Applying to Business School: An Overview

TopMBA.com provides an overview of the different steps involved in applying to business school for an MBA. 

The MBA admissions process can be a long and complicated one, with many different aspects.

Admissions tests, interviews, essays, résumés or CVs, and English language tests can all play a vital role for business school admission departments when selecting which candidates to accept, and who they should reject from their MBA programs.

MBA admission tests

The often-feared Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is the most common of all admission tests for MBA programs. Currently consisting of three sections, Quantitative, Verbal, and an Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), GMAT scores are required in applications to many of the top MBA programs.

However, there are alternatives.

While the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is designed as a standardized test for many different graduate programs, more and more business schools are accepting it each year.

In India, the Common Admission Test (CAT) is run by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as an entrance exam to its seven business schools. There is also the possibility that it may be licensed for use at other schools outside of India in the near future.

Like the Indian IIMs, many business schools run their own MBA admission tests. These usually follow similar styles and test structures to the GMAT, however they are conducted by the schools themselves, allowing them to ensure tests adequately evaluate candidate performance according to their own programs.

MBA essays, references and interviews

MBA admissions essays are a requirement by nearly all of the top business schools. Instead of traditional essays, candidates are usually required to write about their suitability for the MBA program they are applying to.

When applying to multiple schools, it can be the case that many of the essay questions are quite similar. However, successful applicants reject the urge to submit the same essays, instead writing passages that specifically refer to the school in question.

Professional references, or letters of recommendation are a requirement by many business schools. While the emphasis each MBA admissions department places on these references can vary substantially, if it’s the case that two similar applicants have applied but only one place is available, they could well be the difference between admittance and rejection.

Usually kept for MBA applicants that have successfully progressed through the aforementioned admissions components, interviews can be the final stage in the process.

Depending on the business school, MBA admission interviews can be conducted by various different representatives; the admissions departments themselves, previous alumni, or even successful business people with a link to the school. While some interviews may be in an informal setting, candidates should always remember that they are being judged on their suitability for an MBA program, and so should act accordingly.

During the MBA admissions process, further requirements may be asked of candidates depending on the school and the background of the candidate. For instance, English language test scores will usually be required from applicants who come from non-English speaking countries. However, if business school applicants manage to traverse these admissions components successfully, then they should be in good standing for admittance.