With most Round 2 MBA application deadlines not quite here yet, you still have (some) time to sharpen up your candidacy for business school. In this post, we share advice on how to increase your odds of being accepted to your target MBA program(s).
Table of Contents
Strategically Considering Your Recommenders
The first rule of choosing a recommender is to find an individual who will be a strong champion for you and your candidacy—someone who will talk about you in the most positive light and explain how you are a great professional, leader, and all-around person. Who your recommender is and what title they hold are of secondary importance. Therefore, the manager who knows you and your work well is the better choice to write your recommendation than a high-powered partner or the company CEO. Some applicants might need to choose two people from the same workplace (making sure that neither one repeats anything the other has written). And if letting anyone know that you are about to leave your company to pursue an MBA might damage your career, you will need to find someone outside the firm to be your recommender. To ensure that you make the smartest choices when deciding who will write your recommendations, start talking to your potential recommenders now.
Mastering Your Admissions Exam—or Securing a Waiver
At this point, you might be done taking standardized tests, or you could still be struggling with this element of the application process. If you belong to this latter group, now is the time to determine your test-taking strategy and get this task behind you. If you have taken a GMAT preparation course and gotten tutoring, but you are still not getting the GMAT scores you need, consider switching to the GRE. (You can take a free diagnostic test to determine whether you like the GRE or might perform better on it.) If the GRE is not a better fit for you, look into taking the Executive Assessment (EA) instead. However, be aware that only a handful of schools accept the EA, so make sure to check whether any of your target programs do before moving forward with the test. Your final option could be a test waiver. If your undergraduate transcript includes some strong quantitative coursework; you have an advanced certification, such as a Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant, or CFA charter; or you currently have an analytical job, you might just qualify for a waiver and be able to skip the test taking altogether.
Taking Online Courses
We see very few transcripts that do not have at least one or two blemishes, so you probably do not need to worry if yours is not picture perfect. However, if your GPA is notably below your target school’s average, you would likely benefit from taking some specific actions to demonstrate your academic abilities (especially if you have not been able to master the GMAT or GRE). Taking an online course—and specifically, one that buttresses your quantitative knowledge—is a good idea. Consider, for example, “Math for Management” through Berkeley Extension or Harvard Business School’s “Credential of Readiness” (CORe) course, which is the gold standard for individuals wanting to prepare themselves for the rigors of the business school classroom.
Demonstrating Your Good Citizenship
Business schools are not just looking to fill classrooms, they want to create close-knit, supportive communities. To achieve this, they need to accept candidates who will be active participants, people who are more than their jobs. So, the question the admissions committees are always asking is “How will this applicant engage with and contribute to our community?” To judge this, they look to see what type of citizen you are today and have been in the past (especially in college). The schools of course understand that finding significant free time outside the office can be difficult for some applicants and are therefore somewhat forgiving on this point, but they nevertheless believe you can (and should) be doing something to give back. This “something” could encompass duties you take on at work that are separate from your job responsibilities, such as organizing the company-wide service day. Or perhaps you tutor a student online or chose to spend your vacation participating in a service trip to an underserved region to build houses. These kinds of activities can really boost your prospects.
Pursuing Leadership Opportunities
Business schools love leaders of all kinds, not just formal ones. If at your job, you manage seven direct reports around the globe, that is fantastic for substantiating your leadership experience and capabilities, but most applicants cannot claim this kind of straightforward “org chart” leadership. If this is you, look for other types of leadership positions you could pursue. For example, you might join a committee at your workplace, plan a brown bag lunch series, organize a fundraising event for a local charity, or informally mentor others. Anything that shines a spotlight on how you can bring people together in pursuit of a common goal is great.
Getting to Know Your Target Business School
Although “demonstrated interest” is something of a tedious phrase, the idea has become increasingly important in the MBA admissions process. The admissions committees want to see evidence that you have put forth energy and effort to really get to know their school beyond what appears on its website. This includes visiting the campus, speaking to students and recent alumni, participating in admissions events, and maybe even reading a book or two written by faculty members. Developing a more profound understanding of the school allows you to not just answer the question “Why an MBA?” but also explain why you want an MBA from that particular program. Doing this effectively shows your commitment to that specific institution.
Crafting Great MBA Application Essays
Your essays are the part of your candidacy that you have the most control over. They are also the part of the application where you can most distinguish yourself. In addition, the essays are the part of the application that admissions committee members find the most valuable. So, where do you have the greatest opportunity to boost your odds of admission? Your essays!
A winning essay is unique and authentic. It explains why attending business school makes sense for you, given who you are and what you have done in your past. Getting to this point in your career and life has required you to take stock of what is meaningful to you and what your dreams and aspirations are. Now you must communicate these ideas and goals clearly and concisely, in a way that captivates the reader. Remember that the average admissions committee member reads hundreds of essays each year. How will your essay compare? Writing a great essay takes time and is hard work, but it is the most significant way of increasing your chances of gaining a spot in the MBA program of your dreams.
Yes, the clock is indeed ticking, and Round 2 deadlines are getting closer every day, but you still have plenty of time to work on boosting your candidacy—and to thus improve the likelihood that you will be accepted to your target school. Whether all of our recommendations here apply to you or just one, anything you do to bolster your profile helps. But you have to start now!
For answers to your most-pressing application-related questions or an assessment of your MBA applicant profile, sign up for a free 30-minute consultation here with one of mbaMission’s experts.
