If you are seeking to boost your academic profile before you apply to business school—either because of a low GPA, low test score, nontraditional background, or other potentially limiting factor—you should consider taking one or more supplemental courses. These courses are a great way to prove your academic abilities and demonstrate how serious you are about earning your MBA. In our experience, taking two to three classes is ideal, but even completing just one can be helpful.
You have many options from which to choose, and we recommend pinpointing courses that best address the gaps in your background and fit your career goals. Did you get a D in “Statistics” in college? Retake “Statistics” (and this time, get an A)! Are you hoping to transition from consulting to investment banking after you graduate? Take a finance course (and be sure to get an A)! Did we mention that getting an A in these courses is important? Aside from statistics and finance, we also recommend other quantitative-based subjects, including accounting, economics, calculus (or other advanced math). Depending on your needs, you might also consider a course in Excel, financial modeling, or business writing/communications.
Our past clients at mbaMission have had success with taking supplemental courses through such programs as HBX CORe, UCLA Extension, UC Berkeley Extension, and MBA Math.
Finally, aim to complete your supplemental courses before you need to submit your application, so you can provide the additional transcripts at the same time.