Finding success in business requires much more than effort — you need meticulous planning, a strong network, and a bit of luck. David Ortega from El Salvador had all the passion you’d expect of a successful entrepreneur, but neither the network nor the education to fulfill his ambitions.

A difficult journey

David wanted to enroll in business school abroad and earn an MBA. But how to start? There were a lot of factors in trying to determine which business school was best for him, including all of the associated costs and which countries to consider. 

He understood that to achieve his goals, he’d have to work extremely hard and go through many challenges. At first, “I decided to study alone and take this journey by myself,” David said.

Here are other articles that can help you:

• Why should you consider pursuing an MBA?

• Are you ready to take the next big step in your career?

• GMAT® (Graduate Management Admission Test®)

• Is an MBA Right for You?

If that’s all you knew about David, you might think he was independent and liked doing things alone. Before too long, however, David realized that not having any guidance or support made his experience more challenging than it should have been.

A worthy destination

David says, “I started to look for a program that fit with my interests — innovation, networking, and entrepreneurial specializations. I began looking at universities, and surprise — they asked me for the GMAT.”

The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admission Test, assesses analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English, and is used for admission to a graduate management program, such as an MBA. David decided to study for the GMAT so he could get into a business school that was the right fit for him and take on the challenge of an MBA program.

The GMAT is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which is an international nonprofit organization of business schools. It provides products and services to academic institutions and — as David discovered — to prospective graduate management education students. “Having the support of the experts…and the GMAC tools facilitate to me to find the best options,” he says.

Pursuing higher education is never easy — it’s a path paved with challenges, looming questions, and countless hours of hard work. However, those who have reached the end of their GMAT journey will absolutely say it was worth it. “Taking the GMAT opened to me many options and many opportunities, especially in the best universities worldwide,” said David.

A true success story

David ended up being accepted to an MBA program at EGADE Business School (Escuela de Graduados en Administración y Dirección de Empresas), Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tecnológico De Monterrey), in Mexico. Since graduating, he has gone on to have successful careers in several avenues. He’s worked on improvement projects, operations, and business intelligence for many well-known companies, including Kimberly-Clark, Oracle, and HBSC.

In a classic case of things coming full circle, through the university connections he made, David ended up securing a position with GMAC. “I can honestly say, the MBA course has brought great value to my life and my career aspirations.”

Want to take your career to the next level? MBA programs in the U.S. might be the place to start.

In case you missed it…

You can rewatch our informative Instagram Live session with GMAC and David Ortega to hear his tips and tricks for the GMAT exam.