Business, Management & Administration
Read our MBA
guide to learn how to prepare and apply to business school.
Explore the Profession
Discover whether this profession matches your interests, skills and abilities and meets your lifestyle expectations:
- Follow MBA.com’s 5 Steps to a Graduate Business Degree
- Read about the Types of MBA Programs and a Business School Overview of the curriculum
- Consider Arts, Educational, Healthcare, and Public Administration
- Stay current on issues by reading the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, and other business publications
- Research our Career and Salary Information page
- Learn about licensure to become a CPA in California
- Visit our library to read the following:
MBA Programs (Peterson's)
The Princeton Review Best 290 Business Schools
Secrets to Getting Into Business School
VAULT Business School Buzz Book
Business School Essays that Made a Difference
Get Experience & Prepare
Confirm your interest in business, prepare academically and develop the necessary skills and experience:
- Explore your field of interest through relevant classes, majors & minors at UCSD including Accounting and Business minors and Economics and Management Science majors
- Take any classes that specific schools might require, including economics, math, accounting or finance
- Gain experience through Internships, Jobs, or other Experiential Learning opportunities
- Join a business-related Student Organization or Professional Association
- Develop communication and leadership skills through Express to Success
Apply to Schools
Most graduate school applications occur in the late fall/early winter of the academic year before you want to start. You will need to identify programs that match your interests and complete an application. Some steps take time so plan ahead!
- Schools & Programs – Use the links below to identify programs with a curriculum, faculty, facilities and services which match your needs. Consider your likelihood of admission and cost.
- GradSchools.com and Petersons.com - search by degree level, field and location (US or Int’l)
- Search by Specialty:
- Search for International Programs: Australia/New Zealand UK/Ireland
- Attend our Graduate School Fair to learn about programs from school representatives
- Consider attending other recruitment events like Inside the MBA, MBA Tour and Top MBA
- Check our our Rankings page for general or field-specific rankings of programs
- GradSchools.com
- Workshops – Watch our Calendar for preparation and application how-to sessions
- Applications – Carefully prepare and submit
- Online applications to individual schools before the deadline
- The HAMPCAS application service for participating Health Administration schools
- Tests - Reqirements vary. Check with your program for which to take:
- GMAT – Prepare for and take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
- GRE – Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for schools which require it instead of the GMAT
- GMAT – Prepare
- Letters of Recommendation – Get to Know Writers and Collect Letters
- Application Essay – Write your Personal Statement and get a Critique
- Resume – Write your Resume and have it reviewed by a Career Advisor
- Interviews – Get prepared for Interviews if offered
- Financial Aid & Fellowships – Learn how to Pay For School
For additional help with your professional & graduate school preparation and application come into the Career Services Center or contact your Professional & Graduate School Advisors.