Create a spreadsheet and label a column for each school you are considering. Label rows for cost, accreditation, location, reputation, length of program, student-to-teacher ratio, and support.
Enter the cost for each school you are considering attending in the cost row. Consider tuition and fees, any moving expenses, commuting costs, and costs of lost wages. An online MBA program might appear to cost more but since you have no commute cost, no lost wages, and no moving expenses associated with the program, you might come out ahead of a cheaper program requiring you to quit your current job and move.
Check to ensure that each school you are considering is accredited by the appropriate respected agencies. The last thing you want to do is graduate from school only to find that your degree is useless because the school is not accredited.
Enter the location of each school in the location column of your spreadsheet. Some schools might be a 30-minute drive while others require you to move 1,000 miles away. If some schools are online, write down home or laptop as the location since they do not require any commute time.
Write a note about how highly esteemed each school is. While the school that is 1,000 miles away may cost more and be less convenient, its stellar reputation may land you a better job in the long run. On the other hand, you may find that a decently respected local program is all that you need to get the promotion you are working toward in your current job.
Enter the length of each MBA program into the spreadsheet. While all programs will likely have similar completion requirements, certain programs may end up taking less time due to open enrollment all year round and short breaks. While one course of study may require you to remain in school for two or more years, another might be completed in 18 months.
Review school information pamphlets to find out what the student-to-teacher ratio is at each graduate institution. If you want lots of one-on-one instruction, choosing a school with smaller classes may be the way to go.
Consider how much support each school provides in terms of seeking jobs or other opportunities after graduation. One MBA program may offer a career center complete with job leads, while another program leaves you high and dry.
Print your completed spreadsheet and think about which qualities are most important in a prospective grad school. Once you figure out what you are looking for, apply to the two or three schools that best meet your needs. If you receive multiple acceptance letters in response, choose the MBA program that provides the best overall opportunity based on your wants and needs.