Graduate studies

Beyond your BCom

First, determine why you want to go to grad school. Maybe you’re interested in practicing law, or getting an MBA to help you climb the corporate ladder. Maybe you’d like to do academic research or specialize in a specific business discipline. Whatever's your reason, to choose the right program and school you need to think about your ultimate goal.

Applying to grad school

Grad school applications have many parts. They typically require a transcript, a standardized test score, letters of recommendation, and a personal admissions essay.

You’ve probably heard of standardized tests before: these are the GMAT, GRE, or LSAT. They’re a way to compare students from different universities with different grading standards. Whatever test you plan to take, be sure to familiarize yourself with the test format, and investigate research library resources and online forums for study tips. Take the standardized test early to avoid missing your application deadline.

While standardized tests provide a numerical score, letters of recommendation and admissions essays reveal the real person. That’s why good references from your professors and/or employers are important. If you’re serious about pursuing grad studies, remember to start building relationships early and maintain them.

MBA programs

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) can help advance your career and open the door to new opportunities. You’ll typically need an undergraduate degree and several years of work experience before doing an MBA.

Prospective graduate business school students take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), which measures their verbal, quantitative and analytical skills. There are a number of test sessions each year. Some business schools also accept the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test.

• Learn more about the GMAT
• See the latest MBA program rankings

Specialized masters

Most specialized business masters programs are fairly new, but are growing more popular. There are specialized master’s degrees in a variety of fields, such as human resources, finance, operations management, data analytics, and marketing. Prospective students will also need to take the GMAT.

• Learn more about specialized business masters programs
• See how a specialized masters compares to an MBA

Law schools

A law degree may also be a possibility in your future. There’s no “best” pre-law undergraduate degree, but know that you’ll need to do well in courses involving synthesizing information, writing, and analytical reasoning.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test administered 4 times each year, assessing prospective law students on their reading, writing, and logical reasoning abilities. Visit the LSAC website for the LSAT registration to learn more.

• Decide if law school is right for you
• Learn more about LSAT preparation
• See global rankings of law schools