I studied my whole life in the city where I was born and, when I graduated from college, I set myself the goal to study my master’s abroad when the time came. Five years later, married and with a daughter, I decided the time was right to pursue an MBA degree that would boost my career.

The UK had an alluring mix of prestigious schools, quality of life, and a rich heritage and culture that I was looking for in my international experience, and, because I was already proficient in English, the UK was immediately up there as a top option. Additionally, the UK government, in collaboration with its Mexican counterpart, offers a wide variety of scholarships, loans and support for Mexican students in the UK, which I needed to ease the economic impact on my wallet so our time there could be stress-free for me and my family.

 Making the Decision to Study at Warwick Business School

After zeroing in on the UK for my masters, it all came to value for money. Foreseeing the dreaded job hunt after the MBA, I hoped that Warwick’s Full-time MBA ranking and prestige would give me an advantage above peers from other universities when looking for a job (and it did!).

Value for money was also an important factor for me; the Warwick Full-time MBA is a more affordable degree than most programmes with a similar rank. Also, not living in London, Oxford or Cambridge, meant housing would be more affordable, which leads me to my final decision point. With my daughter just about to turn one, my wife and I were clear we wanted a quiet place with easy access to the luscious green of the beautiful English countryside. All of this made Warwick the perfect decision.

 The Benefits of a UK-Based MBA

As I said before, the prestige and rank of the degrees in the UK is something that can help when finding a job, but, even if that was not the case with my WBS degree, I would do it all again.

While the UK boasts some of the best MBA programmes from the most recognised universities around the world, everyone studying in the UK will find themselves learning not only from faculty but also from their classmates. The diversity of cultures, backgrounds and experiences makes every exchange of ideas a fruitful one. Add that to the fact that the top universities will naturally attract the best talent from across the globe, and you’ll get the experience of a lifetime.

During class you learn from the brightest faculty members and practitioners, and outside the classroom you learn to develop interpersonal skills in an unmatched environment. Fast forward to my new job, I can see how that setting helped me build the confidence I needed to become a leader in a new role and a new industry for me.

Enjoying Warwick Business School’s Accessible, Idyllic Location

In my particular case, the idyllic lifestyle my family and I were going for was provided by the campus’s suburban location. Being close to nature is a blessing when you’re in charge of a toddler. Also, the campus is fairly close to supermarkets, and you can reach Birmingham, Coventry, Kenilworth or Leamington Spa in under 30 minutes, with plenty of options for food, drink, and entertainment. Also, their respective rail stations provide easy access to the train network, meaning one can get anywhere from Manchester to Southampton in under two hours.

Whenever we felt like it, we could reach London in less than an hour, which was useful when there were events at Warwick Business School’s base at The Shard.

Warwick’s accessibility allowed us to come up with spontaneous field trips to a number of places in the UK, all of them beautiful – not to mention the treat it is to enjoy a train ride for someone who has never travelled by train.

 Experiencing the UK for the First Time

Personally, I’m someone who likes to approach new experiences with curiosity and an open mind, so I tried to not create any expectation that could filter the way I would let myself into such a novel setting. Some cultural aspects are starkly different from my homeland, but being in such an open mindset helped me ease into it and enjoy the year from day one. All in all, it was very liberating to let go of social constructs I had and soak into the new culture. Some of my favorite things were the pub culture, gathering at teatime, taking long walks by a canal, river or in the countryside, and the umbrella that became a staple in my backpack (I’ve been back in Mexico for six months and the umbrella is still there because I got so used to never go out without it).

 Culture of My MBA Class

There were more than 20 nationalities in my MBA class. Every interaction was a very enriching one but still there was never enough time to fully delve into one another’s cultures. Therefore, multiple “cultural” events were organised throughout the year. They were, in essence, just a party, but the themes would vary according to important festivities from each culture. We had a Diwali party, Lunar New Year party, Christmas party, Halloween party, and even a couple of “bring your national dish” parties. Besides that, everyday is a good day for a cheeky pint at the Dirty Duck pub, and on weekends there is always something going on. I would say my MBA class gelled very well together and I made very good friends in that year.