How to Shortlist Schools for Global MBA
Thinking about studying abroad is not a day’s process—it requires years of academic, extracurricular, and professional experience. Similarly, choosing the right MBA program abroad is a time-consuming and tiresome process.
The easiest but arguably precarious way is by considering university rankings such as Financial time rankings for Global MBA or US news rankings Apart from the stakes held by the authoring websites, and their authenticity, analyze the ranking parameters. University ranking parameters include but are not limited to the academic reputation of the university, college, and department; employer reputation; research citations and international research network, including research volume and supporting infrastructure; and industry network and placement opportunities.
Choosing your desired course is advisable before you begin to consider ranking. Different universities offer the same course differ in terms of distinct research and focus areas, industry specialization and comprehensive vs specialized course type, as well as course duration. Mostly, your experience and interest should direct you toward your desired course.
Each course has its own set of requirements—while some may require you to have the same under-graduation degree, others may focus more on your work experience. For example, Masters in Management programs require 0–2 years of work experience and an MBA abroad requires 3–4 years, on average, of work experience. Thus, check whether your profile is compatible with the eligibility criteria of your desired college.
Your GMAT/GRE and other test scores must align with the university’s requirement; nonetheless, some universities waive these tests, for example, New York University: Stern, Rice University: Jones USA on a case-by-case basis, and Warwick Business School, the Warwick Test may be circumstantially given to certain candidates. Check your profile eligibility by comparing your profile with the class profile which is accessible on the college website. Class profile furnishes the average GPA, GMAT, and work experience allowing you to adjust your expectations and recognize the right fit.
Academic knowledge is limited without having to exercise and implement it in appropriate professional settings. Thus, another important criterion is career opportunities: What is the credit weightage given to internships, if any? What is the scope of networking? How well-performing is the on-campus placement? Is the location historically well-known for the desired industry? How accessible is the job market in the location? What has the growth or success of alumni been like? Here, use the LinkedIn hack to track the alumni of a particular college and see how they’ve grown in the field; moreover, many colleges have dedicated alumni networking forums that should be utilized.
Next is budgeting; consider a university not only by its tuition fees but also the cost of living in that location—that is, food, water, accommodation, travel, and personal expenses. Check the scholarships available including your eligibility and explore options and criteria for fee waivers and research assistance. Estimating your overall expenses would help in calculating your ROI. Finally, when moving to a country abroad, consider the location’s weather, lifestyle, GDP growth, immigration facilities, and the like to ensure that you can adapt to, enjoy, and exploit the opportunities afforded.
Having a list of colleges is recommended, divided into aspiring, achieving, and safe. This would minimize the chances of missing out on achieving or safe universities in case an acceptance from an aspiring university is not received, considering the demand and competitiveness. View ample YouTube virtual tours of your desired universities and talk to your IMS consultants while shortlisting the universities to ease the process.
Author –
Dipti Pal
Head, Admission Consulting
IMS
Ilika M
Editor, Admission Consulting
IMS