Students rate Cal State Long Beach’s College of Business Administration as one of the leading business schools in the nation, but still have grim hope that their degrees will get them hired in the wake of the troubled economy.
The recently published 2009 edition of The Princeton Review’s “Best 296 Business Schools” last week distinguished the College of Business Administration at CSULB for its MBA program offerings.
CSULB’s CBA was acknowledged for its offering of three different MBA programs that cater to the specific needs of different students — the Fully Employed MBA, a 23-month program designed for the convenience of full-time workers; the Self-Paced Evening MBA, a part-time or full-time self-paced program; and the Accelerated MBA program, a one-year plan for students who want to jump start their business careers.
“The faculty and staff in the College of Business Administration have done an excellent job of creating MBA programs that appeal to students, fit their schedules and help them meet their educational and career goals,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander.
Dean for the CSULB CBA Michael Solt said he is pleased the prestigious Princeton Review recognized the MBA programs again, but said this recognition is not enough to get a graduate hired in economic times like these.
“You have to show you’ve been engaged beyond the classroom,” Solt said.
Hardik Kumar Patel, a junior accounting major, knows this reality all too well, “It can be stressful,” Patel said, “It takes more investment than just a degree. It’s tough to find jobs.”
Mark Jenny, a junior business finance major, explained how recent conditions in the economy strike especially hard against college students. “It’s a shame. People cannot even afford a meal right now, much less to pay for other things.”
Solt said May 2009 graduates have it the worst, “I feel especially bad for this group. Those students may need to consider extending their coursework for the next year.”
For those who cannot afford another semester’s tuition, taking a job that perhaps may not be first choice is another option.
“Students may have to fight and scratch to get any job they can now, but things will turn around. Don’t give up,” Solt said. By staying involved in the university and taking advantage of all of the student career-building clubs on campus, students facing such dilemmas can become more informed and broaden their opportunities, Solt explained.
“Best 296 Business Schools” also includes student quotes about classes, professors, the social scene and more, as well as a complete index of schools throughout the country with basic information on their programs. Princeton Review vice president and publisher Robert Franek explains that the object of the material is to “help applicants decide which of these academically outstanding schools is the best for them.”
The Princeton Review is known for its college rankings based on how students rate their schools. The findings of this study were based on a compilation of publisher’s surveys of 19,000 students attending the business schools and on other school-reported data. The review features two-page profiles of each schools academics, admissions, student life, selectivity and career placement services.
Among the business schools named in The Princeton Review were California State University Northridge, California State University San Bernardino, Colorado State University, University of Cincinnati and the Massey Graduate School of Business at Belmont University, which recently hosted the second presidential debate.
The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in the book on a hierarchical list or appropriate one business college as the best overall.