Regional B-School or Big Name? Talking to Texas A&M

If you're thinking of applying to B-School right now -- and many more are these days, given the brutal economy -- are you considering going regional instead of opting for a big name school?
That's the topic of a show I'm working on for MBA Podcaster.com, and I'll be interviewing about ten people for the show. One of the first is Wendy Flynn, the Director of MBA Admissions for Mays Business School at Texas A&M.
Wendy sites several advantages of going to regional business schools. One is the high level of personal attention students get at the small B-school. With fewer students than the big-name brands, they can participate more and have closer relationships with faculty members. But Wendy adds that because Mays is at a large school, B-school students have the advantage of attending any of 800 student organizations and tapping into a large network of resources.

She says one-quarter of the students are international, and the school recruits around the world to emphasize its diversity.

As for companies that recruit -- hey, they're in Texas, so of course the oil and gas industry is active, that is, Exxon and Mobil. Also, there are consulting companies who recruit, as well as Dell and Microsoft.

She says Mays had 100% perfect placement in 2007 (!), and last year that had dipped to 98%. However, 2009 -- like everywhere -- is going to be different.

One of the hidden benefits of going regional? Wendy Flynn says the MBA alumni are fervent supporters of their alma matter and new grads from their school, and that can only help B-school students when they're networking and looking for jobs.