BusinessWeek has published its biannual rankings of EMBA programs. The top five EMBA programs are:

1. Kellogg
2. Chicago Booth
3. Wharton
4. Columbia
5. USC Marshall

BusinessWeek also published its part-time MBA program rankings and its rankings of executive education programs. Its methodology in all three cases focuses on "end-user satisfaction."

The articles and videos accompanying the rankings are recommended if you are considering an EMBA or part-time MBA program. Like everything and everyone else, these programs were hit hard by the Great Recession.

A few highlights from the lead article:

• EMBA student satisfaction has plummeted as students increasingly foot the bill and expect career placement services commensurate with those offered their full-time MBA colleagues.
• Of the 83 EMBA programs suveyed, only the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business boosted student satisfaction since the last survey.
• "Nearly half of all EMBA programs and part-time programs" reported a decline in application volume in 2009.
• 80% of participating part-time programs experienced a decline in student satisfaction.

The Aspen Institute published last week its biannual ranking of MBA programs, "Beyond Grey Pinstripes." This ranking ignores admissions criteria and abandons ROI. Through surveys of 149 participating schools, it attempts to rank the programs according to their "social impact management" or addressing of social, environmental or ethical topics. The goal: "spotlight innovative full-time MBA programs that are integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into curricula and research."

The Top 10 per Aspen:

1. York (Schulich)
2. Michigan Ross
3. Yale SOM
4. Stanford GSB
5. Notre Dame (Mendoza)
6. UC Berkeley (Haas)
7. RSM Erasmus
8. NYU Stern
9. IE Business School
10. Columbia

If you are not the least bit interested in the topics Aspen is highlighting, then this ranking is irrelevant to you. However, if you are interested in sustainable development or social entrepreneurship, then you will want to review the profiles contained in Beyond Grey Pinstripes.

We have two great MBA admissions chats next week:

• Cornell Chatter, an Accepted.com online Q&A session, on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT when Randall Sawyer, Director of Admissions, along with other staff members will answer your important questions. Use this outstanding opportunity to ask questions about Cornell’s close-knit student life, admission policies, and programs. Join us on October 12th!
• NYU Stern Admissions Directors' Online Chat On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM GMT, Stern’s impressive adcom team, including Anika Pratt, Assistant Dean, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid; Isser Gallogly, Executive Director, MBA Admissions; and Paula Goldfarb, Senior Director, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid will be available to answer your questions. From NYU's flexible core curriculum, to its exclusive NYC connections, this is your opportunity to find out everything you wanted to know about the NYU Stern MBA.

Both chats will take place in Accepted's chat room.

We also posted last week's Columbia Admissions Q&A with Linda Meehan, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Columbia Business School. Here is an excerpt:

jonathan (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:16 PM)
Is there any chance Columbia will have a no co-signer loan program for Fall 2010? And is this affecting the volume of non-U.S. applicants?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:56 PM)
Columbia continues to explore opportunities for an international non-cosigned loan. Our applications last year increased 15% overall, with an increase both domestically and internationally. Columbia Business School continues to be among the top most international schools, both in terms of its educational offerings and its international diversity. No, this is not affecting the volume of non-U.S applicants. Given that our acceptance rate is exceptionally low, making it one of the most selective schools in the world, we are unable to admit everyone whom we'd like to welcome to our program.

GS (Oct 1, 2009 12:26:02 PM)
Linda: If you are switching careers, then how do you convince the admission committee that you are a strong candidate for MBA? Since you have no relevant experience, and your current field is no where near the business field. What exactly does the Columbia admission committee look for in an application?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:27:47 PM)
GS, most students will probably switch careers. In the evaluation process, we are evaluating how well you know yourself and how your skills and talents will apply to your future goals. Also, we look to determine how Columbia Business School will help you to achieve them. We are evaluating how well you know yourself and how realistic you are about what may be achievable. Also, your job is not to 'convince' us, your job is to 'inform' us.

If you are interested in Columbia, take a few minutes to review the transcript.

We also have posted the transcript from the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Q&A with Brian Lohr, Director of MBA Admissions, and other members of the Notre Dame staff:

Ghouse (Sep 24, 2009 12:09:30 PM)
John: Hello - I am looking to specialize in Entrepreneurship and VC. What prospects or career lines do student, with these concentrations, get into after graduations? Do you know off-hand any companies that visited campus looking for these concentrations?

JohnRooneyNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:13:34 PM)
Ghouse - Entrepreneurship students go into three main areas: 1)Companies that value entrepreneurship (P&G, J&J, IBM are a few that come to campus. 2) They start their own ventures/businesses. 3) They work with start-ups (this is the smallest segment since start-ups look for more functional support vs. MBA graduates. The Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship is the center of this activity and the recently opened ND Innovation Park is an area of growth--be sure to check out the Gigot Center and ND Innovation Park on the web.

phoenix27 (Sep 24, 2009 12:15:48 PM)
Brian: Has your school had an increase in applications or decrease of applications since the recession?

BrianLohrNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:16:31 PM)
Phoenix, we had a 33% increase in our domestic applications last year.

You can review the full Notre Dame Mendoza Q&A transcript by clicking on the link.

This is unofficially Columbia Business School week at Accepted. We didn't plan it that way, but that's how it worked out.

A few items to keep in mind:

• Columbia's Linda Meehan, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid for Columbia's MBA program, will be available to answer your questions tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 1 at 10AM PT/1PM ET/5PM GMT during our Columbia MBA admissions chat.  She will be joined by Nandeeta Seth, a current CBS MBA student. The chat will take place in Accepted's chat room. I invite you to join us, share your questions, and benefit from our guests' answers.
  
• Columbia's Early Decision Deadline is one of those that's fast approaching. It is Wednesday October 7. Please, before you submit, review the tips I posted last week . 
• The MBA Interview Feedback Database has interview feedback from recent Columbia MBA admissions interviews including 2010 ED applicants. If you want to prepare for your interview, check out this resource. Then please share your interview experience so the database can continue to grow.

Yes those MBA deadlines are approaching. Rapidly. Kind of like a train roaring through a dark tunnel. Do you see the headlight peering through the gloom, growing brighter and brighter?

So what are my thoughts at the end of a hectic week?

• Accepted's editors have noted a rash of bloopers in applicant essays. While these malapropisms (and too many others to list) can make for hilarious reading, they will not add to your chances of acceptance. Please note.

"Message" and "massage" are very different nouns. A "hands-on massage" is not the same as a "hands-on message."

"Morale" and "morals" or "moral" are also very different. "My team's morals sunk lower than low after she addressed us." creates a very different image than "My team's morale sunk lower than low after she addressed us."

Your essays need proofing!

• I listened this morning to the entire MBA Podcaster episode "What Not To Do On Your Application: MBA Application Pitfalls & How To Avoid Them." Please, please, please before you submit your applications, listen to this show with Liz Riley Hargrove, Associate Dean of Admissions, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University; Rose Martinelli, Associate Dean of Student Recruitment and Admissions, University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Graham Richmond, CEO, ClearAdmit; Kellee Scott, Senior Associate Director of MBA Admissions at USC's Marshall School of Business; and myself. It is excellent and could prevent you from making some serious mistakes.

• I received a lovely note last night from a current client. He wrote:

"Natalie has been absolutely terrific! My essays are really coming along -- I really don't know what I'd do without her.

Thanks for all your help. Regardless of what happens with my B-school applications, I honestly think that accepted.com provides a tremendously valuable service. I'd even venture to say that the vast majority of applicants who do not use accepted.com are putting themselves at a terrible disadvantage. (You and Natalie have made me a believer!)

• In addition, I also received several, outstanding feedback reports from clients using other Accepted editors' services.

I don't think it will surprise any of you -- I strongly believe that the overwhelming majority of applicants can benefit from having their applications and essays reviewed before they submit them. You are much better off if we find your mistakes than if the admissions committee does.

At this point in time, with the earliest deadlines less than a week away, we still have some availability, but it is very limited before Oct. 1. If you have any plans to use Accepted's services, please either purchase or register ASAP.

Best of luck to all Round 1 Applicants!