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MBA admissions committees often say they understand if an applicant does not have a recommendation from a supervisor, but do they really mean it? Even if they insist this is true, if every other applicant has a recommendation from a supervisor, not having one would put you at a disadvantage, right? Not necessarily!

Whether you love social media or hate it, you cannot afford to ignore it when you are applying to business school!

You should assume that admissions committees will assess how your character and interests are reflected in your social media and general online presence—just as firms do during the recruiting process. In a 2023 survey by Kaplan, 67% of the admissions officers polled said that they believe an applicant’s social media is “fair game” when their candidacy is being evaluated (up from 65% in 2020 and 57% in 2018), and we expect that this practice will only continue to grow in prevalence. You therefore need to ensure that anything on your social media that is within your control supports the personal brand you want to portray and are working to cultivate in your application. At a minimum, Google yourself to view the results, use the “public viewing” feature available on several social media platforms, delete anything that could call into question your credibility as an MBA candidate and potentially successful student, and adjust your privacy settings accordingly! 

Focus in particular on LinkedIn, and make sure that the information provided there fully aligns with the key details in your application, including your past employers, job titles, and dates of employment. Building a robust LinkedIn profile (if you do not already have one) could also prove beneficial during the job recruiting process, both for internships and for full-time, post-MBA employment. In addition, it can demonstrate your genuine passion for your career goals, based on the posts you engage with and the companies and groups you follow.

If you enjoy social media, leverage it to your advantage! Essentially all the top-ranked MBA programs are active on social media, which can be a fantastic way to research the various schools and assess mutual fit, while also providing essay fodder for why you want to attend a specific school. Two-way communication is another key benefit of social media, and many MBA programs not only appreciate but also encourage active engagement. By participating in conversations about a school’s blog posts, video content, or press releases via thoughtful, relevant, and intelligent commentary, you can demonstrate your genuine interest in the program. This is also a great way to stay up-to-date on key admissions events and information and to show the school that you are someone who will be actively involved with the community as part of the MBA program.

Ideally, you want your business school application to indicate to the admissions committee that you are a multidimensional, dynamic person who participates in and contributes positively to society. Social media can be a powerful platform through which to showcase your passions and interests, allowing you to post photos from a humanitarian trip abroad, a review of a hot new restaurant from your “foodie” perspective, or a video of your recent musical performance. This publicly available content should effectively reinforce the claims you make in the “interests” section of your MBA application, thereby providing validity and authenticity. In addition, engagement on LinkedIn can showcase your “EQ” (emotional intelligence). For example, perhaps you congratulated a connection for a promotion or applauded someone who published an article that resonated with you, thereby showing your support of them.

Again, regardless of your personal stance on social media, do not neglect this important avenue through which the admissions committees can learn more about you. Although your social media presence and activity are not formal elements of the application process, social media research can (and likely will) be used to help schools form a more holistic impression of you, so make sure to manage it in such a way that it mitigates any negative perceptions of you—or even better, use it to strengthen your MBA candidacy!

For more detailed guidance on optimizing your social media as part of your business school candidacy, download a free copy of our guide to Managing Your Social Media Presence for MBA Admissions. And follow our social media channels for more helpful tips and advice on your MBA application: Facebook, Instagram, and  YouTube. If you would like a personalized, one-on-one conversation regarding your specific profile and MBA goals, sign up for free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s admissions experts.

We are thrilled to introduce you to onTrack by mbaMission…a first-of-its-kind, on-demand MBA application platform that delivers a personalized curriculum for you and leverages interactive tools and technology to guide you through the process of creating your best possible business school applications.

onTrack gives you access to almost 100 learning modules on planning and timing your MBA applications, brainstorming compelling content, writing standout essays, refining your resume, interviewing with confidence, applying for scholarships, choosing effective recommenders, and successfully navigating all the other crucial elements of the admissions process.

You will NOT want to miss our live Launch Party, today, May 1, at noon ET! mbaMission‘s Jeremy Shinewald and Poets&Quants’ John Byrne will be giving you an exclusive first look at onTrack and talking all about this exciting new platform!

What Do You Get With onTrack?

Here are more details about what is included in onTrack…

A guided, interactive brainstorming process

Identify and explore your most significant personal, professional, community, and academic accomplishments

Dozens of learning and instructional modules

We walk you through every component of crafting attention-grabbing essays and personal statements, creating a personalized application timeline, exploring post-MBA career possibilities, navigating the waitlist, and every other critical component of the admissions process.

School-specific modules on the top U.S. and international programs

Explore the “whys” and “why nots” of each school, their unique curricular offerings, the professional opportunities they provide, interview insights and strategies, and advice on approaching their essays.

Comprehensive interview guidance and an interactive interview tool

Practice, record, and critique your responses and build your confidence leading up to your actual interview.

Identify your ideal learning path, and jump-start your application journey today!

_{*Offer valid until 5/15/24 at midnight ET for first-tie subscribers only. Valid only on initial subscription.}

What is the GMAT Focus Edition? 

The current GMAT Focus Edition, which is taken primarily by applicants to MBA programs, is an exam with three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. The original GMAT exam was updated in early 2024 to this current version, which is two hours and 15 minutes long and includes 64 questions. 

Section details are as follows, per GMAC:

What is the scoring breakdown for the GMAT Focus Edition?

Total Scores for the exam range from 205 to 805, and all Total Scores end in 5. Section scores range from 60 to 90. Comparing your final scores to these ranges should give you a clear indication of where you are strong and areas where you can improve.      

How does GMAT scoring work?

The GMAT is a computer adaptive test, which means that your score is calculated with an algorithm that adjusts the difficulty level of the questions you receive based on your performance as you proceed through the exam. In other words, you essentially receive increasingly difficult test questions as you perform better and less difficult ones when you answer questions incorrectly. In this way, the exam aims to identify your precise ability level.

Your final GMAT scores take into account not just how many questions you got correct and incorrect but also the difficulty level of each question you answered. Your overall score is based on your results on all three sections, weighted equally. 

Overall GMAT Scoring and Section Subscores

Each section has a final subscore of 60–90, and all three sections combine to create the overall 205–805 Total Score that is most often cited by test takers and business schools. 

How can I tell whether a score is for the GMAT Focus or the previous version of the GMAT? 

The previous version of the GMAT was retired on January 31, 2024. The scoring scale was previously 200–800, so if you see GMAT Total Scores that end in zero, those are for the older version of the GMAT. All GMAT Focus scores end in five, making them easily distinguishable from scores for the previous version of the test. 

What other changes were made to the GMAT when it became the GMAT Focus? 

Additional changes that were made to the GMAT when it was relaunched as the GMAT Focus are as follows:

• The exam was shortened. 
• Percentiles were recalibrated based on more recent test-taker trends. 
• The IR (Integrated Reasoning) and AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) sections were eliminated. 
• The Data Insights section, which is similar to the previous IR section, is now an equally weighted section that factors into a test taker’s overall score. 
• Content areas were revised (e.g Sentence Corrections questions were eliminated) to better focus on skills necessary for business school, such as critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving. 
• The Question Review & Edit feature was added, allowing test takers to revisit and adjust their responses, if needed.

Learn even more about the GMAT Focus here.