MBA applicants can get carried away with rankings. In this series, we profile amazing programs at business schools that are typically ranked outside the top 15.
With a classroom size averaging just 35 students or fewer, numerous academic concentrations, and the additional choice of “designations” (which allow for a more focused specialization), Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business offers a highly tailored MBA experience. Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of the program is its access to career resources throughout New York City—notably, through its MBA Consulting Program. The school’s Web site states that since the Consulting Program’s inception in 1992, more than 700 MBA students have worked on more than 200 projects for more than 80 corporate and nonprofit clients in the greater New York City metropolitan area. Each term, students may collaborate in teams led by a faculty advisor to gain hands-on experience consulting in various functional roles, including analyzing consumer market data, supply chain optimization, and overseeing a product launch. In 2013, students worked with such clients as Argington, GE Capital, Knowledgent, and Standard Media Index. Other past clients have included Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer, JPMorgan Chase, Polo Ralph Lauren, the New York Yankees, Mercedes-Benz, Radisson Hotels, Standard & Poor’s, and the American Red Cross.