Looking for swoon-worthy MBA application tips that will help you capture the hearts of even the stoniest admissions committee members? Read on!
1. Demonstrate your natural ability to succeed in the b-school classroom.
Present an outstanding undergrad transcript and competitive test scores. Don’t have the stats you should? Prove your abilities by getting A’s in business-related classes or by earning certificates like the CPA. Retake the test where your score doesn’t score.
2. Express your intentions.
The admissions board may not be the father of the bride, but the members do want to make sure that you’ve got your head on straight and that you’re heading into this “relationship” with honorable intentions. If asked, make sure you can answer the following questions: What are your short-term goals? What are your long-term goals? How have your past experiences (personal, educational, and career) led you to this point in your life? If not asked, be prepared to answer during interviews.
3. Show that you share common values.
What better way to win the hearts of the adcom than by showing that you’re all on the same page. Demonstrate that you have the leadership skills they seek, the capacity for intellectual growth they demand, and the same commitment to community and global advancement that they embrace. In other words, check out the school’s mission, and, without parroting it back, demonstrate that you have similar ideals.
4. Prove that you’ll make them proud.
You don’t want to be the lover who never meets the friends or family. You want to earn the status of an out-in-the-open committed relationship. You want your target school to say, “Look here world, we love this guy and we’re proud to have him at our school and as an alum!” Earn that status by showing the contributions you’ve made and the commitments you’ve had in the past – that you have a history, and thereby a habit, of getting the job done, getting it done well, and earning the respect and praise of those around you. You’ve stood out in the past for being an amazing leader/innovator/collaborator/something else, so there’s a good chance you’ll stand out in this next phase of your life as well.
5. Show that you’re not just a pretty face, but that you’ve got personality to boot.
Make sure that your essay supplements all the stats and data in the rest of your b-school application by illustrating some of your brilliant and likeable personality traits. A straight-A report card can’t possibly prove your integrity; but a vignette about how you caught a glitch in an invoice that favored a client and reported it despite pressure to cover it up – that shows integrity. (Letters of recommendation are another good place to display these non-measurable traits, skills, and talents.)
Here’s to winning the love you deserve!
Happy Valentine’s Day from Accepted!
Related Resources:
• Leadership in Admissions, a free guide
• Get Accepted to B-School with Low Stats, on-demand webinar
• Demonstrating Passion in Your Essays
This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.
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