The M7 B-Schools: Everything You Need To Know

INSIGHTS FROM THE M7: SCHOOL DIFFERENTIATORS

Clare Norton, Senior Associate Dean of Enrollment Management, Columbia Business School

“At Columbia Business School, we continually retool how we educate students to meet contemporary business needs. Ten years ago, we began expanding our curriculum with classes focused on areas such as algorithmic decision-making, machine learning, and the coding platform Python. Our curriculum now contains courses that include tech fundamentals, applied AI, digital product management, blockchain, crypto, and climate tech, among others. Today, more than 88% of our students take an elective in data, tech, or analytics and ~67% take two or more electives in this space.

“CBS faculty members are leading the way in cutting-edge research in data, tech, analytics, and more. For example, Assaf Zeevi’s work on machine learning and its integration in the healthcare industry is highly innovative, Dan Russo’s research on AI, particularly in reinforcement learning, has far-reaching applications in developing large-scale recommendation systems and Bo Cowgill’s research on labor markets offers valuable insights into the impact of automation in the workforce. More research can be found here.

“Last year we established the Digital Future Initiative. Our goal is to work more closely with businesses, organizations, governments, and communities in an effort to optimize and accelerate technological advance. In January, we launched four new research labs to bring together students, business practitioners, and leading faculty from across Columbia University to promote research and curriculum development in the areas of the algorithmic economy, digital finance, humans in the digital economy, and media and technology.”

Chad Losee, Former Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard Business School

“HBS invented the case method pedagogy, which we still use today. Students discuss up to 500 cases over their two years at the school, reading and analyzing them before class to prepare themselves for a discussion about how they would solve the business challenge presented. HBS brings together amazingly talented people from diverse backgrounds and puts that experience front and center. Students do the majority of the talking (and lots of active listening), and their job is to better understand the decision at hand, what they would do in the case protagonist’s shoes, and why. They do not leave a class thinking about the case the same way they thought about it coming in. In addition to learning more about many different businesses, with the case method, they develop communication, listening, analysis, and leadership skills. It is a truly dynamic and immersive learning environment grounded in our mission of creating leaders who will make a difference in the world.

“The international nature of the HBS MBA program is another major differentiator. In addition to its global alumni network (with a third of MBA alumni living outside the U.S.), the School’s 15 research centers and regional offices in key areas of the world enable faculty to work with leaders, industry, government, and academia worldwide, and to learn from business challenges and innovations wherever they occur. Through sustained work in the field, faculty are provided the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and values – as well as intricacies and nuances – that lead to truly meaningful and insightful global research, and in turn, more robust and global-focused curriculum and opportunities for students.”

Blair Mannix, Director of MBA Admission, the Wharton School

“The Wharton School was very pleased to be a frontrunner in gender parity in business schools. The energy on campus in and around our Class of 2023 with 52% women was unmatched. We are also proud to report the Class of 2024 arrived with 50% women, and both classes had the strongest academics indicators we have ever had.” (See also Wharton’s latest class profile, which maintains the school’s gender equity for a third straight year.)

“Additionally, Wharton just appointed Renita Miller as Wharton’s first-ever chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. She comes to Penn from Princeton University, where she spent over four years as the associate dean for access, diversity, and inclusion and the executive director of the pre-doctoral fellowship initiative at the Princeton Graduate School. Renita will work to integrate inclusive practices into core academic activities of the school, such as supporting diversity practices in staff hiring and development, increasing opportunities for meaningful progress in conversations, and helping promote diversity, equity, and inclusion understanding and engagement among students and alumni.”

Emily Haydon, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management

“Kellogg’s community and culture are like no other. One of the most memorable experiences for our students is getting introduced to their sections on their first day. A ‘section’ is a group of fellow classmates assigned at orientation who will be core to their Kellogg experience. It’s a community that will help them establish connections with classmates, expose them to different perspectives in and out of the classroom, and be their go-to support network as they adjust to Kellogg.

“Sections tend to remain a tight-knit group throughout their entire Kellogg journey, participating in small group dinners, light-hearted section competitions and more. Many lifelong friendships are forged out of these groups.”

Starr Marcello, Deputy Dean, Chicago Booth School of Business

“Many students have described Chicago Booth’s “pay-it-forward” culture as one of the greatest returns on investment. Booth’s dynamic global alumni network comprises 55,000 leaders, many of whom support new Booth graduates. Booth Alumni help new Booth graduates through mentorship, career guidance, and by providing networking opportunities and key connections at events like Booth 20/20, Alumni Breakfast Series, and Booth Family Dinners. New Booth graduates also engage with other alumni at First-Year Reunion Events such as Reconnect and its Alumni clubs (to connect recent graduates to the Recent Alumni Guide), and benefit overall from alumni’s general commitment to hosting events and remaining engaged with Chicago Booth.

“Our students and alumni have often shared that Booth’s approach to business education, the Chicago Approach™, prepares them for success throughout their career. The Chicago Approach is rooted in fundamental scientific disciplines at the heart of business–economics, accounting, psychology, sociology, and statistics—taught by the world-renowned business school faculty. This provides individuals with an enduring framework; its portability makes it adaptable to any situation, in any industry, and at any time. Our students and alumni say that because of Booth’s unique curriculum–and its focus on analytics and empirical data–they are more prepared than their peers to tackle today’s constantly changing, data-driven business landscape. It has helped to inform their decision-making, launch their careers, and made them highly marketable in numerous competitive industries.

“Full-Time Booth MBA students also remember the Random Walks trips to global destinations hosted by Booth. Second-year students lead first-year students on “adventures,” where all students have the opportunity to build camaraderie and experience different cultures, nightlife, nature, sports/physical activities, and relaxation.”

Pre-MBA Industries of the M7 Class of 2024

Harvard: 1,015 Students	Wharton: 877 Students	Columbia: 629 Students	Booth: 621 Students	Kellogg: 503 Students	Stanford: 424 Students	MIT: 408 Students
Venture Capital/Private Equity: 16% (15%)	Consulting 27% (23%)	Financial Services 31% (29%)	Financial Services 19% (29%)	Consulting 24% (28%)	Consulting 20% (19%)	Financial Services 23% (21%)
Consulting 16% (17%)	PE/VC 9% (14%)	Consulting 22% (22%)	Consulting 25% (22%)	Financial Services 19% (29%)	PE/VC 20% (20%)	Technology 14% (16%)
Technology 14% (11%)	Other 9% (10%)	Marketing/Media 12% (11%)	Marketing/Media N/A (11%)	Technology 17% (12%)	Technology 15% (16%)	Government/Nonprofit 14% (12%)
Finance 10% (12%)	Nonprofit/Government 11% (10%)	Technology 9% (9%)	Technology 13% (9%)	Other 8% (9%)	Government/Education/Nonprofit 8% (8%)	Pharmaceutical/Healthcare/Biotech 6% (7%)
Manufacturing 9% (11%)	Tech/Internet Services 12% (10%)	Other N/A (8%)	Other 12% (8%)	Government/Nonprofit 7% (4%)	Consumer Products & Services 7% (5%)	Other 7% (6%)
CPG/Retail 9% (9%)	Financial Services 5% (19%)	Nonprofit 3% (4%)	Nonprofit 11% (4%)	Media/Entertainment 4% (3%)	Media/Entertainment 5% (6%)	Energy 4% (5%)
Healthcare/Biotech 8% (7%)	Healthcare 5% (5%)	Healthcare 5% (5%)	Healthcare 6% (5%)	Consumer Goods 7% (4%)	Healthcare 5% (8%)	Manufacturing 3% (4%)
Nonprofit/Government 6% (8%)	CPG/Retail 2% (4%)	Real Estate 7% (5%)	Real Estate N/A (5%)	Health/Bio 7% (5%)	Financial Services 4% (1%)	Consumer Products/Retail 3% (4%)
Military 4% (5%)	Energy 2% (3%)	Military/Government 4% (5%)	Military/Government 11% (5%)	Manufacturing 2% (1%)	Clean Tech/Energy/Environmental 3% (3%)	Automotive/Transportation/Defense 2% (2%)
Services 3% (3%)	Media/Entertainment 2% (2%)	Energy 1% (2%)	Energy 4% (2%)	Military 4% (2%)	Military 4% (5%)	Media/Entertainment/Sports 0.5% (2%)
Media/Entertainment 4% (2%)		Manufacturing 1% (NA)	PE/VC 5% (N/A)	Energy 2% (3%)	Manufacturing 3% (4%)

(Class of 2023 in parentheses)

Undergraduate Majors of the M7 Class of 2024

Harvard	Wharton	Columbia	Booth	Kellogg	Stanford	MIT
Engineering: 28% (27%)	Humanities: 34% (39%)	Business: 37% (33%)	Business: 25% (27.4%)	Economics/Business: (49%)	Business/Commerce: 19% (15%)	Engineering: 29% (33%)
Business/Commerce: 24% (21%)	Business: 32% (27%)	Economics: 18% (20%)	Economics: 25% (23.5%)	STEM: (35%)	Engineering, Math & Natural Sciences: 31% (39%)	Economics: 17% (19%)
Economics: 19% (20%)	STEM: 34% (33%)	Engineering: 15% (16%)	Engineering: 24% (23.8%)	Humanities: (21%)	Humanities, Social Sciences: 26% (15%)	Business: 23% (18%)
Math/Physical Science: 14% (15%)		Social Science: 13% (12%)	Liberal Arts: 13% (11.6%)			Math & Science: 15% (9%)
Social Sciences: 10% (13%)		Humanities: 6% (6%)	Physical Sciences: 9% (8.6%)			Social Science: 10% (6%)
Arts/Humanities: 5% (4%)		Sciences: 7% (8%)	Other: 4% (5%)			Humanities: 2% (4%)
		Technology: 2% (2%)				Computer Science: 2% (3%)
		Other: N/A (2%)				Law: 1% (1%)

(Class of 2023 in parentheses)

Paul Oyer, Associate Dean, Stanford Graduate School of Business

“There’s a quote engraved on the cornerstone of the Knight Management Center that perfectly captures the essence of Stanford GSB and is the natural starting point for a tour of the school: ‘Dedicated to the things that haven’t happened yet and the people who are about to dream them up.’ From there, a quick trip through the Arbuckle Dining Pavilion will convey a sense of the energy, excitement, and collaboration among Stanford GSB students. From celebrating birthdays to imagining new ventures, the dining pavilion is the hub of activity and the heart of our community where students meet for lunch, class meetings and coffee chats.

“The best advice for prospective applicants is to effectively demonstrate your potential to be impactful leaders – even if you don’t yet know which field you may choose to focus on, and help us see what drives your curiosity. Just as there is a wide range of ways leaders are successful, we welcome students with a wide range of personal, professional, and educational backgrounds. But the common thread among all of our successful applicants is curiosity, passion, a spirit of collaboration, and a strong desire to have a positive impact on the world as well as within the GSB community.”

Maura Herson, Assistant Dean, MIT Sloan School of Management

“MIT Sloan has launched its Digital Product Management Certificate program that aggregates a variety of courses and product management club activities into a formal pathway for students interested in pursuing a career in technical product management.

“The MBA program is also reviving its study tour program, which gives students the opportunity to develop up to three geographically topical courses that include a 10-14 day immersion travel experience. Pre-pandemic, these trips included, among others, explorations of cryptocurrency in Europe, microfinance in Africa, and education in South America.”

DON’T MISS P&Q’s M7 CLASS OF 2024 PROFILES:

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

THE WHARTON SCHOOL (and the Class of 2025)

COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL

CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

AND OUR MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2024 SERIES:

HARVARD

WHARTON

COLUMBIA