Is Pursuing an MBA from USA worth it?

USA is the biggest financial hub of the World. The MBA programs in the USA give students a chance to imbibe knowledge in a stimulating global ambience alongside students from different social backgrounds who join the USA Universities. It is frequently seen that procuring an admission to MBA program in USA is simpler contrasted with that of the MBA Programs in India both dependent on endeavors and cost.

In the midst of all the anxiety and anguish encompassing the world economy, this might be the best time to get a MBA from a school in USA as the universities are all the more effectively selecting students from across the world, particularly from countries such as India, China, and other rising economies where the alternatives for seeking a quality MBA might be restricted. In addition, owing to the sudden rise in the world’s emerging economies and the general shortage of the management talent in these nations has opened up new avenues for students pursuing MBAs.

Duration of the MBA in USA

The duration of the MBA in USA is typically for two years. The course structure is a blend of actual working scenarios (case studies) debates and internships options. USA Universities programs are designed for students with or without work experience. The application for MBA program in USA requires the student to take the pre-essential government sanctioned test along with the supporting documents such as well-defined mission statement (SOP), curriculum vitae and strong reference letters (LORs). The MBA in USA instills the key characteristics required for a business graduate and gets them ready to handle difficulties in the field of expertise.

Is it worth studying an MBA from USA?

Indeed, it is fully justified and worth all the struggle to get into one. In particular, a MBA is absolutely justified, as it open up the doors to the American Market allowing students a year after graduation to search for jobs and gain deep rooted professional advantages.

Cost Incurred for doing MBA in USA

Although the cost of an MBA degree can vary from university to university but the average tuition fees for a two-year full-time MBA program exceeds USD 60,000. If attending one of the top B-Schools in the USA, you can expect to pay as much as USD 100,000 or more as tuition and fees.

How to apply to USA Universities for MBA?

A MBA from a University in USA is one of the most pursued courses among students across the globe eyeing for a management degree. The international student’s inclination for the US can be understood from the fact that more than 50% of students who wish to seek management programs are from abroad and send their GMAT scores to the US colleges consistently.

Nonetheless, perhaps the greatest obstacle that a student faces is how to apply for a MBA in the USA. They have many unanswered questions pondering in their mind such as when does the application procedure start, what are the prerequisites of the business colleges, regardless of whether GMAT score is sufficient or how much weightage is given to SOP, LOR and the remainder of the application package.

Here we have clarified the whole procedure of applying for a USA MBA program in the following steps.

Research for MBA Business schools:

The primary point to think about before considering to apply for the MBA Program in USA is to check the schools that offer courses the student wants to pursue. B-Schools in US Universities offer numerous specializations directly (Finance, Hospitality, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, Human Resource, Marketing, Hospital Administration, International Business and Information Technology) as full-time and executive programs. Therefore the student must have a clear understanding of what he / she wants to pursue to make a career thus making it easier to choose his/her area of specialization.

Check MBA deadlines:

USA Universities do not have a common deadline for all business programs. Sometimes the MBA Programs have multiple rounds of deadlines. It is highly recommended and a general practice of these universities that suggest international students to apply in the first or second rounds itself providing students time to prepare their financials for I20s and visa application process as well as its first cum first basis with regards to admissions. Almost all of the university applications are online but their supplementary documents such as Transcripts and Attested Mark sheets could be asked via courier as well.

Eligibility Criteria for MBA in the US:

Majority of USA Universities require students to have completed minimum 16 years of education before applying to the program. Therefore, the students should complete a total of 4 years of education after their high school i.e. 12^th Grade. Thus students holding a 3-year degree like BCom, BA, BAF, BMS, BBA must do an additional one more year of education (distance or full-time) by taking up either Post-Graduation Diploma or MA / MCom Part – 1 making them eligible to apply for the MBA Program in the US.

Required exams for MBA in USA:

GMAT or GRE are two predominant exams that students need to undertake to pursue management studies in the USA.  1,500 B-Schools accepts both of these tests. If giving GMAT top Universities are looking for scores ranging between 680–750 out of 800. Ideally students should register for these test minimum 3 months prior to the application deadline so that test scores are available at the time of filing of the application. Apart from GRE / GMAT tests, the TOEFL / IELTS tests is also a requirement especially when students are applying from countries such as India where the Native Language is not English.

Work Experience Required for MBA in USA:

Most of the MBA Programs in USA Universities require a mandatory work experience ranging from 2 – 4 years. Few of the universities do also accept students without any work experience just based on their profile.

Interview:

To avail admit from a good USA University for their MBA Program, the interview round is the most important aspect for admissions. However interviews are only conducted when a student receives an invitation from the university that he/she is selected after the university analyses the student’s academic track records along with the GRE / GMAT Test scores. The interview involves questions about his/her future goals, why he/she intends to join the program, his/her academic and work experience background etc.

Essays: 

Some business schools might ask the students to write an essay apart from the normal statement of purpose (SOP). Essays are usually 400-500 words in length but it depends upon each university’s requirement. In the application forms these universities either to give a student a topic to write on or then the student is free to write on a relevant topic of his/her interest. Students are generally asked to submit 2 – 3 essays for one university. 

To name a few Top Universities:

• University of California at Los Angeles (Anderson)
• Columbia University
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• Harvard University
• Stanford University

How we can assist:

• Coaching for GRE / GMAT + TOEFL / IELTS
• Country and Course selection
• Setting up the timelines
• Personalized SOP and LOR drafting based on the student inputs (Provide Questionnaires to the students to fill)
• Assistance for University-specific requirements (Scholarship Essays, Personal Statements)
• Profile Review for University Shortlisting
• University shortlisting based on Job Prospects, Cost of Living along with the guidance of best-suited options
• University application assistance
• Assistance in preparing Financial documents for university applications.
• In-house Educational Loan Team
• Filling up of Visa application along with preparation (Mock Interviews) and review of the required documents for Visa process.
• We can also help you connect with other students in the university you choose as well as information on foreign exchange, booking of flights etc.
  

Ms. Nisha Rao
Sr. Counselor

Imperial Overseas Educational Consultants