MBA Application

A Master of Business Administration degree is one of the hottest postgraduate courses today. It helps professionals ascend the corporate by providing them with the necessary skills to excel in their respective fields. To realize those goals, the first thing you need to do is complete the MBA application requirements.

GETTING STARTED

Getting accepted into an MBA program is not as easy as it looks, especially if you intend to enter a prestigious business school. In some of these universities, you need to compete with 50 other applicants just for a single slot. However, by preparing extensively, you can put yourself in a better position and increase your chances of getting into the program.

Gathering Requirements

Elite MBA programs have very tough requirements. For starters, secure all your college transcripts, recommendation letters and updated resume. Afterwards, send a letter of intent to the MBA school of your choice and tell them why you deserve to be accepted into the program.

One of the toughest parts of the application is clearing the dreaded GMAT. It is a standardized test required by nearly all graduate business schools. After completing those requirements, including the mandatory fee and application form, you will be scheduled for a comprehensive interview to review your application documents.

Choosing A School

The biggest factors considered in an MBA application are academic record, employment history and GMAT scores. After gathering these requirements, the next step is to identify the MBA program that best suits your needs in terms of costs, location, curriculum and faculty.

After narrowing down your choices, complete each document as professional as possible. Keep in mind that they will help your position as an ideal graduate candidate. Focus on improving your application form, resume, letter of intent, recommendations and placement exam scores.

APPLICATION FORM

The application form is the foundation of your graduate school application. Some forms ask very basic questions, while others request much more detailed information. Your job is to understand each question carefully and answer them to the best of your ability.

Never forget about deadlines because all of your efforts will be for nothing if you fail to pass the requirements on time. As much as possible, type the answers on your application form to make it look more professional. If you need to fill it up manually, do it as neatly and legibly as possible.

Personal Information

Similar to most application forms, this part asks for basic details, such as your full name, birth date, gender, nationality, country of origin, address, age and contact number. It may also ask the name, birth date, address and profession of your parents.

Academic Background

List down all the schools you’ve attended starting from your primary education and indicate each level’s date of completion. Include each scholastic accomplishment you obtained, but limit them to those that happened during your college years.

List down all the courses you’ve taken that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Emphasize your grade-point average if it is noteworthy. Enumerate all pertinent certificates you received, including those that you acquired outside of school.

Admission Exams

The Graduate Management Admission Test is the most important exam required to qualify for an MBA program. It doesn’t ask questions about a specific business field, or any subjective qualities. Instead, the GMAT measures your verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills in general.

The main language used in most schools, especially in North America, is English. If it isn’t your native language, you need to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language. This three-hour exam evaluates your grasp of all aspects of the English language, such as reading, listening, speaking and writing. Make sure you attach a copy of the exams to validate the scores written on your MBA application form.

Employment History

This is where you detail every work experience you’ve gained so far as a professional. Start from your current job and work your way backwards. For each position you’ve held, indicate the name of the company and type of business involved.

Describe your job position and list down all its responsibilities during your tenure with the company. You might also be requested to disclose the reasons for taking and leaving the job. You must repeat this procedure for each job you had, even if it was part-time or a college internship.

Personal Essay

Similar to most applications, you need to convince the MBA school that you are worthy of the highly coveted slot. List other important credentials that weren’t included in the previous segments through an essay.

This time, get personal. Share your career goals and tell them how passionate or dedicated you are with work. Keep it short, but make sure every word counts. The last thing a screening panel needs to read is a long, boring biography of irrelevant facts.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

You must prove that everything you wrote on the admission form is accurate. The only way to do this is by submitting other documents that support your claim. Besides the application form, you also need to turn in your resume, recommendation letters and personal essay.

Curriculum Vitae

Although the information here is already found on your application form, many schools still require an updated resume. Reiterate your skills, accomplishments and work experience by submitting a detailed curriculum vitae.

Don’t leave out the company seminars, conferences and certification programs you attended as an employee because they are all parts of your work experience. For each resume, state your objective on why you want to receive an MBA degree. (For more information regarding resumes, read The Guide to resumes)

Letter Of Intent

There is no better way to display both your English proficiency and writing abilities other than writing a letter of intent. Though this document is usually taken lightly, a letter that stands out might grab the screening panel’s attention and give your application a closer look.

Focus on why an MBA degree is important to you and how it will help your career. Include an instance that tested your leadership skills and describe how you managed the situation. There are plenty of personal topics you can include here, but make sure to keep them professional and relevant.

Recommendation Letter

An MBA application is like a job interview, so treat it like one. This includes submitting a letter of recommendation or two to vouch for your credibility and achievements. Make sure you ask the right people when making a recommendation letter.

Request a letter from friends or colleagues with a high-ranking position in their respective fields. Make sure that person knows your work, skills and abilities. Ask them about one or two months in advance so they could prepare a well-written recommendation. Remember that you are asking for a favor so request politely and say thank you afterwards.

(Asking for a good opinion of others isn’t an easy thing to do, so you better be guided when fixing your Letters Of Recommendation.)

Don’t leave your MBA application to chance. Fill out the application form diligently and submit all necessary documents to put you in a better position to qualify for an MBA degree. For more tidbits regarding this article, read how to get a business degree.