Apply to the Penn State Smeal M-BAN

Thank you for your interest in the Penn State Smeal M-BAN Program! All components including the online application, video application response, and letters of recommendation must be received by the applicable deadline to be considered for admission. As part of the online application, you will be asked to pay the fee of $65. Once your application has been submitted to the Graduate School, the only accurate way to check the status of your application and whether or not your materials have been received is to contact us at mban@smeal.psu.edu.

Additional Applicant Resources

• International Applicant Requirements

Part 1: Online Application

Use the Penn State Graduate School Application portal to access the application. You can return to this portal anytime during the process.

Desired Program

You will be asked to select the desired program within the online application. Your selections for the full-time residential Penn State Smeal M-BAN Program should be:

• Campus: UNIVERSITY PARK
• Major: Business Analytics
• Degree: Master of Business Analytics (MBAN)
• Semester: Fall 2023

Essay Question

What are your short-term and long-term career goals? Please be as specific as possible, including industry and function. How does your past experience enable you to achieve these goals? How do you see your M-BAN experience fitting into this plan?

• Format: Upload your essay to the application in .pdf or .rtf format.
• Length: Limit your essay to 600 words.
• Academic Integrity: Follow academic integrity guidelines regarding plagiarism – "using someone else's words or ideas without properly giving credit." Plagiarism includes use of material from sample essays and any website. To ensure academic integrity, all essays will be confirmed through iThenticate authenticity software. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a deny decision.

Resume

Submit a current version of your resume including any work experience and secondary education until the date of application.

Transcripts

The Penn State Graduate School application will ask you to upload copies of official transcripts/records from all institutions attended. All transcripts and academic records uploaded to the application are considered “unofficial.” Official/original transcripts are required for any degree or diploma earned. If you are recommended for admission to a graduate degree program, you will be notified with detailed instructions on how to submit the official/original documents. Note that if you attended Penn State for your undergraduate, you will not need to submit transcripts as the Graduate School can obtain these from your student record.

Part 2: Video Application Response

You will be asked to respond to a series of interview questions using a webcam. For each question, you will have limited time to consider your response and a set amount of time to respond as the system records. The system allows for unlimited practice sessions but once you start the formal video interview process, you will only have one chance to respond to each question. Your application will not be considered complete or evaluated by the committee until you have completed this part of the process, which is separate from the Penn State Graduate School application.

• Technical Requirements: Visit the video application website to get started. You will need an internet-connected computer with a functioning webcam and microphone.
• Time Required: 15 to 20 minutes to respond to all the questions. You can register within the system beforehand and complete your interview later at your convenience.

Part 3: Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required, at least one of which must come from an academic faculty member or advisor. The Penn State Graduate School application will ask for the email addresses of your recommenders and send out automated requests to fill out their recommendation using our standard form.