Women feel empowered to speak when there's representation of women in the faculty. Christin Evans, a second-year M.B.A. student at the University of Michigan, says she didn't choose her school solely because of the number of women on the faculty. Ms. Evans notes that three professors in her core courses were women, a rate she views as above average. Michigan also seeks to bring in women as guest speakers. These role models are especially important for women.
Alumni are an important resource for jobs.
While attending business school, you may be presented with such issues as pregnancy or a parent's illness, which might require taking time off and some accommodation by the school so you can finish your degree. Some men do, too, but flexibility often is a necessity for women. Ms. Evans describes Michigan's M.B.A. community as diverse, activist, motivated and energized. She notes that some women don't pursue graduate business degrees because they believe that b-school environments are unfriendly. Ms. Bruce says that after being away from college for so long, she wanted to be in an environment that was conducive to her learning needs and not overly competitive.