A key part of any top MBA program is the network you can build. We pick out the best US b-schools for networking from Bloomberg Businessweek’s MBA ranking
Bloomberg Businessweek has released its 2019 ranking of the best business schools in the US. Among compensation, entrepreneurship, and learning, the ranking also reveals the best business schools for networking.Scores are ranked out of 100, with compensation making up 37.3% of the ranking, networking 25.7%, learning 21.3%, and entrepreneurship 15.7%.
Bloomberg Businessweek interviewed business school deans, professors, administrators, and analysts, as well as more than 26,804 surveys of MBA students, alumni, and recruiters. They also take into account employment data from business schools.
All about networking
A key facet of any top MBA program is networking. So often, how well you network during your degree can be the difference between landing a top job after graduation, and failing to make the most of your MBA.
This year, Bloomberg Business week ranks Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business as the best in the US for networking, with a perfect score of 100. Tuck is followed by UCLA Anderson (91.8), Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management (91.6), Virginia’s Darden School of Business (91.4), and Chicago’s Booth School of Business (89.3), in fifth place.
Bloomberg consolidates the networking index by looking at the quality of networks being built by MBA classmates; students’ communication with alumni; the level of success of the career services office; and the standard and breadth of alumni-to-alumni interactions. They also take into account the school’s brand power, from the point of view of recruiters.
The top 10 schools for networking is completed by Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business (88.7) in sixth, Columbia (88.4) in seventh place, Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business (88.3) in eighth, Stanford (87.7) in ninth, and Wharton (86.4) in 10th—Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business tied with Wharton for 10th place, also with a score of 86.4.
Best Business Schools In The US For Networking
The big hitters missing from the top 10
Though the networking top 10 contains heavyweights like Stanford and Wharton, there are some notable names who sit outside the top 10 when it comes to the quality of networking.
Harvard Business School (85.9) is in 12th place, NYU Stern (80.8) is in 17th place, Yale (75.1), takes 27th place, and MIT Sloan (73.7) is in 29th.
That’s despite those schools all sitting much higher in the ranking when their overall scores are taken into account.
Harvard is third overall, with a score of 92.5, MIT Sloan (90.6) is seventh, NYU Stern (85.4) is 13th, and Yale (84.5) is in 14th.
The overall best business schools in the US
It’s another good year for Stanford, who top the Bloomberg Businessweek rankings for the second year in a row, with a perfect overall score of 100. Stanford also scored 100 and sits atop the ranking for compensation and entrepreneurship.
Earlier this year, BusinessBecause covered the business schools with the highest MBA salaries—Stanford topped this list, with graduates taking home an average of $228,074 per year.
Just ahead of Harvard in second place, Bloomberg ranks Dartmouth Tuck—who jumped an astonishing 17 places this year after improved networking and learning scores—with a score of 94.5.
Completing the top five are Chicago Booth (91.7) in fourth place, and Darden (91.5) in fifth. The top 10 then consists of Wharton (91.4) in sixth, just ahead of MIT Sloan, who are followed by UC Berkeley (90.2) in eighth, Columbia (90.1) in ninth, and Kellogg (88.7) in 10th.
Student Reviews
Honest Opinion on CMU
Finding yourself in CMU is such a great blessing. The amazing and great professors and lots of networking opportunities. I was in the faculty of engineering and here the course work was very interesting. The lecturers were very strict and couldn't accept late submission of assignments and work given. This made us very focused. The students are generally good and friendly
Excellence and Academic Integrity
CMU is one of the top class universities in Pittsburgh. It is a multi-diverse university with high regard for academic integrity, excellence, and innovation. It consists of different programs and departments that work together to achieve a common goal. I enjoy the convenience of moving from one building to the other. The faculty and staff are super friendly. It is relatively easy to make connections with other students, especially where collaboratory research is necessary. I would definitely recommend CMU to anyone looking for a muti-diverse academic experience.
Stressful yet worthwhile
I've been genuinely impressed with the fusion of creativity and innovation at CMU. The professors are a mixed bag-- some are great and life-changing, but I had a couple (mostly gen eds in freshman year) that were really frustrating. The workload can be intense, and it's no joke. Campus was very lively; clubs, events, etc. – there's something for everyone. Pittsburgh in general has some areas that are great, and others that disappoint-- Oakland is a very nice university town area. Overall, CMU is a hotbed of innovation and learning, but the pace and location do come into play.
Quite demanding here
Carnegie Mellon is a demanding academic institution where students are expected to put in a lot of effort. Despite the challenging coursework and constant workload, this environment teaches you how to speak for yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The institution also has a strong graduate network, which helps you succeed in the job hunt both while you are enrolled there and after
Transformative Learning
My time at Carnegie Mellon university has been truly transformative, opening up a wide array of opportunities that move beyond the traditional classroom experience. Participation in webinars and seminars has allowed me to explore various topics that are not typically included in the standard curriculum. This exposure has helped equip students like myself with essential tools to effectively navigate our complex world.
CMU Africa: Educating the next African generation.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa offers master's degrees in technology and engineering fields. The campus has good facilities, high-quality education, focuses on African challenges, and students from many African nations. It aims to create tech leaders for Africa's future. I would recommend this university.
A Well Rounded View from Diverse Minds
Carnegie Mellon University does a great job of attracting diverse minds for the staff and the student body. There was a good balance of in and out of class activities and clubs offered to students. The student body is filled with high achieving individuals so attention to work life balance was encouraged. Classes offered challenging activities, but support was available if you were not keeping up. I felt challenged and supported as a student.
Nice course design
I had a good experience with this university overall. The course was well structured and the content was thoughtfully designed. I appreciated how the professors encouraged critical thinking and provided real-world applications. One thing I really liked was the flexibility in assignments and the supportive learning environment.
