Princeton Review Ranks Smith School in Top 10 for Minority Students

College Park, Md. – October 6, 2006 — The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business MBA program is ranked No. 9 in the United States by the Princeton Review for offering the greatest opportunity for minority students. The ranking is part of the just-published 2007 guide, “Best 282 Business Schools,” which profiles schools with write-ups on their academics, student life and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity and career placement services.

The ranking is based on percentage of students from minority groups; percentage of faculty from minorities; and student assessment of resources for minority students, how supportive the culture is of minority students, and whether fellow students are ethnically and racially diverse.

In the Smith School profile, Princeton Review editors quote Smith students who point to the school’s large number of international students and the diverse blend of backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, and experiences. “Despite these differences,” students say, “there is an amazingly strong team-oriented feeling here at Smith School.”

Editors point to the Smith School’s long list of outreach programs for minority and disadvantaged students, including “Kaleidoscope: Advancing Diversity at Smith,” a fall semester recruitment event for underrepresented minority students; “Women and the MBA,” a symposium for women about the advantages of earning an MBA; “Management Leadership for Tomorrow,” a partnership that guides minority students through the MBA application process; online chats for prospective MBA students from underrepresented groups; and participation in minority professional organizations’ conferences.

The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 282, or name one business school best overall. The Princeton Review publishes more than 200 titles, which include annual guides to the best law schools and medical schools, plus guides to grad school application essays and admission exams. More information is available online at www.PrincetonReview.com. 

About the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research for the digital economy. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, Executive MBA, MS PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations on three continents — North America, Europe and Asia.