Krannert was among the top 25 undergraduate programs nationally in U.S.News & World Report rankings released in August. The school shared the No. 21 slot with three other universities and tied for No. 12 among business schools at public institutions.

With 2,692 students enrolled during the 2006–07 academic year, the undergraduate program also fared well in specialty rankings, including No. 3 in productions/operations management, and No. 4 in quantitative analysis/methods.

“The Krannert School is perennially rated among the best in the country,” says Dean Rick Cosier. “We continue to be proud of our programs for both undergraduate and graduate students.”

Krannert’s MBA program ranked 22nd nationally in U.S.News & World Report rankings released in March, and two specialty areas at the school ranked among the top 10.

“This top-25 standing in U.S.News is very good news,” says Dean Rick Cosier. “It is consistent with other rankings of our MBA programs from national surveys conducted by The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek, and is further verification that Krannert remains a major force among business schools in the country.”

The Krannert School’s overall No. 22 ranking tied for seventh among public universities. In specialty rankings, Krannert ranked No. 3 in production/operations management and No. 7 in supply chain/logistics, tied with Wharton School of Business and Stanford University.

Among the criteria U.S.News uses to make its overall business school rankings are graduates’ starting salaries and the percentage of those employed after receiving their degrees. With 96.5 percent of its 2006 class employed within three months of graduation at an average starting salary of $93,780, Krannert ranked third in the country after only Texas A&M and the University of Minnesota.

“These results attest to the fact that recruiters know that Krannert graduates have the skills necessary to help companies succeed in a global environment,” says Chuck Johnson, director of full-time master’s and executive education programs. “We produce graduates with great work ethic, teamwork skills, and analytical abilities, and those qualities match up with what recruiters seek today.”

— Maggie Morris

Krannert is among the top dozen regional MBA programs in the country in the latest rankings by The Wall Street Journal.

Krannert ranked No. 12 among 51 business schools in the regional ranking, meaning the schools draw recruiters primarily from the region in which they are located. Results were published in September in a special section called “The Top Business Schools.”

“Krannert has a longstanding reputation for having a solid MBA program,” says Dean Rick Cosier. “In a category that has the most competitors nationwide, we stand alongside some great MBA programs and were able to maintain a ranking in the top quartile.”

In separate specialty rankings, Krannert ranked third in operations management. That area has placed third in all seven of the publication’s rankings, which began in 2001. The
Krannert School also ranked 10th in information technology and eighth in energy and industrial products and services.

Unlike other MBA rankings that use a variety of measures, The Wall Street Journal uses only surveys and interviews with corporate recruiters, who rated full-time MBA programs on
21 different attributes, including students’ leadership potential
and strategic thinking, students’ previous work experience, the faculty and curriculum, and the career-services office.

Of all the attributes, recruiters said interpersonal and communication skills, a teamwork orientation, personal ethics and integrity, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and a strong work ethic matter most to them.

Chuck Johnson, Krannert’s director of full-time master’s and executive education programs, says when recruiters visit the school, they know they can expect students with exceptional abilities and work ethics. “The competition is fierce among schools with MBA programs, and our students consistently show they are among the best,” he says.

— Maggie Morris

A multimillion-dollar renovation to the Krannert Building began this summer, including the installation of new windows, an exterior surface wash, and interior painting and carpeting. Work will continue through 2008, including classroom upgrades and a new roof. Funds are also being raised and work will start on a complete renovation of the west end of the third floor of Krannert to serve as the new home for the undergraduate program’s advising, career services, and recruiting offices. Also planned is a renovation of the Management and Economics Library (MEL) on the building’s second floor. Look for an update in the next issue.