So you’re considering signing-up for an MBA? It’s a big commitment, so you should be very clear about your motivations.

It’s not uncommon for business schools to have a drop-out rate as high as 50% (especially for distance-learning type courses), although the people who make it to the end of the course usually come out with the important three-letter acronym after their name.

Choosing a Business School

"So you’ve got an MBA, but from which school"? they say

It’s a cliché, but often it is often the first question a prospective employer will ask. With so many institutions offering courses, you do need to consider the status of the school. However, things are changing.

The best school for you may not be one ranked highly in current league tables. There are many excellent schools which are not considered to be in the ‘top 10’ elite. Some schools have increased in popularity because they specialize in technology, for example. Blue-chip companies need to build Internet divisions and other new businesses, so they are looking for MBAs who have learned about entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as general strategy. And so-called tier 2 schools may have much lower course fees – a major consideration for those self-funding their MBA studies.

A lot of MBA information available on the web is biased towards the US schools. We’ve tried to redress the balance by providing some useful European links.

Current Rankings of Business Schools

See how the UK and European schools faired this time round.

MBA Salaries

Need up-to-date high quality information about MBA careers and salaries with which to make smart decisions (or at least be able to negotiate a better salary)?

Applying to a Business School

Pre-course Preparation 

Good books

It has probably been a while since you studied. You might want to do some reading, just to remind yourself of what its going to be like. Here’s our recommended reading list.

GMAT

If entry to your chosen course is by Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, this site explains everything, and includes some compelling sample questions. You can even purchase test preparation software here.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

Since most MBA courses are taught almost exclusively in English, if English isn’t your first language, some schools will insist on this assessment.

Have you discovered a source of quality MBA information during your research? Please let us know: resources@MBAmatch.com

Financing an MBA course

For most self-sponsored students there aren't too many options open.

Either use up the cash you currently have available - seeing it as an investment in your future - or borrow the money in the hope that you will be able to generate at least as much once you complete the course.

But, what if we could offer you a way of financing your MBA without ever having to dip into your current cash reserves or borrow anything?

Find out more

General Advice & Guidance

AMBA

AMBA is the Association of MBAs, which for many years has provided accreditation for MBA courses. You can find their accreditation criteria, lists of regular events, as well as search facilities and a wealth of useful information on all aspects of the MBA experience.

Studylink

This site provides a comprehensive MBA directory and includes a really useful search tool which allows you to specify geography, study method and whether the school is AMBA accredited to narrow down your opportunities. The schools themselves however, provide the information.

Association of Business Schools

The Association of Business Schools represents business schools in the UK. There are some interesting reports and articles on this site, though the site would really benefit from a site map to help navigation.

BSchool

This is a US business school directory that includes rankings and other useful information.

FT Interactive Rankings

Choosing the best MBA - FT Interactive MBA rankings. A unique opportunity to see how global business schools and programmes rate against each other. Criteria range from numbers of international students, to the salaries being earned 3 years after graduation. Select which are important to you and let FT.com recommend your top 5 schools.

Business Week

This is a US-centric site, you have to search for the International schools rating and then only the first tier schools are listed. There are a lot of other good schools around that don’t appear on this list. The information provided includes GMAT ratings, course fees, prospective salaries, top ten recruiters and much more.

Yahoo Lists

If it’s a comprehensive list of providers world-wide you want, go here.

The International Association for Management Education