Choosing the right school

With an MBA requiring a large investment in time, money and energy, making sure you get one at the right school is crucial. Getting it right, however, can involve a good deal of work in itself. First of all, you need to assess exactly why you're doing an MBA and what you hope to get out of it.

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With an MBA requiring a large investment in time, money and energy, making sure you get one at the right school is crucial. Getting it right, however, can involve a good deal of work in itself. First of all, you need to assess exactly why you're doing an MBA and what you hope to get out of it. If you're hoping to get your foot in the door of a big international consultancy, for instance, only an MBA from one of the top flight schools will do; if, however, your aim is simply to gain a more secure foothold within your current company or to move into another area, you'll be perfectly well served by one of the less prestigious and less expensive schools.

Bear in mind, too, that the more popular schools can be a lot harder to get into. They may expect an excellent first degree and significant career progression.

That said, there are many reputable courses in the UK. As long as the institution is accredited by the Association of MBAs, the basic quality of their courses is guaranteed. You can then weigh up other factors such as course duration, fees, entrance requirements, specialisms, location and the quality of faculty and support staff.

You also need to look at how well a school can support you after graduation. Better schools will also be able to offer you more access to higher profile employers in terms of project placements and in career fairs when corporations are on the lookout for good graduates.

So just how should you go about doing your research? The answer is hardly rocket science: glean as much information as you can from websites, brochures, books and articles. Do your homework, says Warwick's Howard Thomas, "It's just like buying a car. You look at what various car magazines think and whittle your choices down to three or four, which you then attack with more research until you're finally sure you've picked the right one." Thomas also advises going along to open days to get a feel for the place.

But don't get too bogged down by rankings, advises Leo Murray from Cranfield. "They are of some help but they don't necessarily measure things that you will find important. It's more important to look at the brand and to talk to people who have gone there. Some 60-85 per cent of our students come here from personal recommendations."