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It’s only May and the first MBA application deadlines for the Fall 2011 MBA classes will only arrive in another five months, but there still are plenty of steps you should be taking if you are hoping to meet those deadlines.
First, now is the perfect time to research. the programs that best fit your needs and goals. Yes, you can start by looking at the rankings, but you will need to go far beyond them to do this process justice. Are you the type of person who likes hands-on experience alongside the theoretical learning? Do you work best in a program with a heavy case study emphasis where you are forced to thresh out a question or do you prefer having the professionals teach you the proper course of action? Is recruiting in your field and region strong following graduation? These are just some of the questions that should guide you in selecting the best programs for you.
Next, identify the weaknesses in your application: if your GMAT score is not within or above the average range for the schools you are targeting, enroll in a course to have a good shot at boosting it and schedule to take the test at least once more in the next couple of months. If you lack leadership experience with identifiable impact, determine areas where you can take initiative at work or in the community, then take the steps necessary to put those plans into action so that you can achieve quantifiable results within the next three months. If you have not built an especially close relationship with professional mentors who will be able to reflect upon your growth and contributions in letters of recommendation, take the time to begin the process of identifying those who can best write about you in these critical letters and initiate the relationships and dialogue.
There are also plenty of documents that you can begin working on already: your resume, the work history and extracurricular activity forms, and letters of recommendation all request similar, if not identical, structures every year. Drafting these documents now will not only put you ahead of the myriad applicants who complete these hastily the night before the deadline, but it will also start your mental juices flowing regarding significant initiatives you have taken and impacts you have made, providing fodder for your essays in a couple of months’ time.
Accepted’s Start Smart Pre-Season Consulting service offers you a significant discount – as much as 28% off – on our hourly fees if you start now, granting you an opportunity to obtain excellent guidance in these critical steps of your application while easing the burden on your wallet.
By Jennifer Bloom, who has been helping applicants to the top MBA programs draft their resumes, application forms, letters of recommendation, and essays for 12 years. She is happy to serve as your personal coach and hand-holder throughout the entire process. There’s no time like the present to begin!
