There’s Nothing Worse Than Being in a Bad Group
In higher education, group-driven projects often comprise a substantial portion of your grade.  This is especially true in MBA programs where professors want to assess not only your understanding of the subject matter, but also how well you work with others.  Thus, it pays to build a strong team where each individual contributes and carries his or her own weight.  This is difficult to do in campus situations, but it becomes even more challenging when you never meet your classmates face to face.  Online education offers convenience, but you sometimes sacrifice on the interpersonal contact.  Below are 3 useful tips to help you pick successful work-study groups.

Shop around Even before Classes Begin
You often must select your group during the first few classes, so it pays to get started on your research right away.  You should have email addresses for your fellow classmates after registration.  Begin introducing yourself and finding out what everyone does, why they’re taking classes, where they’re from, etc.  Through this, you can get a general sense of people’s personalities and commitment levels.

Gauge Responsiveness from Online Classmates
As you begin corresponding with people, be wary of those who don’t respond quickly.  We’ve all got busy schedules and I’m not saying that email responsiveness is an accurate indicator of commitment level.  But if it takes someone 5-10 days to get back to you, you might consider choosing other people to add to your group.

Gauge the Technological Savvy & Willingness of Your Classmates
Online technologies like IM and Google Docs make coordinating and communicating infinitely easier.  Whenever I select groups for school, I try to avoid those students who resist these collaborative tools.  You don’t necessarily have to love AIM or Yahoo IM, but you should at least be willing to work with them if and when necessary.