Why to choose a small business school instead of a major one?

Business education is often unconsciously associated with leading world business schools that rank TOP 10: Harvard, Stanford, MIT Sloan, Wharton, INSEAD, etc… It’s believed that if one wants to get an MBA degree, he should get it only at such top institutions, with the others falling short of a high level of educational process.

Is that true? Experts point out a number of reasons why it’s useful to get business education at the b-school which is not in the TOP-10.

We present five most important advantages of small MBAs over major business schools.

1. Trend towards specialization
Hubert Silly, Founder of MBA Center, says:
“More important than the global rankings are the speciality rankings of business schools. A candidate seeking a future career in finance, for instance, would be well advised to choose a school ranked highly in finance-even if that school is not in the "Top Ten" in the overall rankings… Business schools view themselves as specific brands that can appeal to a particular segment of the MBA market”.

2. Individual approach
David Butler, the director of the post-graduate programs at ESC Rouen (France), says:
"One of the most important advantages of a smaller MBA is that they offer smaller programs with ten to twenty students in class, which ensures a better participation and interaction of the group."

3. Unique experience
Michael Houston, the interim codean of Carlson School of Management, says:
"Smaller programs frequently offer more individualized services and leadership opportunities. Some adopt a niche strategy that provides a unique experience. There is more flexibility for learning, connecting with faculty, and internship opportunities than in more prestigious MBAs."


4. Significance of location
Christophe Coutat, Founder of Access MBA, says:
“Location remains a criterion of choice. This is for several reasons: personally speaking, one or two years of study in a distinct place is a choice with which one needs to be comfortable. In term of careers, if your project is to work in your own country, you don’t need to study far away; on the contrary, if you desire to lead the “American way of life”, going directly to an American b-school will help you access the network of companies, internships, and contacts. Finally, culturally speaking, location has an impact on the type of students and the nationalities of your classmates with whom you will be in daily contact”.

5. Adapted programmes
Petra Wieczorek, MBA Program Director at the Berlin School of Economics, says:
"The leading schools have a global approach, which is not based in a region or a national situation… Since the economy is getting more complex and specialized, the smaller MBAs offer an adapted solution to specialized companies and regions. Big global players don't offer a specific approach."