BusinessWeek Guide to The Best Business Schools [Paperback]

Businessweek (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071415211 | ISBN-13: 978-0071415217 | Publication Date: April 24, 2003 | Edition: 8

Here is the only business school guide that delivers the latest ratings of the schools by the people who know them best--nearly 17,000 recent graduates and corporate recruiters.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The top guide to leading U.S. and international business schools!

• In-depth details on the top 50 business schools in the United States and 10 international programs!
• More schools ranked than ever before!
• Candid comments from grads!
• Tips on getting into the best schools!
• The latest on the best ways to finance your MBA!
• Inside info on online MBAs--the pros, cons, and best options!

"The all-time best ... the Bible for prospective students in the U.S. and abroad."--The Times, London

Here's how to find the MBA program that's right for you!

Choosing an MBA program may be the most important career decision you'll ever make. How do you find the right program? What will it cost? Which schools have the programs you're looking for in management, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, or international business? What pay packages can grads expect? And do you have what it takes to get in?

For a generation of prospective MBA students, the BusinessWeek Guide to the Best Business Schools has been the trusted source for answers to these questions and more. Here is the only business school guide that delivers the latest ratings of the schools by the people who know them best--nearly 17,000 recent graduates and corporate recruiters.

Bigger and better than ever, this completely revised and up-to-date guide shows how the top 50 U.S. schools stack up against one another and covers 10 international schools you might consider as well. Compare the top-ranked 30 with the 20 runners-up to see which program best meets your particular needs. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of each school in:

• Quality of teaching--including the most outstanding professors at each school as rated by the students
• Curriculum innovations and niche programs you won't hear about elsewhere
• Inside tips on campus life, workload, and what to expect when you arrive
• Average test scores for admitted students
• Average starting pay for graduates, and success of placement offices in finding you your dream job

Plus, get expert advice on how to increase your GMAT scores, earn big points with your applications and written essays, find today's bargains in a quality MBA education, and much more!

About the Author

Primary author for this 8th Edition is BusinessWeek management education editor Jennifer Merritt. Merritt, based in New York, is responsible for BusinessWeek's coverage of management education and directed the rankings project for this new edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 8 edition (April 24, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071415211
• ISBN-13: 978-0071415217
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,603,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Business School Guides

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best b-school guide out there, November 22, 2003

By 

r404k (Atlanta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BusinessWeek Guide to The Best Business Schools (Paperback)

Nothing even comes close, people. First of all, the descriptions in this guide are more extensive and accurate than those found in other guides (with, perhaps, a few "niche" exceptions, such as guides focusing on a very small number of schools, i.e. top 10). Arguably, Business Week is "the guide" to use for accurate rankings. Their methodology relies upon ratings of the "consumers" of b-schools, students and recruiters. While no ranking methodology is perfect, I feel most comfortable with the one that includes opinon of the consumers of the particular "product."

Here's what you'll find between the covers:

The book starts with a fairly extensive section on why you would want an MBA and how to get into the best schools. If you don't know anything about the process of applying to b-school, this is a good start, but it is just that--a start. Rankings and the description of BW methodology (including questions asked and a list of schools with top and bottom scores on each question) complete the introductory section.

Most of the book, however, is focused on descriptions of programs that made top 30, the runners-up, and non-us schools. These descriptions include basic quantitative measures like fees, student body composition, and admissions numbers. I found the statistics on teaching methods employed by different schools particularly useful (and this is something important that most other guides/rankings pay very little attention to).

The actual descriptions are very extensive. They cover virtually all aspects of a program, including academics, clubs/activities, social life, placement, and alumni networks. The well written text is supplemented by quotes from faculty and students, which is a nice touch. At the end of each school's section, you'll find detailed information on placement, top recruiters, outstanding faculty, student testimonials, as well as some useful tips straight from the admissions office.

If you're looking to get a b-school guide that includes rankings, exhaustive descriptions, and some good advice, look no further. There might be other books out there that will provide more detailed program descriptions for a smaller number of programs, or books that will give more substantial advice about the application process, but there is no one book that does as many things as well as this one. Buy it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost replaces the Campus Visits!, January 11, 2005

By 

CalGrad "JC" (Diamond Bar, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BusinessWeek Guide to The Best Business Schools (Paperback)

Business Week provides a lot of insider information that you would normally find out at Information Sessions or Campus Visits. It doesn't completely replace the Campus Visit, but it definitely supplements it very well with its in-depth info on the Top-30 Schools.

Others to look at:
1. ABC of Getting the MBA Admissions Edge: My personal favorite. It covers Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia, Berkeley, NYU, and INSEAD, but the strategies can be generalized to all schools.
2. Your MBA Game Plan: Great overall resource! Has information about Top-30 Schools and general information about App Strategy, GMAT, Essays, and Letter of Recs.
3. How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs: Very good Resource. The most comprehensive list of old essays.
4. Business Week Best Business Schools: In-Depth info on Top-30 Schools. Good reference to get the 411 on each school.
5. WSJ Top Business School: Good reference to what recruiters think of each school.
6. USNew's America's Best Graduate Schools: In my opinion the most comprehensive/accurate rankings (BW, WSJ, FT, Forbes) on the market.