How to apply after MBA

Outline

1.Get Ready 2.Set 3.Go !!

• Introduction • Fields • Post Apply

• TOEFL/ IELTS • Targeting • Interview
• GMAT / GRE • Ranking • Final Decision
• Thesis/Paper • Teaching VS • Miscellaneous
• Couples Research
• Universities
• Main Requirements
• Expenses &
Miscellaneous
Introduction

• The applying procedure is really complicated with

many unknown pitfalls.
• There are tons of variables and the decision
parameters are vague and unclear.
• It will take more than a year of your life, So you
better know what to do.
• It is really costly, so you better know how to do things
How to apply in a nutshell

• You become determined that you want to apply.

• You take some standard exams such as TOEFL/IELTS
and GMAT/GRE.
• You decide which universities to apply.
• You gather all the requirements such as SOP,
Recommendation letters, Resume and Transcript.
• You complete online forms.
• Hopefully you will be interviewed and get selected.
• You apply for a visa by your I-20 form.
• You buy your tickets online from cheapoair.com 
Be Determined
A successful apply requires full attention,
complete dedication and all of one’s resources.
Common Requirements

 Transcripts
 2-3 Letters of Recommendation
 Resume
 Statement of Purposes
 TOEFL or IELTS exam (Proof of English fluency)
 GMAT or GRE exam
 Online application form
 Application Fee ($0-$250)
 Writing Samples( UBC, Oregon University)
 To find each university’s requirements or
basically any information about the applying
procedure just look for keyworlds such as
“prospective students”, “future students”, “phd
program -> admissions” etc in its website.
Feilds!
Fields
 Each university offers several specialties for PhD studies.
 You can also find it in the “Future Students” section.
 While some universities just offer DBA, there are universities, such
as temple university, with a vast varied number of majors.
 Most universities offer, Accounting, Finance, Operations Research,
Operations Management, Marketing, Information Systems,
Organization Behavior, Strategy and Entrepreneurship.
Fields

 Finance: More salary, more competitive.

 Operation: Good news! Lots of Iranian Professors.
IE students are at better chances! Consider GRE!
 Marketing: Do not you dare thinking about CB.
 MIS: Two different branches. Both good!
 OB: Sadly, you must work really hard! (Farnaz)
 Strategy: No information 
 Public policy: Not recommended unless you get
admission from top three.
 First Step :
TOEFL / IELTS
TOEFL Exam
 Reading: 3 Passage, 42 total question – 60
minutes (long: 4 Passages, 80m)
 Listening: 2 Sets, each set consists of 3 parts– 60
minutes (long: 3 sets, 90m)
 Speaking: 6 tasks – 20 minutes
 Writing: One integrated, One Independent Topic –
50 minutes

 https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/about/content
IELTS

 Speaking: An interview with an examiner – 11 – 14

minutes
 Listening: Four section 40 questions – 30 minutes
 Reading: Three passages 40 questions – 60
minutes
 Writing: Two tasks – 60 minutes

 https://www.ielts.org/about-the-test/test-
format
TOEFL
IELTS
Why TOEFL
 TOEFL is more prevalent. You can compare yourself
with others.
 More resources is available for TOEFL. TPO is a rich
content for practicing.
 TOEFL does not need as much dictation as IELTS.
 TOEFL is less risky since we already know that most
students take it.
Why IELTS

 Usually it is easier to surpass the IELTS minimum

requirements.
 It is more prevalent in European countries, Canada
and Australia.
 Its speaking section is much easier for people who
cannot talk spontaneously.
 You can always find an available spot for IELTS
exam.
 You may take IELTS if you do not want your score
to be compared to others.
 IT IS ALL YOU!

There are several good classes which help you master skills
you need for your exam. However, in the end, all they do is
providing an environment where you can practice to enhance
your skills.
How to practice – Reading
 Just read a lot!
 You can read New York Times, Bloomberg, Forbes,
Atlantic, New Yorker, etc. to enhance your reading skills.
 Reading is a very important skill in GMAT/GRE too.
 Expand your vocabulary. (for GRE consider etymology)
 Using Anki, I managed to learn more than 3000 useful
words in 4 month just using my commuting time.
 There is an Anki library with all TPO new words! That is
unbelievably helpful!
How to practice – Listening

 Watch TV shows, movies in English language.

Without subtitles is much better!
 Also there are some good podcasts you can listen
too. ESL podcasts at “eslpod.com” are wonderful. It
podcasts are enjoying as well as informative.
How to practice – Speaking

 Free discussion classes with 3-5 people is highly

recommended.
 Practice in your mind while your are commuting.
 Having some prepared sentences and topics is
helpful.
 You may use notefull.com to get a moderate score.
 There are two files in the provided files with many
IELTS and TOEFL speaking topics and hints to
answer them.
 Consider participating in a speaking class
How to practice – Writing

 You must have a master template which by the

passage of time you have customized it. Although
templates should be original and personal not just
the same as others.
 You must have as much structure as possible in
your passage.
 Writing more words is more likely to lead to higher
score.
 There are some templates and useful phrases in
the provided files.
All in one! TPO

 Thanks to Chinese people, we have a series of more than 48

simulated TOEFL test called TPO.
 These tests are highly similar to TOEFL.
 That is the best material for practicing TOEFL.
 You can find the installation file in the provided files.
TOEFL exam date!

 Be as slow as possible in the instruction part.

 Take all of your time in the listening part.
 This way, in your speaking part there would be no disruption.
 And in your writing part, you won’t feel that you are not in
time!
Second Step :
GMAT / GRE
GMAT exam

 Analytical Writing: One task - 30 minutes

 Integrated Reasoning: 12 Questions – 30 minutes
 Quantitative: 37 Questions – Data Sufficiency and
Problem solving – 75 minutes
 Verbal: 41 Questions – Reading Comprehension,
Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction – 75
minutes
GRE exam

 Analytical Writing -Two tasks 60 minutes

 One "Analyze an Issue" task
 One "Analyze an Argument" task

 Verbal Reasoning -Two sections 60 minutes

 20 questions per section-30 minutes per section

 Quantitative Reasoning -Two sections 70 minutes

 20 questions per section-35 minutes per section

 Unscored or Research Section* (varies)

 You do not know which section is unscored
 GRE Vs. GMAT exam
GRE has been changed into a more CAT system lately! More B-
schools are going to accept GRE!
 You can have your GMAT in a quite standard condition outside
Iran.
 GMAT’s verbal section is easier than GRE which leads to less
competitive advantage for natives.
 GMAT’s quantitative section is harder than GRE which means
more competitive advantage for students with mathematics
background i.e. you.
 GRE exam can be attended in Iran.
 You can apply with GRE to other programs such as engineering
as well.
GMAT Centers

✘Ankara Noisy! Not that much welcoming!

✘Yerevan only two stations! Welcoming! Dirty
toilet! Tax!
✘Dubai (New Horizon)  cold in summer :D! five
stations! Small room! Classy! I am still in love with
them <3
✘Dubai (society of engineers) more flexible,
available dates, less crowded at the end of Dubai
(Deira) medium room, small cubicles!
✘Istanbul
Study for GMAT

 Basically you have to study for a while.

 Do tests while you are studying!!!
 Do standard exams for at least 3 weeks beforehand.
 There are many study plans based on your current skills, your
dedication (hour per day) and the number of month to the
exam at gmatclub.com.
 Study for GMAT
• The Official Guide for GMAT Review (OG)
• Do not touch the tests before mastering concepts from Manhattan or e-gmat
• The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
• E-gmat.com verbal online course
• E-gmat playlist on YouTube
• Manhattan - GMAT Strategy Guide (Guide 6-9)
• Powerscore (Bible) for Critical Reasoning
• Mba.com 2 free exams and 4 to buy
• Gmatclub
Gmatclub

✘Free CATs
✘Math Quiz
✘Math Article
✘Questions directory  OG! And any type of
directories you can imagine
✘Questions with timer, progress report, score
estimation, and expert’s opinion
✘Do not solve questions other than OG!
How to use materials

 You need to study for Quant for a good score of 51-

50. Study OG and review questions types.
 Use OG and OG verbal for the testing phase. You
should solve as much test as possible.
 You can buy 6 Manhattan simulated exams for
$49. In addition, you can resell it to another person
after using it.
 GMAT Tips 1
 Getting high score in GMAT is all about methods and
techniques, stress management, personal attitude, chance
and many many many more behavioral and situational
factors!!!!!!!!
 Time management in verbal section is really critical. It is
the weakness of most international test takers.
 The penalty of not finishing the exam is high.
 Reading forums and articles on time management in
GMAT is highly recommended.
 Some readings are overwhelmingly hard  pass :D
 Critical reasoning questions are getting harder.
GMAT is an adaptive exam!

 The difficulty of each questions is determined via

your answer of all the past questions.
 You cannot left the answer to any question black.
 You may have more wrong answers, but score
better than your friend.
 If you feel that the questions are getting difficult,
be happy!!
 First questions are more important!
GMAT Tips 2

 You should not lose easy questions.

 You should not have three wrong answers in a row!
 Sometimes it is better to let hard questions go! No
question worth more than two minutes of your
precious time in verbal section.
 In my exam, I answered three questions quickly
when I was short on time and I was sure that my
answer the previous question was correct.
 Read forums for more tips on hacking adaptive
format of GMAT.
GRE Material
✘ETS Material (all of them)
✘Big Book!
✘Magoosh material & 1000 Vocab (almost all – you
can buy a course and follow the procedure step by
step)
✘Manhattan Material
✘Vocab (1100 – Essential GRE 800– Verbal Advantage
– Word Smart – Word Power Made Easy – Vocabulary
for high school and College-bound students)
✘5 Lb manhattan – For quant
Study for GMAT/GRE
 Basically you have to study for a while
 6 months for the best achievable score, 2 months normal
score in GRE.
 Do tests while you are studying. (kaomanfen.com for GRE)
 Do standard exams for at least 3 weeks beforehand.
 Read a lot. Memorizing only a bunch of vocabs does no
outstanding effect. Consider practicing etymology for the
best score.
 Read and Read and Read
The ability to read carefully and swiftly in highly critical. Not
only does it become handy in the TOEFL exam, but also it let
you save your valuable time in the GMAT/GRE exam. A person
with higher reading ability scores significantly better.

**Read RC books for more tips on reading techniques.**

Apply advices for Couples
Apply advices for couples

 The admission procedure for the committee is

complicated full of unknown variables.
 Thus, getting admission from same city is really
hard.
 However, there are things you can do about it.
Apply advices for couples

You can increase your chance of getting admission

from universities not far away by applying to cities
that have more universities.
 There are good universities in Texas, Boston, New
York, California etc.
 You may use a shared google map to check if you
are applying close enough.
 Use queries like “Universities near XXX” in google
map.
Apply advices for couples

You do not need to break up if you urge to study

abroad and did not get admission from two close
universities.
 You can reapply after the first year.
 The better way is to travel with your spouse with
F2 visa, get a voluntary RA position at destination
and apply next year.
 Apparently, your chance of getting admission from
the an university while you are working there
voluntarily is unbelievably higher.
So one of you have to compromise,
but he/she may get admission from
a way better university next year.
Age Issues

 You can find age related statistics in the class profile parts.
 The average age of admitted PhD student is 27-28.
 MBA students in Iran usually apply after two to three years of
their graduation. There are many successful cases of such
students.
TARGETING
Your Competitive advantage
is knowing how to do math.
STICK TO IT
Teaching Vs. Research Universities

✘For example Temple is a teaching university you

will be a teacher
✘Most of PhD programs make you a researcher
✘Research positions as a professor have better
salaries
Research
✘ Analytical: modeling problems  you model some thing
using mathematical equations and then possibly solve it!
All mathematical courses and Game Theory are important

✘ Emprical: Statistically analyze data you have data and fit

a statistical model to your data
✘ Courses such as probability, statistics and econometrics
are important
✘ Experimental: you design experiments
✘ Behavioral
✘ Schools do not offer all of these in all the programs
Useful for targeting

✘Be as diverse as possible

✘Choose universities across the world
✘Trump case!
✘Small cities are different than those small cities in
Iran
Useful for targeting

Class Profile
Look for it in the university’s website. It may contain:
 Acceptance rate
 Average GMAT/GRE score
 Average TOEFL exam
 Average age
 Percent of student with master degree
 Bachelor major
 Other demographic data
Useful for targeting

Job Placement
 Also find it in the university’s website. In a list of
former student and where they end up after
graduation.
 It gives you a clue on what you will likely to
become if you pursue your studies there.
 Do not compare yourself to the best one in list, the
job market is highly complicated full of random
variables.
Useful for targeting

Faculty Directory
 Number of faculty members and their research
interest. Look for mutual interest.
 You can look for Iranian professors. They know
what Sharif university, Tehran university , …
means.
 Email Iranian Professors and students: I was able
to have an interview here in Iran :D
Useful for targeting
Current student Directory
 You can look for students resume and estimate
your acceptance rate (Look out for students that
were in US beforehand).
 You may contact Iranian students are ask for
internal information.
 Last year GeorgiaTech was interested in middle
eastern students and one of its PhD students had
dropped out.
 Schools with Iranian student are more likely to get
more, since it is less risky for them.
Useful for targeting

Ranking
Ranking would give you an ordinal indicator on how
well a business school is. The following websites
release ranking.
 US news ranking (only for US schools)
 UTDallas PhD ranking (Jindal)
 Topuniversities ranking (Global)
 Bloomberg (Only for business schools)
 Forbes (Only for business schools)
 Financial Times
Now that you have some measures
to estimate your acceptance rate, it
is time to make a Portfolio.
Portfolio-Why

 The decision procedure consists of many unknown factors. The

committee even do not know them. It is just feelings.
 You may get admission from a school but get rejected from schools
with worse rank.
 You may get overqualified because business schools admit few
students each year, so they won’t risk admitting an overqualified
student.
Portfolio-how

 Ranking of universities will give you an ordinal

estimation.
 Class profile would give you where you may get
admitted for an interview.
 Give more weight to your GMAT/GRE score in your
calculations.
 Do not let students who were in US beforehand
make you overconfident.
 Throw some long-shots and conservative options
in your portfolio.
Our Experience
Ebrahim - CV

Resume
 GMAT: Total = 740 / IR = 8 / AW = 4
 TOEFL: Total = 110 / R & L = 30 / S = 23 / W = 27
 Bachelor in IT - GPA : 3.02 ( 15.8)
 Master of Business Admin. - GPA : 4 (18.2)
 Two published article
 Silver medal in INOI
 Two years programming experience in my startup
 Three years research experience in Social
Neuroscience
Ebrahim - Portfolio
Rank
Program Concentration Result
(US-News)
3 The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania OID Rejected
11 Stern School of Business, New York University IS (9) Rejected
18 Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina Marketing Rejected
23 Foster School of Business, University of Washington Marketing Accepted
27 University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management IS (3) Rejected
30 Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology IS (7) Accepted
41 The Fox School of Business, Temple University Interdisciplinary Rejected
41 Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland Marketing Rejected
43 Questrom School of Business, Boston University IS Not completed
--- desautels faculty of Management, McGill University IS Interview
Omid - CV

Resume
 GMAT: Total = 770 / IR = 7 / AW = 5
 TOEFL: Total = 106 / R 30 / L 29 / S 20 / W 27
 BSc Elec Eng - GPA : Below 3 (Below 15)
 MBA - GPA : 4 (19.34)
Omid - Portfolio
Result University Rank
Rejected Harvard Business School 2
Rejected University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 3
Rejected Northwestern University (Kellogg) 6
Rejected Columbia University 8
Interviewed University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross) 11
Rejected New York University (Stern) 11
Rejected University of California–​Los Angeles (Anderson) 15
Interviewed University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler) 18
Interviewed Indiana University - Bloomington (Kelley) 21
Interviewed University of Minnesota–​Twin Cities (Carlson) 27
Admitted University of Texas - Dallas 33
Rejected University of Rochester (Simon) 37
Rejected University of Connecticut 48
Rejected University of Pittsburgh (Katz) 48
Interviewed George Washington University 58
Rejected University of Massachusetts - Amherst (Isenberg) 74
Mahsa - CV

Resume
 GMAT: Total = 660 (28) /660(30)/670(29) :D
 GRE : Q – 168 / V – 155 / W – 3.5
 TOEFL: Total = 107 / R =28/L=29/ S = 24 / W = 26
 Bachelor in IE - GPA : 3.58 ( 16.89)
 Master of Business Admin. - GPA : 4 (18.7)
 Two working papers
 MIS and BI work Experience
 Mahsa - Portfolio
University of Pittsburgh (The Joseph M.
6 Coloumbia university Rejected 45 Interviewed
Katz Graduate School of Business)
University of Toronto (Joseph L. Boston University (Questrom School of
7 Accepted 47 Accepted
Rotman School of Management) Business)
University of North Carolina at Chapel University of California at Irvine (Paul
9 Interviewed 48 Accepted
Hill (Kenan-Flagler Business School) Merage School of Business)

University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Interviewed- University of California at San Diego

11 62 Rejected
Jindal School of Management) rejected (Rady School of Management)
No PhDs this
Duke University (The Fuqua School of Drexel University (Bennett S. LeBow
17 Rejected 74 year – app
Business) College of Business)
fee 0$
Pennsylvania State University at
Accepted University of Oregon (Charles H. Accepted
18 University Park (Smeal College of 79
(SC &IS) Lundquist College of Business)
Business)
University of British Columbia (Sauder Rejected
26 Rejected 86 Amherst
School of Business)
University of California at Los Angeles University of Illinois at Chicago (College Interviewed
27 Rejected 98
(Anderson School of Management) of Business Administration)
Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper
28 Rejected 101 Calgary Accepted -IS
School of Business)
Accepted –
Texas A&M University at College Accepted
33 102 Queens No
Station (Mays Business School) (Marketing)
interview
Ata - CV

Resume
 GMAT: Total = 760 / IR = 4 / AW = 4
 TOEFL: Total = 105 / R & L = 30 / S = 18 / W = 27
 Bachelor in EE - GPA : 3.54 ( 16.89)
 Master of Business Admin. - GPA : 3.94 (18.01)
 TA experience
 Accepted in first round of Nationwide Physics,
Mathematics, and Computer Olympiads
 No published article
 No Work experience
Ata - Portfolio
Rank
Program Concentration Result
(US-News)
37 Naveen Jindal School, University of Texas Dallas Marketing Accepted
23 Mays School of Business, Texas A&M University Marketing Interviewed
Alireza - CV

Resume
 GMAT: Total = 710 / IR = 8 / AW = 4
 TOEFL: Total = 111 / R & L = 30 / S = 23 / W = 28
 Bachelor in IT - GPA : 2.9 ( 14.91)
 Master of Business Admin. - GPA : 17.78
 Almost a year experience in research in the field of
finance
 Worked with: SAS, Stata
Alireza - Portfolio
Program Result
Georgia State Rejected
McGill Rejected
Virginia Tech Rejected
Mannheim Rejected
Huston Rejected
Dallas Rejected
University of Calgary Accepted
Mc Master University Rejected
ESSEC France Accepted
Interview-
York University
rejected
Setareh - CV

Resume
 TOEFL: Total = 109 / R =28, L = 29, S = 24, W = 28
 Bachelor in IE - GPA : 3.68 ( 16.8)
 Master of Business Admin. - GPA : 4 (17.9)
 BS Thesis : Developing a CLV model
 MS Thesis : Dynamic Pricing for ride-sharing
applications
 Bronze medal in INOI
 Internship: working in a Advertising company
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Resume
• Statement of Purposes
• Recommendation Letters
• Transcript
• Others
 Resume
A brief written account of personal, educational,
and professional qualifications and experience, as
that prepared by an applicant for a position.
 Recommendations
✘ A recommendation is useful when is from a Prof. who can assess your
research capabilities.
✘ You do not need to write a paper with a Prof. but that is certainly a plus
✘ Consider at least talking some research topics with them
✘ Please check with Prof. your universities (Ex.)
✘ Some Prof. let you write your own recommendation (great!)
✘ The chances are small but having recommendation from renowned
Prof. is a plus
✘ Wow!! Be aware of the recommendation deadline! Consider back-up!
 Be careful about the research interest part!
It may show that you are not sure about your interests.
You may take a look at faculty directory and modify this part a little.
If you do not have publication, do not get disappointed. Apparently it is not that
important. However, you should have some Awards and Honors.
Apparently working experience is not that important either. Do not put much
emphasis on it.
You may add sections like Course Projects or References to your resume
Resume length

 I personally think a two pages resume is good enough.

 A long resume is not necessary a strong one.
 However, I have seen people with weak resume who got
admission by preparing a seven pages detailed resume.
 In the end, it is a judgement call.
Statement of Purposes (Essay)

Universities ask you to write an essay containing

 Your background and qualification.
 Your research experience and interests.
 How you become interested in that area of specialization.
 Why you chose that university.
 What is your plans for your future.
 Why you want to pursue a PhD (or a Master)
 It is beneficial to name at least one of that university’s
faculty members which you know well enough and name
their research interests in your sop (they will be in your
interview panel, though)
Statement of Purposes

 People usually start from their final years of high school and
write their life events in chronological order.
 In the final paragraphs, they write about their interests and
their plans for the future.
 Finally, they describe how attending that university let them
achieve to their goals and about the universities qualifications
such as prominent faculties and strong research labs.
Statement of Purposes Tips 1

 However, it is good not to be like other people.

 You want them to know that you are unique.
 Think about your SOP carefully. Try to have a
unique theme in your essay.
 I myself decided to give a risk taking person theme
to my essay.
Statement of Purposes Tips 2

 You do not need to be modest.

 Do not try to show yourself next Einstein either.
 Do not write too much. Most universities have
length limitations. My SOP is a little more than two
pages.
 You should explain your gaps in your essay.
 Have your friends read your essay and point out
awkward structures.
 Finally, you must see the essay as an opportunity
not a burden.
SOP challenges

 Restrictions on how many words (characters, pages) you may

use in your SOP.
 Asking to write several essays answering several questions.
 Asking to explicitly answer listed questions in your essay.
 Overcoming Challenges
Just send an Email to the admission assistant
officer and tell her that you have written an essay,
but you afraid separating (putting restriction on) it
would cause lose of coherency.
In my experience, they usually do not mind 
Recommendation Letters
Recommendation Letters

 Universities ask you to put 2-3 persons as your

references.
 It is recommended that your references be
academic. However, you may have your none
academic fellows as your recommender.
 Your recommender is supposed to testify your
qualifications and your skills as a student and a
researcher.
 A recommendation letter is like a
signal of your quality for your
university. A signal that is not credible
does not have much value.
Recommendation Letter Tips 1

 If you get a chance to write your own letter, do not

exaggerate your abilities. The admission
committee reviews hundreds of applications each
year. They can tell which recommendation letter is
genuine.
 It is recommended to ask professors who knows
you more and can talk about you.
 A recommendation letter solely on your good
performance at a class has no value.
Recommendation Letter Tips 2

 Ask professors who are punctual and not extremely busy. He

may submit your letter late and make the procedure stressful
for you.
 However, do not get anxious, recommendation letters
deadline is much after the application submission deadline.
Transcript

 Fortunately, universities do not need hard copies

of your transcripts.
 Just scan your transcripts and upload them in
your application form.
 You need to provide an original copy of your
transcripts if you get admission.
GPA

 Apparently, GPA does not matter as long as it

surpass 3.0 since it is not a comparable measure.
 If your GPA is high, indicate it by percentage or
class rank in your resume and SOP.
 If your GPA is lower than 3.0 contact the university
to enquire how much restricted they are.
 They may use your master studies GPA.
Other Documents

 Some universities need other essays on topics that

you usually do not cover in your SOP.
 Some universities require that you submit a short
video of yourself.
 Some universities need hard copies of your
transcript.
 In any case, do not hesitate to contact the admission
assistant. Sometimes these requirements are not
that important.
Expenses and Saving
Monetary Expenses
These are expenses for a normal student who apply for
12 programs and gets admission
 TOEFL: $210+$19*8
 GMAT: $250+ $50 + $25*7+1M IRR for trip expenses
 Application Fee: 12*$75
 I-20 Shipment: 160$
 SEVIS Fee: $200
 US Embassy interview: $160(*2 if you are couple) +
1M for trip expenses
 Degree verification release (9M IRR for master
degree + varied amount for the Bachelor)
 15M deposit for the Military Service
Pay USD expenses

1. Using payment services of SharifVisa like companies

2. Get gift cards
3. Get rechargeable visa cards like Travel EZ from Dubai
4. Send money to your friend in US
5. Other card types that I do not about
USD Payment Companies

 In my experience SharifVisa.ir is the most reliable

and quick USD Payment company.
 They usually add 7% fee for their services.
 They can pay all of your USD payments.
Gift cards

 I have not used them.

 Their additional fees and expenses is approximately 6-7 percent.
 Do not risk using them from Iran.
 VPN and Proxy do not prevent them from detecting you.
Travel EZ visa cards

 You can buy two premium cards for $90.

 They get approximately 3 percent for recharging your card.
 The card is delivered to you in Dubai.
 You can share card’s expenses with 6-7 people.
 It is more economical than previous options if you share your
expenses.
Use your friend’s debit card

 You can send money to your trusted friend or

family in US.
 The transfer fees for transferring 4K is $40 (1%).
 The dollar rate for transferable dollar is 1.5%
higher.
 This method is more economical than all the
alternatives.
 You can even ask one of your friends who is going
to US to transfer your money at no cost. 
How to use cards from Iran
✘ VPN
✘ VPS
✘ Proxy Servers

 Ask your friend in US

 Use TeamViewer
TeamViewer Software

 Asking your friend to pay all your expenses does

not feel good.
 Good News! You just need his computer to do your
stuff through it.
 It can be done using TeamViewer.
 He just have to turn on his computer and you can
pay all your expenses through his computer.
 This software is FREE!!
Saving on Flight

 You can buy charter flight tickets with as much

discount as 50%.
 We used roshanygasht.ir and got our tickets with
20% discount.
 In addition, you can book a flight seat for your trip
to Turkey from Turkish airline at a lower cost.
Save on accommodation using
AirBnB
Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace
for people to list, discover, and book unique
accommodations around the world.
Whether an apartment for a night, a castle
for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb
connects people to unique travel
experiences, at any price point.
AirBnB

 You can get a bed at a hustle for just $15.

 You can reserve fairly good one bedroom apartment
for just $40 at Istanbul.
 It is way lower than any hotel.
 Its only disadvantage is that you have to prepare
your own break fast.
 I can send you an invitation to join AirBnB.
 You will get $20 off for your first booking at AirBnB
by joining via invitation.
Read reviews of the apartment and
its host before booking on AirBnB
Post Apply activities
Post Submission
After submitting your application, rest a little while and get
ready for the interview.
 Universities select a shortlist based on applicants’
resumes (Mostly GMAT/GRE scores) and interview
them.
 After interviews they rank the shortlist and start
offering admission.
 The interview is as important as the rest of your
admission procedure all combined.
 Interviews can be over the phone, Skype, with one
person, a panel or all the faculty in a conference room
Interview Tips 1
 Universities interview their shortlist usually at least
twice.
 At least one of the interviews are about your
research interests and your experiences.
 It is hard, but you should talk smoothly and with
confidence.
 Make a list of possible questions and practice with
them.
Interview Tips 2
 You may have a hard interview with conditional
questions. Questions like “Talk about a moment
when you use an innovative idea to resolve a
problem”. They will ask follow up questions as well.
 At the end of interview they ask whether you have
any question or not. After a long discussion you are
exhausted, but HAVE to ask some questions.
 Do not ask questions that is available in university’s
website.
 There is a question list in the provided documents 
Schedule an interview session

• After accepting an offer, you are given a document called I-20.

• You do not need even an admission to get a Visa interview.
• You are just required to provide your DS160 barcode.
• You can start a DS160 form without any SEVIS number.
• Time slots fills quickly, you better reserve your interview before
receiving your I-20.
Final Decision
Final Decision

Hopefully you will get admission from several

universities and you got to choose between them.
Consider the following before accepting an offer
 Job Placement
 Cost of living (www.expatistan.com)
 Weather
 Demographic Data (www.moving.com)
If you are undecided between your
options and you cannot compare
two options, use AHP method 
 A simple plan

Mid Mid Fall –

Mid Fall Late Fall
Summer Late Fall

Prepare Application Post

Take TOEFL Take GMAT
Other Requi. Submission Submission
Useful websites

 Applyabroad is rich forum to answer all of your

questions. You may find helpful Visa and
departure related information there.
 TheGradCafe is a forum for graduate education. It
is well-known for its result search section where
you can find what is the decision status of each
school.
 Craigslist is useful for finding housing expenses in
each city.
Useful websites

 AirBnB let you save a lot of money on

accommodation.
 GmatClub is a rich forum to answer your GMAT
related questions.
 YesWare is an Email tracking chrome extension
that let you track your Emails.
 Ginger is a great grammar checker.
 Use google search with double quotation to check
if a phrase is correct or not.
 Grammarly!
Final words
 These slides contains most of the information I
acquired during my applying procedure.
 Covering all the information would probably need
another half a day.
 Iranian applicants are less than 5% of all the
applicants. By helping each other, you can be the
top 5%. That is what Chinese do!
 I hope this event repeats each year with far more
information by successful applicants.
 This way, we help not only each other, but also the
less fortunate people.
Thank you for your attention and your
contribution to this charity event.
Together we raised over
37/000/000IRR.
I wish you all a successful apply!