MBA Admissions
Steps in the MBA Admissions Process
There are many pieces to the puzzle of making a complete business school application. To put together a comprehensive and unified application that accurately reflects you as a student, stay organized, and tend to the details. Use this general outline to understand the procedure, gather information from the schools of your choice, then create a personalized checklist.
Contact the admissions department. The admissions office at the university of your choice will guide you through the process of filling out required forms and applying for financial aid. Enrollment advisors are the prospective student’s advocate. If you have graduate-level credits to transfer, be sure to ask questions about how your transfer credits may be handled – each university will have a different policy. Each school will also have a Financial Aid counselor who will be your contact person for dealing with FAFSA issues, finding scholarships and any college-based aid toward your tuition.
Take the Graduate Management Admissions Test. Find out what entrance examination is preferred by the university to which you’re applying. Business schools are increasing their acceptance of the GRE as a substitute for the GMAT – currently, more than 250 highly-ranked MBA programs recognize scores from either test as part of your application process. While these standardized tests are ever-changing, most industry experts would agree that applicants with an excellent vocabulary should fare better on the GRE, while those with strong math skills would be expected to perform better on the GMAT.
Request documents from previous schools. Prior academic performance will factor heavily into your success at gaining entrance to the MBA program of your choice. Request your official college transcripts, and have them sent directly to the colleges you are applying to.
Letters of recommendation. Most MBA programs will also ask you to submit letters of recommendation from a professor or professional who knows you well. Be sure to ask for these well in advance. Choose an instructor who knows your academic strengths, and arm them with a copy of your resume. Provide them with a written list of the traits you hope they will help convey.
Write your graduate school statement. Most graduate-level programs will require a sample demonstrating your writing ability. Learn the requirements of each university, as some may provide specific essay topics or requirements. For added insurance, ask at least two other people proofread your writing sample before submitting it; this is not the place to overlook spelling or punctuation errors, and simply running spell-check may not catch them all.
Ask for an interview. Some schools include an interview as part of your application process, but even if they do not, ask if they will set one up. If distance is an issue, or you are applying to an online graduate program, a phone interview may be good idea. This allows you to show initiative and present yourself in a more direct manner, and gaining a better understanding of the university.
Track the deadlines. As part of your tracking system, be sure to know the deadlines for each part of your application. There will be staggered deadlines for financial aid forms, applications, letters of recommendation, and entrance exams. Mark these dates on your calendar and follow them. Turning in all parts of your application on time will reflect well on you, and ensure that you are still in the running for the schools you want attend. With increased competition for top programs, this is an absolute must.