Top MBA programs may not be that easy to get into, but with hard work and adequate preparation you can get into almost any business school. Read on to know more about how to get into the top MBA programs.
Criteria for MBA admission
To decide which business schools you must apply, check out the MBA Rankings 2010 which will give you a list of top business schools in the US. All the top MBA programs require candidates to display the ability and desire to take up the challenging program at their school. Use your application to tell the school what you want to get out of the program and what you will bring to the table.
Admission criteria for MBA tend to vary from one school to another. However, along with a necessary undergraduate degree, most business schools consider the following to shortlist candidates for their consideration:
GMAT scores
College GPA
Work experience
Letters of recommendation
Strong personal statement
Interviews
Though GMAT scores and GPA are very important, those are not the only factors that determine whether you get into the program. Even if you do not have a high GMAT score, a high GPA, work experience, and professional recommendations may act as a good counter-balance and push your application ahead of the rest.
GMAT scores
Almost all MBA programs in the country require the candidates to take the GMAT. High GMAT may not guarantee an admission, but a low score may put your application in the rejected pile. If your GMAT scores are lower than the school's average by more than 50 points, your chances of getting shortlisted are pretty slim. GMAT scores across the country range from 200 to 800 and most of the candidates score around 500. At a top business school, a candidate may score in the high 700s. If you have a low GMAT score, your best bet is to take the GMAT exam again.
GPA
While looking at your GPA, most business schools will consider how academically reputed your college was and also how difficult your curriculum was. If you have successfully completed a quantitative course on statistics or economics and have an overall high GPA, it may be considered as a good indicator of your academic ability and future performance. If you did not have any quantitative courses in your college, you may consider taking a separate statistics, accounting, economics or calculus class before applying.
Work experience
Admission officers in top business schools believe that real world experience is crucial if you are to benefit from the MBA program. Without work experience, you have very limited chances of getting into a good business school. Work experience is an indicator of your performance in the real world and reveals whether you have sufficient background knowledge to be able to absorb the MBA curriculum. Your industry experience is also something that will liven up classroom discussions. You may need 2-3 years of work experience to be considered as a serious candidate. If you are applying for specialized courses such as healthcare MBA or MBA accounting, experience in the relevant field is always a huge plus.
Letters of recommendation
Candidates often make the mistake of overlooking recommendations and focus only on other aspects of the application. Do not underestimate the importance of good professional recommendations. Identify the right people to recommend you. Admission officers look for specific examples of your work, how you fared as a team player, your sense of professionalism, ethics, respect for others and leadership qualities. Ask someone whom you have worked with closely to write a recommendation letter. Good recommendation letters will speak more about your actions, such as how you saved a project which was otherwise doomed or how you volunteered to take up more responsibilities, rather than use hollow adjectives such as wonderful, lovable and a great person to describe you. Once you have identified your references, keep in touch with them to ensure that the letters are submitted on time.
Strong personal statement
Sell yourself with a great story. Admission officers look for personal experiences, depth of desire, clarity of understanding, degree of self-awareness and the ability to communicate. Before you submit your application, take a good long look at your life, career, goals, and how an MBA will benefit you and help you achieve what you aim for. Use your essays to convince the school to let you in. A compelling story backed by strong credentials and evidence of ability will have the best shot of having an application accepted. Your essay also shows your personality, how well you are able to present your case and list your accomplishments without sounding boastful - the very same skills you will need to succeed in your career after you graduate from the b-school.
Interviews
Top MBA schools usually interview candidates by invitation only. This is your best and last shot at convincing the admission officers that you are someone that they must have at their school. Sometimes, all candidates are required to interview. In such cases, your interview scores are also taken just as a data point along with the rest of your application. Whether you have an invitation-only or a blanket interview, this is an important stage in the admission procedure because this is where you directly interact with the school authorities.
Start your preparation
Attending a top business school in the United States is an amazing experience. If you have decided to take the plunge and are wondering how to get into the top MBA programs, let us help you with your search. Call our college advisors or fill an online form at mbaschools.com and we will help you identify the best business schools in the country and help you prepare for them.
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