When it comes to pursuing MBA abroad, some well-known business schools like Harvard or Wharton may immediately come to your mind and rightly so. While the reputation of such ivy-league schools is unquestionable, they tend to overshadow other quality B-schools that have a history of offering quality education at affordable cost.
These MBA colleges might be lesser known to the international students, but they are well-reputed among US students and companies. Such colleges can prove to be a hidden gem for students wanting to pursue MBA from the USA.
Underrated B-Schools in The USA
Founded in 1917, the college offers a supportive and collaborative learning environment with a special emphasis on entrepreneurship. The college has fully revamped its MBA courses that now has the highly acclaimed 6-weeks global immersion program. The program helps students to understand businesses, cultural aspects and socio-economic situations in three continents that further help them grow as global managers.
While many of Babson’s undergraduate programmes, including BBA, routinely feature in top rankings, the MBA programme has not yet caught the attention of statistics. However, that does not restrict its MBA program to provide top quality management education.
In addition to its regular 2-years full-time MBA, the college also offers a 4-year part-time evening MBA program and other blended learning programmes. The college boasts of many CEOs, hedge fund managers, directors and entrepreneurs in its alumni list.
[Read: Top 5 MBA Schools for Entrepreneurship – Babson on No #1]
The college’s MBA programme was launched way back in 1944 to cater to the growing need for trained and quality managers. The college still believes in its core values of imparting knowledge through collaborative relationships.
The college emphasizes its students to become leaders who can guide business transformations as the business world deals with regular changes or make-overs.
The fact that the college managed to achieve 100 per cent employment for its MBA graduates despite the pandemic and the global economic certainties speak volumes about the employability of its students. Even the stalwarts like Harvard Business school managed to secure about 83 per cent employment rate during the same period.
The college continuously features in the top 50 business schools in the USA. Known for its great return on investments, great teaching quality, and international diversity, the college focuses on developing analytical skills and innovative business quality.
Simon Business School stresses its students to develop effective communication and emerge as decision-makers in the future. You can consider this college if you want good exposure in the field of finance and economics.
Apart from the regular features of a world-class b-school like updated syllabus, campus infrastructure, and great learning environment, the students of this college have one great but often overlooked advantage.
In addition to having a persistently high and still improving placement record, the college has a great track record in helping first-year students to find internships. It should be noted that the college houses one of the best career service centres in the World.
The institution is steadily climbing the ladder on the list of top B-schools in the USA. The college extensively focuses on imparting experience-based learning through intensive hands-on project experience.
The students get the opportunity to learn from management simulations, field projects, case competitions, and the latest challenges in the business world.
There is a large number of honourable mentions like Jindal School of Management, University of Texas; Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology; Chaifetz School of Business, St. Loise University; etc., that have maintained an enviable employability record during the pandemic providing a great return on investment.
Important Parameters to Choose the Right Business School
- Check the Admission Process
Since most US B Schools take considerable time to complete their admission process, you cannot afford to waste your time shooting in the dark and end up in disappointment. While you might be easily fulfilling the eligibility criteria of one b-school, your application may have smaller chances in another.
Therefore, it is important to research in advance about the colleges where you can have the best chance to crack the entrance. For instance, you can focus on colleges that have removed GMAT scores from their eligibility criteria if you do not have a great score. Visit their last year class profile to understand your chances better.
- Academic Environment
Enquire about the kind of infrastructure the college offers. Try to find out how often the college upgrades its courses. Since you will be a foreigner on the college campus, find out how the college scores on diversity.
For instance, you can check out
- The average number of international students taking admission into a particular college every year.
- The social engagements among students of different countries.
- The competitive environment that the college offers.
- Career Building and Job Prospects
People can choose to pursue MBA for different reasons. While some may want to change their career path towards management, some might want to use their MBA degree for a better pay package. And yet, some individuals would like to be an entrepreneur.
Try to find out the colleges that can offer the right mix of courses, exposure, and the academic environment to fulfil your career goals. Also, find out how the college ranks in providing placement to its students. Ideally, you should consider at least a 5-years placement record to recognize any pattern.
- Cost
Pursuing MBA in the USA can be a costly affair for any international student. Apart from the college fees, you will have to arrange for your living costs as well. Therefore, you should try to find out the colleges with relatively lower fees.
Moreover, you can also research colleges that offer various merit-based or need-based scholarships to students and see if you are eligible to claim any. A scholarship can significantly bring down your costs.
[Read: What is the Cost of Studying MBA in the USA]
How to Check All These Parameters?
- College Website
The official website of most colleges is well-curated with all the necessary information. Visit the college websites and try to gather as much information you can. You can get valuable information like the admission process, course fees, placement records or scholarships on offer.
- Research from Credible Sources
Some excellent sites such as US News or Poets & Quants publish useful data regarding various MBA schools in the USA. You can use these sites as a primary source of information and fact-check some colleges’ claims.
- Social Media
Sometimes you can stumble upon a gem of information on social media as many college students prefer to communicate on them. Join the relevant college groups and see what the existing students are talking about related to college and campus life.
- Communicate with Alumni
The students who have already graduated from a college can often have a plethora of information about that college. You can try contacting the alumni associations to communicate with such people.
- Take Help From Professionals
You may feel overwhelmed by the lot of work that you need to do to secure admission into a college overseas. It is always better to seek professional guidance from an industry veteran who has long experience in dealing with MBA admissions overseas.
Often overshadowed by their more glamorous counterparts, these underrated MBA colleges can often catapult your management career to new heights. And with proper professional guidance, you can have a greater chance of acceptance in such colleges as the competition can be relatively lower.
Once you widen your focus from the top 10 MBA colleges, you can discover a whole new range of MBA opportunities lying in oblivion waiting for you to tap in.
