sp00ked wrote:
TheDude2011 wrote:
Did anyone go to the Carlson Up Close event this past weekend? Any thoughts?
I did, did you?
Few quick impressions.
Positive
1) The caliber of the students were higher than I expected. I personally met 2 students who were accepted to Darden and Ross, respectively, and they were offered a full ride at Carlson and were seriously considering Carlson. So the school does a good job spending money to recruit the best students. Also met a student who was interviewed at Harvard.
2) I believe the faculty would be on par with those from the top 10 schools, or at most, slightly below.
3) Small class size means personal attention, both from faculty and staff which is a unique attribute to Carlson.
Negative
1) Most recruiting comes from the twin cities, so it would be difficult to get a job anywhere else.
2) Carlson name brand fades quickly outside the midwest.
Overall, it was a positive experience for me and has pushed me towards matriculating this fall.
What did you think?
I went as well and I gotta say I came away very impressed. Here are some factors that impressed me...
1. How much Carlson shelled out for the event. Between plane tickets, hotel rooms, food, swag, and the rest, they definitely know how how to make students wanted. They also gave out like 8 $1000 scholarships.
2. That applications are up 30% from last year, and that Carlson said this year has been their most competitive year ever. I'm glad I didn't know this before, as I would probably have been significantly more nervous while waiting for my decision.
3. Job prospects within the Minneapolis area. Make no mistake, if you go to Carlson you should be comfortable living in Minneapolis not just this year, but for years to come. They didn't say it outright, but it was fairly clear that your best opportunities are going to come from within the Minneapolis area.
4. The enterprise programs. I had obviously been aware of the programs, but I came away even more impressed with them after attending Up Close. If you're thinking about changing careers (like I am), then you should view the enterprise programs as a pretty great selling point. You're going to get some SIGNIFICANT experience to add to your resume.
5. The people. Current Students, Admitted Students, Professors, Admissions Staff, everyone was just great. Friendly, non-competitive, easy to talk with. Definitely seems like a good group.
Overall I went into the weekend not sure on Carlson, and came away with Carlson as my far and away number 1 choice. Great weekend!