The open-air courtyard at the center of the Stanford Graduate School of Business is called Town Square, a fitting nod to what students describe as a close-knit community whose members “are really, really gunning for each other rather than themselves,” says second-year MBA student Naomi Bagdonas, 27, who previously worked as a management consultant in San Francisco and a leadership dynamics coach for executives in the U.S. and abroad.
Bagdonas recalls the time a year ago when, due to a recruiter’s scheduling error, she found out at the last minute that she had an interview for a summer internship early the next morning. She reached out to a classmate who had also applied for the position, and soon was collaborating with several other students preparing to interview.
In part, that openness is a function of the school’s size: Each class of MBA candidates numbers only about 400. The more laid-back West Coast ambience plays a role, too. This is a place where students gather weekly in a forum called “Talk” to share stories about their backgrounds and ambitions.
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Most value the intimate vibe, though the small size can feel a little confining at times, students say. Located near Palo Alto, the GSB sits on the Stanford campus and features a modern version of Spanish Mission-style architecture. About half of first-year students live in campus housing right next door to the business school, and a new residence hall is under construction.
Besides the beauty of its location, a big draw of the Stanford program is that it’s so plugged into the Silicon Valley scene. Executives from Adobe, Oracle and Dropbox have taught classes, and many others visit as guest speakers. About a quarter of 2014 grads found jobs in the tech sector.
Innovation and entrepreneurial thinking are infused throughout the curriculum, and many students team up with peers from across the university to develop or refine new products and services in the Stanford Venture Studio. But students say it’s a misconception that everyone is out to start the next Google.
“Being surrounded by a buzz of creativity and the free-flowing discussion of ideas is good for any student,” says Whitney Ping, 28, an Olympic table tennis player at the 2004 Games in Athens who has worked in consulting in Los Angeles and private equity in Boston and finishes up this spring.
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A hallmark of Stanford’s first-year curriculum is the experiential Leadership Labs course, in which students work in a six-person “squad” to tackle team exercises, group projects and role-playing, taking on the part of executives grappling with staffing decisions after a merger, for example, or of an entrepreneur pitching to venture capitalists.
And many cite “Touchy Feely” — officially Interpersonal Dynamics — as a must-take. The elective focuses on leadership and communication, and students get frequent advice from peers and facilitators. A common GSB mantra is “Feedback is a gift.”
Part of the first-year curriculum is standardized, but those with backgrounds in finance or economics, say, can take more advanced versions of required courses in these areas. Elective offerings vary with student interests. More than a quarter of those in each recent year have been new, notes acting Dean Madhav Rajan. At least one global study trip is required.
Besides the MBA, the GSB offers a one-year master’s program for experienced managers.
More From the Top MBA Programs Road Trip:
— Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Graduate Schools 2016” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
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MBA Road Trip: Stanford Graduate School of Business originally appeared on usnews.com
