By MBA Admissions Team
If you’ve started researching, or begun applying to business school, then it should be no surprise to you that there is a lot of information to sort through. One extremely important part of the information gathering process is engaging with the schools you are applying to and attending different admissions events is a great way to learn about schools and affirm your interest — or maybe cross a school off of your list.
The Value of Admissions Events
By attending a variety of admissions events, you will get to know a school and its community so you know if it is the right fit for you. These opportunities also give the school a chance to get to know you and make sure you are a good fit for it as well. Take advantage of these opportunities so you can build relationships, find out what companies recruit at the school, discover what resources are available, and, in general, get your questions answered so you can make an informed decision about the right business schools to apply to.
Campus Events
The best way to get to know a school’s students, faculty, staff, and culture is to actually visit campus. Most business schools will offer the opportunity to visit campus through an open house or a personalized campus visit. At an open house you’ll get to know the school through a variety of programming that is organized by current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. You’ll also meet other prospective applicants, a.k.a. possible future classmates! If the dates of an open house do not work with your schedule, try to plan a personalized campus visit so you can attend a class, meet current students, and get a feel for what it might be like to be part of a particular school.
Diversity Events
If you belong to an underrepresented group, you may also find that the school offers specific events designed just for you. These events include targeted programming for African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, women, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented groups in business school. These events are a great opportunity to learn about resources that are available and meet current diverse students as well as potential future classmates.
Off Campus and International Events
Admissions events are not limited to only being on campus. Universities typically have staff and alumni conducting a variety of events all over the world. Some prospective candidates may sign up for coffee chats with alumni or current students in global cities such as New York, Mumbai, Tokyo, Paris, and Santiago. Others may attend MBA fairs where they get the opportunity to meet admissions representatives from several different business schools all at once. Be sure to check out the admissions event calendars of schools you are interested in to see if there is an event happening near you, as these are excellent ways to get to know a school if your opportunities to travel to campus are limited.
Admissions events are a valuable way to help you figure out if a business school is the right fit for you. If you’re interested in attending an event for Vanderbilt Business, click here to see a list of upcoming dates and locations. We hope to see you soon, either on campus or on the road!