Sometimes students worry needlessly about whether they will or will not be accepted into graduate school to pursue an MBA degree. Their concerns are based on a belief that MBA applicants must have stellar un
dergraduate grades and a GMAT of 600 or more.
That is not necessarily true. Admissions officers at AACSB-accredited schools have told me they look at the "entire student" when screening applicants. Good undergraduate grades and a high score on the GMAT are both important; however, potential students who are deficient in these areas can do other things to improve their chances of admission.
First, the potential student should improve his or her understanding of the business world by working for a major corporation for three to five years after earning a BSBA degree and before applying to graduate school. Admissions officers at the better schools unanimously state that such students provide useful insights about business during classroom discussions. Students who go into graduate school immediately after completing undergraduate work usually cannot share personal experiences in business because they haven't had any.
Next, if the potential student's undergraduate grades were mediocre, he or she can enroll as a non-degree student at any approved college and take additional courses to show readiness for graduate-level work. Remember, the minimum passing grade in graduate school is normally a "B". Take five advanced business courses over a five year period and try to get a grade of "A" in each course.
A potential student who has five years of experience in business and five additional business courses with "A" grades will be favorably considered by even the most hard-nosed graduate admissions officer.
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