I know that you have selected five business schools while you gave your GMAT Test. However, no one is stopping you from changing your target B-School. You have to pay $50 extra for each application. It is little costly but do not be too rigid with your plans. The research for Business School (where you might fit in) is a continuous process and in my opinion the list should change with your GMAT score (many experts would discourage you from doing so and will ask you to write a stellar essay and get in ) and with your interaction with business school representatives. For people who have scored below your target school’s average by more than 50 points – think about changing your target business school.

Meet Business school representatives through events like The MBA Tour (you will get a real sense of what the b-school has to offer). You might have heard stories of candidates with low GMAT score getting into top Business Schools. It might be true but these candidates more often than not had a stellar GPA or had a very diverse experience. If you do not have either of these two traits then you are wasting your time and money on your application.

Your MBA admission process is a nine-month process. 3 months for GMAT prep, 3 months for MBA Essays and recommendation letter and the final 3 months for results and funding arrangements. Do not waste your 9 months on some unrealistic goals. Keep it real.

Face-to-Face Meetings

The best way to judge whether you will fit in with the B-School’s culture is to meet the college representative and ask some interesting questions. (Apart from MBA events, B-schools normally visit cities independently. Sign up for newsletters of your target Business schools and get updates on their travel plan to your city)

1) What percentage of the previous year's class received job offers before graduation?

This question is relevant especially since we are going through a recession. You will have a clear idea on the networking capabilities of the school. To be fair to the B-schools, it is up to the students to find the appropriate lead and get a job; however, ask about the recruitment events that the school had organized. A placement and guidance cell with training on interview etiquette etc is common among average to above average business schools.
 
2) What is the average age of the candidate in the B-school?

You can get this information from different MBA portals but better to get all this information from the horse's mouth. If your age falls below the class average by more than 4 years remove the B-school from your target. If the average age is high and the school claims 100% placement after the course, then the age of the student might be a factor. MBA students in their 30s would have mortgage and family commitments to meet and they are more likely to take any offer (well below the average salary that you see in the MBA School’s portal). Since they might have a fair bit of experience in their chosen field, getting a job in the same domain might be easy. That brings us to the next question.


3) What percentage of the graduates was able to change their domain?

This question will give you a clear understanding on the true value that the B-school has to offer. Were the alumni able to get a job in a completely different domain with the MBA? Normally around 40% of the candidates join the MBA course to change their domains. If the percentage falls below 15% then search for another B-school that will help you achieve your goal.


4) Can you give me contacts of alumni from my country?

Get contacts of alumni, more importantly those from your country. They might have a similar perspective on climate, food, culture and other aspects of the new environment. Get information from different alumnus. One alumnus might be a big fan of the college, so it is always better to get opinions from different alumnus. Ask questions like- “What are the things that you don't like about the b-school?" Remember- “no college is perfect”. So getting to know about the cons would help you in making an informed decision. If the cons bother you, then cut off the b-school from your target list.

Location of the B-School

Location plays a crucial role. If you are selecting a business school in the US then go through the govt. polices on visa for international students.

For US Visa Policies :
http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html


For UK Visa Policies : http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/

In UK and US, recession is looming hard, so keep an eye on the recessionary data that comes out during each quarter. With recession, govt. will protect the jobs from going to people from other nationalities. Have a plan-B on how you will survive if you are unable to get a job offer after your MBA.

For other European countries, language would be a huge problem. Recruiters would be looking for people who are conversant in their local languages. A common mistake that MBA students make is - to learn a new language with their hectic B-school schedule in 1 year (European MBA courses are mostly 1-year intensive programs). Use the 9 month pre-MBA admission period to learn a new language.

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