Entrepreneur and The Princeton Review List BYU Finance in Top 15

PROVO, Utah – Apr 5, 2010 – The Princeton Review's Student Opinion Honors rates the Marriott School of Management's MBA finance program among the top 15 in the nation. The Marriott School at Brigham Young University has received this honor for two consecutive years.

"Our MBA finance track is a good example of what happens when outstanding students are able to study with terrific faculty," says Michael Thompson, associate dean of the Marriott School. "Many of our students have a chance to combine high-powered conceptual training with hands-on experience."

The Princeton Review compiled its honors list from a national survey of 19,000 MBA students attending schools profiled in its book Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition. In an 80-question survey students reported on classroom and campus experiences and rated how well their MBA programs prepared them to succeed in six categories: accounting, finance, general management, global management, marketing and operations. The Student Opinion Honors, which will be published in the April 2010 issue of Entrepreneur, lists schools alphabetically and does not rank them one to 15.

Second-year MBA student Craig Anderson says he especially appreciates the competitive yet collaborative environment of the MBA finance major.

"To have such healthy competition without animosity is impressive and I give credit for that to the quality of people — both students and faculty — who decide to be part of this program," he says. "The combination of meaningful peer relationships, academic rigor, leadership opportunities, spiritual growth and career opportunities has not left me wanting."

Anderson now has an offer to work with Bank of America Merrill Lynch after graduation. He says his preparation at the Marriott School was essential to securing a job.

"I can say with confidence that this program gave me the opportunity to do everything I wanted to do in my business school experience," he says

Grant McQueen, coordinator for the MBA finance major, says the program offers many innovative opportunities and courses for finance students. Cougar Capital, a student-managed private equity fund, and Silver Fund, a student-managed public equity fund, have been particularly successful.

"These initiatives, together with rigorous finance coursework, are intended to prepare our students for successful careers and to help them bridge the gap between academics and practice," McQueen says. "The feedback from our students in the Student Opinion Honors indicates that our efforts are paying dividends."

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, entrepreneurship, and recreation management and youth leadership. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,300 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.