Top MBA Program Comparison and How to Use It

Are you deciding where to apply? Our newly updated tool can help. It’s the  Top MBA Program Comparison tool. This sortable table ranks top business schools. It covers dimensions such as class size. It also shows average post-MBA salary. Top recruited industries appear too. And more. It also includes key criteria. These include GPA and GMAT. They help assess where you are likely to be competitive. You can see where you’d be a strong applicant.

Being thoughtful about school selection is critical. It goes way beyond the rankings. The degree is expensive. The application process is too. It is also time consuming. Don’t forget that. You want to limit your list. Choose a small number of schools. They should make the most sense for you. They should also maximize your chances of admission. Furthermore, ‘fit’ plays a huge role. It matters in the admissions process. If you don’t make the effort to research, you’ll struggle. You need to know which schools are right for you. You need to know why. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time convincing the adcom. You can’t show that their school is the right place for you.

Using the Top MBA Program Comparison Tool

If you are just beginning the school selection process, we recommend using our tool as follows:

Step 1: With your GMAT/GRE score and GPA in hand, scan the list. Find programs where your stats meet the average. This reveals where you’re competitive and where you stand as an outlier.

Other factors such as age, work experience, nationality, etc. will then skew your range up or down slightly. You may need additional research to understand how your experience compares to past admitted students. Similarly, nationality can help or hurt you. It depends on how many applicants from your country apply to your schools. If you’re unsure where you stand, get a profile review. Consult a professional through the forums or with an MBA admissions consultant.

Note: Don’t skip your dream school if you fall outside its range. However, hedge your bets with a couple of target – ‘safer’ – schools. (No top school is “safe”, but there will be programs where your profile is more competitive than their averages.)

Step 2: Narrow down from there. Once you know where you’re competitive, identify schools that best fit your profile and objectives.

Here are some factors to consider in your research:

Class size: this one really boils down to personal preference. Programs like HBS and Wharton have large class sizes (>850 students). Others like Haas and Tuck offer intimate sizes (<300 students). Class size shapes your two-year experience at any top MBA program. Understand the pros and cons of each. Determine which aligns better with your objectives. Small programs boast tight-knit, congenial communities. Larger programs offer greater breadth and diversity.

Recruiting statistics: applying to schools that have a history of placing graduates in your dream job(s) simply makes sense. While all the top schools will have diversified employment statistics, you may see some bias towards consulting, tech, etc. Don’t write off a school just because your target industry isn’t the #1 recruited industry. It’s simply another factor to consider.

Location: this is one that we encourage you to be flexible with as much as possible. Remember, it’s only two years. All top programs carry widely influential brands. These won’t limit your career options to a 50-mile radius from campus.

However, if your post-MBA goals concentrate in a specific geography – NYC for finance, the Bay Area for tech – then programs in those areas should rise to the top of your list. If you strongly prefer urban or rural locations, don’t ignore it. Just don’t let geography become the sole deciding factor.

Next Steps After You Consult the Top MBA Program Comparison Tool

The rest of the process is more art than science. Beyond those shown in our Top MBA Comparison tool, consider factors such as:

Teaching method

Teaching method matters greatly. This proves especially true if you’re considering HBS or Darden, where the case method dominates. If you’re unfamiliar with the case method, read up on it first. It creates a unique classroom dynamic. Students do 85% of the talking. It involves cold-calling and requires thorough case preparation before class. The other teaching methods you’ll find in the top programs are lectures and experiential learning (think immersion classes, team-based exercises, etc.) Pay attention to this and how it differs between schools because it will have a big impact on how you learn for the next two years.

Academic strength or research focus

 Let’s start by clarifying that all of the top MBA programs offer a general management education with a broad selection of electives across all business subject areas (marketing, finance, operations, entrepreneurship, etc.). In other words, you will have access to fantastic professors and cutting-edge academics in any subject no matter which school you attend. Gone are the days of Wharton being only a “finance” school or Kellogg being only a “marketing” school. With that said, certain programs may offer greater resources or specific programming dedicated to your area of focus. For example, Columbia has the Value Investing program, Wharton has the Health Care Management major, NYU Stern has the Luxury Marketing specialization, etc. and several schools now offer dedicated AI and analytics tracks. For a full breakdown, see our ranking of the best MBA programs for AI careers. Depending on which industry or function you’re targeting after business school, it may make sense to apply to a top MBA program that has a strong legacy in that field, either from the strength of the curriculum, breadth of electives, caliber of the faculty, prominence of research, or otherwise.

Culture

This one is a bit trickier to figure out, especially when you’re just starting the research process. It’s hard to really understand how the schools are different from simply browsing their websites. This is where engaging with the school (visiting campus if possible, attending info sessions, etc.) and speaking with alums and current students really pays off. After a couple different discussions, you’ll start to get a sense for how the programs are different from each other. In terms of which culture is right for you, that’s a matter of personal preference. If you have an independent streak, then maybe Booth is right for you. On the other hand, looking for a supportive, team-oriented environment? Kellogg or Tuck may be right up your alley. Lastly, we’ll say that while certain programs may have “reputations” that you’ve heard of, we recommend doing your own independent homework and deciding if you agree or not (they’re often over-stated, over-simplified, or outdated in our experience).

Bottom Line

After a certain amount of research, you’ll get a “gut” sense of the programs that are right for you on multiple levels. Try to keep an open mind while remaining true to yourself and your goals. Best of luck!