East or West? Where are the top business schools?

East Coast or West Coast

Is New York more alluring or is San Francisco more happening? Of the various factors that play a role in selecting the right school, relocation is in the top three for a vast majority of applicants.When I look at the list of top 50 business schools, looks like the Universities have stated their preferences pretty blatantly. About 60% of the top schools are in the East Coast, with 40% spread across West Coast, South and MidWest.

The decision is not as tough as it seems. Each college offers multiple specializations but there is always one particular field in which it excels way more than the other functions. If you are passionate about crunching numbers and feel drawn to the corporate sector (Finance, Pharmaceutical etc), you definitely should be headed to the East. However, if you are a free-minded, free-spirited individual with an urge to establish your own business, you must definitely pick the Golden Coast. The logic is quite obvious. One of the most important things that you will learn in b-school (irrespective of its rank) is the importance of networking. Your school is the safest haven to spread your wings and experiment with your networking skills. Your career center, faculty and fellow students will be there along the way to provide you with the necessary tools and opportunities to network.

If you decide to attend a school in the East Coast and yearn to be an entrepreneur, you might find it a tad challenging to move to California and build a network from scratch. But if you are in a school such as the Haas Business School, you will get the right directions to jumpstart your career and before you realize, you will be rubbing shoulders with the best in the field. A school's network, alumni, faculty - all of these will play a role in moulding your career while you are studying and even after you graduate.

It is a good idea to do some introspection before applying and know what is your true calling. That way you will be able to make an informed, intelligent decision. Prior to seeking someone else's opinion as to where you should be headed, ask yourself what you want your destination to be.

Before beginning the application process, spend the next one month to understand your desires, your ambitions and then make a decision based on the data that you have collected after some soul-searching.

After all, a single decision has the potential to alter your life.