How to apply for your MBA as an international student?

DO I NEED TO TAKE THE GMAT OR GRE TO APPLY FOR AN MBA IN THE USA?

Most universities in the U.S.A. require GMAT scores for their schools of Business and Management. The Graduate Management Admissions Test is traditionally the go-to standardized test to assess if a student is a good candidate to enroll in an MBA program. Once you take the test, it is valid for 5 years and 5 years only. If you let it expire, you will need to take it again. The GRE is also a valid option for some universities and it can waive the GMAT, but you need to find out if it’s an option, before you take it.

The GMAT test consists of 3 sections:

Analytical

You will be given 30 minutes to complete this part of the test. It consists of typewritten essays; some of the most popular topics of this essays include the analysis of an argument or the analysis of an issue.

Quantitative

You will be given 75 minutes to complete this part of the test. There are 37 multiple-choice questions where you have to prove proficiency in problem-solving and data sufficiency in subjects such as Geometry and Algebra.

Verbal

You will be given 75 minutes to complete this part of the test. There are 41 multiple-choice questions in which you will have to prove proficiency in sentence correction, critical thinking and reading comprehension.

500 is an average GMAT score to be considered a good candidate for an MBA. But, that is just an estimate. Getting admitted into an MBA in the USA can get extremely competitive and a good GMAT score is just part of the process. Work experience, good grades from your bachelor’s degree, a competitive GPA are also game players. EduBookings can help you weight all these aspects and find universities that can waive one or the other, according to your credentials.

TIPS TO A SUCCESSFUL GMAT TEST

1. Prepare with at least 4 to 6 months in advance. Preparation is definitely the key to a confident student.
2. Understand every part of the test and practice individually.
3. Organize a realistic calendar including timed practices for each part of the test, practice on your strengths and heavy practice on your weaknesses. Stick to that schedule, no matter what.
4. Set a goal score. Find out if there is a minimum GMAT score for the university or universities you are applying to. 500 is an average competitive score but some universities might require a higher number. Visualize that score and work hard to get there. Having a set goal in your mind will help you focus and succeed.
5. Work on your timing. Some students have issues completing the 3 parts of the test within the given time. Practice at home with real GMAT potential questions and time your answers.
6. Prepare and study with well-recognized materials. The GMAT Official Guide offers printed and online editions and it costs US $30. Try to stick to legitimate study materials and make sure you don’t use many of them so that you keep the same line of study.
7. After studying hard for months, working on your weaknesses and reviewing your strengths, you are well prepared. So, understand that getting a good GMAT score is important when studying your MBA in the USA, but not the only aspect to consider. A good resume, experience, and good grades play also a big role in the admission process. Give the test the importance it deserves but relax, it’s not the end of the world.

NO GRE OR GMAT? NO PROBLEM

Depending on your grades or your GPA, your English level, the program you are applying to or the university, EduBookings can help you waive the GRE or GMAT, which are very common test requirements for some of the Graduate programs offered in the U.S.A. We understand that those standardized tests can be extremely competitive and sometimes you are just a couple of points away from meeting the admissions criteria for your Master’s abroad.

In some cases, especially when it comes to the MBA or any Master’s in business, the GMAT is a requirement for admission; but if you have taken the GRE, some universities accept one or the other. There are also instances in which work experience can help you waive these tests, and many International students don’t know this is a possibility. EduBookings is here to make sure that you know all your options.

Recommendation for applicants from different countries

Depending on where you are from your priorities are usually different so we have compiled some recommendations for graduate student applicants from different countries. Over the years we have noticed International students looking to apply for a graduate program have different challenges and we hope these tips can help you with some of those challenges. Here are some of the recommendations we have for the different nationalities:

MBA Applicants from China

• The majority of graduate applicants from China usually already have a bachelor’s degree from the US, UK, Australia or China.  One challenge that Chinese applicants have is the fact that most universities will require higher GRE or GMAT scores from them since there is a large majority of international students applying from this part of the world and as a result, they are competing with each other when it comes to the GRE or GMAT. We recommend students from China to take GRE or GMAT preparation courses before taking one of these exams.
• Students from China are usually interested in studying in the highest ranked university possible; however, many of them do not meet the admission criteria for the top 20, top 50 or even top 100 universities in the US. Keep in mind that graduate programs have their own ranking system and in some cases, the highest ranked program may not be provided by the highest ranked school. Take some time to review the ranking of the graduate program you wish to study and select 3 or 5 options that catch your attention. If you get a high school we can help you apply for the best MBA programs in America.
• In many cases we see Chinese students that have a difficult time with the GRE or GMAT and they feel that they can not succeed, please know that you are not alone and many students from all over the world struggle with both exams, we have helped hundreds of international students get accepted in highly ranked programs without the need to take either of these exams. Please contact us for more information.
• One of the biggest misconceptions students from China have is, of course, the ranking of the universities. In the USA the universities are ranked as an overall institution but also their programs are ranked individually and it can be surprising to many students to find out that a university that is ranked 120 can have a program ranked as the number 1 in the US. It is important that you look for the best-ranked program and not necessarily the best-ranked university.

MBA applicants from the Middle East

• Students from the middle east have the advantage that most of their documents are already in English since many of the universities in the middle east countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait or UAE issue the documents in both languages or in English.
• Students from the middle east are usually sponsored by one of the many available scholarships from their countries. Countries in the middle east invest in the education of their people with the promise that they will come back to their countries of origin to teach or use all of the knowledge they learned during their education in the USA. For this reason, the biggest concern they have is for the university that they would like to study to be part of the approved US universities that their scholarship has. EduBookings.com has agreements with many US universities that are approved across the board by all the scholarships offered in the middle east countries.
• One of the biggest issues we see from some of the students from the middle east is low GPA (Grade Point Average). Academic qualifications for MBA in the USA can vary. It is very important to note that most universities in the US do not accept students for their graduate programs if the applicant’s GPA is below 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 4. If your GPA is below 2.5, it will become almost impossible for you to get admitted to a graduate program unless you can get a high GRE or GMAT exam. Most universities like students to have a 3.0 GPA on a scale from 1 to 4.
• GRE vs GMAT. Many students from the middle east usually opt to take the GRE since they find it easier and tend to get better scores on this exam; however, keep in mind that some business schools will only accept the GMAT as part of the application, so its important you speak with an education counselor about which options will work if you decide to take the GRE exam instead of the GMAT.
• Graduate applicants from the middle east usually have work experience and in some cases, this can be a solution to waive the GMAT or GRE as part of your application. However, it is important for students from the middle east to know that in the USA, work experience for admission purposes is usually accounted for after you have completed your bachelor’s degree. many students from Saudi Arabia tend to have many years of work experience before they complete their bachelor’s degree and some universities may not consider those as professional experience since at the time the applicant was not a bachelor’s degree graduate.  You should speak with an EduBookings.com education counselor to find out what programs will accept your work experience in lieu of the GMAT or GRE.

MBA applicants from South America

•  Students from South America will need to get official translations of all their academic documents, please note that the university will require official translations from an ATA translator or an official translation service in your country. Once you have all your documents officially translated, please make sure you scan the original document in Spanish or Portuguese and scan the official translation in the same file. Once you have all the documents ready, please make sure you contact us.
• Students from countries from South America such as Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil or Peru tend to do well in the GRE or GMAT exams and many of them have great work experience. It is important that you include all your work experience as part of your resume or CV since in many cases you can avoid taking the GRE or GMAT.
• Students from South America don’t often have any type of scholarships from their governments to study abroad and as such, we provide several opportunities for partial scholarships. Some universities also offer assistantships or other ways to assist the students with some funding. MBA programs in America cost between 20,000 dollars to 80,000 dollars depending on the university so getting a partial scholarship can help reduce cost.

Recommendation for all countries

• Resume. As a graduate applicant, you need to present yourself as a professional that is applying to further their education and as such you need to make sure that your resume or CV reflects exactly that. Many graduate applicants do not pay enough attention to their resume or CV and write a resume that is not professional. Many students forget to focus on the job responsibilities they had in previous jobs which in many cases can be an item that makes an application get or approved or denied. Please make sure you write a professional resume that is grammatically correct. If you do not know how to write a professional resume, please contact an EduBookings.com education counselor and he/she will be able to guide you.
• Statement of Purpose. The majority of graduate programs require some type of personal statement or professional statement and in many cases, they have specific guidelines on how long they need to be and what topic needs to be written about or answered. It is very important that your statement of purpose does not have grammatical errors. The statement of purpose plays a big role in the admission process and it should always be written by the applicant. You can always ask for a professor or friend to give you recommendations but the document should represent your ideas and values. The statement of purpose is a great opportunity for you to show why you are a qualified applicant for the program you are applying. Universities give great emphasis to the statement of purpose and its a big portion of your graduate application.

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