How to deal with conflicting views about the MBA experience?

I think I have addressed this issue before, but since it is a VERY important one, I will talk about it again.

As part of your research about the MBA experience, you will often hear conflicting stuff. Someone will like ABC school, and someone else will hate the same school. They will both have their reasons, which will be valid.

So what do you do? What do you make of such conflicting data?

Firstly, talk to as many people as possible. Talk to students:

1. Who are american citizens
2. Who are international students
3. From your country
4. With the same background as you - professional background
5. With the same future goals are you
6. Who were very successful with their job search - try to find out what worked for them
7. Who were not as successful - find out what mistakes they made, and learn from it

How do you get in touch with so many students? LinkedIn, facebook, google search, ask the school to give you contacts, ask these contacts for more contacts, and any other way you might think of.

Hope this helps.