Recognize that media rankings do not measure the quality of the business school
Despite the fact that some rankings are promoted as “best b-schools,” each focuses only on a specific type of program, usually the full-time MBA program. These rankings do not capture the full breadth of business school activities, which may include undergraduate education, non-degree education, doctoral education, and research. AACSB accreditation looks at all degree programs offered by the institution .

Do not limit your search to only ranked programs
Media rankings do not include all programs of high quality. Rankings of full-time programs, for example, do not inform students who are interested in part-time programs. In addition, many programs that can best fit your needs may not even be included in the rankings for a variety of reasons. For example, if you are the type of student that performs best with individual attention, a smaller regional program might be best for you.

Focus on what you want, not what the rankings assume is important to you
For each ranking, one formula is assumed to fit all. Readers should be aware that their unique wants and needs aren’t necessarily measured by the data and formulas applied by the rankings. Therefore, using the rankings to identify the best fit can have severe limitations.

Do not be misled by dramatic changes in the rank of a program
Although some programs may experience dramatic increases or decreases in rankings from year-to-year, these changes are not likely due to real changes in the quality of a program. Sometimes minor statistical “noise” or variation may contribute to drastic changes due to the methods applied by media rankings.

Look beyond rankings for the most relevant and accurate data
Most of the data included in media rankings have not been carefully checked for accuracy. Definitions in surveys are often unclear and leave room for different interpretations. Also, not every school reports data in exactly the same way, making valid comparisons very difficult. After determining the criteria most meaningful to you, it’s best to ask many questions directly to the school.