Admission

To get into business school you need application essays, letters of recommendation, academic credentials, work experience and an entrance interview. Washington Post interviewed the admission officers of some of the top schools. We have compiled the top tips for you.

“For some people, the GMAT can become a months-, even years-long obsession. It shouldn’t be that way. That certainly isn’t what business schools, or the makers of the test, intend for it to be”, writes Jeff Sackmann. He should know, he has written many GMAT preparation books like “Total GMAT Math” or “GMAT 111”.

Andrew Scharf has a sharp way of phrasing his opinion. As the head of the WCW Group that offers MBA and career coaching, he also frequently stirs the discussion on MBA education and admission. As the MBA rounds start again beginning of autumn, it is indeed a good time to get prepared on the MBA application front. But how to file a successful one without paying thousands to MBA consultants? One that really lets you shine?

With a growing number of attractive courses on offer, Europe is becoming one of the top destinations for MBA students from all over the world. The English-language eBook “MBA in Europe” issued by MBA CHANNEL in co-operation with the career platform Jobguide, analyses trends on the European MBA market and provides an overview of the market. 

“Some of them read from a prepared speech, some of them may have pat answers from what they anticipate are going to be the questions, some of them try to embellish their experience. What we’re looking for is the right fit for the individual, and the program”, says Joan White, Associated Dean of MBA Programs at the University of Alberta School of Business in Edmonton, Canada. So think twice if you have landed an interview at a business school and you think that means you are in. Experts say you have just reached another critical test.

“I was wait-listed at Darden and now I have an interview at Harvard. Wow! It was a lot of work but this book was my sole guide in transforming my essays. I would never try to apply for an MBA program without this book,” writes one Darian Diggler from Tulsa on amazon.com’s review page about Avi Gordon’s book “MBA Admissions Strategy.”

Stanford is a synonym for the world’s most selective business school. As “Fortune” reports, last year, Stanford received more than 19 applications for every one of its 390 seats for this fall’s incoming class. All told, only 6.5 percent of the 7,536 applicants for the Class of 2011 were accepted.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) - the MBA admissions exam - is about to undergo its biggest makeover in more than a decade, reports BusinessWeek. Starting in 2012, aspiring business school applicants will take the so-called Next Generation GMAT, which will include a new section on integrated reasoning, in which test takers will analyze data from multiple sources in order to draw conclusions.

With fewer jobs to fill and employers reluctant to boost travel budgets for on-campus recruiting, business schools are getting creative about helping students land jobs.

Now that the most of the second deadline are behind us, many prospective students are wondering whether they should apply in the 3rd round or wait for the first round and apply early next year. Here are some general guidelines to help you approach this decision.

This fall, I am traveling extensively, reaching out to prospective applicants to the Darden School of Business at University of Virginia.  Though my trips entail a lot of public speaking, I am listening too.  The people in my audiences voice concerns about the recession—and international applicants are worried about visa problems that could affect job prospects, and capital market conditions that could affect the ability to get student loans. 

Most candidates who have a goal of attending business school at some point in the future understand that the schools want to see evidence of community service.  In response, they dive into a community service project in hopes of checking the community service box on the application.  Unfortunately, they never stop to think about why the admissions committee is interested in their community service accomplishments.

In a tight labour market, business school admission departments are taking a closer look at how easily candidates will be able to land a job after graduation. That’s good news for candidates with polished interview skills, a killer résumé and a workable career plan, reports U.S. magazine “BusinessWeek”.

Although it says quite clearly on the Wharton MBA’s website, that no admission test is delivering comparable results to the GMAT yet, Wharton School has decided to accept the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for future admission to Wharton’s MBA program, according to the US Magazine BusinessWeek.

The GMAT – short for the Graduate Management Admissions Test – is tough, even for the best test-takers. And, like it or not, the GMAT is required by nearly every graduate business school. A number of very good test-prep companies offer materials, classes and/or one-on-one coaching. I strongly urge you to take advantage of their offerings, and I have great news for you: As the potential client, you are in the driver’s seat.

OK. You’ve written dynamite essays and filled out the applications. All of a sudden you get an unexpected curve ball. One of your recommenders says “I really want to help you get into an MBA program. Why don’t you write the letter of rec, and I’ll sign it. That way it will emphasize exactly what you think is most important.”