I absolutely understand the appeal of the lifestyle you'll enjoy at Pepperdine vs. Syracuse or Pitt/Katz. It's not hard to see why the beach is more appealing than the rust belt of America. But that's not why you want an MBA, is it?

Pitt/Katz is the best school rankings-wise on your list, followed by Pepperdine, Syracuse and then Claremont. But these schools are all ranked in the lower half of the top 100, so you also need to factor in what region of the country you want to be located in post-school, whether it's the West cost, the Midwest or the Northeast. That, more than rankings, may determine which school is best for you. Lifestyle, as noted, also might play a part.

Purely based on reputation though, Pitt/Katz is a clear #1. I went to undergrad near Pittsburgh and while it may be cold in the winter, it really is a fun city with a lot to do, and the University of Pittsburgh is a reasonably well respected school around the country.