There are a number of things you should consider when choosing a MBA college. Your range of selectivity should depend on factors like the type of program, full-time or part-time and your finances.
1) Accreditation –
It is the process of recognizing educational institutions whose performance and integrity entitle them to the confidence of the educational community and the public. It’s safest to choose a B-School that has been offering the MBA degree for atleast 15 to 20 years.
2) Teaching Methods –
Teaching methods also vary from college to college, with each program emphasizing different elements. Some colleges offer a great many seminars; others have lectures before large class groups. Many have role-playing; some utilize small group projects. Some colleges are very practical in their approach and utilize primarily business executives holding MBAs and other advanced degrees who have a commitment to excellence in teaching and who provide a practitioner’s orientation to business management theories and concepts. As for teaching emphasis, if a student is practical-minded rather than theoretical, it is best for him or her to stay away from some of the colleges that place major stress on economic and business theory courses or the mathematical approach to business decision-making. Colleges that offer practical courses such as investment decision-making – utilizing actual investment funds—can be very advantageous. Likewise, taking courses that give you on-the-job training or consulting experience in the real business world can be very useful. Often, such experiences may provide the spark to put you on a future career path or give you the contacts that eventually result in a job offer.
3) Fields of Specialization –
The most popular fields has been accounting, finance, marketing, management and information systems. Currently the very popular areas are international business, E-commerce, entrepreneurship and marketing. Don’t jump into a specialization just because it is “hot” for the time-being. Better pick a field that you like and for which you feel you have special aptitude and talent.
4) College Rankings –
There are many ways to rank colleges and it is hard to say which one is the best way. If you want to go to one of the best B-Schools/College, you will find the names of the same B-Schools appearing on almost any list of the top 20, but they don’t always rank the same way in each survey. Many colleges are in fierce competition for bright students and believe that the various surveys ranking the colleges can influence students’ choices. Once you get beyond the top national colleges, you have about 100 regional colleges that draw students mainly from the regional areas.
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