When you sit down to craft your admissions application, think about it like we do, holistically.  You want to make sure that each element of your application flows and represents you. With that in mind, here are some tips from the admissions committee on how to prepare the strongest application.

Essays

If you’ve been thinking about pursuing an MBA, you’ve already been thinking about your future career and what that might look like.  So, share those goals and be specific. How can you do this? Talk to as many people as possible in the fields that you are looking to break into to gain a better sense of your future career goals. Look at job descriptions to see what skills you need to gain in the program so that you can also address challenges that you might face in making a career transition.

Answer the question being asked. Sounds simple, right? But, many people submit generic personal statements that don’t fully answer the question being asked. It can be difficult to craft several essays for all the schools to which you might be applying but don’t give in to the search and replace! Put in the effort, as this is the easy part…Wait until you begin classes!

Recommendations

Choose wisely. We’re not impressed by titles—we’d rather see a more specific letter about your day to day work life and accomplishments than a generic letter from the CEO. What impact have you made on the company? How do you interact with your colleagues? Do you manage a team? These are the types of questions we want answers to.

GMAT/GRE

This can be an obstacle on your path to an MBA. But, remember studying for the GMAT helps prepare you for your core MBA classes. Be disciplined. Put in the time and energy as a strong score will help provide you with options.  Also a strong GMAT or GRE score can help offset a lower undergraduate GPA. Or, if you lack a quantitative background, a strong score in the quantitative section will help show the committee that you have what it takes to be successful in a rigorous program.

Standardized testing not your strength? Did your score results fall well below a school’s average class profile? Retake it! The committee will appreciate your tenacity and consider your highest score.

Undergraduate GPA

Your undergraduate GPA is one element of the application that you cannot control as there’s no going back in time. If you spent most nights in the library and have a strong GPA, then no need to fret—get back to writing your essays or preparing for the GMAT! However, if you spent more time playing than studying (or whatever the reason), you’ll want to use the optional essay to address this and then work to make sure that the rest of your application can help offset this weakness.

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