<p>I know many of you don't lend much credence to the WSJ rankings, but for comparison, Florida is ranked #6 in the WSJ regional MBA (up from 13 last year), #6 in the Princeton Review, # 37 in the "gold Standard" US News and World Report Ranking and with a median GMAT score of 680, is top 20 in terms of the ONLY standardized metric that all student bodies are measured against. Go Gators....</p>
<p>I don't think I need to check out the stats to realize that UF's starting salaries are still subpar.</p>
<p>That's either an ignorant or nefarious response. Most UF grads chose to work in Florida after graduation. Surely, you must realize that the $67,000 starting salary for the UF grads, when adjusted regionally is VERY respectable. </p>
<p>For example to adjust the salary for Boston:</p>
<p>67,000 X 1.26 = ~$85,000</p>
<p>This is in line with what Boston College MBA's are commanding.</p>
<p>So, why would you make the statement about salaries without considering WHERE the graduates are working?</p>
<p>Man, you're back pumping UF again?!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Most UF grads chose to work in Florida after graduation
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Possibly a good amount do. But I will also bet that regional organizations make up the bulk of companies that recruit on campus -- so even if UF grads wanted to work in Wall St., their chances are very much reduced relative to the "top" schools. And I wouldn't chalk it up to location either -- the Goldman Sachs, DE Shaws, Blackstones, and McKinseys of the world go far and wide (for example Tuck in the "extreme" NE, Fuqua in the South, Stanford/Haas/Anderson in the West, and Chicago GSB in the Midwest) -- and yet don't really show up in Gainesville...</p>
<p>Regardless, they are still below SMU salaries and SMU is NOT a top 50 school. I didn't realize that Boston College was the measuring stick one should use when evaluating whether a school is good or not.</p>
<p>also consider that, as a reward for graduating UF, your "prize" is that you end up working in Florida.</p>
<p>...it's like southern california but less well designed, with extra senior citizens and some hurricanes thrown in. yay!</p>
<p>Denzera, that response is hardly worth a rebuttal.</p>
<p>OK, if you want to ONLY consider salary as the mrtric, someone graduating UF and moving to Tampa, making 67K will live a higher life style than someone graduating UCLA making 105K. So, based on that logic, UF is better than UCLA. Yea, I think that is a ridiculous statement, too.</p>
<p>As far as comparing UF to Boston College, this shows that I am a realist and I consider BC a peer institution, not Harvard. However, Uf is trending upwards and it is obvious that some of you guys can't accept the reality that the top 25 schools won't be top 25 for ever and some schools will encroach. UF-Bus. School just got a 50 million dollar gift last year which will help it's upward trend. </p>
<p>My opinion-UF hasen't been a great program long enough for the big dogs of recruiting to take notice. When the quality of students stays ultra high for a long period, the recruiters will be just silly to not start showing up in Gainesville.</p>
<p>UF gift makes history</p>
<p>A longtime St. Petersburg investment banker made history at the University of Florida, pledging to give his alma mater's business college a $30-million donation, the largest in UF history.</p>
<p>UF officials announced the record-breaking gift Friday morning in Gainesville.</p>
<p>William R. Hough was the biggest shareholder of the $2.8-billion Republic Bank and chairman of its holding company, Republic Bancshares, before BB&T acquired it in 2004. He founded and led William R. Hough & Co., a municipal bond firm in St. Petersburg that RBC Dain Rauscher of Minneapolis bought in 2004.</p>
<p>In 1948, he was a graduate of the college's first class of students in the master's of business administration program.</p>
<p>Hough's gift, eligible for up to $20-million in state matching grants, will go toward construction of a new building for graduate business programs. It also will be used for improvements in teaching and curriculum.</p>
<p>If state leaders give approval, the graduate school will be named the Hough Graduate School of Business, and the new building will be named Wiliam R. Hough Hall.</p>
<p>"I was moved by the professors I had in graduate school," Hough said during a press conference. "They taught us the fundamentals of the practical securities business and prepared me to be a successful broker and investor."</p>
<p>I agree with Tom. The program is on the upswing and will likely continue to be in the future because of the school size, prominence, and location. Sure, it will likely never surpass Haas or even Anderson, but I think it can likely get a bit higher on the USNWR rankings.</p>
<p>I'm not sure the debate is about the upswing given its prominence in the state of Florida -- the debate is more about exactly how much the upswing is.</p>
<p>"exactly how much the upswing is."</p>
<p>The upswing will be huge. Remember that in 20 years, Florida is projected to have 28 million residents. We are talking about an additional 12 million people. The demand for Graduate Studies in Florida will explode.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The upswing will be huge.
[/quote]
Certainly within the state of Florida. I meant upswing relative to top b-schools around the country. Seeing as it probably will have a tough time competing with Emory and Vandy (both more reputable and with better placement) in its immediate backyard alone (or Fuqua, Kenan-Flagler, Rice, and UT just a little bit further away), I just don't see it having what it takes to compete nationwide against even, say, schools in the 20-25 range.
UF will be solid, sure, but its sphere of influence (and upswing) looks to be regionally constrained.</p>
<p>UF's MBA program is already ranked 37th overall. With $50 million to play with, it's not inconceivable that they crack into the Top-20 within the next decade.</p>
<hr>
<p>"regionally constrained"</p>
<p>Maybe so or maybe not, but would you concede everyone and their brother are moving to Florida & the South East Region.</p>
<p>
[quote]
UF's MBA program is already ranked 37th overall. With $50 million to play with, it's not inconceivable that they crack into the Top-20 within the next decade.
[/quote]
Not inconceivable, but highly unlikely given not only the stiff competition but also the fact that said stiff competition will also be receiving periodic cash infusions to play with and make improvements as well. It's not like they will be standing idly by just waiting for someone to try to challenge them. Judging by your tone, you feel UF will be successful. I guess we'll have to disagree on that.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but would you concede everyone and their brother are moving to Florida & the South East Region
[/quote]
As a native Californian, most definitely not! Perhaps if "everyone and their brother" have been AARP members for more than a decade... ;)</p>
<p>With all due respect: I believe your responses are biased in some kind of capacity. I can't fathom how you could possibly think $50 million will not immediately improve UF's MBA Program. None of this money is going to the undergraduate or Ph.D Programs, it's only being applied to MBA & Executive MBA degree. Sure other institutions will be raising $$, but only the "Usual Suspects" will raise this level of funding, and therefore very few state school will be able to compete.</p>
<p>I'm confused about the point of this thread. It seems like advertising.</p>
<p>It is a bit of advertising, but also informational at the same time. UF has a GREAT MBA program and is up and coming, I want people looking at a top MBA, who can't or get into or don't want to go to a top 15 program to see that there are awesome schools they can still look at. UF is a rising star with the resources to go all the way And they offer a "products" that no other top MBA offers, thus gaining competitive advantage. Case in point, a full time 1-year MBA open to people of ANY major :</p>