California State Polytechnic University, Pomona The College of Business Administration

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Students Say - Academics
The College of Business Administration at California Poly Pomona parlays the university's strengths in engineering and technology into a unique MSBA in Information Systems Auditing, a program that prepares students for careers in computer forensics and information systems security. "It's a nationally-recognized program," students here remind us while insisting we feature it prominently in the school's profile. Consider it done. Cal Poly Pomona also offers a more conventional MBA program, with concentrations available in accounting, finance, marketing, operations management, human resources, hospitality management, entrepreneurship, information management, and international business. Even in its more conventional pursuits, however, the school forges a unique tack. A Cal Poly Pomona MBA, students inform us, is a "hands on MBA" with "a technical emphasis" that encourages a "learning-by-doing philosophy." One student explains: "Very few professors will stand in the front of the room and lecture for four hours. Classes are very interactive and students are provided with plenty of opportunities to present their opinions and put learning points to use." Students also report that "All classes require students to work on group projects, which prepares you well to work in teams in real world." Cal Poly Pomona is "one of the few state universities using the quarter system," which "makes things fly by. When you are starting the quarter, you already have to start studying for midterms; when mid-quarter arrives, you already have to start seeking for affordable books for the next quarter." Fortunately, the program has "exceptional instructors" who "are mostly young (in their forties) and provide access to modern management principles and practices while at the same timing give information about classical management principles." Good instruction helps ease the academic burden some, but students warn that many here "reduce their work responsibilities to cope with the heavy course load. It's not an easy place for full-time/part-time working professionals."

Students Say - Admissions
Cal Poly Pomona operates on a quarterly academic schedule; the school accepts MBA applications for each quarter. All of the following components of the application are carefully considered: complete postsecondary academic record as reflected in official transcripts; GMAT scores (must be no more than five years old); two letters of recommendation from current or former employers; and a resume. Applicants who attended an undergraduate institution at which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide official TOEFL scores. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission: an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0; a minimum GMAT score of 450; and, if required, TOEFL scores of at least 580 on the paper-and-pencil test, 237 on the computer-based test, or 92 on the Internet-based test. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

Students Say - Campus Life
The Cal Poly Pomona student body consists of "smart working professionals" who are "very diverse both ethnically and professionally." Their professions "range anywhere from human resources managers to information technology managers to production line managers," and "several Fortune 500 companies" are represented here. Academically, the group includes "students who graduated with degrees in engineering, psychology, liberal arts, science, etc." The quality of students has "a significant impact on the class [because they] have plenty of experience to draw from" and "have a lot to say about the subjects that we are learning." Students "raise the bar [for each other] by being very competitive in studies and overall creativity and innovation." Because most students are "full-time workers and commuters to classes," they typically "do not get too involved with on-campus activities." "MBA students here are more focused on their careers and families then on being connected to the school," one student explains. That's too bad, because the Cal Poly Pomona campus is "beautiful. It's nestled in between mountains and is full of trees," and students tell us that makes it a "good place to study and lead a stress-free life." Perhaps things will change in the years to come; some here already detect a campus that is "transferring from a commuter school to a school with a lot of campus activities. All of the events are getting bigger and better. The exposure of the campus is being seen in the size and popularity of the events."

Students Say - Careers
Career services for MBAs here are provided by the Cal Poly Pomona Career Center (CPPCC), a central office serving all undergraduate and graduate students at the university. The CPPCC provides all standard counseling and placement services. Many students do not even use the service; they already have jobs that they hope to advance in by earning a graduate degree. One who does complains unequivocally: "The career placement is terrible at Cal Poly for MBA students. Ninety-five percent of companies come in looking for engineers, accountants and some hospitality, and most are only interested in undergrads for entry-level positions. I'm considering crashing a UCI career day just to get referrals." Employers who frequently recruit at Cal Poly Pomona include: Bank of America, Boeing, Deloitte, Disneyland Resort, Ernst and Young LLP, IBM, Kaiser Permanente, KPMG International, Merrill Lynch, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proctor & Gamble, Southern California Edison, and Wells Fargo Bank.

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