BSchool.com Business Schools Directory

Women are enjoying a more prominent presence in the workplace, and Fortune 500 even reports that in 2008, twelve Fortune 500 companies embrace a woman as their top executive. Smart, ambitious, well-educated women are highly desirable job candidates in the business world, though they continue to fight obstacles like sexism and an old-fashioned belief that women have too many family and personal commitments to dedicate enough time to run a company. These days, many top business schools and MBA programs are fighting to recruit intelligent, business-savvy women by offering flexible programs, supporting female faculty, and sponsoring and/or encouraging the development of social and professional organizations that cater to female student interests. Schools who want more female students can also sponsor or be very receptive to scholarships and grants that reward women for having a solid academic record. If you are a woman who is thinking about pursuing an MBA, look for these services and features when you research a school’s website. Business schools that do a good job of pitching their diverse range of business specialties and the kinds of careers available to MBA graduates also have a better job of attracting female students. MBA programs prepare students for careers in government, nonprofit work, small companies, large corporations, and other environments, making it a versatile, highly marketable degree. Entrepreneurship programs even help students learn how to open up and develop their own companies.

Top business schools offer a wide variety of concentrations. Columbia Business School, which boasted women as 36% of its entire incoming class in 2004, currently offers concentrations in accounting, entrepreneurship, private equity, real estate, value investing, marketing, human resource management, media, management/leadership, international business, healthcare and pharmaceutical management, and more. These focus areas serve to direct students towards a diverse range of career opportunities, not just big business. Columbia Business School also supports over 100 student organizations, including Columbia Women in Business, Latin America Business Association, Black Business Student Association, Christian Business Fellowship, Green Business Club and many, many others.

Besides encouraging the development of student organizations that cater to and support women business students, colleges and universities can hire full-time female faculty members and advisors, connect female alumni with female students, and set up networking events for female students and women leaders in the local business community. These events can be sponsored with or provide information about organizations like the National Association of Women Business Owners, the American Business Women’s Assocation, and the National Association of Women MBAs. Some of these organizations even award scholarships, and schools can publicize this information to their female students.

Depending on a woman’s personal and professional goals, she may or may not have time to pursue an MBA program full-time. Many MBA candidates work full-time and have other personal or familial requirements that prevent them for also going back to school full-time. Business schools that offer evening, weekend or even online programs are also appealing to some women.

Government resources like the Office of Women’s Business Ownership and National Women’s Business Council provide links and information for female students majoring in business or pursuing their MBAs. These organizations provide valuable networking and career opportunities, as well as inspiration for finishing school, opening up a business, balancing personal and professional duties and more.