Added: 01/19/2006 |
MBA programs rankings under scrutinyA holder of an MBA degree is sure to enjoy hundreds of opportunities in the world. An MBA is required to get some advancement in many business posts. For instance, newly-fledged MBAs are hired by large-scale companies to the position of assistant brand managers, which is a fast path to senior executive posts. Those, without MBAs, are generally not even acceptable for the brand management department. Some industries (like media and entertainment and the federal government) do not require an MBA for the advancement, though it is increasingly becoming a major asset.
Pursuing your MBA is a significant investment of time, energy and money. Whether you prefer a two-year MBA program, a seven-year PhD or something in between, it will be one of the most crucial points of your life, which is worth thorough foreknowledge and planning.
Defining why one MBA program is better than another one is fatiguing and illusory. Many prospective MBAs make a common mistake of basing their best MBA school searches upon national rankings. The MBA school rankings are a good start to get the overall picture of the programs available, but they are subjective and far from perfect ones. For a start, there are no commonly agreed upon measures to compare the quality of teaching and research programs. After all, what should the criteria be: a number of books in the library, an average GMAT score, an average starting salary and corporate recruiters' opinions? The endless conditions are far from being objective and do not bear a relation to a certain student, interested in applying to a particular business school.
The MBA programs rankings may be helpful in comparing how competitive you may be for certain programs, based on your grades and test scores. Nevertheless, the rankings do not really establish which graduate school is the best for you. That decision can only be taken on the basis of the comparison between your personal interests and the programs considered, after having directly contacted the schools.
Moreover, there is an ongoing debate, concerning the importance and validity of the MBA programs rankings among academicians, stating that no program can possibly be determined in advance as the best for any individual. Many business schools, including highly ranking ones, doubt both the data and the process used by some of the ranking services. The criteria of rankings, related to the concept of institutional reputation, which is in fact almost impossible to measure, are of a special concern.
You can not help mentioning all kinds of manipulations in the connection with MBA programs rankings. Business schools underestimate rankings, as it certainly should be, but at the same time they are quick to proclaim from the house-tops their high rankings positions. It is also known that schools sometimes manipulate with their admissions policies, alumni files and other so-called "ranking factors" in order to retain their high rating.
You like them or leave them, the MBA programs rankings will not be left without notice both by schools, students and parents, who will continue to hunt out the best school and continue to consult a wide range of available college rankings. The knowledge of dissension and maneuvering in the connection with the MBA rankings can only help the interested parties make the most of rankings in the process of taking a decision.
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