'Tis the season

Reputation: I intentionally avoid “rankings,” as most rankings of b-schools are suspect at best. Nonetheless, a school’s reputation is obviously a component of a program’s value proposition. In a number of cases, more than one b-school contributes to the program, with one partner being a local b-school. In such cases, the importance of the reputation of the local partner vs. the overseas partner varies depending on the candidate’s own projected career path.

Faculty and curriculum: Wise candidates will go beyond assessing what percentage of each are local or overseas; they will consider the academic background of each faculty member, plus the quality of the curriculum elements. The Chinese business environment is so new and so fast-changing that some of the materials used in MBA programs relevant to China are themselves immature. While all students benefit from an integrated curriculum (a check with the program’s academic director to see how the program manages integration is a very good idea), people who aim at a global career have a particular need to study with a globally integrated approach, which requires extensive review of global best (and worst) practices. Finally, the Chinese academic environment is still weak enough that faculty who have earned their PhDs from reputable foreign institutions are still a much stronger option as course leaders for MBA programs. (The Chinese b-schools themselves recognize this weakness – they themselves only rarely hire fresh PhDs from domestic institutions, preferring either those who have earned their PhDs overseas or more senior faculty who have proven their academic leadership over years.) Evaluate the components, not just a percentage breakdown.

Student/alumni cohort: An MBA program’s students and alumni are a primary component of the value proposition. So taking the time to sit in on classes, and meet students and alumni outside of class provides essential information for your grid analysis. Some programs have more localized cohorts, some more international – different types of candidates will find one or the other more suitable. Also, go beyond numbers: Determine how strong the program is not just in claiming alumni numbers, but in fostering network connections with gatherings, e-networking, etc.

Tuition: Varies hugely – some-English language programs have tuitions less than US$25,000, while at the other end the two programs in Hong Kong and the one in Singapore mentioned above ask for about US$125,000. A difference of 10% between two programs is probably not worth considering unless all other factors are equal, but there’s clearly enough potential difference that price will drive some decision-making.

Location and schedule: can have a surprising influence on a student’s experience. A trip to the campus to understand the facilities and the commute required will give candidates sufficient understanding of the location factor. The program schedules are available on school websites – some feature more in-class hours and more intensive schedules, some feature less. As with so many other factors, no one program schedule is right for everyone.