Enrollment: 504
Average GMAT: 560.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 530-650
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.20
Regular Application Deadline: 05/01
Rolling Admission: Yes
School Type: Public
Average Age: 34.00
Average Work Experience (months): 144
Student Faculty Ratio: 30:1

Part Time Program: Yes
Evening Program: Yes
Executive MBA Program Offered: Yes
Total Faculty: 21

Out-of-State Tuition: $45,000.00
In-State Tuition: $25,000.00
Financial Aid Deadline: 06/01
Students Receiving Some Aid: 32%

Students Say - Academics
If you are looking for "the best distance MBA for the money," consider the program at Colorado State University. With the "longest running AACSB accredited Distance MBA program in the United States," this school runs a tight ship, offering convenient and affordable options for a top-notch business education. The Distance MBA is directly integrated into the school's campus-based Professional MBA program, a 21-month curriculum designed for working professionals. Both campus and distance students proceed through the core curriculum in lockstep, attending the same lectures and completing the same assignments. When it comes to the nuts and bolts, Colorado State's "cutting edge" class delivery system features "outstanding taping, editing and sound production" for all recorded lectures and discussions. Remote students can access these recordings via live feeds, or alternately, "The Colorado State University distance program overnights DVDs of the class" to your home or office. A current distance learner enthuses, "The method of class delivery is spectacular compared to other programs. In fact, I would argue the distance program has all of the same benefits of being on campus, without the drive." Distance students have the option of extending their studies for up to five years; however, each class must be completed within specific periods of time, corresponding to the CSU academic calendar. A current student warns, "I do not feel that this school is as flexible as I thought when I applied. The program is all lockstep so if I miss a class will probably extend my graduation out another year."
Whether live or on video, CSU classes are engaging and practical. "Most of the professors are very intelligent and have great real life experiences to share," though you might have a few classes that are "strictly textbook based." "The university does an excellent job at recruiting experts from the business world to teach the classes," resulting in a curriculum that incorporates "the right blend of academia along with real life experiences." Group work is a big part of the MBA experience and distance students frequently "communicate via a WebCT platform." Therefore, both distance and campus students can benefit from one of business school's most important advantages: networking. A student enthuses, "The greatest strength is the network of professionals that I'm building as I go through the program. Many individuals have 10+ years of work experience and are already at significant positions within their place of employment." In this and other ways, the CSU community is surprisingly cohesive, and "students feel as if they are at a smaller school," despite CSU's considerable size. Faculty, too, make the CSU experience personal. On campus or via e-mail, students receive plenty of "individual attention and easy access to professors." Likewise, "The schooladministration, from a Distance Program perspective, is efficient, responsive and very accessible." From day one, students feel tied to the university through the "vast network of Distance Section Coordinators and administrators" who are ready "to help students find a solution to any and all problems."

Students Say - Admissions
To be considered for admission to the graduate school of business, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 from a four-year college. Diversity is very important to CSU, and the business school aims to admit a large cross-section of students from various career fields and educational backgrounds. Students with at least eight years of professional work experience may apply for a GMAT waiver. Once all application materials have been received, the admissions office will usually send a decision within three weeks.

Students Say - Campus Life
Thanks to the school's wide-reaching distance program, the CSU student body is "diverse in terms of both ethnicity and experience." Attracting business professionals from across the globe, CSU has business students that "range from liberal environmentalists, to rigid thinking engineers, to software engineers from India, to working mothers who own their own businesses." Because the school caters to professionals, most CSU students are "working full-time and very focused on gaining the most from the learning experience our MBA program offers." Coursework is challenging, and even distance students have little wiggle room when it comes to keeping up with course demands. A current student sums up life as, "Work, work, work. If classes are doubled up, forget about a personal life."
For many Colorado State students, "the campus is 2000+ miles away from my desk"-and that's just the way they like it. However, for those who commute to school, Colorado State's "beautiful campus" provides a pleasant academic atmosphere, nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. In addition to a typical class schedule-usually, "evening classes for two nights per week"-campus students "socialize with holiday parties and some get-togethers." Located in a scenic small city of Fort Collins, Colorado, the surrounding area "has everything you could ask for from the mountains to the clubs."

Students Say - Careers
Most of the students in Colorado State's MBA programs are not seeking new career opportunities. Rather, they are working professionals who are pursuing an MBA in order to move ahead in their current career-in many cases, miles away from Colorado. However, for on-campus students, the school's University Career Center offers workshops, counseling, and professional advice to both undergraduate and graduate students. The College of Business has a dedicated career liaison at the Career Center, specifically dedicated to helping business students research their potential employment opportunities. In general, however, the Career Center's activities are aimed at undergraduates.

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