Use the 5 Ws to Choose a Business School

Considering a career in business? Browse your options

Once you’ve decided to apply to business school, the choices for obtaining your MBA can be overwhelming. Use the journalistic approach to cover all the angles. These questions, based on the 5 Ws of journalism, provide a nice framework on which to base your B School inquiry!

Why is business school the right choice?

Examining your motivations for pursuing an MBA is the first and most important step to choosing the right business school.

Someone looking to change careers will have different needs than someone hoping to advance in a current profession. An increase in salary may dictate a certain school while international experience would point to another. Is there a specific skill set you are looking to develop, or an overall business knowledge?

A lot will depend on your undergraduate education. There are a number of worthy reasons to pursue an MBA. The more you understand yours, the easier your search for the ideal school becomes.

Who do I want to be at the end of my business school experience?

Once you’re complete your MBA, you’ll have the credential. But who is it you’d like to be? When comparing business schools you’ll want to narrow down the choices by focusing on the types of career you see yourself in.

Is there certain firm where you’d like to work? Is there a title you’ve been imagining after your name? Take the time to map out your ultimate goal and the steps leading to it. Working backwards can help you hone in on the right school. Besides, most schools are going to ask about your career aspirations as part of the application process.

Doing this inquiry ahead of time will reduce your stress throughout the process. Doing the work at the outset also ensures that the employers you’re targeting recruit at the schools you’re considering.

Where geographically do I want to be during and after business school?

Depending on your personal situation and finances, especially if you plan to continue to work your day job while getting your MBA, location may play an important role in your choice of school. However, it’s important to consider not only where you want to be while you’re in school, but also where you want to be once you finish.

In addition to getting a great education and practical skills in business school, you’re also making valuable contacts. While some of these will transcend geography, others won’t. Don’t underestimate the value of place.

If you want to work internationally, you may actually want to start building your network and learning the day-to-day customs of doing business in your chosen location sooner than later.

When would I like to finish, and when do I have time to take classes?

This question gets at the trade off between a full time course of study and an alternative one. Working during your MBA narrows your choices substantially. Part-time, executive tracks and online MBAs are all very good options for many people.

The appropriateness of the newer choices for obtaining an MBA will be determined by your current situation as well as your undergraduate degree.

How do I compare business schools?

As an MBA applicant you are faced with a huge amount of information about potential schools. Rankings are great, but a list isn’t going to tell you the whole picture of a school.

The choice of business schools is a complex one and many students swear by face-to-face meetings with school representatives. A great source of ranking information is the BusinessWeek list of top schools.

Wherever you decide to get your information, keep the following in mind:

• Record of career placement
• Return on investment
• Courses of study available
• Rankings by different criteria
• Teaching style
• Name brand/prestige
• Cost

Asking yourself these questions, on paper, in the shower, and in the dark hours of the night will go a long way toward making sure your choice of business school is the very best one you can make.