Below is an email-based interview I conducted with Peter von Loesecke, the CEO and Managing Director of The MBA Tour LLC. He provides a very good explanation about the value of The MBA Tour is to applicants as well as some interesting information on attendee trends in the US, Japan, and the rest of Asia.
For those who can do so, I strongly suggest attending The MBA Tour as it really is a great opportunity to learn about MBA programs. As a matter of disclosure, my blog is an Asia and North America Resource Partner of The MBA Tour.
Steve Green, my fellow blogger and admissions consultant, and I will be attending The MBA Tour in Tokyo next week (click here for the list of schools participating in that event).
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ADAM: What should attendees expect to get out attending The MBA Tour?
PETER: By attending the MBA Tour event, students will have the opportunity to meet with admission decision makers. This is an opportunity to make a face-to-face impression which is far better than what one might achieve with an application. Students attending our events will also have a personal contact with whom to communicate after the event. This communication is much more effective if the student and the school representative personally met and the student shared information about themselves in a conversation or better yet with a resume.
In addition, after the event students who attend will be eligible to apply for a scholarship and use a benchmark facility to compare their credentials with other candidates applying to the same programs.
ADAM: Given the ease at which information can be gathered online, why should applicants attend The MBA Tour?
PETER: School websites share a lot of information about their curriculum and incoming class. Websites rarely share information about the program’s experience with students in the local market. You will only hear about that at an MBA Tour event. Some schools will be making individual school presentations which the presenters should be tailoring to the local market. We ask schools to not use PowerPoint presentations and share information pertinent to the local market.
ADAM: How is the tour schedule determined? Does it change significantly from year-to-year?
PETER: The schedule of the event is determined by the programs attending and the needs of the local market. Tokyo is a sophisticated market and we want to make sure students receive as much information pertinent to the Japanese market. This is one reason we have individual school presentations.
ADAM: Given the record increase in the number of GMAT test takers worldwide is The MBA Tour taking any steps to increase the capacity of its venues?
PETER: We are in other markets. In Japan the test taking activity has actually slowly declined over the past decade. Japanese demographics are one cause for this and the other cause may be fewer sponsored student opportunities.
ADAM: How, if at all, is the current economic downturn impacting The MBA Tour?
PETER: Registration in Asia is tracking as it was last year so the economic downturn has not affected registration across Asia including Japan. That is not true elsewhere. US registration activity for this September is not as strong as last year.
ADAM: Anything else you would like to tell my readers?
PETER: This year we offer students the opportunity to take a survey that was developed by The MBA Tour and 11 MBA programs. Taking the survey will help them discover what is important to them in selecting a program and also match them to some programs they have not even considered. Students who match up to programs may receive emails from one or more of the 11 schools with an invitation to speak to the representative. Students are under no obligation to meet with the school and are free to meet with whomever they want.
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I want to thank Peter for taking the time to answer my questions.
Finally, if you still have not registered for The MBA Tour, you can do so here.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to. Before emailing me questions about your chances for admission or personal profile, please see "Why I don't analyze profiles without consulting with the applicant." If you are interested in my graduate admission consulting services, please click here.
-Adam Markus
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