European Student asks about American system.

[jackmar]

Hey,

I'm from Holland and have been intrigued by the American school system.
It's alot different in Holland, there are no tests to do before being allowed to a top university. There are 3 "types" in high school; vmbo(dumb)/havo(normal)/vwo(smart). When you finish your high school at vwo level you are allowed in almost all (except maybe 1-2) universities. Most ppl who do vwo put no effort into getting to an university, simply because a C+ at vwo level gives you the same university possibilties as an A+ at vwo level, quiet motivating indeed...

We see university as something we complete after high school; you do it once (maybe twice if you find out this education isnt for you) , and then we go to work.
When I browse this forum and read between the lines, I have a feeling that alot of people who do the GMAT test and try to get into a top business school are already working, or finished(ing) their a university degree. Is this true?
Is it really that important for an USA citizen to get into a top tier business school (as in, will it open many doors that remained closed before) that people first work a few years, and then decide to go to school again?

Question 2 -> I've been thinking about going to the USA for a minor(3-6months period). Is there any sample GMAT test you can take? I've seen alot of material about how to study the GMAT test, but an actual test I've yet to see.

I didn't really knew where to post this, so I did it here!

Cheers

[DanaJ]

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.