Finding Your Dream School

Finding the right school is as important as any other aspect of your business school application process. After all you will be leaving behind your comforts to spend 2 years in a completely new environment. There are various reasons why people choose to apply to certain schools but I can speak for all MBAs out there when I say that people should apply to the right school based on characteristics that fit their personal objectives. Here are some characteristics to take into account when finding the right school.

Location: whether you prefer metropolitan cities or small college towns make sure the location ties into your expectations.

Student body: More than half of your MBA learning will come from the interactions with the student body around you particularly with the case based studies and leadership learnings. Therefore it is important that the student body is diverse not only in ethnicity but also in industry backgrounds, age, gender, and work experience.

Curriculum: Try to find schools that fit your style of learning. Many individuals prefer to learn in classroom or lecture settings, many prefer team based or case settings and others prefer a balance of both. Read about the professors (i.e. their past experiences, their teaching techniques, where they stand in their fields of study). Additionally, aim to have an understanding of the type of MBA you desire, whether it is customized (Marketing, Finance, Consulting, etc) or general management because many schools vary in these aspects.

Career placement: Many companies have strong affiliations to certain MBA programs so it is important to check recruiting stats by each school. Depending on what industry, company, or functional role you wish to pursue, this could be a deciding factor in finding the right school.

Personal touch: There is always something endearing about a school that makes you feel like you belong to the community rather than becoming just another face in the crowd. Characteristics ranging from size of the class to receiving that phone call from an admissions staff are just some small things that can truly impact your decision on picking the right school.

These are only a few characteristics to help you get started on your school search. The driving force in finding the right school is to make sure the school has the necessary tools and resources to help you reach your ultimate career goals so make sure you DO YOUR RESEARCH!

Piya Dey, Forte Fellow
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University
MBA Class of 2013

Bringing Your Significant Other to Business School

While the decision to attend business school is a difficult choice for everyone, it becomes even more complicated when you are in a committed relationship. The choice suddenly moves away from being all about you and your career, to what is best for you and your family. With dozens of other factors weighing into your decision to attend business school (or even what school to attend!), the process can quickly become overwhelming.

When my husband and I started deciding whether I should go back to school (an eventually which school I should attend), we did several things that helped make the decision much easier:

1. Make a 10 year plan. It may sound silly, but if where you want to be in 10 years doesn’t involve a path where you went back to school, getting your MBA may not be the best choice for your family.

2. Reach out to the admissions committee in any school you are potentially interested in, specifically regarding their support of spouses/partners. Many schools have official programs to help partners through the transition of business school, including both career resources and social programs.

3. Talk to the state department of labor for each school you are interested in. I was surprised with how helpful they are in job searches, and for information regarding the job market in specific areas.

4. Decide whether or not a long distance relationship is an option for you. Every couple is different, and from my observations of my classmates thus far, there is a pretty balanced mix of partners who moved together, and partners who have chosen to live apart for the two years of business school.

5. Have completely candid communication with your spouse/partner. Make a deal in the beginning of the process that both of your opinions matter and deserve to be heard. It’s hard to come so close to making a decision, and then realize you were not on the same page.

While there is no right choice for everyone, thoroughly examining every option before making “the decision” will only help you in the long run. For my husband and I, the right choice was moving together to Ithaca, but that did not come without hours of research and open conversation.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at lep32@cornell.edu. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

Lindsay Petrovic, Forté Foundation Fellow
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University

The Johnson School of Management at Cornell - Johnson Women In Business - Forte Sponsor Event

November 11 - 12, 2010 (Deadline to apply is October 4, 2010)

- Experience the Johnson School at Cornell and learn about the Johnson MBA
- Gain valuable information about applying to a top MBA program
- Learn how to position yourself as a top female candidate for MBA admissions
- Meet Johnson School female students, faculty, and staff

Johnson Women in Women Business (JWIB) is our Women’s weekend on the Cornell campus. At JWIB, you will learn about our MBA programs, gain valuable insight on how to position yourself as a top female candidate for MBA admissions, understand what the business school experience is really like from current Johnson Women, and network with female Johnson School faculty and staff.

Click here to register: http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/odi/women.html