MBA fairs

Question

Did somebody attend the MBA fairs in the past? Can somebody comment on the usefulness of MBA fairs organised by MBA tour (https://www.thembatour.com) and top MBA (https://www.topmba.com/mba_fairs). Are these fairs really helpful in determining school culture/fit.

kryzak · Answer

I didn't attend, but I've heard it wasn't *that* useful nor much different from attending infosessions for specific schools (which generally give more detailed info).

agold · Answer

I'll be attending the Penn Club reception in Los Angeles. https://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/p ... nt=2161695

fooFighter · Answer

I've been to the Top MBA fair in Dubai. If you want to get info about the school, GMATClub, the schools website and blogs and other forums will provide all the info you need.

What is good about those fairs is that you could set your interviews with some of the schools while they are there. Also its good because the admissions officers present there can put a face to your profile and that should count to something when getting your profile evaluated so be sure to be memorable.

togafoot · Answer

I went to the one in Tokyo. For me it was extremely useful, because at the time, I had only decided to do an MBA 2 weeks previous to the fair. I gathered lots of information about the schools who came, and managed to arrange 2 interviews with some of the attending schools.

PalmettoRU · Answer

I have found that the fairs are useful but tend to be overcrowded. I have found that the info sessions on campus are more comprehensive and you get more attention.

The fairs are still useful though because they usually bring current students along that can share their experiences, and it's always a plus to be able to learn about more than 1 school in the same event.

dagrobo · Answer

I am also planning to apply to LBS, Oxford, Cambridge. It is not possible for me to visit these schools. So I think visiting the fair is best option I got to tell adcom that I am seriously considering these schools. I also ask these schools if they can connect me to alumni in US but they refused to comply with my request. Lot of harping on alum network does not get you anything. What a irony.

I will really apreciate if someone can elaborate on his visit to these fairs. I am particularly seeking info regarding what things you need to carry (eg resume, business cards only 2 things i can think of right now) ?
How much time you get to talk to schools representatives?
Do you required to fill out some forms?
What are the general ettiquettes while attending these fairs? - (makes me sound like a caveman)
Any other information?

thanks

FairPlay · Answer

I attended one of these fairs, and signed up (left my email on a list) with schools I was interested in.

The most interesting part of the fair was surprisingly not the school reps, but the other MBA hopefuls. Wow, if you wanted to see live demonstrations about how NOT to act, you'll find it examples of it everywhere you turn. Some candidates go on and on about their "accomplishments" without realizing that the school representative has completely tuned out. I also heard a lot of: "If my GMAT score is XXX, will I get accepted into your school?"

As to whether to carry resumes around, I doubt it gives anyone an edge over someone who just submits their application through the regular admissions cycle. I think these fairs are designed for students to discover different schools, as opposed to the school "prospecting" for good students.

The other thing I noticed too is that Harvard/Stanford/Wharton weren't present at the fair I attended. And really, when you think about, what purpose would that serve?

My etiquette suggestions 
-Be considerate of other people's time. If there are 5 other people waiting to talk with a school rep, don't purposefully extend your conversation just to have face time.
-Ask questions that you genuinely want to know the answers for. Don't ask "cleverly-crafted" questions that you rehearsed to show off how smart/impressive you are. "If I have a 780 GMAT and spend my free time training seeing-eye dogs for the blind community, would the school consider my application?" It's not at all subtle.
-Don't ask "How they got to where they are today." Guaranteed, they've already told the story to 50 other people and are tired of telling it.

dagrobo · Answer

That makes me feel civilized now.....

thanks for your response.

rigger · Answer

I think they're only useful if you have no clue about applying for an MBA. If you've done a lot of research, I'm not sure what you can gain from going to these.

Jacoby · Answer

I went to a fair event hosted by The MBA Tour.

I think that everyone has something to learn when attending these fairs, no matter how far along the admissions process someone is. I have some friends who just became interested in pursuing an MBA so they went to the fair – they found it extremely helpful since there's tons of information on schools readily available for students. Plus, there were some seminars that explained the application process, and because they were just beginning the process they learned a lot of new information.

However, for students who have already done plenty of research on schools or the application process (students like myself), I don't get the same benefits from that kind of information. Instead, I went to a fair with the intention of getting face time with representatives and speak with them to learn more of the intimate details of their program. It's actually quiet revealing of a program how alumni or representatives present themselves and speak about their program. I don't think a new student would be able to pick up on these subtleties, but after thoroughly researching some schools I was able to learn even more about certain programs through this.

Plus, just by going to these events and meeting with representatives can help you in the long run by putting a face to your application. While students are still able to do this at individual school info sessions, these types of fairs allow new students to gain a ton of information and allows 'veteran' students to learn more detailed information about a lot of schools at once.

The MBA Tour fair I went to was free (as I think they all are) so there's really no commitment. I just filled out an online registration and that was it. Hope my response helps anyone else that stumbles across this thread

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

Here are my tips:

Before attending admissions events, do some research that will lead into some juicy questions.

Don’t ask them about stats you could easily find online. Rather, ask questions that demonstrate you’ve 1) researched the program and 2) believe it is a fit, based on that research. Use that as your jumping-off point for deeper conversations. Initiate as many meaningful conversations as possible, without sacrificing quality.

After each conversation, take their business card, and write down what you discussed. Within 24 hours, email your new contact to follow up, the same way you would send a thank you note after an interview. It’s helpful to reference what was discussed, to reinforce the connection and make you more memorable. You can also ask them to set you up with a student mentor, and if possible, have them arrange a school visit. This will win a lot of points. Keep in mind, showing a specific interest in a school will increase your chances.

The biggest headache for schools is extending offers to people who choose another school. In this way, it’s a prisoner’s dilemma. So doing the work to demonstrate that you would pick them will up your chances.

You can get even more mileage out of each event by noting a meaningful piece of information in your essay; i.e., I spoke with Flor (’12) at the Buenos Aires admissions event, and she mentioned XYZ about Cornell. XYZ = something that would make me a fit at your school.

And please don’t mention collaborative culture because 99.99% of applicants go that route. It is played out.

If you do mention it, show don’t tell – mention a clear example of what resonated with you. If possible, reference an alumni conversation in your essay that points to how the school is an especially strong fit with your unique career goals. This is a good idea for the prisoner’s dilemma mentioned above.

If you are unable to attend any events in person, make sure to subscribe to their You Tube and attend the online admissions events. Meet with students or alumni in your city; get creative to show the school you are passionate about their program!

MBA fairs

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