Every person learns differently. Some people like group projects and team based case discussions while others thrive on lectures. There is no right answer on which school to go to. However, it is important that you realize how YOU learn the material best and which schools use the learning style that you are most comfortable with.
Below is the table which shows different teaching methodologies and their break down by percentage.
It is clear that some schools such as HBS employ case method extensively (about 80% of material is delivered through cases), while other schools such as MIT Sloan balances various different teaching methods. Again, select a school which complements your learning style.
One of the most debated topic during the business school applications season (which seem to last year round) is the business school rankings. The two most cited publications for the business school ranking are – US News and Business Week (BW) . Although, rankings play a huge part while selecting a school, but as an applicant you should know the strengths of each school so that you can get the most out of your business school degree. In one of the upcoming posts I will get into detail on what to look when selecting a school.
I personally believe that US News provides a more accurate representation of business school rankings. However, there are people who beg to differ, especially students at Chicago Booth (Which is currently ranked number 1 by BW).
Although, rankings are important, but they should not drive your decision to apply or accept an offer. The only time when you will discuss rankings so much, will be NOW (during the application season). Do you even know what your undergrad institution is ranked currently? If you know the answer, more power to you. Also, if you care about rankings so much there is no way to guess what your b-school ranking will be in 5 years or 10 years down the road. So although, you might get into a top 5 program now, but in 10 years it might be ranked lower.