Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business Ranked No. 4 for Entrepreneurship

The A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University is one of the top five graduate schools in the nation for entrepreneurship, according to a new ranking released today by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review. Tulane is ranked No. 4 on the list of Top Graduate Programs for Entrepreneurs, which appears in the October issue of Entrepreneur and is available online at www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges.

“We are grateful for this ranking that recognizes the quality and uniqueness of our entrepreneurship programs,” said John Elstrott, executive director of Tulane"s Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship. “This ranking reflects the commitment of our students, faculty and staff to engage in the reinvention and rebuilding of New Orleans through entrepreneurship. The programs and courses at the A.B. Freeman School of Business are dedicated to teaching and implementing the principles of conscious capitalism and social entrepreneurship that are redefining how free market economies function around the world.”

The A.B. Freeman School of Business has built a strong reputation in recent years for social entrepreneurship, which uses entrepreneurial principles to address social problems. Under Elstrott"s guidance, the school has become a leader in promoting conscious capitalism, which calls for organizations to consider what is best for all stakeholders – employees, shareholders, the community and the environment – rather than solely focusing on shareholder returns. The school"s 2010 Tulane Business Plan competition will be the first in the country to incorporate principles of conscious capitalism into its requirements.

Entrepreneur and The Princeton Review surveyed more than 2,300 schools to come up with this year"s ranking. Programs were evaluated based on key criteria in the areas of academics and requirements, students and faculty and outside-the-classroom experiences. “Each school that made the list demonstrates excellence in one or more areas – whether in regards to course offerings, the success of students post-graduation, sponsored mentorship programs or other important factors,” said Amy Cosper, vice president/editor in chief at Entrepreneur. “While each program is unique, their inclusion in this ranking solidifies their place in an elite category of institutions offering a superlative level of education and preparedness that will play a key role in ensuring the success of tomorrow"s entrepreneurs.”

The A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane, originally the College of Commerce and Business Administration, was established in 1914 and is a founding member of AACSB, the premier accrediting body for collegiate schools of business. Today, Freeman is a leading, internationally recognized business school with more than 2,000 students in programs spanning three continents. The Freeman School is consistently listed among the nation"s best business schools by publications including U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Financial Times and Latin America"s AméricaEconomía.