7 weeks ago I made a post asking how hard it was to get removed from a program. Being annoying doesn’t do it, but apparently strangling another student will. He’s been banned from campus.

Back by popular demand, I wanted to create an update for 2026—

1.     This list averages the top 30 MBA programs across the most widely cited rankings. Composite sources were excluded to avoid double-counting. I removed Fortune due to methodology changes since last year, including a new 10% weight based on class size. Because some applicants value smaller programs, and many top schools have smaller classes, I didn’t feel this was appropriate. The Fortune 1000 index also doesn’t capture unique career paths like entrepreneurship, niche finance, and middle-market PE.

2.     Composite rankings reduce the influence of any one publication, but they're still imperfect. Career-specific outcomes are likely far more important to most candidates. P&Q entrepreneurship and PitchBook rankings were therefore added for those interested in entrepreneurship. PitchBook density is calculated by dividing the number of founders by average class size, for a like-for-like across schools.

3.     Flawed metrics continue: Some ranking inputs are questionable—like Financial Times giving 1.5% weight to carbon footprint or U.S. News assigning 25% to peer surveys taken by deans at competing schools and recruiters from unspecified companies. In my opinion, the U.S. News peer score is far more problematic than 1.5% for carbon footprint, further justifying the need for multiple ranking sources.

4.     Salary + bonus prorated, and employment at grad reflect market value. U.S. News publishes this data by prorating bonuses across the percentage who received one, thus providing a more accurate metric of average compensation.

5.     Since last year, Cornell Johnson and NYU Stern have cracked the top 10, while UC Berkeley Haas has cracked the top seven. However, salary and employment outcomes are likely more important to most candidates evaluating where to apply than modest changes in rankings YoY.

6.     The job market remains difficult, and one of the most striking aspects of the data is the variation in employment rate at grad, even among top schools:

For example, Stanford reports 55.7%, Harvard 61.4%, MIT Sloan 64.4%, and Columbia 66.9%.

These differences are worth examining, particularly for students who may lack the financial resources to sustain a prolonged post-MBA job search, if that is the case, compared to their peers.

7.     Employment at grad is not a complete measure of eventual career success either. Recruiting timelines, sponsorship, entrepreneurship, and students not seeking immediate employment can affect the figures. Nevertheless, employment at grad provides a meaningful objective metric when comparing across schools or years.

Weak hiring, fewer entry-level jobs, and changing employer demand make it increasingly important to look beyond a single ranking - or even a composite - when deciding where to attend.

8.     Compensation and employment outcomes don't always follow the average ranking. Several schools compare favorably despite ranking outside the top 6:

NYU Stern: $201,106 salary + bonus; 77.0% employed at graduation.

Dartmouth Tuck: $198,517; 77.2%.

Virginia Darden: $194,375; 80.1%.

Cornell Johnson: $194,716; 72.0%.

Vanderbilt Owen: $180,909; 78.5%.

Etc.

These figures suggest applicants shouldn't automatically equate a lower composite ranking with weaker career outcomes. At the same time, shifts in the composite rank of certain schools since last year demonstrate that rankings have some value and have self-corrected to some extent.

9.     Performance vs. Perception: The final column shows how each school’s salary rank compares with its overall rank, helping identify schools that may overperform or underperform what their conventional ranking might suggest. It's important to remember: the average rank reflects the opinions of academic rankings, while salary and employed at grad reflect the judgment of the free market. :)

10.  Lastly, while many are quick to rely on numerical rankings or school labels (M7, T15, Ivy/non-Ivy, etc.) as proxies for school quality, the empirical data is far more telling. For example, there is a considerable drop in employment outcomes after the first 15 schools than between top-10 to top-15, top-seven to non-top-7, etc., while some programs greatly outperform what their conventional rankings would suggest.

Hope this is helpful for those deciding where to apply in Round 2! Stay strong out there. With AI and lower hiring due to multiple factors—including high inflation, subdued economic growth from tariffs, and technological change—2026–2027 may be a challenging year. God willing, there could be a course correction in the United States after the midterms.

Hope this is helpful. All the best!

First year recruiting for roles in which it seems like they’re only looking for 1, sometimes 2-3 from my program.

I took initiative early in the year as far as building relationships and reaching out blindly. I don’t mind giving ppl information about the roles but also I’m having a nerve racking realization some of the ppl who I’m really cool with are asking me for more ppl to reach out to, notes over sessions they missed and what resources I’m utilizing to prep. I’m also here trying to justify this expensive MBA and land a role to support my wife and kid so I’m conflicted.

What’s the line and how did yall navigate it?

For those of you who were accepted to UCLA Anderson, who did you use as your 2 recommenders?

I’m currently working on my Round 1 application and have already sent the recommendation requests to my two recommenders, but I’m curious who others chose and what their relationship was to you.

I am 3 years into my job, it's my first job out college, and my manager is great and I was super confident of a strong letter or rec from him. That is, until three weeks ago, where I messed up pretty badly at work. I was given a verbal reprimand from him (in a separate room away from everyone else, undocumented, no write-up), and after the event, at the end of the day, I received praise in a private meeting for other aspects of my work as well as contributing to the success of the event and was told that mistakes happen and we grow from them.

That said, I am now nervous about asking for a recommendation, as it's only been a few weeks since the incident, and while I have been performing at a high level since then, I can't seem to let go of this mistake I made. Every time, I get a text from my manager, I am on high alert, even though he seems to have moved on. I am worried he will refuse to write an LOR or worse, will write a mediocre letter of recommendation. Not sure what to do, but I do want to bring this up to him soon, as I want to give him some time if he does agree.

Any advice is very much appreciated, thank you!

I’m deciding between University of Pittsburgh and Fordham for my MBA in marketing. I want to get into Brand Management for CPG or do something at an ad/marketing agency. I want to know which one is worth it recruiting wise. I know Fordham is in nyc where a lot of agencies and cpg companies are which gives a lot more opportunity. I’m currently based in pgh and want to know if Pitt mba grads have good opportunities as well.

Background:
M26, analyst in finance last 3 years and slowly transitioning into marketing as just got a role as a marketing analyst for a major appliance company. So mainly finance background with little marketing exp. Had a small marketing internship in college with a PR chair for a club.

Please share any feedback for my EMBA Resume.

Thank you in advance

Hey r/MBA, I’m seeking feedback on my application strategy and program selection. I recently transitioned out after four years as an Army officer. My profile includes a 338 GRE and a 3.85 GPA in Exercise Science. I am married, no kids, currently unemployed, and living on 100% VA disability (P&T). Tuition will be fully covered using VA benefits. I was previously accepted to the Texas McCombs Evening MBA but chose not to enroll because I want a full-time program to properly explore post-military career options, with Supply Chain and Operations Management being a primary area of interest.

I am currently evaluating Texas McCombs versus UTSA. I own a home in San Antonio and prefer to keep the property due to its long-term financial predictability. However, I recognize the structural gap in recruiting outcomes and corporate network density between UTSA and McCombs.

My long-term goal is to live and work in Texas—ideally in or near Austin. To balance keeping my current residence with attending a top-tier program, I am considering commuting from San Antonio to UT Austin for the full-time program.
Is commuting from San Antonio to Austin for a full-time MBA practical given I-35 traffic and the schedule demands of recruiting, group projects, and networking events? Is the outcome gap between McCombs and UTSA significant enough to justify either the commute or securing a mid-week residence near campus in Austin? Additionally, given my stats, am I limiting my options by focusing primarily on Texas programs, or is McCombs the optimal choice for staying in the state long-term? Any objective feedback from veterans or McCombs alumni would be appreciated.

So was planning on taking the GRE at the end of Sept and tore my Achilles at the beginning of Sept and needed emergency surgery. Thought I would have the time while recovering to keep studying and then maybe only have to push it out a few weeks. I very much underestimated this entire injury and it’s simply not feasible for me to even physically sit for this test until Nov at least and I need to submit apps before then.

I was planning on leaning on a higher GRE to offset an okay GPA (3.4). My undergrad degree is in social sciences from an Ivy but took a few higher level econ classes and have 6 YOE in a quant adjacent field - consumer insights research (modeling data sets, running regressions, advanced measurement analytics etc). How much does this hurt my chances? Is it better to just wait until late rounds so I can have a score to include? I could provide medical documentation but not sure if it’s wise to explain all this to admissions. Thanks!

Edit: know I definitely can’t get into M7 and can’t afford it either so was planning on applying to lower end of T20 and some in state

HBS admit from last year here. Posting because when I was applying, I looked for honest reviews of Sandy and mostly found his own Poets&Quants columns. So here's one data point for those of you interviewing for HBS.

I paid $1,000 for a one-hour session. Within the first few minutes it was clear he hadn't read the background I'd sent.

He asked how I'd introduce myself to my section. I gave a lighthearted, humorous answer I'd tested with friends and mentors. His immediate response: "What the F### was that." No explanation of what didn't work or what to do instead. Just that, and we moved on.

I'm fine with blunt feedback. I came from consulting and have had my work torn apart plenty. But tough and rude are different things, and at $1,000 an hour I expected tough plus substance.

Epilogue: I got in. On day one at HBS we did section intros, and I used essentially the same intro he dismissed. People laughed, and several classmates reached out afterward to say it was one of the most memorable.

His brand is brutal honesty, but it didn't help when it was not paired with actual preparation. If you're spending this kind of money, make sure whoever you hire actually reads your file first.

One more note: as far as I know he's never worked in HBS admissions.

Later,I worked with another consultant and I disregarded EVERYTHING that Sandy told me for my actual interview last October. Now I'm happily at HBS.

Happy to answer questions in the comments.

Ask yourself these three questions:
1) Are you up for the specific efforts and sacrifices required?
2) Do you like the job and the people you’ll be working with?
3) Does it play to what you're naturally strong at?

You need a YES to all three before jumping ship.

Especially if your current job is already a YES to the same questions.

Considering applying to the Terry MBA but wondering why I don’t see more mentions of it, as it was #25 this year. Please feel free to roast it if I’m overlooking the obvious.

Hey guys,

I’m hard set on doing IB post-MBA, (I’d be happy to do PE but have no prior finance experience so I’m not even trying) and am applying to the following schools:

HBS
W
Booth
Kellogg
MIT
CBS
NYU

I had self-selected out of applying to GSB as I was told there is no support network for IB because no one is interested in it. Is this true?

I see in the employment report 3% of the class went to IB so it’s not zero?

I guess I’m just looking for reassurance in my decision not to apply?

Thanks!

Internationally Oxford is a much better known uni than Cambridge and I was wondering why this was the case. From my experience in Asia and Africa, the top two in the world are Harvard/Oxford (maybe slight edge to Harvard due to American dominance) with Cambridge a distant third.

Is there a clear reason why brand strength favours Oxford over Cambridge?

I am preparing essays for MBA applications. as English is my second language, I use AI to check and fix any mistakes with English grammar (only after writing the whole thing by myself).

What worries me is that after all hard work to make a polished essay, I use AI detection software (e.g. pangram) and it flags my essays as AI-generated (60->100%). I noticed that these tools are not reliable as I can see very different outcomes from two nearly identical texts with only one small change.

Does anyone know if MBA admissions committees use this kind of software to detect AI-generated documents ? if yes, how do they use it ? (rejected right away if they see 100% AI-generated ??? ).

We actually expecting CBS R1 invites to start rolling in this upcoming week?

Feel free to ask about day to day, profile, application tips, recruiting questions, etc. I am an international student, although I did undergrad in the US and had an H1b before so happy to comment on that too. I interview applicants as well, happy to share thoughts.

I am currently working in an area that could be considered a non-traditional path for an MBA applicant. I’m hoping to apply to top MBA programs, but I haven’t received a promotion at work yet. I have a master’s degree and about three years of work experience.
My company does not have set promotion cycles; promotions are largely need-based and depend on organizational circumstances. Would not having a promotion be considered a red flag when applying to top MBA programs? Also, what can I do to strengthen my profile and improve my chances of admission?
Thanks!

If someone graduated an MBA program and is still a TA, what is the benefit? I imagine taking a role below your MBA required position would allow you to familiarize with a company and eventually promote into better roles with your MBA. What would be some benefits I haven’t considered?

I'm applying to MBA programs this cycle, primarily M7/T15, and the further I get into the process, the more I question how much the GRE tells an admissions committee about someone with a substantial professional track record.

I'm a 30-year-old Black male with a JD. I graduated from law school in 2021, and my career has spanned government, economic development, public policy, public finance, and private capital. I graduated from a small regional Methodist school with a 3.89 GPA while running varsity track.

Throughout my career, I've worked on more than $500 million in state-level investment programs designed to bring private capital into businesses and communities. I've managed lobbying efforts across 15+ states, including outside lobbyists, legislative strategy, direct work with legislators and senior government officials, policy negotiations, and helping get complicated initiatives across the finish line. I've also advised several GovTech companies on navigating and scaling in government markets.

Outside of work, the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) selected me to participate in a bipartisan, U.S. Department of State-sponsored exchange to India. I'll be traveling there this year as part of a small delegation of American leaders to meet with political, policy, and business leaders. I also serve as Vice President on my undergraduate university's alumni board.

I'm pursuing an MBA to transition from the government relations/consulting side to the capital side of public-private investment. Long-term, I'm interested in becoming an allocator or operator working across international economic development, infrastructure, and underserved markets—potentially at a development finance institution or building an investment platform of my own.

And then there's the GRE.

I'm studying for it. I'm taking it seriously (kinda). I'm investing real time and money to improve, and I'm not suggesting I shouldn't demonstrate I can handle the academics.

But realistically:

What does the difference between, say, a 312 and a 325 tell an admissions committee about me right now?

I'm roughly six years into my professional career. I've managed professionals nationwide. I've worked directly with senior elected officials. I've helped develop and advance hundreds of millions of dollars in investment programs. I've navigated complicated legislative negotiations. I have a law degree. I've been selected for an international leadership program. And I have very strong LORs.

So part of me genuinely thinks the GRE may be one of the least informative pieces of my application.

I understand why schools use standardized tests. I understand they want evidence of quantitative readiness, and I also understand that M7/T15 programs have plenty of applicants with impressive careers and 325+ scores.

I just wonder whether there is a point where the score becomes good enough, and the evidence from someone's actual career should matter considerably more.

If I end up around 310–315, is that still a serious obstacle at M7/T15 programs given this profile? Or is it more likely to be one weakness/data point in an application where professional impact, leadership, recommendations, career trajectory, and overall story carry significantly more weight?

Particularly interested in hearing from people who have been through the process.

Hi everyone!

I’m considering doing an MBA in Lisbon and would love to hear your thoughts on the different options available.

More than rankings or school marketing, I’m particularly interested in hearing about the outcomes of people who have actually completed an MBA.

For those who have done an MBA in Lisbon:

• Which MBA/school did you attend?
• What made you choose that particular program?
• Did the MBA have a meaningful impact on your career?
• Were you able to change careers, move into management roles, or significantly increase your salary?
• If you could go back, would you choose the same MBA again?

I’m especially interested in hearing about outcomes 1–3 years after completing the MBA, rather than just the experience during the program.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

Looking for first-hand experiences from people who answered "yes" to the disciplinary or termination questions on M7 applications:

• Undergrad: a conduct-related sanction (not academic dishonesty), several years ago, with no issues since.
• Work: an involuntary termination that the employer later acknowledged as unjustified in a settlement.

Did you disclose and still get admitted? How did you frame the explanation (length, level of detail), and did it come up in the interview?

Any insight appreciated, including from former adcoms.

Hey everybody!!! Just finished my emergency medicine training in Canada and was thinking about potentially doing an MBA. I’ve had this thought for roughly six hours and 14 minutes (oh boy). I‘m 27 (skipped a year of undergrad and med school) but still feeling this fear about taking the plunge idk

I’ve always just wanted to do something huge, and for me medicine was a beautiful way to really touch people’s lives, but I’ve always wanted to kind of push that beyond and help millions and millions of people. I think the issue I’ve had is that I don’t have that technical background to make a biotech startup like my friends at Boston, etc… I think the other isue is that I haven’t written the GMAT (oh boy again)

I would obviously love to build and work on these big ideas I have for companies here in Toronto, but sometimes the VC appetite doesn’t always appear to be there, and I don’t really know of technical co founders.

I took a look at previous threads, and it seems like there is some debate whether if you want to be entrepreneurial that an NBA is worth it. It seems like GBS is more closely oriented with that, i’ll beat, I’m not certain that I would be able to get in with a three-month application and effectively zero GMAT prep.

I guess the thing for me is whether it’s worth it trying to develop something in Toronto versus taking the plunge and going to San Francisco or Boston or somewhere else for an MBA. I think I’ve placed this mental pressure on myself. Would the rapid advancements of artificial intelligence; that’s not me saying that it’s going to replace all the jobs out there- I mean, I’m literally doing emergency medicine, which I feel is a pretty spicy specialty to replace. It’s more so the opportunity cost relative to ?two years time and the visa opportunity to be in the states

this has been super, super last minute, but I would really appreciate if anybody can give me any advice/wisdom etc

thank you!!!! Happy Saturday/sunday etc

I am currently pursuing my MBA (2nd year) and my core interest is in FMCG marketing. I have my ICICI interview tomorrow but I worried if I can switch from a BFSI Sales role to an FMCG Sales or Marketing role after 1-1.5 years in this sector. Do you know if it is easy? Your help would mean a lot!