mailtheguru wrote:
Just got out of my GMAT Euphoria. Way too many things to get an application ready. Trying to figure out how to give this a kick start! I am quite overwhelmed.
HAW TA GEWT YERSELF INTO AN MBA PRAWGRAM, STEP BAH STEP:
1. Revamp your resume first. This will be step one and will help guide you on this quest. Remember that this isn't a job, so telling them about your "AJAX instantiated C++ calls to the roto-rooter" may not mean a thing to the adcom. Think business oriented, think numbers, think impact. Also, don't have an objective, because the only objective that makes sense is to get into an MBA program and thats pretty darn obvious. List extracurriculars and school on here.
2. Now that you've revamped your resume, order transcripts from each school you've attended. You'll need at least one copy, but better yet, order a few. You can check how many you'll need by seeing which schools let you self report. Either way, you'll need a copy for when you get in
3. Order GMAT scores for your schools.
4. Now begin writing outlines for your recommenders. Remind them of each thing you've done. Leverage your resume that you just revamped - it will give you the material you need ("oh yea, I can remind him about the time I saved the firm X"). Get your recommenders on board with this process and tell them the deadlines are two weeks before the "true" deadline. If time permits, customize these outlines for each school.
5. Now begin writing essays for the first school. Write outlines first, because if you don't, you'll write an essay that goes all over hte place, looses its meaning, and by the time you whittle it down to the 400 words they ask for, it'll sound like whoever wrote it had a stroke induced lisp.
6. Write essays for first school. Remember - constantly tweak that resume as you think of new things you've achieved. You'll be surprised what exists when you stop to think about it.
7. Inbetween essay writing, fill out the self-reported transcripts and random bits of information they want. There is a lot here, and this is the number you will most underestimate I think. I must have gone through my apps 50 times filling in little details and double checking everything - spelling, phone numbers, etc.
8. Absolutely have someone else review your essays. I suggest someone to close to you who doesn't mind telling you they suck and who wont already know "your story" (or even unclear stories might be clear to them).
9. Did you read 8?
10. Submit.
Rinse, repeat.