Accuracy of this MBA ranking list for IB?
Recently came across a ranking on WSO that had positive feedback and wanted to see how accurate the following list was:
1) Harvard / Stanford
3) Wharton
4) Booth / Kellogg / Sloan / CBS
8) Haas
9) Yale / Tuck / NYU Stern
12) Ross / Darden / Fuqua
15) Johnson
Based on the most helpful WSO content, the ranking you provided aligns reasonably well with the general consensus on MBA tiers for investment banking (IB). Here's a breakdown:
Harvard / Stanford: These are consistently considered top-tier (M7 schools) and are highly sought after for IB and other finance roles. Their global brand and strong alumni networks make them elite choices.
Wharton: Wharton is often regarded as the best MBA program for finance, including IB, due to its strong placement numbers and finance-focused curriculum. It is frequently ranked just below HBS and Stanford for finance careers.
Booth / Kellogg / Sloan / CBS: These schools are strong Tier 1 options for IB. Booth and CBS are particularly known for their finance focus, while Kellogg and Sloan are slightly more generalist but still place well in IB.
Haas: Haas is a solid Tier 2 school for IB, though its West Coast location makes it more tech and VC-focused. It still has decent IB placement, especially for those targeting West Coast offices.
Yale / Tuck / NYU Stern: These schools are strong Tier 2 options. Stern, in particular, benefits from its NYC location, which provides excellent networking opportunities for IB. Tuck and Yale also have good placement but are slightly less finance-focused.
Ross / Darden / Fuqua: These schools are considered Tier 2.5 or Tier 3 for IB. They have solid placement numbers but may require more effort in networking compared to Tier 1 schools.
Johnson: Cornell Johnson is often grouped in Tier 3 for IB. It has decent placement but is not as strong as the schools listed above.
This ranking is consistent with other WSO threads and discussions, which often cluster schools into tiers based on their IB placement strength, alumni networks, and geographic advantages. However, individual outcomes can vary based on personal effort, networking, and specific career goals.
Sources: Why does the Wharton MBA get no love on here?, MBA Tier List for Investment Banking, , Comprehensive List of Target Schools for Investment Banking, Wharton kids favor restructuring/distressed investing?
H/S not that great for IB is what I thought?
That list is ass. H/S students don't really do much IB recruiting, and as a result have less of a pipeline and infrastructure. Of course those students can do it if they want, but it's odd to put them on the top of the list because their ability to get looks at top banks is more indicative of their students in general than it is the MBA program as an IB feeder.
If you are just a normal person who wants to get into IB and maximize their placement odds, the top 5 programs by far in terms of volume, OCR, alumni network, and club infrastructure are Wharton, Booth, Columbia, Stern, and Johnson. Within that group, W/B/C have better placement typically at the top boutiques, and your variance in outcomes among those three is more determined by the candidate than school. I don't know enough about the rest to differentiate them tbh.
Thanks for the clarification. My post was more so hinting at which school would yield the best outcome for IB recruiting assuming the same candidate would be applying to IB in either one of these schools.
For example, agreed that not many Harvard MBAs gun for IB, but in my mind they would be favoured marginally in the screening process as opposed to say Wharton. So that’s what I was alluding to if that makes sense. Any colour from that perspective?
Not sure how many datapoints are even available to get a read here. I don't know if the HBS candidate would be preferred honestly. Wharton has an active club and bigger alumni network of recent grads at every single major group on the street. Those are your advocates on the other side fighting for Wharton spots to be allocated vs other schools, and influencing the recruiting process. HBS just doesn't have the same presence it once did in IB recruiting, and doesn't even have a dedicated banking club to my knowledge. So the resources, training and infrastructure won't be the same.
For what it's worth, I have yet to meet someone going to HBS just to increase their IB chances. Usually, it's to avoid IB altogether. The culture there gives IB a side-eye, if not altogether looks down on it.
W is really strong. They also do this firm ranking thing in order to “spread the love” and try to get as much of their class offers as possible. It’s kind of like Frat rush where there’s a mutual interest ranking thing so you avoid having 1 person with 5 offers and 1 with zero (even if one of the other 4 banks would actually hire the one who struck out), which happens at a place like Booth.
It can be annoying for very competitive folks, but makes it more collaborative / supportive.
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