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You would never walk into your friendly local car dealership and buy the demonstration model right off the showroom floor. Nope, you'd research gas mileage, safety, and resale value, talk to your friends and coworkers, take several for a test drive, go home and think about it...

You shouldn't choose a business school for your MBA degree without a little background investigation either. A good MBA costs about as much as a decent car—so do your homework and don't enroll in the first college that catches your eye.

Shopping for a Traditional MBA School

To compare on-campus business schools and universities, visit each one—Tuesday or Wednesday morning are a good time to visit.

• Sit in on a class. If you feel engaged and excited about the course, chances are that will carry through all courses in business school.
• Talk with students and ask why they chose this particular business school for their MBA degree. If you have time, ask which other schools or options they considered.
• Talk with faculty. Business school faculty who are passionate about their courses and passionate about student success make themselves available to visitors—and don't mind interruptions.
• Talk with business school graduates. Ask what they'd do differently if they were getting another MBA, and find out how their business schools helped them find a career after graduation.
• If you're moving to another town to go to business school, spend some time driving around. Imagine yourself living there. If you have to give up an activity you really love in order to go to school, you might want to consider another business college instead.

Shopping for an Online MBA School

Your search for an online business school begins on the Internet, but you'll also be talking face-to-face and voice-to-voice with real people.

• Compare course catalogs among several schools. If you already know your specialization, the comparisons will be easy. If you're an undecided grad student, talk to admissions counselors via email or telephone to help you choose a path.
• Get guest access to an online course so you can explore the virtual classroom. Most Blackboard-based software systems are intuitive and easy to use.
• Email at least two instructors from each online school. Their responses to your messages will tell you whether they hold students as a high priority.
• Find out if online graduates can receive their diplomas in person. Most online schools also have campus-based programs, so you can graduate with your fellow students in person.
• Get assigned to an advisor or an individual admissions representative. This person will be your human contact while attending online business school, so develop a relationship. Even if you decide on another school, having that personal touch is important.

Shopping for Business School: Your Checklist

Gather up all the materials you've requested from the schools and a few blank sheets of paper. Draw a grid and compare the following points for all the colleges on your list.

• How much will tuition, fees, and books cost for the whole program?
• Does this business school offer grants and scholarships?
• Do they offer online classes?
• Do they offer work study or internships?
• Do they have career counseling services?
• What MBA specializations do they offer?
• Will my job or living expenses change?
• Can I drop out of the program and restart if I need to?

Finally, rank each school from 1 to 5 as an overall score, taking into consideration your interactions with admissions counselors, other students, faculty and the campus. These school rankings are somewhat subjective, but you'll be spending the next couple of years getting your MBA... So compare everything before enrolling in an MBA program.

Read how Harvard Business School isn't the only place to get an MBA or learn how real world work experience helps you get an MBA [MBA10].

Ready to search for an MBA university or business school? Use the GraduateSchools.com MBA graduate school finder to request free information!