Written by: Eric Lucrezia, creator of?Candidate Coach, author of the book series?"Getting into an MBA", and co-host of the weekly vidcast,?MBA Waves.
During your MBA research, visiting the campuses of the schools to which you're applying is an incredibly important step in making sure you've found the right fit. It's your opportunity to check out the facilities, meet staff & students, and to feel the vibe, or campus culture, you might say. If visiting in person is out of reach (due to constraints of time or money), that's understandable, but so many campuses offer virtual visits that approximate the experience. Do yourself a favor and be sure to at least visit and make contact with a few people virtually.
Key tips for a successful campus visit:
- Make an appointment - many schools prefer scheduled visitors only, and that also may be limited to planned Open House Days. This way they can plan a useful and memorable day for you, and put their best foot forward.
- Confirm the directions with your recruiter.?
- Have the name and contact number for the person you’ll be meeting available for when you arrive on campus (and in case of any travel delays or other surprises).
- Dress the part. Although this is probably not your official interview, first impressions are important. While a full suit is probably not necessary, a hoodie and ripped jeans are not appropriate. Better to be overdressed.
- Have a few printed copies of your résumé with you; you may be asked by more than one person to see it, and it’s always better to be over-prepared.
- If you have business cards, bring them.
- Bring enough cash (in local currency) for lunch and transportation.
- In case you won’t have Wi-Fi during your journey, think about downloading an offline map, or take screenshots in advance so you don’t get lost.
- Be ready to talk about yourself: summarize your career thus far, as well as your post-MBA goals, as specifically as you can at this point.
- Head out with your phone fully charged, particularly in case you get lost or are running late.? A charger and power bank is a good idea to keep on you as well.
- Arrive early. Being late never looks good!
- Present yourself as confident, friendly, and polite to everyone you meet. That means look them in the eyes, smile, give a firm two-pump handshake, and say your full name. And yes, everyone means everyone!
- Think about the person to whom you’re speaking and ask appropriate questions. If it’s a professor, ask about class content and expectations. If it’s an admissions rep, ask about the application procedure or the interview. If it’s a student, you can ask all about their experiences, from their own admission process to classes to campus life. You’d be best suited to write down all your questions in advance, and always keep it professional.
- A campus tour is usually pretty standard. Ask if it’s possible to see the campus residences, if they have them, as well.
- Ask if it’s possible to sit in on a class, or part of one. This may need to be arranged in advance, so make this request as early as possible while planning your visit.
- Try to get a sense of student life on campus. Find out if you can see any student associations in action, the fitness center, or student hangouts. Take note of posters, flyers, or the school newspaper to get the inside scoop of what the student experience is about. Many schools will also have student experience blogs to help you get a sense of what’s happening on campus.
- For each person that you meet, ask for their business card or their email address. A brief thank you email following the visit is a nice touch, and makes you more memorable.
