HBS Nets Top Spot as Princeton Review's Most Selective School

Though the Wall Street Journal survey of recruiters ranked Harvard Business School number 14 last month, HBS came out on top for selectivity in Princeton Review’s 2007 edition of Best 282 Business Schools.

In the Princeton Review rankings, which were released on Tuesday, Harvard ranked first in “Toughest to Get Into,” tenth in “Best Overall Academic Experience,” and eighth in “Best Career Prospects.”

Last month’s Journal article said that its rankings were based on surveys completed by recruiters that seek employees at each of the listed business schools and explained that “recruiters complain that they often find graduates of some of the most prestigious institutions more arrogant and less collegial than the MBAs they meet at other schools.” The Princeton Review rating, on the other hand, puts students in the driver’s seat, asking them to reflect on recruiters and other aspects of the business school experience.

According to Adrinda L. Kelly, senior editor of “Best 282 Business Schools,” the Princeton review rankings are based on a combination of institutionally-provided information and student feedback. “We think that the students are the real experts,” she said.

“The Best Overall Academic Experience” and “Best Career Prospects” rankings incorporate student survey results.

The “Best Career Prospects” list is based on statistical information such as the graduate employment rate and average starting salaries for graduates, as well as student feedback regarding the efforts of the career placement offices, their feelings on their level of preparation upon graduation, and the quality of the companies that recruit on their campuses, Kelly said.

The “Toughest to Get Into” ranking is one of the only lists that is solely based on information provided by the schools. It takes into account average GMAT scores, undergraduate grade-point averages of students, the acceptance rate of the school, and its matriculation rate.