Admissions Advice for Foreign B-School Applicants

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FrancescaBW: What do you think this means for the future of U.S. business schools and international students?

GrahamRichmond: I think that like any service offering, the U.S. MBA programs are clearly going to face increased competition from niche players in regional markets, especially as these relatively newer business schools get on their feet and build their networks. I also think that the economic crisis, the collapse of no co-signer loans, and the struggling U.S. labor market combined this past cycle to paint a grim picture for U.S. programs.

The good news, however, for the U.S. programs is that they managed to be fairly nimble in securing new loans for internationals and that they continue to offer a great value proposition for them (study abroad, access to a new market, deep network, etc). After all, the MBA degree has its origins in the U.S.

FrancescaBW: Who is benefitting the most from this perfect storm as you called it?

GrahamRichmond: I would say that two groups have benefited from the perfect storm: 1) The very top U.S. programs with global brands and available no co-signer loans. In some respects, there has been a flight to security (strong alumni networks, etc). 2) The non-U.S. programs with increasingly global reputations (ISB, etc). These schools have benefited from some internationals fears of heading to the U.S.

FrancescaBW: To change the subject, what would you say is the biggest culture shock for internationals who attend American business schools? And how can they get over it?

GrahamRichmond: For non-native English speakers, it's clearly the pace of the U.S. classroom and getting their feet on the ground in a new language, etc. For native speakers of English, there is still a period of adjustment as the teaching methods and level of classroom participation can be strikingly different from what internationals are used to.

Finally, the degree to which students in U.S. MBA programs are active outside the classroom in a range of activities (more specifically, the 24-7 nature of the MBA experience) can be a sharp contrast to what internationals may have experienced in their home-country institutions.

I'd say that the best step they can take is to arrive at business school early, perhaps as much as one to two months in advance of classes. Give yourself the time to adapt to life in the U.S., life on campus, and then life in the MBA classroom. There is no better way to adapt to a new culture than immersion.

FrancescaBW: Any parting words or advice?

GrahamRichmond: My final words of advice are that international applicants considering U.S. schools should focus primarily on putting their best foot forward in the admissions process. The harder you work on building your MBA application, the more likely you are to be accepted at a top U.S. program. Since the top programs offer the best opportunities for placement, the strongest networks, and the most generous aid and loan programs, working hard on your application strategy can pay huge dividends.

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