Tippie MBA Admissions Criteria - A Standard of Excellence

“Tippie gave me confidence to boldly engage and take risks. The course work required me not only to know management theory and anlysis, but also to demonstrate this knowledge through rigourous case study and real-time work with local businesses. Graduating from Tippie, I was able to hit the ground running in my new position because I was taught not only what a business leader is, but how to be one.”

Cara Wick
Senior Financial Analyst, Intel Corporation
Tippie MBA 2006

Tippie MBAs come from different backgrounds and diverse experiences, but they share a common commitment to excellence. When reviewing applications, we look for candidates who have demonstrated success in rigorous academic programs, and who possess the potential for success in a professional environment. The criteria outlined below are all important in our application process, and we hope they'll give you a glimpse into our decision-making.

Academic Background

In addition to final results or cumulative grade point average (GPA), we consider the difficulty of the major completed and the reputation of the institution. We do not require a specific minimum GPA. For your reference, however, the average GPA of last year's entering MBA class was 3.37 on a 4.0 scale.

We do not attempt to translate results from institutions that do not use a 4.0 scale into a 4.0 scale "equivalent." Rather, we consider the results within the context of the institution and the country's educational system.

The University policy requires completion of 16 years of education to be considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Outstanding candidates with extraordinary achievement in other dimensions including quality and length of work experience may apply for an exception to this policy.

Standardized Tests

GMAT: All candidates must submit a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score. Information on this test is available at www.mba.com. We do not require a specific minimum score. For your reference, the average GMAT score of last year's entering MBA class was 653 out of 800 and the middle 80% range was 580-710.

English Proficiency Requirements: Results from either the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) must be provided by candidates for whom English is not their native language. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 250 (computer test), 600 (paper test), or 100 (internet-based test). Information on the TOEFL is available at www.toefl.org. The minimum acceptable IELTS score is a total score of 7.0, with no sub-score less than 6.0. All IELTS test-takers will be required to take the on-campus English Proficiency Evaluation.

Automatic waivers of the English proficiency requirement are granted to persons who have received a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a university in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding French Quebec), Africa (English speaking), Australia, or New Zealand. Waivers of this requirement are also available for candidates who have completed their education in English and who achieve a verbal GMAT score at the 80th percentile or higher.

Work Experience

A minimum of two years of full-time work experience after completion of the bachelor's degree is strongly recommended. Successful applicants typically have three to five years of work experience.

Leadership

Evidence of leadership ability is important in demonstrating the candidate's potential for contributing to the learning environment. Ideal candidates have clear records of leadership in school, work, and their communities.

Admission Interview

An interview is required before an admission offer is made. An admission interview is included in your campus visit. For those who are not able to visit Iowa City, an alternate format (usually a telephone interview) is arranged. Interviews are also available with Tippie representatives who may be traveling to your city. Campus visits may be scheduled at any time regardless of where you are in the application process. Candidates not participating in a campus visit are invited to participate in an interview only after a preliminary review of the application is completed.

Please contact Jodi Schafer if you have any questions.