "taken many steps this year to improve [services] for the future," but still has further to go. And others still report that with the arrival of a new dean in 2009, "alumni connections have been greatly improved" and the administration has grown more "supportive and informative, especially on career-related matters as well as courses offered at school. They are also very enthusiastic about connecting students with activities outside classrooms, such as company visits and networking events." Employers who most frequently hire Utah MBAs include Comcast, ATK, GE Capital, Boart Longyear, Omniture, American Express, and the federal government. Nearly 40 percent of Eccles MBAs find work in finance and accounting after leaving the program.

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