Where Should You Go to Business School

Should location factor into your decision on where should you go to business school?  Absolutely yes! Location can play a pretty big part in your overall experience in business school and the perception of the value of your MBA afterwards. Professional Considerations When it comes to selecting a business school the school’s location can influence where you will end up post-MBA. This may be one of the more obvious factors, but it’s also one of the main considerations applicants overlook. The majority of schools have the highest career placement within their home state. So applicants should take care in identifying schools in areas where they would prefer to live. This will make life much easier when it comes to making decisions for internships and full-time job offers. Location also factors strongly when it comes to campus recruiting. Many school reputations are based as much on school specific competencies as recruiting proximities. Regional specialties exist in every part of the country for MBA programs. For example Stanford’s connection to the Silicon Valley tech scene or Kellogg’s connection to the consumer packaged goods industry of the Midwest should be factors you consider when thinking about which schools to apply to. Personal Considerations Another important factor is how the location fits with your personal desires and needs. There is such diversity in business school locations that can range from small college towns like Darden’s Charlottesville location to Booth’s location in the metropolis of Chicago. For some, the small town vs. big city debate is not a big factor but instead cold vs. warm weather locales present a much bigger decision. Not only is it important to figure out where you stand on these factors but also how they all rank out relatively. You may really want the sunny weather of a school like UCLA Anderson but can’t pass up the prestige and access of Wharton’s finance program. All of these decisions should be thought of holistically and with a long-term outlook on what truly makes the most sense for you and your career. However location factors into your school selection and eventual decision process, make sure it gets the attention it deserves and you will set yourself up to be at the school that makes the most sense for you. Want to craft a strong application? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert  today.  You can also receive a  free MBA admissions consultation  on the Veritas Prep website just fill out a quick form, and an MBA admissions expert will get back to you within three business days with insight as to how your profile will stack up against those of other qualified applicants!   Dozie A. is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants.