International applicant to US MBA

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I recently studied abroad in the US which lead to my interest in going to grad school, specifically an MBA, in the states. I have just completed my undergraduate business degree in Australia, and am about to begin work at a Big 4 accounting firm in Audit. I estimate I'll work there for the next 4 years or so, getting my accounting qualification (equivalent of CPA).</p>

<p>My question is, starting from now, what should I be doing to give myself the best possible chance to attend a top MBA program? Doing well on the GMAT and building strong professional references is a given, so I suppose I'm asking if there's anything else that would help me, especially being an international student. Do schools look for something in particular to set students apart from the rest?</p>

<p>I went to a top university in Australia so I am hopeful a top MBA is a possibilty but it's hard to tell since not many people I know have studied overseas at all, meaning I don't actually know how difficult it is to do.</p>

<p>Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers</p>