Top 5 Tips for Picking an Entrepreneurship MBA Program

More business schools are adding entrepreneurship MBA programs, which means that you have more options to choose from. But how do you narrow down your options to find the right program? Here are five tips designed to help you choose the right entrepreneurship MBA program.

  The following article is sponsored by Eller College of Management. Check out their entrepreneurship, information systems, and sustainable energy MBA programs.   

1. The Entrepreneurship Community

   Learn what the entrepreneurship community is like at each school you are considering. Find out what entrepreneurial clubs, startup incubators, events, and research institutes are available to MBA entrepreneurs. Ideally, you should visit the campus to experience the entrepreneurship community first-hand. If that’s not an option, talk to MBA students who are involved in entrepreneurship programs in order to get a better idea of whether a school is the right fit.

2. Entrepreneurship Competitions

   Research the entrepreneurship competitions held by each school. Entrepreneurship competitions allow you to present your business ideas to a panel of judges. Winners get a prize or seed money for their business. Even if you don’t win, entrepreneurship competitions are also a good opportunity to innovate, hone your entrepreneurial skills, and gain publicity for yourself and your business.

3. The Entrepreneurship Faculty

   Find out about the entrepreneurship faculty for the MBA programs you’re considering. How many members of the entrepreneurship faculty are also entrepreneurs or former entrepreneurs? What kinds of businesses have they formed? If faculty members aren’t entrepreneurs themselves, what kind of research have they done about the topic? What aspects of entrepreneurship (sales, marketing, innovation etc.) do the faculty specialize in?

4. The MBA Alumni Network

   Learn about the MBA alumni. Not only will this show you if a school has a proven track record in helping MBA entrepreneurs grow their businesses, it will also give you an idea of the networking opportunities available for that program. One of the big advantages of attending business school is that it allows you to expand your network. What are the successful businesses started by MBA alumni? How many alumni work for startups, or Venture Capital firms? A call to the Career Services, Admissions or the Alumni Office may provide you with the answers to these questions. If not, search for the school on LinkedIn to find examples of MBA alumni who have started their own businesses. Most business schools also have alumni groups on LinkedIn.

5. Entrepreneurship Internships and Projects

   Find out what kinds of projects and internships each program requires. Hands-on experience is one of the most important parts of an MBA program, because it allows you to apply what you learn as you learn it. In addition to internships and apprenticeships, you should see if the program allows you to conduct research or participate in a capstone project. Capstone projects are an opportunity to apply what you learned in a real-world business setting. Conducting research, be it qualitative or quantitative, teaches you how to base your business decisions on facts instead of guesses. 

  The following article is sponsored by Eller College of Management. Check out their entrepreneurship, information systems, and sustainable energy MBA programs.