IMD school reputation

This remark "INSEAD...reputation .. is droping" is as questionable as "they (IMD) are disorganized and have a haughty attitude". I could add another one in this range: when a friend of mine - INSEAD alumnus - found that I want to apply to IMD, he said to me: "why??! what do to you imagine you could learn from and how the class mood will be when you will be surrounded only by old engineers?!?". I won't discuss such statements.

Going back to arguments based on facts, it's true that IMD's % faculty/students is 30% (30/90, if "which MBA" info is correct), higher than, let's say, LBS - 31% (98/320) - so the "quantity" factor is ok.
But what about "quality" factor? An example: both IMD (https://www.imd.ch/news/IMD-Professor-Le ... iaries.cfm) and LBS (https://www.london.edu/newsandevents/new ... _1069.html) covered the DAVOS 2010 event. But whilst the IMD professor took notes from aside, the LBS professors participated in or even moderated the discussion panels! I think this could give a clue what's the story with the "quality" factor ....

About the smaller class and the "strong connections" between students. Few months ago I met an IMD alumnus to discuss about school. When I shown enthusiasm about the "small class", he smiled and said: "Look, I have 5-6 close buddies and I know quite well another 20-30 colleagues. With another 20-30 I had several discussions but with the rest (20-30) I hardly talk during the year". Guess what?! The numbers are very similar with the ones for a LBS, INSEAD or Vlerick alumnus, which I also talked to.

One factor is that whatever the total number of MBA students per year, they are split in clusters or classes of 90-100, so the class environments are pretty similar. Another factor - the most important, IMHO - is that one's will and desire to construct strong bonds with one's mates are the most important. So if this is the most important reason for you to be in school, you would focus your time to network with all your 90 (150,250, 350, 480, etc) colleagues; if not, really doesn't matter if your class is 90, 50 or 30 - you'll continue to be alone, because that's the way you want to.