“. . . when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
– Samuel Johnson
At London Business School we’re often talking about how fantastic London is. . . and it is! I am a fairly recent transplant to the city myself, and I can confirm it has not let me down! It is not only an amazing place to live, but also a fantastic place to do an MBA.
As a potential applicant there a number of factors which have likely played a role in which business schools you will apply to, and location is certainly one not to ignore!
We are extremely fortunate to be located in the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities, with 75% of fortune 500 companies on our doorstep and culture aplenty, I’m sure I don’t have to convince most of the draw of doing an MBA in London. There are others who may worry about being overwhelmed in a city so large; fortunately the campus is a warm, welcoming sort of place.
So what is the London Business School campus and community like?
London brings all the excitement you would expect from a multi-cultural metropolis; however, that is balanced by a campus with an intimate feel. Set overlooking beautiful Regents Park, we are centrally located and easily accessible from all corners of London.
Many of the School’s buildings surround an interior quad where the student body gathers, enabling the vibrant community to flourish and connect on a daily basis. In fact it would be pretty difficult to avoid your classmates even if you wanted to!
As a school of around 1,800 post-graduate business students spanning 9 degree programmes, it is very close-knit, collaborative and active community. One of the things I appreciate most about the School is that students (and alumni) really do help each other out!
To really get a feel for the campus and community, you should think about visiting us.
Will a visit to the London Business School campus impact my application?
We know that many of our applicants come from far corners of the globe and do not always have the capacity to travel to London before submitting an application. For this reason, we do not penalise applicants who do not visit campus. We do encourage you, however, to see if there are any London Business School events in your area. These provide a fantastic opportunity to connect with the School staff, alumni and sometimes current students.
Of course, if you can make it to campus, we would be happy to show you around and provide you with further insight into the programme though one of our twice weekly drop-in Q & A sessions or monthly information sessions.
A campus visit can also be valuable even after you have applied, as it helps you to assess your own fit with the School and get a sense as to whether this is a place you see yourself spending 15, 18 or 21 months! I encourage you to do your research on London and all the opportunities it affords and to speak with staff, alumni and students about what the LBS community and campus are like.
I hope to meet some of you on campus soon!