{"id":54650,"date":"2022-04-21T05:10:20","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T12:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/how-to-position-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application\/"},"modified":"2022-04-21T05:10:20","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T12:10:20","slug":"how-to-position-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/how-to-position-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Position Extracurriculars On Your MBA Application"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When the admissions committee starts to review a new candidate, they often go straight to the \u2018Other Info\/Extracurricular\u2019 section of the resume.<\/h2>\n

Why? That\u2019s where they can gain real insight into the type of person they are considering. Business schools are looking for students who will do more than excel in class. They are looking for active contributors to the community. What you do in your free time (what little you might have of it) is as interesting and important to the admissions committee as what you do at work, because it sends a signal about the kind of student and alum you\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe top business schools are fast-paced and intense,\u201d explains Fortuna\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Karla Cohen, former Associate Director at Harvard Business School<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cSo they are looking for people who are ahead of the curve, who are progressing at a faster pace than their peers. But it\u2019s not just about wanting to be successful in the business world.\u00a0HBS is a very culture-heavy place where being mission driven is at the core, so they want to bring in people who will serve a larger purpose and are looking to create a positive change in the world. You can share the undertone of that in terms of what gets you up in the morning and motivates you, and extracurriculars and volunteer work are a great way to demonstrate your sense of purpose and commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

What do MBA programs look for in your extracurricular involvement? To echo Cohen, they want to know what matters to you, and then to discern the skills you\u2019ve developed through your experiences. The extracurricular section is an opportunity to showcase initiative, leadership, collaboration and passion for a cause.\u00a0It\u2019s also about your engagement in, and commitment to, the communities to which you belong.<\/p>\n

If you cook and run and travel, you\u2019re the same as everybody else. If you really want to stand apart from the rest of the applicant pool, extracurriculars are a great place to start, but the detail matters.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is especially true for some of the more common profiles, such as consulting and finance.\u00a0As an analyst at a top consulting firm, for example, the admissions committee understands that you\u2019re not often given the opportunity to lead a project.\u00a0If, however, you also serve on the board of your local SPCA (and have done so for many years), or if you lead the firm\u2019s annual charity drive (which, by the way, raised the most money\u00a0ever<\/em>\u00a0when you were in charge), you\u2019ll credibly distinguish yourself from the pack.<\/p>\n

My\u00a0Fortuna Admissions\u00a0colleagues are opinionated and savvy on the importance of showcasing your extracurriculars, and how best to frame them. View our team\u2019s best practices for highlighting your extracurricular and volunteer experience in a compelling and memorable way.<\/p>\n

Extracurriculars on Your MBA Application: 9 Top Tips\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Quantify.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cIf you support a yearly fundraising event, how much does it raise annually and how many people attend?\u00a0<\/span>If you helped organize volunteers, how many?\u201d asks\u00a0<\/span>Catherine Tuttle<\/b><\/a>, former Duke Fuqua Associate Director. \u201cFor example, the concise description, \u201cServe on the gala planning committee; assist Executive Board with the planning and execution of an annual event raising $300K+ each year,\u201d is more impactful than, \u201cAssist with planning the annual gala.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Qualify.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/b>The key is to concisely describe your unique contribution, impact and learnings from that experience \u2013 especially if you are describing a more typical volunteer effort like being a Big Brother,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Kristen Beyers<\/b>, former Yale SOM Deputy Director of Admissions. Adds Tuttle, \u201cAs long as you can show prolonged engagement and added value, then I don\u2019t think it matters whether you\u2019re volunteering for Big Brothers\/Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity or a smaller, local non-profit initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Identify impact.<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s also no doubt that some activities carry more weight than others, but often it\u2019s about the positioning. Demonstrate why what you did matters. For example, consider the person who lists their interests as, \u201cHiking, Soccer, Volleyball, Backpacking, Poker, USC Football,\u201d\u00a0versus the applicant who, \u201cas Vice President of Women in Business, secured over $25K corporate sponsorship for funding events, scholarships and investments for the largest student organization at the university.\u201d Or the person who identifies as a self-taught coder citing, \u201c1st\u00a0<\/sup>place winner at 3 hackathons 2014-2015, totaling $15,000 in prizes.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Show engagement.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cMBA programs look to see a variety of characteristics in an applicant\u2019s profile, whether they are evidenced by personal interests, professional experience or extracurricular activities,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Emma Bond<\/b><\/a>, former London Business School Senior Manager of MBA Admissions. \u201cIt\u2019s about engagement \u2013 demonstrating your unique skill set to make a difference in the community, whether that\u2019s at an international, national, regional or local level.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Get specific.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Everything that goes on your application needs to work toward setting you apart, so the detail is important. \u201cClaim your own angle by getting really specific about what you do in these hobbies or organizations,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Judith Silverman Hodara<\/b><\/a>, former Wharton head of MBA Admissions. \u201cDo you have a specific mentee that means a lot to you? Is there a favorite marathon that you have run? Look for ways to offer salient details.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

View this 6-minute strategy session with Fortuna’s MBA resume expert Jody Keating. <\/em><\/p>\n

6. Connect to your career goals.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cExtracurriculars that illustrate experiences and specific skills linked to your career goals help strengthen your story and show your commitment and passion to this particular goal,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Malvina Miller Complainville<\/b><\/a>, former Harvard Business School Assistant Director of Career Services. \u201cThis can be especially helpful to fill gaps in your professional experience. For example, if team management is crucial in your long-term goal but you haven\u2019t had the opportunity at work to lead teams, this is the ideal opportunity to highlight the team management experience you\u2019ve had as head of your regional club.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Demonstrate shared values with your program.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cAre you someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of others? Are you connected to your community? If the themes of your participation can be tied to the core values of the school, then you\u2019re establishing fit from a more personal perspective,\u201d says Tuttle. Adds Miller Complainville, \u201cFor example, the first trait listed in HBS\u2019 \u201cWhat Are We Looking For\u201d online statement is \u201cA Habit of Leadership,\u201d so it would be shrewd to highlight leadership experiences within your extracurriculars. You might do this by reflecting on the leadership skills you developed while starting a new undergrad club, building a start-up outside of work or coaching a soccer team.\u201d<\/p>\n

8.<\/b>\u00a0Underscore specific skills you\u2019ve acquired.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cLeadership is a key (and obvious) one, but others could include your ability to adapt in different cultural situations by having volunteered abroad in places where conditions were challenging,\u00a0 or your capacity to mobilize support and communicate persuasively by having managed charitable events or run fundraising drives,\u201d says Emma. \u201cPerhaps your charitable involvement has honed your skills in making decisions in a fast-paced, challenging environment of the type that might arise after a natural disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Connect to character traits.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cYour athletic involvement can convey determination, grit, teamwork and \u00a0perseverance,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Melissa Jones<\/a>, former INSEAD Assistant Director of the MBA Program. \u201cIt\u2019s worth mentioning if you were VP of a specific club or a team captain of an undergrad sports team, or that you were part of the drama club and performed in several plays. These all speak to your character plus shows the admissions committee a track record of participation at school.\u201d<\/p>\n

As with the rest of your business school application, the devil is in the details.\u00a0You might think that your interests or activities are too boring, but even the most ordinary of activities can be given the nuance and detail that will help the admissions committee get insight to the kind of person and leader you are.<\/p>\n

Want more advice?<\/h3>\n

View related articles by the Fortuna team on crafting your MBA resume:<\/p>\n