MBA Papers : MBA Admissions process
The MBA Admissions process can be long and hard, to say the least. Juggling deadlines for the MAT and school applications can become a full time job, making it hard to attend to work, school and family. While you would be hard-pressed to completely alleviate the pressures of the admissions process, there are many ways to “help it run more smoothly”, culminating in a desirable outcome.
When it comes to applying to business schools, organization is key. Not only will strong organization help you stay on track, it will also reflect positively on you during evaluation by admission board(s). Once you have decided to apply to business school and narrowed your school choices, the first thing to do is contact your choices and get the literature on each school’s application process. This can usually be done over the phone or on the internet. It is important to do this early in the admissions process so that you can develop a schedule that meets the criteria of all your school choices.
This can be harder than it seems given that different schools will have widely varying application processes and deadlines. Naturally, you must pin down all your application deadlines, which can vary greatly if some of your program choices have rolling admissions.
Most business schools will require you to take the MAT. It is important to properly fit the MAT into your application schedule. Depending on familiarity with MAT subjects and material, applicants may need weeks or months to properly prepare for the exam. Consider your time frame and budget. So, if you feel you need to take a MAT prep course, make sure the class dates will allow you to meet all your deadlines. For instance, if three out of four of your program choices have rolling admissions, it would be easy to be lulled into a false sense of “having time”. However, if just one of your choices has an early, set application date, you will need to adjust your MAT study schedule and exam date accordingly.
Another important aspect of the MBA admissions process is the admissions interview. Some schools will not hold interviews, however, most will, and some push for them. If a program allows interviews, take the opportunity if at all possible.
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