stanford graduate school of business

(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Picking the right business school is more important than ever.

The right school gives you an advantage in a tough market. The wrong school could be a critical waste of time and money.

Our survey has determined that the best program out there is Stanford Business School.

Harvard, which held the top spot for the past two years, came in a close second, with Wharton in third.

Our results are based on an extensive survey of the people who matter most to your future: real professionals. Over one thousand of our readers responded, of which 87 percent had attended business school and 71 percent had hiring experience.

Many respondents said a network of contacts was the most important thing you get out of business school (43 percent); while others named the skills & knowledge acquired in courses (34 percent) or the brand value associated with a school (23 percent).

Besides the usual top American contenders, more international schools ranked in the top 10 category this year, with London Business School coming in at #5 and INSEAD ranking at #10. Respondents also suggested that we include other international schools next year, like Cambridge (Judge Business School), the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University, the Indian Institute of Management, the Indian School of Business and The University of Hong Kong (HKU).

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