MBA refers to Master of Business administration and is a much popular course amongst the post-graduates. It offers specialization in multiple business-related areas such as accounting, human resources, business law, business ethics, finance, marketing, and others.
Admission to business schools requires a student to have a holistic personality. They should be having a good grade point average during graduation, must have done internships, must have some positions of responsibility, and be active in extracurricular activities. The United Kingdom is a preferred destination for MBA aspirants because of London’s good quality education and exposure to the business. Hence, we present to you some tips on how to study in the UK.
- GMAT
The first and foremost requirement for seeking admission to an MBA college in UK is the 70-year-old Graduate Management Admission Test, famously abbreviated as GMAT. It is developed and conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council. It is computerized adaptive testing (CAT) where the taker gets the next question based on his/ her correctness in the previous question. GMAT is available in the English language and tests quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing. It can be taken a maximum of eight times in a year but the attempts need to be at least 16 days apart. Around 7,000 programs at approximately 2,300+ graduate business schools around the world accept the GMAT as part of the selection criteria for their programs. Hence, even if you do not land in the UK, doors will open up for you to study at other places.
The GMAT exam is divided into four sections: a verbal section, a quantitative section, an integrated reasoning section, and an analytical writing evaluation. Three hours and seven minutes total are allotted for the exam. The analytical writing assessment takes 30 minutes, the integrated reasoning section’s 12 questions—many of which have several parts—take another 30 minutes, the quantitative section’s 31 questions take 62 minutes, and the verbal section’s 36 questions take another 65 minutes. The GMAT score ranges from 200 to 800 with 800 being the ideal score.
Preparation time for GMAT should at least be 6 months and more. Cover your topics first. Then sit for sectional and complete mock tests. Taking a test will help you analyze your performance and know where exactly you need to focus more. Those struggling with mathematics should solve more quantitative problems while those having problems in English should solve more comprehension passages. Exam takers are expected to read newspapers every single day.
While giving mocks or the actual paper, keep proper track of your time. The time allotted for attempting each section has been given above. Make sure you can complete all the questions with a relatively good degree of correctness. Also, do not invest a lot of time in one question. If you are unable to do the question in the stipulated time, it is better to move to the next one. Choose the order of sections in which you wish to appear with proper judgment.
- Bachelor’s Degree
MBA falls under the category of a post-graduation course. Hence, it is important for applicants to at least complete their graduation or a similar degree which is identified by the UK Education Board as an equivalent. It is not important that to study in the UK you need to do your graduation from the UK itself. It could be done from a foreign country.
There is no restriction as to what kind of degree you need to have. You may have completed your graduation in science, arts, commerce, or humanities. On paper, these are of equal value. However, when it comes to the interview round, graduates with a degree in commerce or certification in a related field are more likely to be preferred than other branches.
This is done for two empirical reasons, the first reason being the portrayal of clarity of mind and the second being experience. If say, you did your graduation in Political Science and someone else their graduation in commerce and you both apply for MBA. Once you reach the interview round, the first question to be thrown at you will be why Political Science if you wanted to do MBA or vice versa. The other person will have an upper hand here because a B.Com. degree means that they were always inclined to MBA.
- Minimum Experience
MBA is a much sought-after exam in recent days. Hence, the qualification standards are being set high. MBA colleges in UK require an applicant to have a minimum work experience of at least 3 years. This work experience needs to be a full-time job, i.e., you first need to graduate and then seek a job before you can study in the UK. In India however, IIMs or any other institutes offering MBA do not require one to have this 3-year job experience. Another catch here is that your job needs to be in the field in which you wish to do your specialization. Some people advise having a fake certificate stating your employment. However, this is not a suggested practice as you shall reap returns of this activity later.
- A Good CV
Curriculum Vitae is the most important document that shall help you summarize the above-mentioned and various other qualifications that you have. A good CV will have at least 2 to 3 achievements each under the section of academic qualification, fieldwork or internships, positions of responsibility, and extracurricular activities. Make sure that your CV reflects your positive attributes and strengths. Also, be honest about whatever is in there. You do not want questions that you might not be able to answer.
Conclusion
A good GMAT score, 3 years of work experience, a bachelor’s degree, and a good CV are nothing but generic requirements for seeking admission to an MBA college in the UK. Research well about various good colleges and universities beforehand and make sure that you know the specific requirements of each of your desired institutions. Studying in the UK is a great learning experience but can be stressful for your pockets. Hence, be mindful of your financial condition and look out for scholarships. Rest all you need to do is work hard.
