Of course, ranking American MBA University programs is an effort in marketing for everyone involved. By providing yearly or biennial lists, business magazines and other semi-official source, promote not only the programs ranked but also their own brands. American MBA University programs and the business schools offering them also strive to stay tops on these lists because it would help both the brand and the endowment held in these schools. A highly ranked American MBA University will attract the best talents from both within and outside the country. Coupled with the pool of alumni these MBA programs already have, these top students are much more likely than others to have successful careers, become rich and influential and contribute back to the MBA programs.
However, the truth is that these American MBA University programs are really the best business education one can get in the country and often the world over. While the ct that they attract droves of applicants (and turn down an increasing number) is a reflection of both their academic and research chops, the highly publicized rankings of American MBA University programs do help a lot. Against this self-fulfilling loop of aggressive promotion and outstanding quality, a barrage of criticisms has often been raised.
First, the methods of ranking these American MBA University programs have been scrutinized and found wanting. A clear ringing accusation has been that it is impossible for these teams surveying these MBA schools and writing up rankings to visit all American MBA University programs. Therefore, it will take years and maybe lots of luck too, for an unknown and an equally excellent MBA program to catch up to the top 10, the top 20 and even the top 50 schools.
The second argument against these ranked lists is that the methodologies of providing them are flawed. Clearly, this is partly true as some methods of ascertaining the quality of education at these American MBA University programs can allow a good deal of bias. For example, in a bid to cancel out just that bias and maybe turn down the glow of reviews obtained from sources that are not independent of each school, the survey teams do ask presidents of rival MBA programs to rate other programs. This is a case of the need to eliminate one bias introducing another.
Furthermore, the interview conducted from these rival presidents and even hiring managers get subjective answers. This is one reason why you will find the same top American MBA University programs at the top of all lists. They only change positions. An equally valid argument is the one that says the rankings of American MBA University programs il to look into adjunct MBA programs provided by these schools. In most part-time MBA programs or even online MBA programs from these top schools, the winning teams of highly reputable culty members are not used.
Therefore, for the foreseeable future, the top-ranked American MBA University programs will always be the same. In ct, you can duplicate these rankings by sorting out successful applicants to MBA schools by their salaries and their GMAT scores. It is a case of the best attracting the best ad infinitum.
