We all know that the MBA application process is extremely challenging and time-consuming. Preparing for the GMAT score, researching schools, attending admission events, writing essays, approaching recommenders-the list of to-do things is endless. It’s natural for people to get overwhelmed in the process. However, by planning and starting early, you can make the application process rewarding and enjoyable. Year after year, we have seen that our most successful students have been the ones who had started their preparation ahead of time - 6-8 months before the Fall deadlines. If you are planning to apply in the 2020-21 admission cycle, you need to start now. We have created the following plan for you:
March, April, May
1. Beat the GMAT:
First and foremost, conquer the GMAT- this biggest hurdle in your journey. GMAT is the most significant parameter you will need to make a list of your target schools. If you do not get your desired score, you will still have some time to retake it before you begin focusing on other parts of the application package (school selection, resume, essays, and recommendation letters). Tackling both GMAT preparation and application prep with deadlines drawing close, and that too, with the demands of your job, will put you under tremendous pressure, making it extremely challenging for you to produce quality work before the deadlines. In my nine years of experience, I have seen that whenever applicants worked on essays and GMAT prep in parallel, along with their demanding professional commitments, they felt too overwhelmed to give their 100% to the application, and they either ended up putting together a rushed application or moved their applications to the next round or the next application season. So the best strategy is to first get the GMAT out of your way before picking up other parts of the application.
2. Begin School Selection Process:
The next crucial phase in the application process is school selection. After earning your desired score, begin researching your target schools based on your specific criteria. School research also demands sufficient time. With proper planning, research, and initiative, you can pick out schools that will align with your credentials and aspirations. For school selection, you will have to consider many factors e.g. geographical location, loans, scholarships, key projects/courses, employment reports, and companies that are regular recruiters over the years. Based on your profile (work experience, industry, GMAT, goals, interests, etc.), you should look at rankings to understand a group of programs that are strong in your field and where you are competitive. Also, it will help you categorize them into dream schools, reach schools, and safety schools. Visiting forums, attending info sessions, talking to alumni, and current students, visiting schools (if you can) will help you determine your ‘fit’ with the school and its culture. I am sure all this homework will prepare you well and give you enough confidence to finalize your list of 6-7 target schools.
3. Strengthen Your Position at Work:
To strengthen your profile, take initiatives at work, and look for opportunities to manage challenging projects or teams. Try to go above and beyond your regular job responsibilities and volunteer for leadership roles. For example, you may mentor a junior employee or organize a company-sponsored volunteer event. Polish and refine your LinkedIn profile and make it a robust marketing tool. As you prepare for the application season, make sure you are taking actions that align with your personal and professional goals. All of these steps will add value to your résumé and will also give you extra material to discuss in essays and interviews.
4. Get Involved in Some Extracurricular Activities: Indeed, business schools value academic background, professional experience, and career progression. But they also give significant weight to your extracurricular and community service activities because they want to have people who have well-rounded personalities and have other interests as well. So it is never too late to volunteer for new experiences at work and outside of work. Try to get involved in an activity you are passionate about. Whether it is practicing sports, singing in your church’s choir, or volunteering in a temple or a Gurudwara, get involved on a regular basis.
June, July, August
5. Build Your Resume: Now that you are ready with your list of target schools, it’s time to work on constructing your résumé. MBA Resumé is very different from a job résumé, so you will need a significant amount of time and effort to build it. Now that many schools have reduced the number of required essay questions, resumes play a more significant role in evaluating students’ applications. Make sure that your resume tells the full story of your professional, educational, and extracurricular achievements. I want to quote Ross Admission Director Soojin Kwon, “For me, the résumé is just as important as your essays. Think of it as a trailer of the movie about you.” By making an engaging trailer (résumé), you are building Ad Com’s interest in your movie (essays and recommendation letters).
6. Reach Out to Recommenders: It’s also time to choose your recommenders. Choose someone who can write the best letter about you, not the person with the most impressive title. Your recommender should be the one who knows you well and has evaluated your work. If you are applying to many schools, your recommenders will need time to work on those recommendation letters. They are busy people, so you may want to apprise them of this favor that you expect from them soon. I would encourage you to request a meeting with each of them to guide them about the process and format of recommendation letters and discuss the key themes you would like to showcase in your application. Lastly, please give them enough time and continue following up with them.
7. Brainstorm Stories for Essays: The schools start rolling out their essay questions in May- June, so you should begin brainstorming your ideas/stories for essays. Everyone has a unique story. Dig deeper to find yours. Even though B-schools change their essay topics from one year to another, there are going to be concepts that are common across business schools. For instance, all schools will expect you to write your Goals Essay, so take your time to identify your short term and long term goals. Make sure your goals are realistic as well as ambitious. Also, start thinking of your most significant leadership experiences, accomplishments, your background, life experiences, your greatest strengths (and weaknesses, too), and how these will help you add value to your target school.
Some of the most common themes you can organize your thoughts on are:
- Why do you want to pursue an MBA?
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
- How will you contribute to the X school?
- Why are you interested in the program?
By establishing your stories in advance, you will have some raw material that you can develop, edit, and tailor to individual essays for specific programs.
The key is- with proper planning and timing, you will not only reduce your stress of the MBA application process but will also make the process delightful and rewarding. Of course, you can tweak the above plan as per your individual needs, circumstances, and preferences, but make sure to commit enough time to put your ˜best foot forward.’
Success Stories: Examples of Planning Ahead
Here are success stories of a few MER students who prepared a robust plan, started their application process early, and became successful.
- Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, and INSEAD Admit
- Oxford and ISB Admit
- IMD Admit
- Ross Admit with 100% scholarship
- Kellogg, Yale & UCLA Admit with substantial scholarships
For more success stories of MER, click here
Since 2011, MER (myEssayReview) has helped many applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA programs. Poonam, the founder of MER, is one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club.)
To discuss the next step, email Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com
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This article was first published in myEssayReview blog.
