[.ca] BusinessWeek Guide to The Best Business Schools (ISBN 0071415211)

The best b-school guide out there:
Nothing even comes close, people. First of all, the descriptions in this guide are more extensive and accurate than those found in other guides (with, perhaps, a few "niche" exceptions, such as guides focusing on a very small number of schools, i.e. top 10). Arguably, Business Week is "the guide" to use for accurate rankings. Their methodology relies upon ratings of the "consumers" of b-schools, students and recruiters. While no ranking methodology is perfect, I feel most comfortable with the one that includes opinon of the consumers of the particular "product." Here's what you'll find between the covers: The book starts with a fairly extensive section on why you would want an MBA and how to get into the best schools. If you don't know anything about the process of applying to b-school, this is a good start, but it is just that--a start. Rankings and the description of BW methodology (including questions asked and a list of schools with top and bottom scores on each question) complete the introductory section. Most of the book, however, is focused on descriptions of programs that made top 30, the runners-up, and non-us schools. These descriptions include basic quantitative measures like fees, student body composition, and admissions numbers. I found the statistics on teaching methods employed by different schools particularly useful (and this is something important that most other guides/rankings pay very little attention to). The actual descriptions are very extensive. They cover virtually all aspects of a program, including academics, clubs/activities, social life, placement, and alumni networks. The well written text is supplemented by quotes from faculty and students, which is a nice touch. At the end of each school's section, you'll find detailed information on placement, top recruiters, outstanding faculty, student testimonials, as well as some useful tips straight from the admissions office. If you're looking to get a b-school guide that includes rankings, exhaustive descriptions, and some good advice, look no further. There might be other books out there that will provide more detailed program descriptions for a smaller number of programs, or books that will give more substantial advice about the application process, but there is no one book that does as many things as well as this one. Buy it!