On-campus meet and greet events are held relatively frequently and include such features as a campus tour and alumni networking events. But what if you are unable to visit the school campus in person before you submit your application?

B-school recruitment events

Fortunately for you, the B-school recruitment process is a global effort by school ambassadors and admissions specialists that travel to some of the biggest (or most geographically strategic) cities around the world. They host MBA information sessions at which you can learn about a particular B-school’s unique features that set it apart from other schools offering MBA programmes.

Not only can you get more in-depth information about a particular B-school’s MBA programme, but you are given a unique opportunity to make a personal impression on recruiters and admissions specialists. That individual attention allows you to stand out from competitive candidates by demonstrating your qualifications above and beyond a standard admissions application, and attending one of these events shows your commitment to succeeding in an MBA programme.

Often, B-school recruitment events solicit participation from MBA programme alumni who reside in and around the event area to attend the gatherings and offer a personal perspective of campus and programme features. Alumni can also shed light on the quality of life on campus from the point of view of one of the students, including various amenities, activities, and student clubs.

B-school recruitment literature and materials, as well as school websites, are designed by marketing professionals who want to reach the widest audience possible. This means that the information you get will be much more general in nature and not tailored specifically to your needs and your own questions. That is why it is so important to take advantage of B-school recruitment events if you have the opportunity to attend one.

Tip recruitment events give in-depth information

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Event calendars

These MBA information sessions are arranged around the globe and throughout the calendar year, so you will want to check the school’s events schedule well in advance of when you may want to begin the programme. Most B-schools’ websites will have a section devoted entirely to their MBA programme, and a sub-section devoted to on- and off-campus events such as information sessions, meet-and-greets, campus tours, alumni networking events, and the like. Here are a few of the events pages for top-ranked B-school recruitment events:

School events calendar PrepAdviser

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The MBA programme admissions process is highly competitive from the standpoint of the potential enrollees who are competing with other qualified candidates. It is competitive from the standpoint of the B-schools as well. To attain or maintain top rankings from sites like US News & World Report and Financial Times,  B-schools must attract the most qualified students to the programme in order to build a successful alumni network and thus demonstrate the higher quality of its MBA programme.