BSchool research suggestions

Question

Can anyone suggest better ways to research schools beyond just skimming through their websites and speaking to ambassadors? How can we get a deeper understanding of the nuances and intricate details of a school and its culture?

MBADecoder · Answer

I have written quite a few blogs on this topic, which I will share with you. Skimming through the website should only be the starting point, to gather basic intel about b-schools. Over the 15 years that I have been an admissions consultant, I have noticed b-schools have taken down a lot of good info from their websites- my assumption is they want candidates to do first hand research themselves. So once you have the basic info that is of interest to you, you can research on it further by talking to students and alumni. You can reach out to them through Linkedin. Also, connect with Club leadership members- these people who are in official posts are more likely to respond to your calls. A very good resource is students/ admissions blogs and You Tube videos. You will pick up a lot of info about clubs, you people contributes, what their internship experiences were like, any pivots they made and what resources heled them and about other travel and experiential project opportunities. Going on campus visits is not a possibility for most applicants, neither do b-schools expect it. But if you stay in the same country or a are visiting then making that extra trip to the campus would be very rewarding, especially to understand the culture. You can also attend offline events - meet F2F with admissions staff as well as alumni or students. This can be great to get the conversation started and then you build upon it later here area few blog links: https://mbadecoder.com/how-to-research-b-schools/ https://mbadecoder.com/five-ways-to-net ... admission/ https://mbadecoder.com/research-business-schools/ https://mbadecoder.com/often-overlooked ... s-schools/ Namita Garg, Founder, MBA Decoder Email: contact@mbadecoder.com Reach out to us for a Profile Evaluation Testimonials: https://mbadecoder.com/testimonials/ 650+ Admits to M7/T15 b-schools |15 years consulting experience | work directly with Founders

AdmissionPark · Answer

Ambassadors are the easy first step, but I would really recommend going further and networking with alumni and current students. LinkedIn works well for this. Ask them about the small details: what a normal week looks like, what surprised them, which classes or clubs shaped their experience. It takes time and can feel a bit challenging at first, but it is one of the most valuable steps in the whole application, because a lot of what you hear ends up in your essays and interviews. Student club pages are also worth a look, and some schools' alumni chapters host local gatherings you can join.

ElevantedGlobal · Answer

Beyond the school website and speaking to ambassadors, I’d recommend speaking to recent graduates and current students across different backgrounds, as their experiences can give you a more realistic understanding of the school’s culture.

You can also explore student clubs, course evaluations, class discussions, alumni career paths and LinkedIn profiles to understand how students actually experience the programme. Pay attention to how collaborative or competitive the environment is, the accessibility of professors, recruiting support and how well the school supports your specific career goals.

I’d also suggest comparing what schools claim to offer with what students have actually experienced. Based on my first-hand experience from INSEAD and McCombs, I can help you look beyond the surface and assess school fit more holistically.
If you’d like a more detailed assessment, I offer a complimentary profile evaluation call at Elevanted, where we can take a holistic look at your profile and help you with school selection and positioning.

Hope this helps!

BSchool research suggestions

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