The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Ross School of Business is a top institution established in 1924. In 2001, Robert J. Dolan became the business school’s dean. As part of his school plans as the new dean, Dolan aims to make a mark among recruiters and MBA candidates.

The business school was renamed the Stephen M. Ross School of Business after Stephen M. Ross (alumnus) donated a total of $100 million. At that time, Ross’ donation was the biggest ever given to a business school.

Degrees offered

The degrees offered at this business school include BBA, full-time MBA, part-time MBA, executive MBA, global MBA, Master of Accounting, PhD programs, executive education, and Master of Supply Chain Management.

Alumni

Notable alumni from the Ross School of Business include blogger and documentary filmmaker Hao Wu, General Mills CEO Stephen Sanger, National Geographic Society CEO and President John M. Fahey, Jr., United States Olympic Committee President (emeritus) William C. Martin, Allstate CEO Thomas J. Wilson, and Freddie Mac Chief Financial Officer David Kellermann.

Rankings and reviews

The school’s MBA program was ranked by BusinessWeek as 5th in 2008, its BBA as 4th in 2009, and its EMBA as 4th in 2008. According to US News, the school’s MBA is 12th in 2010, and its BBA is ranked 4th in 2010. The Wall Street Journal ranks the school’s MBA program as 7th in 2008. Forbes ranks the school’s part-time MBA as 7th in 2009.

Admission tips

Hundreds or even thousands of applicants try their luck with the business school’s admissions process. The application to the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Ross School of Business is quite competitive. One must have an excellent high school record in order to get better chances in the admissions. Aside from this, the applicant must also pass the exams and the interviews conducted by the school with flying colors. Another equally important requirement in this school is the admissions essay. One must submit a notable personal statement in order to successfully make through the admissions process.

Admission facts

Number of students who are admitted each year:

MBA Program: 419
BBA program: 337

Contact info

For Part-time MBA, Full-time MBA, and BBA and MAcc Programs
Office of Admissions
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234
Phone: (734) 763-5796
Fax: (734) 763-7804
Email: MBA RossMBAAdmissions@umich.edu
PTMBA: rossptmba@umich.edu
MAcc: rossmacc@umich.edu
BBA: rossbba@umich.edu

For Executive MBA
Executive MBA Program
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
701 Tappan Street
Suite 2540
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234
Phone: (734) 647-3400
Fax: (734) 763-7804
Email: rossemba@umich.edu

The USC Marshall School of Business is a private research and academic institution at the University of Southern California. The Marshall School of Business is the largest among the 17 USC’s professional schools. The school was established as the College of Commerce and Business Administration in 1920. It was in 1960 that the Graduate School of Business Administration was established. The school only acquired its present name in 1997 after an alumnus, Gordon S. Marshall, donated $35 million.

Degrees offered

The school offers excellent degrees and programs. In fact, the school’s undergraduate MBA programs belong to the top ten and top 20 in the whole country. For the undergrad, the school offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. There is also the Global Leadership Program available. For the graduate degree, there is a full-time and a part-time MBA. There is also the Executive Education, Global Executive Education, and PhD. Most of the programs and courses that this school offers are highly ranked by reputable organizatons.

Alumni

The chairman and CEO of Traders Joe’s, Dan Bane is an alumnus of this school. Another alumnus of Marshall School is John Campbell, a US Comgressman. The co-founder and CEO of MySpace is also one of the notable alumnus of this school. The CEO of Glencore, Ivan Glasenberg also came from this school. There are more other notable alumni of this school in the world of business and even outside of the business world.

Rankings and reviews

The degrees and programs offered in the University of California Marshall School of Business are all excellent. The full-time Marshall MBA is ranked number 25 by the BusinessWeek in 2008, and number 20 by the US News and world Report in 2009. The part-time MBA is fifth in 2009 by the US News and World Report, and 3rd according to BusinessWeek in 2007.

Admission tips

The University of Southern California Marshall School of Business is highly competitive. This is why one must exceed the standard requirement upon application. One must have a good high school record, excellent entrance exam and interview result, and also an attention-grabbing personal statement. Take note of these 2011 application deadlines:

November 1, 2010
January 15, 2011
March 15, 2011

Admission facts

Average 2009 GMAT: 690
Average 2009 Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average 2009 GPA: 3.3
Class Size: 222

Contact info

One can find more information about the school at www.marshall.usc.edu. The site can give you the phone numbers of the different departments and admissions personnel.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
BRI 105 (213) 740-8885
busadm@marshall.usc.edu

Office of the Associate Dean
BRI 103 (213) 740-9617

Kim D. West, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs
kwest@marshall.usc.edu

Cynthea Jackson,
Administrative Assistant
cyntheaj@marshall.usc.edu

Photo Credits: J Rosenfeld

McCombs is a business school located at the University of Texas at Austin. The school of business administration was established in 1922, decades after the University of Texas at Austin was founded. The school was named after the businessman Red McCombs after he donated $50 million to UT Austin in May 11, 2000.

Degrees offered

McCombs School of Business is ranked on top of the list of excellent schools for business in the US. Its programs are ranked high on many business school reviews. The school’s program include undergrad, graduate, and doctoral programs. Each program offers various courses.

Alumni

McCombs has produced many notable alumni, not just in the field of business but also in other areas. Among the famous graduates of the school is Gary C. Kelly, the CEO of Southwest Airlines, Thomas O. Hicks, the owner of the Texas Ranger, and Donald Evans, the former US Secretary of Commerce. ConocoPhillips CEO James Mulva ’68 & ’69 is also an alumnus of this business school. The co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and co-owner of San Antonio Spurs, and the name sake of the school, Red McCombs is also an alumnus.

Rankings and reviews

The programs at McCombs are among the top business programs in the country. The undergrad program for accounting and the graduate program for accounting are both on the top ranks according to the US News. Its Marketing and Management programs are also on the list of the best business programs in the whole of the United States. The University of Texas at Austin, in general is one of the high ranking academic institutions in the country.

Admission tips

Because McCombs is one of the most competitive business schools in the US, applicants should have an excellent school record in order to be considered for admissions. Aside from that, applicants should also ace the entrance exam and interview with flying colors. Because the business doesn’t accept summer or spring applications, applicants should only apply during fall.

For applicants who are postgraduates, the school prefers those who have a minimum of 2 years work experience (full time).

Admission facts

Admissions to this business school is highly competitive. As a matter of fact, only 1,375 applicants were admitted out of a total of 6,391 applicants in 2009.

Contact info

To learn more about the school, you can visit the official website at www.mccombs.utexas.edu. For the b-school admissions, you can contact the representative by calling (512) 471-5921. For sending mails, the mailing address is 1 University Station, B6000, Austin, TX.

Photo Credits: Daniel

The Olin Business School is one of the seven schools at the Washington University St. Louis. The school was named after the entrepreneur John M. Olin. The school was actually founded in 1917, but it was called the Olin Business School only in 1988.

Degrees offered

The school offers various programs and courses. These include MBA, BSBA, MS in Finance, MS in Supply Chain Management, Executive MBA, Masters in Accounting, and PhD Degrees. The business programs in Olin Business School are considered among the best in the country. The doctoral program at Olin Business School focuses on quantitative methodology, economics, and mentorship with the faculty. This technique aims to prepare doctoral students for teaching and scholarship careers.

Alumni

The Olin School at Washington University St. Louis boasts many notable alumni. These include the president and CEO of Mel Bay William Bay, the CEO of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation David P. Connor, the adventurer and options trader Steve Fossett, and the president and CEO of HNI Corporation Stan A. Askren. Aside from the ones mentioned, Olin Business School produced more notable personalities not only in the business world, but also outside of it.

Rankings and reviews

Olin is ranked among the world’s top schools for business by the Financial Tines, the Economist, the US News and World Report, and the BusinessWeek. The full-time MBA program of Olin is ranked numer 19th in the 2011 edition of the US News. The part-time MBA program is ranked number 10 by the same body. The Undergraduate program of Olin School is ranked by the Businessweek as 13th and the full-time MBA program as 28th.

Admission tips

Aside from passing the entrance exam and initial admissions interview, one must also submit a notable personal statement to get better chances of admissions to this competitive business school. Having an excellent high school record is also a plus. This business school is highly competitive sothis is why passing the requirement is not enough. One must really exceed the requirements in order to succeed in the admissions process, as this business school is quite competitive.

Admission facts

2010 Enrolment data

Program Enrollment
Full-Time MBA 300
BSBA 705
PMBA 395
EMBA- St. Louis 142
EMBA – Shanghai 99
MS Finance 5
PhD 52

Contact info

Information about the Olin Business School can be found at www.olin.wustl.edu. The school’s office is located in Danforth Campus, Simon Hall, Suite 114. The admissions email address is mba@wustl.edu. You can also reached personnels by calling 314-935-7301.

The University of Virginia is also referred to as Mr. Jefferson’s University since it was founded by Thomas Jefferson. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this public research university was established in 1819.

Its graduate business school, the Darden School of Business, was founded in 1954. The business school took its name from Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr, a former Virginia governor and University of Virginia president.

Degrees offered

Darden is known for its 2-year MBA program that uses case study analysis as one of its teaching methods. This teaching style is also used in law schools and also at Harvard Business School. The case method does require serious preparation for discussions among groups.

The business school is also highly reputed for its Executive Education program, which features both open and custom programs. Among the focus of the program are service excellence, bargaining and negotiating, among others. It was in 2006 that Darden opened its MBA for Executives program, which can be completed in 22 months.

Alumni

Darden has produced b-school graduates who have successfully made a mark in different business industries. From industry leaders to prominent entrepreneurs and CEOs, its list of famous alumni includes:

* John Bryan – former Sara Lee CEO and Chairman
* George David – United Technologies Corporation CEO and Chairman
* John Shafer Jr. – Dunkin’ Donuts CEO
* Henri Termeer – Genzyme Corporation President, Chairman, and CEO
* John Strangfeld – Prudential Financial Chairman and CEO
* Charles de Mestral – Winstar Resources Inc. CEO
* Steven Reinemund – former PepsiCo. CEO and Chairman
* Frank Batten Jr. – Landmark Communications CEO
* Thomas Baltimore – RLJ Development Co-founder and President
* James Geisler – United Technologies Corporation Vice President Finance

Rankings and reviews

Darden often makes it to the list of top 15 business schools in the country. It is also highly reputed as a top business school in the world. The University of Virginia’s graduate business school was ranked 14th by the 2010 rankings of the US News and World Report. In 2009, it was ranked 14th, 12th in 2008, 13th in 2007, and 14th in 2006. Darden also made it to the top 9 by the Forbes ranking. For 4 straight years, Darden made it to the list of Forbes’ top 10. Wall Street Journal ranked the school 10th in 2007. It took the 4th place for the most improved b-school category and 5th for general management. In 2008, it was ranked 16th, 15th in 2006, and 12th in 2004 by Businessweek. In the US, it took the 14th spot for the best business schools and was ranked 31st in the world by Financial Times.

Admission tips

Darden, as one the top MBA schools in the country, is highly selective. To make the cut, applicants need to prepare well for the admissions process. They should present a competitive GMAT score and impressive resume with detailed work experiences. The MBA application essay is also very important, along with the letters of recommendation and official transcript. To get an edge over applicants, make sure that the admission essay is outstanding, one that digs deeper into the real meaning of MBA education to one’s career and personal goals.

Admission facts

Admissions data based on the full-time MBA profile by Businessweek (in an article published in 2009):

GMAT scores:

Mean: 701
Median: 700

Middle 80% range GMAT scores:
From: 660
To: 740

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

GMAT Score: Very Important
Resume/Work Experience: Very Important
Application Essays: Very Important
Interviews: Very Important
Recommendations: Very Important
Undergraduate Transcripts: Very Important

Contact info

University of Virginia
Darden School of Business
100 Darden Boulevard
Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA
(434) 924-3900

website: http://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/Home/

Yale University is one of the Ivy League universities in the US. With a campus located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University has around US$16.3 billion endowment, making it one of the largest among the world’s academic institutions. This university is also home to one of the world’s largest academic libraries, with contains approximately 12.5 million volumes.

Yale is the alma mater of many outstanding individuals such as Jacques Derrida, the father of deconstruction, and the proponents of New Critics including Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren. They were former faculty members of Yale University as well.

The University was established in 1701, making it the third oldest institution of higher education in the US. It was founded by clergymen who wanted to establish a college to train clergy and political leaders in the colony. In 1976, the Yale School of Management, or Yale SOM, was founded in 1976 by William H. Donaldson as a private business school.

Degrees offered

The undergraduate school, Yale College, is the center of the university. The College offers more than 2,000 undergrad courses in the sciences and liberal arts. Among the notable programs offered in Yale University are African-American Studies, Biology, and Medieval Studies, to name a few.

Aside from the regular MBA programs, the graduate business school of Yale University (Yale SOM) also offers joint MBA degree programs such as the MBA/JD (with Yale Law School), MBA/PhD (with Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences), MBA/MD (with Yale School of Medicine), MBA/MFA (with Yale School of Drama), MBA/MArch (with Yale School of Architecture), MBA/MDiv and MBA/MAR (with Yale Divinity School), MBA/MEM (with Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies), MBA/MA in International Relations (with Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences), MBA/MPH (with Yale School of Public Health), and MBA/MA in Russian and East European Studies (with Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences).

Alumni

Yale SOM has produced many accomplished entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and industry leaders. Among the prominent alumni of the graduate business school are:

* Tom Ascheim – Newsweek, Inc. CEO
* Laszlo Bock – People Operations (Google) Vice President
* Joaquin Avila – Carlyle Group Managing Director
* Tim Collins – Ripplewood Holdings LLC CEO and founder
* Michael R. Eisenson – CEO, Managing Director, and co-founder, Charlesbank Capital Partners
* James Firestone – Corporate Operations (Xerox) President
* Anne Glover – Amadeus Capital Partners CEO and co-founder
* Andrew K. Golden – Princeton University Investment Company President
* Jack Griffin – Time, Inc. CEO
* James P. Kelley – Vestar Capital Partners President
* Randy Kim – Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Chief Investment Officerenger to Joe Lieberman
* Linda Mason – Bright Horizons Family Solutions Chairman and founder

Rankings and reviews

Yale SOM is part of the top 15 MBA programs in the country, as confirmed by many rankings and reviews. As of April 2010, the graduate business school was ranked as follows:

* Yale SOM was ranked number 11 U.S. News & World Report
* Businessweek placed it at number 24 in its rankings.
* Financial Times ranked the business at number 15 in the world, number 4 for Best in Economics, and number 3 for Best in Corporate Social Responsibility.
* Yale SOM was also ranked 10th by Forbes.

Admission tips

The admissions process is very competitive for Yale SOM. This is why you need to have an excellent scholastic record, GMAT results, and exceptional MBA personal statement. Interested applicants are advised to prepare well in advance and to explore all available options for the MBA program that suits them best.

Admission facts

Admissions data based on the full-time MBA profile by Businessweek (in an article published in 2009):

GMAT scores:
Mean : 715
Median: 710

Middle 80% range GMAT scores:
From: 660
To: 760

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

GMAT Score: Important
Resume/Work Experience: Important
Application Essays: Important
Interviews: Important
Recommendations: Important
Undergraduate Transcripts: Important

Contact info

Main phone number: 203.432.5932

Mailing address:
Yale School of Management
Box 208200
New Haven, CT 06520-8200

website: http://mba.yale.edu/index_noflash.shtml

Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina. This private research university was founded by Methodists and Quakers in the town of Trinity in the year 1838.

The Fuqua School of Business was formed in 1969. In 1970, the graduate school enrolled its first class composed of 20 students. Thomas Keller who was the graduate school’s new dean in 1974 had made a leap in the improvement of the school. After J.B. Fuqua donated $10 million, the name of the school was then changed into Fuqua School of Business in his honor.

Degrees offered

The business school offers various programs. The programs include the Global Executive MBA, the Daytime MBA, the Cross Continent MBA, the Weekend Executive MBA, Master of Management Studies, and the joint degree programs, as well as a PhD program. The joint degree programs include courses like forestry, nursing, public policy, law, and environmental management. Non-degree business education and professional development programs are also available through the Duke Corporate Education and Duke Executive Education.

Alumni

The Fuqua School of Business is home to many notable personalities. These include the former President and CEO of Church’s Chicken Harsha Agadi, COO and former acting CEO of Apple, Inc. Timothy Cook, co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates, and Chief Financial Officer of MYSpace Mark Rosenbaum.

Rankings and reviews

Duke University is a prestigious academic institution in the US. For the 2011 edition of the US News and World Report, Duke University’s undergraduate program is ranked number 9 among the national universities. The law, medical, public affairs, nursing, and business programs of the university ranked 15th and above. In the 2009 THES-QS World University Rankings, Duke University falls at number 14. The university’s Fuqua School of Business is also one of the most popular business schools across the country.

The Daytime MBA program of Fuqua was ranked 8th in 2008 by Businessweek, 10th nationally and 20th globally according to the 2010 rankings by The Financial Times, 14th nationally by the 2009 rankings of The Economist, and 14th nationally based on the 2010 rankings of the US News and World Report.

The Executive MBA program of Fuqua is also highly reputed. It was ranked third in the US and tenth in the world according to The Financial Times in 2009, 4th nationally by the US News and World Report 2010 rankings, 9th by the 2008 rankings of Businessweek, and 10th by the Wall Street Journal in its 2008 rankings.

Admission tips

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is one of the most competitive business schools in the United States. It is not surprising at all that the school expects a lot from its applicants, especially the postgraduates. Students with excellent scholastic record, entrance exam, and interview results get better chances of admission. Another important requirement is the personal statement. The MBA personal statement is one of the most crucial factors when applying for the different MBA programs.

Admission facts

Admissions data based on the full-time MBA profile by Businessweek (in an article published in 2009):

GMAT scores:

Mean: 688
Median: 690

Middle 80% range GMAT scores:
From: 620
To: 750

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

GMAT Score: Very Important
Resume/Work Experience: Very Important
Application Essays: Very Important
Interviews: Very Important
Recommendations: Very Important
Undergraduate Transcripts: Very Important

Contact info

Duke University’s
Fuqua School of Business
100 Fuqua Drive
Box 90120
Durham, NC 27708-0120 USA
Tel +1.919.660.7700
Fax +1.919.684.2818
website: www.fuqua.duke.edu

Photo Credits: John Shelton

Tepper School of Business is a private business school of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It was originally known as The Graduate School of Industrial Administration, or GSIA, and was founded in 1949 by William Larimer Mellon. The alumnus David Tepper donated an amount of $55 million in March 2004. In honor of David Tepper, the school was renamed as the David A. Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon.

The Tepper Business School has around 100 faculty members. Over 400 students are enrolled in its undergraduate programs, while there are more than 800 postgraduate students and more than 90 doctoral students.

Degrees offered

The Tepper School of Business in Carnegie Mellon University offers a wide range of specializations. These include Finance, Operations Management, Information Technology, and Entrepreneurship. The programs that the school offers include undergraduate business degreees, MBA Program, MSQE (Masters of Science in Quantitative Economics ) program, MSCF (Master of Science in Computational Finance) Program, Doctoral Program, and Executive Education. In Tepper School of Business, the MBA program is offered in two types, the part-time MBA and the full-time MBA programs.

Alumni

The school’s famous alumni include Paul Allaire, the former chairman and CEO of Xerox. Aside from Paul Allaire, the business school also prides itself in producing many famous alumni who have made their mark on the field of business and entrepreneurship.

Rankings and reviews

The Tepper School of Business is one of the business schools in the US that offer excellent programs. The school is actually one of the highly ranked schools in the country. In 2007, the Wall Street Journal ranked the MBA Program of the school number 5 nationally. Its Information Technology is ranked number 2 in the Top Schools list. In the 2011 edition of the US News and World Report, the graduate program in Economics falls at number 19 and the Information Systems was ranked 2nd for the Top Schools list.

Admission tips

The Tepper School of Business is one of the most competitive business schools not just in the country but also in the whole world. In order to ensure better chances of admission, applicants must ace or at least aim for a good score in entrance exams. They must also do well during the interview. A personal statement is also a requirement. Having an excellent scholastic record is a plus factor when applying to the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.

Admission facts

As of 2008-2009 (from GMATCat.com list):

Percent of Applicants Admitted: 29%
Test Scores — 25th / 75th Percentile

GMAT score of newest entering class:

Mean GMAT score: 696
Median GMAT score: 700
Middle 80% range GMAT score
From: 620 to: 750

TOEFL

Minimum TOEFL score required for MBAs: 600

Mean TOEFL score of new entrants: 640

Contact info

Mails can be sent to Carnegie Mellon University at 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The university representative can be reached by calling 412-268-2268. For more information, applicants can also visit the official website of the school at http://business.tepper.cmu.edu/

Photo Credits: Ryan Kelly

The Johnson Graduate School of Management is the graduate business school of Cornell University. Located at Ithaca, New York, this business school was founded in 1946. As part of the Ivy League universities in the country, Johnson is one of the highly ranked business schools. In fact, Johnson Graduate School of Management is considered as one of the most prestigious schools for business and management in the US.

The founding of the school is owed to the co-founder of Cornell University and also the founder of Western Union, Ezra Cornell. He proposed the establishment of the school of business in the university . The idea was realized when Cornell co-founder and its first president, Andrew Dickson White proposed the establishment of professorship in bookkeeping. However, the Johnson School of Business was not established until 1946.

Degrees offered

The Johnson Graduate School of Management offers a wide array of business-related programs. It offers the standard MBA degree and also offers a fast track Accelerated MBA Program, which can be completed in the short span of 12 months. The Johnson business school of Cornell also has two executive MBA programs and a PhD degree in Business. The school offers dual degree programs for both the undergraduate and graduate degree levels.

Alumni

The Johnson Graduate School of Management has many notable alumni. These include the CEO of Kraft Foods Irene Rosenfield, the chairman of Booz and Company Joe Saddi, the former CEO of Chevron Ken Durr, and CEO Fisk Johnson of S.C Johnson and Son.

Rankings and reviews

The Johnson Graduate School of Management falls at number 7 in the 2009 ranking by Forbes. It is ranked 11th according to Businessweek and also 11th by the ranking of the Wall Street Journal. The US News and World Report ranked the business school at number 17.

Admission tips

To ensure better chances of admissions, one must have an outstanding result for the entrance exam and application interview. Aside from these, one must also submit a personal statement that could grab the attention of the admissions officers. The MBA personal statement should focus on the personality, aspirations, and intentions of the applicant who’s applying for a particular program.

Admission facts

Based on Business Week’s Johnson Graduate School of Management profile (in an article published in 2009), the admissions data are as follows:

GMAT scores:
Mean : 700
Median: 710

Middle 80% range GMAT scores:
From: 640
To: 750

Minimum paper-based TOEFL score required for MBAs:

600

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

GMAT Score: Very Important
Resume/Work Experience: Very Important
Application Essays: Very Important
Interviews: Very Important
Recommendations: Very Important
Undergraduate Transcripts: Very Important

Contact info

S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management
Sage Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-6201

For more information about the university, you can visit the official site at www.johnson.cornell.edu