A liberal arts education could be your ticket to business school.
It’s MBA rankings season again! Let’s check in on Chicago Booth’s incoming class, see why some business schools are turning to the liberal arts, and find out what’s worrying HBS alumni. Here are the stories that matter most to aspiring business leaders.
MBA rankings report
Rankings season has arrived! Forbes just released its 2016 list of the highest ranked business schools in the United States. Earning top billing this year is the Stanford Graduate School of Business. As you can imagine, admissions at the GSB is fiercely competitive. Its acceptance rate is the lowest in the world, at just 7%. While applications at many other top-ranked MBA programs have been down since 2008, Stanford GSB has been an exception to the rule: its apps are up 12%. Many GSB grads go on to work for some of the most coveted employers, including Google, Bain & Co., and McKinsey & Company. Harvard Business School placed second, up one spot from last year; and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management placed third, moving up two spots. (Forbes)
Chicago Booth students
Let’s meet America’s newest class of MBAs at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Many people see Chicago Booth students as your typical “quants”—focused on spreadsheets and the bottom line, on dollars, cents, and data. There’s a lot more to Boothies than that, however. Yes, some of the most famous alumni have gone on to lead Credit Suisse or become CFOs, other graduates have gone into public policy, hospitality, and non-profit. As this latest incoming class proves, the school has a diverse portfolio. (Poets & Quants)
Shunning blue chips
One of the most important things you can do while going for your MBA is to land an internship. Ideally, you should intern in the area in which you want to work after graduating (or at least an area that you want to learn more about). While many aspiring MBAs hope to snag internships at some of the world’s top companies, a growing number have caught the entrepreneurial bug and desire instead to gain startup experience. As one top official at UNC Keenan-Flagler Business School says, “There is no question that the rate of MBA students seeking internships in start-ups is increasing. Students seek a dynamic, fast-paced and cutting-edge business experience, and entrepreneurial ventures clearly fit the bill.” One interesting way in which startups differ from blue chip companies is in the recruiting process: many startups, which can be cash-strapped, rely on virtual meetings and interviews. (BusinessBecause)
Business with a liberal arts twist
Many of you who are or were undergraduate business school majors were likely faced with the standard course load and curriculum focused on business, management, finance, economics, etc. There was little time in your schedule for liberal arts courses. However, there’s now a growing movement to give undergraduate business school majors a more well-rounded education… and that push for innovation has been coming from business schools themselves, including the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. This isn’t your older sister’s undergraduate business degree. (U.S. News & World Report)
HBS class warriors
There’s been a lot of talk the past couple of years about income inequality in the United States. The discussion has even infiltrated one rather unlikely group: Harvard Business School alumni. According to a new survey, HBS graduates are concerned with issues pertaining to rising inequality, poverty, and a middle class that cannot seem to get ahead. The survey finds that although HBS alumni want to be successful, they are concerned the other 99 percent won’t share in their opportunities. (The Washington Post)
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