{"id":39379,"date":"2017-10-05T05:00:34","date_gmt":"2017-10-05T12:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/how-learning-to-write-articulately-about-your-goals-will-make-you-look-like-a-badass-and-help-you-woo-elite-mba-programs\/"},"modified":"2017-10-05T05:00:34","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T12:00:34","slug":"how-learning-to-write-articulately-about-your-goals-will-make-you-look-like-a-badass-and-help-you-woo-elite-mba-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/how-learning-to-write-articulately-about-your-goals-will-make-you-look-like-a-badass-and-help-you-woo-elite-mba-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"How Learning to Write Articulately About Your Goals Will Make You Look Like A Badass And Help You Woo Elite MBA Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"writing<\/a><\/figure>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be great if you could just \u201cmagic\u201d yourself into the MBA program of your dreams?<\/p>\n

\"writing<\/a><\/figure>\n

I don\u2019t think I need to tell you that isn\u2019t possible. (And if I do, you may want to consider a D.M<\/a> instead of an MBA, eh?) The key to getting into an MBA program is showing the admissions committee that you\u2019re going to have a (high-paying) job when you graduate. Yes, that\u2019s really what it comes down to. And the key to doing that is to 1) present a very specific career goal and 2) demonstrate a need for an MBA in order to make that goal a reality.<\/p>\n

In other words, you need to have a killer spiel down when it comes to a)<\/strong> WHY you want to go to business school, b)<\/strong> WHAT business school is going help you accomplish, and c)<\/strong> HOW you\u2019re going to use your MBA from [insert prestigious business school name here] to reach for the stars, snatch them from the sky, and then do something really baller with them to make a ton of money and donate it back to that prestigious business school. Ya dig?<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t say this enough: Your post-MBA career goals – both short-term and long – are really important to your overall MBA candidacy. Hell, they\u2019re central to it. And though this may seem obvious, we find that a lot of MBA applicants end up either picking really lousy goals, or just simply dropping the ball when it comes to articulating them.<\/p>\n

Getting an MBA should not be your goal…<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s get this one out of the way quickly: Getting an MBA is not an end point. An MBA is a means to whatever your future endpoint, or endpoints, may be. So even if going to business school is, in fact, one of your personal goals, it’s not going to be enough to just say that. You\u2019ve got to come up with something far more compelling for your applications.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, the adcom wants to know that you\u2019re going to get a job when you graduate. That\u2019s a very important statistic for them. If you come to the table with weak goals that have nothing to do with professional advance and future success, no one’s going to take you seriously.<\/p>\n

\"writing<\/a><\/figure>\n

So, you need to present (very thoughtfully) short- and long-term goals that prove a need for the degree you’re seeking, and also, connect to your previous experience in some way.<\/p>\n

Common ways MBA applicants mess up when they\u2019re talking about goals<\/h2>\n

In our 10+ years in MBA Admissions Consulting, we see the same three mistakes again and again. And again and again. Still, 10 years later, despite so many awesome blog posts and resources telling people otherwise!<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Lack of specificity<\/li>\n
  2. Irrationality<\/li>\n
  3. Irrelevance<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s break each of these down:<\/p>\n

    1. Lack of specificity<\/h3>\n

    The admissions committee at HBS, CBS and Wharton want to know you\u2019ve done your due diligence when they look at your application. They want to know that you have a plan to get from Point A to Point B to Point C, and that you\u2019re not just applying to business school on some random whim. So, when you write about goals, a general rule of thumb to remember is that being too general is always a bad thing.<\/p>\n