Tips for Getting into the Howard University MBA Degree Program
Howard University is located in Washington, D.C. Its School of Business has an MBA degree program for experienced business executives. The program has a large number of educational and work-related requirements for admissions eligibility. Students seeking a future career in business should be familiar with all the requirements so they will be eligible when the time comes to apply for the MBA program at Howard.
Undergraduate Studies:
Most MBA programs do not require specific courses at the undergraduate level. However, Howard University requires a course in either calculus or applied calculus. Those who are still in college should be aware of this requirement and plan on taking at least one calculus course before graduation.
Work Experience:
An MBA is different than most disciplines. Students can usually complete a four-year degree and then go directly to a graduate course or even law or medical school. But those seeking an MBA are usually picked only after graduating from college and then getting business work experience. Getting accepted into the Howard MBA degree program requires two years of experience after obtaining a bachelor's degree.
GMAT:
A GMAT score is required. In the Washington, D.C. area, Howard is one of the least competitive MBA programs. According to a BusinessWeek report for 2002, the average GMAT score was 510. This is only the 37th percentile if we are going by numbers reported by TestMasters (the percentile ranks do change to some degree year to year). Thus, while the Howard MBA is clearly a beneficial degree to obtain, it may not be the top choice for high-level students with good GMAT scores and GPA averages.
GPA:
The Howard website does not make it clear what the GPA standards are for admission. While it would certainly be advisable to have a GPA of at least 3.0, even more prestigious schools like Georgetown accept some students below that level.
Other Requirements:
What is probably more important at Howard than the GPA is to have a good employment record and at least 3 quality letters of recommendation. A personal statement is also required. Refer to the "Admission to HUMBA" page in the Resources below for further information about qualifying for enrollment into the Howard MBA program.
Resources:
Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Howard University School of Business
TestMasters: The GMAT Scoring Scale