Harvard Business School Tops Bloomberg Businessweek Ranking
For the third straight year, Harvard Business School reigned supreme in the annual Bloomberg Businessweek “Best Business Schools” ranking, topping the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and MIT Sloan School of Management. In joining HBS on the medals podium this year, those schools both saw significant gains over last year, climbing from sixth and seventh respectively.
Rounding out the top five this year is the University of Chicago Booth School of Business —holding steady year over year at fourth—and Stanford Graduate School of Business, which fell from second place in 2016 to fifth this year.
The methodology Bloomberg Businessweek uses to arrive at its annual MBA ranking involves weighting each of five principle factors. Employer surveys account for 35 percent of a school’s score. Alumni surveys account for another 30 percent. And a combination of current student surveys, salary rankings, and job placement together account for the remaining 35 percent of the final score.
High Risers
Ten out of the top 20 ranked schools in the 2017 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking advanced at least one spot over last year. Wharton and Sloan each managed to leap four spots, boosted by high praise from employers and hefty salary benefits for recent graduates. The University of Washington Foster School of Business also managed to jump from 19th to 15th overall this year, thanks largely to its top ranking as the nation’s best business school for job placement.
The Cornell S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management and the UCLA Anderson School of Management both saw a rankings jump of three spots, with Johnson moving up to 13th and Anderson coming in at 19th.
The year’s biggest winner, however, may be the Penn State Smeal College of Business, which jumped a whopping 12 spots from last year’s 37th to come in at 25th in 2017. It wins the award for the year’s biggest overall rankings increase. The USC Marshall School of Business also saw a momentous climb this year, sidling up eight spots from 38th last year to 30th this year.
In the latter half of the rankings came another one of this year’s biggest risers, with the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia jumping 11 spots from last year, up from 65th overall to 54th. Elsewhere, the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, and the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management all saw a jump of at least seven spots in the new ranking.
Once Mighty, Now Fallen
Stanford GSB, Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, and Jones School of Business at Rice University may all be feeling a wee bit dizzy. Last year Stanford shot up to second from seventh the year before, but this year it finds itself demoted to fifth. Duke’s Fuqua School, which last year celebrated a momentous jump from eighth to third, this year fell back down to seventh. Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, which had one of last year’s biggest gains, rocketing up nine spots to break into the top five from a mere 14th place finish the year before, this year finds itself at seventh. Similarly, Rice Business, as the Jones School likes to be called, which last year catapulted 11 spots to number eight, this year slipped to tenth. But at least all maintained their footing within the top 10.
Emory’s Goizueta Business School and the Texas A&M Mays Business School, for their part, slipped out of the top 20 altogether. Goizueta slipped just slightly, from 20th to 21st, and Mays slid from 18th to 22nd. The University of Virginia Darden School of Business also stumbled, slipping from 12th last year to 17th this year. But the Charlottesville school at least managed to remain in the top 20, thanks in part to strong scores in the student survey and salary categories.
No school, however, lost more ground than the George Washington University School of Business, which fell an eye-popping 14 spots from last year, losing its place among the top 50 business schools in the United States.
Bloomberg BW has made multiple changes to its methodology in recent years, resulting in significant volatility in terms of where schools fall on the list even when not much has changed year over year at the individual schools themselves. This has led many to question the credibility of the ranking overall. That said, Clear Admit’s Alex Brown found this year’s results easier to swallow than some in recent years. “This ranking seems more reasonable to me this year,” he says. “Each of the M7 programs are in the top 10, and the schools I would consider in the top 16 are all in the top 20.”
You can view the complete 2017 Bloomberg Businessweek rankings here.
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from Clear Admit.
UGA Terry Breaks Ground on Final Construction Phase
The Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia is celebrating the rapid expansion of its Business Learning Community, moving into the newest phase of the massive project.
The preceding phase of the complex’s construction took place throughout the summer, and includes two new auditoriums, a capital markets lab, a music business lab, classrooms, and many more facilities. The new ground covers roughly 140,000 gross square feet and was supported by $49 million in state funds and $14 million in private donations.
“These new facilities for the Terry College of Business are a tremendous investment in our state’s future,” Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Our higher education institutions play an important role in the economic development of our state and local communities. The thousands of students who are educated here will become the business leaders of tomorrow, ensuring prosperous days ahead for all Georgians.”
The first phase of the new Business Learning Community was completed in in 2015 and houses the graduate programs at Terry. The $35 million Correll Hall spans 74,000-square-feet and was named for Pete and Ada Lee Correll of Atlanta. Included in the facility is a business innovation lab and graduate commons along with classrooms and project team rooms.
On September 15, the university celebrated the successful completion of Phase I alongside the groundbreaking for the final phase, which will include additional classroom space and offices for faculty and staff. The project is expected to be fully completed by 2019.
“Today we are celebrating more than bricks and mortar—we are celebrating the great partnership between the university, our alumni and friends and the state of Georgia,” said Jere W. Morehead, UGA’s President. “The University of Georgia is grateful for the deep support that exists for our institution and its outstanding Terry College of Business.”
Check out footage of the recently-released Phase II dedication below.
The Best Executive MBAs in Atlanta
The city of Atlanta might just become the next hot spot for business. The southern city’s population increased by more than 90,000 last year, and it’s likely to grow even more. Right now, it’s the ninth-largest metro statistical area in the country—clinging to the top 10 in the U.S.
This influx of people has followed the city’s booming job market. That and the warmth that comes with living in the great state of Georgia. The cost of living in Atlanta is also affordable, especially when looking at other major metros along the East Coast. The city was ranked among the 12 “best big cities” to live and the median annual salary is $48,750.
This might just make Atlanta the next best place to build on already-established experience to pursue an executive MBA. Here are five of the best programs in the city.
The Best Atlanta Executive MBA Program Options
Goizueta Business School – Emory University
Emory University’s Goizueta Business School has been around for a while, since 1919. That’s nearly 100 years. It’s no wonder that its executive MBA program offers all the perks it does. The school’s had time to finesse its programs. The school sits on Emory University’s campus within driving distance from downtown.
The Executive MBA program at Goizueta caters to the older professional who needs flexibility. That’s why the program has two tracks: one on the weekend and a modular EMBA. The modular EMBA allows students to finish the program in 20 months. That’s not even two years. Either way, students begin the program in September. The weekend MBA offers five areas of focus: finance, healthcare, leadership, strategy, and general management.
J. Mack Robinson College of Business – Georgia State University
If you’re looking for hustle and bustle, the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University might be it. Located downtown, the school’s been around six years longer than Goizueta. So it’s way past the century mark.
The Executive MBA program is short, too. It takes just 17 months to complete. Classes take place every other weekend. Most students are around 40-years old. This Atlanta EMBA program has received rank after rank from publications like U.S. News World & Report, CEO Magazine, and Ivey Exec.
Scheller College of Business – Georgia Institute of Technology
At the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology, MBA candidates can expect a lot of immersion into the world of business. The school sits smack dab in Midtown Atlanta, the city’s second largest business district.
MBA students can decide to focus on one of two options: global business or management of technology. The Executive MBA program has a heavy foundation focused on the basics of business, but it also compounds that with a required international residency.
Terry College of Business – University of Georgia
Sitting on the University of Georgia’s Atlanta campus, the Terry College of Business‘ Executive MBA program is worth keeping your eyes on. Students do have to complete two week-long residencies at the school’s Athens campus, but it’ll be worth it.
With a professional executive mentor, students get direct access to the business world from someone who knows how to navigate it. The Executive MBA program has been ranked 14th in the world by The Economist. It combines classroom education with field experience—all in 18 months.
Michael J. Coles College of Business – Kennesaw State University
The Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University sits outside the city of Atlanta, but it’s still very close. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, the school hasn’t been around as long as others on this list. But that doesn’t make it any less competitive.
For one weekend a month over 17 months, students learn real-world experience to give their years of experience even more edge. The program is proud of what it can offer students interested in expanding more globally. The eight month-long additional global program provides students a 10-day international residency, as well as working with another MBA program in Europe.
Getting Paid: The Highest MBA Salaries in Atlanta
Looks like the secret’s out and ATliens’ extraterrestrial days might be numbered.
Terry College Dean Looks Towards Future of UGA Business
A recent message from Dean Benjamin Ayers to the University of Georgia – Terry College of Business community highlighted the many student accomplishments this year and offers a look at what’s to come.
The Best Atlanta International MBA Programs
Methods of faster and more efficient widespread communication have lead to worldwide interconnectivity. This unprecedented economic interdependence means the skills that are in demand are rapidly changing. In a globalized world, international business experience may be just the thing to give you the competitive edge in the job market. For those of you interested in gaining that edge, we’ve outlined four of the best Atlanta international MBA programs.
