Considering Business School? - An Overview
When is The Best Time for An MBA?
The Masters in Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree
that seeks to integrate leadership, management experiences and team
projects into the classroom environment. The broadly trained and highly
skilled individuals are able to assume positions in a wide variety of
settings (e.g., corporate, healthcare, nonprofit, entrepreneurial).
Experience is a key factor in selection of applicants for most schools.
Although there are business schools that will accept students directly
from an undergraduate program, the more competitive graduate programs
in business are typically looking for two to four years of experience.
They are very willing, however, to consider experience from a range
of industries and opportunities (corporate, nonprofit, entrepreneurial,
government service). As long as you have developed the quantitative,
analytical, teamwork, leadership, communication, and other skills business
schools seek, you can still be a competitive applicant without "traditional"
business experience.
Researching Programs
Individuals often place more emphasis on which schools might accept
them than focusing on which schools are best for them based on their
interests and goals. Schools vary in curriculum, specialty areas, teaching
methodologies and overall atmosphere. It is important that you consider
a number of factors before you begin the application process.
The academic environment, career development and employment options,
quality of life issues and financial requirements are all contributing
factors to your overall satisfaction in any graduate program. The reputation
of a school and published rankings will not give you the complete picture
of the school. That information is useful in the decision process but
it is not a guarantee of personal satisfaction for each applicant.
There are a number of places online where you can get more information
about business careers and MBA programs. Be sure to look at the links
provided at the bottom of this page. The Graduate
Management Admissions Council is a wonderful site for exploring
various programs, financial assistance information and a calendar of
events.
Application Procedures
The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) examination
is a standardized test that measures basic verbal, quantitative, and
writing skills that are developed over a long period of time. Visit
the GMAC site for detailed information and registration procedures.
Most test centers are in permanent locations and offer the Computer-Adaptive
GMAT® throughout the year. Each test center operates on its own
schedule and can accommodate varying numbers of test takers.
Scores are generally valid for five years so if you are sure that you
will be applying for an MBA in the near future, you may want to consider
taking the GMAT in your Senior year. You should further consider taking
the test between mid-summer to early fall (June-September), if you plan
to apply for an MBA in the upcoming year. This will allow you plenty
of time for further preparation in the event you wish to take it again,
as well as time to get applications in early rather than near the deadlines.
Application Time Frame
Many schools have multiple application rounds, with final deadlines
typically falling between March and April. It is in your best interest
to apply early, as many admissions decisions will be made prior to the
official deadline. Applications may be reviewed as early as October
and November, but be sure to read each schools' information regarding
deadlines and admissions procedures. The popularity of the MBA degree
has created a very competitive atmosphere, such that it has become increasingly
important to submit applications early for the greatest chances of success
in being admitted.
Essays
Essays are extremely influential in the business school admission process.
Some applicants to business school sometimes assume that grades, GMAT
scores, or the prominence of their past employers will be more significant;
however, MBA programs read essays carefully.
The manner in which you express your work experience and discuss your
goals and achievements, both professional and personal, can have a major
impact on the final outcome of your application. It is critical that
your interests are in keeping with the programs that you have selected.
Be sure to allocate sufficient time to the preparation of your essays.
Most MBA applications require at least four essays, but some schools,
such as Harvard, require even more. Essays should be written for each
school rather than attempting to develop four or five standard versions.
There is a fair amount of variation among schools in the topics that
they would like addressed.
Once you have drafts prepared of your essays, you can schedule an appointment
with a counselor in Career Services to have them reviewed and to get
feedback on how to best present your skills and goals. Call the front
desk at 258-3325 to schedule an appointment.
Letters of Recommendation, Transcripts, & Resume
Most MBA programs require two to three letters of recommendation, primarily
from employers and possibly one faculty letter. As an undergraduate,
if you think you will want to apply to business school in the future,
it is a good idea to discuss your plans with current faculty members
with whom you've studied; by requesting the letters of recommendation
prior to graduation and establishing a credentials file, you will be
able to use them in the future. After three or four years, however,
you might want to get recommendations from those with whom you have
more recently worked rather than rely on letters from your undergraduate
years.
You may open a credentials
file in Career Services at any time to store your recommendation
letters. Your letters will stay on file until you are ready to use them.
Because the recommendation letters are important, be sure to provide
professors with examples of papers or projects, a transcript and a list
of activities or work experiences that you have had over the years.
This will enable them to prepare a more focused letter. The same practice
should be followed when requesting recommendations from employers. Take
responsibility for outlining some of your projects and accomplishments.
List any promotions or special commendations that you have received.
Request letters from individuals who are senior to you and have had
the opportunity to interact with you and observe your work.
You may request copies of your transcript from the Registrar's
Office. Download a Transcript Request Form, and then mail or fax
this form to the office to submit your request.
Some schools may require that a copy of your resume be included with
the applications. It will not take the place of the answers that you
must provide to the various essay questions. However, a well-organized
resume will be helpful to the admissions committee as they attempt to
review your experience. Be sure to have your resume reviewed by a career
counselor, which you can do by coming for an appointment or sending
a hard copy to the office for written comments.
Interview
Many business schools require or offer optional interviews. The MBA
admissions interview is similar to an employment interview. You are
given the chance to highlight your accomplishments, skills, strengths,
and personal qualities. The focus of the interview will be your work
experience, the benefit of an MBA to you at this point in your career,
and the goals that you wish to achieve. It is also wise to carefully
review your research about the program prior to an interview, so that
you are clear as to why you wish to pursue an MBA and why their program
fits your goals. The interviews may be conducted by the admissions staff,
faculty members or, in some cases, alumni of the school.
If you are offered the opportunity for an optional interview, in most
cases you should accept. Because they extended the interview option
to you, it could be a signal that they are interested in you as an applicant
but hope to learn a bit more. It also provides you with a wonderful
opportunity to gather more information that will help you make a decision
about whether or not this program is a good fit. If you have questions
about how to best prepare for these interviews, you may speak with a
counselor in Career Services and also use the Alumni
Careers Network to gather advice from other alumni who have been
through the process.
Online Resources
Graduate
Management Admissions Council
This site offers links to GMAT information, admissions trends, career
development information for MBAs and more.
All Business
Schools - If you would like to find online MBA programs, business
schools, executive MBAs, or information on MBA rankings or the GMAT
exam, you'll find AllBusinessSchools.com a great resource.
Business Week
Articles, trends, and B-school information. Not just focused on how to get an MBA, but offers career advice for future MBAs.
MBA.com
A wonderful site for exploring MBA programs, financial assistance information and a calendar of events.
MBADepot
Resources and tools for MBAs and managers. Find original business articles, market research, quotations, expert advice, and more. An excellent section - "Not Yet MBA" - focuses on the application process.
MBA Jungle
Information about getting in, life as an MBA student, preparing for
the job search, and beyond.
MBA Map
Comprehensive site including information about researching programs, getting in to business school, life as an MBA student, MBA careers and other "essentials" for the prospective MBA.
Hobsons MBA Central
- MBA advice and information, including articles about international
programs, future job prospects, and more.
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