MBA Rankings Widely Used By Students, Academics And Employers

By Tom Addison


MBA rankings are eagerly awaited each year by many employers, students, academics and college administrators. The rankings have their critics. Some doubt the rating methodologies can measure intangible qualities important to an MBA program and overall graduate college experience. Despite these qualms, ratings remain influential.

There is no compulsion on graduate MBA schools to participate in ratings, but most cooperate. High ratings improves the ability to attract quality students. Most ratings only include programs that are certified by a licensed accreditation bureau like the Association of MBAs (Amba) or the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Students are large users of the ratings. For them, deciding on an MBA school is a difficult and important decision. It can seriously affect their professional career and personal future. Ratings help them more quickly arrive at an informed decision.

Several sources of ratings exist. It is important to understand the methodologies used by each source. One example is the ratings compiled by US News & World Report (USN&WR), based in Washington DC. Another is the ratings published by the Financial Times (FT), based in London. Most ratings tend to have a particular geographic focus.

The FT publishes at least five rating surveys of graduate management and business education. In addition to MBA programs, its also rates Executive MBAs, Master in Management programs, non-degree executive courses plus a separate rating to identify the best overall European business school. The FT is the leader in rating European institutions that provide business and management educational services.

To sum up, MBA rankings can be valuable tool is used wisely. They attract a wide set of diverse users. Differing underlying methodologies can confuse an informed comparison of different ratings. This, in turn, can complicate their interpretation. Users will benefit if they acquaint themselves with these methodologies and appreciate their differences.




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