($) Coronavirus and the MBA: International applicants and admits

If you’ve been admitted to bschool, do you go?

If you’ve been planning to apply, do you do it? Now? In the Fall? Wait and see?

If you’re an international student, all of this is much, much more difficult to decide. For Americans, deciding to go to school halfway across the country from your family is one thing. Going halfway around the world is entirely another. Different countries are in very different stages with this virus; several countries like China and South Korea seem to be now ahead of it, with some stabilization of the infection rate and a decrease in deaths. Other countries like India are only now just starting to see the beginning of it, and it’s unclear how the virus will progress in those countries in terms of speed of spread and mortality.

And, sitting here now, it’s unlikely that your mom is going to want to see you go to school in like New York City right now, even though New York is likely going to be open for business again by the Fall. (Somehow. We hope. Not quite sure how it’ll be OK to ride the subway that soon, but let’s be OptimisticSnark for a day.) Maybe just a few weeks ago Mom was ecstatic that you got into Columbia, and now she’s practically panicking at the thought of you going there this year.

These are tough conversations to have with your family, since nobody knows what is going to happen in the coming months. Your relatives might be feeling incredibly stressed already, and the prospect of having you go to an area that seems to be hyperinfected with the virus at the moment might be freaking them out even more. Today, we offer some realities of the variables that should also be considered when planning your move as either an admitted international student, or an international applicant who’s planning to try for an MBA in America soon.

Did we mention that our posts are getting long these days? Dayum! Thanks for sticking with us on all of that! If you’ve got questions on your specific situation, hit us up! Comments are open! We’d love to hear from you!

Coronavirus and the MBA

• Coronavirus: Round 2 decisions
• Coronavirus and scholarship opportunities
• Coronavirus: Admitted to the Class of 2022 and decisions to attend
• Coronavirus: What if you decide not to go?
• Coronavirus: Standardized testing and Round 3 apps
• Coronavirus: What if you’re graduating this Spring?