Many ambitious business school applicants set their sights on a 720 GMAT Total score. A 720 GMAT score is often thought of—rightly or wrongly—as something of a cutoff for the “M7.” The M7 is the informal group of seven prestigious business schools considered to have the world’s best MBA programs: Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, and MIT Sloan.

But how accurate is this mythologizing of the 720 Total score? Do you have to get at least a 720 to get into a top business school, and will it guarantee you admission? Conversely, is a 720 GMAT score really good enough for the elite business schools? If you’re applying to the M7, should you retake the GMAT and try to score even higher—even if you already have a 720? Do you need a 730 GMAT score for Harvard or Stanford? And what do the top 20 schools think about the 720 GMAT score, or the top 50, or the top 100?

In this post, we’ll give you all the answers to these questions, deconstructing the common thinking about the 720 GMAT score and delving into actual data from M7 business schools as well as thoughts on the GMAT from their admissions offices. Finally, we’ll help you think through the 720 and other score goals in terms of your own application and target business schools.

How Business Schools Evaluate Your GMAT Total Score

Business schools are all different—even the best ones—and thus they all have different expectations and uses for your GMAT scores. Generally, the GMAT is used to predict your likely first-year performance in comparison to fellow business school applicants, as studies have shown that a higher GMAT score is a fairly reliable predictor of a more successful first year in business school.

That said, every single business school in the M7 states that they evaluate applicants holistically, meaning that the GMAT is only one part of your application. None of them have a GMAT score “requirement” that you must attain to be accepted.

In short, what the top business schools do want to see from your GMAT score is that you did well enough to prove that you can succeed in a rigorous MBA program. Of course, they also want to make sure that they either maintain or gain in external rankings, and the GMAT score composition of their student body does factor into such evaluations. So there’s a certain element of prestige for the school that’s at play in your GMAT score as well, though it’s hard to pin down exactly how much.

With that said, let’s talk about the mythology of the 720 GMAT score.

Is 720 a Good GMAT Score for Top Business Schools?

Is 720 a good GMAT score? On a basic level, yes: 720 is the 95th percentile GMAT score and is generally considered an excellent score overall. The top 7 schools are slightly more competitive, which we’ll get into below. But a 720 is the about the average GMAT score for the top 10 business schools in the country, so if you are applying to a top 10 business school, you should aim to either hit or surpass a 720 to land safely in the Total score averages for those schools. This way, you’re not an applicant that would be lowering your school’s GMAT score average and thus potentially negatively affecting their ranking.

However, it’s important to know that a 720 GMAT score doesn’t guarantee admission anywhere. No GMAT score—not even an 800—can ensure that you get into the school of your choice, because business schools don’t look at scores in a vacuum like that.

On the positive side, this also means that you can get into one of the top business schools with a score lower than a 720—even one of the M7. A 95th percentile GMAT score is a safe spot to be in, but it’s not any kind of “cutoff.” The GMAT data released from the M7 schools themselves shed light on why people fixate on the 720—but they also show that the 720 GMAT score isn’t a bottom line.

GMAT Score Averages and Ranges for the M7 Business Schools

Every year, the top-ranked business schools release GMAT score data on their websites as part of the class profiles for their incoming classes. Class profiles are worth visiting directly at some point—they offer a wealth of information about how you might fit into various schools in terms of demographics, work experience, GPA, undergraduate major, and GMAT score.

Using this information and US News & World Report’s 2017 business school rankings, we have calculated that the average GMAT Total score for the top 10 business schools in America is currently about 722.4, almost exactly at that 720 mark. This data is where the 720 “cutoff” mindset comes from.

However, when we start to look beyond that, the data tells a more complicated story. Below is all the GMAT score information released by the M7—the seven highest ranking business schools in the US.

Note that while all of the M7 business schools release data on GMAT scores for their incoming class, they vary on the type of GMAT data that they release to the public, which makes it difficult to compare and contrast. For example, Harvard Business School releases the middle 80% of scores and the median score, while Stanford Business School releases the entire range of scores and the average score. Still, we can use this information to evaluate your own GMAT Total score.

This data is for the class of 2018, the most currently available data set:

In the following sections, we’ll talk about what this data means for high scorers, low scorers, and everyone in between.

Can I Have a Low GMAT Score and Still Get Into a Top Business School?

You may have been heartened to see that, when released, the ranges of Total scores for students attending these excellent business school is actually quite wide. Columbia, Wharton, and Stanford have all admitted students who scored in the mid to high 500s. We can safely guess that some of the other schools do as well, even though they don’t release that data.

However, the middle 80% Total score ranges begin at a much higher score than the overall ranges, meaning that the 550-590 scorers are outliers. These students must have had an incredibly compelling application outside of their GMAT score to be admitted.

Ultimately, this information clearly shows that if you are scoring in the 500s on the GMAT and you want to go to a top business school, you should spend as much time as you can studying to improve your score. If you find yourself hitting a wall at or below that score level, then you should probably set more realistic business school choices for yourself, as the low 500s is just not enough to prove to admissions that you can handle the rigorous academic workload of a top MBA program.

If you’re scoring in the high 500s or low to mid 600s but you have an absolutely stellar professional and academic background, then you can see that you still have a chance to be admitted. If this is you, then you might want to take a look at our breakdown of The GRE versus the GMAT to see if you should potentially switch tests. More and more top-ranked business schools—now including Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, Sloan, and Columbia—are accepting the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT. If your score is significantly higher on the GRE, it might be wise to submit that instead of the GMAT score, so that your test scores don’t put up a red flag on an otherwise excellent application.

Should I Aim for Higher Than a 720 GMAT Score?

You probably noticed that the average GMAT scores for all the M7 schools except for Columbia are higher than 720, so if you’re applying to those schools, you might want to set your sights on a 730 GMAT score instead of a 720.

But in general, once you hit 720, you have signaled to elite business schools that you’re certainly academically prepared for an MBA curriculum, and there’s no need to take the GMAT again—unless you’re confident you can do significantly better. The 720 GMAT score is a baseline—it is great to do better if you can, it’s just not worth making yourself crazy over. If you have a 720 and another applicant has a 730 GMAT score, that 10-point difference is unlikely to be the deciding factor.

That said, if you believe you can get a 750 or above, it certainly will help your application. But unless you’re fairly sure that you can do so (as in, you haven’t already studied your heart out and know that there’s room to improve significantly), your time would arguably be better spent doing something that demonstrates your passion and commitment toward the kinds of pursuits an elite MBA prepares you for.

The main exception to this is if you’re looking for scholarships. Generally, because higher GMAT scores in their student body translate into higher rankings, business schools seem to be more willing to give generous scholarships to students with higher GMAT scores in order to entice them to attend. Again, a 730 isn’t likely to make much of a difference over a 720, but a 750 or above would certainly be impressive. A 750 GMAT score puts you in the top 2% of scorers worldwide.

Overall GMAT Score Guidelines for Top Schools

Based on the data, a “safe” GMAT score for the M7 business schools falls in the 720-750 range. “Safe” doesn’t mean guaranteed acceptance: it just means that your GMAT score is impressive and indicates that you can handle a challenging MBA curriculum. The 750-800 range counts as “very impressive,” and if you’re looking for scholarships, the higher the better.

An “okay” score for the top schools is a 690-710. You’d be below the average, but you’d still fall in the middle 80% for most of the M7 schools—though you’ll have to make sure you have a great GPA to back it up.

Scores in the low to mid 600s is risky territory for the top schools, so you’d better have excellent personal and professional experiences and a strong GPA to offset it. With a score below 600, it’s exceedingly difficult to get in—schools admit maybe one or two candidates a year at that score level.

If you’re aiming for the top schools, you should probably retake the GMAT if you haven’t broken 700, and spend as much time as possible studying and preparing beforehand. We highly recommend checking out PrepScholar GMAT’s comprehensive online course, which offers a 60 point score improvement guarantee to help make sure you hit your goal score!

As mentioned above, the class profiles are an excellent source of information with which to compare and contrast yourself as an applicant. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses as an applicant when picking schools to target.

The Next Rung: Is 720 a Good GMAT Score for the Top 25 Schools? What About the Top 50?

There’s more leeway outside of the top seven or top 10 business schools, though GMAT scores on the whole have gone up in recent years.

The average GMAT score for the top 25 business schools is 706, and the average for the top 50 schools is 683.

Taking out the top 10, the average for schools ranked 11-25 is 695, and the average for schools ranked 11-50 is 674.

So, yes, a 720 or 95th percentile GMAT score is a very excellent score once you get past the top 10.

If you’re scoring in the high 600s or above, you’re in the safety zone for a top 50 program. For the top 100 programs, that number stretches into the middle and low 600s.

Bottom Line: What does a 720 GMAT Mean for You?

Is 720 a good GMAT score? Yes. But there’s no GMAT score that is guaranteed to get you into a top business school, and above the mid-500s, there is no score that is guaranteed to get you rejected. Still, you should aim to hit the 720 mark if you’re applying to a top 10 business school, and a 730 GMAT score is an even better target if you’ve set your sights on the M7 (except for Columbia). A 750 or above helps if you’re looking for large scholarships.

What’s Next?

Check out our guides to low GMAT scores, high GMAT scores, and average GMAT scores by school for more information about how your GMAT score measures up.

You can also use our target GMAT score worksheet to determine what score you should aim for based on the schools you’re applying to. Happy studying!

The post Is a 720 GMAT Score Your Ticket to an Elite MBA? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Worried about paying for your MBA, but proud of your GMAT score? You might be eligible for funding! Many business schools offer partial or full scholarships for high-achieving students. But is there a specific GMAT score you need in order to secure a scholarship? Can you get a GMAT scholarship?

In this article, I’ll go over the average GMAT scores that tend to secure funding for business students, as well as some examples of specific school-based and organization-based MBA scholarships. You’ll get a good idea of how to find scholarships you’re eligible for and what kind of score you’ll need to have a shot at landing them.

Can You Get Scholarships for High GMAT Scores?

Many students wonder whether a high GMAT score can get them an MBA scholarship. The short answer is yes: While MBA programs usually don’t list a specific minimum GMAT scholarship score that will guarantee you business school funding, business schools and external scholarship programs often offer partial or full funding to high-achieving students. Often, a high GMAT score is a key component of how “high-achieving” is defined.

However, it’s important to note a high GMAT score isn’t enough to secure a scholarship. Both business schools and external scholarship-granting organizations usually take multiple factors into account, including GPA, writing samples, and letters of recommendation, all of which contribute to a holistic picture of a candidate’s likelihood of success.

Let’s take a look at the kinds of MBA scholarships available and how your GMAT score plays into your chances of receiving them.

What Kinds of GMAT Scholarships Are There? 

There are two kinds of MBA scholarships available: those offered by individual schools to prospective students, and those offered by external funding sources. Let’s go over both types and if there are scholarships for high GMAT scores.

School-Based GMAT Scholarships

Many MBA scholarships offered directly by business schools are need-based, meaning that the amount of financial aid you receive in the form of grants or loans is determined by your family income and other socioeconomic factors. For these scholarships, the GMAT isn’t taken into account.

However, most business schools offer merit-based scholarships as well. These scholarships are highly competitive and vary widely by amount and eligibility criteria. The GMAT is a significant factor in eligibility for these scholarships, which are awarded based on a student’s academic and personal achievement.

However, no business school lists a minimum GMAT scholarship score. Instead, business schools usually offer a mix of general scholarships for overall academic excellence and targeted scholarships aimed at a particular demographic (such as students of color or female or LGBT students) or at students with a special interest (such as an interest in a career in healthcare management).

For each of these scholarships, a scholarship committee that is specifically responsible for allotting funding will consider each student’s work history, academic achievements, career intentions, community service, and demographics to make a determination on eligibility for funding.

Visit your prospective schools’ financial aid websites or contact the MBA administration directly to find out about scholarship opportunities, some of which you’ll be considered for automatically when you apply to an MBA program and some of which will require a supplemental application (such as additional writing samples or letters of recommendation).

At Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, for example, there are a wide variety of scholarships available for incoming students, including targeted scholarships like the Diversity Scholarship (for students from underrepresented backgrounds) and the McGraw Foundation Excellence Grant (for students planning to use their MBAs to protect the environment), as well as the more general Kellogg Scholarship, which is awarded to select students who demonstrate exceptional academic abilities and leadership skills.

While none of these scholarships list minimum GMAT scores as a requirement or are specifically “high GMAT score scholarships,” all require GMAT scores as part of their applications. Also, all of them expect applicants to demonstrate academic excellence, of which your GMAT score is a key indicator.

Next, let’s look at scholarships for high GMAT scores offered by external funding organizations.

Organization-Based GMAT Scholarships

There are also many MBA scholarships available from external funding sources for high-achieving students. Many of these are offered to students from target demographics (race, gender, work history, MBA specialization, religious identity, region, etc.). Most scholarship-offering organizations, like business schools, don’t list a minimum GMAT score for eligible students; there are no specific scholarships for high GMAT scores alone.

However, we do know which organizations take the GMAT into account as part of a scholarship application, as the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) releases a list each year of all institutions and organizations that are qualified to receive students’ GMAT scores. You can find the updated list each year to search for a high GMAT score scholarship.

Let’s take a look at all of the scholarship-granting organizations on GMAC’s list that are qualified to receive GMAT scores.

What GMAT Score Do You Need for MBA Scholarships?

So, what score do you usually need for a GMAT scholarship?

Most business schools, as I noted, don’t advertise a minimum score for GMAT scholarships, so it’s hard to know exactly how to get a scholarship through the GMAT. However, merit scholarship committees generally look for a GMAT scholarship score well above the average at their school. You can check out the list of average GMAT scores at your prospective business schools or the class profiles of incoming students at your MBA programs of choice to see how your score matches up.

If your GMAT score is considerably higher than the average score of incoming MBA students, you’re likelier to be eligible for additional funding and to get a scholarship through the GMAT than if your GMAT score is average or below average for a particular business school.

A good rule of thumb is that for top 20 schools, you’ll need a score of 720 or above to be competitive for merit-based scholarships. For mid-range (top 50) schools, a 700 is a solid score to be competitive for GMAT scholarships. 

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother applying for funding if you don’t have a 700, because sometimes other factors (GPA or a unique personal background, for example), can override a lower GMAT score. Still, your odds of being a competitive scholarship candidate will be much higher with a score of at least 700.

If you have a high GMAT score (700 or above), you’re especially likely to get a scholarship at a mid-ranking school. Schools looking to move up in MBA rankings (such as those offered by Poets&Quants or U.S. News and World Report) are often willing to offer financial incentives to students with high GMAT scores in order to entice high-achieving students to attend their programs. So if you’re a high scorer looking for a generous scholarship or full funding, the middle range of business schools might be a good fit.

Wrap-Up: GMAT Scholarships and Your Exam Score

The bottom line is that achieving a high GMAT score is an important step if you’re hoping not to have to pay as much (or at all) for business school. A GMAT score over 700, and over 720 if you’re applying to top 20 MBA programs, will go far in securing funding for your business school journey. 

What’s Next?

If you’re looking for more information about what GMAT scores will get you into your prospective MBA programs, look no further than our guide to the average GMAT scores at top business schools.

Looking for more information about GMAT fees? Find out more about how much the GMAT costs here.

General GMAT questions? Our comprehensive GMAT FAQ sheet will help.

The post What Is a Good GMAT Score for Scholarships? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Applying to business schools can be intimidating. What if you don’t get in? Are there any programs you’ll almost definitely be accepted at? If you’re looking for the easiest business schools to get into, look no further.

In this article, I’ll go over what makes an MBA program’s application process less competitive and help you decide whether a less selective business school is right for you. You’ll also find lists of MBA programs with high acceptance rates and the the easiest top MBA programs to get into based on average GPAs and GMAT scores.

What It Means for a Business School to Be “Easy” to Get Into

There are two main factors that contribute to a business school being easy to get into: a high acceptance rate and low GPA and GMAT requirements.

Many MBA programs are highly selective. The average MBA acceptance rate at the top 10 business schools is only 14.5%; the most selective program, at Stanford, admits only 6.1% of applicants each year.

However, you can find plenty of high-quality MBA programs with much higher acceptance rates (all the way up to well over 50%), and where successful applicants regularly have lower GMAT scores and lower average undergraduate GPAs. Whatever your GMAT score or undergraduate GPA, you can most likely find an MBA program where you have a good shot of acceptance.

So where do you find easy business schools to get into?

You can find the average GMAT scores and GPAs of incoming MBA students on a business school’s class profile, and use those to find the easiest MBA programs to get into. Here’s an example from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where the average GMAT of an incoming student is 715 and the middle-80% GPA range is 3.2 to 3.8.

Using recent class profiles, you can find plenty of business schools with high acceptance rates and where the average GPAs and GMAT scores of admitted students aren’t sky-high. This is a great way to find easy MBA programs to get into.

At UT San Antonio Business School, for example, the average undergraduate GPA of incoming students is 3.2, and the average GMAT score is 600. At Cal State University San Bernardino Business School, the average GPA of incoming students is also 3.2, and the average GMAT score is 540.

As you explore potential MBA programs, to find schools that would be easy for you to get into, look for ones where the average GPAs and GMAT scores of incoming students are below yours. Having a higher GMAT score or undergraduate GPA than most of your fellow applicants ups your chances of a successful application.

Looking at the average GMAT scores and GPAs of students at your prospective business schools is better than simply looking at acceptance rates, because an acceptance rate alone doesn’t give you enough information. A school that might be easy for you to get into because of your GPA and/or GMAT score, for example, might not have an exceptionally high acceptance rate.

Next, let’s take a look at some of the easiest MBA programs to get into: those with the lowest average GMAT scores and GPAs among incoming students.

Easiest Top 50 MBA Programs to Get Into Based on GMAT Score and GPA

Looking for a highly ranked business school, but concerned about a GMAT score or GPA that’s on the lower side? What’s the easiest top MBA program to get into? Here are the 15 easiest business schools to get into out of the top 50 MBA programs (according to Poets&Quants): the first list includes the programs with the lowest average GMAT scores and the second covers those with the lowest average GPAs.

15 Top 50 MBA Programs With the Lowest Average GMAT Scores

15 Top 50 MBA Programs With the Lowest Average GPAs

10 MBA Programs With the Highest Acceptance Rates

Applying to MBA programs with high acceptance rates is a good way to up your chances of admission. Some business schools, regardless of average GPA or GMAT scores, accept a high percentage of the students who apply.

According to the U.S. News and World Report, these are the 10 MBA programs with the highest acceptance rates. If you’re looking for easy MBA programs to get into, you might want to consider the following business schools. Two—the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Tulane University—regularly receive rankings in the top 100 in the U.S. News and World Report.

Is a Less Selective Business School Right for You?

It might be tempting to just apply to the easiest business schools to get into, but is a less selective MBA program really right for you? Let’s go over some of the pros and cons of applying to easy business schools to get into.

Benefits of Less Selective Programs

Although less selective programs are usually less popular, there are some real benefits to attending one.

#1: Easier Path to Admission

The biggest pro to applying to easy business schools to get into is, of course, a higher chance you’ll get in! Applying to the easiest business schools to get into means that you don’t have to apply to as many schools, so you’ll save on application fees.

Also, if you’re worried about a low undergraduate GPA or low GMAT score (or don’t want to spend the time and money to take the GMAT again), applying to MBA programs with high acceptance rates will up your chances of admission and be a less stressful waiting game.

#2: Cost

Many MBA programs with high acceptance rates boast lower tuition rates than more highly selective ones.

At the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a year’s tuition is $68,868 (and a year of full expenses for a single student living on campus could come to as much as $112,797).

Meanwhile, at the less selective University of Colorado, Boulder, Leeds School of Business, a year of resident tuition is $17,892, while non-resident tuition is $33,300 for a year. Other business schools with high acceptance rates often have similarly low tuition rates and other expenses, leaving you with less debt.

Easy MBA programs to get into may also offer more scholarships to an applicant with a solid academic record or a high GMAT score. Many low-to-mid ranking MBA programs are looking to move up the ranks in the U.S. News and World Report and other publications, and are willing to provide incentives to especially promising students in the form of funding.

So if you’re one of the top applicants to a less selective school, you’ve got a better shot at a partial or full scholarship, teaching or research assistantship, or fellowship than you would at a more competitive MBA program.

Drawbacks of Less Selective Programs

Unfortunately, just because a program is easier to get into doesn’t necessarily make it the right choice for you. Keep these issues in mind when considering where to apply.

#1: Fewer Recruiting and Networking Opportunities

More selective MBA programs attract more instructors, workshop leaders, and recruiters from top financial firms and other frequent MBA employers (such as Google) than less selective programs do.

Since two of the main reasons students cite for applying for MBA programs is the chance to get recruited for employment and to network with potential colleagues, the fact that especially prestigious employers are usually drawn to more selective MBA programs can be a major downside.

MBA graduates from less selective programs may also have a harder time finding full-time employment right away after they finish their degrees. 100% of Harvard MBA grads are fully employed a year after graduation.

Meanwhile, only 36.4% of full-time MBA grads from the much less selective Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business are fully employed a year after graduating.

#2: Lower Starting Salary After Graduation

While where you get your MBA doesn’t wholly determine your earnings after graduation, a big-name school can help. A less selective MBA program is less likely to snag you a six-figure salary immediately upon graduation, though there are, of course, exceptions.

After earning an MBA at Harvard Business School, a graduate’s average base salary is between $110,000 and $160,000 if they enter the financial services field.

Meanwhile, at Belmont University’s Massey Graduate School of Business, a graduate’s average base salary is $53,000. Your business school’s overall reputation definitely plays a role in whether you get employed and how much you’ll get paid once you do.

What’s Next?

Want more info about how your GMAT score measures up to other business school applicants? Our list of average GMAT scores by school will show you where you stand.

Ready to apply? Check out our expert tips on how to successfully apply to MBA programs.

Don’t want to take the GMAT at all, but still want to get your MBA? Our list of 67 MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT will help. Many of them are MBA programs with high acceptance rates.

The post The 40 Best, Easiest Business Schools to Get Into appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

GPA’s can be one of the most fraught parts of the MBA application process, since you can’t really change it. What’s a good GPA for MBA programs? How can you determine the MBA GPA requirements at your prospective business schools?

In this article, I’ll go over a what a good GPA for business school is, how much and why your GPA matters in the course of MBA admissions, and what to do if your undergraduate GPA is lower than you’d like it to be.

What’s a Good GPA for Business School?

So, is there a specific GPA you’ll need to get into business school? The short answer is no. Like your GMAT score, your GPA is just one factor in a variety of admissions requirements, and different schools have different expectations when it comes to your undergraduate grades.

Most schools don’t have explicit minimum MBA GPA requirements. However, you can determine the expectations of a given school using the average GPA of their most recent incoming class(es). At most top 20 schools, the average GPA hovers around 3.5, making a 3.5 a solid baseline GPA for admissions. For very high-ranking MBA programs like Harvard and Stanford, average undergraduate GPAs are closer to 3.7.

How Much Does Your GPA Matter in MBA Admissions?

Like your GMAT score, your GPA is a significant factor in MBA admissions. There’s no doubt that admissions committees notice and value the information they can gather from your undergraduate transcript. While the GMAT is widely regarded as the most important determining factor in your chances of business school admissions, your GPA is nearly as significant to admissions committees. What’s more, average GPAs at top business schools have steadily risen over the years, making a high GPA even more important if you’re aiming for an elite MBA program.

However, MBA admissions is a holistic process that can’t be boiled down to just one number or factor. in addition to your GPA and GMAT, you’ll also turn in essays and/or other writing samples, letters of recommendation, and work experience. Many business schools will also require you to complete an interview. It’s possible, though challenging, to overcome a less-than-stellar GPA with other parts of your application.

Why Your Undergrad GPA Matters to Schools

Your undergraduate GPA is important because it’s the best indicator MBA admissions committees have of your ability to undertake the challenges of business school coursework. MBA programs are rigorous, and your school wants to know that you’re up to the task. Your past academic achievements are a good predictor of your future success.

The courses you choose to take, and your overall transcript, are just as or more important than the precise GPA number, though. The same GPA from a highly elite undergraduate institution is going to look different to an MBA admissions committee than it will from a mid-ranked school. Business schools will also take your coursework into account. A strong record of excellence in both quantitative and verbal skills, rather than a more one-sided curriculum, will be more likely to convince admissions officials that you’re capable of undertaking the rigor and variety of MBA coursework.

In addition, the average GPA of a school’s students helps to determine business school rankings (which in turn drives more applications from high-achieving students). Thus, schools that want to move up in rankings will sometimes place an emphasis on accepting students with higher GPAs.

How to Determine GPA Averages at Business Schools

Obviously you can’t change your undergraduate GPA once you have it, but looking up the average GPA for MBA programs you’re interested in will help you set realistic goals about where to apply.

To find the average GPAs of students at your prospective MBA programs, check out schools’ class profile pages (here’s Wharton’s 2018 class profile, for example). Most business schools have these class profiles, but if you can’t find one for a particular school, you can search the forums at GMAT Club to find its GPA info.

Once you have a list of prospective business schools, locate and record the average GPA at each one. To be safe, your GPA should be at or preferably above the average at the school in your list with the highest average GPA. If your GPA is significantly below a school’s MBA GPA requirements, a high GMAT score or exceptional work experience may help offset your disadvantage.

What to Do If You Have a Low GPA for Business School

If your GPA is lower than the MBA GPA requirements at your preferred schools, what’s your best bet for getting into a program anyway? Let’s go over what you can do or highlight in your business school apps if you have a low GPA for MBA programs you’re interested in.

#1: Supplement Your Transcript

Did you struggle in humanities courses in undergrad, or were classes in the STEM fields tougher for you? Take a critical eye to your undergrad transcript and pinpoint your weaknesses.

One way to demonstrate your commitment to business school and your academic career in general is to take postbaccalaureate coursework at your undergraduate institution or another one (online schools and local community colleges may be less expensive)—and show you can do better this time. Improving in your areas of weakness will demonstrate not only your capabilities in those subjects, but also your academic perseverance and dedication.

#2: Get a High Score on the GMAT or GRE

An exceptionally high GMAT or GRE score will help to offset a low GPA for business school applications. Prepare extensively (and effectively!) for the exam. A high score will demonstrate your intellectual abilities in MBA-relevant areas and your ability to do well under pressure.

#3: Highlight Exceptional Achievements

Extensive work experience, awards, and other demonstrations of high achievement in the workplace or in leadership roles can help make for a lackluster GPA on an MBA application. This is particularly true if you’re applying to executive MBA programs (programs geared towards working professionals, often with accelerated curriculum and increased hands-on experience) or if it’s been 5-10 years since you completed undergrad.

#4: Highlight Your Experience With a Feeder Company

Certain consulting/finance firms are known to serve as feeders for top business schools, with former employees making up disproportionate percentages of each incoming class. For example, McKinsey & Co., Boston Consulting Group, JP Morgan/Chase, Goldman Sachs, Blackstone Group, Summit Partners, and the Caryle Group each send a number of students to Harvard Business School (and other top MBA programs) every year. Other non-consulting employers, such as the U.S. military, the World Bank, Google, and Microsoft also serve as feeder companies for top MBA programs.

Working for one of these employers can give you an advantage for admission regardless of your GPA, since schools know that you’ve made it through a competitive hiring process and succeed in a competitive work environment. However, applying from a feeder company often also means that you’re competing with other employees, many of whom may have stronger academic credentials, so you’ll still need to find a way to stand out.

What’s Next?

Not sure if an MBA is right for you? Check out our intro guide to MBA programs for more information on MBA admissions requirements and whether you should go to business school.

Concerned about how your GMAT score will impact your chances of getting into business school? Our list of GMAT scores for top schools will help.

The post MBA GPA Requirements: What’s Good for Business School? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is well-known as one of the top business schools in the United States. But why do real MBA candidates choose Kellogg? What exactly does it take to get in? And how important is the GMAT in the admissions process?

In “Ask a Kellogg MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ”, we sit down with Yuan Geng, a Kellogg MBA and Director of GRE and TOEFL here at PrepScholar. She answers our questions about Kellogg MBA admissions and responds to some GMAT FAQ, including:

1. Why Kellogg?
2. What was the Kellogg MBA application process like when you applied?
3. How important was your GMAT score as part of your Kellogg MBA admissions application?
4. How did you study for the GMAT?
5. Did you do anything to study for the GMAT that you wouldn’t recommend to students currently preparing for the test?
6. What is your biggest piece of advice for students beginning the Kellogg MBA admissions process or applying to another business school?

Watch the video to hear her answers!

If you like the “Ask a ______ MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ” focus of this video, feel free to request an interview focused on a different business school in the YouTube comments! You can also check out our Ask a Wharton MBA video here.

To stay updated on our latest GMAT videos, you can subscribe to our new PrepScholar GMAT YouTube channel — we’ll have three new free videos every month.

Happy studies!

The post Ask a Kellogg MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ [Video] appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Aside from your GMAT score, your GPA is the most important number on your MBA admissions application. Admissions committees look at your GPA as an indicator of past academic performance and as a predictor of whether or not you’ll succeed in their program. So can you get your MBA with a low GPA?

While a low undergraduate GPA certainly makes admission to business schools more difficult, it doesn’t make it impossible. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of low GPA MBA admissions. First, I’ll talk about why GPA matters to MBA programs. Next, I’ll talk about what actually counts as a low GPA for MBA programs. Finally, I’ll give you some tips and tricks for on getting into business school with a low GPA.

Why Does GPA Matter to Business Schools?

If you’re applying to business school, you might be wondering if your undergraduate GPA even matters to admissions committees. After all, there are plenty of other criteria on your application: GMAT scores, work and volunteer experience, recommendations, personal statements… In the face of all of this information, do admissions committees even care about GPA?

The answer is yes: admissions absolutely committees do care about GPA. In fact, according to a 2014 survey from Kaplan, GPA is the second most important factor in MBA admissions decisions, behind GMAT scores.

What makes GPA so important to business schools? Well, schools see your undergraduate GPA as an indicator of your future success in their program. If you did well as an undergraduate, admissions committees see you as more likely to do well with the rigorous business school course load.

Because GPA is used to predict future success in business school classes, low grades in classes related to business (such as quant classes, accounting classes, or economics classes) may be particularly worrisome to admissions committees because they show that you might struggle with the business school curriculum. I’ll talk about how to deal with low grades in your undergraduate coursework in a later section.

Business schools also care about GPAs because the average GPA of admitted applicants factor into their overall rankings. The higher the average GPA of their admitted applicants, the higher a business program will rank in national rankings.

Despite the fact that GPAs are important to admissions, having a low GPA doesn’t mean you can’t get into business school. Later, I’ll offer some tips for making your application stronger when you apply for an MBA with a low GPA . But first, let’s talk about what a low GPA even means.

What Is a Low GPA for Business School?

Now that we know why GPA matters, let’s focus on what a low GPA for business school means.

If you’ve been stressed out about not having a perfect 4.0 for your undergraduate coursework, you’ll be happy to know that MBA programs do not expect you to have a flawless transcript. In fact, business programs don’t have cutoff scores for GPAs, so you don’t have to worry about specifically looking for MBA programs with low GPA requirements. While the average GPA of admitted applicants varies greatly depending on the program, there are some general trends that I’ll talk about.

Unsurprisingly, the M7 (the unofficial group of the top seven business schools in the United States) have the highest average GPAs amongst admitted applicants. All M7 schools have an average GPA of 3.50 or higher for their admitted applicants.

The rest of the top 25 business schools range between 3.30 and 3.60 GPAs for admitted applicants. Business schools ranked 26 – 50 have an admitted applicant GPA range of 3.16 – 3.52.

What does this all mean? Well, you’ll notice that all of the top 50 business schools have average GPAs of 3.16 or higher amongst their admitted applicants. Ultimately, you’ll need to do research on the MBA program of your choice to see exactly what its admitted applicant average GPA is so you can see how you stack up. You can generally find this information in one of three ways: by checking out the program’s ranking on US News & World Report, by visiting the program’s website, or by calling the program’s admissions office. Finding out how your GPA relates to the average GPA of admitted applicants at the MBA programs you’re applying to will tell you whether or not your GPA is in an acceptable range, or if you’ll have to do some extra work for getting into business school with a low GPA.

Having a GPA up to .50 away from the average GPA of admitted applicants at a particular program isn’t the end of the world. You’ll be able to try to make up for your GPA with a strong overall application, which I’ll talk about more in the next section. If your GPA is more than .50 away from the average GPA of admitted applicants at your program, you may have a more difficult time getting accepted. If your GPA is more than .50 away, I’d suggest using a number of the application tips I outline in the next section and considering applying to some MBA programs with lower average GPAs.

How to Get Into Business School With a Low GPA

So you’ve looked into the programs you’re interested in and you’ve found that your GPA is squarely below the average GPA of admitted applicants. Don’t worry! Getting into business school with a low GPA is definitely possible and there are ways that you can make up for low grades in undergrad. In this section, I’ll give you some tips and tricks for low GPA MBA admissions and how to make yourself stand out.

#1: Take Extra Courses

Taking extra courses is a great way to demonstrate that you’re dedicated to improving your grades and mastering difficult coursework. If you struggled with a particular subject, such as macroeconomics, as an undergraduate, you can take courses at a local community college or enroll in a post-baccalaureate program to try and boost your performance. Take a number of classes so that you develop an alternative transcript to present to business schools.

Developing an alternative transcript will provide admissions committees with more evidence regarding your academic performance. You’ll also be able to improve on bad grades, showing that you’ve got the tenacity and academic chops to do well with the rigorous business school course load.

#2: Get a High GMAT Score

As I mentioned before, your GMAT score is seen as the most important factor on your MBA admissions application by 61% of business schools.

Having a killer GMAT score (above the average GPA of admitted applicants at your target MBA programs) will set you apart from other applicants and guarantee that your application gets noticed.

MBA programs use the GMAT as another indicator of academic performance, so scoring high on the GMAT will show that you’re a smart and capable student and help make up for a low GPA in MBA admissions.

#3: Offer a Compelling Explanation in Your Essay

If you had a number of extenuating circumstances that contributed to your low undergraduate GPA, you’ll want to use the optional essay to explain them. Perhaps you suffered an unexpected death in your immediate family, or struggled with an illness for many months. Telling admissions committees what happened gives them a more holistic idea of your performance.

You’ll want to make sure that your reason is really compelling. An admissions committee probably won’t see the death of your pet rabbit as a good enough reason for a drop in GPA. However, truly life-changing, extenuating circumstances can and should be talked about on your MBA admissions essay.

#4: Get (and Do Well at) a Competitive Job

Business schools care a lot about placing their students in competitive positions. Doing so benefits their ranking and makes more applicants want to attend their program.

If you struggled with your undergraduate coursework, getting and excelling at a competitive job will help show that you have what it takes to make it in the business world. If you can, get a job at a feeder company that has a relationship with the programs you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re applying to a business school that has its own internship program with Accenture, getting a job on your own at Accenture shows that you can succeed and be hirable after graduation.

#5: Demonstrate Exceptional Accomplishments

Business schools like admitting applicants with interesting, unique backgrounds to add diversity of experience to their class profiles. Have you done something amazing as an undergraduate? Maybe you organized a march that had 30,000 attendees or raised thousands of dollars for charity. Maybe you traveled around the world helping people in rural communities start small businesses. Or, you led a transformative initiative at the company you’ve been working at. Make sure that you highlight these achievements on your application. You’ll show that you’re a remarkable applicant that’d add a lot to the class’ profile.

Low GPA MBA Admissions: The Bottom Line

It is possible to successfully apply to an MBA with a low GPA, and plenty of students do so every year. However, you may need to due some extra legwork to make it happen.

First, you should figure out how low your GPA actually is compared to the expectations of your target schools. Then, consider what you can do on your business school to make up for your low GPA. Finally, you may want to look for MBA programs with low GPA requirements, like executive or online programs.

What’s Next?

We’ve talked about low GPA MBA admissions, but what’s a good GPA for business school? Check out our complete guide to learn what schools expect and what will make you stand out.

You can’t change your GPA, but you can change your GMAT score! Learn what makes a good GMAT score in our guide.

Questions about how to really beat the GMAT? Our guide to the ten top GMAT strategies will have you reaching your goal score in no time.

The post Getting Into Business School With a Low GPA: 5 Top Tips appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

What is an MBA degree? What are its advantages and disadvantages? What kinds of classes will you take in an MBA program? Most importantly, should you get one?

In this article, I’ll go through the MBA degree definition, the foundations of MBA curriculum, the different kinds of MBAs, and the pros and cons of getting a graduate degree in business management.

What Is an MBA? The Basics

Simply put, an MBA (Master in Business Administration) is a graduate degree in business. MBA students study the theory, practice, and principles of business and management. The MBA is primarily meant to prepare you for senior or executive management positions.

Many of the world’s top business leaders have MBAs. Michael Bloomberg completed his MBA at Harvard Business School; Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, earned an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management; and Phil Knight, founder of Nike, Inc., has a graduate business degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

The MBA is also a terminal degree, which means that completing one conveys the highest possible level of professional expertise in the field of business. With an MBA, you would also be qualified to teach business courses at the university level.

MBA Coursework

What is a MBA supposed to teach you? MBA coursework is meant to build your skills as a researcher, communicator, leader, and manager. Though it does vary widely depending on your school and unique goals, the core MBA curriculum is often similar from program to program. Let’s use a sample program—the MBA program at the University of San Diego (USD)—to explore some of the coursework you might encounter in a graduate management degree.

Core MBA Curriculum

The core MBA curriculum at the University of San Diego, like the core curriculum at the majority of MBA programs, includes courses in accounting, ethics, finance, leadership, macroeconomics, marketing, management, microeconomics, operations, problem-solving and critical thought, social responsibility, statistics, and writing. Clearly, an MBA program is designed to teach you broadly about subjects relevant to real world business practice.

MBA Specializations and Concentrations

Many MBA programs offer their students the opportunity to specialize or ‘major’ in a certain area of study. Concentrations are especially helpful for students who know what path they want their career to follow.

USD, for example, offers specializations in new venture management, supply chain management, managerial business, and international business, among others. You can think of an MBA specialization as similar to a major or minor: it doesn’t define your career, but it can certainly boost it and build the kinds of skills you need for your unique path.

Business Ventures, Professional Development, or Internships

Aside from learning in the classroom, what is MBA professional development like? USD MBA students have several options: they can work with local or international nonprofit organizations, participate in a student-managed investment fund, develop a sustainable business model design with a team of colleagues, or receive credit from internships. Most business schools provide credit for internships and other forms of experiential learning.

Different Kinds of MBAs

As both management careers and MBA students are highly diverse, business schools offer a wide variety of options for potential students. Let’s take a look at some of the different kinds of MBAs you can earn.

Executive MBAs vs. Traditional MBAs

Many business schools offer both ‘traditional’ full-time residency (in-person, on-campus) MBAs and ‘professional’ or ‘executive’ MBAs. What is an executive MBA?

Executive (or professional) MBA programs tend to be geared towards working professionals in the mid-stage of their career. Students at these programs are often looking to develop their existing management skills in anticipation of promotions, increases in salary, or career shifts. Executive MBAs tend to be more flexible in terms of class times and curriculum (particularly electives), more focused on networking, promotions, and career management, and slightly more expensive than traditional MBAs.

However, some executive MBA students may receive partial or even full tuition reimbursement from their employers. Because employees with MBAs often improve the reputation and earnings of their respective companies, a company may choose to invest in their employees and itself by paying for business school. Sometimes, in exchange, the employee must agree to remain at the company for several years after completing their MBA.

At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, for example, applicants can choose between a traditional 20-month MBA program and a 24-month Executive MBA program, which caters to students with more work experience. You can see a comparison between the two programs here.

Part-Time and Online MBAs

While traditional MBAs are full-time residency programs, part-time and online MBA programs allow for more flexibility. Highly ranked part-time and online MBA degrees are usually regarded similarly by employers as traditional programs, but there may be fewer networking opportunities. Students at these programs are often (but not always) slightly older than the average MBA student and have other work, school, or family obligations.

Part-time programs often hold classes on evenings and/or weekends and generally take 3-4 years to complete. At the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, for example, students take two courses per semester to graduate in six semesters, or three years.

Online MBAs offer an even greater degree of flexibility. At the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, the online MBA includes a mix of face-to-face live online discussions with classmates and faculty, coursework offered remotely through mobile apps and other multimedia outlets, and in-person global immersions where students can network with international business leaders.

Should I Get an MBA? The Pros

There are many personal, financial, and professional reasons to earn an MBA. Here are the major pros to a graduate degree in business management:

Pro MBA 1: Networking

Part-time, online, and full-time MBA programs alike offer valuable networking resources. Your colleagues, faculty, and internship mentors are all potential business collaborators, recommenders, investors, or supervisors. MBA programs also regularly feature networking events and retreats, along with international leadership conferences, where students can meet and hobnob with business leaders in various sectors.

Pro MBA 2: Career Change

If you already have professional work experience in another area, an Executive MBA in particular can give you the boost you need to help you change careers and find a position that’s more personally or financially rewarding.

An MBA can potentially give you the resources (time, education, mentorship, and skills) to move into consulting from finance, for example, or from the nonprofit sector to a tech company. Perhaps most importantly, career services and internship opportunities are major aspects of almost any MBA program, which can give you the experience and contacts you need to move into a different role.

Pro MBA 3: Career Options With an MBA

There are as many career possibilities once you’ve earned an MBA as there are business ventures, but the most common jobs for MBA graduates are in data analysis, technology, corporate leadership, consulting, finance, law (particularly if the MBA grad goes on to earn a law degree), accounting, nonprofit or arts management, marketing, and fundraising. If you’re interested in any of these fields, an MBA could help you build or boost your career.

Many senior and executive management positions require an MBA as a prerequisite, so an MBA will almost certainly help you advance in any kind of management role. MBAs are also becoming increasingly important for employers: in 2015, according to a survey by the Graduate Management Admissions Council, 84% of global corporate employers planned to hire new MBA grads. In the United States, 90% of corporate employers said they would be hiring new business school grads.

Pro 4: Salary Increase

Even if you’re already working at a company, a promotion or renegotiation might be in order if you complete your MBA, as an employee with an MBA is often seen as an asset.

If you complete your MBA, you will also be qualified to apply for more highly paid jobs. According to the Graduate Management Admissions Council, the median starting salary for a U.S. MBA graduate was $100,000 as of 2015, well above the national median salary for college grads (which is around $50,000).

Should I Get an MBA? The Drawbacks

While there are many potential pros to earning an MBA, there are also reasons to consider getting a different degree or pursuing your business career without any graduate degree at all. Here are the major potential cons of MBA programs:

MBA Con 1: MBA Tuition

MBA tuition is notoriously high, usually ranging from $60,000 for a typical two-year business program to over $100,000 for highly ranked MBAs. Though many schools have financial aid packages and scholarships, financial investment is something you’ll need to be ready for if you plan on getting a business degree.

Many students will need to take out federal loans to pay for their degree, and there’s no absolute guarantee that their post-MBA income will suffice to repay them. Debt is a distinct possibility, and the uncertainty of the job market is a risk that not all students will want to take.

MBA Con 2: Time

Along with the financial investment, you’ll have to invest a significant amount of time in an MBA program. MBA programs range from one year fast-track degrees to eight years for a part-time program. Usually, though, an MBA program will take two years full time or four to six years part-time. This is time taken away from your career and earning salary, representing a large opportunity cost. When coupled with the high MBA tuition, it can take you many years to make up the time lost.

MBA Con 3: Not Helpful for All Careers

While an MBA can help many people jump start or shift careers, it’s not a guarantee or a requirement. Unlike a medical or law degree, an MBA is not a requirement for a successful business career.

The data on the necessity of an MBA is mixed. While six of the top 10 best-performing CEOs (as of 2014) had MBAs, 24 of the top 100 CEOs, including Amazon’s Jeffrey Bezos, had engineering degrees rather than MBAs.

If you have to put your career on hold or break the bank to get an MBA, it might not be worth it. The two main valuable takeaways from an MBA are a solid business network and management skills, which you could begin to develop by networking on your own.

MBA Requirements: How to Get Into Business School

There are many factors that business schools consider when evaluating prospective applicants. Though each school’s specific requirements vary, they usually include some combination of the following. These are Columbia Business School’s admissions requirements, but they apply to virtually all schools:

• GMAT/GRE scores: Many schools accept either the GMAT or the GRE score. Some prefer one exam over the other. Check individual schools’ websites for their specifications.

• Transcripts: Applicants at all MBA programs are expected to have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institutions. Contact your undergraduate school to have your official transcripts sent to prospective MBA programs.

• GPA: Applicants should report their undergraduate GPA (or graduate GPA, if they have already completed another graduate degree) as it appears on their transcripts.

• Essays: Most business schools require several writing samples, including short answers and essays. Topics covered will include professional goals (both short- and long-term), your interest in a particular school, your contributions to diversity, and/or your personal and professional history. You will find specific essay questions on prospective schools’ admissions requirements pages.

• Recommendations: The majority of MBA programs will request two to four letters of recommendation from instructors, colleagues, and supervisors addressing your academic and professional preparation to undergo the rigors of a graduate-level education in business.

• Proof of Fluency in English: International students who have not completed a previous accredited degree taught entirely in English will have to pass a standardized test of English fluency like the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the PTE (Pearson Test of English), or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

• Interviews: Some business schools require in-person interviews with alumni; at other schools, it’s optional. Interviews will usually be offered in a variety of geographic regions and even online.

Recap: What Is an MBA Degree?

Let’s review the MBA degree definition and how you can decide if getting on is right for you:

• An MBA (Master in Business Administration) is a terminal graduate business degree.

• It primarily prepares you for senior level management and executive positions.

• MBA coursework generally includes core business and communications courses, electives, internships and other hands-on collaborative business experiences, and global study, often with the possibility of specialization in a particular field of business.

• Traditional, full-time MBA programs (whether online or on-campus) usually take two years. Part-time MBAs usually take four to six years to complete.

• Executive MBA programs are geared towards students with advanced work experience.

• You might choose to undertake an MBA to jump start a business career, to change careers, to achieve an increase in salary, or to form a network of solid business connections.

• You might choose not to undertake an MBA due to high tuition costs, the length of the time investment required, or because it’s not required for all careers in management.

• An application for business school generally requires GMAT/GRE scores, official transcripts, GPA, essays, letters of recommendation, proof of English fluency, and possibly an interview.

What’s Next?

Ready to apply to MBA programs? Our guide to how long business school takes will help you craft a plan for the future.

If you’re interested in learning more of the history of graduate study in business, check out our explanation of the acronym MBA.

If you’re sold on getting an MBA degree, our article on how to prepare for an MBA will help you get ready.

The post What Is an MBA? Should You Get One? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

One of the biggest investments you’ll make into your MBA is time. No matter what, your MBA will require a significant amount of time, energy, and effort.

But exactly how long does it take to get an MBA? In this article, I’ll go over how long an MBA takes to finish, what could make it take longer than average, and what options you have if you want to complete your business degree more quickly.

How Long Is Business School?

So, how long does it take to get an MBA? A traditional, full-time MBA takes an average of two years to complete. The first year generally includes a period of orientation in late summer, followed by two semesters of core business curriculum. Students often complete internships or study abroad programs during the summer, or may continue classes during the summer semester. The second year of courses usually includes more electives and flexibility.

The Wharton MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania, for example, takes 20 months to complete, including a 3.5-month summer internship. The first year of courses spans from late August to May, and second-year students begin in late September and graduate in May. This is a typical MBA length for a traditional program.

Longer MBA Programs

Generally speaking, the MBA length is around two years, but there are a wide range of possibilities for business students. Many of these alternative options—including executive MBAs, part-time MBAs, and dual degree MBA programs—take longer than two years. Let’s go through each one.

Executive MBAs

Executive MBA programs (EMBAs) are geared towards MBA students with more extensive relevant work experience. They usually take around two years to complete, like traditional MBA programs.

However, because they are often geared towards working professionals, EMBAs often allow for greater flexibility and offer classes on weekends and/or evenings, which can shorten or lengthen the program time. How long is business school for executive MBAs? The vast majority fall within a 1.5-2.5 year range.

The Executive MBA program at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, for example, meets once a month for 21 consecutive months. The Fisher MBA program at Ohio State University meets once a month in a similar weekend format for 17 consecutive months.

Part-Time MBA

Part-time MBA programs often hold classes online, in the evenings, or on weekends. Most part-time MBA students have other full-time work or family obligations and take two courses a semester, with the option for summer study.

How long does it take to get an MBA if you’re in a part-time program? Most take four to six years to complete, depending on the individual student’s workload and flexibility. The part-time MBA (FlexMBA) at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, for example, has a two-evening-a-week option that takes 30 months to complete and a two-weekend-a-month option that takes only 24 months to complete. Most part-time MBA students at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, meanwhile, complete their studies in four years (though they have up to six years to graduate if they want to pace themselves more slowly).

Dual Degree MBA Programs

Dual degree programs, which allow students to simultaneously pursue two (or more) graduate degrees, are especially common choices for business students. Students who are interested in dual degree programs should be ready to invest more time than is otherwise expected to complete their MBA.

Each dual degree program takes a different amount of time to complete; check your prospective schools’ websites for details. Let’s take a look at a few examples from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where 20% of business students are enrolled in joint or dual degree programs:

2 Ways to Reduce MBA Length

For financial or professional reasons, you may want to finish your MBA in less than the usual two years. Some students are able to take on more than the average courseload each semester to graduate early. This may be a good idea if you’ve already got a job or business connections lined up or if you really want to save on tuition, but remember that you may miss out on connections with your cohort, faculty mentorship, or networking opportunities if you don’t follow the same academic path as your peers in a traditional MBA.

Accelerated MBA

The most popular choice for students on the business school fast track is an accelerated MBA, which is specifically structured to offer the same level of high-quality instruction and the same number of networking opportunities in around half the time. Qualified students (usually those with demonstrated work experience or high-level academic achievements) who want to enter the workforce quickly have the option of applying to an accelerated MBA program. Accelerated MBA programs usually take approximately one year, or one year and a summer semester, to complete. Accelerated MBA programs tend to be immersive, rigorous, and demanding.

The Johnson Cornell Tech MBA, for example, begins with a 10-week summer program of core business and leadership courses at Cornell’s Ithaca, NY, campus. The summer intensive is followed by two semesters of study at Cornell’s NYC campus, interrupted by a one-week January networking and consulting trip to Israel.

Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management also boasts an accelerated MBA program. This one-year program starts and finishes in June; students take a summer semester of core business courses and are treated as second-year MBA students for the fall, winter, and spring semesters.

Accelerated Online MBAs

There are not quite as many accredited, highly-ranked accelerated MBA programs available online, but there are several available options. For example, you can complete an online MBA at Cleveland State University (one year), the University of North Texas (one year), American University (one year), the University of Georgia (15 months), or the University of Florida (one year) in less than the usual two years.

Important: when considering any online MBA programs, make sure that the program is AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)-accredited. Many companies specify that an applicant’s MBA should be from an AACSB-accredited school. While other programs may have valuable instruction to offer, they won’t necessarily be as highly respected.

So how long does an MBA take? 2 years for a normal full-time MBA program, 4-6 years for a part-time MBA program, 2 years for an executive MBA program, and 1 year for an accelerated MBA program.

What’s Next?

Still deciding? For an overview of the pros and cons of getting an MBA, read our guide on what to expect from business school.

If you’re sure you’re ready to apply, check out our article on how to prepare for an MBA.

Our explanation of what MBA stands for will help you if you’d like more information on the history of the MBA and other graduate business degrees.

The post How Long Does It Take to Get an MBA? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

If you’re considering business school, you’ve likely asked, “Should I take the GRE or GMAT?” But what is the difference between GMAT and GRE? Why take one over the other?

In “The Difference between GMAT and GRE”, we discuss the key factors that distinguish the two tests and lay out the three steps you can use to decide which test is right for you.

The differences between the two tests range from broad to specific. At the broad level, different graduate programs require different exams. Similarly, if you’re choosing GMAT or GRE for MBA program admissions, specific schools may require or prefer different exams. So one difference between GMAT and GRE is that certain tests are better suited for different academic paths.

Another difference between GRE and GMAT is that the tests use different computer adaptive algorithms that impact the test taking experience. Depending on your ability to manage your time and your testing anxiety, you may perform better on one test than the other.

At the question level, the two exams test many similar concepts across the Verbal and Quantitative sections. However, a critical difference between GRE and GMAT is that each test features some unique concepts. Along the same lines, not all of the concepts on both exams are tested at the same level of difficulty. This difference between GMAT and GRE means that you may receive a higher score on either test depending on your skill level in a couple different areas.

Watch the video to figure out which test is right for you!

If after analyzing the difference between GMAT and GRE using the steps in this video, you’re still unsure about “Should I take the GRE or GMAT?”, take a practice exam for each test to determine which one you score higher on — this will help you determine which is easier, GMAT or GRE. Taking both the GMAT and the GRE is also an option, but you’ll usually come out with a higher score if you study really well for one test than if you study a little bit for both.

To stay updated on our latest GMAT videos, you can subscribe to our new PrepScholar GMAT YouTube channel — we’ll have three new free videos every month.

Happy studies!

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The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania is well-known as one of the top business schools in the United States. But why do real MBA candidates choose Wharton? What exactly does it take to get in? And how important is the GMAT in the admissions process?

In “Ask a Wharton MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ”, we sit down with Laura Leszcynski, a Wharton MBA and Director of GMAT here at PrepScholar. She answers our questions about Wharton MBA admissions and responds to some GMAT FAQ, including:

1. Why Wharton?
2. How important was your GMAT score as part of your Wharton MBA admissions application?
3. How did you study for the GMAT?
4. Did you do anything to study for the GMAT that you wouldn’t recommend to students currently preparing for the test?
5. How long does it take to study for the GMAT? How early should students take the GMAT?
6. What is your biggest piece of advice for students beginning the Wharton MBA admissions process or applying to another business school?

Watch the video to hear her answers!

If you like the “Ask a ______ MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ” focus of this video, please let us know by liking or commenting on the video — if enough people are interested, we’ll turn it into a series where we interview MBAs from other top business schools!

To stay updated on our latest GMAT videos, you can subscribe to our new PrepScholar GMAT YouTube channel — we’ll have three new free videos every month.

Happy studies!

The post Ask a Wharton MBA: Admissions and GMAT FAQ [Video] appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.