I applied to a number of top 20 programs and was disappointed that UCI was the only school I got into. That attitude changed quickly when I got to the school. I was impressed with the caliber of the students and enjoyed the supportive atmosphere. It was a far better experience than I had in law school, which I believe gives me a good perspective to judge this program. I feel that UCI's greatest value add for its students is its small size and flexibility.
Size gives the program flexibility in interweaving classic B-school curriculum with skills.
Further, the financial aid offered by the school made the ROI presented by the program a no-brainer. However, the small size of the school is clearly a negative in terms of existing alumni network. While my school was not perfect, I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute of it. To me, the friendships and networks forged at GSM are far more significant than the schoolwork itself. Whether intentional or not, GSM was able to bring together a diverse group of people to create a non-competitive, helpful student body that made it fun to learn.