UCA’s College of Business is an outstanding business school, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the new 2011 edition of its book, “The Best 300 Business Schools.”
According to Robert Franek, Princeton Review Senior VP-Publishing, “We are pleased to recommend the University of Central Arkansas to readers of our book and users of our site, www.PrincetonReview.com, as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA. We chose the 300 business schools in this book based on our high opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools. We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools who rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book.”
UCA’s MBA Director, Michael Rubach stated “It is an honor to be chosen as one of the 300 best Business Schools out of over 4000 business schools world-wide and over 600 MBA programs in the United States alone. I’m proud of the efforts of the faculty, administrators, and staff of the College of Business that have made us one of the best.”
“The Best 300 Business Schools: 2011 Edition” has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on their academics, student life, and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity, and career placement services.
In the profile on UCA, the Princeton Review editors describe the school as: “One testament to the quality of the education is that many undergraduate students choose to return to the University for a graduate degree, directly out of college or many years later.” They quote from students attending UCA’s College of Business who say “I feel I have been given a solid education at UCA, facilitated by small class sizes, a large college atmosphere, and attentive professors,” Another student commented, “classroom discussion is rarely dry. We all get along well and enjoy each other’s thoughts and input, whether in or out of the classroom.”
In a “Survey Says . . . ” sidebar in the profile, The Princeton Review lists topics that UCA students it surveyed were in most agreement about. The list includes: “Students love Conway, AR, the cutting-edge classes, and helpful alumni.” The Princeton Review’s 80-question survey for the book asked students about themselves, their career plans, and their schools’ academics, student body and campus life.
The Princeton Review does not rank the business schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 300, or name one business school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories. Ten lists are based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 19,000 students attending the 300 business schools profiled in the book. (Only schools that permitted The Princeton Review to survey their students were eligible for consideration for these lists.) Conducted during the 2009-10, 2008-09, and 2007-08 academic years, the student surveys were primarily completed online. One list, “Toughest to Get Into,” is based solely on institutional data. (All schools in the book were eligible for consideration for this list.) The lists are posted at www.PrincetonReview.com
UCA’s College of Business is one of 66 schools in the book (22% of the 300) that appear on one or more of the book’s ranking lists. It is ranked 63rd overall in academic experience category, 64th in interesting professors, and 61st in accessible professors.
“The Best 300 Business Schools: 2011 Edition” also has advice on applying to business schools and funding the degree. It is one of the more than165 Princeton Review books published by Random House. The line includes “The Best 172 Law Schools: 2011 Edition” – which also published on October 12, 2010 and has 11 ranking lists of top 10 schools largely based on surveys of students attending them. Other Princeton Review books include an annual guide to the best medical schools, plus guides to graduate school admission exams and application essays. The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com) is also known for its guides to colleges and to standardized tests, its classroom and online test-prep courses, tutoring and other education services. The Princeton Review is headquartered in Framingham, MA: its editorial offices are in New York City. The company is not affiliated with Princeton University, and it is not a magazine.
