You know you’d like to attend one of the top marketing schools in the states, but how can you tell which one is right for you? Researching your potential schools’ alumni, professors’ credentials, curriculum, and student organizations can help make your choice a lot easier. The internet is your best tool so get your investigative skills in check and start scoping out schools!
If you are interested in studying marketing in the US and need help finding the school that’s right for you, we have outlined some helpful tips on how to find your top marketing school. While there are many considerations to evaluate, there are a few important factors international students should evaluate that will give you insight into each school and make sure that you’ve chosen the best marketing schools for you. Here’s how:
Alumni
Usually you can decide which places are the top schools to study marketing based on the alumni. If a school’s alumni tend to be successful you could consider this a possible forecast of what your future may look like. There are also websites available that help you choose a school based on the success of its graduates looking at career success, job opportunities, income per household, overall happiness, etc. This can be a pretty handy tool if you’ve got several schools in mind but can’t seem to narrow it down.
Networking is another import role alumni can play in selecting the top schools to study marketing. If you attend a large university with thousands of alumni, chances are there will be numerous ways you can use this to your benefit; the career office at your school will most likely have a list of successful alumni offering internships or job positions. Also if you ever find yourself interviewing with a fellow alumni, chances are they will remember you most out of all the applicants. When you graduate from a school you share a bond with everyone else you has graduated there before you, alumni tend to go out of their way to help new graduates find jobs if they are in the position to do so.
Professors
Professors are your gateway to the world of marketing. All of the best marketing schools most definitely have the best marketing professors. Websites like RateMyProfessor.com give students the chance to comment on how great, or not so great their professors are. University websites usually have information about the head professors of each department. National University, for example, lists the department heads and gives background information, successes, awards, publications, and anything else a student should know about a potential professor. Explore the website of the university or college you are interested in and see what you can find out about its professors.
Classes
Getting a sneak peek at your future class requirements can also narrow your decision on the best marketing schools to attend. All you have to do is look up the school or university you have in mind online and snoop around the academic classes listed on their website. International students who have a particular interest in one area of marketing can refer to the class list to see if that’s what they’ll learn by going to that school in particular. Maybe you are more interested in creative marketing or perhaps you’d like to focus on strategic planning? The internet can be your best tool for finding this type of info and helping you decide which school is the best fit for you.
Student Organizations
You can usually tell the top schools to study marketing based on their clubs and student organizations. Any university or college with a top level marketing program usually has a student organization or club that is a member of the American Marketing Association. Student organizations that are members of associations like this one give marketing students the opportunity to learn as much as they can about the industry. These types of organizations usually consist of networking events, weekly meetings, and knowledgeable guest speakers. Groups like the AMA also give students the chance to learn marketing skills by working with real companies and non-profits to gain industry experience while they’re still in school.
Conclusion
There are several tools international students can use to determine which college or university is the best place for them to study marketing. Judging a school based on its alumni, professors, classes, and student organizations can all give you a realistic preview of what your learning experience will entail and what your future career may be like after graduation. The internet can be an important tool in your school selection process; use it to your advantage and find the best school for you!