The student body factor

As you balance up which MBA course best suits you, give due weight to the student body, writes Dr Ronald K Chung

So, what do you get from a Master's programme? Let me start you off with two things:

Knowledge - a systematic framework for decision-making in a business context.
Recognition - your three little letters at the end of your name.

How about the student body, for a third reason? Remember your secondary school days and names such as DBS (or DGS), LaSalle, St. Paul's, Wah Yan...? These are certainly good schools, academically. More importantly, they are the schools to go into because they have the right student bodies. So, when making decisions about MBA programmes, remember to put the student body into your equation.

In truth, when considering part-time, off-shore programmes, most people pay little attention to what I call the critical "student body factor". But consider the fact that you are going to be in an 18-24 month programme. Chances are that you will be attending one to two full-day classes over weekends during this period. In other words, you will be with these people for more than 10 - 20 hours a week in class, every other week, over the course of 90 or so weekends (not counting time outside class hours for group projects.) This is a privilege that your spouse and kids, boyfriend/girlfriend or parents do not have.

So, how important are these people known as fellow students? I'd say... reasonably important. But that's only part of the story...

After graduation, these people become your "network". You all know how important guanxi is in the Asian culture. In Western culture, especially in the United States, one motto for career advancement is: "It's not what you know, it's who you know".

I don't have to tell you that your network is important. That's why you attend all those social functions when you don't want to go. Just remember that these fellow students, with whom you are going to spend more time than your parents, spouse or kids, are important and close guanxi - whether they are in your field or not. You never know.

At various points in time, I have participated as a lecturer in a number of part-time programmes. Being part of the classroom provided me with the good fortune to access the "student body factor" and tap into the network. As a result, I have not only used products and services provided by my ex-students - in fact, the wonderful 1990 red wine I had last night was a gift from an ex-student in the food import/export business - but I have provided services to some of them as well. And this is the experience of someone who is typically with a network for one course only, in contrast to being with the group for the full programme. At any rate, a number of them are now friends.

So, imagine the value of this network. Doesn't it make you wonder why a student body is not part of the equation for people choosing programmes? Harvard is Harvard because of its strong alumni network; Yale is Yale; Stanford, therefore, is Stanford.

Remember... Be prepared for tomorrow. Until next time, work hard, play hard.

Acknowledgement Dr Ronald K Chung is academic development director of the ET Business College, a member of the Hong Kong Economic Times Group. He has worked for a number of private companies and universities in the United States, as well as Hong Kong's Consumer Council. To contact Dr Chung, please write to DrChung@etbc.com.hk.

Taken from Career Times 2003/10/17