Selecting the right school is one of the most important steps  in the application process. I consider the following aspects crucial to the selection process.

Curriculum and Electives: Check what a school offers as a part of the curriculum. Do the electives offered meet your career goals and aspirations?

Career Placement: How good is the recruitment in your field of  interest. If you are an international student make sure you find out which companies are willing to sponsor work permits. Not all companies are inclined to recruit international students.

Teaching Style: Teaching methodology is typically a mix of case study and lectures, although some schools only practice the lecture-based method. Personally, I think case studies present a real-life experience and schools that promote this method, such as Harvard, are a better choice.

Networking: Know how strong the school’s alumni network is and the type of career events and fairs are typically held.  Networking is very important for internships as well as post-MBA jobs. One of your main professional networks will be through the school you graduate from.

Location: Location can be important to applicants because of family ties, weather preferences or other interests.

Student Body: What is the composition of the student body? What is the extent of diversity in terms of work experience, age, nationality etc? How enthusiastic and active are the students?

Outside Classroom: Student organizations and cultural clubs enable you to pursue your interests and develop your skill set via extracurricular activities. Learning about the various clubs will help you understand what you will be able to experience outside the classroom.

Hands-on Experience: Many schools encourage their students to work for companies even when they’re taking classes; doing so helps you hit the ground running.

The various sources of information about schools are be their students, staff, alumni, websites (check out the MBA365 school-specific pages), MBA fairs and class visits. Class visits are more advisable once you have figured out your top 5 choices and will help you make your final decision.