Articles

Common Admissions Criteria For MBA Programs

2010-08-03

MBAs are a worthwhile cause for anyone with the willpower to complete a Master's program. However, there are many things you should consider before undertaking such a goal. MBA programs have admissions criteria for their prospective MBAs. MBA admissions criteria vary from school to school. Here are some common admissions criteria for MBA programs.

Many MBA schools require that you take a GMAT. A GMAT is a graduate management admissions test. It's used by business schools to assess how well you can handle MBA level work. Many people consider the GMAT vital to getting accepted into the MBA school of their choice. Many MBA schools indicate in their admissions brochures what range your GMAT score should fall within to be accepted.

If you have a good GMAT score, the next thing you need to worry about is your application essay. Does your background indicate that you can share something unique with your classmates? If so, this is something that MBA schools want to know. Your essay is intended to focus on your uniqueness. It's a personal testament of why selecting you, over someone else, is justifiable.

GPAs are also used to determine whether you should be accepted into MBA programs. Remember that they are not weighed as heavily as other mentioned factors. This is because a less than stellar GPA can be justified by life situations that can limit your academic performance. A good example of this is working a full-time job as an undergrad. Nonetheless, many graduate programs require a 3.0 GPA.

Letters of recommendation are also a deciding factor for acceptance into MBA schools. MBA schools want to know how well you perform in academic and professional settings. This is why they usually require two or more letters of recommendation from either or both places.

In many schools, the final factor that determines your acceptance is your interview. However, you shouldn't rank it as last in importance. Depending on the school you apply to, the interview may play a very crucial role in your acceptance. Interviews for MBA programs can, in some cases, make or break you.

These are the most common admissions criteria for MBA programs. It goes without saying that you need a Bachelors degree first and foremost. International students may need their Bachelors degree approved. They may also need to take an English language proficiency test if English is their second language. Some schools require work experience; others may ask for GRE scores in addition to GMAT scores. Remember, the requirements vary from school to school. Therefore, it's important to check the MBA admissions criteria of the specific school you are intending to go to.