The Princeton Review ranked The M.J. Neeley School of Business’ MBA program among the top 10 schools for campus facilities and opportunities for women, based largely upon TCU students’ perceptions.The Princeton Review’s 2006 edition of “Best 237 Business Schools” features 11 categories, with results based on institutional data and 16,000 MBA student surveys, said Jeanne Krier, publicist for Princeton Review Books.
All MBA students have the opportunity to fill out the survey, sent through an e-mail by a campus administrator.
Robert Franek, publisher for Princeton Review Books, said, “(The survey) is student-driven – and that is really the most unique part.”
TCU’s MBA program was ranked No. 2 in best campus facilities, based on student answers to survey questions concerning the quality of classroom, library and gym facilities, Krier said.
Dan Short, dean of the business school, said graduate program rankings should not be interpreted to reflect undergraduate programs as well. But he said campus facilities is a category that can be applied to both programs.
Short said the team rooms in Smith Entrepreneurs Hall have made a big impact. He said that on most nights, 60 to 70 students are still in Smith Hall at midnight.
In the category for the greatest opportunity for women, TCU is No. 9. The results for this category were based on the percent of MBA students who are female and percent of MBA faculty who are female. At TCU, 29 percent of the MBA students and 15 percent of the faculty in the MBA program are female, according to its profile in “Best 237 Business Schools.”
This category also considered students’ answers to survey questions, including assessment of resources for female students, whether the school offers coursework for women entrepreneurs and whether case study materials for classes proportionately reflect women in business.
“We think that there is incredible value in listening to students and their experiences both inside and outside of the classroom,” Franek said.
Franek said rankings should be considered as one indicator to inform students about a particular school. From the profiles in the book, students can produce questions to ask when they get onto a campus to visit the school, he said.
Short said rankings are nice, but agreed with Franek.
“To us, it’s not the simplicity of the rankings, but the complexity of the individual programs,” he said.
Billy Eagon, a first-year MBA student, said he looked at rankings before he came to TCU for graduate school and focused on the likelihood of getting a job after graduation.
In regards to The Princeton Review survey, he said it would be tough to compare his own school with other schools he has never been to.
“It’s definitely a biased opinion,” Eagon said.
Other categories in the book include toughest to get into, best overall academic experience, best career prospects, best professors, most competitive students, most family friendly, best campus environment, best administered and greatest opportunity for minority students.
TCU’s MBA program was recently ranked No. 18 in The Wall Street Journal Guide to Top Business Schools, based on survey results from corporate recruiters.
