Experience during the program

I was looking for an MBA program at which I could get to know my classmates well. I have accomplished this so far at Kelley; there have been a multitude of opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom, to spend time together in small groups. This semester, I am particularly looking forward to teaming up with 4 peers to complete a social impact consulting project in Thailand through the GLOBASE course.

The professors at Kelley also deeply care about the students. This is evidenced by the number of casual conversations that occur with them both immediately before and after class. Our professors seek to serve as our mentors both at Kelley and beyond.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Student body, diversity
Alumni Network

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Marketing
Entrepreneurship

Can be improved:

Facilities

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Experience during the program

I considered multiple other business schools, but I am very happy that I chose Kelley - it has greatly exceeded my expectations. The best part about Kelley is my classmates. All of my classmates are very friendly, fun, and intelligent. They are always quick to help out with anything that I could ever need (homework help, interview prepping, etc.). Everyone is very social as well, with many opportunities to join clubs and participate in other social activities. Further, the class size of about 150 means that I actually am able to get to know everyone in my class and build lasting connections with them.

About professors, classes and curriculum

The Academy system at Kelley is a game-changer for its students. Every 1st-year is assigned an Academy based on your area of interest (Consumer Marketing, Business Marketing, Finance, Capital Markets, Consulting, or Supply Chain). Once in an academy, you meet with your fellow academy classmates every Friday of your first semester, learning from some of the most experienced and accomplished academy directors around. These academies are designed to teach you all about internships and careers in your particular field. You learn from recent Kelley MBA grads who have been successful at companies that you are interested in, and you also network with these recent alumni. All of this preparation and networking really helps you once interviews come around!

About job placement process

Kelley's Graduate Career Services is constantly rated as one of the top MBA career services programs in the country - and for good reason. The career services team is with you all the way throughout your process, from the first day you step on campus and start discovering your career path through the Me, Inc program, to deciding which of your (likely many) offers to take - they are there with tons of industry knowledge and advice. They also have great relationships with many companies in all disciplines, so tons of companies participate in Kelley's on-campus recruiting process and are interested in specifically hiring Kelleys to fill their positions.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Alumni Network
Career opportunities provided by school
Brand/Ranking
Culture & Student Support
Marketing

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Finance
Marketing

Can be improved:

Facilities

Read More

Experience during the program

Though the program is in the middle of Indiana its far from Indianasque. There are so many different types of people that I feel I am in a city like Chicago which is about 3 hours away. I would suggest to students to not count out the Hoosiers. Everyine is warm, the program is challenging and the name opens doors. For example when I went to a first year off-campus job fair I mentioned that I was a Kelley and several recruiters immediately broke out in smiles saying "We love Kelleys you guys known for being smart, humble and fun. Needless to say I think I chose the right school. :)

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Alumni Network
Brand/Ranking
Culture & Student Support

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Location

Read More

Experience during the program

When I first arrived at Kelley, I automatically thought "What mistake did I just make? You just quit your job for 2 years to get an MBA." I know I'm a semester in, but it is the best decision that I made. During my first semester, I've had the opportunity to learn more about my classmates due to division of the class in cohorts and within our core teams. I was able to secure an internship with the help of the alumni network here and the events that the graduate career services (GCS) team has for us during the semester. Thank you alum!

This semester, I have a lot going for me. I'll be participating in GLOBASE, which is an international experience where my classmates and I will be providing business solutions to help local businesses within the country of our choice. https://kelley.iu.edu/programs/full-time-mba/academics/global-experiences/globase/index.cshtml

I have a consulting internship at a local business where I will be working to improve processes for their business. And, I'm not only using this time for professional growth, but working on my personal growth. This is going to be the only time that I will have time to focus on me without any distractions. One of my goals is to learn how to swim and the Indiana Student Recreational Center (SRSC) has provided me the opportunity with those resources. I'm excited to accomplish so much more and I don't think I would have had the opportunity to do this had I not come to Kelley.

For future applicants, I recommend the following:

1. Talk to as many alumni and students as you can
2. Come to campus if you can so you can the feel of the environment whether this before or after you're admitted
3. If you have a commitment, regardless of your race, to enhance diversity and inclusion of African-American, Latino, and Native American communities. apply through the Consortium! (**Note: This opportunity is only available for US citizens.) https://cgsm.org/

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Alumni Network
Career opportunities provided by school
Culture & Student Support
Admissions Team
Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)

Best fit at this program:

Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Management
Supply Chain

Can be improved:

Student body, diversity
Brand/Ranking

Read More

Experience during the program

Kelley is a great place if you are looking for a collaborative culture, experiential learning opportunities, and a strong, accessible school.

I came back to business school for the opportunity to explore different career paths after a successful stint in the tech industry. While the school does a great job of bringing lots of great companies on campus (Google, Amazon, P&G, Nestle, Cardinal Health, etc.), I've been most impressed by the alumni. I've had the opportunity to network with close to 100 alumni and each has been helpful, and actively contributed to my search and the offers I've received.

In addition, the classroom experience is rigorous but rewarding. The core will challenge you, but you will be amazed at what you learn in 14 weeks.

No matter the school you choose, make sure to look into the companies that recruit most heavily from each school and compare those to your interests. For example, Kelley has great marketing connections on both the B2B and B2C sides, and thus many students get into top companies in those areas.

Conversely, we send fewer students into I-banking in NYC, so if that is what you're after, know you will need to put in much more effort to land those jobs.

About professors, classes and curriculum

The Professors and classroom experience are outstanding. It is really easy to get extra time with professors (many are happy to grab a coffee/beer with you), which was very different than other schools I looked at where everything had to be coordinated through intermediaries and time was short.

About job placement process

If you want to work in brand management, you will be hard pressed to find a better school.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Alumni Network
Career opportunities provided by school
Brand/Ranking
Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Location

Read More

Experience during the program

What the Kelley School of Business Full-time MBA Program lacks in terms of size it most definitely makes up for in terms of quality of relationships. This school is a very tight knit community of talented and humble people. This years class consisted of ~134 students and 3 cohorts for core classes. The small classes ensure that you really do get to know your colleagues and develop great relationships.

Kelley has met my expectations in terms of academic competition and the amount of time required to complete assigned tasks. Professors are very approachable and typically fair in their grading policies. With rare exception, professors make themselves available to students and treat the class as a broader discussion as opposed to lecture or death by Powerpoint.

The level of collaboration between students at Kelley is unprecedented. All throughout the internship recruitment process I have leaned on my fellow classmates for support and feedback. In many instances, those of us who were directly completing for an internship against one another worked together to address our individual flaws and increase the chances that at least on of us would secure the role. It is a great feeling to be able to count on your classmates to build you up as opposed to tearing you down. If you tend to advance yourself by pushing others aside, you most definitely will not enjoy Kelley.

About job placement process

If you are looking to do investment banking or top 3 consulting you will have a tough time at Kelley. Kelley is a pipeline school for CPG companies, mid to upper tier consulting firms (Deloitte, EY, PWC) but seldomly places students at Bain, McKinsey or BCG. Students looking to go into investment banking also find they have to do a lot of leg work to establish their own connections in that industry as Kelley typically does not funnel into that industry.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Culture & Student Support
Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)
Career Service Coaches and Staff

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Marketing
Management

Can be improved:

Location
Facilities

Read More

Experience during the program

My experience at Kelley is hands down among the best experiences in my life. Kelley truly fosters a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, diversity and acceptance. Kelley offers several opportunities to work with teams on group assignments beginning in the CORE. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about your personal teamwork style and leadership skills while adapting and learning how to work with others from diverse backgrounds. During Kelley's Me Inc. program, we learned about various personality types, our personal strengths and weaknesses, and how others with varying personality types tend to operate. This was a great way to learn my the work style of my teammates early on so we were able to hon in on our strengths while working with each other on our weaknesses.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Student body, diversity
Brand/Ranking
Culture & Student Support

Best fit at this program:

Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)

Read More

Experience during the program

When I made the decision to pursue an MBA, I knew Kelley was going to be a top contender given my interest in marketing and desire to be part of a small and supportive student body. I’m beyond happy about my choice to attend and wanted to share a bit about three different aspects of the program that have made my experience so great.

First up, my classmates. The Kelley community is remarkably supportive of one another. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how everyone really takes the time to get to know and learn about each other. I’ve already made countless friends that I’m confident will last for years to come following graduation. The second-year students have done a wonderful job helping to make sure the first-year students’ lives at Kelley is enjoyable, which has been much appreciated.

Next, the administration and faculty. Having just finished the Core, we were able to take classes with professors across a number of different disciplines. Regardless of their specialty, they emphasized the importance of a well-rounded education and improving our abilities to communicate with others and solve problems in new ways. The Graduate Career Services department has been helpful, too. Every student is paired with a career coach and a second-year peer coach, both of whom help us navigate the recruiting process and transition to being a Kelley student.

Finally, the Academies. Upon coming to Kelley, each student chooses an Academy (Consumer Marketing, Business Marketing, Consulting, Supply Chain, Strategic Finance, Capital Markets and Life Sciences), which is an experiential course focused specifically on an area of industry. The Academy Directors design each course in a way that gives students a comprehensive understanding of a particular industry, which includes bringing in guest speakers and organizing trips across the country to visit companies. It’s a truly unique aspect of the program and has been a highlight of my experience thus far.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Student body, diversity
Culture & Student Support

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Finance
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Location

Read More

Experience during the program

Kelley is a fantastic school for those that are uncertain where they want their career to go. The school has amazing support from the top and throughout the student body. We can help you get to where you want to be - even if you're not sure (no one is). This, of course, takes initiative on your end, but if you ask Kelley will be more than happy to provide. For all future applicants, to any school, I recommend you visit and talk with as many people as possible. Do not be swayed by any rankings or things you hear from others. This is one of the most personal decisions you can make and you need to make it for yourself.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Student body, diversity
Culture & Student Support

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Marketing
Tech
Management

Can be improved:

Brand/Ranking
Facilities

Read More

Experience during the program

Kelley's CORE curriculum while difficult was a great test to understand how to great balance in my life. It taught me very many valuable skills on prioritizing and allowed for the class to bond quickly.

Overall, I found the internship recruitment process at Kelley to be very effective. I did however, go to great lengths to meet with my Graduate Career Coach and understand where I wanted to take my career. It is easy to forget how much weight being proactive in this part of your career search can carry. If I were a perspective student I would really understand what industry I wanted to go into and how Kelley specifically supports that industry.

Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
Schools contribution (3.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Brand/Ranking
Culture & Student Support

Best fit at this program:

Marketing
Management

Can be improved:

Student body, diversity
Facilities

Read More