Look for institutions that offer an MBA in your desired area by contacting local schools or using online MBA search engines such as Find-MBA.com. Contact the schools to see if they offer courses full-time, part-time or online depending on your personal needs. Also, ask the traditional schools if they offer daytime and/or nighttime classes. If possible, visit your prospective campus and talk to current MBA students to learn their opinion of the program there. In addition, determine what MBA focus area you might want to study such as accounting, marketing or economics.
Ask your potential MBA program what the grade point average requirement is for admission. Graduate degree programs typically require applicants to have at least a 3.0 GPA. Review your undergraduate degree GPA. If it is too low or if you have lower grades in any business-related classes, plan to take an additional course in your area of weakness to prove to your potential school your ability to handle its academic rigor.
Study for the Graduate Management Admission Test, or the GMAT, a computerized standardized test in English language and math. Look for a local college GMAT preparation course or test preparation software from the company so that you can take practice tests, which will give you an idea of what you will face on the real test. MBA programs usually will require you to submit your GMAT scores as part of the admissions process. Retake the test if you feel you can earn a higher score before applying to your chosen program. Earning a 700 or above is valuable if you want to get into a top MBA school.
Choose individuals whom you would like to serve as your references. MBA programs typically will require you to submit about three letters of reference from a peer or professional supervisors. Select people with whom you have had significant direct involvement in the past few years. Also, look for extracurricular activity opportunities at your company or in the local community, which will make your MBA application more attractive. Get involved in leadership roles that allow you to lead programs.
Look at the program's previous admission year's application to get an idea of what type of essay questions you will have to answer when you apply to your MBA program. For example, schools might ask you to describe a leadership experience you have had, or they might want you to explain your short-term and long-term career goals. Be prepared to also describe your greatest professional achievement and how you added value to an organization.