APPLICATION PROCESS FOR MBA IN US:ABOUT ACADEMIC RECORDS.

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HI,

HERE ARE THE FEW BASICS OF APPLICATION TO MBA PROGRAMS IN US:

Application Requirements

   1. Academic Record
   2. Standardized Tests
   3. Work Experience Details
   4. Letter of Recommendation
   5. Essays / Statement of Purpose
   6. Interviews

Send enquiries at least 15 to 18 months before the proposed date of admission. There are two ways to get application forms.

   1. Online Application : You can request application forms from the universities website. Most universities have a form on their website which can be completed online to request application material.

   2. Postal Application : Many universities have a downloadable and ready to print versions of their application forms  on the net. These can be used for applying just as regular forms.

STEP 1** ACADEMIC RECORD:

* Your past academic record is one of the most important deciding factors in securing admission to a business school in USA. Most business schools require you to have a reasonably good academic record. Each university has its own minimum requirement for its MBA programs, which are flexible depending on the candidate’s profile.

* Universities in USA have their own marking and evaluation systems, which are considerably different from the marking system in other countries. They follow the GPA (Grade Point Average) system which is based on the 5 points scheme " A, B, C, D & E.

* It is advisable not to convert your marks in your education system of grading to the American Grade Point Average system or any other system since the conversion may not be accurate. You may attach an explanatory note from your college to indicate your rank in your class and/or university.

* The letter may also indicate your relative place in the class and the university average, along with the number of students in the class and the number of colleges and students in the university. You may also provide any other information or documents that you feel may help you in the admission process.

* Students applying to the MBA programs are required to submit an official transcript (mark-sheets) from each college or university that they have attended after secondary school with complete details of the subjects/credits involved (for each year) and other details like correspondence courses, diplomas etc.

* Most universities ask for the transcript (mark-sheets) to be sealed in an envelope and signed and attested across the seal by the registrar. This procedure is to be done for each and every college that you have attended. Some universities may ask for more than one copy of the transcript.

* If the transcripts are in a language other than English, they must be translated into English only by the issuing authority or university.


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STEP 2. Standardized Admission Tests: 

** GMAT:

The most important test for admission to the MBA program in a US business school is the GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test. GMAT is required by almost all business schools in US.

Here is a list of average GMAT scores in Top 25 universities:

Harvard University 708

Stanford University 713

U-PENN (Wharton) 713

MIT (Sloan) 710

Northwestern (Kellogg) 703

Columbia University (NY) 709

University of Chicago 690

Berkeley (Haas) 700

Dartmouth College (Tuck) 696

University of Michigan 692

Duke University (Fuqua) 703

Michigan 672

University of California—Los Angeles (Anderson) 701

University of Virginia (Darden) 678

Cornell University (Johnson) 678

New York University (Stern) 700

Yale University 703

Carnegie Mellon University 680

University of Southern California (Marshall) 688

Emory University (Goizueta) 676

Ohio State University (Fisher) 665

You have to report your GMAT scores to the university along with your applications. For more details visit:
 
http://www.achieverspoint.com/gmat/gmat.htm



** TOEFL:
In addition to GMAT, most international students from non-English speaking countries have to take TOEFL exam. A score of 80 is considered a good average.

For more details visit : http://www.achieverspoint.com/toefl/toefl.htm

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STEP 3: WORK EXPERIENCE

** Admission to most good business schools and MBA programs requires a couple of years of work experience. While this is not mandatory for all schools, it definitely is preferred by most business schools.

Most US universities recommend/require a minimum of two to three years of work experience. Though some universities may accept you without any work experience, preference will be given to candidates with work experience.
Your work experience is one of the most important criterion for business school admission.

A detailed Résumé is an important part of your application. It should include all information of professional work experience along with details like position(s) held, achievements and scope of work.

Resume Preparation is a crucial part of the application process for schools; it is often the first document admissions personnel read and precisely the only document interviewers see. It should be detailed yet concise, providing the highlights of your career and education in a single page. We can help you do this.

visit:  http://www.achieverspoint.com/service/resume.htm


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STEP 4: LOR

** Letters of reference or recommendation letters play an important role in admission to the MBA program. A recommendation letter is a signed statement from a person who knows you well professionally or has taught you in a subject that is related to the course you are applying to.

The author or teacher must indicate his position, how long he/she has known the applicant and in what capacity. He/she should briefly discuss the need, importance and usefulness of the study the applicant proposes to undertake.

Authors are usually asked to rank applicants in their letters of recommendation, which helps admission officers to interpret the academic credentials of foreign students. Students should obtain letters of recommendation (often on the prescribed forms sent by the institutions) from people who know them as a person as well as a student or a professional. You may like to request your author to give concrete examples that show your qualities, strengths etc. to help your case.

Many universities have their own format and questions that have to be answered by the person who is giving the letter of recommendation on your behalf. Letters, which do not give enough information, can jeopardize a candidate’s chances of selection.

If you need to secure a good position in the work force or be admitted to a school of higher learning, you will probably need one or more letters of recommendation. Both employers and admissions boards need to know as much as possible about an applicant to determine his or her ability to perform adequately. Letters of recommendation provide information from a former employer or a credible associate who has been personally involved with the candidate. This outside source provides a valuable record of the candidate's previous experience and can testify to his or her skills and abilities. An effective letter of recommendation:

    * verifies experience

    * confirms competence

    * builds credibility

    * bolsters confidence

The information contained in a letter of recommendation depends on the type of letter and its intended audience. Information is often different for a letter written for an academic admissions board than one written for a prospective employer.

For more details on letters of recommendation, you may visit:

http://www.achieverspoint.com/service/lor.htm

** Even if not mentioned, it is advisable to include at least two letters of recommendation in your applications as they increase your chances of getting admissions.


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** STEP 5: SOP/ESSAYS

** Graduate and professional schools often require some sort of written statement as a part of the application. The terminology differs, but may include "statement of purpose," "personal statement," "letter of intent," "personal narrative," etc. Some statements require rather specific information--for example, the applicant's intended area of study within a graduate field. Others suggest subjects which should be addressed specifically. Still others are quite unstructured, leaving the applicant free to address a wide range of matters. Some applications call for one statement, while others require responses to a series of six or more questions, ranging from 250 to 750 words each. The importance of the statement varies from school to school and from field to field.

 Usually the purpose is to persuade the admissions committee that you are an applicant who should be chosen. You may wish to show that you have the ability and motivation to succeed in your field, or you may wish to show the committee that, on the basis of your experience, you are the kind of candidate who will do well in the field. Whatever its purpose, the content must be presented in a manner that will give coherence to the whole statement.

Determine the content of your statement:
Be sure to answer any questions fully. Analyze the questions or guidance statements for the essay completely and answer all parts. Usually graduate and professional schools are interested in the following matters, although the form of the question (s) and the responses may vary: 

    *Your purpose in graduate study. This means you must have thought this through before you try to answer the question.

    *The area of study in which you wish to specialize. This requires that you know the field well enough to make a decision and are able to state your preferences using the language of the field.

    *Your intended future use of your graduate study. This will include your career goals and plans for the future.

    *Your special preparation and fitness for study in the field. This is the opportunity to join and correlate your academic background with your extracurricular experience to show how they unite to make you a special candidate.

    *Any problems or inconsistencies in your records or scores, such as a bad semester. Be sure to explain in a positive manner and justify the explanation. Since this is a rebuttal argument, it should be followed by a positive statement of your abilities. In some instances, it may be more appropriate to provide this information outside of the personal statement.

    *Any special conditions that are not revealed elsewhere in the application, such as a significant (35 hour per week) workload outside of school. This, too, should be followed with a positive statement about yourself and your future.

    *You may be asked, "Why do you wish to attend this school?" This requires that you have done your research about the school, and know what its special appeal is to you.

    *Above all, this statement should contain information about you as a person. They know nothing about you unless you tell them. You are the subject of the statement.


** The personal essays play a very important role in the process of evaluating your application for admission to the MBA program. They give the faculty assessing your application their most significant impression of you as an individual. This section is the key to distinguish your application from other suitable candidates and a chance to market yourself.

When there are fifty students with similar academic background and similar GMAT scores, it is their application essays that make or break their application.

A personal statement should include your reasons for choosing a particular course, the suitability of your education and experience for the chosen course, and your personal interests and career goals.

Some courses like Business School courses will have their own essay questions and format. Others may ask for a résumé or reasons for applying to that particular course.

For details visit: http://www.achieverspoint.com/apply/sop.htm

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STEP 6: INTERVIEWS

** Interviewing prospective candidates is getting common in the US business school admission structure.  Most top business schools will take your interview to know you better.
The interview could be with a business school representative or "third party" representatives, staff, faculty or alumni of the college or simply a telephonic interview.
These interviews are usually informal and more of an opportunity to exchange information. The interviewer will try to judge your abilities and interests.

** "Why are you interested in our college?" It seems like such an easy interview question, and it is -- assuming you've done your homework and have some specific answers to provide. Comments about wanting a college degree and a good paycheck aren't going to impress the interviewer, nor will comments about wanting to go where your friends are going. The best response will show that you've researched the school and have identified distinctive features that excite you. Many colleges place significant weight on how well your application "demonstrates interest" in their school. The interview is a great place to demonstrate that interest. When you answer this interview question, you need a response that is focused on the college's unique identity. Generic answers that could apply to multiple colleges won't convince the interviewer that your interest in his or her college is sincere.

** The interviewer is hoping that you are interested in the college for reasons other than peer pressure or convenience. Similarly, if you say you applied entirely because of a parent or counselor's recommendation, you'll be suggesting that you lack initiative and have few thoughts of your own.

** Many students choose a college based on sports. If you love nothing more than playing soccer, you're likely to look at colleges that have strong soccer teams. During the interview, however, keep in mind that students who are interested in nothing except sports often fail to graduate. Any answer you give about athletics should be balanced with academics.

** What you most need to do when answering this question is show the interviewer that you know the college's distinctive features well. Don't simply say that you want to go to the college to get a good education. Be specific. Let the interviewer know that you were drawn to the college's innovative first-year program, its emphasis on experiential learning, its Honors Program, or its international focus. Also feel free to mention the school's wonderful hiking trails, its quirky traditions, or its amazing lilacs.

** Whatever you say, be specific. Before you set foot in the interview room, make sure you have done your research and identified several features of the college that you find particularly appealing, and make sure at least one of those features is academic in nature

........ WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!.............

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