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7 MBA Application Requirements to Check for 2022

March 31 2022 By The MBA Exchange
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Are you almost ready to submit your application to the Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree program or programs of your dreams? Before you finalize your application packages, make sure you’ve got every “T” crossed, every “I” dotted, and every chance to impress maximized.

Wouldn’t it be awful to hit the application deadline, and only then discover that you’re missing key elements that may threaten to stall your climb in 2022? Yeah, let’s not do that.

The MBA application experts at The MBA Exchange have supported thousands of previous clients through the process over the past twenty+ years. We’ve got your back when it comes to your first, as well as final, application material review.

What are MBA application requirements?

Earning an MBA degree improves your earnings potential, networking opportunities, and cutting-edge professional skill sets. Have you explored all the reasons why an MBA degree could be right for you?

When you apply for an MBA program, different parts of your MBA application package show off elements of your skills, experiences, and promise. Your essays let your voice be heard, your letters of recommendation attest to your value and importance in the eyes of people you’ve worked with or for in the past and your test scores stack you up in direct competition with other 2022 intake applicants.
After your application package, there are only a few more steps, such as the MBA admissions interview, to get through before you can take your seat. But, before you can find MBA admissions success, you’re going to have to make sure you’ve got everything you need to submit.

MBA application requirement checklist

While individual top-ranked programs’ MBA application requirements may vary, there are some standard elements that you’ll see calls for from most corners. You should make sure to check out the 2022 application requirements from your target programs. For example, have a look at

  • Wharton MBA application requirements
  • Stanford MBA application requirements
  • Yale MBA application requirements
  • Columbia MBA application requirements
  • Berkeley Haas MBA application requirements

What are MBA application requirements you’re most likely to encounter? Chances are good that you’re going to need all of the following to complete your 2022 MBA application.

Background information

Adcoms want to get a glimpse of the real you, so some personal and family background information is included in most MBA application requirements. You’ll also need to provide a mailing address where you can receive correspondence about your application.

Make sure to include the date of your birth as given on your official documents. You’ll also need to provide information on your parents’ education and employment history, so you might need to do some research for this portion of your application.
If this section of your application contains errors, it can trigger red flags during the background verification part of the acceptance process. Maintaining accuracy the first time around can save you from some stress down the road!

Two essays

Application essays mean that you need to find the words to describe your candidacy in about 500 words. That’s a tighter task than you might think until you start drafting and realize what you’re in for!

Application essays might seem like more of a burden than an opportunity, at least as you’re getting your application materials together. But your application essays give you the chance to stand out, putting a personalized face and voice to the numbers and dates of the rest of your application materials. 

This is where you can make up lost ground, claim a unique niche that others can’t fill, and leave a memorable impression on adcoms. Hitting your essays out of the ballpark is a must for MBA admissions success.

Two letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation demonstrate your track record of professionalism, excellence, and initiative, documenting that people who have worked with you in the past think you’d be worth the investment as a member of an incoming b-school class.

Plan ahead on your letters of recommendation, leaving plenty of time for your recommenders to get back to you. It’s a strong strategy to seek to align the narrative of your candidacy presented in your admissions essays with that appearing in your letters of recommendation so let your recommenders know how you’re going to be positioning yourself when you send them your request for a letter.

It can also be a good idea to review your letters of recommendation or allow your admissions consultant to do so, in order to ensure that they align with your overall application strategy.

GPA/transcripts

You can include your GPA in your resume, but most MBA programs want you to also have an official transcript sent by the main in hard copy. Get in touch with your college or university to have transcripts sent, often for a small fee.

You may also need to enter a 0-4 scale GPA as part of your application. If you’re an international student with a differently-calculated GPA, we advise zeroing out this section, so that adcoms can review your actual transcripts and accurately convert your grades or marks. Don’t try to convert your GPA yourself, as you may not do so with full accuracy.

GMAT or GRE score

Preparing for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE®), standardized tests that measure knowledge and aptitude, can take up a lot of MBA applicants’ time.

Once you’ve decided on the GMAT or the GRE and earned your best-possible test score, it’s time to submit your scores. You shouldn’t average your scores yourself, or try to combine the section scores. Report your test date, and your target program will check the official GMAT score report sent to the school. Make sure adcoms won’t find any discrepancies in your score reports!

English language test score

For international students, a test of English language (TOEFL) score may be needed as part of your MBA application requirements. Give your overall best test score, ensuring accurate reporting.

Resume

The resume you’ve been using to apply to jobs probably isn’t ready for upload as part of your MBA application requirements not without some tweaks and changes. The goals of an MBA admissions resume are different from a job application resume in some key ways.

Your MBA application resume should be 1-2 pages in length. You’ll need to include your employment history, including dates of employment, job titles, and compensation (in USD). Using strong, directed verbs, indicate what you achieved or accomplished at each position.

List your awards and recognitions, including achievements in the arts or athletics. You can also mention extra-curricular activities ranging from college-level to community service or entrepreneurial ventures. Documentation of your participation is a significant plus, and can often be uploaded with your MBA application.

You may also need to enter information about your employment history and employer as part of your MBA application. Keeping accurate records will help you avoid reporting discrepancies that can raise adcoms’ eyebrows.

MBA application requirements package

Marshaling every part of, for example, the complex Wharton MBA application requirements package presents a challenge for your organizational and time-management skills. Getting your completed application in on time is the first demonstration of your potential and capability.

Scheduling and timing

Review MBA rounds in 2022, note application deadlines and decide on your strategy for timing. Are you aiming for October deadlines, or for New Year targets in the first week of January? At that point, work backward to put together your admission material timeline plan.

It’s not a great look to upload your essays, letters of recommendation, resumes, transcripts, or certificates on Deadline Day. Aim for a week or two before D-Day. (That also gives you a convenient time cushion to absorb chance problems that may arise.) Give extra time for elements like letters of rec or transcripts that have to travel to you from other hands.

MBA admissions tests and waivers

You might be surprised to realize how many MBA programs allow you to waive admissions tests like the GMAT or GRE. You may need to meet the criteria for employment experience or degrees earned.

Find out early in your application timeline if you can use a GMAT or GRE waiver at your target schools and decide on opting out of testing. According to BSchools.org, the use of exam waivers is on the rise, even in some highly-ranked US MBA programs.

MBA application essays

Even though your MBA application essays don’t need extra time to travel to and from your workspace, the way that letters of recommendation do, your MBA essays could end up taking more time than any other part of your MBA application requirements package.

Your MBA application essays need to tell your story with vividness and immediacy. Once you find the central narrative of your candidacy, most clearly stated in your essays, it can shape your strategic approach to your whole MBA application package.

Meeting your MBA application requirements

Your MBA application materials should present a full view of your personal and professional potential, from your quant skills and test scores to your international experience or volunteer work. Adcoms at top MBA programs are looking for the next generation of movers, shakers, and innovators, and you want your application materials to show that you belong in that cohort.
Each part of your MBA application should be optimized to highlight your strengths and minimize weaknesses. Our MBA admissions consultants can help with that! You can start by submitting your profile online for a free evaluation today.