{"id":54651,"date":"2022-04-22T04:02:39","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T11:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/positioning-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application-mistakes-to-avoid\/"},"modified":"2022-04-22T04:02:39","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T11:02:39","slug":"positioning-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/positioning-extracurriculars-on-your-mba-application-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Positioning Extracurriculars on Your MBA Application: Mistakes to Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As an MBA candidate, how you articulate your extracurricular involvement contributes to your overall story.<\/h2>\n

Ideally, well-positioned extracurriculars will clarify and reinforce your passions, involvement in community, and commitment to pursuits\u00a0<\/i><\/span>outside of work.\u00a0<\/i><\/span>As mentioned in part one of this series on\u00a0how to position extracurriculars<\/a> <\/strong>on your business school application,\u00a0what you share with the admissions committee\u00a0sends a signal about the kind of student and alum you\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt also helps the admissions committee get a better grasp of a candidate\u2019s fit with an MBA program\u2019s community and culture,\u201d says Fortuna’s Jessica Chung,\u00a0former Associate Director of Admissions at UCLA Anderson<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cMany of the programs and events in business school are very student-driven. Schools want students who show strong evidence that they will be actively involved in clubs and organizations, and successfully work together to drive a variety of events that are so vital to the MBA experience for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So how do you decide what to include? And what NOT to include?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cCredentials are important, but so often when I was working at HBS, I would see files that put the committee member to sleep. You are not going to be able to compete for a place at the top schools if you only have deals or client work to talk about,\u201d explains Fortuna\u2019s Karla Cohen,\u00a0former Associate Director at Harvard Business School<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The more personal you can be in terms of why you do what you do, the more interesting you will be to the MBA admissions committee. Adds Karla:<\/p>\n

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\u201cAn engaging volunteer experience can say so much more about you than preparing a slide deck for a client presentation or negotiating another deal. Your extracurriculars should help you to speak from you core being, and reinforce what you want to do with your life, and why you want to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Too often, candidates overlook the importance of extracurriculars. Here are the common mistakes to avoid, as told by my Fortuna Admissions colleagues, former business school admissions professionals at top tier programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Your MBA Extracurriculars: 8 Mistakes to Avoid\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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1. The laundry list.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cAdmissions committees are not impressed by a laundry list of activities when it\u2019s clear there\u2019s no substance or true commitment to the cause, club or organization. They\u2019d rather see a consistent relationship and understand the passion and dedication behind a few select causes,\u201d says\u00a0Fortuna’s\u00a0<\/span>Sharon Joyce, former Berkeley Haas<\/strong><\/a> Associate Director of Admissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Poor positioning.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cIf you run and cook and travel you\u2019re the same as everybody else,\u201d says\u00a0Fortuna’s\u00a0<\/span>Jody Keating, former career coach at Wharton<\/a><\/strong> and Georgetown. But if these are truly your passions, a more compelling resume reframe would be: \u201cTravel to 23 countries on three continents; Ran the New York Marathon (2015); Volunteer twice a month making meals at local soup kitchen; Mentor a seven year old weekly through Big Sisters of New York.\u201d\u00a0As you choose what activities to cite, be able to answer: How has a particular extracurricular contributed to my personal growth, to the development of skills essential to my career goals and to the impact I wish to have on my community?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Lack of uniqueness.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Like poor positioning, the vague or too-typical citing will sink you. For example, citing \u2018reading\u2019 as a personal passion. \u201cAlthough reading is important, it is quite common and uninteresting to put as an extracurricular since most people, you know,\u00a0<\/span>read<\/i>. But if this truly is your passion and you spend most of your time reading, then you could tie it to how it has shaped you or affected you in some way,\u201d says\u00a0Fortuna’s\u00a0<\/span>Melissa Jones, former Assistant Director of INSEAD<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s MBA Program. \u201cFor example, one of my clients told me he read approximately 10 books a month \u2013 which alone is quite impressive \u2013 but he particularly liked to read text books to learn new things. He would teach himself new things such as modelling or how to create staffing optimization models, which he ended up using successfully at work. In this case, this would be great to mention in your application as it showcases both personality and aptitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

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4. Lack of context.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t assume that the person reading your application knows how many hours you\u2019ve committed to your passion or the critical leadership or teamwork skills you\u2019ve gained as a result,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span>Kristen Beyers, former Deputy Director of Admissions at Yale SOM<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cSome activities may be more well-known to the Admissions Committee, including the level of commitment required of those engaged in the activities (such as the intense commitment required of Junior League, versus the nice-but-easy to do \u2018volunteer at a soup kitchen around the holidays\u2019). Ask around to see if your extracurriculars are familiar to people in your network \u2013 if they don\u2019t recognize the organization or the duties of the role, make sure to spell it out in your application.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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5. Missing connections.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Be aware that there are plenty of applicants who have competed on a collegiate or national level, so listing \u2018running\u2019 as an interest is not likely to help you stand out, says Melissa. \u201cBut talking about sports is a great way to show a long-term commitment and leadership, such as: \u2018Trained 15 middle-school girls to run 5k, through twice-weekly practices focusing on fitness and socio emotional health.\u2019\u201d Setting yourself apart means you\u2019ll want to be really specific about what you do in these organizations or hobbies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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6.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Omission.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cOne mistake candidates often make is they fail to mention activities they were involved with when they were young, as well as when they were in undergrad, assuming it was too long ago,\u201d adds Melissa. \u201cFor example, if you were a child actor or a competitive athlete in your youth it\u2019s worth mentioning as it can reveal a lot about a person \u2013 especially if you can show a meaningful connection over time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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View this 8-minute strategy session with Fortuna’s resume expert, Jody Keating.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

7. Lack of outcomes.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cA common missed opportunity is not providing a clear picture of the impact you had in your extracurriculars, and a good way to showcase your impact is to provide quantitative information,\u201d says\u00a0Fortuna’s\u00a0<\/span>Malvina Miller Complainville, former HBS Assistant Director of Career Services. \u201cHow many children did you coach? How many events did you lead? How big were the events? How many attendees? What was the budget? How many members were in your club? How much money did you fundraise? What was the size of the budget you managed? You can also include percentages, such as the percent increase in fundraising as a result of your activities.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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8. Ticking the box.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t start volunteering two months before application deadline and expect to impress anyone,\u201d says\u00a0Fortuna’s\u00a0<\/span>Judith Silverman Hodara, former Wharton<\/strong><\/a> Acting Director of Admissions. \u201cI would start as soon as possible \u2013 so if you are thinking that you would like to apply for the next cycle, NOW is the time to start to reach out to organizations and get involved.\u201d While there\u2019s no minimum timeframe that\u2019s required, the admissions committee will notice if all of your engagement is the year prior to applying to b-school, or only during undergrad. Adds Sharon, \u201cIdeally, your commitments should go back a few years, prior to applying, or it will look like the candidate is clearly \u201cticking a box\u201d to be more aligned with what top-flight b-schools look for in competitive applicants: Engaged, dynamic, dedicated & sincere citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We\u2019ve also had applicants worry about how listing religious or political activities may be perceived by Admissions. \u201cAs long as you don\u2019t use the description of the activity to proselytize, but rather demonstrate skills gained, such as organizing and leading others, I think it\u2019s fine to share,\u201d says Judith. \u201cIf you are concerned then you do not have to put it in, but be assured that there is no bias.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Want more advice?<\/h3>\n

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