If you want to study business and management in the US, the country leaves you spoiled for choice, with 71 top business schools featured in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject. Read on for an overview of the 10 best business schools in the US.

1. Harvard University

The number one business school in the world for the second year in a row, Harvard University is ranked first in the world for accounting and finance too, and is ranked third overall in the QS World University Rankings® 2018. Harvard Business School has around 2,000 students, 41% of whom are women, and owns Harvard Business Publishing, which publishes the monthly Harvard Business Review magazine.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Ranked fourth in the world for business and management (up two places from last year), MIT has also consistently been ranked first in the QS World University Rankings®. It receives top 10 scores in the subject ranking indicators both for its academic and employer reputations. MIT’s business school, the Sloan School of Management, has around 1,300 students enrolled, and emphasizes finding practical solutions to problems.

3. University of Pennsylvania

Next in our look at the best business schools in the US, the University of Pennsylvania is ranked fifth in the world for business and receives the highest score in the entire ranking for the H-index (a method of measuring both the productivity and impact of scholars’ published works).  Its business school, the Wharton School, is the oldest in the US (established in 1881 through a donation from industrialist Joseph Wharton).

4. Stanford University

Ranked sixth in the world for business and second in the QS World University Rankings, Stanford University’s Graduate Business School was established in 1925 and has more than 29,000 living alumni around the world, including many successful business leaders and entrepreneurs. Ideally located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, it’s notoriously difficult to gain admission to the business school, with just 6% of applicants receiving a place in the 2016 round.

5. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Up one place to rank 10^th in the world for business, UCB’s business school, the Haas School of Business, is the second-oldest in the US (founded in 1898) and has around 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students. Haas states its mission is ‘to develop leaders who redefine how we do business’ and two of its faculty are winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics. 

6. Northwestern University

Next in our look at the best business schools in the US is Northwestern University, up eight places this year to rank 14^th. The Kellogg School of Management was founded in 1908 under a different name, gaining its current name in 1979 in honor of a donation made by John L. Kellogg (son of the Kellogg’s cereal company founder). Today, 96% of the school’s graduates receive job offers within three months of graduating.

7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Up one place to rank 16^th in the world for business and management, UCLA’s graduate business school, Anderson School of Management, was founded in 1935 and teaches around 1,600 students. The school describes its mission as “to transform management thinking and prepare future leaders for evolving careers in ever-changing organizations and markets”.

=8. New York University (NYU)

NYU is up two places to rank joint 17^th in the world for business and management alongside the University of Chicago. Its Stern School of Business, which teaches at undergraduate and graduate level, was founded in 1900 and is a founding member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The school has three Nobel Laureates among its faculty and has one of the most selective MBA programs in the US.

=8. University of Chicago

Sharing 17^th place with NYU among the world’s best business schools, the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business was the first US business school to offer an Executive MBA program and the first to initiate a doctoral program in business. It’s also the first and only school of its kind to have campuses on three continents: North America, Europe and Asia.

10. Columbia University

The final of these 10 best business schools in the US, Columbia University is ranked 19^th in the world for business and management and is another New York City-based institution. Ideally located in Manhattan, the US’s global business hub, the business school prides itself on its “unparalleled access to business leaders from across industries” and celebrated its centenary in 2016.

Other top business schools in the US

If you want to study business in the US, your options certainly don’t end there, with far more top business schools in the US to choose from, including Yale University (ranked joint 23^rd for business). Also in the global top 50 for business and management are the University of Michigan, Cornell University, Duke University, and the University of Texas at Austin, with 14 more US universities featured in the global top 100. You can view the full business school ranking here.

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If you want to study in Japan, there are two top Japanese universities that are likely to be top of your list: the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, both of which are featured in the global top 40 of the QS World University Rankings^® 2018. The University of Tokyo takes the lead at joint 28^th, up six places from last year’s ranking, while Kyoto University is joint 36^th (up one place).

But if you’re trying to decide between these two top Japanese universities, you’ll want to look beyond rankings and compare the institutions on other factors. Read on for an overview of how the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University compare.

 *Based on the broad subject areas of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017.

QS World University Rankings® 2018

The University of Tokyo takes the lead in the QS World University Rankings at joint 28^th in the world, with the University of Kyoto just eight spots behind at joint 36^th. Looking at the indicators used to compile the rankings, both universities receive their strongest positions for their reputation among academics, with Tokyo the seventh best university in the world for this.  Tokyo also beats Kyoto for its reputation among graduate employers, ranking 14^th in the world while Kyoto is 47^th. It also has a wider lead for its research impact, ranking 97^th while Kyoto is 185^th.

However, Kyoto University achieves a slightly higher score than the University of Tokyo for its faculty/student ratio, suggesting students there benefit from smaller classes and more one-on-one time with tutors.

Both universities receive their lowest scores for the proportion of international faculty members and international students, each receiving scores of 401+ for both indicators, showing both universities still have work to do to make their campuses more diverse.

Subject strengths

For those still trying to decide between these two top Japanese universities, the QS World University Rankings by Subject can be a useful tool for showing you which university excels in your chosen discipline. Looking at the broad subject areas of the ranking, both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University receive their strongest scores for natural sciences, with Tokyo featured in the top 10 at ninth, and Kyoto not far behind at 15^th, showing there’s very little difference between the two institutions if you’re studying a natural sciences degree. The University of Tokyo is ranked higher than Kyoto University for all of the broad subject areas, and also features in the global top 10 for social sciences and management.

The table below shows how Tokyo and Kyoto compare for all of the 46 subjects covered by the ranking.

Location

Another factor worth considering is the respective location of each of these top Japanese universities, with both based in large cities. The University of Tokyo’s main campus (Hongo Campus) is located in the Bunkyō area of central Tokyo, and is historic, having been the Kaga Domain’s official residence during the Edo period. Some relics of this history are still found on campus, such as the famous Red Gate (Akamon) and the beautiful Sanshiro Pond, which dates back to 1615.

Tokyo was ranked seventh in the latest QS Best Student Cities ranking, receiving the highest score in the world for Employer Activity, showing that graduates of the city are highly sought after by employers. It also received a strong score for Desirability (third in the world), as it’s a safe and clean city with desirable features for international students.  Tokyo is huge, with the most populous wider metropolitan area in the world – home to around 38 million people in all.

Meanwhile, Kyoto University is made up of three campuses, the largest of which is Yoshida, which is noted for its various architectural styles, including buildings dating back to the university’s founding (1897) such as the iconic Clock Tower. The university’s Uji Campus, formerly owned by the Imperial Japanese Army, is home to a number of research institutes and lies in a tranquil setting in suburban Kyoto. Its third campus, Katsura, is made up of four clusters and was conceived as a ‘Techno-science Hill’ to explore new ideas in technology and science.

The city of Kyoto, small in comparison to Tokyo with around 1.5 million people, is ranked 17^th in the latest Best Student Cities index along with the nearby cities of Osaka and Kobe, with the combined metropolitan area known as Keihanshin. Kyoto was the Imperial Capital of Japan for a thousand years and has a whopping 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. While Tokyo offers students the chance to live in a bustling metropolis, the large number of temples and shrines in Kyoto help give the city a more natural feel. Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe received its highest score for the Student View category in the Best Student Cities index (appearing in the top 10 of this new indicator), proving students who live there really enjoy doing so. If you’d prefer to study in a smaller city than Tokyo, Kyoto may be preferable (especially if you’re a history fan).

Student community

Both of these two top universities in Japan are quite large, with the University of Tokyo slightly larger (28,253 students are enrolled, with a fairly even split between undergraduates and postgraduates). The University of Tokyo also has a larger number of international students, with 3,472 (12.2%), while Kyoto University had 2,091 international students enrolled in May 2016, around 9% of its total enrollment, with most of these students hailing from other countries in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Taiwan.

Tuition fees

Undergraduate and graduate (master’s/professional) tuition fees are the same for all students at both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, ¥535,800 (~US$4,900) per year. Students will also need to pay extra fees for admission and examinations, which are also the same for both institutions – the matriculation fee is ¥282,000 (~US$2,560) and the entrance examination fee is ¥17,000 (~US$155). Matriculation fees must be paid when students register.

The Law Schools of both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University charge higher tuition fees, with both universities charging ¥804,000 (~US$7,300) per year. The registration fee for law students is the same, but like all graduate students, they pay higher examination fees (¥30,000 (~US$270)).

Students studying a PhD in medicine or veterinary science at the University of Tokyo pay ¥520,800 (~US$4,735) a year, plus the admission fee and ¥30,000 examination fee.

All students pay their tuition fees in two instalments, in April for the first semester and October for the second semester.

Funding

Both of these top universities in Japan offer funding to help students afford their education, including:

Tuition fee exemptions

Both universities offer the opportunity for outstanding undergraduate students who are facing economic hardship to have an exemption of all or half of their tuition fees (Tokyo also offers this to graduate students). Students may also be eligible for exemptions if circumstances arise beyond their control which mean they can no longer pay their tuition fees. More information on exemptions at Kyoto University can be found here.

Scholarships

The University of Tokyo offers a Special Scholarship for International Students, an award for high-achieving international postgraduate students, in the form of a monthly stipend of up to ¥200,000 (~US$1,800). Students are also eligible for Japanese Government Scholarships, which award a monthly stipend of up to ¥145,000 (~US$1,300) depending on your level of study.

Kyoto University annually nominates approximately 60 private scholarship programs, with each scholarship offering between ¥30,000 and ¥180,000 (~US$270 – 1,640) a month to one or two students. Some of these will require students to have a good knowledge of Japanese.  

You can browse other scholarships to study in Japan here.  

Which of these top universities in Japan would you choose? Let us know in the comments below.

When Farah, a 22-year-old performance poet from Palestine, was informed her scholarship application for studying at Goldsmiths University had been rejected, she feared she might have to give up on her dreams of studying Performance and Culture in London forever.

She knew all too well she couldn’t afford to pay the hefty tuition fees and living costs of studying abroad in one of the most expensive cities in the world out of her own pocket. Turning to the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo as a last resort, Farah was stunned when she raised US$11,823 in just under two months.

She said: “Most of the people who donated are people I know, friends and family, people I’ve worked with, people very much involved in the art scene. I was not expecting half the amount, and I’m almost at US$12,000 now. I have 20 days left and I might reach US$13,000, almost half the amount originally listed.”

Starting out at the age of sixteen, Farah performed her poetry in cafes and at cultural events, after joining a poetry collective in Dubai called Rooftop Rhythms and uploading videos of her work on YouTube. Snowballing into a popular YouTuber, she started receiving invitations to perform in other countries, including Morocco, Qatar, Spain, the UK and Belgium.

It’s thanks to Farah’s friends, family and followers on social media that she managed to raise such a hefty amount. The average donation has been between US$100 and US$200.

Despite her success on Indiegogo, Farah has had to defer her studies until next year. She said: “I just felt that even with the Indiegogo money, it would be very difficult to survive in London, just looking at rent and living costs. This year, I will apply to as many scholarships as I can and of course the Indiegogo money will remain untouched until then.”

“I spoke to the university and they understood. They know that when you don’t have a scholarship, funding is not an easy thing to do. They sent me a letter stating that I still have my place.”

Donate to Farah Chammah’s Indiegogo campaign here or listen to her work here.

Scrolling my Twitter feed on my lunch break, I noticed that Big Ben was a trending topic again. Why? Well, today’s the day it falls silent for repairs, not to bong regularly again for four whole years, except for special occasions like Remembrance Day and New Year’s. This is truly a very dark day in British history…right?

Well…no. Big Ben may be iconic, and it may be a shame for many of us to not be able to hear its familiar chimes marking each hour, but in the grand scheme of things, is it really a big deal?

To give us some perspective, let’s remind ourselves that this is the same city where one in every 51 people is homeless, where an increasing number of people are turning to food banks, and where just a few months ago, people died in their homes at Grenfell Tower due to inadequate fire safety standards.  In other words, if you’re sad about a clock, I’m not sure you’re seeing the bigger picture here. If I’m not mistaken, MPs didn’t gather with bowed heads to hold a vigil for the people who died at Grenfell.

Forget Brexit, poverty, NHS, terror, Trump & N Korea. I'm off to cover the world's biggest story: Big Ben's bongs & a mass demo by a few MPs

— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) August 21, 2017

This country has gone insane. pic.twitter.com/XDx8B5wD7l

— Angry Scotland (@AngryScotland) August 21, 2017

When you think about the real issues people are facing today, does a clock really matter? Seeing MPs bowing their heads for Big Ben, I’m not surprised that this time of year is known as ‘silly season’, a time when the media write particularly frivolous news stories in the summer months, while Parliament takes its recess. We voted for these MPs to represent us – is your MP really representing you? Even if your local MP is not the one you voted for, it’s important to remember that MPs work for you. This website lets you search for your local MP and find out how they’ve been voting on issues and proposals such as HS2, higher taxes on banks, health and laws to promote equality and human rights. They are, of course, on recess at the moment for the summer (hence why they have time to attend a vigil for a clock) but you can nonetheless still write them an email to explain what concerns you have in the local area.

MPs attending the Big Ben vigil. Here are the directions to the nearest food bank for some fucking perspective. @TwopTwips pic.twitter.com/QbIKWcpT6s

— t h u m b s (@Thumbsuk) August 21, 2017

If only our government cared as much about genuinely important issues as much as they did a big clock #BigBen

— Alice Anne (@alicespake) August 21, 2017

You don’t see this kind of fuss going on anywhere else in the world when a landmark needs to close for repairs, but apparently this is what happens in Britain these days. I just wish more was being done to help people in this country who are really struggling, from normal families who find themselves choosing between food and heating in winter, to students whose maintenance loans don’t even cover their rent, giving 50% of students money worries so severe that they can affect their mental health.

So, I don’t know about you, but I’m not worried about Big Ben. I am however, hoping that the person who runs this twitter account will be able to rest soundly for four years*. Keep calm and carry on, everyone.

*Saying that, they seem to be continuing the virtual bongs for the moment.

On Monday, the US will be treated to a solar eclipse, the first to pass over the country in the 21st century. According to NASA, observers along the path of totality, a narrow strip of land stretching across 14 states from Lincoln Beach to South Carolina, will witness a total solar eclipse, a rare sight of the moon completely covering up the sun and its atmosphere.

Many universities and public institutions are holding events for people to gather and witness the eclipse together. If you’re currently studying at or live close to any of these 10 universities, you’re in luck. Don’t forget to wear eclipse glasses though!

All times are local.

1. Oregon State University

Students at Oregon State University will be treated to a total eclipse between 10:16am and 10:18am. Definitely worth getting out of bed for it! If you’re at all interested, there’ll be a Space Grant Festival: A Total Eclipse Experience on campus over the weekend and a watch party on Monday.

2. Corban University

In Salem, you will witness a total solar eclipse between 10:17am and 10:18 am. Get ready Warriors!

3. The University of Wyoming

Experience the total solar eclipse in Wyoming between 11:38am and 11:41 am.

4. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is right on the inner edge of the eclipse’s path. Had the university been built just a few miles north, you’d have had to make do with only a partial eclipse, but fortunately that’s not the case. Expect it to take place in the afternoon between 1:02pm and 1:04pm.

5. The University of Missouri

If you live in Columbia, Missouri, remember to take some time out at lunch to go outside and watch the eclipse. Have your eclipse glasses at the ready between 1:12pm and 1:14 pm.

6. Vanderbilt University

In Nashville, Tennessee, you will also be treated to an afternoon eclipse. It’ll be between 1:27pm and 1:29pm.

7. Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University’s tigers will be spoiled for choice, when it comes to finding a good spot on campus to watch the eclipse. Just make sure you don’t miss it. It’ll be between 1:27pm and 1:29pm. If you’re living in Cookeville or a student of Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, you should watch the solar eclipse at the viewing party in Tucker Stadium.

8. Fisk University

Also in Nashville, Fisk Bulldogs will get to experience the total eclipse between 1:27pm and 1:29pm.

9. Southern Illinois University

If you’re living in Carbondale, Illinois, or studying at Southern Illinois University, the total solar eclipse will occur between 1:20 and 1:22 pm. The university is organising a two-day Crossroads Astronomy, Science and Technology Expo and a viewing party on the day at Saluki Stadium.

10. Clemson University

Clemson University will be able to observe the total solar eclipse between 2:37pm and 2:39pm.

11. University of South Carolina

Meanwhile, along the East Coast, the total solar eclipse will be between 2:41pm and 2:44pm. If you’re a student of Furman University in Greenville, you should join the various events on the day on campus, which include live music, streaming coverage from NASA and various other activities.

If you’re living or studying outside of the eclipse’s path of totality, don’t worry. The eclipse will still be partially visible from everywhere else in mainland USA. For more information and tips on how to watch the eclipse, check out NASA’s explainer.

In the past week, both the University of Florida and Texas A&M University announced they were banning planned white supremacist rallies from campus, citing safety concerns.

The decisions came after a Unite the Right protester allegedly rammed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman and injured 34 people.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the University of Florida said that while, “the University of Florida remains unwaveringly dedicated to free speech and the spirit of public discourse [...] the First Amendment does not require a public institution to risk imminent violence to students.”

It may seem obvious to certain people that universities shouldn’t be offering a platform to neo-nazis, but, to many civil rights organizations, any attempt by a public institution to restrict an individual’s right to speak, be it a white supremacist or an Occupy Wall Street campaigner, is tantamount to government censorship and an erosion of the public’s basic civil liberties.

The nonpartisan civil liberties group Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has said: “We are seeing here a national discussion on white supremacists, but it’s easy to imagine the current administration making similar arguments about Black Lives Matter activists.”

“The point is that offense is inherently subjective, and to use the viewpoint of a speaker as grounds for censoring them, no matter how offensive it might seem, is unfair, as that same rationale will be employed to censor speech that one agrees with.”

“Simply banning a speaker because his viewpoint is odious, racist, sexist, or otherwise offensive, is a recipe for further censorship.”

It’s the same rationale that led the American Civil Right Liberties Union (ACLU) to file a lawsuit against the city of Charlottesville to stop it from moving the white supremacist rally in Virginia to a remote park, away from the center of town.

The ACLU defended its position on Saturday on the basis that “the First Amendment is a critical part of our democracy, and it protects vile, hateful, and ignorant speech. For this reason, the ACLU of Virginia defended the white supremacists’ right to march. But we will not be silent in the face of white supremacy. Those who do stand silent enable it. That includes our president.”

So, are the University of Florida and Texas A&M University violating the First Amendment, or at the very least skirting around it, by stopping a white nationalist speaker from speaking on campus? The side of the argument you find yourself on really boils down to whether or not you believe that campus safe spaces have an impact on preventing neo-nazi views from proliferating. Safe spaces were introduced in response to the realization that certain arguments about subjects such as transgenderism, sexual orientation and race could be triggering for particular students. However, this attempt to protect the most vulnerable has led to an increasing number of speakers being banned for unpopular views. By ridding campuses of all offensive discourse, we risk snuffing out intellectual debate altogether.

Many people find it hard to reconcile the liberal belief that all speakers should be given the right to speak on a university campus, with the fact this opens the door to white supremacists and others with extremist views. The debate around free speech on campuses isn’t likely to find an answer to these dilemmas any time soon, but there’s something to be admired in the position of ACLU who will defend a group’s right to say something, even if they fundamentally disagree with them. Simultaneously allowing people their freedom of speech and protesting against the content of their speech may be the only path forwards.

By Lucy Farrington-Smith

We’ve all been there. You’re nervously sat in an interview, and the question of all questions comes up: “So, tell me a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do in your spare time?”

Knowing what to say to employers at times like this can feel like an impossible task. There’s no crib sheet, or guidelines as to what they’re looking for, and saying you like to “develop your Excel skills as a hobby in the evenings” sounds terrible, and totally unbelievable.

So, let’s iron it out, and work out a few things to do pre-interview to make the experience a whole lot more palatable, and learn how to nail that pesky interview question.

What do your hobbies say about you?

This is an easy one to conquer. Cherry-pick some hobbies you have a genuine interest in. Interviewers can see through lies, and passion is hard to fake when it isn’t there (especially where Excel is concerned). Look at is as a chance to talk about your interests, and for an interviewer to find out more about you as a person – rather than just what’s on your CV.

Like to read? Great, it shows that you are constantly learning and creatively minded. Play a sport? It shows good teamworking skills and an active outlook. Volunteer at a charity? That’s proof you are selfless and that you care for others. This is something Ana Recio, senior vice president of Global Recruiting at Salesforce, corroborates: “My team looks for both passionate and compassionate candidates, and the way someone spends their free time is an easy indicator to identify those traits that we value.”

Feel like you’ve not quite found your niche yet? Then get experimenting. Evenings and weekends are the perfect time to try out new things, and if you don’t feel totally comfortable going it alone, rope in a housemate or friend to join you. Rock-climbing, painting, attempting to learn a new language – they are all great places to start. Just keep going until you find the right one for you.

Take an extra course

This time we may be taking the Excel theory a little more seriously. Does your dream job require you to know a lot about SEO, but every time you’re faced with it you have to check on Google that you’re doing the right thing? Or is there an area of the office CMS that keeps stumping you?

Narrow down your areas of weakness and then seek to improve them. After-work classes, or distance-learning are options to help round off your skillset. This way, when you’re faced with an interview, you can prove your commitment to the field with these extra-curricular activities.

Some workplaces offer in-house training and development, so it’s always best to inform your manager first to see if the training can be subsidised or brought into your day-to-day routine.

Utilize social media

More and more employers are looking for previous blogging or social media experience in their job descriptions, even when they aren’t completely related to the role. If you can combine a previously-held passion with social media, and run it alongside your employment, that’s great. It shows absolute commitment and a want to pursue goals – even when there isn’t always a monetary gain.

Social media is a fantastic way to broadcast creativity – be it with a recipe blog for healthy eating, a workout routine, or if you just really love makeup and want to review a few pieces – it all helps to build your character as an individual, which is integral when connecting with new and prospective employers. Alyssa Gelbard, founder and president of Resume Strategists, says: “If you're on the hunt for communications or marketing jobs, showing off your blogging skills can enhance your candidacy.”

Just remember to proof read, and maintain consistency with posting – it will all help to show commitment and dedication, which are great positives when interviewing for a new position – and it will help to make the down-time question a whole lot easier to answer.

Lucy Farrington-Smith writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and giving out graduate careers advice.

Lead image: National Park Service

Teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been celebrating their A-level exam results today, with over a quarter of all grades achieved being at least an A.

26.3% of A-levels were awarded either an A or A*, an increase of 0.5% from last year.

The positive results are likely to have made being accepted into university a straightforward process for many students, especially as there are tens of thousands of university places yet to be filled.

UCAS has reported that so far 416,000 university places have been confirmed, 2% fewer than last year. There has also been a fall in applications from the European Union, by 3% compared to 2016.

As a result, anyone having to go through clearing after not achieving the results they required should have success finding an alternative university to attend. One student from Wigan has already achieved viral fame for his reaction to poor A-level results, telling a journalist on live television: “Win or lose, we’re on the booze.”

Wigan this. Some lad live on air doesnt get what he needs, his response 'win or lose we're on the booze' pic.twitter.com/abW2LsuW9I

— Matt O'Neill (@MattttONeill) August 17, 2017

Find a breakdown of this year’s A-level results below.

Lead image: City of Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College