Choosing a school for your business degree can be tough. Here are some important factors to consider when making your choice

This year, millions of young students will make one of the most important decisions of their lives by choosing to study at a college or university.

Yet differentiating one business school from another can be a confusing process. Each institution has its own personality and culture, and the challenge for students is how to match your personal preferences and career aspirations with the best fit. Here are some tips to help you make your choice:

Do your research

Choosing a school should be a multi-step process. Factors such as location, costs, curricula, housing, transportation, personal interests and degree preferences all play an important role, and students must narrow down the options by identifying what features are most important. Remember, you are looking for an educational experience that is of high quality, as well as one that will meet your personal aspirations.   

For many, the first step in selecting the 
‘right school’ begins with identifying a possible degree path.  

Although most students do not know what their final career choice will be, it is important to identify a general area of interest when evaluating schools. By matching your interests to a specific degree programme and/or extracurricular offerings, prospective students can begin 
to identify schools that will fit their long term goals.

Understand your options

For students who are considering studying business, a key component to the selection process should be identifying a school’s level of accreditation. Accreditation is a review process used by colleges and universities to evaluate and monitor the mission and quality of an institution and/or a degree programme.  

Overall, there are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialised. In most countries, institutional accreditation is a mandatory requirement for the school to grant a degree of any kind. Institutional accreditation is applied to the entire organisation and ensures that it meets and maintains a set of minimum performance criteria - and is an absolute must on your checklist of items.  

Once institutional accreditation is achieved, schools often apply for specialised accreditation for a specific degree programme or area of study. Such accreditation demonstrates that the school’s programme is of very high quality, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence within that particular field. For business schools, the world’s leading authority on quality management education is AACSB International (AACSB).

Benefits of AACSB accreditation

As of April 2011, AACSB has granted business accreditation to 620 schools in 38 countries. By earning accreditation, AACSB-accredited schools make a public statement that they have chosen to be held accountable for higher expectations and educational quality.  

In addition, students are not the only ones who seek business schools that have 
earned AACSB accreditation - business recruiters around the globe recognise the value of such an education. When asked, 83% of surveyed schools agreed that accreditation has contributed to an increase in the level of employers interested in their graduates, and 69% indicated that they have seen an increase in the number of 
graduates being offered higher or more competitive salaries.

Finding a good business school

AACSB understands that the search for the right school can be difficult. As a result - 
www.BestBizSchools.com - was developed as a resource for students to seek out AACSB-accredited schools.

Today the options for students are almost limitless. The process is filled with multiple steps and personal decisions, but by taking your time to carefully investigate each opportunity, you will make the right decision.

Provided by AACSB International (2011)