Your choice of business school will go a long way towards determining your success as a student and later on as a graduate.
When approaching such an important decision, it’s best to weigh all your options carefully and check against the correct criteria to find the school that fits you exactly right, Poets&Quants reports.
Each MBA program has its own preferred method of imparting knowledge. Harvard Business School, for instance, uses case studies geared towards active student engagement. The case method introduces students to problems real companies have actually experienced. It has many advantages, but it won’t suit everyone.
Sociable people naturally find discussions stimulating and thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to share their thoughts. Those among us who are less open and more introspective, on the other hand, feel uncomfortable in the spotlight and often cannot take full advantage of the case method. Therefore, we highly recommend factoring in the teaching techniques when making a shortlist of business schools that appeal to you the most. Make sure you choose a program that accommodates your learning style.
What Skills Are Necessary To Propel Your Career Forward?
For most people entering business schools, it’s a good way to change their career path. Scott Rostan, CEO of Training the Street Inc (a company offering tech training for MBA graduates) believes that the most important thing in choosing an MBA program is to find one that will teach skills absent in the applicant’s resume.
For instance, insight and proficiency in sales, skills sought after by American companies, are taught in many business schools cases. Many employers find soft skills to be crucial for new employees, especially those who aspire to become executive level managers.
Of course, nowadays everything is boosted and changed by the importance of data analytics. For applicants, it’s vital that their school of choice should offer courses involving data, especially if it’s done as a real-life project, when a group of students is assigned to a partner company as consultants under the supervision of their teachers. That’s how students should be trained to analyze big data.
Unlearn What You Have Learned
In our fast-pacing world, it’s crucial that students learn to understand the modern meaning of the word ‘smart’. It’s no longer the quantity of their knowledge that is important to the employer, but rather the quality of their skills. You can’t be appreciated based on how much information is stored inside your head, as a computer can store much more data. Your best shot at besting the computer are your learning skills, namely, the ability to relearn and unlearn. With the rapid development of technologies, you’ll need adaptability and flexibility. It’s also important to be able to acknowledge your mistakes and use them as a way to learn and improve.
Course Variety and Uniqueness
In every business school’s curriculum, there are both introductory and advanced courses. When choosing an MBA program, you should pay attention to the variety of the classes offered. For beginners, courses are mostly lecture-based to give the students some theory for what they’ll be learning later. Advanced courses are more practical and involve group learning and real-life assignments.
Any school’s curriculum includes courses taught by very different professors in various fields. The uniqueness of these courses will point you to the school you need to choose to achieve your career goals in the future. Visiting the school’s web site and reading about each professor’s teaching and practical experience will tell you whether the program is a good fit for you. Teachers who worked previously for businesses can obviously offer you more useful information and insights.
How Much Will You Get For Your Money?
It’s a well-known fact that MBA education costs an arm and a leg; still, many prospective students view it as a way to double or triple their salary. According to recent research data, they are right: business education’s return on investment is a solid fact.
According to a Financial Times report, last year’s average MBA alumni (three years after graduation) salary comprised north of $142,000, 12% more than it was in 2014. Actually, 75% of schools report an increase in alumni salaries over the recent years. The growth of your salary is actually affected by the career path you choose. PayScale College Salary Report (2016-2017) says that for students who chose to specialize in strategy, the first salary after graduation was $96,000 on average. According to Poets & Quants, after several years many of these students showed the highest numbers in remuneration, $149,000 on average.
The most dramatic increase in salary amount for graduates was reported by Chicago Booth School of Business and comprised 252% from 2002 to 2017.
Join MBA25 event in Kyiv and learn more about the best business education!
Back to top