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What should you do if you get dinged or waitlisted?
From a declining MBA education market in India to possible strategies for waitlisted applicants—catch all the trending business school stories here.
MBA admissions rejection
The toughest part of applying to business school is undoubtedly rejection. You scored high on the GMAT, your undergraduate GPA was outstanding, your personal essays were compelling, and your professional experience was impressive. So what happened? As one MBA admissions expert describes, it could be any one of several factors: 1) You might be part of an overrepresented demographic. Business schools strive for diversity, and because you come from a background like finance perhaps, they decided to go with someone who worked in the nonprofit sector or academia. 2) You cannot admit your weaknesses. MBA admissions officers are big on self-growth. That’s a major part of succeeding in business, and if you cannot identify what you need to work on in your application, that can be a mark against you. 3) You provide no explanation for your low GPA or GMAT/GRE score. If you decide to apply with low stats, make sure you explain why and try to highlight your other strengths. Submitting a 2.9 GPA or a 680 on the GMAT to a top-ranked school without further details is a bad move. (U.S. News & World Report)
Getting waitlisted
Rejection may be the hardest thing to face in the MBA admissions process, but getting placed on the waitlist is not far behind. Yes, being waitlisted can feel like you’re in limbo, but before you fall into despair and restlessness, keep in mind that there a few things you can do to get yourself onto the student rolls (even though the odds are probably not great). 1) Read the waitlist letter carefully—and reread it! See if they require additional information. Some applicants are waitlisted simply because MBA admissions officers have a question mark next to their name indicating a missing piece of their application. 2) Send a “thank you” note in which you once again express your interest in the program. 3) Take the GMAT again, maybe. If you think you can do better on the exam, go for it. It may make a big difference in their final judgment. (Poets & Quants)
Bad ROI
A shocking new report from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India finds that only 7% of graduates from business schools in India have a degree that’s actually worth something. The study finds that with the exception of India’s top-ranked, elite business school graduates, the rest land mediocre jobs that offer little in the way of salary. “Lack of quality control and infrastructure, low-paying jobs through campus placement and poor faculty are the major reasons for India’s unfolding B-school disaster,” said the report, which also cited outdated curriculum as an underlying cause. (Quartz)
MBA startups
Harvard Business School’s annual New Venture Competition returned this week to seed promising startups with $150,000 in prizes. The finalists are divided into the categories of traditional business and “social enterprise,” but both aim to solve some serious societal problems. From energy, to education, to recreation—these startups are aiming to change the world. Investors are keen on big ideas and workable dreams. “They’re looking for that billion-dollar company. And I think any of these have the potential to get there,” said the program’s director. (The Boston Globe)
CBS at 100
Happy birthday to Columbia Business School! The top-ranked MBA program is celebrating its centennial this year and recently held a symposium to discuss the future of business education and the MBA degree. Jan Hopkins, the past President of the Economic Club of New York, moderated the event, saying, “One of the things that will happen in this disruptive world is some schools—not those on the panel—won’t work. But the ones that will, will be partnering with businesses in their communities to do more specific education. That’s another part of how the world of business schools will look different in the future.” (Diverse Issues in Higher Education)
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The post MBA Admissions Rejection, Getting Waitlisted appeared first on Business School Insider.
