Full-Time MBA Admissions — Frequently Asked Questions

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university (or international equivalent)
• Official GMAT or GRE scores (required standardized test)
• Test of English as a foreign language scores, required as an international applicant or if you completed your bachelor's degree in another country where English is not the primary language
• Recommended two years of work experience

The admissions committee will consider your past academic performance (official transcripts for any post-secondary coursework and GPA), standardized test scores, work experience and current resume, personal statement, and professional references. Candidates are admitted into the program based on academic credentials and general fit for the program.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Record Examination are standardized computer-adaptive test used by schools to help assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business or management. They measure basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills. The Carlson Full-Time MBA program requires every applicant to take either the GMAT or GRE, without exception. Candidates who wish to be considered for scholarship awards must submit GMAT scores; the GRE cannot be used as an alternate for scholarship awards.

Yes. If you take the GMAT or GRE more than once, the admissions committee will consider your highest score.

We require all materials, including test scores, to be submitted before we review an application. Prospective students should plan to take the GMAT or GRE on or before the application due date in order to meet the application deadline. We recommend taking the GMAT or GRE at least two to four weeks prior to the application date to ensure timely review of your application.

Admission interviews are by invitation only. Our admissions team will invite qualified candidates to interview at the Carlson School of Management. Not all applicants will be interviewed. Admissions interviews may include personal interview with a staff /faculty member, a class visit and time to speak with a student ambassador. Although we highly recommend coming to campus if you are chosen to interview, interviews may be conducted via Skype or phone.

We do not have minimum scores. GPA and GMAT or GRE scores are strong indicators of your academic potential and ability to perform in an extremely rigorous MBA program. Applications are reviewed as a whole and candidates are admitted into the program based on academic credentials and general fit for the program. Please look at our class profile of the students who have been admitted in the past.

The admissions committee strongly recommends that applicants to the Full-Time program have a minimum of two years of full-time work experience. On average, our incoming students have approximately four years of work experience and have demonstrated progression in their careers through promotions or by taking on increasing levels of responsibility.

You are not required to have an undergraduate degree, coursework or work experience in business. The Carlson School recruits and admits people from a broad range of academic and professional backgrounds. About one-third of our students come from a traditional business undergraduate or professional background with another third of our students with a background in technology or engineering and the last third with backgrounds in a wide variety of disciplines and functional areas (such as non-profit, education, visual and performing arts, etc.).

The admissions committee is comprised of the assistant and associate deans, director of admissions, and and associate directors of admissions. The dean of the Carlson School of Management may also participate in the review of applications on a case by case basis.

Domestic application deadlines

• November 1
• December 1
• February 1
• April 1

International application deadlines:

• November 1
• December 1
• February 1

Admission is only offered for the fall semester. Early application is highly recommended in order to ensure a timely review of your application and for competitive scholarship consideration.

First round deadline is November 1 with decisions mailed by January 15.

Second round deadline is December 1 with decisions mailed by February 15

Third round dealine is February 1 with decisions mailed by April 15

Fourth round deadline is April 1 with decisions mailed by May 15

A deferral can be requested for one year from the student's original term of acceptance. However, admission is not automatically guaranteed. The application is put back into the applicant pool for the term in which deferral has been requested and again reviewed on its merits with other applicants in that pool. Another application fee is required. Submission of updated materials is recommended.

Submitted application materials will be kept on file in our program office for no more than two years. To be reconsidered for a subsequent term, please send a written request to the program office with any updates to your application (i.e. new GMAT scores, updated resume, additional essays, etc.) to be re-reviewed for admission.

Applications cannot be reviewed for multiple MBA programs simultaneously. Please submit a written request to the program office to withdraw your application from the Full-Time MBA program and have it transferred to be considered for an alternative MBA program, You will not need to complete new application materials nor submit a new application fee if transferring within the same academic year.

The Full-Time MBA program is structured and based on a cohort format with an integrated core curriculum for the first semester. As such, transfer students are not admitted into the Full-Time MBA program.

The best way to learn more about the Carlson Full-Time MBA program is to attend an information session where you can meet our admissions staff, hear the experiences of current students, see the Carlson building, and get answers to your questions. Held on Thursdays and Saturdays each month, information sessions provide a strong overview of the curriculum, services, and application process.