Pre-MBA Programs

San Jose State University

Pre-MBA Programs

An American MBA is well recognized and highly valued in today’s international business environment. Leading edge American business methods and technologies continue to have a strong impact on business all over the world. Your decision to get an MBA in the U.S.A. is a smart first step in your career growth and development.

An MBA can offer new career opportunities, including access to higher positions and salaries. However, most employers agree that an MBA by itself is not enough: employers also consider your past experience and your potential when making hiring decisions. Therefore, if you expect to compete effectively in today’s highly competitive business world, you should prepare yourself to be successful in your MBA program, where there are many opportunities available to help you get an early start in your career development.

A Pre-MBA program is an excellent way to prepare for success in an MBA program. First, you can improve your performance on the GMAT and TOEFL. More importantly, you can develop business, academic and cultural skills that are valuable in an MBA program. And, there is no better way to prepare for American MBA study than in an American Pre-MBA program, where the most up-to-date, accurate knowledge is available to help you effectively build these skills.

Four important ways in which Pre-MBA programs differ

Program length. Programs vary from a few weeks to a full year, depending on the school and the curriculum focus.

Started in 1971, the Pre-MBA Program of the University of Dallas’ Graduate School of Management is the oldest in the U.S.A. This full-time program, with international students studying along with Americans, is one of the country’s shortest. In only 13 weeks, students complete an integrated curriculum of seven core business courses, along with their choice of one elective course (GMAT Preparation, Statistics, and Global Business), professional development lectures and field trips.

The Dallas program also provides an overview of the essentials needed for most MBA degrees through elective courses such as statistics. For example, students in that class learn about collection and tabulation of data, bar charts, graphs, sampling, probability, measures of central tendency and variability, correlation, statistical distributions, hypothesis testing and applying these skills to various business fields.
Curriculum. Some programs focus on GMAT and TOEFL preparation. Other programs focus on developing skills in areas such as presentations, writing, communication, and business and cultural content. The ideal program will focus on both test preparation and skill building so that students are well prepared for GMAT and TOEFL, and also have the skills necessary for success in today’s American MBA programs.
The Pre-MBA Program at the American Language Institute at San Diego State University combines GMAT preparation with university and career skills development. Students start with GMAT preparation, taking separate classes for each skill area of the GMAT. Test-taking strategies and simulated exams also help strengthen their skills.

Students then focus on developing skills that they need in an American MBA program and in their careers, such as research methods, discussion skills, presentations, case study analysis, and graduate-level writing. Other opportunities for skill-building include pronunciation improvement, business content courses, interviewing techniques, business etiquette, internships, and enrollment in university classes with Americans.
Services. Programs differ greatly in the range of services they offer. Services may include advising, university placement, and housing assistance, just to name a few.
Many pre-MBA programs are allied with the MBA program on the same university campus so that qualified students receive automatic admission. For example, pre-MBA students in the Studies in American Language program at San Jose State University in California can be certified academically eligible for the MBA-One Program at SJSU’s College of Business, and to have a space on the next semester’s admission list reserved for them. Prospective students submit a pre-admission evaluation packet, and later they are notified about their eligibility and what conditions if any they still need to meet for admission to the business program. This way, students know that if they meet the TOEFL and GMAT requirements established for them, they will be fully accepted to the twelve-month MBA program.

Using a “phased-in” approach, staff and faculty of the Intensive English Program at Western Washington University work closely with business students to prepare them for an MBA program, on the WWU campus or elsewhere. After completing one quarter of intensive English, students who plan to earn an MBA begin taking a few undergraduate business classes for credit. This helps them improve their English in fields that they may have already mastered in their native language. For example, many of them enroll in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and Business Computing, even if they have studied these subjects at home. When their teachers agree they are ready, the students advance to higher levels or take courses in more specialized areas like marketing or finance. Often, the WWU business students enjoy an unexpected benefit: as a result of the challenging coursework, their TOEFL scores also improve.
Technology. Technology skills are critical in today’s business environment. Some Pre-MBA programs have computer facilities and classes that help students develop technology skills. Furthermore, it is an advantage for students to practice GMAT and TOEFL on the computer so that they are better prepared for these computerized exams.

How to choose a quality Pre-MBA program

There are four main goals that future MBA students should have, and it is important to find a program that can effectively help you reach these goals:

Preparing for GMAT and TOEFL.
Finding and evaluating MBA programs in the U.S.A.
Creating a strong application package.
Developing skills that are important for success in an American MBA program.

Consider these questions when evaluating how well a program can help you reach these four goals:

Does the program offer complete test preparation?
Are there classes for all sections of the GMAT and TOEFL?
Are there opportunities to develop computer test-taking strategies and to take computerized practice exams?
Are there experienced university placement advisors who can help you find and evaluate MBA programs? There are many types of MBA programs and international students can be confused by the amount of information and choices that are available in the U.S.A.
Does the program offer assistance with creating an effective MBA application package, which includes help with preparing applications and the supporting documents that emphasize your strengths (essays, resumes, statements of purpose)?
Everyone enrolled in the Pace University’s Pre-Graduate Program receives one-on-one personalized assistance with their graduate school applications. The PreMBA/Graduate program features guest lectures by Pace faculty and corporate executives, and visits to the New York Stock Exchange, local corporations, museums, and other attractions.
Does the program offer skill building that will help you succeed in an American MBA program? Such skills would include:
Effective communication for class discussions, teamwork projects, internships, and communication with professors.

Presentation techniques, including presentation technology (e.g. PowerPoint).

Research and writing skills used in an MBA program.

Other skills important for academic success (e.g. listening, pronunciation, reading, study skills).

Knowledge of American academic, business and general culture.

After you have asked all the above questions and have found a Pre-MBA program that seems right for you, consider other factors that could affect your study in the U.S.:

What additional services does the program offer (social activities, housing assistance)?
Is the program part of a college or university where you have access to other opportunities (American university classes, computer and library facilities, academic and social events that allow interactions with American students)?
Is the program flexible so that you have choices based on your needs and interests?
Does the school have modern facilities (classrooms, computer labs)?
Where is the school located? What opportunities are available in the city? What type of weather can you expect?

It is important to remember that although GMAT, TOEFL, and an effective application package are ways to gain admission to an MBA program, they are only the beginning. Developing American business, academic and cultural skills affects how successful you will be both during and after your MBA.

Look for a Pre-MBA program that will most effectively help you achieve the four main goals that future MBA students should have so that you have a strong start on your career path even before you begin your MBA program.

by Patric Bodin,Pre-MBA Program Coordinator at the American Language Institute at San Diego State University.

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