Top MBA Programs

Available as an e-book at oreilly.com and the iBookstore.

Enrollment at MBA programs is booming, buoyed by layoffs in the financial sector and a lack of job opportunities. Those hoping to ride out the recession and prepare for an economic recovery will discover which schools are right for them using this in-depth guide to the world's top MBA programs.

Author David Petersam helps readers focus on the overlooked issue of business school "fit," create a personal ranking of their best-fit schools, and prepare applications that tell admissions committees why they're the right match for their programs. This inside look helps readers write essays, manage applications, prepare for interviews, time applications, transition to student life, get the most out of classes, and more. A CD-ROM packaged with the book contains a complimentary subscription to additional book content on the AdmissionsConsultants website. It also helps individuals rank MBA programs and learn which schools are a strong match for their interests and abilities.

Part I: Setting Your Foundation
Chapter 1: What Is the Value of the MBA Degree?
Chapter 2: What Fit Is and Why It Matters
Chapter 3: What Are the Fit Factors?

Part II: Building Your Dream
Chapter 4: What It Means to Position Yourself
Chapter 5: What It Means to Manage Your Applications
Chapter 6: What Is Your Essay Master Plan?
Chapter 7: What to Do After You Have Submitted Your Applications
Chapter 8: What It Means to Deal with Acceptance, Waitlists, and Rejection

Part III: Moving In and Moving On
Chapter 9: What to Do Before You Matriculate
Chapter 10: What Is the Business School Balancing Act?
Chapter 11: Putting It All Together

Part IV: Top Business Schools

David Petersam is the founder and president of AdmissionsConsultants, Inc., which publishes the informational website AdmissionsConsultants.com. The company helps thousands of applicants maximize their chances of getting into competitive programs each year.

Petersam holds an MBA from University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business (now Chicago Booth), where he gained an insider’s knowledge of MBA admissions by working in the admissions office and with the admissions committee. Petersam and his consultants are frequently quoted in the media.

Petersam has been quoted about college and graduate school admissions in many news outlets, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Philadelphia Inquirer. Petersam also blogs for BusinessSchoolAdmission.com, and his guest columns on MBA admissions have appeared in the Washington Business Journal.

For interview requests or questions about Petersam, contact Selena Dehne at sdehne@jist.com or (651) 215-7548.

"A breath of fresh air. What matters to today's MBA admissions committees is how a student will fit with their program; helping students find what they're looking for through such a useful, customizable CD-ROM facilitates better student-to-business match ups."
—Matt Whitaker; MBA recipient from the University of Chicago's GSB, member of Student Admissions Committee, and former admissions consultant who has advised hundreds of successful applicants on school selection and admissions strategy