| Dear Reader: Is bigger better? In many contexts, yes. But when it comes to average MBA class size-the number of people in the classroom-opinions differ. Last week, we published a list of the MBA programs with the least (and most) crowded classrooms, and pointed out an interesting fact: unranked schools were among those with the smallest classes, a factor that many consider a sure sign of educational quality, while some of the most elite programs in the world had the most crowded classrooms. On Twitter a few followers dismissed the findings, arguing that smaller is better. But I think they're overlooking something important. Small classes are wonderful-as our story pointed out, they're the next best thing to private tutors-but the tutor, or professor in this case, is only one part of the MBA classroom experience. Students learn as much, if not more, from their fellow classmates. In a situation like that, variety matters, and variety is a lot easier to accomplish when you have critical mass. So ask yourself, what classroom would you rather be in: one where there are 10 other people with experience that's virtually identical to yours, or one where those 10 are augmented by 50 others from different industries, functional areas, and countries? Sometimes bigger really is better. Louis Lavelle, Business Schools Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek |
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