How to Prepare & Apply

An overview to preparing for and applying to MBA school is provided below. We recommend that you follow the steps given in order to prepare yourself to be a competitive applicant to our program. If you are an international applicant, make sure to review our additional steps for international applicants.

  1. Secure good grades during your undergraduate education. Our entering MBA students have an average GPA of about a 3.5.
  2. Start studying for the GMAT your junior or senior year of college. If you are adequately prepared, try to take the GMAT before you graduate. Students who choose to take their GMAT before or right after graduating tend to do better on the test than those who wait and take the test a few years later. GMAT scores are good for five years.
  3. Graduate with a four-year degree from an accredited university. If you graduated from a university located outside of the United States, send your transcripts to an approved credentialing agency. BYU uses IERF and WES.
  4. Obtain quality management and leadership experience. Start thinking about what you would like to do after you obtain your MBA, and make sure you are acquiring the right kind of work experience to meet your goals.
  5. Save funds to help pay for your cost of education.
  6. If you are an international student or permanent resident and did not graduate from an institution located in a country where English is the first language, you will need to take and pass all sections of the TOEFL. Check our international admission criteria to find out our minimum TOEFL scores.
  7. Determine what type of MBA program is the best fit for you (full time, executive, part time or online).
  8. Start researching MBA programs and select schools based on solid criteria.
  9. Register your interest in the programs you are considering so that you are on their mailing list. This will help make you aware of their recruiting events or other useful resources.
  10. When possible, take part in campus visit programs, recruiting events, chats with students and administrators, and find out what type of internet resources are available (online information sessions, chats, blogs, podcasts, videos).
  11. Select a few schools of your choice and find out more about their admissions criteria, admissions process, and deadlines.
  12. Apply early so that a file can be created for you. Without a submitted application, your hard copy materials cannot be accepted. You can send your GMAT score before or after you submit your application if you would like. We cannot review your file without your score, but having a file already created can expedite the process. Take your GMAT when you feel adequately prepared. Taking the test and submitting your score early just to meet a deadline is not effective. Take your test when you see consistent practice test scores that are within the range a school recommends. If you are not able to test within that range, contact someone at the school to ask for advice.
  13. After submitting your online application, send all of your official transcripts to the schools where you are applying. If you graduated from the BYU-Provo campus and have not obtained a significant amount of post undergraduate education, you do not need to submit any transcripts.
  14. Check to see if a program's application is online or if it is on paper. All application materials need to be turned in for you to have a complete application. BYU's MBA application is online. If you are an international student, make sure to submit any additional items.
  15. If you have submitted an application within the past two years, and you are reapplying, please click here to find out how to reapply.
  16. Check with the schools of your choice to see what types of loans and scholarships are available to students.
  17. If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, apply for federal aid after completing your taxes during the year you plan to start school. It is best to apply for aid as close to January as possible. You do not have to be admitted to a school to start the federal application process. To expedite the federal aid application process, apply for a pin now. This will give you an ID number to use when you apply for aid at anytime in the future. Follow up with the schools financial aid office to find out if there is additional paperwork for you to fill out.
  18. After applying, check your online status to make sure you have turned in all of the required documents.
  19. Once admitted to a program, pay your admissions deposit if you plan to attend that program. If classes are filling and you are not certain which program you will attend, you may need to pay a deposit at multiple schools. Just being admitted to a program does not guarantee you a spot in that program. You must pay your deposit to secure a seat.
  20. Check with each school to find out if there are additional requirements you need to fulfill before starting school. You can check our admitted students' checklist for additional details about the BYU MBA program requirements for admitted students.
  21. Look for important dates for orientation and other events that may take place before you start school.

 

If you have additional questions about the application process, please visit our frequently asked questions.

If you still have questions after reviewing our FAQ's, please contact us.