The MBA admissions process may seem intimidating or overwhelming even to the most qualified applicants. However, this should not prevent qualified applicants from taking this important step forward and making an investment in their futures. HowToMBA is here to help walk you through the common elements of all MBA applications:
The Application
The MBA Application will largely inform a school’s general impression of you. It functions as a record of your undergraduate education and work experience, and also as a personal statement (through the admissions essays). All of this information plus letters of recommendation from previous professors or supervisors combine to create an application, and HowToMBA’s guide will help you craft one that is competitive and compelling.
The GMAT
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a standardized test used to evaluate an applicant ‘s preparedness for graduate level management studies and to predict performance in the first year of the program. The GMAT is another opportunity for an applicant to show admissions officers that he or she is ready to succeed academically in an MBA program. Most applicants spend several weeks preparing for the test, and extensive preparation can significantly affect an applicant’s test score. (Recently, many MBA programs have also begun to accept GRE scores as an alternative to the GMAT, and some Executive MBA programs do not require any standardized test scores.)
The admissions interview is an important opportunity to make a personal impression on a representative from your preferred school. The interview plays somewhat different roles in each school’s application processes. Some programs allow every applicant to arrange an interview, and the majority of top business schools interview only those candidates who make it to the final round of considerations. This can make the interview feel like a high-pressure, high-stakes situation. However, the main purpose of the interview is simply to affirm that applicants can present themselves professionally and in a manner that appears consistent with the rest of their application materials.
For International Students
In addition to the standard application, most MBA programs require international students to provide a few additional materials such as an English proficiency test (i.e. TOEFL, IELTS, PTE ) and an official report from a transcript evaluation service. This page will point you to some of the top recommended resources for English testing and credit evaluation, and also provide useful information on student visas and Pre-MBA summer programs for international students.