Wondering what these numbers are all about? You've come to the right place. Here we explain what each rating measures, the factors on which each rating is based, and how each rating is scaled.
But first, here's something you should keep in mind about ALL of our ratings:
Each rating places every business school in the book on a continuum for the purpose of comparing all schools within this academic year only. Because we refine our ratings calculations annually, the ratings in the Best 290 Business Schools: 2008 Edition are not intended to be compared directly to those that appeared on PrincetonReview.com in any other academic year or to those in earlier editions of the book.
Four of the five ratings are based either partly or entirely on business school student opinions collected via our business school student survey. Accordingly, only the business schools featured in the Best 290 Business Schools: 2008 Edition whose students we surveyed receive these four ratings. All schools in our database whose administrators complete our annual Business School Data Set (which includes admissions statistics, among other data) receive an Admissions Selectivity rating.
If a 60* appears for any rating, it means that the school did not report all of the data points upon which that rating is based, and that, as a result, we were unable to calculate an accurate rating for that school. In such cases, the user is advised to follow up with the school about specific measures that the rating takes into account.
Admissions Selectivity Rating
Academic Experience Rating
Professors Interesting Rating
Professors Accessible Rating
Career Rating
Admissions Selectivity Rating
This rating measures the competitiveness of admissions at each business school. Factors taken into consideration include the average GMAT score and undergraduate GPA of the first-year class, the percentage of applicants who are accepted, and the percentage of applicants who are accepted and ultimately enroll. No student survey data is used in this calculation. The rating is on a scale of 60 to 99. This rating is intended to be used to compare all business schools featured within this edition of the book, regardless of whether their students completed our business student survey.
Please note that many foreign institutions use a grading system that
differs from the standard U.S. GPA; for these institutions, we
approximated their Admissions Selectivity Rating and indicated
this with a ** next to the rating.
The Toughest to Get Into ranking list is based on the Admissions
Selectivity Rating.
Academic Experience Rating
This rating measures the quality of the school's learning environment on a scale of 60 to 99. Factors taken into consideration include the Admissions Selectivity Rating; student-to-faculty ratio; and student survey responses to questions about faculty, fellow students, and realization of academic expectations.
Please note that many foreign institutions use a grading system that
differs from the standard U.S. GPA; for these institutions, we
approximated their Academic Experience Ratings and indicated
this with a ** next to the rating.
Professors Interesting Rating
This rating is based on students' answers to the following survey question: "Overall, how good are your professors as teachers?" The rating is on a scale of 60 to 99 and is intended to be used to compare schools within this year's edition of the book. This rating does not appear on PrincetonReview.com; but it does appear for each of the schools whose students we surveyed in the Best 290 Business Schools: 2008 Edition.
Professors Accessible Rating
This rating is based on students' answers to the following survey question: "How accessible are your professors outside of the classroom?" The rating is on a scale of 60 to 99 and is intended to be used to compare schools within this year's edition of the book. This rating does not appear on PrincetonReview.com; but it does appear for each of the schools whose students we surveyed in the Best 290 Business Schools: 2008 Edition.
The Best Professors ranking list is based on the Professors
Interesting and Professors Accessible Ratings.
Career Rating
Taking into account both student survey responses and school-reported statistical data, this rating measures the confidence students have in their school's ability to lead them to fruitful employment opportunities, as well as the school's own record of having done so. Factors taken into consideration include statistics on the average starting salary and percentage of students employed at graduation, as well as questions from our student survey that assess the efforts of the placement office, quality of recruiting companies, students' level of preparation for future jobs, and opportunities for off-campus projects, internships, and mentorships. This rating is on a scale of 60 to 99.
The Best Career Prospects ranking list is based on the Career Rating.
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