Application Packet
Table of Contents Page 1...Letter from the Director Page 2-3...Application Checklist Page 4-5...Admission Criteria Page 6...Financial Aid Page 7...GMAT Waiver Requirements Page 8...Petition for GMAT Waiver Form Page 9-10...Recommendation Form
Hello! Letter from the Director Your journey begins now. It s exciting to think about getting an MBA degree and what that might mean for your life. Colorado State University s program is one of the oldest and most reputable in the country, and we re glad you want to earn your advanced degree with us. Our faculty, staff, and advisors are here to help you every step of the way. This Application Packet includes information and forms that will help guide your steps as you apply. A detailed checklist will keep you on track while you collect and prepare necessary documents. If you have any questions along the way, please contact Admissions Counselor Matt Leland at (970) 491-1917 or matt.leland@colostate.edu. There s One Degree between you and infinite opportunity. Congratulations on the start of a life-changing journey. Best regards, John Weiss Director MBA Programs College of Business Colorado State University Rockwell Hall - West Fort Collins, CO 80523-1270 (970) 491-2146 1-800-491-4622 X3 Page 1
Application Checklist Step One: Complete your online application Graduate School Application Form and $50 Application Fee Complete the Colorado State University Graduate School Application Form online at https://wsnet.colostate.edu/apply/login.aspx. Select Business Administration MBA - Online Professional as the Intended Major. Also, select fall or spring semester for Term of Entry. Pay your $50 application fee with a major credit card on completion of your online application. Step Two: Request your transcripts Transcripts Submit one official transcript from each institution you have attended. These may be sent directly to the College of Business or issued to you in a sealed envelope and then sent to Colorado State University, College of Business, Graduate Admissions, 1201 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1201. Do not open the envelope in which they arrive before submission. We will accept an official transcript via email directly from the institution; however, we cannot accept faxes. Step Three: Request three professional recommendations Recommendations Three professional recommendations must be sent directly to the College of Business from the person providing the recommendation. The recommendation form can be found at the back of this packet. You must send the form or the link to the person providing the recommendation. Completed recommendations are accepted electronically and should be sent to gradadmissions@business.colostate.edu or via fax at (970) 491-3481. Step Four: Submit your materials electronically Send the following documents to: gradadmissions@business.colostate.edu Statement of Purpose A letter stating your purpose for pursuing a graduate degree and the value you feel you bring to the program. Résumé A current résumé showing the month and year you started and the month and year that you left each professional position you have held. Page 2
Step Four: continued Petition for GMAT waiver You may qualify for a GMAT waiver. Waivers are issued to individuals with eight years of professional experience and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. Our recruiting specialists can review your resume and unofficial transcripts to determine your qualification for the waiver. OR Submit test scores Request GMAT/GRE scores to be sent directly to the university. Scores must be sent from Pearson VUE (GMAT) or Educational Testing Service (GRE) to Colorado State University. The school code is 4075. To make your request, visit www.mba.com/mba or www.gre.org. Test scores must be no more than five years old. Applicant data sheet Once you have your CSU ID you may go online and fill out this form. It requires a CSU ID so you may need to wait a day or two after you have submitted your web application to complete this section. Once you have your CSU ID visit http://biz.colostate.edu/onlinemba/apply/pages/applicantdatasheet.aspx. Did you know? We offer reduced tuition for military personnel and veterans. We also offer reduced tuition through several corporate partnerships. Is your employer one of them? Email Matt Leland at Matt.Leland@business.colostate.edu for more information. Tuition Reduction Program (Military/Veteran, State, or Federal Employees) Military personnel and veterans: Submit a copy of your military ID, separation papers, or a copy of recent orders to qualify for the Military Tuition Reduction Program. Federal and State (other than Colorado) employees: Submit a copy of a recent pay stub clearly showing the organization with which you are employed to be eligible for the Tuition Reduction Program. Be sure to mark out the Social Security Number on all documents. Do you have additional questions? Application materials do not need to be submitted together. Is your undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0? You can submit a letter of explanation to our office with your application materials. Contact Mikaela Hanson, graduate admissions coordinator, at (970) 491-3704 or email gradadmissions@business.colostate.edu if you have additional questions about the application process. Page 3
1. An undergraduate degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 Scale The College of Business requires applicants to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher or equivalent in accredited undergraduate or graduate studies. If an applicant s cumulative grade point average is below 3.0 in undergraduate or graduate studies, a separate letter must be included with the application packet. If your GPA is under 3.0: Please include a separate letter in your application packet. This letter, addressed to the Graduate Admissions Committee, should be approximately a page in length and explain the circumstances that contributed to earning a cumulative GPA below the requisite 3.0. 2. Four years, or more, of professional work experience Applicants with all types of professional experience and undergraduate backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 3. Satisfactory GMAT/GRE scores Scores in the quantitative sections are especially significant. If an applicant takes the GMAT/GRE more than once, only the top score is taken into consideration. Test scores older than five years are not accepted. GMAT/GRE Waiver: Admission Criteria You may petition for a GMAT/GRE waiver if you have: At least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in accredited undergraduate work (3.0 GPA in the last 60 credits is acceptable) AND At least eight years of full-time professional work experience that shows a progression in responsibility Completed a graduate degree. OR Page 4
3. Satisfactory GMAT/GRE scores continued To petition for a waiver: Complete the GMAT/GRE Waiver Form, sign it, and submit it with your application packet. Ensure that one of your three reference letters is from an individual who can attest to the content and accuracy of your resume (a current manager or supervisor is usually most relevant). This individual must answer the GMAT Waiver Petition Reference question on the College of Business Recommendation Form. 4. Satisfactory TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores are required for international applicants; a score of 565/227/86 or higher is required. The IELTS (International English Testing System) is also accepted at Colorado State University; a score of 6.5 or better is required. Test scores older than two years are not accepted. An applicant is exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if the official language of his or her country is English, if the applicant has recently earned a degree from a United States university, or if the applicant has been working professionally in the U.S. for more than four years. International applicants are evaluated on the same admission criteria as other applicants. For information about taking the TOEFL, visit www.toefl.org. For information about taking the IELTS, visit www.ielts.org. Page 5
Financial Aid When it comes to setting academic goals, understanding your financial options is invaluable. If you re ready to apply for financial aid, follow these easy steps: Applying for Financial Aid 1. Go to https://fafsa.ed.gov/ to fill out an online application. 2. Use the Data Retrieval Tool to enter your financial information at https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/irshlp9.htm 3. You will receive an email with your Student Aid Report from FAFSA. For more information visit: https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/cotwfaq07.htm 4. Shortly after your receive your SAR, CSU s Student Financial Services will receive your information from the U.S. Department of Education. SFS may select you for verification and ask you to submit additional documentation to our office, or they may simply offer you awards. 5. Watch for an email from SFServ@colostate.edu Use CSU School FAFSA Code: 001350 For questions regarding financial aid contact: Eileen.griego@colostate.edu (970) 491-0973 Page 6
GMAT Waiver Requirements Individuals who meet the specific requirements outlined below may petition for a GMAT or GRE waiver. Waivers are not guaranteed and must be approved by the Graduate Program Admissions Committee. Minimum requirements for a GMAT or GRE waiver consideration: 1. At least eight years of full time professional experience that shows increased responsibility over the scope of your career OR military officer OR Senior NCO OR CPA; and 2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (combined GPA calculated from all colleges attended) or higher OR an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter hours OR an advanced degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. To petition for a waiver: 1. Complete the GMAT/GRE Waiver form, sign it, and submit it with your application packet. For waiver form visit: http://biz.colostate.edu/onlinemba/pages/gmatwaiver.aspx. 2. Ensure that one of your three reference letters is from an individual who can attest to the content and accuracy of your resume (a current manager or supervisor is usually most relevant). This individual must answer the GMAT Waiver Petition Reference question on the College of Business Recommendation Form. If you are unsure whether you meet the requirements of the petition, you may email our recruiters the following items with an explanation that you are seeking the waiver. Your counselor can indicate to you whether you should proceed with the GMAT/GRE waiver request: 1. A copy of your unofficial college transcripts 2. A copy of your current resume For additional information or questions please contact one of our recruiters: Matt.Leland@business.colostate.edu or Sandy.Dahlberg@business.colostate.edu. Page 7
Colorado State University Professional MBA Petition for GMAT Waiver Individuals who have met specific requirements as outlined below may petition for a GMAT or GRE waiver as part of their application process. Waivers are not guaranteed and must be approved by the Graduate Program Admissions Committee. Minimum requirements for a GMAT or GRE waiver consideration: 1. An advanced degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (e.g., masters or higher), OR 2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher or an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter hours, AND 3. At least eight years of full-time professional experience that shows increased responsibility over the scope of your career. Name: CSUID: (if known) Address: City: State/Country: Postal Code: Email Address: Work Phone: Home Phone: Qualifications for GMAT waiver consideration (please check one): OR I possess an advanced degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (e.g., masters or higher) Degree earned: Masters Doctorate (e.g., PhD, DBA) Professional (e.g., MD, JD) Other: Institution attended: Graduate GPA: Year graduated: I have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher or I have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter hours AND have eight or more years of full-time professional experience that shows increased responsibility over the term represented. University attended: Undergraduate GPA: Year graduated: Current title: Years of full-time professional work experience: Provide a recent copy of your resume with sufficient detail of each position for us to determine your career progression. Please answer the following two questions completely. A separate sheet may be necessary. 1. Describe accomplishments within your career that are indicators of your ability to do well in graduate study. 2. What personal or professional attributes would provide the Graduate Admissions Committee insight into your ability to succeed in a graduate program? Signature: Date: Page 8
Colorado State University Professional MBA Recommendation Form TO THE APPLICANT Complete the section below and provide your reference with a self-addressed envelope. (Last Name) (First Name) (Initial) Program applying for: Master of Accountancy Online MBA MSBA in Financial Risk Management On-campus MBA Distance Master of CIS Early Career MBA On-campus Master of CIS Master of Management Practice Recommendations may be faxed, emailed or sent using the mail system. Recommendations should be sent to the locations shown in the upper left corner of this form. WAIVER: Under the federal law entitled the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, students are given the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation. While we shall consider all letters of recommendation carefully, we believe that in many instances letters written in confidence are, in the long run, of greater utility in the assessment of a student's qualifications, abilities, and promise. We invite you, therefore, but do not require you, to sign the following waiver. I expressly waive any rights I might have to access of this letter of recommendation under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, or any other law, regulation or policy. Applicant s Signature: Date: / / TO THE RECOMMENDER The person whose name appears above is applying for admission to the Colorado State University College of Business and has requested that your evaluation be included as part of the information on which we will base our admission decision. We would appreciate your candid evaluation of the applicant, and we thank you for your time and effort. Our admission procedure request that the applicant gather all documents including three recommendations and submit these materials with the application. After completing this form, please enclose it in the envelope given to you by the applicant. Seal the envelope, sign across the seal, and return to the applicant for submission or you may mail it directly to the address above. In responding to the following questions regarding the applicant s qualifications, please use additional paper if necessary. Supporting documentation may be attached. Name of individual completing this form: Position/Title: Organization/Institution: Address: City: State or Country: Zip Code: Telephone: ( ) Page 9
Recommendation form continued How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant? What are the applicant s major strengths? What are the applicant s most noticeable weaknesses or areas for improvement/growth? Provide any additional comments you may wish to make concerning the applicant s aptitude for advanced study or his/her potential for becoming a successful manager and leader, if appropriate. GMAT Waiver Petition Reference: If this candidate is petitioning for a waiver to the GMAT, one individual completing a recommendation form must be able to verify that the resume presented for consideration by the College of Business is a true and accurate representation of their career progression. Are you an individual who can attest to the accuracy of the resume presented by this candidate to the College of Business? Yes No Comments: Please compare the applicant with others you have known during your professional career and mark the appropriate box for each category listed. Please rate the applicant on the qualities listed below in comparison to (check one): Others applying to graduate business school who you have known. Others in your organization who have exhibited managerial promise. Inadequate opportunity to observe Below avg Botttom 33% Average Middle 33% Good Top 33% Very good Top 20% Outstanding Top 10% Exceptional Top 2% Intellectual Ability Maturity Motivation Leadership Writing Skills Creativity Self-Confidence Personal Integrity kfdjability to work well with others Signature: Page 10 Date: / / Last updated 10/7/15