A guide to graduate management education, admissions, and careers is presented. Contents include a detailed overview of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree's background, nature, benefits, and selection factors; information about programs and schools prepared in chart form; and in-depth descriptions of more than 480 graduate management programs throughout the world, including addresses of information sources. For purposes of the guide, MBA is used to refer to all generalized graduate management programs. Specific topics include the following: full-time versus part-time attendance; accreditation; the evaluation of programs and resources; the undergraduate record; the Graduate Management Admission Test; application and admissions criteria; sources of financial aid; special interest groups (women, minority groups, and foreign students); careers in business and industry (e.g., accounting, consulting, finance, human resources management, international business, management information systems), and careers outside business (government, arts management, educational administration, health services administration, and nonprofit agencies). For each of more than 480 schools, information is presented by chart on: whether there is a doctoral program, entrance dates, length of study, whether there is a deferred admittance policy, applicants/enrollment for 1980-1981, characteristics of the 1980-1981 entering class, types of financial assistance, and kinds of placement data available. The detailed descriptions of schools cover expenses, admission, the programs of study, financial assistance, and placement. (SW)