“Thinking about these questions means you have a far greater understanding of why you want to go to that school. And I think that will then come through when you are talking in your essays and interview about the research and understanding you have of that school… You can really show that you know the school you’re applying to very well.”

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Overwhelmed by the number of MBA programs? Having a hard time differentiating business schools? After listening to this episode, you’ll have the toolkit to surgically dissect an MBA’s offering. You’ll also know a lot more about the student experience at London Business School (LBS).

James Clark just graduated from LBS and wrote a student blog post, “What I had wished I had known when choosing business schools.” In it he lists 22 questions you should ask about your target schools. I found James’ perspective insightful and wanted to explore his questions in more detail for the benefit of our audience. Great research not only helps you pick schools, but get in to them as well!

James worked as a lawyer in New Zealand and a project manager in London before attending LBS. He’s now a commercial manager at PayPal – quite a career switch for someone previously in the oil & gas and healthcare industries.

In this episode, you’ll hear James and I deep dive into:

• Strategies to connect with MBA students and alumni
• Key questions to explore your target schools’ academic offerings
• How to determine if a school is strong in a particular discipline
• What you need to know about electives and exchange programs at LBS
• The importance of student clubs and treks in the MBA experience
• Key questions to ask about career services, placements, and opportunities
• The ultimate question to determine if an MBA program is the best fit for you

This episode could also be titled, “Great Questions to Ask Students & Alumni.” Be sure to give it a listen before your next information session, coffee chat, or one-on-one informational interview.

If you have other great questions to ask MBA students, please share them in the comments.

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James skying (in red) at a LBS & INSEAD club rugby match!

Show Notes

• James’ blog post: What I had wished I had known when choosing business schools
• Follow James on Twitter

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This is our first time recording a video as well – sorry for the sniffles and throat clearing as I was a bit sick. Let us know if you’d like to see more videos!

Need help finding YOUR perfect MBA program? Get expert help here.