Dr' Greta E' Couper

1
Applying toBusiness School

• Dr. Greta E. Couper
• email gcouper_at_pepperdine.edu
• 310-506-4074
• Seaver College Career Center
• Pepperdine University
• October 2009

2
Overview of the Choice

• What is an MBA? Why Obtain an MBA?
  Timing Now or Later? Cost and Loans
  Rankings and Accreditation Program Types
  Application Process Top FAQs Long Term
  Benefits

3
What is an MBA?

• The Master in Business Administration (MBA)
  degree is internationally recognized as a
  passport to a successful management career.
• The MBA is essentially a generalist qualification
  designed to widen the horizons of business
  professionals.  It takes into account all the
  major functions and practices of a business,
  including
• Production, Scheduling, and Marketing
• Finance                                
• Economics and Business Law
• Accounting and Quantitative Methods
• Management Information Systems
• Organizational Development, Human Resources and
  Staff Management
• As well as being a postgraduate degree, the MBA
  is also strongly experience-related, where
  students usually have three or more years
  postgraduate work experience.

4
Why Obtain an MBA?

• In a poll of members of the Association of
  MBAs, with 1,300 respondents, in which they were
  asked why they took an MBA, the following reasons
  were given (listed in order of priority)
  
• To obtain a business qualification 82
• To improve job opportunities 79
• For Intellectual stimulation 70
• To increase salary 67
• To obtain general skills 64
• To change career direction 61
• To increase self-confidence 52
• From http//mbaguide.mbaworld.com/content/wha
  tmbaben/index.html

5
Accreditation

• Regional Such as WASC (Western Assoc. of Schools
  Colleges)
• (AACSB) The Association to Advance Collegiate
  Schools of Business. Represents the highest
  standard of achievement for business schools
  worldwide. (Focus on research).
• (ACBSP) Association of Collegiate Business
  Schools and Programs, accreditation focus on
  teaching excellence.
• See http//www.allbusinessschools.com/faqs/accred
  itation.php
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
• Degree Visibility
• International Reputation
• Reviewed programs
• Company Reimbursement and Govt. Financial Aid

6
Business School Reviews

• The Financial Times
• Princeton Review
• US News and World Report
• Business Week
• Wall Street Journal
• Asia News
• Agencies use different criteria
• Alumni Surveys
• Teaching quality
• Career services
• Faculty members' academic publications in 20
  journals
• (Wharton and Harvard did not allow alumni
  surveys)

7
MBA Program Types

• Domestic or International
• Full Time Day Program
• Evening MBA Morning MBA Other Location
• Accelerated MBA 5 Year Combo
• Fully Employed MBA
• Distance Learning Online MBA or Combo
• Executive MBA
• Special Combinations (JD, PP, Dispute Resolution,
  Technology, Environment, etc)

8
Key Factors to Selecting a Program

• When can you attend classes?
• Where do you want to attend school?
• How fast do you want to get your MBA?
• How much work experience do you have?
• How important is cost?
• How do you enjoy learning independent or
  groups?
• Specialty applications emphasis on industries

9
GMATGraduate Management Admission Test

• Electronic Standardized Assessment
• Analytical Writing (2 essays, 1 hour)
• Quantitative Reasoning (37 multiple choice Qs
  75 minutes)
• Verbal Reasoning (41 multiple choice Qs, 75
  minutes)
• Take only once per month 5 times per year (Cost
  225)
• The MBA program accepts the highest score (500)
• Resources
• www.mba.com
• Kaplan

10
Personal Statement

• A letter or essay that summarizes why they should
  select you, use questions below
• Why have I chosen to attend graduate school in
  this specific field
• Why did I choose to apply to this particular
  school's program?
• What are my qualifications for admission?
• How am I different from others? (Languages,
  living abroad, work experience, etc)
• TOP 10 GRADUATE SCHOOL ESSAY WRITING TIPS 1.
  Don't Write a Term Paper. 2. Don't Bore the
  Reader. Do Be Interesting. 3. Do Use Personal
  Detail. Show, Don't Tell! 4. Do Be Concise.
  Don't Be Wordy. 5. Do Address Your Weaknesses.
  Don't Dwell on Them. 6. Do Vary Your Sentences
  and Use Transitions. 7. Do Use Active Voice
  Verbs 8. Do Seek Multiple Opinions. 9. Don't
  Wander. Do Stay Focused. 10. Do Revise, Revise,
  Revise.
• Ask friends and colleagues to review for content
  and style.
• See websites samples http//education.yahoo.com/
  college/

11
Application Deadlines

• Most MBA schools have rounds for application
  times.
• The financial aid deadlines can be different from
  application deadlines.
• Third round deadlines are not necessarily the
  final deadlines. Some schools have a fourth round
  and some others accept applications after the
  deadlines on a space available basis.
• SAMPLE
• School Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
  subsequent
• Berkeley November 5 December 11 January 31
  March 12, 2008

12
The MBA Interview

• MBA Admissions Interview Tips
• Be yourself allow your personality to shine.
• Respond to questions honestly and candidly.
• Understand what is asked of you. Feel free to ask
  for a repeat if you don't clearly understand a
  question.
• Do your homework on the school and program.
• Be on time. Look nice. 
• Examine yourself. Know about the MBA and how it
  can aid you.
• Sample MBA Interview Questions
• Discuss your career progression.
• Give examples of how you have demonstrated
  leadership inside and outside the work
  environment.
• Why the MBA?  Why now?
• Describe an ethical dilemma faced at work?
• Describe your career aspirations?
• What are your long- and short-term goals?  Why?
• http//www.accepted.com/mba/questions.aspx

13
Now What?

• Meet with a Career Counselor
• Use Career Center Library and Sources
• http//seaver.pepperdine.edu/careercenter
• Select three schools to concentrate on

14
Application Process General Requirements

• Research Schools and Check Deadlines
• Apply online at MBA school website
• Minimum GPA for admission (2.5 ?)
• Take GMAT (500 , 700 at top schools)
• Write the Statement of Purpose and Other Required
  Letters
• Write your Resume
• Submit non-refundable fee (100 ?)
• Submit one set of original transcripts
• Obtain Letters of Reference (2 ?)
• (International Students apply to International
  Admissions)
• Format application into Power Point slides
  (optional ?)

• Apply Early TIPS (particularly international
  students)
• Create your file even if you have not yet
  taken the GMAT Exam
• Inform the Admissions Office of your scheduled
  GMAT Date

15
More Books that Can Assist
16
A journey of a 1000 miles must begin with a
single step. Lao Tzu
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to
go from here?" "That depends a good deal on
where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't
much care where..." said Alice. "Then it doesn't
much matter which way you go," said the Cat.
--- Lewis Carroll,
Alice in Wonderland