| Pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) | | | | three preferred schools to choose from. You should |
| degree is one good way to increase your | | | | choose a school or schools that will suit you. Some |
| competitiveness as you climb the corporate ladder. | | | | examples are three of the top MBA schools in the |
| It does not just give you better chances to advance | | | | United States, namely Darden, Kenan-Flagler, and |
| your career, but it will surely enhance your | | | | Cox. |
| knowledge and expertise on the field. However, | | | | Darden Graduate School of Business |
| any MBA degree holder will tell you that pursuing the | | | | This business school is part of the University of |
| coveted MBA degree is not a piece of cake. For | | | | Virginia. Its MBA program is ranked sixteenth on |
| this reason, MBA schools select only the best among | | | | BusinessWeek’s Best MBA Program list on |
| their applicants for each particular year. And while | | | | 2008. It is considered as one of the most |
| there may not be an effective or at least a sure | | | | recommendable business schools in the United |
| way to really see who among the applicants are the | | | | States. One can initially apply by just accomplishing |
| best, most MBA schools just stick to the traditional | | | | the online application form on their website. |
| way of selecting among students who usually have | | | | Kenan-Flagler Business School |
| equal qualifications--the admission requirements. | | | | Ranked 17th on the 2008 Best MBA Program of |
| Admission requirements for an MBA degree | | | | BusinessWeek, it the business school of the |
| Foremost among the application requirements is the | | | | University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Its programs |
| Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) | | | | include undergraduate and graduate business and |
| score. It is a standardized test in English and | | | | management courses, including its renowned MBA |
| mathematics that will generally measure the aptitude | | | | program, of course. |
| of the student in the field. The transcript of records | | | | Cox School of Business |
| of the student on his or her undergraduate course is | | | | Part of the Southern Methodist University, it is 19th in |
| of course another important factor. For the | | | | the Best MBA Program list of BusinessWeek. It is |
| personal characteristics, the admissions committee will | | | | considered as one of the best business schools in the |
| turn into the applicant’s MBA admission essay. | | | | world by no less than the Wall Street Journal, and |
| It will tell the committee things that the other | | | | the BusinessWeek magazine, and other major |
| requirements cannot. Furthermore, work experience | | | | business publications. |
| is also often times seen as important admission | | | | Make a good MBA admission essay |
| requirement for the degree. The personal interview, | | | | Getting through the top schools such as Darden, |
| one of the last important steps into the admission | | | | Kenan-Flagler, or Cox is not easy. You need not |
| process, may come after all the other requirements | | | | only good academic records, but you should be |
| have been assessed and the applicant is initially seen | | | | deemed to be personally fit for their program. But, |
| as someone who fits into the program. | | | | as most alumni and current students will tell you, |
| Choosing Your school | | | | there is one way to look good at the admissions |
| While most of the schools follow the same | | | | committee—coming up with a good MBA |
| requirements, it is important to set your goals | | | | admission essay. Agood admission essay will |
| according to your preferred school. It is therefore | | | | definitely tell them that you are fit for their program, |
| important that once you have decided to pursue an | | | | in your own unique way. |
| MBA degree, you should immediately pick at least | | | | |