Frequently Asked Questions
Work Experience
Is work experience required for admission?
Is work experience required if I am pursuing a joint degree?
Why is work experience important?
Applications
Can you tell me what my chances for admission are without filling out an application?
What are the transcript requirements?
Will you accept copies of transcripts?
Can I get an application fee waiver?
Can I apply with 15 years of education (a 3-year bachelor's)?
How do you translate my GPA if it isn't on a 4.0 scale?
Do you accept a certain number of students from each region or country?
When should I apply/when is the best time to apply to get financial aid?
How long after I apply will I receive your decision?
Why is your application deadline later than most?
My references haven't received anything to fill out—why not?
Can I transfer my credits from another MBA program over to Tippie?
GMAT
What's the minimum GMAT score to apply?
I didn't do that great on the GMAT; should I still apply?
How do I get a GMAT score report to you?
TOEFL/English Language Exam Requirements
What's the minimum score requirements for TOEFL and IELTS?
Am I required to take the TOEFL/IELTS?
How do I send my scores to Tippie?
Campus Visits
Can I apply for campus visit travel cost reimbursement?
I can't make it to campus for an interview. Is there an alternate way to interview?
Tuition & Financial Aid
What types of financial aid do you have available?
How many scholarships do you award each year?
What's the average financial aid package for an international student?
Is financial aid available for joint degree students?
How much is tuition for joint degree students?
I've been living out of Iowa since high school. Can I get resident tuition?
Career Services
How many students received offers last year, and what were their salaries?
How many offers last year were a result of MBA Career Services?
In which cities do most Tippie students find employment?
Curriculum
What are the concentrations I can choose from?
Do I need to choose a single concentration, or can I double-major?
Can I have courses waived if they overlap with my work experience/previous education?
Can I audit a course?
What courses do you offer in entrepreneurship?
Can I major in nonprofit management?
Work Experience
Is work experience required for admission to the program?
For domestic students: 2 years of post-undergrad work experience is recommended, but we review each case individually. Past "straight-through" admits have had at least 2 internships and a strong application in all other areas (GMAT, interview, leadership, GPA, etc.).
For international students: 2 years of post-undergrad work experience is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. Why the emphasis on work experience? First, without work experience, it would be difficult to relate/contribute to classroom discussions. Second, most MBA employers aren't willing to hire an MBA without work experience. Further, you'll need to be company-sponsored to work in the U.S., which makes the job search more challenging. Work experience puts you on par with other U.S. MBA students and makes you more competitive.
Is work experience required if I am interested in pursuing a joint degree?
Two years is recommended, but joint degree students get special consideration in this area, since joint students usually look for work in the area of their non-MBA degree. This eliminates the concern that they may not be able to find MBA-level work. We look to the other areas of the application (academics, GMAT, interview) to make up for the experience shortfall.
Why is work experience important?
First, much of the learning that takes place at Tippie is based on previous work experience. Without it, it would be difficult to contribute to team/classroom discussions. Second, most MBA employers are not interested in hiring someone without prior experience. For these reasons, it is in the your best interest to obtain experience before applying to the program.
Applications
Can you tell me what my chances for admission are without filling out an application?
Meeting the minimum criteria for admission makes you eligible to apply, but the only 100% accurate way to find out your chances for admission is to submit an application. The best way to determine this on your own is to review our class profile and compare your qualifications with admitted students. Note our average GMAT score and years of work experience in particular. Please also be aware that the admissions interview is a critical factor when considering someone for admission.
What are the transcript requirements?
See the Transcript page for details.
Will you accept a copy of my transcripts?
Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Admissions in a sealed envelope from the undergraduate institution. Copies typically aren't accepted. However, we realize it can be difficult for international students to get originals. If this applies to you, please contact the Office of Admissions; they'll make the determination on whether or not they will accept a specific transcript. They can be reached at intlmail@uiowa.edu or 319-335-1534.
Can I get an application fee waiver?
We award fee waivers to potential applicants who exceed our admission criteria and have a background/career goals aligned with our program's strengths. To be considered, send a resume, GMAT score, and a short statement of your post-MBA goals to tippiemba@uiowa.edu (use subject line "FTMBA Fee Waiver"). A member of the admissions team will review your credentials to determine eligibility and respond within a couple of days.
Can I apply with 15 years of education (3-year bachelor's degree)?
UI policy requires 16 years of education to be equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. Typically, a master's in addition to the 3-year bachelor's will satisfy the requirement. The Office of International Admissions makes the determination on what qualifies as an equivalent fourth year of study. Please contact them directly with the details of your education to find out whether or not it would be considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. They can be reached at intlmail@uiowa.edu or 319-335-1534.
How will you translate my GPA if it isn't on a 4.0 scale?
Visit our international applicants page for details on GPA translation.
Do you accept a certain number of students from each region or country?
We don't evaluate based on region, but we do look at international students in comparison to other international students, because we need to keep the number of international students at a certain level in each class. Check out our typical class profile.
When should I apply? When is the best time to apply in order to get financial aid?
Application deadlines can be found on the Admissions homepage. We begin reviewing applications in mid-December and review on a rolling basis (weekly) thereafter. An earlier application has better probability of receiving financial aid since the "pot" of aid is larger. For domestic students, applying anytime from August to April is fine. However, if you are an international student, April 15 is the final deadline, and we have had instances in the past where selections from certain countries were already complete or students could not obtain a visa in time for the start of classes.
How long after I apply will I receive your decision?
After turning in a complete application (view the application checklist), allow 2-3 weeks for processing by the Office of Admissions (at peak times, 3-4). After we receive it in the Tippie MBA office, it takes about one to two weeks for us to return a decision. After you submit the online application, you'll receive a login to ISIS, our internal system, where you can see which application materials have been received by the OA. The remainder of your application materials come to the Tippie MBA offices, and you will receive automated e-mails about any missing items. If you have not received a decision within 4 weeks of completing all pieces of your application, please let us know.
Why is your application deadline later than most?
Iowa universities are publicly funded and managed by the State Board of Regents, which believes strongly in student access to education. As a result, the application deadlines they provide throughout the University are typically later than many educational institutions.
My references haven't received anything to fill out. Why not?
The references you listed in your application will not receive the recommendation form automatically; you will need to send them a link to the form. They can also print/fill out a PDF recommendation form and mail it.
Can I transfer my credits from another MBA program over to Tippie?
We accept up to 9 semester hours of credit from AACSB-accredited institutions.
GMAT Questions
What is the minimum GMAT score to apply?
We do not require a minimum GMAT score, but in order to be seriously considered for the program, it will be necessary for you to obtain a score in the range of scores we typically admit (check out the class profile to see the range).
I didn't do that great on the GMAT; should I still apply?
The GMAT is a very important factor in the admissions decision, because it's usually an indicator of future performance in the classroom. That said, a strong application in all other areas, in particular your work background, can certainly make up for it.
How do I get a GMAT score report to you?
Start at MBA.com and follow the links to the GMAT section and GMAT Score Reporting. The University of Iowa GMAT institution code is 6681.
English Language Exam Requirements—TOEFL
What's the minimum score requirements for TOEFL and IELTS?
Visit our English Exam Requirements page for details.
Am I required to take the TOEFL?
The TOEFL is required for international students whose native language is something other than English. Visit our English Exam Requirements page for details.
How do I send my scores to Tippie?
Start at TOEFL.org or IELTS.org. The University of Iowa TOEFL institution code is 6681. The Internet-based test will have scores to us in 3 weeks, provided you list The University of Iowa as a recipient of your scores. The paper test takes 5 weeks to send scores to us.
Campus Visits
Can I apply for campus visit travel cost reimbursement?
We base reimbursement on whether or not your credentials exceed our average admission criteria including GMAT score, GPA, and quality/quantity of work experience (view the averages on our class profile). When you register for your campus visit, include your GMAT score if you have one. Please note that your admissibility and potential for being awarded financial aid is not related to travel reimbursement.
I can't make it to campus for an interview. Is there an alternative way to interview?
If you can't come to campus, we'll conduct your admissions interview over Skype. Skype/phone interviews are by invitation only; your application will go through a preliminary review before an interview is scheduled. If you do not have a webcam to interview via Skype, we can interview via phone. We prefer to use Skype, however, so if you are able to borrow a webcam, it is encouraged. The Skype software is free to download.
Tuition & Financial Aid
What types of financial aid do you have available?
Merit-based financial aid is offered to outstanding candidates. The criteria for these awards mirror those for admission. Those with the highest qualifications receive offers for merit-based aid. Both domestic and international applicants are eligible. All students are considered for financial aid at the time of admission. No separate application is required.
Aid awards can be a scholarship alone or a graduate assistantship plus scholarship. The average financial aid package for fall 2009's entering class was just over $16,750.
The average scholarship is approximately $5,000 per year. GAs provide a salary of about $8,000 annually, a contribution toward health insurance, and resident tuition status for non-Iowa residents.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for aid sponsored by the federal government by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is a first step in applying for state loans and some private funding sources.
International students may apply for the MBA Loans Tuition Loan Program if a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is available. The Global Student Loan Corporation also provides funding for international students.
How many scholarships do you award each year?
The number of packages varies, because scholarship funding changes from year to year. On average, about 60-65% of our students receive aid. About 30-40% of those receive aid that completely covers the cost of resident tuition.
What's the average financial aid package for an international student?
Typically, 25 to 50% of our international students receive financial aid. It's common for international students to receive a graduate assistantship, which allows them to pay resident tuition (view costs). The number of international students receiving aid depends on funding availability and the strength of all the applications we receive, domestic and international.
Is financial aid available for joint degree students?
For exemplary candidates with strong work experience, there is a possibility of receiving financial aid. Many joint degree candidates receive financial aid through their main program (J.D. or MHA, for example).
How much is tuition for the joint degree programs?
You would pay the higher of the two tuitions. For J.D./MBA, the J.D. tuition is higher. You'd pay 3 years of that tuition rate. For MHA/MBA, the MBA tuition is the higher of the two, and it would be 2.5 years of tuition.
I've been living out of state since high school. Can I get resident tuition?
If you graduated from an Iowa high school and have at least one parent living or buried in Iowa, you can be considered a resident after doing the following: obtain an Iowa driver's license, register to vote in Iowa, and obtain an Iowa vehicle registration. You'll need to fill out the residency change form after the above three items are completed and submit it to have your status changed.
Career Services
How many students received offers last year, and what were their salaries?
90% of the class of 2009 received offers 3 months out from graduation with an average salary of $77,019. 100% of the 1st-year class accepted internships and the average monthly intern salary was $4,220.
How many offers were a result of MBA Career Services?
58% were MBA Career Services facilitated leads; career services-facilitated means they were obtained through either on-campus recruiting; direct referral placements; national MBA career fairs, which take place during the fall semester; or connections to the Tippie alumni network.
In which cities do most Tippie students find employment?
Our students seek employment opportunities in many parts of the country. Of course, as a Midwestern program, our network is stronger and larger in the Midwest, with Chicago and Minneapolis as our largest two markets. In the past two years, grads have been employed in South Carolina, Seattle, Puerto Rico, Michigan, Hong Kong, and Europe, to name a few. See the full list of recruiting companies to learn more.
Curriculum
What are the concentrations I can choose from?
Check out our academics section for more information.
Do I need to a choose a single concentration, or can I double-major?
We encourage students to choose one primary concentration (and consequently, one career academy) given the need to have depth in a concentration area. However, regardless of the track you choose, you have significant flexibility in taking courses from other academies and tracks. The concentrations are not denoted on your diploma so you may market yourself with prerequisite skill sets in those areas in which you've taken classes.
Can I have courses waived if they overlap with my work experience/previous education?
We typically waive students out of core MBA course work if they've obtained a major in that area. For example, if you were an accounting undergrad, you would be waived from the core accounting course (provided you earned good grades in those undergrad courses). We look at your transcripts after you're admitted and before the start of classes to determine waivers. A waiver means you don't have to take that particular core course, but you would need to choose another course in its place to make up the credit hours.
Can I audit a course?
Unfortunately, we do not allow MBA nor non-MBA students to audit MBA core courses. Certainly, we would welcome your application to the MBA program for next year if your interest in the MBA continues.
What courses do you offer in entrepreneurship?
Our entrepreneurship curriculum is delivered through the College of Business' John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC). JPEC has several courses on business planning and also offers the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory in which students have an opportunity to build their business plan, be mentored by entrepreneurs, and develop their business prototype. In some cases, the students also have launched their own business through the school.
Can I major in nonprofit management?
We do not offer nonprofit management as a concentration. However, if you pursue an MBA at Tippie, you will gain the skills needed to work in a nonprofit arena.
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