As the summer progresses and applicants begin researching their target schools in more depth, we would like to highlight a valuable research tool: school-hosted blogs.  The last few years have seen a significant increase in the number of MBA student blogs hosted by schools’ admissions offices, as well as in admissions offices’ use of blogs to keep applicants informed of deadlines, admissions policies and events.  Both types of blogs are useful throughout the admissions cycle; the factual information in the admissions office blogs is helpful in understanding and planning for the application process, while the student blogs offer valuable insights into student life, culture and academics.

Below we’ve provided links to some of the active blogs hosted by the leading MBA programs.

Admissions Office Blogs:

Harvard Business School Director’s Blog
http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/blog.html

UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
http://berkeleyhaasmba.wordpress.com/

Wharton MBA Admissions
http://engage.wharton.upenn.edu/MBA/blogs/mbaadmissions_blog/default.aspx

Stanford MBA Admission Blog
http://www.stanford.edu/group/mba/blog/

Chicago MBA Admissions Blog
http://blogs.chicagobooth.edu/boothinsider

School-Hosted Student Blogs:

London Business School
http://blog.students.london.edu/

Fuqua Daytime MBA Student Blog
http://blogs.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-mba/#.UfJyYhaPCZY

Wharton Student Diaries
http://engage.wharton.upenn.edu/MBA/blogs/studentdiarists/

Yale SOM Community Blog
http://blogs.som.yale.edu/index.php

Finally, the Tuck School of Business  offers a blog for which both students and admissions officers contribute.  In addition, the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee at Chicago Booth maintains a blog written by students but offering advice and information on the admissions process at the school.