2012 Top 10 Graduate Programs for Entrepreneurship
The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine have announced the results of the Princeton Review’s annual survey of the top entrepreneurship programs in the nation. From more than 2,000 schools reviewed, Babson College in Massachusetts captured the #1 spot on both the undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship program ranking lists this year.
“It’s the age of the everyday entrepreneur,” says Amy Cosper, VP and editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine.
The polling of school administrators took place from April through June 2012 and employed a wide range of data to evaluate the programs and tally the rankings. The survey looked at the schools’ levels of commitment to entrepreneurship inside and outside the classroom, the percentage of their faculty, students, and alumni actively and successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, and the number and reach of their mentorship programs.
Princeton Review also considered their funding for scholarships and grants for entrepreneurial studies and projects, and their support for school-sponsored business plan competitions.
Top 10 Graduate Programs for Entrepreneurship
1. Babson College, Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship
2. University of Michigan, Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
3. Bringham Young University, Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology
4. Rice University, Jones Graduate School Entrepreneurship Program
5. University of Texas at Austin, Herb Kelleher Center of Entrepreneurship
6. Washington University in St. Louis, Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
7. University of Chicago, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
8. University of Virginia, Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
9. University of Arizona, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship
10. University of Washington, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
“Thanks to a mash-up of economic forces and rising business stars finally getting mainstream play, entrepreneurship has evolved from an alternative ‘career’ to a practical choice for the wider set,” Cosper adds. “Many with the passion already in play are looking to school to get started right. Our annual ranking gives them the perfect kick-off point to finding the program that can nurture their dreams into reality.”