Pennsylvania State University - Smeal College of Business Administration

The Penn State Smeal MBA is grounded in the university’s longstanding tradition of excellence, and students are consistently attracted to its “strong community with a good reputation around the world.” Indeed, a “strong alumni network,” is one of the Penn State Smeal MBA’s greatest benefits, along with “excellent academics, great career opportunities,” and a “top-notch” faculty and administration. “The professors have a vast amount of experience,” and students find them “excellent at integrating real-world experiences” and “new business trends to into its courses, such as sustainability business strategy.” “Penn State Smeal MBA faculty have extensive consulting experience and are highly regarded researchers,” and in particular, “the supply chain and finance professors are excellent and prepare students to be top tier talent coming out of the program.” Penn State’s “small class size makes access to faculty and administration extremely easy,” and its “professors are very open to suggestion for improvement and regularly adjust class based on students’ needs.” The “administration is receptive to students’ needs” as well. All of this academic and administrative force combines to ensure Penn State Smeal MBA students will succeed: “I’ve been pushed to limits I never thought were possible, and I’m a better person for their insistence on pushing us to perform and produce at the highest level.”

The “Penn State Brand” figures prominently both in students’ reasons for choosing Penn State’s Smeal MBA programs and in the value they’ll take with them when they leave. Penn State Smeal MBAs have “no classes on Friday in an effort to give students time to work on job search and group projects,” and this priority “make[s] it easy to focus on learning, personal development, and career strategy” during school. In terms of professional advancement, students name Penn State’s “strong alumni network,” “quality of professional recruitment,” and “the alumni advisory board which mentors students” as among “the program’s greatest strengths.” The program hosts “many recruiting companies [to] come and spend the day” talking to students, including representatives from “Nike, Deloitte, and other Fortune 500 companies.” “Penn State MBAs are friendly, hard working, and appreciative of the oppor- tunities Penn State presents them,” and students see their classmates as people who “per- formed well in their internships and will be a major part of my network post-graduation.” The program’s “professors expect a lot but truly prepare you to succeed in interviews and the workforce,” and its “students are prepared to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.”

One student says of life at Penn State: “After living here for a year, I know why it is called Happy Valley. It might be cold in the winter, but the people here are warm and welcom- ing.” Indeed, many other students echo this appreciation for feeling as though “The entire program is a huge, supportive family” in “a very safe college town.” “Life is busy. But the people and the setting (a beautiful mountain valley) are good rewards for the times that aren’t too busy.” There’s a “great sports atmosphere, developed downtown area just off of campus, strong commitment to the local community, and good social atmosphere of the student population” overall. “The camaraderie at Penn State is absolutely amazing,” and students get close to each other: “We spend a lot of time in the business building whether it is for class, studying, or hanging out in the commons.” “Spouses and families are actively invited to come to all activities,” which facilitates “a positive MBA experience outside of the classroom” with events “such as football tailgates, Diwali celebration, and a Lunar New Year celebration.” “Penn State has over 30 percent international students,” and sees itself as “a community that embraces the diversity of our population.” Comprised of “great team players with high IQs and EQs,” the Penn State Smeal MBA program attracts and produces “compelling leaders who are highly intelligent.”