Calling All Fall 2010 Washington U. (Olin) Applicants!

Hey All,

I'm a current first year student at Olin, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. I'm going to try and address a lot of what everyone has been questioning/wondering/pondering.

1. Kelley does have a great program and their career services is a big reason for their success. Last year, in January I think, Olin hired their assistant director of career services to run the career services at Olin. So, a lot of the same methods that have brought success for Kelley in career services are being applied at Olin. I'm not saying that Olin is at the same level as Kelley in these regards but career services is working their tail off to utilize the extensive Olin and Washington University networks to find/create internship opportunities and jobs for Olin MBA students in this down economy. Which brings me to my second point.

2. Olin's network, though small and not as prestigious as many of the top schools that Olin likes to think it competes with, has been invaluable in my internship search. Beyond that, however, is the Washington University network, which is vast and full of success stories. Olin is Washington University's worst ranked graduate school. Every other graduate school is ranked higher from the Med School (#3) to School of Social Work (#1) (Is that a good thing or a bad thing :/). In addition Washington University's undergrad jBSBA program is ranked 15th in the nation. Therefore there is an extensive group of excellent graduates in the market with which you can build your network

3. St. Louis is what it is. It's a medium sized city with it's ups and downs. I have classmates from New York, LA, Miami, San Fran, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Hawaii, India, China, Israel, Nigeria, Honduras, etc. Surprisingly, they don't find St. Louis to be that bad, though admittedly, most miss their homes to some degree. On the surface, St. Louis looks like it doesn't have much to offer, but once you get to know the city, there is a lot more to do than you'd think.

4. As far as part-time programs go, I don't think it should reflect on the full-time. They are two different animals entirely. However, I understand the concerns with the market being flooded with people that may not reflect as well on the full-time program. It is important to understand that all of the part-time students are St. Louis residents and likely plan to stay that way. Full-time students, however, end up outside of st. louis much more often than they end up in St. Louis. Regardless, if you wanted to stay in St. Louis, Olin's program is highly regarded, both part-time and full-time.

5. Olin is working on expansion plans for the building, namely into the parking lot right next to it. We'll see where that goes.

6. There are lots of opportunities at Olin and to Washington University as a whole to be involved in practicums inside and outside of the US. One of my classmates is going to Madagascar for a couple weeks over spring break as a part of his practicum. Others are going on GMS (Global Management Summit) trips to Japan and Beijing, I think, to visit executives from global companies (much like other business schools).


All that being said, my decision wasn't easy. I had other admits at lower and higher ranked schools, however, the decision to go to Olin was framed by my campus visit and the scholarship offer. I have a relatively high GMAT score, solid GPA, and 4 years of work experience. I had opportunities outside of Olin but when I visited the school and sat in on class, it just felt right. Then, during admit weekend, I met my potential fellow classmates and realized what Olin had in mind when they recruited. My Business School experience to date, has been every bit as challenging and enjoyable as I could have ever expected and I don't regret my decision. You work hard, you make the most of the experience (clubs, internships, practicums, etc.), and the opportunities after graduation are there if you put forth the effort. If you all have any questions, let me know.

Best of luck in your MBA search. It's a stressful but exciting time!