Tips for Making the Most of MBA Fairs

MBA Fair

If you’re seriously considering pursuing an MBA degree and want the convenience of meeting representatives from many top business schools in a single location, attending an MBA fair is a great place to start.

Applicants tend to forget that schools cannot exist without great students. These events are the schools’ opportunity to market themselves to applicants and get them interested enough to apply.

While candidates should act professionally—since you never know whether you’ll forge an important connection at this type of event—applicants shouldn’t attempt to impress the schools. In fact, it’s the other way around. We say let the schools impress you.

A typical MBA fair offers much more than meet-and-greets with admissions officials. Candidates can also attend seminars covering myriad MBA issues and participate in master classes taught by leading professors, which simulate the b-school classroom experience right there at the fair.

Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.

Applicants should approach an MBA fair with an open mind, ask good questions, and leave a positive impression on admissions officers. That means no flip-flops, please! The most egregious MBA fair faux pas is asking for information that can be found after a cursory glance at the program’s website. That means avoiding asking mundane questions about class size, deadlines, or average test scores.

Instead, consider focusing on areas that are specific to your application—your work experience and post-MBA goals, or any potential red flags such as a layoff or low GPA—to gauge how they might view your application package.

Networking at MBA Fairs

One of the most overlooked pieces of advice for making the most of an MBA fair visit is to focus on building genuine connections rather than just collecting information. While it’s essential to gather details about different programs, many attendees overlook the importance of forming meaningful relationships with school representatives, current students, and alumni.

If alums are present, use the opportunity to learn from those who have already gone through the b-school trenches. You might ask for feedback on course workload, extracurriculars, housing, campus facilities, network strength, and how (if?) they achieved that elusive work/life balance.

A campus visit is an ideal way to gauge a school’s culture and fit. But that’s not always possible, especially prior to applying. You should take advantage of these events by chatting with representatives about aspects such as student life, the faculty’s teaching style and expectations of students, the types of careers alumni pursue post-graduation, and so on. Candidates should also learn about the school’s resources—e.g., alumni networks and corporate contacts—to assist during their job search.

The more you know about the elements you believe to be an important part of the B-school experience, the better chance you have of whittling down your list of programs to the ones that more closely match your personal career goals.

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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership and Interview Prep to hourly help with essay editing, resume review, and much more! Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test. Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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