MBA Ranking

All school descriptions below are courtesy of Your MBA Game Plan and used with express permission of the authors.

You won't find any majors at Carnegie Mellon, or any academic departments for that matter. The school promotes an interdisciplinary approach to learning, encouraging faculty members from different fields to teach courses together. The result is a fairly broad approach to management education. While students can choose from concentrations in 12 different subjects, most tend to chose multiple concentrations, further broadening their learning. While Carnegie Mellon's deep analytical focus makes it very different from other general management programs such as Harvard or Darden, keep the schools interdisciplinary philosophy in mind as you build your application story.

Chicago's quantitative-heavy reputation has traditionally meant that it attracted a high portion of people who fit well with the school's learning model. On one hand, the school attracted a less diverse applicant pool than other top schools, but on the other, it knows that a majority of applicants would be a good fit. Now, the school's resurgence in the national rankings means that it may start to attract a broader applicant pool, some of whom may not really be a great fit with the school, or may not even know why the want to attend Chicago other than because it's ranked higher than most other programs. The school's challenge will be to figure out who really belongs at the school. Concentrate on standing out form the pack by emphasizing your fit with the program, ideally by demonstrating some intellectual horsepower as well as the traits of the well-rounded applicant whom the school seeks.

Specialists

• Dan Baurceanu
• Renata Bregstone
• Lynne Anne Christofferson
• Meenakshi Dash
• Paul Dembowski
• Mark Finando
• Sumeet Johar
• Denise Kambojster
• Monica Merino
• Gregory Moore
• James Nelson
• Yalanda Resimini
• Artis Shepherd
• Jeremy Oberfeld
• Jessica Wood
• Margaret Wong
• Richard Williams
• Andy Yang

Columbia's other departments aren't as well known as its finance department, and some grads have commented that these other departments take a backseat to finance. However, the school's administration has a reputation of going out of its way to respond to students' concerns. If you are interested in areas outside of finance, particularly something as far as removed such as organizational behavior or nonprofit management, Columbia may be worth a look. Your interest outside of finance alone will help you stand out, provided that you can prove that you have the quantitative skills and business acumen to learn along side the finance crowd.

Specialists
Tom Heller - MBA Columbia
Shelli-Ann Trusty - MBA Columbia
Lela Tong - MBA Columbia
Darren Kowitt - MBA Columbia


The Immersion Learning curriculum is probably the best example of Johnson's action-oriented approach to learning. Immersion Learning, also referred to as "the semester in reality," is an experiential method that allows students to take a hands-on approach to functions such as: Managerial Finance, Investment Banking, Brand Management, Manufacturing, and e-business. Students visit companies, work on actual business challenges, and are evaluated based on the solutions that they develop in response to those challenges. Discussion of Immersion Learning can be a great way to display your knowledge of the Johnson learning model.

Specialists
Anthony Asta - MBA Cornell



Tuck isn't the household name that Stanford and Harvard are, but its general management program is known to be one of the best in the country. Tuck graduates have a strong reputation in consulting and financial services, particularly on the East Coast, where nearly two-thirds of its graduates end up living after school. If you are considering a career in general management, or are interested in consulting or banking, don't overlook Tuck. If you can demonstrate that the school's environment is right for you, and make a case for why the general management approach is what you want our of business school, then Tuck will give your application strong consideration.

Specialists
Myrna Laine-Hyppolite - MBA Dartmouth (Tuck)
Nes Weigard - MBA Dartmouth (Tuck)



Fuqua has built a strong reputation, and it now attracts many of the same people who also apply to the Harvards and Whartons of the world. The downside to Fuqua is that some top applicants still view Fuqua as somewhat of a backup school, even though Fuqua's acceptance rate is below 20 percent. This is evident in the school's yield (percentage of accepted students who enroll), which was 57 percent in 2001, more than 10 percent below that of other top school. The school therefore looks for applicants who are interested in Fuqua for what it offers, not just because it's listed next to the other big names in the rankings. In other words, the admissions committee wants to be sure that if they accept you, you will enroll. If you can demonstrate that you truly want to attend Fuqua-- and why this is so-- you will greatly improve your chances.

Specialists
Burak Powers - MBA Duke (Fuqua)



The case study method is the lifeblood of the HBS learning model. This cannot be stressed enough. By graduation, students can expect to have conquered more than 500 cases in addition to textbooks, notes, and articles provide conceptual depth to the case scenarios. Each case addresses a class topic and provides a "real-world" example on how the topic is applicable. New cases are constantly produced by professors and students will often receive a freshly written case hot off the press less than a week before discussing it. Second year students are even granted the opportunity to assist in the case writing process by participating in a field study. Producing cases has become such a core part of HBS that a majority of business schools purchase their case studies from it.

Specialists
Omar Williams - MBA Harvard
Fahd Elbouchikhi - MBA Harvard
Joey Hardison - MBA Harvard
Alex Kruglov - MBA Harvard
John Lonergan - MBA Harvard
Alanna Kaplan Munoz - MBA Harvard
Debbie Rosenbaum - MBA Harvard
Caitlin Sweeney - MBA Harvard



While INSEAD has won international acclaim for its advances in business education, it is not resting on its laurels. INSEAD is actively seeking to expand the size of its program, especially the Singapore campus, and there are even discussions of establishing an entirely new campus. INSEAD has room to expand its program in part due to its high yield (approx. 80 percent), which should allow for more opportunities among applicants. With expansion on the way, potential applicants should consider INSEAD even if they are not linguistic geniuses. If you have a true desire to pursue a global career and are willing to put in work to develop your foreign language abilities, then INSEAD might be the business school for you.

Specialists
Aine Cuddihy - MBA INSEAD
Edison Cu - MBA INSEAD
Sourabh Prasad - MBA INSEAD
Andy Santoso - MBA INSEAD



One of the centerpieces of the London Business School learning model is the Shadowing Project. As part of the project, first-year students are assigned to a manager for a week and are required to observe that manger's approach to leadership, challenges, and colleague interaction. At the end of the week, students record their observations and reflect on the implications those observations have on their professional development. This reflective nature is something that London Business School looks closely for in its applicants; the thought being that reflection produces maturity. Indeed, the London Business School learning model suggest that the four themes cannot be achieved without reflection. It is therefore imperative that you demonstrate a thoughtful nature in discussing your past experiences. Describing personal discoveries that you gather from activities and events is a good way to do so.

Specialists
Paul Liu - MBA London Business School



The UMBS application process allows for ample opportunity to discuss innovative entrepreneurial ideas and those opportunities should be capitalized on. That is not to say that all applicants should be aspiring entrepreneurs, but to the extent that you can display entrepreneurial spirit, do so. That spirit can be expressed through an idea for a new business or through an idea for your current company. The admissions committee will certainly take notice of your penchant for entrepreneurship and hopefully recognize your ability to augment the UMBS brand. Being recognized as a potential brand builder is a great way to move your application into the "yes" pile.

Specialists
Alex Christina Bell - MBA Michigan (Ross)
Brian Cooper - MBA Michigan (Ross)
Jennifer Kelly - MBA Michigan (Ross)
Ritu Singhal - MBA Michigan (Ross)



Sloan has a higher percentage of international students than nearly all of its peer schools--40 percent of the class of 2003 came from abroad. Sloan students therefore tend to be surrounded by international classmates wherever they go. If you are looking to gain international experience, or just want to meet people from new cultures, this is an aspect of the program that may appeal to you. Make sure you demonstrate your enthusiasm for the school's diverse culture in your application, and make your case for why this matter to you, whether you are an American or an international applicant.

Specialists
Maria Andrews - MBA MIT (Sloan)
Neil Hwang - MBA MIT (Sloan)



Although Kellogg is best known for its teamwork approach, the school is increasingly positioning itself less as a place where students learn to be a team leader, not merely team players. In other words, people who work well with others, but aren't just followers. The administration wants recruiters to come to Kellogg looking for their next generation of leaders, rather than for marketing or finance experts who are easy to get along with. To this end, think of personal examples of how you've lead teams toward goals in the past. Most applicants will just think about teamwork in terms of how they helped others accomplish a goal, but show the admissions committee how you led a team to success and you'll be in great shape.

Specialists
Bob Bennett - MBA Northwestern (Kellogg)
Benoit Besson - Northwestern (Kellogg)
John Chi - Northwestern (Kellogg)
Debbie Morrison - Northwestern (Kellogg)
Sergio Oliveira - MBA Northwestrern (Kellogg)
Lawrence Silman - MBA Northwestern (Kellogg)



Although Stern's name is best known on Wall Street, the school is also serious about entrepreneurship. The school's Entrepreneurship and Innovation co-major is a popular choice, as is its Entertainment, Media, and Technology program initiative. Stern's annual Maximum Exposure Business Plan Competition gives budding entrepreneurs a chance to compete for cash prizes. Successful business plan teams are matched with experienced entrepreneurs or venture capitalists who serve as mentors. This is an area of the program that the school continues to emphasize. If you consider yourself to be an entrepreneur, or want to be one, be sure to let the Stern admissions committee know about it.

Specialists
Tanya Lobel - MBA NYU (Stern)
Valerie Susskind - MBA NYU (Stern)



The Wharton admissions committee will look at your application closely to see how you express the maturity dimension. The school really values professional experience, as reflected in the relatively high average years of work experience. Rejected applicants are often told that they could use another year or two of pertinent work experience. That shouldn't dissuade you from applying if your years of experience fall below the Wharton average, but you should be able to answer the "why now?" and "how will you add value to the classroom?" questions. You should especially expect this to come up during the interview if you have less than three years of professional experience.

Specialists
Christopher Ashton - MBA Penn (Wharton)
Alec Campbell - MBA Penn (Wharton)
Susan Cespuglio - MBA Penn (Wharton)
Shawn Ercanbrack - MBA Penn (Wharton)
Eileen Friedberg - MBA Penn (Wharton)
Gregory Voynow - MBA Penn (Wharton)



The Stanford learning model doesn't offer majors, but it does offer certificates in public management and global management. The Public Management Program (PMP) prepares students for positions in the social sector and the Global Management Program (GMP) prepares student for opportunities at a global level. Both certificates are supported by a large number of electives, programs, and career resources. More than one third of the student body pursues certificates in PMP or GMP, and Stanford is actively looking for ways in which it can augment these programs. Discussing how you would utilize the resources offered by these programs in conjunction with your career objectives is a great way to display fit with Stanford.

Specialists
Jim Fleigner - MBA Stanford
Ada Law - MBA Stanford
Demet Yalcin - MBA Stanford



Like other highly ranked schools with relatively low yield percentages, McCombs is careful about selecting people whom it believes have a sincere interest in its program. While most schools hope to see interest and enthusiasm demonstrated throughout your application, McCombs specifically looks for it in its essay questions. Invest considerable time in researching the school and finding out what kind of opportunities interest you (or could be added to the program). Even more importantly, focus less on trying to pick out an obscure activity to impress the admissions committee, and focus more on writing about something that truly interests you and highlighting how you will pursue that interest at McCombs. If your interest isn't currently met by one of the school's activities, then you have a great chance to show your initiative by proposing how you would start an activity around that interest. The key is to write about something for which you truly have passion, and to show how you will bring that same passion to McCombs.

Specialists
Valerie Browning - MBA Texas (McCombs)
Rob Dunlap - MBA Texas (McCombs)



As other business schools scramble to revamp their programs in order to promote a new focus on ethics and social responsibilities, Haas will benefit from its reputation as a pioneer in the field. With a required course in ethics, numerous electives, programs, and events focused on the topic, Haas gives full treatment to the interaction of business, ethics, and social responsibility. The National Social Venture Business Plan Competition is a hallmark of that interaction, as business schools across the country compete for a total of $100,000 by presenting plans that outline business propositions that have a social or environmental component. Although a majority of Haas grads pursue careers in the traditional areas of consulting and finance, they all are influenced by Haas' incorporation of social issues within the learning model. As you present your profile, make sure that you reflect a cognizance of societal and ethical issues that extend from business issues.

Specialists
Michelle Lewis - MBA UC Berkeley (Haas)
Nadeem Sheikh - MBA UC Berkeley (Haas)



A unique aspect of the Anderson learning model is the Applied Management Research Project. This six month project is the last requirement of the MBA program and follows Anderson's perspective on leadership, teamwork, and applied learning. The projects are completed in teams of three to five and generally consist of a strategic consulting assignment of the development of a business venture idea. In either case, students are able to apply their entire Anderson toolkit in a comprehensive manner. Discussing your interest in this project-and more generally, in the hands-on learning opportunities that Anderson offers-during your interview or in your application is another good way to show fit.

Specialists
Chris Koh - MBA UCLA (Anderson)
Darryl Dunbar - MBA UCLA (Anderson)
Holly Han - MBA UCLA (Anderson)



While some modifications have been made to the Darden learning model to curb excessive work, the academic experience remains intense. Although students don't take exams on Saturdays, as in the past, the Darden experience is anything but a two year vacation. Perhaps for no other school is the analogy to drinking from a firehose more appropriate. There are no days off at Darden, as students spend more time in the classroom than any other top business school and conquer 13 cases a week on average. Students are expected to enter the program with a background in statistics, economics, and accounting. The benefit from such a rigorous learning model is that graduates truly feel that they've received value in return for their efforts. The intensity pays off in preparation. Focus on the benefit and your ability to succeed within the parameters of the learning model, and you will be on your way to establishing a good fit with the Darden traditions.

Specialists
Alicia English - MBA Virginia (Darden)
Serena Matsunaga - MBA Virginia (Darden)



Yale is looking for business-minded people who are just as comfortable talking about world politics as they are pricing a financial instrument. You can show fit with the program by demonstrating your knowledge of current events and a natural desire to get involved in your community. Note that Yale's essays serve as a great opportunity for you to show that you know what is going on in the world around you, and that you have an opinion that's worth having. Don't just try to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Rather, take a position in which you truly believe and succinctly support it with a real-world example or two.

Specialists
Aris Tagle - MBA Yale