Yesterday’s edition of The Independent featured some solid advice for those candidates just beginning to consider their MBA options, particularly with regard to the choice between US and European programs. The article’s main focus is how important it is that an applicant take a long-term view when making this decision and select a school with an eye to where he or she ultimately wants to work. It also raises some interesting points about the makeup of the student body – and the way this influences the program’s duration and subject matter – that are also worth a prospective student’s consideration:
“MBA students in Europe tend to be older [than those in the US] (around 29 or 30 years of age compared to 25 to 27 in the US) and this means they have sufficient business experience to grasp concepts quickly.
This older demographic also influences the teaching method. US business schools rely heavily on case studies to illustrate theoretical points, and with great success. European business schools tend to take a slightly different approach.
‘We don’t use case studies in every single class because we can draw on the experiences of our students to put things into context,’ says Caroline Diarte Edwards, director of MBA admissions at Insead, based in Fontainebleau just outside Paris. ‘They can illustrate points with the challenges they have faced and that really enriches the learning experience.’
A more youthful class has its advantages too. ‘Our students usually have three to four years of work experience, which is enough to learn from but not enough to be fixed in their way of thinking,’ says Dawna Clarke, director of MBA admissions at Tuck Business School at Dartmouth, New England.”
The full text of the article is available at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/analysis_and_features/article347924.ece
This is a great read for applicants just beginning to consider the “US vs. Europe” question. For those who are a bit farther along in the process and leaning toward non-US programs, we’ll be offering a series of school-specific comments and essay tips for those schools over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!
