Have you been giving thought to your future career and what path you’d like to take? Are all signs pointing towards an MBA? Do you want to make sure you make the best and most informed decision possible? Coming up with answers to these questions for this path can feel a bit overwhelming. It’s perfectly understandable to feel stressed, worried, and anxious as you figure out what kind of advanced education you want to pursue.
You obviously want to pick a program that appeals to your talents and interests, but at the same time, it’s good to learn about the various schools and find one that matches up with your needs and expectations. These are just a few of the reasons that so many MBA students-to-be sign up for an MBA tour. What is an MBA tour, and why should you attend one you ask? Well, let’s take a closer look.
What Is The MBA Tour?
An MBA tour is a little bit different than you may expect. The MBA Tour is actually an independent information source that discusses all things MBA admissions related. It holds a variety of events that are meant to bring together MBA admissions representatives, alumni, prospective students, and others in the field of education and business.
What makes it even more unique is the fact that so many schools are represented, not just here in the United States but in all of North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and Australia. In other words, you’ll be able to find information on a wide range of institutions.
Why Attend The MBA Tour?
The next logical question that you may have is “why attend The MBA Tour”? There are actually a number of benefits from attending one of the organized events from The MBA Tour. First off, it’s a great way to network and meet people in the field you’re interested in. You can also connect with educators and school admission staff, and start to build that ever-important list of contacts.
The events are described as meet-ups and are face-to-face with representatives. They tend to be small groups, so you aren’t fighting to get your time in with the right people.
Because alumni also attend, it gives you the opportunity to chat with them about their MBA schooling experience, what they thought of the school they attended and any information that can help you later down the road.
What You Should Try to Gain from The MBA Tour
There are a few different things that you will want to focus your energy on at one of these events. First off, speaking to the admissions representatives will give you a chance to pick their brains and find out what they are looking for when it comes to applications. You’ll be able to find tricks and tips that can help you beef up your application and stand out from the crowd. Considering how highly competitive admissions are into the top schools, this can prove to be invaluable. It’s no secret that schooling isn’t cheap, and the majority of students don’t have the cash up-front. The financial panels offer tips and ideas on how you can pay for your degree and make your dream possible.
There are also various school presentations that take place during an event. Each school that attends will put together a presentation that basically acts as a marketing brochure for their school and its business program. It’s wise to attend a number of these presentations so that you can take detailed notes to use for comparison purposes. There are also additional benefits, to list a few, complimentary consultations, financing advice, test prep and more. Make sure you look into it.
What You Need to Do in Advance
If you do make the decision to attend one of these events, it’s imperative you take the proper steps when it comes to planning. This will ensure that you get the absolute most out of the experience. You’ll need to first create a profile on The MBA Tour website, and then log in. From there, you’ll have access to a calendar that shows upcoming events, along with the schools that will be attending. This lets you choose the events that appeal to you most.
Keep in mind that in order to attend one of the useful ‘MeetUps’, you need to be invited by select schools. They tend to pick people who have a robust profile. Once you do get an invite, be sure to follow up a couple of weeks before. From there, you can create your schedule for that day, picking the presentations and panels that would be most useful for you.
As a final tip, you’ll want to make sure you show up on time for all your meetings and presentations.
Helping You to Better Prepare for Your Future
While The MBA Tour can’t make up your mind for you when it comes to what school to attend, it can certainly help you to make a much more informed decision that you can feel confident in.
For more great tips to help you excel in your career, check out the other blogs on Career Geek!
