We keep hearing how people are going back to school these days to wait out the recession. If that includes you, and it's an MBA you're after, check out what Cal State Bakersfield wants to do for you:

GMAT mobile testing bus stops at CSUB; test prep course available

For those interested in pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree, California State University, Bakersfield will host the mobile Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) bus on March 3 and 4. During the stop, the four-hour GMAT examination will be administered to students.

“Admission to virtually any accredited MBA program requires completion of the GMAT,” said Ron Pimentel, director of CSUB’s MBA program. “The test is not usually offered locally, so this is a great opportunity for anyone thinking about entering the MBA program.”

The GMAT bus stop at CSUB marks the beginning of the spring 2009 tour and is the first local stop since October 2007. In all, the bus will stop at 17 universities in 12 states.

“GMAT scores are good for five years. Students who think they might want to start the MBA program within that time should plan to take the exam when the bus visits CSUB,” Pimentel said. “Otherwise, they will have to travel to testing locations outside of Bakersfield, such as Santa Maria, Fresno or Los Angeles. There are no immediate plans to test again locally in the near future.”

A $250 fee is required to take the exam and students must register at least 24 hours in advance. For more information and registration log onto www.mba.com <http://www.mba.com> .

In addition to providing a location for the mobile testing unit, CSUB Extended University is offering a GMAT preparation course during February to help students prepare for the test. The class is a four-day course given each Saturday in February and costs $395.

To register online for the preparation course, log onto www.csub.edu/eud <http://www.csub.edu/eud>... or contact CSUB Extended University at (661) 654-2441.