Hi All,

This is my first post on these forums and I am very excited to be a part of your network. Its great to know I am amongst people facing similar circumstances as me and will hopefully end up being one of my best resources in my MBA search.

I have a few questions which I would be very grateful for your advice on.

1. What is the content of your MBA research process and how long did it take to find and apply to your school ? My search looks something like this , A. 1 Month to Research schools, B. 1 Month to Research Scholarships, C. 1 Month to Personally Speak with Each School, D. 2-3 Months for the GMAT, E. 1 Month for Applications. Does your research look even vaguely similar to mine ?

2. Have you heard of MBA Consultants and are they worth paying to help in your MBA applications ?

3. What do you consider the best and most informative tool during your MBA search ? University websites , magazines, personal consultations with school representatives, MBA Tours and Events forums such as these ?

The reason I ask these questions is that since I have started my MBA search a few months ago I have come to realize that their is a limitless wealth of information available and it seems that at every corner I turn around there are so many different doors and options !! Its hard to decide which ones are the most efficient and effective to use to find the right program for me. Should this search really be taking this long ?

Please Please Please, share your advice with me.

Cheers,
Nasif

2. Have you heard of MBA Consultants and are they worth paying to help in your MBA applications ?

Well, I think there are many different consultants. There a loads of admissions consultants who get paid by colleagues for providing applicants, and that's mostly for Indians without work experience who are looking for low-quality 'freshers' MBAs so they can get out of the country for a year or two.

I work at JK, and I am paid only by the applicants. I really don't care that much where, or whether, they do their MBA. Indeed, by focus is always that the applicant needs to find the best school that fits their career goal.

I think there's one kind of applicant that really benefits the most: and that the candidate who is short of time and finds it hard to decide. There's a lot of analysis paralysis and, honestly, that is exactly the weakness that the MBA will fix for them. We often tell people about strengths they never thought of mentioning, or school they never thought of. And, as on this site, there's a lot of hard truths that need to be told: people often hope that the cheap school or the one with the low admissions standards will have the same outcome as the school they would need to work hard to get into.

There a loads of admissions consultants who get paid by colleagues for providing applicants...

I mean colleges! Well spotted!