QS Top MBA

How to make the most of an MBA fair

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:00:00 +0000

But given the investment of time, effort and money that an MBA demands, there is no substitute for meeting the admissions personnel of possible schools personally. So how do you go about making the best of the event?

1)     Prepare – The QS World MBA Tour attracts over 60,000 visitors globally every year, so expect it to be busy. You may have to wait to talk to many of the most high profile schools and your time with an admissions officer may be limited. Consequently it’s imperative that you make the best of the time you have. Start your preparation by using personalized ranking such as Scorecard at www.topmba.com to draw up a list of programs which suit your individual criteria; visit schools’ websites to conduct further research and time permitting, order a copy of a school’s prospectus to bring – it shows you have done your homework and mean business.

2)     Focus – Don’t waste your time on schools or programs that aren’t right; look at the current class profile and entry requirements and remember to investigate how much a program will cost. Use your time at the fair to talk to schools which are realistic options instead of queuing for ‘big name’ schools that may not be the right match for you.

3)     Map out questions – Develop a list of questions in advance so that you don’t miss anything vital on the day. Priorities will vary by person, but you may want to ask about teaching style, student mix, academics’ backgrounds, specialisations career options and the cost of living.

4)     Don’t overload admissions officers – Admissions personnel will be pleased to meet you, particularly if you are well prepared, but they can’t devote the whole event to you. Make sure that you keep your questions focused and relevant and prepare an ‘elevator pitch’, which will give them the salient facts about you in no more than two minutes. Bring evidence of your qualifications with you, but keep them in your bag until asked for.

5)     Don’t just focus on admissions officers – An increasing number of schools now bring alumni to fairs. These individuals have lived the experience and provide valuable insight into all the pros and cons of the business school experience, so make the most of their knowledge.

6)     Look the part – Fairs aren’t a platform for admissions, but they could provide your first contact with your target school. Consequently, it makes sense to look and act in a professional manner. That doesn’t mean you should wear a formal business suit, but leave your old t-shirt and jeans at home

7)     Funding – An MBA can transform your career prospects, but it can be expensive. Ensure you research any scholarships the school offers and check whether they have any special deals with local financial institutions. Attending a QS World MBA Tour event qualifies you to apply for a range of dedicated scholarships from schools such as Wharton, IE-Instituto de Empresa and Ashridge as well as the portfolio of QS Quacquarelli Symonds scholarships – more details at www.topmba.com.

8)     Use the information sessions – At the QS World MBA Tour you can learn a lot through information sessions on topics such as GMAT and the applications process. Many events also feature master classes in which you can see business school academics in action and sample what studying for an MBA might be like.

9)     Evaluate – Many MBA students say that they knew the right school as soon as they talked to its representative; trust your instincts as much as your research. Ensure you assess the people you meet – are they interested in you? Can they answer your questions easily and authoritatively? Are they professional? Meeting people face-to-face like this is as much about you making a judgment as it is about obtaining relevant and comprehensive information.

10)   And, finally - relax and enjoy yourself!

Keep an eye out for the QS World MBA Tour!

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:45:00 +0000

The Spring events kick off on Saturday 2 February in New York City. Go to www.topmba.com for...

The Top 5 Reasons for attending a QS World MBA Fair

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:45:00 +0000

1) CONTACT: Face to face contact with admissions staff is invaluable. These are the people who will not only be able to provide all the answers you need about their school but they are also the ones who will be reading your application. The value of being able to put a face to a name on an application form cannot be underestimated. Go prepared. Research the schools you are interested in meeting first and get a few decent questions for them. Take a business card, a CV and even a picture. They may not be requested but it cannot hurt to have them with you.
2) SELECTION: MBA fairs uniquely provide a choice of business schools to talk to under one roof. These come from several different countries and can provide a feel not only of the school�s culture but of the country�s culture if you are thinking of studying abroad. If you�re aiming for a specific or a group of schools, you can maximise your day and get to see their representatives all in one day, and of course the personal touch of meeting them is better than phone calls or emails.
3) VERSATILITY: You may find what you�re not looking for. Nunzio Quacquarelli, Managing Director of the QS World MBA Tour, says: �There will be programmes at the fair that actually suit you better than those you were aiming for. Personalised research, such as www.topmba.com/scorecard, is a great idea and allows you to narrow down a list of business schools that interest you. However many people attend our fairs to research Wharton or London or Chicago and end up finding out about programmes elsewhere that are a far better fit for what they want.�
4) QUALITY: The QS World MBA Tour brings hundreds of the best business schools from dozens of countries. This includes Wharton, NYU Stern, London Business School, IE Business School, INSEAD, IESE, Melbourne Business School, HKUST, Ivey, University of Hong Kong, RSM Erasmus, IMD. These are among the world�s most exclusive business educations and the list goes on and on.
5) SIMPLICITY: Simple online pre-registration through www.topmba.com <http://www.topmba.com.dev.quaqs.com> allows all of your details to be accessed by the schools you are interested in.

How to make the most of an MBA fair

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:41:00 +0100

1) Prepare � The QS World MBA Tour attracts over 60,000 visitors around the globe every year, so you can bank on your local event being busy. You may have to wait your turn to talk to many of the most high profile business schools and, with a queue of other hopefuls behind you, your time with an admissions officer may be limited. Consequently it�s imperative that you make the best of the time you have. Start your preparation by using a personalised ranking such as Scorecard at www.topmba.com to draw up a list of programmes, which suit your individual goals, abilities and circumstances. Then, visit the relevant schools� websites to conduct further research. If you have the time, order a print copy of a school�s prospectus and bring it along on the day � it shows you have done your homework and mean business. 2) Focus � Don�t waste your time on schools or programmes that aren�t right for you. Look at the current class profile and entry requirements and don�t forget to check out exactly how much a programme is going to cost. Use your time at the fair to talk to representatives of schools that are realistic options instead of hanging around in queues for �big name� schools that may simply not be the right match for your skills, ambitions or bank balance. 3) Map out questions � Develop a list of questions in advance so that you don�t miss anything vital on the day. Priorities will vary from person to person, but you may want to consider asking about teaching style, mix of students, the background of academics, specialisations, future career options and the cost of living. 4) Don�t overload admissions officers � Admissions personnel will be pleased to meet you, particularly if you are well prepared, but they can�t devote the whole event to you. Consequently, make sure that you keep your questions focused and relevant and prepare an �elevator pitch� in advance, which will give them the salient facts about you, your background and your goals in no more than two minutes. Feel free to bring evidence of your qualifications with you, but keep them in your bag unless they are asked for. 5) Don�t just focus on admissions officers � An increasing number of schools now bring alumni to fairs alongside their admissions personnel. These individuals have lived the experience and provide valuable insight into all the pros and cons of the b-school experience - so make the most of their knowledge. 6) Look the part � Information fairs aren�t a platform for formal admissions, but they could be the first point of contact with your target school. Consequently, it makes sense to look and act in a professional manner. That doesn�t mean you have to turn up in a formal business suit, but it�s probably best to leave your t-shirt and old pair of shorts at home! 7) Funding � An MBA can make all the difference to your career prospects, but it can be expensive. Make sure you find out what scholarships the school offers and how and when to apply. Also check whether they have any special deals on loans with local financial institutions. Attending a QS World MBA Tour event also qualifies you to apply for a range of dedicated scholarships from schools such as Wharton, IE-Instituto de Empresa and Ashridge as well as the portfolio of QS Quacquarelli Symonds scholarships � more details at www.topmba.com. 8) Use the information sessions � The QS World MBA Tour isn�t just a venue for meeting individual schools; you can also learn a lot through information sessions on topics such as GMAT exam and the applications process. Many events also feature Master Classes in which you can see business school academics in action and get a taste of what studying for an MBA will be like. 9) Evaluate � A lot of successful MBA students say that they knew the right school as soon as they talked to its representative; so, trust your instincts as much as your research. Make sure that you assess the people you meet � are they interested in you and your questions? Can they answer those questions easily and authoritatively? Do they seem professional? Meeting people face-to-face like this is as much about you making a judgement as it is about them providing you with relevant and comprehensive information. 10) And, finally - relax and enjoy yourself!

Making The most of an MBA Fair

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:55:00 +0100

Your personal registration number will give you fast track entry to the Fair. You may attend the Fair any time between the hours shown for as long or as short a time as you like. However, we recommend that you allocate at least an hour, in addition to travel time to enable you to get the most out of the Fair.

Prior Research

Come prepared and you'll make a great impression. Before you meet the schools, it is a good idea to check out their profiles, admissions data (candidate profiles, average GMAT etc) and areas of excellence. You can do all of this research right here on the official World MBA Tour website, www.topmba.com

Face- to face

Talking face-to-face with school admissions officers and alumni at their tables is the most valuable information source, in selecting your future school. You can obtain detailed advice for your applications, as well as and scholarship and financing information. Participating schools are still accepting applications for forthcoming start dates. All participating schools have been informed of your registration and are prepared to meet you.

Make Appointments

Some of the participating schools will contact you to inform you about info sessions or interview opportunities taking place around the Fair. Other schools may invite you to interview or attend such events during the Fair.

Scholarships

Only by attending the Fair, you will be eligible to apply for six exclusive World MBA Tour scholarships.

Seminars

During the Fair, visitors can participate in free seminars covering issues such as: choosing between specialist post-graduate courses and an MBA; picking the right school; financing an MBA; taking the GMAT test, and preparing a winning application or, a leading Professor may deliver a Masterclass in Management, so you can sample the MBA experience. We will send you final details of the programme before the Fair.

Free TopMBA Career Guide

The first 100 visitors to each Fair receive a free copy of TopMBA Career Guide � 250 pages of comparative school profiles, interviews with employers and advice on applying and career planning.

Tell a Friend

You will get a free report: the TopMBA.com Recruitment Trends and Salary Survey 2006, if you tell your friends and colleagues about the Fair after regestering for an event. Source: QS TopMBA Career Guide