Best MBA Conference (Big 10 vs Pac 10 vs ACC)

Question

I looked for a topic about this but couldn't find what I was looking for so I apologize if this has ever been covered. With summer here, the boards have been a tad slow. Sooo, I'm a huge sports fan and I know there are a couple of fanatics here like me. What do you all think is the best MBA conference, BESIDES Ivy League. That is to say, as a whole, which group has more allure. (You can define that however you want; starting salaries, avg GMAT, best companies on campus, whatever.)

Big 10 (Northwestern, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, etc.)
ACC (Duke, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, etc.)
Pac 10 (Stanford, UCLA, Berkely, USC, etc.)

Clearly, these schools are known for vastly different concentrations (from Tech to Marketing) and different companies recruit at these different schools, but I thought it would be fun to see which conference you all thought is the strongest overall. I'm headed to Kelley but I still think the PAC-10 has this one. If only the Big 10 had Chicago

bipolarbear · Answer

I think its Pac 10 for academics, since it has all the elite West Coast schools...
however for sports, its ACC FOREVER!!

GO EAGLES WOOHOO!!!

Skitalets · Answer

Dude, ACC all the way. If you're not already a college sports fan, you will become one by the end of your degree. My wife (a recent Duke Law alum) probably couldn't tell you which sport the NY Giants or the LA Lakers play, but she was talking trash about Carolina basketball within a month of starting at Duke. It's awesome. :-)

Sleepy · Answer

IVY is the best, but if you're gonna exclude it...perhaps the ECAC?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECAC_Hockey

Tough to argue with:
Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, Cornell.

unhedged · Answer

Another vote for the Pac-10. 2 teams in the top 10!

Ivy League does win, but its not a REAL sports conference because of the no athletic scholarships rule

GoBruin · Answer

You missed Upenn/Wharton... Ivy would be the best... but Pac-10 defnitely next on the list... S, Haas, Anderson.. vs Duke?

solaris1 · Answer

UAA!

Not often does one get to cheer for one's alma mater and one's business school in the same mathletic conference.

atlmba2009 · Answer

No argument there for basketball, but as for football, not so much.

Sleepy · Answer

U Penn isn't in the ECAC.

pguard · Answer

Considering academics, sports, and women...PAC 10 wins far and away.

Slightly lower for overall academics but you can't argue the sports or women.

D1 U.S. Sports Academic Directors' Cup:  https://www.nacda.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/FinalD1

Sports Illustrated:  https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/sioncampus/07/01/2008-top-25-ncaa-rankings/index.html

atlmba2009 · Answer

Really? USC is the only contender in football, and they haven't been great in basketball lately, either. If we are sticking to the UE/E schools, then I would give it to the Pac-10 on the basis of UCLA/USC. If not, then the SEC wins this one easily. Note: I am just participating in this discussion for fun, and because I am a bit bored at work. I am not seriously contemplating these things and do not really believe there is a point to this whole discussion. :wink:

pguard · Answer

I agree with you if we are talking about football only.

As for USC basketball...OJ Mayo--they could have made a major run if he weren't NBA bound. For the record, I cheer against USC in everything.

As for the debate, I'd have to defer to SI and the Director's Cup. Based on their analysis, the PAC 10 dominates.

Skitalets · Answer

Football? Is that where some guys kick around a weirdly-shaped ball? I don't think we have football in North Carolina. :-P

highhopes · Answer

Well I would probably have to vote PAC-10 even though I'm not applying to any of those schools.

But I'm going to have to throw out some love for the Big 10.

unhedged · Answer

Oh I wholly agree that this is just a fun thread. That said, here is my Pac-10 defense: Strictly Sports: Oregon has been a very strong team in the last few years in football, and would have been in the BCS Championship game if it weren't for Dennis Dixon blowing out his knee. Also, UCLA is primed to make a big comeback in the next couple years. Harbaugh has Stanford going in the right direction, but the concern is he is going to jump to the NFL sooner rather than later. In terms of basketball, 4 players were on the All rookie team (Stanford, USC, 2 from UCLA), at least 2 more lottery picks this year, and UCLA made 3 final 4s in recent years. The top 3 teams in terms of NCAA championships are UCLA (104), Stanford (95), and USC (85). That's not counting any football "championships" (there is actually no such thing in Division 1). And don't forget, the internet was invented at UCLA. :-D

xenok · Answer

An extremely ironic statement. The Ivy League was initially formed FOR athletics, but became more known for its academics. From a historic standpoint, the Ivy League is THE sports conference in the US.

atlmba2009 · Answer

I don't know about that. It was formed as an athletic conference, but as a formal athletic conference, it is not nearly the oldest.

tiniyo · Answer

Ivy takes it but be/c of the no sports scholarship rule, I'll give it to the ACC.

Best MBA Conference (Big 10 vs Pac 10 vs ACC)

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