The Wall Street Journal’s Guide to Top Business Schools ranked TCU’s School of Business No. 11 this year, but because of future smaller graduate classes, TCU will not qualify for next year’s ranking. This is the third year TCU is ranked in the top 20, moving up from last year’s ranking of No. 18.

Next year TCU will not qualify for The Wall Street Journal ranking because its MBA class size has decreased from 55 to 40 students, which is 10 students below the minimum requirement for ranking, said Bill Cron, associate dean for graduate programs.

The reason for the decline follows a national trend of decreasing the number of students in MBA programs, Cron said. He added the business school will not increase class size to reach ranking requirements.

Rankings are based on surveys from regional MBA recruiters who evaluate 21 different attributes including two new ones, which measure how well a school incorporates experiential learning into the classroom and its work ethic, according to a The Wall Street Journal press release.

School of Business Dean Dan Short said the school does not focus on the rankings when developing its programs.

“Rankings are nice,” Short said, “but what we’re trying to do is develop all the programs to produce outstanding graduates that can make a difference in the business world.”

He said all of the components of the school contribute to its recognition.

Students said they appreciate the rankings.

“It’s good to know that your parents’ money is paying for a quality education,” said Colby Faulder, a junior management major.

Short said he wants to remind people not to be disappointed when they don’t see TCU ranked next year.

“It’s terrible because everybody’s so excited about the rankings right now,” he said. “They will pick up The Wall Street Journal next year and when they don’t see us, they’re going to be a little disappointed.”

Cron said SMU’s program has also decreased by almost half from about four years ago.

Eric Yorkston, assistant professor of marketing, said a lower economy means a lower number of students attending graduate school and smaller class sizes.

Yorkston said next year’s ranking omission doesn’t bother him.

“I’m glad that we’re falling out because of a technicality and not that the recruiters don’t like us,” Yorkston said.

Kevin Cargill, a junior accounting and finance major, said he agrees.

“I don’t think it’ll cause any trauma to the business school,” he said.