Making the Big Decision - Picking the Right Business School

by Zach

Welcome! My name is Zach and I am a first year MBA student at Boston College.


I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from Colby College in Maine, where I received a bachelor's in Mathematics. After graduating, I returned to Denver, where I worked for the Colorado State Treasury issuing municipal bonds to build public schools around the state. While I really enjoyed my time at the Treasury, I decided to move back to the East Coast. I took a job for a large financial services company in Boston, where I worked for two years before applying to business school.

I found the process of applying to business school to be a long and arduous task. Starting with the GMAT all the way through interviews; it was a stressful and time-consuming process. However, at the end of the day, I personally found making the final decision on where I should go to be one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make. Business school is a major investment in my future and will have an enormous impact on my career and life going forward. I'd like to take the time to let you all know the criteria I used to make my final decision.

Alumni Network
The biggest item I weighed in my decision process was the alumni network. I wanted to go to a school that not only had a robust alumni network, but also one that had close ties with the school. If I have learned anything since graduating from Colby, it's as much about who you know as what you know. I have found that BC grads really are committed to the school and actively help and mentor current students.

Once I committed to Boston College, I was shocked by the number of people at the organization I worked who came up to congratulate me and let me know each of them were BC graduates. Since starting b-school, I have also been surprised to see just how deep the alumni network goes. As I begin my internship search, I plan on starting with the BC alumni network.

Culture

The second decision criteria I used was culture. I wanted to go somewhere where I could develop close friendships and work in a collaborative environment. One of the first things that stood out to me was BC's Core Values: Honesty & Integrity, Mutual Respect, Pursuit of Excellence and Personal Accountability. You'll find these values framed and posted in every classroom in Fulton Hall. Visiting the campus, it is clear that these values are one of the driving factors of our culture. Since starting school, I can attest to the fact that we are a very close community who work collaboratively to further our understanding and skills. We also live by our core values.

Class Size
The third decision criteria I looked at was class size. I wanted to go to a school where I could really get to know my professors, advisers and classmates. Each incoming Full-Time MBA class is roughly 100 students. The smaller class size has allowed me to get to know each of my classmates as well as my professors, academic and career advisers on a personal level. So far, I have had a wonderful experience and could not be happier with my choice.

Location
Location was another major factor in my decision. Because I would ideally like to stay in Boston after I graduate, I picked a school close to the city. Going to Boston College has allowed me to develop my network and connections and target companies I am interested in within the Boston area. Finally, the BC name and reputation has proven to be invaluable in building my network in Boston. 

A Final Thought
Making the final decision can be very stressful and difficult. In order to make the process easier, I would suggest you pick a few important criteria to help you weigh the options.

If any of you have different criteria or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment!