How Do You Know What B-Schools Want? Do Your Social Media Homework

When it comes to MBA applications, you know exactly what you want—an acceptance letter. But it’s much trickier to figure out what an admissions officer wants. Of course, a high GPA and GMAT score are important, as are recommendations and work experience. But if you’re applying to a top-tier b-school, you also need to know what personal characteristics or aspects of your resume the admissions office at that individual school values most.

So how do you know what schools are looking for? The answers are online.

Admissions officers are constantly sharing information online that can be incredibly helpful to applicants looking to make the right impression. B-schools use social media just like the rest of us: to spread the word about the things they're most interested in. By doing a little online homework, you can get a much better sense what MBA programs value in their applicants.

This isn’t to say that you should sell yourself as something you’re not as part of a master ploy to gain acceptance; making things up won’t get you anywhere. But knowing what aspects of your resume to emphasize can certainly help your chances. Furthermore, all this research will also help you clarify which b-schools would be the best fit for your experience and goals—and ensure that you don’t waste time sending out applications to schools you wouldn’t actually want to attend.

Below are lists of blogs, Youtube channels, and Twitter feeds from some of the best b-schools in the world. You can use these resources to try to discern what qualities each school seems to value in its students, alumni, and applicants.

The more you know about the school and the more you know about yourself, the less you will fear the outcomes of your applications!