Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2017 Released Over the Weekend
Here we go again! Financial Times released its 2017 MBA rankings over the weekend. The FT ranking evaluates 100 MBA programs worldwide. It includes international schools, not just US programs. Many consider it the most credible global ranking. (This is not an endorsement of the FT rankings over any other methodology but is purely a reflection of our own experience and feedback we’ve received from our clients over the years.) That’s not to say there weren’t a few surprises. Here are the highlights:
INSEAD remains #1 for the second year in a row. FT praised INSEAD for three strengths. First, its one-year program. Second, the school boasts an international culture across two campuses. Finally, INSEAD offers an extensive, diverse alumni network Stanford GSB climbed 3 spots from last year to reclaim its #2 rank (the last time it was ranked #2 was in 2014), while Wharton gained 1 spot to come in at #3.Surprisingly, HBS follows at #4, down 2 spots from last year. Haas and MIT Sloan fell from the top 10. Last year they ranked #7 and #9. This year they tied at #13. Haas dropped 6 spots. MIT Sloan fell 4 positions. Newcomers to the top 10 are two Spanish programs: IE Business School came in at #8 (from #12 last year) and IESE came in at #10 (from #16 last year).Special mention goes to Cambridge Judge which hopped up 5 spots to claim #5 this year.As a whole, US programs are the biggest gainers in the ranking, with 51 programs collectively rising 55 spots (net) in the rankings vs. last year. The 28 European programs in the ranking declined as a whole (net -35 spots) but still comprise half of the top 10.
A full analysis of the rankings is available here.
Note: These rankings are based on surveys of the business schools and their 2013 graduates. The methodology considers 20 different factors including graduates’ salary increase, international composition of the schools’ faculty, board, study body, etc., among others. If you’d like to nerd out with the nitty gritty of the ranking criteria. Learn more about the Financial Times MBA ranking methodology.
We say this a lot but it bears repeating: don’t treat the rankings as the end-all-be-all of your school selection process. They should be one data point of many as you decide what programs are the best fit for you and your goals. The gap between #1 and #78 likely matters. But small year-to-year shifts? Don’t read too much into them. Your dream school didn’t suddenly become terrible – or amazing. Said another way, FT ranked HBS #4 this year.
Wondering if the rankings even matter? One of our admissions experts read our analysis of whether MBA rankings really matter.
Questions about the rankings or how to approach the school research process? We’re happy to help! Register for our free consultation today and we’ll help point you in the right direction.
After embarking on my own MBA journey, I founded Vantage Point MBA Admissions Consulting to help aspiring business school students get accepted to the top MBA programs in the U.S. and Europe. As President, I currently lead a team of over 25 superstar consultants to give our clients an unmatched experience, with a focus on white glove, personalized collaboration and mentorship.
