The Princeton Review Names Iona University’s On-Campus MBA Among the “Best Business Schools for 2024”
New Rochelle, N.Y. (July 2024) – Iona University’s on-campus MBA program has been named to The Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools for 2024, particularly highlighting Iona’s proximity to New York City, experienced faculty and nurturing learning environment.
"All of the b-schools that made our list for 2024 deliver exceptional MBA programs,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief. “We commend them for their excellent academics, and we recommend them highly to MBA applicants.”
The Princeton Review editors weigh more than 60 data points in making their selections for their annual Best Business Schools lists. This year’s list features profiles of 244 schools nationwide.
The Iona Experience: Exciting, Nurturing & Intimate
According to The Princeton Review, students in Iona’s on-campus MBA program report that the LaPenta School of Business has “a bright and cheerful atmosphere,” mostly due to “the diverse student body and courteous professors.”
In addition, “classes are challenging in a way that makes learning exciting.” Significant emphasis is placed upon engagement and small class sizes.
Moreover, the professors are “very knowledgeable, friendly, courteous and always willing to help [you] understand the material.” “I love the fact that I can ask as many questions...and they will be able to explain in detail until I understand the topic,” said a student.
Faculty members are also always available for additional hours, and “have ‘real-world’ experience, and they share their experiences with the [students].”
Iona Students: Engaging, Self-Motivated & Diverse
Students, meanwhile, were described as “willing to help each other towards a common goal, whether it be completing an assignment or through forming a study group,” one student said.
Students are "self-motivated and focused on acquiring new skills and knowledge to advance their careers," while bringing a “diverse set of backgrounds.”
In addition to working professionals, LaPenta has a surprising number of younger students with only a couple years of work experience, and many come directly from the Iona undergraduate program, completing the spectrum of working individuals, according to The Princeton Review.
The Momentum Continues
Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including both an on-campus and online MBA program, the LaPenta School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, a prestigious recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide.
Its advantageous location just outside of New York City also offers an abundance of learning and career opportunities, including intimate visits with alumni at some of the world’s top companies.
The building itself was completely renovated and renamed in January 2020 in honor of Robert V. LaPenta '67, '00H, an Iona alumnus and Board of Trustee member who laid the foundation for the new school with a transformational gift of $17.5 million.
Noting the continued momentum at Iona, investor Mario J. Gabelli, founder, chairman and CEO of GAMCO Investors, recently created an endowed professorship in finance at the LaPenta School of Business, naming Dr. Muhammad Qayyum as the inaugural faculty member.
Rankings Survey Data
The selections for the 2024 list took into account data from surveys the company conducted in 2024 of administrators at 244 schools offering on-campus MBA programs as well as surveys over the past three academic years of 21,500 students enrolled in the programs.
The administrator survey requested data on topics from academic offerings, faculty, and career services to admission and graduation rates. The student survey asked students to rate their school’s academics, professors, administrators and career services and to report on its campus culture as well as their career plans.
Separately, Iona was also named to The Princeton Review’s 2024 national list of “The Best 389 Colleges,” reflecting the positive student experience on campus and beyond.
About The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company. Every year, it helps millions of college- and graduate school–bound students as well as working professionals achieve their education and career goals through its many education services and products. These include online and in-person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors; online resources; more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House; and dozens of categories of school rankings. Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review is now in its 43rd year. The company’s Tutor.com brand, now in its 24th year, is one of the largest online tutoring services in the U.S. It comprises a community of thousands of tutors who have delivered more than 26 million tutoring sessions. The Princeton Review is headquartered in New York, NY. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. For more information, visit PrincetonReview.com and the company's Media Center. Follow the company on X (formerly Twitter) (@ThePrincetonRev) and Instagram (@theprincetonreview).
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.