Dolan School of Business makes exclusive list of graduate programs for tenth time in a row

Fairfield University's Charles F. Dolan School of Business has again been named one of the outstanding schools in the nation by The Princeton Review.

The education services company features the Dolan School of Business and its MBA Program in the new edition of its annual best business schools book - "The Best 296 Business Schools: 2015 Edition" (Random House/Princeton Review Books). It is the tenth time in a row the Dolan School has been featured in the book. The company is widely known for its college rankings based on how students rate their schools.

Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D., professor and dean of the Dolan School, said what is especially gratifying about making the impressive list is that it is determined by Fairfield student feedback. "Dolan School students' perspectives and experiences are very important to us and inform our decisions," said Dr. Gibson. "I'm so pleased that students gave high marks to faculty inside and outside the classroom, and observed that they are dedicated and experienced professionals."

Editors did not rank the schools 1 to 296 hierarchically. Rather, the book is compiled based on surveying business school students who rate and report on their experiences at their respective schools by answering an 80-question survey. The survey asked students about their school's academics, student body, campus life and career plans. Dolan School students shared that the school has "friendly, happy students" and provides solid preparation in finance, general management, teamwork, communication/interpersonal skills, presentation skills, and social responsibility. "Profs interesting rating" and "Profs accessible rating" got high scores.

In the profile of the Dolan School, editors noted that it's no surprise students flock to the MBA program due to the institution's "strong reputation" and "strong commitment to the Jesuit ideals of serving others." In addition, it was noted that students appreciate that the school "caters to people who work full time."

Also singled out was Fairfield University's Career Center as being "truly focused on helping students find coveted internship and employment opportunities." The center endeavors to take advantage of the Dolan School's "prime location" between New York and Boston by developing relationships and connections with companies in both cities. Employers that frequently hire Fairfield graduates include GE, United Technologies, Pitney Bowes, UBS Warburg, Pfizer, and Unilever, according to the book.

In compiling the list, Princeton Review editors analyzed data from surveys of 21,600 students at what they consider the best AACSB-accredited business schools in the United States as well as several AACSB-accredited business schools abroad.

The Princeton Review list follows a bevy of other honors. The MBA program has also been ranked by BloombergBusinessweek as one of the top part-time programs. The Dolan School of Business was named to U.S. News & World Report's list of best undergraduate business schools; BloombergBusinessweek's list of top 100 undergraduate business schools; and LinkedIn's list of best schools for accounting professionals. Fairfield University graduates have an average starting salary that ranks in the top 8% on Payscale's College Salary Report.

For more information, visit http://www.fairfield.edu/dsb/ .

Posted On: 10-23-2014 03:10 PM

Volume: 47 Number: 94