You want an MBA degree from a reputed foreign university. You're certainly not alone.

But how should you move forward? What tests do you need to take?

And what's all this about work experience? Do you really need to work two whole years before applying?

Here's what overseas education counsellor Karan Gupta who chatted with Get Ahead readers had to say: 'You will need at least two years of work experience and a good GMAT score.'

For those of you who missed the chat, here's part one of the transcript:

Pankaj Bajaj asked, I am doing MBA from IGNOU, i.e. Indira Gandhi [Images] National Open University, in HR. Will it help me

Karan Gupta answers,  IGNOU is a recognised university and, if you wish to study abroad, your degree will be recognised. Always evaluate your career goals before pursuing any course.

rep asked, Hi karan!!I am planning to do my MBA from NUS singapore.How good is the university from placement point of view?I have a work experience of 2 years.What do u think abt SP jain singapore,Dubai?Need ur suggestions.Thanks in advance.

Karan Gupta answers, Personally I prefer NUS to SP Jain Dubai. I think NUS has better job placements than SP Jain. You will need the GMAT for admissions though.

alok asked, Hikaran this is Alok having work exp of 9 yrs, I would like to do MBA, I am HR professional what would you suggest for me from where I should do the MBA, and what will be the cost?

Karan Gupta answers, You have a good amount of work experience and I recommend that you pursue your MBA from a reputed business school in the US. You will need the GMAT and the TOEFL for admissions.

m hussain asked, iam BE Mechanical engineer ,currenlty working as design engineer , having 3 years of expierence ,i would like to do MBA in Marketing or operation mangment, which will be the best for me

Karan Gupta answers, You need to evaluate your career goals and see what suits your career better. In general, Operations Management has a better scope than Marketing.

Shekar asked, Hello Mr.Karan. I hold a B.E degree in Mechanical Engg. where I was the Univ Gold Medalist and won 4 other awards in my undergraduate course (GP 3.76/4). I have 2 yrs of experience with a Global MNC as an IT Consulting Professional with international work assignments - good performance. I have a GMAT score of 710. I aspire to apply for NUS/NTU MBA or MSc Fin. Engg. courses in Singapore or INSEAD Asia Campus. Is my GMAT/experience low? Should I apply for 2008 or wait and apply later maybe after improving my credentials?

Karan Gupta answers, Universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on. You have a good profile, with a great GMAT score and two years of work experience. And hence, I would recommend that you apply for Fall 2008. If you are willing to wait, your chances of admission will increase in Aug 2009.

Mitali asked, Hi Karan I think your website doesn't work and e-mails to kgc@karangupta.com doesn't give any replies. I'd like to know about Singapore - NUS/SMU for their MBAs and hw is Singapore as a place to study and work? Racism a problem?

Karan Gupta answers, Please resend your email kgc@karangupta.com to contact us. The web site is being revamped currently. NUS is a good school with good job prospects. Racism is generally not a problem. You will need at least two years of work experience and a GMAT score for admission.

prabhat asked, hi i am a mechanical engineer working in software field with around 2 years Exp thinking of doing MBA but not able to decide the field i have 3 fields in mind (IT,Finance and Marketing) can you suggest which one is better

Karan Gupta answers, Again, you need to carefully evaluate your career goals before making this decision. Finance and IT are excellent sectors to be in and getting jobs after pursuing your MBA in these fields should be no problem at all.

Priya asked, Other than INSEAD and LSB(London [Images] School of Business) which are the other top colleges which provides a 1 year worthwhile management prgrm

Karan Gupta answers, IE Business School is next in line which offers a one year MBA. See http://www.ie.edu for more information.

Priya asked, If I ask you to rate between ISB and INSEAD and suggest, which one would you suggest, considering the fact that ISB has a collabaration with Carneige-Melon?Which one would give me more monetary end profit after the successful completion of my mngmt.

Karan Gupta answers, I would recommend INSEAD because they have better placements and are better known than ISB.

shvetank asked, hi karan..hw ru doin....i m BE Mech Engg...having worked in projest and Opeartions for 3 years...i want pursue career in supply chain...cn u pls suggest me good schools offering MBA in supply chain...having one year cirruculum.. tc...regards

Karan Gupta answers, Lancaster University and Cranfield University offer an M Sc in Supply Chain Management. If you want an MBA with a specialisation in Supply Chain, consider MIT in the US.

ajay asked, hi, i am working in a leading software company since 2 years now. i am plannin to go for an MBA. please provide me with the pointers on doing MBA in india and abroad? also can i take up CAT and GMAT this year? is it too late to enroll and start preparing for CAT as well as GMAT? if u suggest GMAT then what is the deadline by which i have to take it up?

Karan Gupta answers, Consider applying to universities one year prior to your proposed year of study. If you are considering Fall 2008, take the GMAT by November this year and then send out your applications by December. Remember, the TOEFL will also be needed for admissions.

hi asked, i m software professional having 3 yrs of exp. Please let me know about the best course which can put me at some height

Karan Gupta answers, Always evaluate your career goals before pursuing any course. Universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on. Your three years of work experience will make you eligible to apply for an MBA.

rgawade asked, IF Iam Commerce graduate & having exprince in Admistration & marketing then which programm I have to choose for MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, When you pursue an MBA you will have a chance to specialise in a particular field such as Marketing, Finance, Accounting and so on.

ankit asked, hi i am completing my graduation. i also take part atively in my family business. i want to pursue mba so that it wuld help me in my business. Which university and which stream i should choose.

Karan Gupta answers, Consider Babson College in the US. This college is known for its entrepreneurship programme. You can opt for an MBA at Babson College.

ipr asked, Hi karan I am a software engineer with 2 years experience.I am interested in doing my MBA from NUS singapore.How do u rate this university from placement point of view?Is two years of experience sufficient to apply for universities abroad?Need your suggestions.Thanks in advance.

Karan Gupta answers, NUS is a good school with good job prospects. Racism is generally not a problem. You will need at least two years of work experience and a GMAT score for admission.

Hari asked, Hi Karan, I have 5+yrs exp, software engg, MBA. Have 700 score in GMAT. Will these be sufficient to obtain an MBA from top universities?

Karan Gupta answers, You are eligible to apply to top universities. However, universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on.

A asked, Hi Karan, I have done BCom(P) 50 %, Msc (Computer Science) 74.3 % both via corrospondence and GNIIT [Get Quote] (85%) course from NIIT. My total work experience is 7.5+ years. I have worked with Reliance [Get Quote] and currently working with software company in Pune as Project Manager. I am planning to write GMAT what are my chances of securing a good university in US ? Will passing my education via corrospondence will affect ? Thanks for your reply

Karan Gupta answers, Universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on. A good GMAT score is needed for admission to the top universities. Also, your correspondence education will be accepted by almost all universities.

vivek asked, hi, i am presently working in an IT firm for the past 1 yr.. i have joined there as a fresher.i plan to go for mba abroad. which unversities can i opt for with 1 yr experience

Karan Gupta answers, With just one year work experience you will not qualify for admissions to any of the top universities. I would recommend that you wait for at least one more year before applying overseas.

geetha asked, I am a software engineer having 3 years of work exp . Is MBA in MIS is good for my career ? In this programme which university is the best ?

Karan Gupta answers, Always evaluate your career goals before pursuing any course. If you feel that MIS will help your career, then go ahead with the course. You can look at Carnegie Mellon University in the US.

Nitin asked, Hello sir, I am wanting an MBA from a top-notch UK university. Where is the best place to begin this process? Do I need a special visa?

Karan Gupta answers, Look at www.report-ed.com for a list of the top univeristies in the UK. You will need the GMAT and TOEFL for admissions. And yes, you will need a student visa when you begin your studies.

anbu asked, i am anbu currently doing my M.Sc. biotechnology. is there any oppertunity to do mba with respect to biotechnology

Karan Gupta answers, John Hopkins University offers a course in business and biotechnology. So if this course interests you, consider pursuing both streams at one time.

priya chauhan asked, Hi karan, i m working in event management company and want to do MBA from distant learning. can u suggest me which university would be better for this???

Karan Gupta answers, You can opt for Imperial College in the UK or IE Business School in Madrid for your distance learning programme.

shubh asked, Which one is good degree MBA or PGDBM or PGDM

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA has more recognition than any of the other degrees you have mentioned.

Priyanka asked, Hi Sir, I want to do MBA in finance. Doing the same here in India or Abroad is good.Kidly suggest

Karan Gupta answers, Always evaluate your career goals before pursuing any course. If you study abroad you may have better job prospects and will have strong international exposure with good networking.

govind asked, Hi Sir, I am govind, I want to know if there is any specialized MBA program in IPR(patent) management or Technology transfer?

Karan Gupta answers, Most universities offer an MBA with many specialisations. Therefore, you can consider pursuing an MBA with a concentration in Technology.

onlineMBA asked, Hello. I'm currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing management from University of G�vle, Sweden. The program is of 2 years duration (plus 6 months for thesis), internet based and I'm really happy with the course structure and the assignments. I will have around 8 years of work ex as software professional by the time I will complete this degree. (My previous degree is a Bachelor in Engg from one of the NIT, and I've worked with top MNC's in India and abroad). But I want to know, will it be useful for me in finding new job with marketing profile, once I start looking for work in India? Will this degree be recognised at par with, say a regular MBA degree in India or abroad, by recruiting organisations? Are companies in India willing to take people with online MBA degree for middle level management?

Karan Gupta answers, Unfortunately Indian employers most likely will not be able to recognise your degree. You will have to work hard to convince Indian employers that your degree is recognised and that you will be able to add value to their company.

mahesh asked, hi, i am working in a leading software company since one year now. i am plannin to go for an MBA. please provide me with the pointers on doing MBA in india and abroad? also can i take up CAT and GMAT this year? is it too late to enroll and start preparing for CAT as well as GMAT? if u suggest GMAT then what is the deadline by which i have to take it up?

Karan Gupta answers, Consider applying to universities one year prior to your proposed year of study. If you are considering fall 2008, take the GMAT by November this year and then send out your applications by December of this year. Remember, the TOEFL will also be needed for admissions.