Enrollment: 28
Average GMAT: 656.00
GMAT Range (25-75%): 530-800
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.40
Rolling Admission: No
School Type: Private
Average Age: 29.00
Average Work Experience (months): 68
Student Faculty Ratio: 3:1

Part Time Program: No
Evening Program: No
Executive MBA Program Offered: No
Total Faculty: 12

Average Starting Salary: $80,000.00
Hired Finance: 17%
Hired Operations: 33%
Hired Marketing: 17%

In-State Tuition: $51,500.00
Students Receiving Some Aid: 100%
Average Annual Total Financial Aid: $51,500.00

Most Competitive Students

Students Say - Academics
The Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship is a rigorous, progressive, and unique business program offered through Hardin-Simmons University in Austin, Texas. Cramming 2 years worth of material into just 12 months, Acton students are ambitious and focused, willing "to work 100-hour weeks to accomplish in one year what 'traditional' schools accomplish in two." All classes are taught in the case-based or Socratic Method and, in a single year, students analyze over 300 cases. Preparation is crucial, as class participation accounts for 50 percent of your grade, and professors "place a high emphasis on quality listening and on conversational continuity (i.e., building on previous comments) versus merely making a brilliant point that is unconnected to the dialogue." Plus, there's no wiggle room for slackers: The curriculum is tightly integrated, with each class building on the last.
The Acton program is built upon three pillars: learning to learn, learning how to make money, and learning how to live a life of meaning. Students say the program delivers on all three points and distinguishes itself by focusing on the personal side of career development. "Acton helps us learn about ourselves by aiding us in our search for our true calling in life-the one thing that we are the best at that intertwines with what the world needs," explains one student. "This help in our personal lives as well as our business lives is unparalleled by any other MBA program."
At the same time, Acton emphasizes a "concrete, nuts-and-bolts approach to business and entrepreneurship," including many hands-on projects such as operations simulation and plant tours. Promoting an entrepreneurial spirit, Acton is "the only program in which 100 percent of the professors are actively running businesses." While they put their students through the wringer in the classroom, these "entrepreneur-teachers" are "all leaders in their fields with a real heart for teaching." There is no traditional tenure track at Acton, and teachers (like students) are expected to perform. To ensure their success, students fill out a weekly survey that "brings about change almost immediately. The administration is very focused on making the Acton program the best entrepreneurial program in the world, and so they take the input of their customer (the student) very seriously." One student goes so far as to say the administrative staff treats students "like we are at a Ritz-Carlton; customer service is outstanding."
Fellow students also form an important part of the academic environment at Acton with, "a highly varied set of backgrounds, ranging from home building, to e-commerce, to manufacturing, to the military, to public radio. Everyone is passionate about learning, and we hold each other to the highest of standards." In fact, students tell us that "competition and debate is held to a standard of high conflict, in which ideas are challenged and efforts are tested but the individuals are held in high regard and treated with respect."

Students Say - Admissions
Acton looks for students who display perseverance, a curious intellect, and integrity. You must also demonstrate a high level of achievement in your undergraduate academic record, an aptitude for graduate study as evidenced by your GMAT score, and a history of leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities. With such a low enrollment (around 40 students currently), Acton takes a personal interest in getting to know their applicants. In addition to essay questions and letters of recommendation, every student is personally interviewed before being admitted to the program.

Students Say - Campus Life
A day in the life of an Acton MBA is nothing short of a marathon. Set that alarm clock: "Mandatory study group begins at 6:30 A.M. every morning and last until classes start at 8:00 A.M." After that, it's off to lively, discussion-based classes and then hours of prep time for the next day (according to most, roughly 6 to 8 prep hours per class.) Shares a current student, "It is brutally intense, and there are weeks where I get 5 hours of sleep per night. . . . The competition in class is fierce, and if you are not prepared you will be called on it. That said, there is nothing in this world I would rather be doing right now, and there is nowhere that will better prepare me to start a company. This program will push you well beyond what you thought you could achieve."
The required dedication makes for a close-knit college community comprised of "some of the brightest and most insightful people I have ever met. They manage to compete fiercely while still caring for each other in amazing ways." However, students explain that while "The class is tight and does have activities, both planned and informal," they are not socializing "to the degree that a traditional MBA program does. It is not about happy hours or networking events."
Although the pace rarely lets up, students mention that "the breaks we have in the school year are wonderful times where we can recharge our batteries before heading back into the fray." In those rare moments of relaxation, "Acton is located in the great city of Austin, Texas which provides for a fun, relaxed atmosphere when we are not in school."

Students Say - Careers
It is Acton's philosophy that sending out hundreds of resumes is a waste of time for both employers and applicants. Therefore, Acton takes a very unique approach to career planning. First, students complete the Life of Meaning course-a required part of the Acton curriculum-during which they profoundly consider both their skill set and career goals. As a part of the course, students identify a specific job at a specific company which represents the next step in their career development. Once entrepreneur-teachers believe that a student has made an appropriate and well-considered choice, the teacher will call the potential employer and personally introduce you to the company.
In addition to the support they receive from teachers, Acton students are confident that their top-notch program will continue to open doors for them as the school's reputation grows. A current student insists, "The name recognition of Acton literally grows every day."

Babson College
Duke University

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