{"id":50305,"date":"2020-11-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-01T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=50305"},"modified":"2020-10-27T09:51:44","modified_gmt":"2020-10-27T16:51:44","slug":"an-insiders-look-at-mba-admissions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/an-insiders-look-at-mba-admissions\/","title":{"rendered":"An Insider\u2019s Look at MBA Admissions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/admissions_straight_talk\/p\/www.accepted.com\/hubfs\/Podcast_audio_files\/Podcast\/389_Christie-St-John_2020.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kp15446gcoz47p1vpn9ol6gj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Podcast-IV-with-Dr.-Christie-St-John.jpg\" alt=\"An Insider\u2019s Look at MBA Admissions\" class=\"wp-image-69271\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-can-mba-hopefuls-especially-those-who-are-members-of-special-applicant-groups-best-position-themselves-for-acceptance-show-summary\">How can MBA hopefuls- especially those who are members of special applicant groups- best position themselves for acceptance? [Show summary]<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A valued and recent addition to Accepted\u2019s staff,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/aboutus\/christiestjohn?utm_campaign=Blog&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_bio_christie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Christie St-John<\/a>&nbsp;reveals what her career as an admissions director taught her about applying to business school (particularly for veterans, international students, and those from underrepresented groups), plus what\u2019s ahead for the future of MBA programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mba-admissions-advice-from-an-admissions-insider-show-notes\">MBA admissions advice from an admissions insider [Show notes]<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously, Dr. Christie St-John was a guest on our chats as Associate Director of Admissions for Tuck, and more recently on Admissions Straight Talk as director of Vanderbilt Owen\u2019s MBA Recruiting and Admissions. Now, this MBA admissions veteran just joined Accepted as an MBA and Graduate Admissions Consultant.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/admissions_straight_talk\/p\/www.accepted.com\/hubfs\/Podcast_audio_files\/Podcast\/389_Christie-St-John_2020.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Today, I\u2019m going to speak with her about MBA admissions and graduate admissions<\/a>&nbsp;in general, as well as specific subgroups, including veterans, international students, and underrepresented groups. I\u2019m also going to get her insight into the impact of COVID and business schools going test-optional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-did-you-get-into-admissions-2-10\">How did you get into Admissions? [2:10]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It was one of those peculiar things about who you know and being at the right place at the right time. I was doing my PhD at Vanderbilt and a friend of mine in the Spanish department had been recruited to the business school to run their program that they were doing in Latin America. When she was promoted to do that, she called me and said, \u201cThey\u2019re looking for somebody to fill my former job with exchange programs, and they want somebody with international experience, and you\u2019d be perfect.\u201d And I thought, the business school, really? I was on my way to becoming a university professor of languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I went over and talked with them. I convinced them that I knew the difference between Saks Fifth Avenue and Goldman Sachs. I had worked in the business world before I went back to school and in the U.S. and in Europe. It was not like business was a strange thing to me, but I\u2019d never really known this kind of job was available. Had I known, I would\u2019ve started it years ago because I had only been in the position at Vanderbilt about a week, and the Dean came down to me and said, \u201cOkay, you\u2019re going to go to Miami with Lori on Friday, and then you\u2019re going to South America for a month.\u201d I said, \u201cOkay, let me just dust off my passport and I\u2019ll be ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was the start of it. It\u2019s been the most fun job I\u2019ve ever had. It\u2019s almost like not really working, although it is; it\u2019s tiring, going through all the time zones. There\u2019s a lot of work to do, but it\u2019s been great because I love getting to know all the students and seeing where they\u2019re from and being able to talk to them about, \u201cYes, I\u2019ve been to Delhi.\u201d \u201cYes, I\u2019ve been to Seoul\u201d or wherever it might be. That helps, I think, create a rapport with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-have-a-wealth-of-experience-in-mba-and-grad-admissions-how-do-you-feel-about-moving-to-the-other-side-of-the-admissions-desk-4-30\">You have a wealth of experience in MBA and grad admissions. How do you feel about moving to the other side of the admissions desk? [4:30]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As you know, when I was at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/dartmouth-tuck-mba-essay-tips-deadlines\/\">Tuck<\/a>, I invited a lot of the MBA admissions counselors up to visit us, and I got a lot of flack from schools about that: \u201cOh, how can you invite those people? You can\u2019t do business with them.\u201d And I said, \u201cYou know what? They\u2019re providing a service. And if we want them to talk about our schools to people, they need to know about our schools. And that\u2019s why I invited them.\u201d And I think it was really good, not only for the consultants who came, but it was certainly good for me to understand more about what you were doing out there. It was all a bit vague. \u201cWhy do people need help getting their applications done? It\u2019s so simple.\u201d But it really isn\u2019t.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a terribly competitive area, more so now than it used to be when I first was applying to graduate school. It is something I think that\u2019s necessary. People don\u2019t realize that you really have to stop and think about what you\u2019re doing and why you\u2019re doing it. I\u2019m excited about being on this side of it because I still get to work with the students, but certainly on a deeper and more personal basis than I did when I was on the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-just-to-give-listeners-a-little-bit-more-context-christie-started-the-conference-that-led-to-the-founding-of-the-association-of-international-graduate-admissions-consultants-and-an-era-of-increased-dialogue-between-the-schools-and-the-admissions-consulting-industry-but-let-s-get-back-to-your-role-today-as-an-admissions-consultant-as-it-was-informed-and-colored-by-your-experience-for-so-many-years-as-an-admissions-director\">Just to give listeners a little bit more context, Christie started the conference that led to the founding of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants and an era of increased dialogue between the schools and the admissions consulting industry. But let\u2019s get back to your role today as an Admissions Consultant as it was informed and colored by your experience for so many years as an Admissions Director.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-do-you-wish-applicants-did-before-they-would-come-to-you-for-assistance-with-their-applications-6-53\">What do you wish applicants did before they would come to you for assistance with their applications? [6:53]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Know why you are doing this and know what you know now. Because a lot of people, their resume is full of interesting things, but it could be so much more interesting once you start talking to them. \u201cTell me about this, and tell me about that.\u201d On this side of the fence, I get to really go into detail with them. When I was working for a university, I did do some career counseling, mostly with international students, but that\u2019s how I first found out there\u2019s so much more here. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you talk about this wonderful thing that you did? It may look small to you, but it really sets you apart from other people.\u201d And when I start talking with somebody, I always say, \u201cThink back. What do you know how to do? And what do you think you have to learn how to do to go to your next step?\u201d And then&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/which-mba-program-is-right-for-me-the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-an-mba-program\/\">find the right school<\/a>. Because that\u2019s really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xm-P2J4Lp6c?feature=oembed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are so many different schools out there. The reason for that is because there are so many different paths that people can take. There\u2019s not one right school for everyone, and there\u2019s not a wrong school either, but you can have a better experience if you\u2019re at a school where you really feel like, \u201cThis is me. I like these people. I feel comfortable here.\u201d And I think that\u2019s really important because you get so much more out of it. It\u2019s the same thing with a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-let-s-say-the-applicant-has-found-his-or-her-best-schools-to-apply-to-they-ve-analyzed-what-they-ve-done-and-they-ve-analyzed-where-they-want-to-go-how-should-they-approach-the-application-and-the-essays-in-particular-from-that-point-8-48\">Let\u2019s say the applicant has found his or her best schools to apply to, they\u2019ve analyzed what they\u2019ve done, and they\u2019ve analyzed where they want to go. How should they approach the application, and the essays in particular, from that point? [8:48]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, don\u2019t assume that you can just write one essay and copy and paste it into every other school\u2019s application, because each school has a personality, just like each applicant has a personality. They\u2019re asking questions that fit what they\u2019re looking for or what their personality is. It doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s a right or wrong answer, but it does mean that you have to look at the question and be thoughtful about your response. The worst mistake I\u2019ve seen people make is to be very general. \u201cI want to do the MBA because I want to reform the US healthcare system.\u201d Really? I don\u2019t think that\u2019s all going to be on your shoulders to do.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/the-reality-of-unrealistic-mba-goals\/\">Be realistic<\/a>, and have goals that are achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you start thinking about your career path, because all schools are going to ask you about that, think about the fact that your first job out of an MBA program is not going to be your last job. It\u2019s just a step to many, many more. And occasionally you may have to sidestep into the job you really want. I think it\u2019s good that people can work with consultants because you can bounce ideas off somebody who actually knows what\u2019s going on in the world of MBA admissions or graduate admissions and they can say, \u201cNo. Think about that again. Let\u2019s talk about this. Let\u2019s think about this.\u201d If you have somebody to bounce ideas off of, you come up with a much better application, I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-one-of-the-things-i-like-to-tell-applicants-is-that-each-element-of-the-application-should-reveal-something-different-about-you-the-resume-might-list-barebones-and-results-but-the-essay-can-talk-about-interpersonal-challenges-they-should-each-be-bringing-out-something-else-would-you-agree-with-that-10-44\">One of the things I like to tell applicants is that each element of the application should reveal something different about you. The resume might list barebones and results, but the essay can talk about interpersonal challenges. They should each be bringing out something else. Would you agree with that? [10:44]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I definitely would. And it\u2019s the same thing with the letters of recommendation. You want your recommenders to underscore what you\u2019ve said about yourself but also to bring out other aspects from their point of view of how you work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full application\u2019s purpose is to create a portrait of you that is more than your resume, more than just your essay, more than just your interview or your grades. One of the things that everybody in admissions goes a little crazy about after a certain amount of time is somebody coming up to you at an event and saying, \u201cHi, I\u2019ve got a 700 GMAT. What are my chances of getting into your school?\u201d And my response is, and I try not to be flippant about it, but if it were only a question of your scores, we wouldn\u2019t ask you for all this other stuff. We\u2019ve got better things to do than read 5,000 applications and essays, but we want to know&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/admissions-tip\/\">who you are<\/a>, and a test score doesn\u2019t tell us anything really, except whether you can possibly do the work in the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-would-you-say-are-the-most-common-mistakes-13-21\">What would you say are the most common mistakes? [13:21]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing I wanted to go back to what you said about the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/ingredients-of-a-great-letter-of-recommendation\/\">letters of recommendation<\/a>&nbsp;and writing them yourself. This is something that the audience may not know, but most schools now have very sophisticated software programs for the applications, and that software can detect whether or not the recommendation letter or the essays or anything else in there came from the same computer, contains the same meta language. So if you\u2019ve written an essay and then you write your own letter of recommendation, the chances are very strong that we\u2019re going to know that. And if we know that, that means your application will probably be tossed out because it\u2019s a violation of the honor code for every school out there. If you get a recommender who says, \u201cI don\u2019t have time to do that. You go write it and I\u2019ll sign it,\u201d don\u2019t. Find someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We used to see it all the time. In fact, when we got one of those red flags, we would actually call the recommender and ask them, \u201cDid you write this letter? Can you tell us a little bit more?\u201d We wouldn\u2019t come out and ask like that. But we would say, \u201cCan you tell us a little more about your statement about John? How did he really come up with this project?\u201d And a lot of times the recommender, you could tell, had no idea what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most admissions directors \u2014 we all know each other pretty well. We\u2019ve traveled together. We hang out together. A lot of us have known each other for 20 or more years. It\u2019s good because we all know about each other\u2019s schools. If somebody comes up to me and says, \u201cWell, I\u2019m looking for something about X, Y, and Z,\u201d I\u2019ll say, \u201cWell, my school actually doesn\u2019t have that, but the school over there, they do. Go and talk to them.\u201d We work together on that. It\u2019s a good thing, and I think it\u2019s also good for the candidates. No school wants to admit someone just to fill a seat. Well, perhaps some of them do. But for the most part, we want to get a class where each student is there for a specific reason, they\u2019re going to fit in, and that we have what they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-began-your-admissions-career-in-international-admissions-what-are-some-of-the-most-significant-challenges-that-international-applicants-face-when-applying-to-top-business-schools-and-graduate-programs-18-03\">You began your admissions career in international admissions. What are some of the most significant challenges that international applicants face when applying to top business schools and graduate programs? [18:03]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a couple of things. One, because they\u2019re so far away, they can\u2019t often visit the school.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/cant-visit-b-schools-person\/\">Nobody can visit the schools now<\/a>, but before, very few of them can actually visit the school to know what it\u2019s like to be there. A lot of times when the international students would arrive, we always had them come in early, both at Tuck and at Vanderbilt, so they could get their feet on the ground and at least find out where they were and how to get through from one place to another. And it\u2019s a huge pain to have to think in a different language all the time, too. I learned this when I went abroad. So I had a special affinity for all the international students. I said, \u201cYou know, you\u2019re going to have a headache for the first month you\u2019re here because you\u2019re going to be thinking and listening and reading everything in a foreign language. You will eventually get over that, and it does get better, but just be prepared. Go buy a bottle of aspirin now because it is hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, with the situation being what it is in the United States with the visa problems, I feel really badly for them because they\u2019ve spent a lot of time. They\u2019ve been brave enough to come all the way over here. They spent the money, the time, left their families, left their jobs, and all they want is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/mba-programs-go-stem-certified\/\">a chance to work<\/a>&nbsp;over here for a few years. Some may want to stay longer, but when trying to get a job, companies are afraid because they don\u2019t know what the regulations are going to be and if they\u2019re going to change. They have that big burden as well. They\u2019ve got to work twice as hard as the domestic students to even get an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tcGUWQ6ciC8?feature=oembed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-let-s-move-on-to-another-special-interest-of-yours-military-what-are-the-most-common-challenges-that-people-coming-from-the-military-face-when-they-apply-to-business-school-and-how-can-they-handle-it-most-effectively-20-21\">Let\u2019s move on to another special interest of yours: military. What are the most common challenges that people coming from the military face when they apply to business school, and how can they handle it most effectively? [20:21]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of them are worried about not having a business background. They think, \u201cOh, I probably shouldn\u2019t even apply because I don\u2019t know anything about business.\u201d I say, \u201cYou\u2019ve done inventory. You\u2019ve managed $5 million worth of heavy equipment. You\u2019ve managed hundreds of people. That\u2019s all you have to know. You\u2019ve got more qualifications than people who\u2019ve been consultants for 15 years probably. You just have to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/academic-de-greening-part-2-applying-to-graduate-school-after-military-service\/\">understand how to translate your military resume into civilian language<\/a>.\u201d That\u2019s the first hurdle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then the second one is, of course, understanding the business lingo and abbreviations. Of course, they\u2019re all familiar with abbreviations because all the armed forces have their own special abbreviations for various things. So they understand that part of it, they just don\u2019t know what people are talking about. Something as simple as ROI or SOP. They get it, but they\u2019re first looking at you a little bit. I remember one of the funniest things: One of my early admits from the military was saying, \u201cEverybody\u2019s going around and talking about class packs, class packs.\u201d He said, \u201cI thought this was something I was going to have to carry around with me like on my back. And then I realized it\u2019s just a notebook of cases.\u201d Every field has its own jargon, and I didn\u2019t realize that. So we went over a lot of that, and I started doing an orientation for the veterans in the program, just to make sure they understood this is how things work and this is what you\u2019re supposed to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing they were not used to is the fact that you actually have to get out and look for a job, and you have to prepare, and you have to interview. When you\u2019re in the service, it\u2019s just a hierarchical procedure. If you get to a certain rank and you do everything right, then you\u2019re promoted to the next one. They had to learn to interview and how to do research on companies and figure out what\u2019s out there. They just weren\u2019t used to doing it. A lot of them were intimidated about that. \u201cI have to interview for this job. What do I do?\u201d And of course the career office is going to take care of you. Don\u2019t worry. Most schools do have Armed Forces clubs, so they help each other out. And they\u2019re stars. They\u2019re usually stars, absolutely in service. That\u2019s another thing: A lot of times they weren\u2019t really sure what direction they should go in. You suggest to them, \u201cI\u2019ve never done that.\u201d \u201cWell, that\u2019s okay. That\u2019s why you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-served-on-the-consortium-for-graduate-studies-and-management-s-board-of-directors-and-as-a-liaison-to-the-management-leadership-for-tomorrow-both-groups-serve-african-americans-hispanic-americans-and-native-americans-what-advice-do-you-have-for-those-underrepresented-groups-in-management-in-particular-in-business-schools-and-also-in-graduate-schools-23-28\">You served on the Consortium for Graduate Studies and Management\u2019s board of directors and as a liaison to the Management Leadership for Tomorrow. Both groups serve African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. What advice do you have for those underrepresented groups in management, in particular in business schools, and also in graduate schools? [23:28]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/essay-tips-for-applying-to-the-consortium\/\">Apply. We need you.<\/a>&nbsp;We need your thoughts. We need your perspectives. And don\u2019t be afraid. A lot of times because of the test scores and things, I\u2019ve talked to some candidates with fabulous work experience and heard, \u201cI don\u2019t do well in standardized tests.\u201d And a lot of times they would be denied by schools because of their test scores. And I just always found that horrible because as you know, the test score will tell you a certain amount and whether you\u2019ll pass the first year of the program. It doesn\u2019t say whether you\u2019re going to be a great business person or not. It doesn\u2019t say whether you\u2019ve got a strategic vision or not. It just says, can you do the quant stuff? If you\u2019re worried about that, go take a class at your community college or something online, even a free class. Don\u2019t let your fear keep you from applying and from trying to go to the best school possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions. Admissions counselors and admissions staff are there to help. In most cases, and this goes for everyone, we\u2019re all looking for a reason to get you in, not to keep you out. And that\u2019s very true even for schools that get 40,000 applications. They\u2019re looking for the best people to bring in. And also&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/paying-for-your-mba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">financial concerns<\/a>&nbsp;are a big issue for a lot of the underrepresented minority population and for women as well. Don\u2019t worry about that. Finances, they\u2019ll work themselves out. If you get into a good school, don\u2019t let that stop you. There are lots and lots of opportunities out there for funding at low interest rates. And for the most part, if you\u2019re going to a renowned, accredited university, you\u2019re going to make that money back. You\u2019re going to be able to pay off your loans in probably 10 years. And that may sound like a long time, but you\u2019re going to be doubling your salary in a lot of cases. So take out a loan; go for it. You\u2019re worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-in-your-opinion-how-is-the-coronavirus-affecting-and-going-to-affect-mba-admissions-and-business-schools-26-22\">In your opinion, how is the coronavirus affecting and going to affect MBA admissions and business schools? [26:22]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it is having a very definite impact on admissions because suddenly, the schools that were requiring people, \u201cYou\u2019ve got to come here to do your interview,\u201d can\u2019t do that anymore. \u201cOh, we want to meet you.\u201d And they can\u2019t. Luckily, we have the technology to at least see people via Skype or Zoom or some sort of online recruiting event and that sort of thing. But I think it is going to make us think, hmm, there\u2019s got to be a different way to evaluate people. What can we find out about people? I think you\u2019re going to see more schools doing some&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/mba-interview-tips-post-5-video-essays\/\">video essays<\/a>. That\u2019s becoming a trend in a lot of schools in the past five years, but I think you\u2019ll see more schools doing that so they can get a feel for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, the candidates really have to make an effort. Go to these webinars. Reach out to students. And that\u2019s one thing that I always tell anybody I\u2019m working with. Every single school out there has a bevy of students who are ambassadors, or whatever they may call it, peer counselors. You can find them on the website. These are the people who have the inside information. Reach out to them. They can give you so much more information than an admissions officer about the day-to-day life. About what\u2019s going on. About, \u201cDo you like the classes that you\u2019re taking?&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/what-is-business-school-like\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What\u2019s life like there daily?<\/a>&nbsp;What do you think about your classmates? What kind of clubs could I get involved with?\u201d Granted, the admissions officers know this, but it\u2019s different getting it from a student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you make that effort to get to know a student and to ask them questions, when you do your essays, you\u2019re going to have a lot more depth to your essays. We\u2019re going to understand you are interested in our school. Something that\u2019s not on the website, and the only way you could have found that out is through a student. And that\u2019s good. We like that. And it\u2019s good for you too, because you may find out details that, say, an admissions officer might never tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-schools-are-going-to-go-test-optional-what-will-be-the-impact-of-going-test-optional-28-59\">More schools are going to go test-optional. What will be the impact of going test-optional? [28:59]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s certainly going to hurt all&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/do-mba-rankings-matter\/\">the rankings magazines and their fake rankings<\/a>. I think trying to rank a business school solely on the basis of what your incoming GMAT score is\u2026 Some do theirs based on various statistical inputs. There\u2019s a lot of that too, but that seems to play a bigger part than the job market or the career placement part of it, which is really the important thing. That\u2019s why you\u2019re there, is to get a new job, right? That should be what that\u2019s based, on or what employers say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I do think that the GMAT and GRE can tell us a certain amount about if the person can do the work. Because on the candidate side, by studying for the GMAT or the GRE, you\u2019re going to be refreshing your knowledge, let\u2019s say, of quantitative problems that you will see when you get to an MBA program. And this is good for you. But I also think that I\u2019m happy to see a lot of schools now accepting the executive assessment, especially for military candidates who have been in the service for 10 to 15 years. They want to do any MBA program because they want the immersive experience. They don\u2019t want to do an exec program. They\u2019ve been out of school for so long. Are they going to remember high school geometry? No. So I think the executive assessment might be the right tool to use for some candidates, and I\u2019m glad to see that more and more schools are accepting that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve worked with somebody who had a 3.8 in finance, and he couldn\u2019t get above a 550 on the GMAT because of test anxiety or whatever it might\u2019ve been. It wasn\u2019t because he didn\u2019t know how to do the work. I certainly think the work experience will count more. Not just the quantity, but the quality of that experience. That\u2019s a question you get a lot at these MBA fairs, you know? \u201cI\u2019ve got five years of experience.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/applying-for-an-mba-with-no-work-experience-what-you-need-to-know\/\">Is that enough?<\/a>\u201d Well, it may be, but were you making photocopies and nothing else? What were you doing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-do-you-think-more-schools-are-going-to-go-test-optional-32-23\">Do you think more schools are going to go test-optional? [32:23]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I think they will, especially if COVID continues so&nbsp;that they can\u2019t get into the test sites. Last week, I think, GMAT made the announcement that okay, if you\u2019ve done the online test before, you couldn\u2019t take it again. And now you can, but only once. No idea why. I think it\u2019s because they don\u2019t know how to set it up. I think they\u2019re just very, very worried about fraud. They should be. If that\u2019s the case, then let\u2019s throw it out. (NOTE: At the time this show airs, applicants can take the online GMAT up to two times.&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gmac.com\/gmat-other-assessments\" target=\"_blank\">Check with GMAC for updates.<\/a>&nbsp;)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-about-mba-re-applicants-we-ve-talked-about-some-different-groups-in-the-mba-applicant-pool-what-advice-do-you-have-for-mba-re-applicants-33-13\">What about MBA re-applicants? We\u2019ve talked about some different groups in the MBA applicant pool. What advice do you have for MBA re-applicants? [33:13]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I love re-applicants because it shows me that they are persevering in their desire to do whatever it is they want to do. What I don\u2019t love is somebody who gives the same application they gave the year before without any changes. That just tells me you\u2019re not terribly self-aware. I\u2019ve had those, and I know other admissions directors have too. You get the same application year after year after year. You tell the person until you\u2019re blue in the face, \u201cYou really have to retake this. You really have to rewrite your essay,\u201d or whatever it might be. And they just don\u2019t do it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take a hard look at it. You know what\u2019s wrong. You know where your weaknesses lie. If you\u2019re honest with yourself, you can say, \u201cOh yeah, maybe I shouldn\u2019t tell them I want to go into private equity since I have never done anything in finance. I\u2019ve only been human resource director. Maybe I should think that over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An admissions consultant can look at it and say, \u201cYou know what? You don\u2019t have the background for this yet, but doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t ever do it. But you don\u2019t have the background yet, so let\u2019s start off here.\u201d Oftentimes, at an early point in your career, you don\u2019t know what\u2019s out there. Everybody applies to an MBA program. \u201cI want to do management consulting.\u201d They don\u2019t know what it is, but, \u201cThat\u2019s what MBAs do, I\u2019m going to do that too.\u201d So there\u2019s so many things that you will discover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why I\u2019ve always told people, the MBA is the most useful degree that you can ever, ever get out of everything out there, all professional degrees, because it prepares you to do anything. You develop a network. You learn about how each part of a company works with the other parts and what they do. Some people don\u2019t know that. They could work in the same company for 50 years and still not know what the marketing department does. That\u2019s why I think it\u2019s the best degree that anybody could get. Everybody go out and get an MBA now and come and work with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-do-you-wish-i-would-have-asked-you-35-35\">What do you wish I would have asked you? [35:35]<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do I keep doing this? Because&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/aboutus\/christiestjohn?utm_campaign=Blog&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_bio_christie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I really love working with the candidates<\/a>, and although I haven\u2019t had as much experience on this side of it as on the other side, that\u2019s one of the things that makes me really happy at the end of the day: working with someone, and they come and say, \u201cI got in. I can\u2019t believe it. I got in. Thank you.\u201d And I say, \u201cYou know, I didn\u2019t really do anything. You had it all there. We just had to direct you in the right way.\u201d And then I\u2019m still in touch with a lot of the alumni from my very first class that I recruited and seeing what they have become now, watching them grow, watching them with their families, they progress, they move around, it makes me feel like, okay, in some small way I\u2019ve had a tiny little effect on somebody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also learn a lot from all the candidates, and I\u2019m a big proponent of learning something every day, even if it seems totally useless at the time. You never know. I love to listen to their stories and listen to what they\u2019ve done and find out why they did something or how they got into something. I think it\u2019s fascinating. I think human nature is intriguing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/hubfs\/Podcast_audio_files\/Podcast\/389_Christie-St-John_2020.mp3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"66\" src=\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ListenToTheShow-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47496\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ListenToTheShow-1.png 340w, https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ListenToTheShow-1-300x58.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/academic-de-greening-part-2-applying-to-graduate-school-after-military-service\/\">Academic De-Greening, Part 2: Applying to Graduate School After Military Service<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/applying-for-your-mba-through-the-consortium-best-deal-in-town\/\">Applying for Your MBA Through The Consortium: Best Deal in Town<\/a><\/li><li><em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/reports.accepted.com\/mba\/webinar\/how-will-covid-19-impact-your-mba-admissions-journey\" target=\"_blank\">How Will COVID-19 Impact Your Admissions Journey<\/a><\/em>, a Q&amp;A session<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/journey-to-duke-fuqua-marine-turned-mba-entrepreneur-and-dad\/\">Journey to Duke Fuqua: Marine-Turned-MBA, Entrepreneur, and Dad<\/a>, an interview with an MBA student<\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/aboutus\/christiestjohn?utm_campaign=Blog&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_bio_christie\" target=\"_blank\">Work with Dr. Christie St-John<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Accepted MBA Admissions Services<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Shows:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/mba-life-as-an-international-student-at-ucla-anderson-episode-380\/\">Expert Advice for Applicants and an Inside Look at UCLA Anderson from an Intl MBA<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/an-admissions-experts-top-tips-for-business-school-applicants\/\">An Admissions Expert\u2019s Top Tips for Business School Applicants<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/when-is-the-mba-worth-the-time-and-money\/\">Is an MBA Worth It, or Is the Sky Falling Down on the MBA Degree?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/brian-hoffman-nomad-credit-episode-260\/\">International Students: How to Finance Your U.S. Education<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/marco-denovellis-businessbecause-a-conversation-about-todays-mba-marketplace\/\">A Conversation About Today\u2019s MBA Marketplace<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Subscribe:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/stitcher\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kp15446gcoz47p1vpn9ol6gj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/admissions-straight-talk-stitcher.png\" alt=\"Listen to Stitcher\" width=\"150\" height=\"44\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/subscribeonandroid.com\/blog.accepted.com\/feed\/podcast\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blubrry.com\/soa\/BadgeLarge.png\" alt=\"Subscribe on Android\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/an-insiders-look-at-mba-admissions-episode-389\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"123\" height=\"46\" src=\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Get-it-on-itunes.png\" alt=\"Get it on itunes\" class=\"wp-image-30589\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/58291\/c972a78a-33b9-4a26-a54d-393ab0e96b7b?__hstc=76425034.742a77959cf2e15e31eb43093872a255.1603645175468.1603804999395.1603815310093.10&amp;__hssc=76425034.6.1603815310093&amp;__hsfp=4063478386\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/58291\/c972a78a-33b9-4a26-a54d-393ab0e96b7b.png\" alt=\"Learn How to Create a Competitive MBA Application! \" width=\"525\" height=\"188\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/an-insiders-look-at-mba-admissions-episode-389\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">This article<\/a>&nbsp;originally appeared on&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>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 to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accepted.com\/mba\/services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">help you get accepted<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How can MBA hopefuls- especially those who are members of special applicant groups- best position themselves for acceptance? [Show summary] A valued and recent addition to Accepted\u2019s staff,&nbsp;Dr. Christie St-John&nbsp;reveals&#8230;<\/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":[1911,184,2042],"class_list":["post-50305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-accepted","category-admission-consultants","category-applications","category-blog","tag-accepted-com","tag-admissions-consulting","tag-podcast","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50305","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=50305"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50307,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50305\/revisions\/50307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}