Sometimes the best programme doesn’t mean the right fit. How you feel at the university is just as important as the quality of the MBA programme. The best way to find out if the school of your dreams is, in fact, what you imagine it to be, is to plan a campus visit.  

Get a first-hand impression

Websites, brochures and catalogues can only show you so much. A campus visit is your chance to get a first-hand feel of the atmosphere at the school. Walking around the campus can help you get a real impression of what life would be like at the university. The best time to visit a business school campus is during the academic year. Thus, you can make the most of attending classes, extracurricular and networking events, and meeting admissions officers. 

Did you know you can discuss a campus visit when meeting business school representatives at Access MBA events? Sign up here for an online or face-to-face event near you and seize this opportunity.

Meet current students on campus

One of the most valuable experiences of a campus visit is getting to talk to people. This is your chance to meet current students, faculty and admissions officers, and ask questions. Most of them would be willing to openly discuss their experiences and their angle on university life.

Always try to understand the personal perspective of the students you talk to. Each comes from a different academic and professional background and has unique career goals they aim to achieve with an MBA degree. What they share about their MBA experience will be grounded in a specific context.

Make a list of important questions, so you don’t forget anything. Here are some ideas:

  • What are the average class size and student-to-faculty ratio?
  • What is the diversity of the teaching methods?
  • How intense is the programme?
  • What's the social scene like? What kinds of activities are available?
  • Is the campus fairly diverse?
  • What is the food like on campus? Is there a variety of options?
  • What are the housing options? Are there dorms? How high are rents in the area?

After you have gathered the information you need, reflect and ask yourself the question “Do I see myself here?”, “Do I feel comfortable here?”

Get a feel for the university’s culture

Although many MBA programmes might look similar, the culture in every school is different. All programmes offer you a great education, but not all universities are a great fit for your values, beliefs and expectations. This is where the campus visit can help tilt the scales in the right direction.

The right university culture gives you innumerable opportunities for personal growth by responding to a dynamic social and academic environment. On a campus tour, you get to evaluate all the details of the school environment. Do you feel like you belong? How is the communication between students and faculty? What is the teaching style? All these things need to be factored in before your final decision.

Before the campus visit, you can take a Unimy Culture Fit test, so that your exploration onsite can be more focused. The Culture Fit test compares your cultural profile to the organisational culture of a selected business school. You can also get a list of business schools that are the best cultural fit for you. 

Demonstrated interest

A campus visit goes beyond just checking out the school. You can benefit from visiting a university campus by showing what recruiters refer to as “demonstrated interest”. The more actively you contact the school, and the more interest you show, the better your chances of admission.

A study cited by InsideHigherEd found that students who demonstrated interest in a school by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admissions process over students who don't make the effort.

Visiting helps craft your application for admission

Once you are convinced a school is a fit for you, it's time to craft an outstanding application for admission. The programme details, talks to students and faculty, and the feel of the school you got during the campus visit will help you be specific and convincing in your admission essays and during the MBA admissions interview. The Admissions Committee values when applicants have taken the time to get to know the school and are confident it is the place that will help them achieve their goals.

Schedule a campus visit

A campus visit is undoubtedly a great tool for prospective MBA students to make their final decision. It is also a critical element of the research process. Your education is a long-term commitment that will impact the rest of your life and doing your research thoroughly will help you make the right decision. So, simply contact the MBA admissions office to inquire about a campus visit. Moreover, if you meet admissions representatives at an MBA event, you will have at least one person to welcome you on campus. It makes a difference.

First published: 2022-01-05

Reviewed and updated: 2025-01-24