If there is any higher studies program that is most competitive in the US, it’s the MBA. Mentors has offered PowerMBA services to more than 150 MBA aspirants so far for universities like Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Columbia among others. PowerMBA is also a full service package including the SmartLIST, SmartDOC, SmartWRITE, SmartSCHOL and SmartCHAT bouquet of services specially customized for the extremely competitive admission norms of US universities

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ADMISSION:
At the MBA level, selection to a B-School is a single window approach. After the initial screening at the Graduate School of Business, successful cases are referred to the MBA Admissions committee which finally decides whom to offer admission. If accepted, Business School issues the admission letter inviting the applicant to make a commitment whether or not to join the program. Often telephonic or alumni-based interview is involved to better judge the applicant for the suitability of the Program.

DECIDING ON WHERE TO APPLY :
Short listing a dozen of B-Schools out of more than 500 accredited Business Schools all over the world is a daunting task! With myriad options and varying admission and financial assistance policy makes it rather a more challenging task. Here we are to explore step-by-step how you need to formulate a strategy to manage to find your kind of institutions where you would be happy to spend next two years of your life

Basis of Short listing--Profile matching :
Through Mentors’ PRISM Technology, we help you arrive at a logical list of handful of Business Schools in your chosen filed of study for your MBA and other courses. Once the tentative list is ready, you can fix an appointment with our MBA admission counselors and engage in a one to one discussion to further reduce your list to a manageable number of Business Schools that you finally decide to target.

• Business School Rankings:
  There are various independent rating agencies in US and around the world helping you get a fair amount of idea about the quality of the Business Schools worldwide. Some of the ranked Business Schools offering MBA programs are as listed below in an alphabetical manner:

1. Business Week:
   Business Week ranks full-time MBA program in two categories biennially—Top 30 that are listed in ranked order and the Next 20 listed alphabetically.

2. Financial Times:
   The Forbes ranking is mainly based on the return on investment earned by MBA graduates. Click to see the list of the Ranked Business Schools.

3. Forbes :
   The Forbes ranking is mainly based on the return on investment earned by MBA graduates. Click to see the list of the Ranked Business Schools.

4. The Wall Street Journal:
   The Wall Street Journal Survey is based on the assessment of more than 3,200 M.B.A. recruiters who hire full-time business-school graduates. Click to see the list of the Ranked Business Schools.

5. U.S. News & World Report :
   US News ranking is mainly based on a survey of Business School Deans, MBA Program Directors, Corporate Recruiters, GMAT Scores, Selectivity, and Post MBA Salary structure

• Accreditation:
  AACSB stands for “The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business”. AACSB is arguably the most respected accreditation in the field of Management studies. AACSB International accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in management education. As of December, 2005, it has accredited a total of 441 Business Schools in America and a total of 512 Business Schools worldwide. Less than 10 percent of Business schools worldwide have achieved this designation. For a complete list see the link.

• Specializations Offered:
  There are more than 28 specializations to choose from! See the link below:

• Test score range:
  Most B-Schools, especially US B-Schools ask for GMAT score report to consider you for their MBA program. For international students, a decent score on TOEFL or IELTS would fulfill English proficiency requirement. Click the link to get to know about GMAT, TOEFL and IELTS

• Job Experience requirement :
  Post baccalaureate work experience is one of the most crucial admission factors and a meaningful three to four year Job experience at a reputed organization will help MBA admissions committee select the right mix of class for its MBA program

• Budget—Tuition & Fee and Affordability :
  Affording an MBA education is an expensive affair. See the Tuition costs at the Top B-Schools

• Financial Assistance :
  An MBA education is a serious commitment and unlike undergraduate studies, an applicant is not expected to have gone for an MBA program in a routine matter. People often take substantial break after their undergraduate studies to gain quality work experience of four to five year before they join a B-School for their MBA program. Affording an MBA education is an expensive affair. Tuition costs at top B-Schools could be easily in the range of 20,000 to 35,000 USD for just one year. Substantial savings, family support and a hefty educational loan seem to be a practical solution. Unlike a Graduate School, at top B-Schools, Assistantship in the first year is often discouraged due to heavy course load and lot of outside-the-class involvement.

1. On-Campus job possibility:
   Many Business Schools offering MBA programs have provision for on-campus employment opportunities to help you partially defray the cost of your education. By law, you are not authorized to work for more than a certain amount of time--usually 20 hour-a-week--during week days and a maximum of 40 hour-a-week during holidays. Your payment must come directly from the University where you are doing your MBA course. Unless otherwise authorized, any employment engagement for which the University is not responsible is simply illegal and can have very serious consequences.

2. Merit-based Scholarships :
   Merit-based Scholarships are awarded by the very University which accepts you for MBA program. Most Universities through their Graduate Business School offer merit-based scholarships (or Assistantships and Fellowships) to all students—domestic or International though usually there is a keen and fierce competition for relatively fewer number of such vacant positions. Usually there are four types of financial assistance at the Graduate level:

1. Fellowship:
   This most prestigious award is awarded by the university Fellowship committee to applicants chosen amongst the qualified MBA applicant pool. Sometime it covers Full Tuition, and (usually) a handsome stipend without any work obligation.

2. Teaching Assistantship:
   Teaching Assistants or TAs are hired by the various Departments of the Business School to assist professors in their teaching assignments. As a general rule, TAs are not supposed to teach or Grade papers. However, sometime a TA is given teaching assignments of Undergraduate level /beginning level students. Usually a Full time TA is assigned a 20 hour-a-week schedule for which he/she receives a Full Tuition waiver (or out-of-state Tuition waiver as the case may be) and a reasonable amount of stipend to cover his/her living and other expenses. The Fee is never waived, though. The range of stipend varies according to the University and can be anywhere between 5,300 and 23,000 USD per annum. For a half time TA assignment, students are expected to commit a 10 hour-a-week schedule against a half Tuition Waiver and a proportionately reduced stipend.

3. Research Assistantship:
   Research Assistantship is also like Teaching Assistantship except for the fact that as a Research Assistant (RA), one is mostly assigned working on research project of their Professors instead of being given teaching related assignments. Duties and compensations remain the same as that of a TA.

4. Graduate Assistantship:
   Unlike TA and RA, a Graduate Assistant (GA) is assigned the non-academic duties like working in the library, cafeteria, admission office, residence halls, etc. Duties and compensations are comparable to a TA and a RA.

5. Scholarships :
   Often B-Schools have provision of scholarships for meritorious students and you must explore this option whenever applicable. It could be as high as 10, 000 USD.

6. Tuition Waiver:
   Sometime, a Business School might grant only Tuition waiver to encourage meritorious students join their Business School.

7. Educational Loan:
   Only a very few selected B-Schools have come up School-Supported educational loan to help otherwise deserving applicants afford their MBA education via educational loan. In this case, the B-School itself becomes the co-signer to facilitate the loan. See the list of top B-Schools which trust their prospective alumni and stand guarantee of their educational loan.

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When To Apply

• Deadline:
  Selection into MBA program at B-Schools often takes place in different rounds. Usually third round is considered the final round for International MBA applicants. It is advisable to apply by the second round if you also want to be considered for various Scholarships and fellowships awards.

• Application Requirements:
  A complete international application file consists of the following items:

1. Application for Admission:
   You can apply online, download a paper application, or request the Business School to send you a paper application.

2. Application Fee :
   Prospective applicants are often asked to submit with their Application a nonrefundable application fee. (Varying anywhere between USD 20 and USD 120). Online applicants can pay the fee by credit card at the time of submission. Paper applicants and online applicants who did not submit credit card payment at the time of submission can pay by personal check, international money order, or a bank draft drawn on a U.S. bank payable to the “Title of the Beneficiary”. You are not expected to send cash or currency. If you live in a country where regulations make it difficult to send the fee, it is suggested that you ask a friend or relative living in another country to send the fee for you. Be sure your full legal name is included on the payment.

3. Academic Records:
   MBA admissions Committee require official academic records (bearing the original stamp or seal of the College or University) for each year of Bachelors course work. Whenever possible, Records should contain the dates of attendance, level of study, a list of subjects studied, grades (marks) earned, grading scale, and rank in class (if available or applicable). Ask your University officials to include both internal grade reports and annual exam results. All records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation.

4. GMAT :
   GMAT is one of many admission and selection criteria and a decent GMAT score is a sin qua non for admission into MBA program of top B-Schools. Click to see GMAT score range of top B-Schools.

5. Work experience :
   Click to see required and expected work experience at top B-Schools.

6. Essay(s):
   The Essays are a crucial part of your application. It is your opportunity to show your creativity and make MBA admissions committee know about you as an individual. It also gives you a chance to explain any extenuating circumstances that may have affected your academic performance. Essentially, it affords you a chance to provide MBA admissions committee with all the details you would like them to know before they make a decision on your application.

7. Letters of Recommendations:
   Often a compulsory MBA admission requirement at all the Business School, prospective MBA aspirants are asked to seek two to three employment recommendation letters from individuals who can attest to your ability (i.e., working skills, knowledge of the domain, work ethics, leadership quality, and integrity) which will help MBA admissions committee understand your case better.

8. Resume :
   Business Schools would love to see substantial quality job experience on your Resume and an impressive resume can tilt the admission decision in your favor.

9. Interview :
   Sometime Business Schools arrange for a telephonic or alumni interview to get a first hand impression of the prospective MBA applicants. Interview policy varies from School to school. Sometime it is an integral admission process but sometime interview is only by invitation.

10. Financial Verification Form and Bank Letter:
    Often B-Schools would like to know how you are going to pay for your MBA education. Therefore, you must complete and submit the relevant Financial Verification Form with an original bank letter verifying the required balance in USD.

11. Copy of Passport:
    If available, send a copy of the page of your passport that includes your full legal name and birth date. If you are currently studying in the United States, please also submit a copy of your I-94 card.

Application Procedure : There are three possible ways to apply:

1. Apply Online:
   You may apply online using the on-line application link available at the website of the B-Schools website. The online application is secure and easy to use, and in most cases allows you to save your work and come back later. You can also pay the application fee online by using credit card. Applying online also provides you with immediate notification that your application has been received, and will likely speed up the processing of your application.

2. Download a Paper Application:
   If you do not have internet facility or if you prefer to apply on paper, you can download and print a copy of Application for MBA Admission by using the web link of various B-Schools.

3. Request a Paper Application:
   Most of MBA programs no longer offer Paper applications. However, some might still accept the request for a paper application. You may send a request to such MBA program offering Universities to mail you a copy of their International application. Usually it takes up to six weeks to receive a Paper Application for MBA Program.

Submitting your application:
To ensure proper and efficient processing of your application, keep these tips in mind:

1. Use Your Full Legal Name on All Documents.
   It is extremely important that when completing your application, you use your full legal name, exactly as it appears on your passport. Be sure to write this same full legal name on all of your application materials (application fee, test scores, Financial Verification Form, academic records, etc.).

2. Do Not List a Post Office Box as Your Permanent Foreign Address :
   In order for Universities to issue your I-20 form, the permanent home address listed on your application for admission must be a Physical/Street address. When completing your application, be sure to provide a foreign street address (not a P.O. Box) as your permanent home address.

3. Submit All Materials Together:
   If possible, submit all application materials together. This includes your Application (If Applying on Paper), Application Fee, Academic Records, Essay(s), Recommendations, Employment details, Resume, Financial Verification Form, and Financial Documentation. Your official GMAT and TOEFL/ IELTS scores must also be sent directly from the respective testing agencies. However, to assist in matching your official scores with your application, you may submit copies of examinee test score reports with your application materials.

4. Use the Correct Mailing Address:
   Send all materials to the appropriate address as advised by the Undergraduate Admissions office. Use only physical/ street/Courier delivery address if you are sending by postal or express mail like DHL, TNT or Fed Ex.

5. Watch for your application acknowledgement letter or e-mail to arrive:
   If you provide US academic institutions with an e-mail address, the acknowledgement will most probably be sent via e-mail, otherwise via postal mail. This important document may include your assigned campus ID number, as well as other key information.

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