Chat Live with Me

You can now chat live with me from our website. Go to gsb.uark.edu and scroll down to the bottom right hand side. You will see this handy dandy button. We have been joking in the office that this is way too much Rebel. I seem to be everywhere.

All joking aside, it is very important to us that we serve you in the most effective and efficient manner (or manners). If there is a method of communication that you prefer that we do not offer, let me know. In this rapidly changing world of technology, I am frantically trying to keep up. In the last few months, the GSB has implemented an Admissions blog, student blogs, a Face Book site, and now "live chat." Twitter is next on my list. I am sure that next week, there'll be something else.

So, go to our website and let's "chat."

Busy, Busy, Busy

Today the students who began their MBA this January had an advisory council meeting. This is an important component of the MBA. Each class has an advisory council. This year's class has 7 students who represent them. Each semester, each class's advisory council meets twice. They discuss their classes and current concerns with the GSB. It is very important that we keep our finger on the pulse of the MBA. Students know that they can take their issues to council members and that those issues will be addressed. These are taken seriously and changes do occur each year.

This picture shows today's meeting. It's always during lunch so we feed you for your service.

I just ran upstairs to see what else was going on. The semester is winding down. There are only about 5 more weeks of class left before finals. University Commencement is May 9. Not too far away. Many of our MBA students are very busy. This picture shows Trip Jones and Adam Hale.

Also shown are Wenqi Clark, Hang Yang, Sherry Li, and Maggie Gu. Our students really take advantage of our great small group rooms.

Team MBA

Our MBA students are participating in Walk MS tomorrow. They have been working very hard to raise money to aid in research to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. We had a bake sale yesterday that was very successful. The bake sale and the "Pie a Professor" event raised almost $1,000. The total amount Walton's Team MBA has raised is over $4,000.

The Pie a Professor event was very popular. Several MBA instructors volunteered to participate. Each professor had a money jar. Donations in the jar made in coins added to the total amount and donations made in dollars subtracted from the amount in the jar. The one with the highest total gets a pie in the face. There was also a silent auction to determine who gets to throw the pie.

The recipient of the pie in the face will be Dr. Tom Jensen, head of our Marketing Department and the pie thrower will be Mikal Murders, first year Walton MBA student.

The 2.5 mile walk is in the morning. Rain, snow, sleet - we will be there supporting this worthy cause.

A word about work experience and the MBA

I meet with students daily who are interested in getting an MBA. These students come from a variety of academic backgrounds and have varied work experience. Also, at this time, due to the current state of our economy, I am talking to an ever increasing number of student with NO work experience who are wanting to get an MBA. Why are these students wanting an MBA? It is because the job market stinks (I could have used a worse word but I thought I would keep it "G" rated) and they can't find a job right now.

Listen, I know that it's rough out there and that there are not a lot of opportunities. BUT, I cannot stress enough how important work experience is in the MBA. The admissions committee looks at three things primarily: 1) GMAT, 2) work experience, and 3) GPA of your last 60 hours. If you have at least a 600 on the GMAT and any work experience, you are in a very good position for admission.

I just took a quick count of MBA applications. Right now, today, we already have 48% more MBA applications than we did this time last year. Let me break it down for you. COMPETITION IS GOING TO BE FIERCE! There is also an increase in applicants without work experience. These applicants will have a very difficult time being admitted to the Walton MBA. I can't say that we never admit students without work experience. We do admit a small percentage each year with none; however, they all gave us a GMAT score well over the average. I am seeing a lot of high GMAT scores this year too.

Students without work experience face many challenges in securing placement at the end of the MBA program. An MBA without work experience is likely to get similar offers as a student with a BSBA and no work experience.

So, keep in mind that work experience, while not required, is STRONGLY PREFERRED, for admission to the Walton MBA. I know that many of you don't like hearing this and it's no fun being the voice of gloom and doom, but this is the reality of the situation. It is not uncommon for our decision letter to read, "your application was very strong. We recommend that you continue to work and reapply next year." Keep this in mind. GO TO WORK.

It doesn't have to be your dream job. If it was, why would you leave it to go back and get your MBA. You have to get something on your resume AFTER GRADUATION. Internships are great but the committee is really looking for that first "real job."

Get out there, hit the pavement, be creative - you'll get more out of the MBA and you'll also be bringing more into it with this experience.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...

Today is MBA Ambassador, Dave Alderson's, birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVE.

Come Visit Us!

I am currently working with an MBA applicant from Louisiana. He has requested a campus visit. I decided I should talk about this. I am thrilled to schedule campus visits for prospective students. You can observe a class, have lunch with current students, meet with the MBA Director, Dr. Alan Ellstrand, and last but not least, you get to meet me. I know, I know, it sounds like a rip roaring good time.

I highly recommend making campus visits. Especially if you are considering more than one MBA program. You definitely need to get a feel for the campus, the program, the current students. This will tell you a lot. You should feel comfortable and the information you receive should be exciting - you should like, or better yet, LOVE, what you see and hear.

We are located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. If you have never visited Fayetteville, you are in for a treat. It is a beautiful community. The University of Arkansas campus sits on a hilltop in Fayetteville and the views from our building are amazing. Did I mention yet that our building is very new, completed in 2007? If you are excited about technology, we are the program for you. As far as I am concerned, any MBA program would be hard pressed to beat this new building (link is to the right) with its state of the art technology, small group rooms, and class rooms.

And, if you visit, you will be taken care of by one of our amazing MBA Ambassadors. Each year, I get the pleasure of selecting and working with the MBA Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are current students who feel strongly about the program and want to share their experiences with prospective students. The new Ambassadors are: back-Brant Simpkins, Stacy Carty, and Trip Jones. Front-Jessica Maland and Wenqi Clark.

If you would like to visit us, email me at gsb@walton.uark.edu.

It's Back to Work for Us

Spring break is officially over and we are all back to work and class today. To add insult to injury, it is a beautiful spring day in Fayetteville. We are expecting temperatures to reach 75 degrees today. The next few weeks of the semester will fly by. The University of Arkansas graduation ceremony is Saturday, May 9. That is not too far away. Since we'll have several classes graduating, I suppose we need to admit several more. I am expecting to hear from the Accounting Department this week regarding their admission decisions for fall 2009.

We will soon begin working on our full-time MBA and our part-time MBA applications. Those decisions will not go out until the end of April.

Be sure to check out our new bloggers. Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions.

IT IS SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are in the middle of spring break here at the University of Arkansas. Our students survived their mid-terms last week and are hopefully enjoying a week off. Once we return from spring break, it seems as though the semester just flies. Commencement is May 9. That is not very far away.

Next week we will wrap up the MIS applications. Note - we will accept late MIS applications. However, there will be NO funding remaining. Their funding will be awarded to those who submitted their documents prior to the final application deadline if March 15.

Early decision deadline for MBA is right around the corner. Also, MMBA application deadline is coming up. Both are April 1. Keep in mind that the MMBA program will continue to accept applications until the class is full. MBA final application deadline is September 15. I'll post updates as this cycle gets started in a couple of weeks.

One final note before I head back home (I am off this week - woohoo). We have added another new MBA student blogger. Please check out Trip Jones' new blog. The link is on the right.

More posts to come next week. I am off to enjoy the beautiful Arkansas weather (while it lasts).

More Victories!

Twenty teams have been selected to compete in the Semi-Final round of the 2009 New Venture Championship in Portland, Oregon. Of 160 entries, Walton team, Ground Up Biosolutions, has been chosen to be one of the twenty. The other teams include, but are not limited to: BYU, Clemson, Cornell, Penn State, Purdue, UC Berkeley, Darden school at Virginia, and Kellogg at Northwestern.

We also have TWO teams selected to compete at Rice. Of 350 entries, Silicon Solar Solutions and Tears for Life were chosen to compete in this very selective competition. These two groups have also been contacted by a combined six venture capitalists.

To learn more about Tears for Life, please visit here: http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/14581.htm. Tears for Life's product is a simple breast cancer screening test that uses a woman’s tears.

To learn more about Silicon Solar solutions, visit their website at: www.siliconsolarsolutions.com.

I will continue to post our successes as they occur.

Where Are We?

We are definitely making progress. What do I mean by that? The Accounting Department has picked up their Master of Accountancy (MAcc) folders. I do not expect admissions decisions from them until after spring break. Our spring break is next week - March 16-20. The University will be closed on Friday, March 20. Currently, they have approximately 40 applications to review. There are still several that are incomplete. We will continue to accept Master of Accountancy applications. However, once this round of admissions decisions has been made, there will be no more financial assistance available. The MAcc program enrolled 30 students last year.

The Master of Information Systems (MIS) final deadline will be next Tuesday, March 16. We will not accept International applications that come in after Thursday, March 19. We will continue to accept domestic applications until the Department tells us they have enough. We have received approximately 50 applications and they are continuing to come in at an alarming rate. This program has a limited number of assistantships. I expect admissions decisions from them by the end of the month. For those students who do not need financial assistance, who are able to fund their degree, we will continue to accept applications.

The early application deadline for the full-time MBA is April 1. The deadline for the part-time/Managerial MBA (MMBA ) is also April 1. We will continue to accept apps for the MMBA throughout the summer. Final app deadline for MBA is September 15.

We Have Earned Our Ranking In Princeton Review...

In Princeton Review's 2009 edition of their "Best 296 Business Schools," the Walton MBA was ranked #10 in their Most Competitive Students Category. As evidenced by recent posts, our small business plan teams are on a winning streak.

Well, I am here to tell you about another one. This last weekend, our team Silicon Solar Solutions (Ben Allen and Adam Perkins - both MMBA students - and Douglas Woten - PhD students from the College of Engineering) placed third at the University of San Francisco.

Here are the results of this competition:
Boston University/MIT-Novophage (1st)
Illinois Institute of Technology-MagDrive (2nd)
Queens University-Epitherapeutics (t-3rd)
University of Arkansas-Silcon Solar Solutions (t-3rd)

Other teams that did not place:
Columbia University
George Washington University
Georgia Tech
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Kennesaw State University
Lund University
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University
University of California Berkeley (2 teams)
University of California Irvine
University of California Los Angeles
University of Illinois Chicago
University of San Francisco
University of Texas Dallas
University of Waterloo

Let me remind you that each time a team wins, there is a cash prize involved. This year's results are very impressive.

Clinton School of Public Service and the Walton MBA

There is an agreement between the University of Arkansas' Clinton School of Public Service and the Walton MBA. Students begin their Master of Public Service at the Clinton School in Little Rock. After their first semester, they begin taking Walton MBA courses. We have our first student, Sarah Clark, doing this. These two programs are completed in a little over two years.




Here is Sarah participating in Walton MBA courses while she is in Little Rock. She is able to watch her courses live and communicate with her instructors during class. I thought this picture was funny so I had to share it.

Students who are interested in doing this joint degree program should first be admitted to the Clinton School. Then, during your first semester, apply to the Walton MBA by September 15. All application materials must be completed. See the complete list here: http://gsb.uark.edu/622.asp. You can check out the Clinton School's blog at: http://clintonschoolblog.com/cblog/.

Email questions to gsb@walton.uark.edu.

New MBA Blogger - Stacy Carty

Our new MBA class began in January. I utilize this group by having MBA Ambassadors. These students assist me with the recruiting process. Part of their responsibilities is to maintain a student blog. We have two new students who have begun their blogs - Stacy Carty and Wenqi Clark. Be sure to read about their journey as they begin the MBA.

Both students have very interesting backgrounds. Wenqi is from China and Stacy is from Virginia so it will be great to read what they have to say about the Walton MBA, the University of Arkansas, and Fayetteville.

Don't forget to check out our new website. All links are provided on the right.

Attended Last Career Fair Yesterday

I am finished traveling for the semester. I probably just jinxed myself by saying that. I should say that I just completed my last "scheduled" trip. I was at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR yesterday. This was my last Career Fair of the spring semester.

I do have corporate visits remaining and a Graduate School Open House. Other than that, for the next couple of months we'll be working on admissions.

As stated in a previous post, we are finishing up the Master of Accountancy applications this week. They will be sent to the Department next week. At that time, we will finish processing the Master of Information Systems applications.

When we come back from spring break it will be time to begin working on MBA applications. Admissions decisions for MAcc and MIS should be sent out by the end of the month. MBA decisions will be out mid-April.

Apply online at gsb.uark.edu. Applications are up. Be sure to apply by the appropriate deadline for full consideration (funding and admission). Whereas we will accept late applications, funding will have been awarded.

Neck Deep in MAcc Applications

Yesterday was the deadline for the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program. We will process applications throughout this week and the Accounting Department will pick them up for review next Monday. Admissions decisions will be going out to our applicants after spring break. The University of Arkansas' spring break is March 16-20.

Last year we received 52 MAcc applications and enrolled a class of 30. We are expecting over 70 applications this year. Our MAcc program is two semesters and thirty hours. Upon completion of the MAcc, students are eligible to sit for the CPA exam in Arkansas. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available (tuition is waived and a stipend of $2500 each semester is provided). Admission and financial assistance will be incredibly competitive this year.

As soon as the GSB finishes processing the MAcc applications, it will be time to wrap up the MIS application process. Final admissions decisions will be made by Information Systems after spring break.

April 1 is the application deadline for the Managerial MBA (MMBA), our part-time MBA program. This program is completed in six semesters by taking six hours a semester and attending class on campus only one Saturday each month. We will enroll approximately 60 students in this program in August. Applications will be accepted throughout the summer.

April 1 is also the early application deadline for the full-time MBA. I have had questions about this deadline. It is designed primarily for those students looking at other graduate program that begin in August. By applying to our program by April 1, admission decisions will be received by May 1 and these students will be able to weigh all options. This program does not start until January.

Yes, it is a very busy time in graduate school admissions.

Tomorrow, I will be attending a Career Fair at the University of Central Arkansas. Stop by and say hi if you are at UCA.

Tears for Life Takes 1st!

Tears for Life, the team that won the Lightning Round at the University of Louisville last weekend, won the University of Cincinnati business plan competition yesterday. In the finals, they defeated teams from Brown, Cornell, Oregon (a perennial contender), and Boston University. Last week, they beat teams from BYU, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, and UVA, among others.

They have also just found out that they have made it to the next round at the Tulane competition, beating out 60 teams from schools like Baylor, Brown, Clemson, UVA, Georgetown, Queens University, San Diego State, Wharton, British Columbia, Wake Forest, and Washington University.

Perhaps even more significant, they have been approached by a couple of venture capitalists who are interested in meeting with them to discuss investment opportunities.

As has been evidenced by recent posts, this team is very busy. However, checks like this do ease the pain. This is Jared Greer proudly displaying their recent victory.

As a Walton MBA student, you too can have opportunities such as this.