Ooo, I dare you to interrupt Kellogg's dean's speech!
But anyway, here are some things you can ask:
Career:- Ask to be put in contact with alums at target companies. Then CALL those alums for an informational interview to ask them about hiring, the economy, and even picking schools. they are surprisingly honest with admits if they don't think School X is a good fit for them, even if they're an alum from that school.
- Ask about all the questions River and others already mentioned
- Ask to talk to students (or more students if you've already done this before your admit) in the career industry clubs that you're interested in (finance club, consulting club, tech club, etc...). Ask them how their internships and full time job searches are going. That's the BEST way to feel the pulse of the school, since the career center might put out numbers that make them look good.
- Ask questions about "How easy is it to get in contact with recruiters from target companies?" "How often do they come here?" "what activities do they sponsor or do on campus?" "What are typical ways for students to get jobs from those companies?"
- I like river's question about professors and career services. Haas has hired a LOT of part-time advisors to help with advising and interviews, on top of the full time staff they retained (no reductions). The Dean is also very committed to hiring the same amount of professors as we planned on doing last year (I think 10 is the number in the next 2 years). These are the type of schools that you want to seriously consider.
Fit:- Ask if there are any alumni events happening nearby. See if you can get invited to them. I went to a few alumni events for Haas last year and got to see how enthusiastic the Haas alums are.
- Go sit in on more classes (if you're local), hang out there for a day. People will definitely treat you different if you say you're an admitted student (versus prospective). They're also more willing to chat with you.
- Go to non-West Coast schools in the dead of winter (like, now). If you're not used to that weather, either get used to it or think twice.
Making the decision between 2 or more great schools is TOUGH. But in the end, if you do all that research, you will have a gut feeling of which school is best for you. Good luck!