Harvard University ties Stanford for the top spot on U.S. News and World Report's list of best MBA programs. Bloomberg places Harvard second on its list, although business school graduates and corporations rated the school fourth. Harvard teaches students according to the case method, which gives MBA graduates a real-world grounding in situations they are likely to face in the workplace.
While tying with Harvard for the No. 1 ranking on the U.S. News list, Stanford achieves only the sixth spot on Bloomberg's ranking. Students ranked Stanford No. 2, while corporations surveyed by Bloomberg gave it a less favorable No. 9. Stanford's MBA program boasts small class sizes, allowing students to interact closely with professors and peers.
The University of Chicago takes the top spot on Bloomberg's list of best MBA programs, also earning top honors from the business school graduates surveyed. U.S. News ranks the University of Chicago as the fifth best MBA program, tied with the University of Pennsylvania. Chicago boasts a flexible curriculum with only one required course, so students can tailor their studies to their interests and the needs of employers.
Although ranked first in Bloomberg's corporate poll, Northwestern University's MBA program comes in third on its overall list. U.S. News ranks Northwestern fourth. Northwestern offers one- and two-year MBA courses of study, in addition to dual MBA programs offered in conjunction with the schools of engineering and law.
Tied for fifth place with Chicago on U.S. News and World Report's MBA rankings list is the University of Pennsylvania. Penn fared slightly better at No. 4 on Bloomberg's list, with business school graduates ranking Penn as the third-best MBA program. Penn's Wharton School offers a joint MBA/master's degree in international management in conjunction with the School of Arts and Sciences.