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Why would people take time out of their careers to earn the MBA?
- To improve their prospects for becoming a future leader in their organizations
- To prepare for a career as an expatriate manager
- To significantly expand and globalize their human networks
- To make a career transition from one company or industry to another
- To enhance their earning power, job security, and attractiveness to employers
- To acquire a broad range of professional expertise in different functional
areas
- To master logical thinking and develop strategic management expertise
- To gain the capacity to make savvy business decisions based on limited
information
- To learn how to plan, launch, lead, and manage their own successful business
- To internationalize themselves on both a professional and a personal level
- To gain the confidence to make their own career and life decisions
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Can I apply to MBA programs if my undergraduate degree is
not related to business?
Yes,
you can. Although some students who have earned undergraduate degrees in business apply for
graduate business school, such a degree is certainly not required. Business schools seek a diverse
mix of students to make up their MBA classes. Therefore, you need not be concerned if your undergraduate
degree is in a field other than business.
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How much work
experience do I need to qualify for admission to a top business school?
At
least 4 years by the fall of the year that you enroll in business school. Although there have
been cases of applicants with fewer than 4 years of work experience being accepted to top business
schools, such cases are exceptional. Most applicants accepted to top business schools have at
least 5 years of experience. This level of experience qualifies them to make meaningful contributions
to their MBA class.
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Are
strong quantitative skills required for admission to a top business school?
Applicants must show a minimum level of proficiency in carrying out quantitative tasks in order
to gain admission. This can be done by earning a high score on the Quantitative Section of the
GMAT® Test. Most Asian applicants tend to perform well on the Quantitative Section and earn
a high Quantitative score.
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What level of
English proficiency is required for international MBA applicants to top business schools?
A high level of fluency in English is needed. English proficiency must be demonstrated by earning
a high score on English proficiency tests (i.e. TOEFL® CBT or TOEFL® iBT). However, by
itself, a high score on such a test is not enough. International applicants must also show their
English proficiency in their essays, applications, and interviews. Interviews with Western admissions
officers provide excellent opportunities for applicants to demonstrate English proficiency.
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I
heard that top schools aren't so interested in Japan any more. Is that true?
No, it is not. Although it is true that there are larger numbers of Chinese and East Indians
in top business schools today than there were a few years ago, this trend is a reflection of
population demographics and economic growth in those countries. Top business schools are still
interested in Japanese applicants. However, the global competition for admission to top schools
remains intense.
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Do
I have a chance to gain admission to a top business school?
If you are admitted to R1's comprehensive MBA preparation program,
then you have been identified as an individual who has the potential to be competitive for
admission, assuming that you can earn competitive test scores in time to apply.
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When
should I take the GMAT® Test?
The timing for taking this test depends on a number of different factors, such as how much time
you've spent studying, your performance on simulated tests, and your own confidence in your
preparedness. Remember, MBA applicants are only given a limited number of opportunities per
year to take this extremely important test. Therefore, don't waste any of your precious chances
to take the GMAT® Test unless you are totally prepared.
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What's
the latest possible timing for me to take the GMAT® Test in order to qualify for admission
to a top business school?
That depends on the application deadlines of the specific business schools to which you are applying.
However, in general, you should consider December and January to be the final months for you
to earn competitive test scores for September enrollment. Check the web sites of the business
schools which interest you to confirm their test-taking deadlines.
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How
many MBA programs should I apply to?
That depends on your level of risk aversion. In any case, R1 recommends that applicants apply
to a minimum of 8 business schools. However, some applicants will apply to as many as 12 programs,
since much less work is required to prepare additional applications once you have already applied
to several MBA programs. Remember, the more applications you prepare, the higher your chances
of gaining admission.
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How
should I study for the GMAT® Test and TOEFL® CBT or TOEFL® iBT?
Although many graduate school applicants like to study intensively for one test at a time, R1
strongly recommends that applicants study for both tests in parallel. Based on past experience,
we have observed that many applicants spend too much time focusing on one test and leave themselves
with too little time to prepare for the other.
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Should
I take courses to prepare for the GMAT® Test and TOEFL® CBT or TOEFL® iBT?
Although a few applicants may be able to earn competitive scores through their own self-studies,
the fact is that most applicants will require professional instruction in order to earn competitive
scores. Therefore, applicants should make arrangements to acquire professional instruction on
the tests required for their graduate school applications from institutions that are licensed
to administer and distribute authentic testing materials.
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When
should I start my MBA application process?
That depends on a few different factors, such as the level of your test scores and the amount
of time that you can dedicate to the MBA application process. Applicants who have earned competitive
test scores usually like to start in June so that they can apply to several school's with early
Fall deadlines. However, most applicants spend the summer studying for tests and then start
their MBA application process in August or September of the year prior to their enrollment.
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Which
MBA programs should I apply to?
That really depends on your own professional interests and goals, as well as on the
specific criteria that you use for selecting business schools, such as: location, class size,
placement success, etc. R1 recommends that MBA applicants look beyond the rankings to identify
the business schools that could best meet their unique training career goals, rather than simply
choose schools based on their brand name. There are many outstanding business schools from which
to choose!
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How
long does it take to complete the MBA application process?
That depends on several factors, such as how many business schools an applicant applies to, the
complexity of those applications, and the amount of assistance a client needs in preparing for
interviews. For example, if a client progresses at an average pace of one 2-hour appointment per week
and applies to 5-10 business schools, the entire process will likely take between 4-6 months
to complete. However, it can be done faster if a client arranges additional appointments to
accelerate their application process.
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How
much Interview Training will I need?
Most MBA applicants, including those with native level English ability, will require at least
5 hours of Interview Training. Remember, many native English speakers fail their business school
interviews. This usually happens because they were overconfident and unprepared. In order to
gain admission to top business schools, MBA applicants must have competitive test scores, great
essays, and impressive interviews. All 3 are needed to win a seat in a leading MBA program.
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