2021 In Review: Poets&Quants’ 10 Most-Read Undergrad Stories Of 2021

10 Undergraduate Business Schools To Watch In 2021

4. 10 Undergraduate Business Schools To Watch In 2021 

One of our most popular annual stories continues to be Jeff Schmitt’s list of the 10 undergraduate schools to watch. The Poets&Quants staff writer pours through school and alumni surveys of our undergraduate rankings to identify data trends and innovations at business schools around the country. Schmitt considers thousands of data points to examine what makes each school unique and poised to make improvements. 

While compiling his list, he asks two questions:  What does a business school do that’s different? How have they perfected a recipe that other programs still struggle to implement? 

“Each school places different weights in different areas. However, they share one common trait: an uncompromising commitment to amplifying the talent and spurring the growth of every student who comes to learn,” Schmitt wrote of the 2021 list.

100 Best & Brightest Business Majors Of 2021

3. 100 Best & Brightest Business Majors Of 2021

We’ve recognized the “Best and Brightest” business majors since 2016, and the list is always one of our most popular reads. 

To identify the 100 students on the list, we invite the top-50 schools in our annual undergraduate business school ranking to submit two graduating students that fit their definition of “Best & Brightest.”

This year’s list included 54 women, 46 men, and 15 international students hailing from countries including Turkey, Ethiopia, Romania, Thailand, Haiti, and Ecuador. They are an eclectic group of young stars from elite athletes to social activists to military veterans to startup founders.

“To some, business is a winner-takes-all competition. They think you should get a dog if you want a friend,” wrote Poets&Quants senior writer Jeff Schmitt last March. “But you won’t find this zero sum attitude among business majors. For the Class of 2021, business is a tool to give back and do good. It is a means to open up the playing field and support those who share their values.”

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

2. P&Q’s Top Value Undergraduate Business Schools Of 2021

Each year we survey business schools on their estimated total four-year cost and the average salary of its most recent graduating class. Those two data points offer a straightforward glimpse into the best early-career return on investment (ROI). 

Our ROI calculations showed that top-ranked public schools have the best early-career ROI thanks to the relatively low total costs of attending and strong average starting salaries. Pricier private schools dominate the bottom of the list. 

Which business school did have the best ROI of 2021? Read the story to find out.

Wharton Finishes First For Fourth Straight Year In Poets&Quants Undergraduate B-School Rankings

1. Wharton Finishes First For Fourth Straight Year In Poets&Quants Undergraduate B-School Rankings 

It’s no surprise what business school students click on most frequently in 2021: P&Q’s ranking for the best undergraduate b-schools. For the fourth straight year, Wharton School topped our annual ranking, and each year since we’ve published the inaugural ranking in 2016, it’s been our most-viewed story of the year. 

Why so popular? Well, besides the U.S. News’ ranking, there’s really no other major ranking of undergraduate business schools. Ours also has the biggest trove of proprietary data focused on undergraduate business schools anywhere. In fact, several of our most-read stories this year were stories analyzing this data trove.

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