6 Tips to Selecting MBA Schools in the US – Success Notes From Among the Leading U.S admissions consultants

Why the United States?

Consider this

(1) The U.S is the birthplace of the M.B.A and continues to innovate in management education, includes a thorough, rigorous case study driven format with lectures who are not “plain o’l theoreticians” but practicing consultants (Often the MBA will give you exposure to live consulting assignments that not only bring in knowledge but also bring in valuable U.S experience on your resume!)

(2) A U.S degree opens up doors worldwide – other than the U.S itself, you will be recognized in any other country in the world – be it Timbuktu or the UK! Conversely, a degree from say, New Zealand, may carry value in New Zealand but may not be well recognized/immediately recognized beyond New Zealand! That does restrict your choices to the single country! Figures indicate that the United States hosts the most number of international students than any other country in the world. U.S. MBA programs are well recognized and MBA schools in US constantly top world rankings. An MBA degree from a University in US is highly sought-after by employers worldwide.

Which one of the top MBA schools in US should I choose?

To make it simpler for aspirants we have divided the MBA schools in US into four clusters in order of their latest rankings. Depending on various factors such as your GMAT score, professional profile and experience, scholarship goals and other specific-to-you details, you can plan to apply to a given cluster/group.

Top 10 and Ivy Leagues

Top10: This group includes The University of Chicago (Booth), Harvard University, Northwestern University (Kellogg), University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), University of Michigan (Ross), Stanford University, Columbia University, Duke University (Fuqua), MIT (Sloan), and UC Berkeley (Haas) Ivy League Member Institutions: Dartmouth College, Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania and Yale University and Brown University

Top 11 – 30: This group includes Cornell University (Johnson), Dartmouth (Tuck), NYU (Stern), UCLA (Anderson), Indiana University (Kelley), University of Virginia (Darden), UNC – Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler), Southern Methodist (Cox), Carnegie Mellon (Tepper), University of Notre Dame (Mendoza), Texas – Austin, Brigham Young (Marriott), Emory University (Goizueta), Yale University, University of Southern California (Marshall), University of Maryland (Smith), University of Washington (Foster), Washington University (Olin), Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt University (Owen)

Top 30 till ranked: This group includes Arizona State University (Carey), Babson, Boston University, UC Irvine (Merage), University of Connecticut, George Washington University, Georgetown University (McDonough), Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Iowa (Tippie), Michigan State (Broad), University of Minnesota (Carlson), Ohio State University (Fisher), Purdue University (Krannert), Rochester (Simon) and Thunderbird.

Other reputed U.S. Programs Also Considered for Ranking: This group includes American University (Kogod), University of Arizona (Eller), Boston College (Carroll), University at Buffalo, UC Davis, Case Western University (Weatherhead), University of Florida, Florida International University, Fordham University, University of Georgia (Terry), Howard University, University of Miami, Northeastern University, Pennsylvania State University (Smeal), Pepperdine University (Graziadio), University of Pittsburgh (Katz), Rice University (Jones), Rutgers University, University of South Carolina (Moore), Syracuse University (Whitman), University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Texas A&M, Texas Christian University, Tulane University (Freeman), Wake Forest University, William and Mary (Mason), and University of Wisconsin-Madison

What do I need to make it to a top MBA school in US?

The following are key eligibility criteria for applying to top MBA Universities in the US:

Minimum education criteria of 16 years i.e. four years of education after Junior College/High school GMAT score of 650 and onwards Good TOEFL score / Essays Stable Work Experience with good position/designation/responsibility and salary growth (preferred 2 years+) Good/stable/consistently performing academic record Really well done and well presented admissions essays, recommendation letters and a US Pattern resume

The whole essence of MBA universities in US preferring aspirants with good prior work experience is that such students can easily apply their experience to the theoretical concepts they meet in the classrooms. As management is no hard science, the most essential quality that all MBA schools in US try to groom students in – is to make right decisions by choosing the best options available. Most top MBA schools in US believe that experienced professionals offer specialized perspectives along with professionalism and maturity to the program. Thus the quality of work experience also matters while your selection in top MBA programs in the US.

What is the process I need to follow?

Your admissions are supposed to get tougher as you go higher up the rankings. In order to get a top MBA school in US, you must have attained strong academic records with high test (GMAT) scores; obtained sufficient financing, developed good command over English and stellar work experience. The admission process is a long one and usually begins quite a few months before you start your MBA program in the US.

Immigration: The Immigration and Naturalization Department (INS) holds the authority to grant you the permission to enter US legally. There are various requirements from good health to your duration of stay etc which needs to be satisfied before your entry into an MBA university in US.

How should I Finance my dream?

One should have a clear idea about the cost he is going to incur for a MBA program in the US beforehand. This is because you are required to prove you have the necessary financial resources in order to obtain an international student visa. The cost can be high but be rest assured that an MBA in US is an investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life. One can apply for scholarships for international students or even international students loan to finance his MBA program in the US.

What after MBA in the US?

The American MBA works as an entry ticket to great companies across the globe. The United States is a diversity driven economy that rewards (a) Hard Work (b) Focus. Assuming that these criteria are met, you will reap the finest rewards for your talents, efforts and investments on American shores.

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How to Go about Including Failures in Your MBA Essays

Having an MBA degree is an advantage for anyone who works or plans on being an entrepreneur.  Before you get a degree though, you’ll have to apply and get admitted to a business school that offers MBA degrees.  You may think it’s hard to get into MBA school if you have some failing marks on your transcripts, but you may get admitted if you make good use of your MBA essays by explaining the failing grades.  Read on to learn more about how to write successful MBA essays based on past failures.

Including a simple but logical failure analysis in your MBA essays

The first thing that you should recognize is that everybody goes through difficult times and the admissions committee understands that.  What matters is that you actually recognize such shortcomings and realize their worth in spurring you on to greater heights.  When explaining failing marks or any other negative factor, it is important to be honest, subtle, and reflective.  Be honest enough to admit to your mistakes, but keep it simple by being subtle.   Reflect on the failures and try to focus on what you have learned from your failures and how they have made you a better person.

Stating what you’ve learned from this failure

It is important to realize that failures are not completely negative.  In fact, if you try to concentrate on the good side, you’ll realize that it is only through failures that you can learn from your mistakes and become a better person.  When writing your MBA essays, try to keep the mention of your failures brief, while expounding on what you have learned from the failures.  For example, you may have learned to study more diligently or manage your time more effectively.  Keep your focus on who you have become as a result of overcoming such setbacks in your academics.

When writing about what you have learned from past failures, you should try to avoid being cliché in your explanation.  Cliché phrases, ideas, or descriptions easily kill the uniqueness and personality of your essay, which is one of the worst mistakes you can make in your MBA essays.  Try to be natural when explaining what you have learned and how you have grown through the experiences that you’ve had.  Use the failures as a means to describe how far you have come and why you have what it takes to succeed in MBA school.

Knowing the difference between a failure and a challenge

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when writing your MBA essays is that your failures are already in the past.  The failing marks that you received during your undergraduate studies cannot be changed, but you can triumph over past hardships by challenging yourself to new heights.  Think of past failures as stepping stones that will allow you to rise up to the challenges you have before you, such as earning an MBA degree.  The sooner you realize how important failures are to your success in future challenges, the sooner you will be able to succeed.

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