Where I Want to Go to Business School: What’s Next for Samantha

One aspiring MBA student shares some key insights into deciding where to apply.

Read about one Kaplan Student Brand Ambassador’s plans for choosing where to go to business school to help you determine what’s next for you.

What I’ve already accomplished

After making the decision to go to business school, I was faced with making another: Where to apply? Apart from thinking about where I want to live after I graduate with an MBA, the first obstacle to making this decision was planning for the GMAT and earning a score that would unlock my top choice business schools.

My advice to business school applicants is to never underestimate just how important your GMAT score is. People who apply to business school tend to be driven, educated, and experienced. So, as I began preparing, I asked myself, “What can set me apart in the eyes of the admissions committee?” Based on the knowledge I have obtained so far, I gathered that the two most important factors in my getting an acceptance letter are GPA and GMAT score.

This is why I’ve created a list of target MBA programs along with the average GMAT scores and GPAs of their admitted students. In the process of contemplating where I want to apply, I have narrowed my list down to larger universities that are well known for their business schools, such as UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Attending a program like Kenan-Flagler’s would not be that huge of a life change for me, since I have lived in North Carolina for 11 years now. My list also includes “reach” schools, which would require a more competitive application. After I take the GMAT and receive my score, I will have a better picture of what is actually a plausible option for me in terms of acceptance.

What I’m doing now to prepare for what’s ahead

At this point in college, there’s not much I can do about my GPA—but there is still plenty of time to improve my GMAT score and, in turn, my chances at acceptance. It is important to be realistic in the application process, however. If my GMAT score turns out to be lower than I would like, then I should probably not expect to get into my top target schools. So, I am spending my time and effort on my applications to schools that are solid possibilities for me. Given that the range of GMAT scores runs from 200 to 800 and that the average scores of matriculants at top schools is above 700, prepping for Test Day is important.

I am also researching other aspects of my target MBA programs, looking at tuition, the ratio of faculty to students, the rate of job placement at time of graduation, and the starting base salary of those graduates.

What’s next for me in deciding where to go to business school

Looking ahead at my GMAT timeline, I will continue prepping until I’m ready to take the exam in the spring so I can apply early to my desired business school programs.

Recommendation letters are another very important part of the application, so I don’t want to ask a professor from a lecture class of 300 students to write a recommendation. As my classes in undergrad get smaller and smaller, I will be trying to interact with those professors more to develop solid relationships with them.

More likely than not, I will get a job in the same geographical area as my business school. I’m taking that into consideration when deciding where to go. I’m also thinking about whether I want to work in a public or private institution. There are many factors to weigh in choosing a business school, but I am gradually narrowing the possibilities.

Find out what’s next for your future with our five-question quiz—and unlock tools like our School Guide, which will help you narrow down where you want to go to business school.

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