Calling all Michigan Ross Applicants: 2024 Intake Class of 2026

Okay! MissBong - here is the problem I face and I will be frank. When I read through candidates who got admitted - the profiles that they come with - the "Stellar Profiles"! I feel I fall short . It kind of feels overwhleming on what to highlight and how to structure essays and what parts to highlight. I am still figuring out how to do that along with the GMAT. Just putting it out here.

Hey Palak, I’d let MissBong go into more detail with this. But I think your conception of "Stellar Profiles" is not true. I’m as bang average as average can be. I’m a fellow software developer, a reapplicant and I got through with some scholarship. So "average" people do make the cut.

Okay. Trust me even I have experienced similar issues. But do not think about these things before GMAT. Think about why you want an MBA and that should make sense. After you get a score, take some time to think about different situations/experiences that you have faced in your life, what lessons you have learnt from them and how. You need to introspect a little but things do come out. Something which seems very normal to you might be a good story for the essays. It needs time but can be done.

Plus, I had a 720 and less than three years of experience. Also, many people told me that I will not get in because of my low work ex. But guess what, I was admitted! So, keep believing in yourself and give your best shot!

Yeah! I mean I am thinking and introspecting and I am getting a lot of things. And it is funny - If I get something today that I feel I can highlight this - then the next day same thing feels like average. But I will take up your advice and have all ideas in a one palce as a draft as and when they come! And will look at how to structure it post GMAT!

6. So one last question I do have for today - the MBA value!!

Yes. Keep noting the stories down so that you can look at them later. I did the mistake of not drafting my thoughts as they came.

+1 on this. This helped me a lot for my interviews too

Hi. What would your advice if I haven’t had really impactful work experiences. What could I highlight

For me the value of MBA will warrant different answers from different people. For someone coming from a "well established" family business, the MBA experience will be different from that of someone who isa first generation college student. Plus it depends alot on the individual as well on how he/she makes of that opportunity.

What PyjamaScientist said is so true. The value depends on what you want from it. It is different for different people.

I would say you are being too hard on yourself. If you dig deeper, there will be impact that you are probably missing. Spend time introspecting your work life so far and it would surface. That’s not easy, trust me, but the impact would surface if you introspect deeply and with a third person perspective.

It does not have to be working in a NGO and doing impactful work. Impact can also be generated by leading a team in time of distress or attempting to solve an issue which no one attempted!

Guys, I will drop off now. Feel free to DM me if you have any more queries. Hope to see you at Ann Arbor next year. #GoBlue

Here are the doubts and advices I get and sometimes those put me in a bit of doubt.
1. Some linekdIn posts on how to get personal MBA via reading books. I know that doesn’t really happen, but it makes you think for a moment.
2. Family suggesting trying for ISB as well. But I am looking for Global experience, but when I think about costs it agains put me in a dillema at times.
3. I am genuinely passionate about technology. Some suggest try MSc, why to pursue MBA. But I feel I can learn about technology with the ample resources available online. MBA to me expands my capabilities, grows in me leadership skills. But sometimes mind does sway because of the booming tech sector.
4. I do have a decent salary currently and with hike better than industry standards, from financial perspective would I be able to justify the mBA.
5. MBA 1 Year v/s 2 Year

Well a common misconception (atleast in my eyes) on impactful work that a lot of people have is that it has to be something of humongous or life altering proportions. Those things definitely stand out and make you an extremely attractive applicant. But impact can also be defined in your everyday job.

For starters, I would recommend that you look at your job and other activities that you were involved in and try quantifying your results. As a software developer, I quantified impact as a function of optimisation of process (made things 20% faster, automated 10% of the process etc) etc

This really depends on your goal. What do you want from an MBA?
For example, for me I have never been out of India and I wanted to explore other geographies. This was an important factor for me.

So, it really depends on what you want from it.

Guys, I will drop off. Feel free to DM if you have anymore questions. #GoBlue

It was wonderful interacting with you guys! Please feel free to DM incase of further queries. I wish you guys a very fruitful application cycle ahead. I hope you get into your target schools!

Hey thankyou all for taking the time!