In Episode 124 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald discuss how the most valuable school research an MBA applicant can do is having direct conversations with individuals who know the school well—thereby uncovering information and insights that are simply not available on a program’s website. Not only does connecting with students, alumni, and admissions officers demonstrate interest, it also provides specific and compelling details that a candidate can use to strengthen their essays and interview performance. Harold and Jeremy break down how to do this kind of outreach well, addressing whom to contact, how to make a connection, what kinds of questions to ask, and how to use what you learn to strengthen your application.
Table of Contents
Why Should You Look Beyond a School’s Website?
One advantage of connecting directly with individuals at one’s target school is “demonstrated interest.” Admissions committees notice when an applicant has attended school events, visited campus, or personally communicated with members of the community. The second is differentiation; having genuine conversations with people who have firsthand knowledge of the MBA program provides unique details that can set a candidate’s application apart.
As a cautionary example, Jeremy focuses on “Touchy-Feely,” the nickname for the famously popular interpersonal dynamics course at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). Applicants overwhelmingly refer to this class in their “Why Stanford?” essay, basically signaling to the admissions committee that their research into the program has been relatively shallow and likely confined to the school’s website. An applicant would stand out far more by discussing the GSB’s governance coursework, for instance, or by describing a conversation they had with the president of the student club they are most interested in.
Harold adds that every school is more dynamic than its stereotype implies. He cites past podcast guest Dawna Levenson, leader of the admissions team at MIT Sloan, who pointed out that Sloan is actually strong in the area of finance, not just technology—which many candidates do not realize. Recognizing what makes an MBA program distinct, and being able to explain in detail why that distinction matters to you, can make an impression on an admissions reader or interviewer that generic praise cannot.
How Do You Find People Associated with the Program to Contact?
When attempting to identify people to contact at your target school, start by looking for events and resources the school offers for prospective applicants, including information sessions, on-campus programs, online panels, and student ambassador networks. Make sure that if you sign up for a school event, you attend it—or send the admissions committee a note explaining why you cannot. Business schools track attendance, and an unexplained no-show will definitely send the wrong signal.
If you connect with a student ambassador, always ask who else they would recommend you speak with; one conversation leads to the next. You can also find contact information for student club leaders online and then cold email them directly. Most are receptive to such messages, though if the first person you write to does not respond, simply try the next. Be assured that these conversations carry weight. Some MBA programs, including Columbia Business School, ask in the application about the people you spoke with at the school.
And of course, do not neglect to plumb your own network for possible connections. Search LinkedIn for alumni of your target schools who work in your company or industry, and reach out to any former colleagues who are now students in the program. Also, Harold notes that if you work at a large firm, you might be able to find a summer associate from the school you want to attend and can easily message them.
What Should You Ask Once You Have Made a Connection?
Conversations you have with school contacts early on can be broad. You might ask what students like about the program, what they would change, what kind of person tends to thrive at the school, and who does not. As your conversations develop, you can begin asking questions that more closely tie to your interests, such as which newer faculty members are rising stars, which courses your contact would recommend, and how best to navigate the curriculum.
These direct interactions also reveal more about a program’s culture than a web page or brochure could convey. For example, Harold describes learning from Dartmouth Tuck students how central the school’s student hockey team is to campus life and that students not only learn together but also genuinely have fun together. Jeremy adds that this kind of insight can be particularly helpful for international applicants. “What does it mean to come from Brazil and move to Hanover, New Hampshire?” he remarks. “You know, what’s winter like? And the Tuck Winter Carnival?”
How Do You Use These Conversations to Strengthen Essays and Interviews?
Specificity lends credibility and weight to your claims. Writing, “I will join the private equity club because I’m interested in private equity” says very little about you and is not very convincing. On the other hand, naming a club officer you contacted and describing the conversation you had with them about the group’s weekly roundtables says a great deal—and demonstrates both genuine interest and a proactive spirit. You could even go further by sharing your subsequent interest in organizing a panel on emerging markets in your home country. This profound level of detail shows the admissions committee that you have thoroughly researched the school and identified why it is the right one for you.
This applies to your interviews as well, and questions about what you will contribute to the school and its community are common in interviews. Applicants who can speak concretely about where they see themselves fitting into the program, and can ground their claims using information gleaned from direct conversations with community members, make a much stronger impression on their admissions interviewer.
The encouraging news is that you do not need to have dozens of these informational conversations. Two or three thoughtful 15-minute calls—assuming they provide you with insight not found on the school’s website—should be sufficient to give you key usable material, and with each interaction, the process gets easier.
New episodes of The mbaMission Podcast are released every Tuesday on all major streaming platforms, with full video episodes available on mbaMission’s YouTube channel.
If you want help using your school research to boost your essays and interviews, sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with Harold or another member of mbaMission’s admissions team.
