The wild popularity of MBA programs across the country has practically created its own industry of supportive and educational resources. Students in Master’s of Business Administration programs are no longer “going it alone” when it comes to learning the ropes of business and managing their education and career at the same time. Some of the best resources are electronic, with many leading websites helping MBA candidates through the entire process of earning their degree.
Other resources do the good, old-fashioned work of guiding prospective MBA students through the tough work of passing the GMAT exam. Whether it’s test-taking strategies or sample questions, the online and offline resources provided by the business community can make or break an MBA student or hopeful.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Any student pursuing an Master’s in Business Administration is likely familiar the acronym “AACSB.” The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is the premiere accrediting institution of American business schools at both the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Its seal of approval is by no means required for students to graduate from a business school and pursue further education, but it generally identifies the best institutions of higher learning for MBA candidates.
Its website is more than just accreditation information, however. The AACSB maintains five regularly-updated publications that focus on business news and research both at home and abroad. In fact, despite its American accreditation functions, it maintains a monthly publication devoted entirely to Asian business news and developments. The AACSB also does its own research into business education and job prospects for graduates, as well as maintains an extensive listing of conferences and conventions that the company either operates or endorses.
The MBA Association is a membership organization that exists solely to further the careers and reputations of MBA graduates across the country. The association’s website focuses on three areas that help career development for students who have recently graduated with an MBA degree: career development, entrepreneurship, and reputation management.
Of special focus on the MBA Association’s website is the importance of maintaining a good reputation during an age of Facebook addiction and Google search results. Graduates learn how to control their image online in order to ensure that their resume is not subverted by their tagged photos, online commenting habits, or other online activities. And when the reputation is under control, the MBA Association gives its members everything they need to “brand themselves” and land jobs with the country’s largest and most successful private employers.
The Official Guide for GMAT Review (10th Edition)
Anyone who wishes to apply for admission to a Master’s of Business Administration program in the United States needs to have taken the GMAT entrance exam and have their scores submitted to each school where they send an application for admission. And every student who wants an acceptance letter in return for that application needs to score highly on their GMAT exam.
The tenth edition of this book contains wealth of information that will help students accomplish their goal of MBA admissions acceptance. it includes more than 1,400 sample GMAT test questions that cover both the verbal section of the test as well as the more difficult (and more feared) quantitative section of the exam. On top of its thousand-plus questions, the book includes extensive tutorials on the best way to take the test itself, including tips on how to answer questions, what order to answer them in, and the best way of handling a question for which the answer eludes the test-taker.
It includes sample written excerpts from essay questions in the verbal section and wraps up with an extensive list of test-taking tips that will hopefully guide students through the end of the test successfully. Its tenth edition is before the most comprehensive and the Official Guide for GMAT Review is an absolute must-have book for the MBA hopeful.
Most MBA hopefuls will probably already have a subscription to BusinessWeek magazine — and if they don’t, they certainly should. The magazine is useful for the latest developments in business around the globe, but it’s also noted for its yearly rankings of MBA schools, degrees, and concentrations.
It couples common-sense statistics and facts with the reviews of students already at the school. In addition, the magazine interviews notable professors in the nation’s largest and most prestigious business schools and helps shed light on what students can expect from their experience.
No prospective MBA student should be without a subscription to BusinessWeek. Not only will it aid in making the final determination of which schools to apply to — and which one to attend — but it will provide a wealth of knowledge and conversation topics to use during an admissions interview. Remember, administrators and admissions officers want to know that the people they select as part of their degree program are interested and motivated. Knowledge of current business events is one of the best ways to showcase that quality.