{"id":31888,"date":"2016-01-21T02:50:47","date_gmt":"2016-01-21T09:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=31888"},"modified":"2023-10-25T07:29:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T14:29:21","slug":"open-letter-to-2017-mba-applicants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/open-letter-to-2017-mba-applicants\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Letter to 2017 MBA Applicants"},"content":{"rendered":"

To:<\/strong> All 2017 MBA Applicants<\/span><\/p>\n

From:<\/strong> Linda Abraham<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s time for my annual memo\/harangue\/plea\/rant.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are planning to apply Round 1 but have not yet thought about why you want an MBA<\/a>, taken the GMAT\/GRE, researched schools, or evaluated your qualifications, please please please keep reading. And then do what I advise....and get started!<\/span><\/p>\n

I would like to help you avoid the harried hassle and diminished application quality that those who start their applications just a few weeks before the deadlines experience. Instead follow the example of those many applicants who start their applications months before applying and who work steadily to complete them by their deadlines.<\/span><\/p>\n

My 20+ years in this business tell me that those who start the application process 9-12 months before they apply:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Get into more and \"better\" schools
\n<\/span>\u2022\u00a0Are more likely to get scholarship
\n<\/span>\u2022\u00a0Are more prepared for b-school when they arrive on campus<\/span><\/p>\n

They simply do better in the MBA application process than those who wait until the eleventh hour (or even the tenth).<\/span><\/p>\n

Those better prepared applicants \u2013 <\/span>they<\/span><\/i> are your <\/span>real<\/span><\/i> competition. <\/span>And the best way to compete is to start the race now. <\/b><\/p>\n

Not tomorrow. Not next week or month or quarter. Now. <\/span><\/p>\n

Start Your GMAT or GRE Prep<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once you determine that you have a goal that requires an MBA, start preparing for the GMAT<\/a> or GRE. Don\u2019t wait for the summer or \u201clater.\u201d Your test score is a critical element in your application. Choosing schools without knowing that number leads to all kinds of aggravation, stress, and unpleasant surprises. <\/span><\/p>\n

Every year I get calls, emails, and comments from applicants who bombed the GRE or the GMAT and don\u2019t have time to retake and are torn between applying to the programs they really want to attend, but where their test score (and perhaps other elements) are less than competitive, and applying to programs where they are competitive, but where they aren\u2019t dying to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a dilemma you can avoid by allowing yourself the time to retake the GRE\/GMAT, if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lower than expected test scores can throw a major monkey wrench in your plans when you take the test within in two months of your target deadlines. However if you bomb it in the spring, you will still have months to prepare again and retake the exam before the deadlines \u2013 even the first round deadlines.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where to Apply: Dartboard vs. Intent<\/strong><\/p>\n

And then there are the applicants who don\u2019t understand the importance of fit in the application process. They just know they want an MBA from a Top X-ranked school. They may or may not have a specific goal or reason to pursue an MBA, and they really could just as easily be throwing darts at a list of schools to determine where to invest their time and money. <\/span><\/p>\n

Or maybe they just started too late to do the research and reflection that they could\u2019ve and should\u2019ve done had they started earlier. Like now.<\/span><\/p>\n

In any case, this superficial approach could lead to rejection, a very expensive mistake, or a less than optimal MBA experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apply purposefully to specific programs that support your goals and at which you are competitive. Don\u2019t apply to rankings<\/a>. You won\u2019t attend rankings. You\u2019ll attend a graduate business school.<\/span><\/p>\n

Writing is Rewriting & Requires Time<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of you know why you want an MBA, have good reasons for selecting the school you will apply to, and will get the GMAT or GRE score that you want the first time you take the exam; so you may be feeling a little smug. Okay, so you got the first part of the application process done. However, if you slack off and wait for the last minute to complete your applications, you will end up rushing the writing process for your essays, short answer questions, and resume or the shooting\/editing process for video options on your application. Either way, you will end up rushing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not a good idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Writing \u2013 whether long essays, short essays, scripts, activity descriptions, or resumes \u2013 benefits from time. Temporal distance between revisions improves critical analysis and editing. In contrast, scrambling to slap something together leads to sloppy thinking and writing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Getting the GMAT or GRE out of the way, thinking profoundly about fit, and starting your essays early are all important steps, but you can't just assume that ticking items off of your checklist will get you into b-school. You need something more comprehensive than that...<\/span><\/p>\n

A Holistic, Purposeful Approach to the MBA Application Process<\/strong><\/p>\n

Proceed purposefully, methodically, and thoughtfully so that you submit a superior MBA application to the most appropriate schools at the most desirable deadline for you. <\/span><\/p>\n

We've all made resolutions this year, but do yourself a favor and make the highlighted line above <\/span>the<\/span><\/i> 2016 resolution that you stick to. <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to help you keep this one by laying out the process holistically from January through September so that you can present a superior application. It\u2019s not just the test score or the GPA or the years of work experience or solid extracurriculars. It\u2019s all of the above. <\/span><\/p>\n

I've mapped out the process for you here. [Click on image to view full size]<\/span><\/p>\n

\"View<\/a><\/p>\n

If you are aiming for the Round 1 deadlines, you can download the PDF, print, and tape it on your mirror, wall, fridge, or wherever you\u2019ll regularly see it. Alternatively we have created a <\/span>public Google doc<\/span><\/a> that you can copy and paste and modify to suit your needs. Then using the timeline as a guide, add these tasks to your calendar. <\/span>And do them.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

If you follow this MBA timeline, your MBA dreams will not be a mad, breathless sprint to the finish line, but a long, steady jog that allows you to successfully complete the MBA application marathon. <\/span><\/p>\n

What do you think? Is this a reasonable request? Was this helpful? Please let me know below.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Linda<\/a>By\u00a0Linda Abraham<\/a>, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions,\u00a0<\/em>MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools<\/a>.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Round 3 vs Next Year: The MBA Debate<\/a>\u00a0[Webinar]
\n\u2022 Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One<\/a>\u00a0[Free guide]
\n\u2022\u00a0MBA Maze: Application Timing<\/a><\/p>\n

This article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a0<\/em>blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/p>\n

Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help\u00a0you\u00a0<\/em>get accepted<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To: All 2017 MBA Applicants From: Linda Abraham It\u2019s time for my annual memo\/harangue\/plea\/rant. If you are planning to apply Round 1 but have not yet thought about why you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,939,775,113,243],"tags":[1048,1896,39,12],"class_list":["post-31888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-accepted","category-admission-consultants","category-applications","category-blog","tag-advice-for-mba-applicants","tag-mba","tag-mba-admissions","tag-the-mba-application-process","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31888","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\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31888"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59514,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31888\/revisions\/59514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}