A Must Do Before Deciding Where To Apply

Deciding which bschools to apply is one of the most confusing decisions I made in the entire process. I looked at the rankings, class profiles, and other info to see where I will get accepted and took it from there. Although this strategy is the most common one, it has a serious shortcoming. If we are using this strategy, we are only asking one question - am i right for this school? We are not asking the most important question - is this school right for me? Believe it or not, asking this question is more important that the other question most people ask.

The answer to this question will really help you decide where to apply. All schools offer a very different experience, and its only natural that you will like some better than the others. If you only want to focus on top 10 schools or top 20, thats fine, but getting to know a little about the experience the schools offer will help you choose which of those top 20 to apply to.

It is also important to keep in mind that schools look for students who have done their research on what the school has to offer and that the student's personality will fit the school's culture.

So, here is how you can find out about what the school has to offer culturally. Read student blogs on business week and other sources. A simple google search will give you a list of blogs from students in a particular school. And read multiple blogs to avoid getting reviews of a very frustrated student or a very very happy student. Both wont do you a lot of good.

Call a current student and ask what he/she likes and does not like. Speak to Indian students if possible because they understand our needs the best. They were in your shoes a year or so ago, and know what mistakes they made and can better advice you on how to tackle problems.

So again, read student blogs and talk to current students (Indians if possible) to see what their experience at school has been, and then decide where to apply.