5 Things to Consider when Choosing an MBA Program

About this time three years ago, I bit a bullet; after years of repeatedly kicking the can down the road, I applied to get into a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program. Four months after, I started the journey, and twenty-four months down the line, I completed it. My graduation is in December. Between now and then, I will be sharing lessons and experiences from my journey, starting with what to consider when picking an MBA program.

Here are the top five things I considered in picking an MBA program.

1. The Curriculum - I wanted something comprehensive. Schools like Warwick and Edinburgh Business School offer the traditional and fundamental courses like Accounting, Strategy, and so on while schools like Instituto de Empresa (IE) are more geared towards contemporary subjects like digital technology and innovation. I ended up in a school that offered a blend of both so over a two-year period, I took 24 courses that ranged from Finance and Organisational Leadership to E-Commerce and Platform Strategy. Some schools also offer you the opportunity to specialize… in Finance, Oil & Gas, Technology Management, and so on.
2. Ranking and Accreditation- I reasoned that if I was going to spend a lot of time and money getting a masters degree, then it had better be hot and have credibility on the streets, in the market, and everywhere else. More than being fancy, when a business school is ranked highly by the likes of Financial Times and the Economist and accredited by AMBA and AACSB, it means that its programs and practices have been assessed by professionals and they conform to global standards and best practices. It also allows you to get on exchange programs and syndicate courses in other top business schools
3. Network and Interactions - For me, this was not about getting connected to the “big guns” in industries, in fact, I insisted on joining the Professional MBA cohort which had young and upwardly mobile professionals with an average of 11 years of work experience instead of the Executive MBA which had the “big guns” as recommended by the Program Manager since I made the cut based on my profile - My reason? I wanted to connect with people like me and share ideas and opportunities with them… I found the debates about how tech startups in Africa can attract and manage VCs that we had in my class more interesting than the boardroom politics gists my colleague that opted for the Executive MBA regaled me with.?Your interactions when networking should be about value exchange, integrating into “your society” and building alliances, your objectives would determine your choices… Are you an immigrant trying to break into the “old boys club” in a new terrain? Or are you a professional positioning for top recruiters? Whatever the case, wherever you go, always know what you have to offer and its value.
4. Mode of Delivery -Left to me, the ideal MBA should be an immersion; one year, physical and intense! A lot of schools offer that, however, I was not ready to take a career break at that point in my life, but then I was also a bit skeptical about the overall experience and acceptance of online MBAs (hey! This was pre-covid and let's just say that I no longer have any doubts, ever since I have studied and worked in virtual teams and found them very effective). Luckily my school offered a blend- Intensive weeks when we were in school physically and then virtual classes which could be taken from anywhere in the world. Also, different schools have different teaching styles; case-based, project/assignment based, traditional, and so on. I found the case-based approach very effective as it is practical, simulates real-life scenarios, and makes for rich class discussions.
5. Tuition fees - Seeing that I am not a Trust fund baby, I definitely had a budget and although it was relatively small for what I wanted, I found a couple of schools that met my requirements and I ended up spending a little less.Something I found interesting is that less than half of my classmates that I spoke with and even other friends that got into other programs had the full cash in the bank at the beginning of the program. Sometimes all you need is a little planning and a little faith…

Two years have come and gone, I have acquired knowledge, skills and relationships that would remain relevant for a very long time, more importantly, I have changed for the better. More than the when, where and how of my MBA, for me, the most important question was the WHY? That was what kept me going during the tough times on the? course, one day soon, we will talk about that.?