By Mark Scott

Scott Addison always knew he wanted to go overseas for his MBA. The 32-year-old American, who spent 10 years working in financial public relations in New York, was looking to add a global edge to his career, which U.S. schools couldn't provide. Now he's more than halfway through the year-long MBA course at Cass Business School in London. Before graduating, he'll travel to Poland, South Africa, and China to work with local businesses—opportunities he says wouldn't have been possible if he'd stayed in the U.S.

"I looked at all the options back home, and nothing was the right fit," says the Indianapolis native. "The international experience was a huge draw for me; it creates a different MBA...