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Here is a set of questions (and answers) that might help you make the right choice.

Q. Where do you want to work post the MBA program?

For example, if you want to work in Europe, you are better off pursuing a program in the EU rather than in the United States.


Q. What is your intended career path?

While Harvard is a great strategy School, it may not be the best school to go to, if you are looking for a e-commerce career. Go to Harvard if strategy/consulting is what you intend to do or Vanderbilt if you want to do e-commerce.

Q. What is your financial status?

The big names in the B-School world go out of their way to attract international talent by offering scholarships or loan facilities to cover the entire cost of tuition and often even living expenses without requiring you to provide a co-signer. One caveat here is that one should not go to a school necessarily because it offers scholarships, if other factors do not favor the school.

Q. How much time can you commit?

Several schools like Cornell, Columbia, Kellogg, LBS and LSE provide accelerated or specialized programs which are shorter than the normal two year MBA program. You may choose one of these programs if time is a constraint. The cost could also be lower for such programs.

Q. What is your personality type?

If you are a fun loving, easy going person, you don't want to go to a school which is high on inter-student competition and is more course-work oriented. On the other hand, if you are a serious kind of person, you may want to go to a school that is the type described above. There may also be students who want to expand their horizons and look at schools which are opposite to their current personality type.

So, how do you answer these questions? Research, Research, Research!! Talk to admissions staff, current students and alumni. Request schools to provide you names/contact details of current and past students and you will find that the recruitment teams at B-Schools are more than willing to give you the necessary contacts. It is as important for them to get the right candidate as it is for you to choose the right school. A student who does not commit himself mentally to the program even though he may be physically present at the school can be a problem to a school as well. Visiting the school is a great idea but may not be an affordable proposition for Indians.

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