Alumni Application Tips: Take an MBA Test Drive!

Would you buy a car without getting into the driver's seat and taking it for a short ride? Presumably not. MBA programs can be tricky in this respect: they cost about as much as a car, but test-driving them may prove difficult...

A unique opportunity

However, you can get a "driver's seat perspective", as it were—and I would strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Given that studying for an MBA degree is a major investment in your future, it would be borderline negligent not to choose YOUR MBA program with great care. Many people are unaware of the fact that top-notch business schools offer prospective students the chance to experience for themselves what it feels like to take an MBA. In my case, for instance, the program manager of the Executive MBA Energy Management not only informed me about upcoming info sessions but also invited me to participate, free of charge, in a Vienna-based module.

Be a student for a day

By spending a day with current students and actively participating in activities in class, I got a feel for the program's content and design as well as for its mode of delivery. The information brochure had said that variety was a key feature of the WU Executive Academy's approach to teaching—but it was not until I took part in group work, benchmarking sessions and interactive presentations that I was totally convinced this was true. Much of the MBA's quality can, in my opinion, be attributed to this focus on integrating into the program the variety of knowledge and experience that students bring to the table. Exchanging views and opinions with the students and lecturers, both in class and during the breaks, was particularly helpful in making my MBA decision. They shared with me not only their personal thoughts about the program but also many useful application tips. My class visit made me more confident about my MBA choice. I knew what to expect of the modules—and what was expected of me. Based on my own experience, I strongly recommend any potential MBA student to take an MBA test drive!

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