A great MBA program can be a life-changing and career-enriching decision. Your dream MBA can be an amazing learning experience and a time to make connections (both personal and professional) that last a lifetime.
Think about “personal fit”
One of the keys to living your MBA dream is recognizing the programs that have academic and business cultures that are suited to your own sensibilities. Sometimes you can get insight into a cultural fit, based on a program’s reputation. Researching a school’s reputation is just the start, though.
To make an informed decision about your personal fit in an MBA program, you should visit the campus, if possible. Reach out to a prospective MBA program before you visit. Ask if you can sit in on a class or two and talk to faculty members or current students. If a visit isn’t possible, see if the program will let you get in touch with faculty and students via email or social media. More often than not, a program will say yes to these kinds of requests.
Once you’re in personal contact with the program, really observe and listen. What are the goals of the students? What beliefs and values do professors hold, regarding business and learning? You may find that you see eye-to-eye with the people in the program or you might find an MBA program’s culture to be outside of your comfort zone. Either way, the program could be a good fit, depending on whether you want to pursue your current preferences or experience a challenging shake-up.
Think about ROI
Of course, no one gets an MBA just for the love of it. Another important aspect of your dream MBA program is ROI-- return on investment. Calculating the long-term financial benefit of your MBA program isn’t an exact science, but there are some general variables to think about - tuition costs, time spent out of the workforce, the salary you’ll likely get when you complete your degree, and so on. The contributing factors to ROI can vary a lot, for example:
- Tuition can differ quite a bit from program-to-program.
- Some MBAs offer evening and online classes, so that you’ll still have time to work.
- Other MBAs are full-time endeavors, but you may be able to graduate and move on to higher paying work more quickly.
Getting an idea of the ROI for an MBA program may seem intimidating, but there is a wealth of trustworthy resources for calculating ROI. US News & World Report has covered this topic, and Bloomberg has an online business school ROI calculator. Getting an idea of your ROI will help you find an MBA program that pays off long term in the way you need it to.
Check out alumni testimonials
As you investigate personal fit and ROI, you should also look to the people who will know your prospective MBA programs best - program graduates. You can find testimonials and ask questions of MBA alumni on many online message boards, such as College Confidential, GMAT Club, and Wall Street Oasis. Additionally, Forte Forums are free in-person or online events where you can talk to MBA alumni, business school faculty, and many other people in the business world.
The takeaway
In the 1940s, my grandfather got his MBA from Harvard. For the rest of his life, he talked about what an incredible, personally rewarding experience that was. Seven decades later, I found myself teaching at an MBA program that could not be more different than the one at Harvard. I was faculty at the MBA program at Metropolitan State University (MSU), a small public school in Minnesota. To my surprise, the students there were as happy as my grandfather. They had all carefully selected MSU’s MBA program because it met their personal needs and goals. And, much like my grandfather, my former students have continued to fondly reminisce about the time they spent completing their personal dream MBA.
In your search for your own dream MBA, look at the top schools, but also look at any school you think might appeal to you. Make an effort to learn about MBA programs you’ve never heard of. Your dream MBA is out there somewhere. Finding it is just a matter of looking within yourself, and reaching out to others for their wisdom.
David Recine has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He currently works for Wishbone Learning as a Learning & Development Consultant.
This article was updated in September 2026.