P&Q’s Must Reads: How Executives Rank The World’s Best Business Schools In 2024 

Hello everyone  — Welcome back to Poets&Quants’ Must Reads, a quick, digestible recap of the top business school news, sponsored by CentreCourt, P&Q’s virtual admission events.

I’m your host, Kristy Bleizeffer, and I’ll be highlighting the most important P&Q stories you might have missed. So, let’s get to it. 

No. 1: How Executives Rank The World’s Best Business Schools In 2024 

If you’re looking for a MBA with the best chance of scoring you a job with a dream company, this might be the ranking for you. CEOWORLD’s “Best Business Schools In The World” ranking surveys  business executives, graduates, industry professionals, business school academics, employers, and recruiters for their global ranking to show what schools actually catch a hiring manager’s attention.

After being runner-up to the Wharton School in 2023, the London Business School grabbed the top spot in 2024. The Wharton School slipped to 2nd, elbowing out Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, and Columbia Business School among Top 5.

You find the full list and the methodology behind the ranking in our trending tab.

No. 2: Harvard Business School MBA Accused Of Defrauding Alums In $2.9M Ponzi Scheme 

A Harvard Business School MBA has been accused by New York state’s attorney general of operating a $2.9 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 29 investors — including one who allegedly committed suicide when he discovered he had lost all of his investment.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James accused HBS Class of 2003 MBA Vladimir Artamonov of tricking investors by promising them returns of 500% to 1,000% by claiming to learn which investments Berkshire Hathaway — Warren Buffett’s holding company — planned to make.

Among those who the court order indicates provided affidavits against Artamonov are three of his Harvard classmates from 21 years ago.

Read more about this ongoing case from our homepage.

No. 3: UK B-Schools Say International Recruitment Is Plummeting

This story from our partners at Times Higher Education dives into some troubling recruitment numbers from B-schools across the pond.

On the heels of the UK government’s stricter immigration policies, 75% of UK members of the Chartered Association of Business Schools reported that international enrollments were down from a year ago for students coming from countries outside the European Union. Some 41% reported that EU international enrollments were also down.

“Business school deans are concerned about the perception that the UK is now perceived as a hostile environment for international students,” says Chartered ABS which surveyed UK business schools for the report.

UK’s recent ban on dependents, delays to visa processing and the forthcoming review into the Graduate Route were all cited as factors in international recruiting.

Read the full story on our homepage.

No. 4: Our Weekly Round Up of  News You Can Use

No matter where you are in your MBA journey, we bring several helpful stories for you this week.

First up: HBS Deferred MBA: Top Tips For The 2+2 Essays. This story has important advice on what Harvard is looking for in candidates. YOu can find it on our homepage.

Next: How To Tackle Duke’s 25 Random Things Q. This story, available in our admission hub, also includes an Example Essay for the school.

Finally: How to Get Into Dartmouth Tuck: Tips To Convey Your Fit. This story is also in our admission hub and is packed with practical advice.

And, that’s it for this week’s Must Reads recap. 

I also want to alert school seekers to our events tab from our main menu. There, you’ll find all the upcoming admissions events for a range of degrees and programs including full-time and online MBAs, specialized masters, entrepreneurship and more. Registration is free.

Again, I’m Kristy Bleizeffer, and you can join me next week, right here, for a recap of what’s important in the world of business education. Thanks for listening.