MBA Admission

MBA admission criteria:

GMAT Score for MBA:

Sad, but true: your GMAT score is probably the most important factor in determining whether you will be admitted to a top business school. We wish to clarify that statement, though, so that you don't misunderstand.

Most applicants tend to think that there is a significant difference between a 680 and a 720 on the GMAT. There isn't. The additional 40 points will not increase your chances of being admitted. Thais why it is frustrating to hear from people who score 680 and insist on retaking the exam. They would be better off burning their GMAT-prep books and turning their attention to application essays (that is the next step in the process).

MBA application essays:

Once you have got your GMAT score into the proper range, the most important thing you could do is write good essays. Do not try to push your score up a few more points by retaking the exam. An additional 30 points will not be worth nearly so much as a well thought out set of essays that convince an admissions officer that you have something valuable to contribute to his school.

Your work background will decide who you will compete against for admission spots. Then again, what you say about your background and how well you do so it will determine whether you beat those competitors. This is why essays are so important.

MBA Admissions Process:

In order to understand the admissions process, you must look at it from an admissions officer's point of view. Every year the staff attempts to assemble a well-rounded class consisting of people from a broad range of work backgrounds. It's imperative that they get together a diverse group because many assignments in B-school are collaborative and interdisciplinary. Accordingly, projects will be more successful and students will learn more if teammates are able to contribute their own unique perspectives.

The admissions staff faces a stiff challenge though, in putting together a diverse class since the vast majority of applicants to top programs come from only two broad work categories: finance and consulting. Most of these people have worked at some of the most prestigious firms. They got good grades as undergraduates (or they wouldn't have been hired by top firms), and almost all of them take GMAT prep courses because that's part of the culture at their firms. Meaning to say, they have a lot going for themselves.

If admissions officers would select candidates strictly on the basis of GMAT scores and undergraduate GPAs, their student bodies would consist of almost entirely people from finance and consulting backgrounds. This would make for pretty bad class dynamics.

The admissions people are fully aware of this disparity, of course, and they compensate for it by starting with a general idea of the class profile they hope to end up with.

Work experience for MBA:

Most students know that the average number of years of full-time work experience has risen dramatically at the top B-schools. Schools that just recently averaged two or three years now find themselves averaging five. That number keeps rising, too.

If you have two years in your industry and another applicant has five years in the same business, they are going to take the more experienced candidate, even if his GMAT score is a little lower than yours. You must know your whole work history before walking into the interview. You must also look up the approximate dates of promotions or job transfers.

Questions for MBA candidate:

What was your first job out of undergrad school?
Have you ever been promoted?
Have you supervised employees?
Have you switched firms so far? If so, why?

Interview of MBA candidate:

The interview can be a crucial part of the admissions decision. Hence they should not always rank dead last in order of importance. However its importance varies dramatically from school to school. And yet, all said and done, the interview can be important at some schools and, at those schools, do not list it last. Interviewing can either be meaningless at some school or it could be significant. It varies with the school and your personal situation.

FAQ for Interview:

What was your major?
Did you like it?
Do you feel that your grades are an accurate reflection of your ability?
Have you ever worked as an undergrad? (This is important because it may help to explain why your GPA isn't 4.0)