European Student asks about American system.

Interesting questions! I would have a few questions myself for a Dutch student, because I applied and was admitted to the Masters in International Finance at UvA!

So here's how it goes: in the US, most people go for college whenever they can. I know people who were in their late 30's and going for a college degree simply because it was too expensive for them to do that immediately after high school and they couldn't afford it. But I also know a lot of current students who went to college right after high school, with the support of their parents (it is advised to set up a college account for your kid the moment he/she is born and transfer a given amount every month or so) or by working their way through college (doing flexible work such as being a waitress or bartender or the likes).

But remember: the above apply to college or undergrad degrees! This forum relates mainly to graduate studies, specifically Masters degrees. Of course, some business schools also offer undergraduate programs, but that's another thing altogether. Fact is, when you say business school, most people think of an MBA (masters in business administration), which is a graduate program that you go to after finishing your undergrad. Passing a few tests (in your case, the GMAT AND the TOEFL, because you're a non-native speaker - like myself!) is absolutely necessary when going to business school, but it is by no means sufficient. Admissions in graduate programs (and to some extent undergrad programs as well) means filing in a pretty hefty file with: undergrad GPA, recommendations, essays, test scores, extra curricular activities and WORK EXPERIENCE. The reason why WE is needed for an MBA is twofold:
- recruitment process is easier for people who already have something to show to a head hunter
- you need the WE to be able to contribute to class, since most MBA programs rely heavily on the case study method, i.e. you use your knowledge of the real business world to solve a given case

WE is essential when applying for an MBA and I myself opted to put off going for an MBA this year because of my lack of WE.

With regards to tests: yes, you will be required to present scores when you apply, but that's valid for both undergrad and graduate. Where you studied in high school does matter for undergraduate admissions, but that does not exempt you from taking the tests!

For a great predictor of your score, go to mba.com and search for free preparation software. The GMATprep has two tests that you can take.