Research schools to find a school that meets your vocational needs. You can help your admission chances by applying to MBA programs that are a good fit for your career goals. Timing also matters: MBA programs aren't seeking candidates who simply want a break from work. Find out whether the companies you want to work for recruit at the school you want to attend.
Prepare for the Graduate Management Admission Test well in advance. GMAT scores weigh on the list of criteria most business schools use when evaluating applicants. Take the test early enough so that if your scores aren't good enough the first time around, you can retake it in time to meet the mid-October deadline required by most MBA programs.
Take difficult courses your junior and senior year. The website Online MBA Rankings suggests the difficulty of your curriculum is just as important as your GPA. Easy courses intended to inflate your GPA may indicate you do not take your education as seriously as you should. Instead, take courses in areas like statistics and microeconomics. Any courses that emphasize math and business should be helpful in gaining admission. If you have a lower GPA, don't ignore it; explain how you plan to do better.
Demonstrate how your work experience will contribute to the MBA program. Some schools look for at least two to three years of work experience. Show how you were given increasing responsibilities in your job, or that you worked well on a team.
Write an admission essay that is "outside the box." Avoid cookie-cutter essays that don't differentiate you from the field. Write an essay on some aspect of your life that will make you stand out. Use an event or hobby as a way to showcase your leadership skills and engender interest in your application. For instance, if your skydiving hobby translated into a four-year stint in the military as a paratrooper, write about that rather than providing a generic essay about career aspirations or why you want to attend a particular school.