Rankings - FT vs. US News (?)

Hey everyone, I have been trying to compare the different ranking avenues (primarily for abroad universities), I am finding some glaring differences. Between ft.com rankins and US News rankings for MBAs- which one have you all found to b…

Hey everyone,

I have been trying to compare the different ranking avenues (primarily for abroad universities), I am finding some glaring differences.

Between ft.com rankins and US News rankings for MBAs- which one have you all found to be more accurate / helpful?


McCombs-UT Austin (FT Rank(wordwide): 52, US News: 18.
Rice MBA (Jones School) (FT Rank(wordwide): 44, US News: 38.

Why is the relative difference between the above rankings opposite?

THanks,
Neil

Hey everyone,

I have been trying to compare the different ranking avenues (primarily for abroad universities), I am finding some glaring differences.

Between ft.com rankins and US News rankings for MBAs- which one have you all found to be more accurate / helpful?


McCombs-UT Austin (FT Rank(wordwide): 52, US News: 18.
Rice MBA (Jones School) (FT Rank(wordwide): 44, US News: 38.

Why is the relative difference between the above rankings opposite?

THanks,
Neil

Here's my two cents' worth

Neil, FT is a worldwide ranking while the US News ranking is USA specific. So I would suggest to get a better idea you download the excel format of the FT ranking & filter it for USA only & then re-rank to get their ranking within US.

Having said that you will see some amount of discrepancy between the two for instance Rice MBA (Jones School) which is US News rank 38 is 21 on a FT USA ranking. This is because of the difference in ranking methodology & parameters. Most guys in American B Schools I have spoken to swear by the US News ranking, for good measure. I guess it makes more regional (country level in this case) sense.

For your decision making, would suggest that you evaluate the parameters on which these rankings are decided respectively & weigh them on basis of the importance these parameters have in your personal decision making.

It may be useful to mention here, FT has drawn a huge amount of flak for its "sudden emergences". This is a phenomenon where schools suddenly make their debut in one year at a rather high rank & then disappear in subsequent years to only appear eons later. This does sow seeds of doubt. The colleges attribute it to questionnaires being left unanswered, which throws them out of the year in X year. Another aspect that personally worries me in the FT ranking is the difference between Alumni recommended rank (it appears on the respective college's page on FT) & the FT ranking. An unhappy alumnus does not bode well for a college.

But I am gonna add, beyond a point ranking is but a number mate, look deeper. Write to the colleges, speak to their profs, current/ex students & career services, that's the litmus test.

Disclaimer: Not proof checked, so maybe replete with spellos