{"id":25985,"date":"2014-10-27T04:17:05","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T11:17:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/standing-out-with-a-competitive-mba-application\/"},"modified":"2014-10-27T04:17:05","modified_gmt":"2014-10-27T11:17:05","slug":"standing-out-with-a-competitive-mba-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/standing-out-with-a-competitive-mba-application\/","title":{"rendered":"Standing Out With a Competitive MBA Application"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><a href=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/mba-application.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-3957 \" title=\"mba application\" alt=\"Make your MBA application as competitive as possible so you can get into the top MBA programs.\" src=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/mba-application.jpg\" width=\"265\" height=\"204\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Crank out a competitive MBA application and get into your top business schools.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>It probably doesn\u2019t surprise you to hear that MBA admissions are competitive. However, it may surprise you to hear just <i>how<\/i> competitive they have recently become.<\/p>\n<p>Business schools are reporting a spike in MBA applications, and that means more people fighting over a handful of spots. The top 25 business schools in the United States admit only around 25% of their applicants, with <a href=\"https:\/\/poetsandquants.com\/2011\/04\/22\/the-50-most-selective-mba-programs-in-the-u-s\/\" target=\"_blank\">the most selective business schools<\/a>\u2019 acceptance rates hovering closer to 10%.<\/p>\n<p>With that said, let\u2019s talk about <i>standing out. <\/i>You\u2019re in the process of checking off the requirements on your <a href=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\/2014\/09\/08\/how-to-make-your-mba-application-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\">MBA application checklist<\/a>, but you know you can\u2019t settle for what\u2019s merely required. How are you going to make your application stand out to the top MBA programs of your dreams?<\/p>\n<p>Here is your checklist to becoming a competitive MBA applicant:<\/p>\n<h3>Research, research, research<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>To be competitive, you have to make a case for why you are a good fit for the business schools to which you are applying. That means you have to do your research.<\/p>\n<p>If possible, visit your target business schools on two separate occasions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First, make an appointment, take a tour, speak to the staff in the admissions office, etc. This will give you the \u201cpublic face\u201d of the school and lots of great information.<\/li>\n<li>Second, stop by unannounced. Wander around the campus, chat with students during lunch, introduce yourself to faculty, and sit in on a class, if possible. This will give you an inside look into what the school is <i>really<\/i> like, and whether you will fit and flourish in that environment.<span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>No, it\u2019s not <i>required <\/i>that you visit your schools multiple times, or that you network with students, alumni, and staff. But it\u2019s also not <i>required <\/i>for b-schools to admit you. Do your research and you\u2019ll be able to make a convincing case for your admission to that school. More importantly, you\u2019ll be more likely to be happy and successful once you are actually there!<\/p>\n<h3>A GMAT score that goes above and beyond<\/h3>\n<p>This raises the question, <a href=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\/2014\/02\/20\/whats-a-good-gmat-score\/\" target=\"_blank\">what is a good GMAT score<\/a>? It\u2019s important to know what GMAT score your target business schools require, and then to try to <i>surpass<\/i> that minimum requirement.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mba.com\/us\/the-gmat-exam\/gmat-exam-scoring\/your-score-report\/what-percentile-rankings-mean.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">percentile associated with your GMAT score<\/a> represents how much of the competition you are outscoring. For example, a 700 is around the 90<sup>th<\/sup> percentile, placing you in the top 10% of GMAT test takers on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mba.com\/us\/the-gmat-blog-hub\/ask-the-expert\/2012\/feb\/why-is-the-gmat-an-important-admissions-requirement-for-executive-mba-programs.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">one of the most important quantitative MBA application factors<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For the top MBA programs, the average score of those admitted is above a 700, which means to be a truly competitive applicant to those programs, you may need to score even <i>higher<\/i> than the 90<sup>th<\/sup> percentile.<\/p>\n<p>Competitive applicants don\u2019t think of their GMAT scores as simply \u201cgood enough.\u201d To stand out to b-school admissions officers, think of your score on the GMAT\u2014and your preparation for the exam\u2014as a meaningful investment in your future. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/pages\/practice\" target=\"_blank\">Start here<\/a> with a free Kaplan GMAT Practice Test.<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>Work experience that works for you<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/gmat\/business-school\/resume-for-b-school\" target=\"_blank\">r\u00e9sum\u00e9\/work experience<\/a> is typically either the first or second most important factor of your MBA application. Most schools require 2-3 years, if not more, of full-time work experience.<\/p>\n<p>Though it\u2019s not possible to change <i>what <\/i>your work experience is (and, to be sure, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-graduate-schools\/top-business-schools\/articles\/2012\/03\/13\/avoid-7-deadly-sins-of-business-school-applicants\" target=\"_blank\">lying on your b-school application<\/a> is a surefire way get rejected), it is possible to control <i>how<\/i> your work experience is viewed and interpreted by b-school admissions officers.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, this is your chance to list your experience, but make sure you highlight your growth and accomplishments in each role, zeroing in on the (preferably quantifiable) outcomes of the tasks you were in charge of.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, to really stand out from the crowd, don\u2019t forget to draw on ALL of your experience. MBA admissions officers value community involvement and other types of non-work experience\u2014especially roles that showcase leadership and management abilities.<\/p>\n<p>Take control of everything on your resume and ask yourself, \u201cWhat do I want this experience to <i>say <\/i>about me to admissions officers?\u201d Your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 should reflect your personal brand, which should be built into your application essays.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of which\u2026<\/p>\n<h3>Essays that reflect your personal brand<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019re selling a product with your MBA application: YOU! It may feel strange to think of yourself as a product or brand, but that\u2019s exactly how you go about composing a compelling b-school application essay for a competitive MBA application.<\/p>\n<p>Start by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/blogs\/mba-admissions-strictly-business\/2014\/04\/04\/3-exercises-to-help-mba-applicants-develop-a-personal-brand\" target=\"_blank\">developing your personal brand<\/a>. Then, use that brand as a motivating theme for your application essays. Don\u2019t just rehash your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 in your essays: build your best experiences into compelling stories. Focus on the lessons learned and the obstacles overcome.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t just tell your business schools <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/2009\/08\/05\/best-business-schools-09-leadership-careers-admission.html\" target=\"_blank\">what you think they want to hear<\/a>, either. Remember, this is all about <i>standing out<\/i> in a positive way. Your personal brand is about YOU. Yes, you want to show why you are a good fit based on your research into the school, but you should do so by demonstrating how your <i>unique<\/i> strengths and skills will contribute to that business school.<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>Recommendations that convey the right message<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Help your recommenders help you! Ask people who know you well and whom you trust to write excellent recommendations. Personal knowledge of your talents and skills is far more important than an impressive title. If I could get Oprah to write me a recommendation, that would be awesome, but as I have never met the woman, she probably couldn\u2019t contribute much to my competitiveness as a business school applicant.<\/p>\n<p>Give your chosen recommenders talking points to guide them towards skills that are a part of your personal brand and that b-schools value (collaboration and teamwork, leadership, time management, communication skills, ability to overcome obstacles, etc.). Although what they write is ultimately up to them, don\u2019t just assume your recommenders know what to say.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s the bottom line:<\/b> To be a competitive MBA applicant, take control of the process and how you\u2019re viewed every step of the way. And, above all, stand out!<\/p>\n<p><em>What if, instead of competing for schools, they competed for you? A higher score unlocks a whole new way of life. Visit\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/social.kaptest.com\/competition\/775\/bts-quiz-version-2?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social-media&amp;utm_term=leads-students-alumn&amp;utm_content=unlock-the-good-life&amp;utm_campaign=grad-gmat-ugl\/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>kaptest.com\/unlock<\/i><\/a><em>\u00a0for a chance to win $10K and learn more about whether business school is right for you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\/2014\/10\/27\/standing-out-with-a-competitive-mba-application\/\">Standing Out With a Competitive MBA Application<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/gmat.kaptest.com\">Kaplan GMAT Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Crank out a competitive MBA application and get into your top business schools. It probably doesn\u2019t surprise you to hear that MBA admissions are competitive. However, it may surprise you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,558,243,940],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-kaplan-blog","category-blog","category-gmat-prep-gmat","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25985\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}