Experts say, International online MBA applicants should showcase any experience they have working with practical teammates. The U.S. is the No. 1 place prospective students desire to earn an MBA.
From October 2012 from beginning to end September 2013, about 70 % of business school applicants said they preferred to study in the country convinced U.S. schools had the best global reputations, according to a 2104 survey By the Graduate Management Admission Council.
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For a lot of years, U.S. schools remained out of reach for international students tied to their home countries by families, jobs and the cost of moving abroad? Other than today, with many of the top U.S. business schools offering online programs, international students can complete a well-respected U.S.? MBA program from China, Canada or wherever they call home.
Getting accepted into one of the top online graduate business programs isn't as hard as one may expect. At the top 11 programs Ranked by U.S. News, for instance, an average of 71 percent of students was accepted in 2012-2013. Except that doesn't mean international students shouldn't put a lot of consideration and attempt into their applications. Students from outside the U.S. can highlight assured parts of their application to maximize their chance of acceptance, admissions officials say.
The online graduate business programs ranked highly by U.S. News typically have the similar criteria for their international applicants as their U.S. applicants- strong undergraduate academic record, high test scores on the GRE or GMAT, resume with solid work experience, compelling reference letters and a well-written thesis.
However international students have the added hurdle of demonstrating their mastery of English, which they will have to show by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL or other exam.
"Language barriers can sometimes be more pronounced in an online environment and in graduate level education, making a positive level of language proficiency important," says Kathy Harper, the director of marketing strategy for the University of Florida's Hough Graduate School of Business ranked No. 3.
At the online graduate business program at W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, ranked No. 2? By U.S. News, officials typically look for Internet? Based TOEFL scores of 100 or higher, says Ruthie Pyles, director of admissions and recruitment for the school. She says students must put equal focus on the verbal, written and listening portions? Of the exam, since all of these areas would be challenged in the online environment.
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In its place of a GMAT score they should also try to do well on verbal portion of the test, Harper says.
Pyles says, Students should demonstrate their English skills throughout their application, including in essays and resumes. One more good way to make an impression an admissions committee is to have someone mention a student's strong English skills in a reference letter, she says.
Anja Oertel, a student from Berlin, Germany who pursued an online MBA through University of Florida, recommends students take another step to ensure their written English come across well- "Have an English-native speaker read over everything," she says?
Find out MBA programs with the most international students.
International students should also use? Their essays or resumes to highlight any experience they have had working virtually with people from other cultures, admissions officials say.
"With the increase of international business and with these virtual workplaces becoming more and more common I think it would be absolutely be something an admissions committee would want to know more about," says Eric Spoonmore, associate director of enrollment management for Kelley Direct, Indiana University's online business school program ranked No. 1 by U.S. News.
As Indiana's program, where 25% of students are international, tries to simulate a diverse, online workplace, students would be intelligent to emphasize how their professional experience has prepared them for that environment, he says.
An additional way international students can productively showcase their assets during the application process is by focusing on any experience they have had with U.S. business culture, experts say.
"Anytime they can talk about their experience both internationally and here domestically, that will set them apart from other applicants," says Pyles with Arizona State University. "It does not provide an advantage but it is something to highlight. The reality they have exposure to a U.S.-based company culture is interesting for us to know. That might be something where we say, 'Oh, perhaps they haven't spent time here other than they understand the company culture.'"