Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
May 1209:00 AM PDT
-10:00 AM PDT
Join us live on GMAT Club's YouTube Channel tomorrow and learn 10 Critical To Dos
May 1212:00 PM EDT
-12:30 PM EDT
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great and how you can present a strong MBA application. Explore the difference between our One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs, talk to our admissions team, and meet students.
May 1308:00 AM EDT
-09:00 AM EDT
Meet Tuck at an informal student or staff-hosted coffee chat in a city near you!
May 1310:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
Applying to business school this year? Don’t miss Personal MBA Coach’s Top MBA Application Tips guide- May 14
10:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
MBA recommendation letters are one of the most misunderstood parts of the application process. Many applicants focus on choosing the most senior recommender — when what actually matters is specificity, credibility, and examples of impact. 
May 1505:00 PM PDT
-06:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
30 Apr 2020, 10:48
Kudos
Bookmarks
With Covid-19 affecting admissions many schools have pushed their deadlines to late May early June to accommodate last minute applicants. We are getting many phone calls about the feasibility of putting together a solid application in a little less than a month. Is it worth a try? The short answer is: yes, it’s doable- but will require a lot of work and discipline on your part. To help you prioritize we’ve put together this application strategy.
If you've already taken the GMAT/GRE and you are satisfied with your score: you are in good shape. Otherwise, sign up as soon as possible for online testing before you do anything else!
Step 1: Block off time to focus on your application
With only a few weeks left you will have to shift your focus on the process and this can quickly become a full-time job. Make sure you schedule several blocks of at least 4 hours to work on your app.
Step 2: Request your transcripts
Get this one out of the way as soon as possible, this is particularly important if you are an international applicant and need to get a credential evaluation via a third party.
Step 3: Research your target schools
While researching your target schools remember that fit is everything, consider your academic and professional background as well as your future goals to asses which program is more likely to help you achieve your goals, don't focus solely on rankings. You are more likely to make a compelling argument in your application if you know exactly why this school and why this program.
Step 4: Focus on 3 schools
Once you have identified your best matches select 3 schools: aspirational school, target school and “safety school”. Don’t over extend yourself. If you want to put together a good application you will have to be strategic and make a cut.
Step 5: Contact your recommenders
Reach out to your recommenders as soon as you have identified your targets schools and their requirements. Give them as much information as possible: deadlines and format. Then send a copy of your resume and a few bullet points of the qualities you would like for them to highlight. At this point, you will have to call them regularly to check on the status and provide them with any support they need.
Step 6: Start with your resume
This can be done in a couple days. Try to keep you resume to one page (the rule of thumb is one page per decade of work experience) and ensure that every accomplishment you mention is quantified. Your resume is one of the most important pieces of your application and AdComs will refer to it several times throughout the review process, it should to be thorough and easy to read: make sure you avoid industry jargon.
Step 7: Brainstorm for your essay topics
Think about your best leadership, teamwork, problem-solving or resilience stories. Draft a short paragraph for each of these stories. These will come in handy once you are drafting your essay.
Step 8: Craft your essays
Start with your career goals essay, it needs to be well articulated and tie with the rest of your application, if AdComs fail to understand your career goals and why an MBA will help you get there you will likely be rejected. Don’t hesitate to use LinkedIn if you need help identifying appropriate post MBA roles. Make sure you stay within the word limit and use your stories wisely.
Step 9: Don’t underestimate short answers in you application
Most schools have those, don’t just copy/paste sections of you resume. Take the time to draft complete sentences, even if this information is already in your resume. AdComs need a standardized version to make the review process easier (imagine having to review hundreds of resumes in different font, formats, colors…). Remember that most of these boxes don’t have a spellcheck option, review your answers carefully for typos.
Step 10: Review, Review, review (give yourself 48 hours before the deadline)
Give yourself time to read proof carefully, have someone read your resume and essay. If you need in-depth review seek professional help. Otherwise, ask a family member or a friend to review for typos and errors, not content. At this point we wouldn’t recommend making any changes to your story. Once you are done submit and celebrate the end of this writing marathon!
If you've already taken the GMAT/GRE and you are satisfied with your score: you are in good shape. Otherwise, sign up as soon as possible for online testing before you do anything else!
Step 1: Block off time to focus on your application
With only a few weeks left you will have to shift your focus on the process and this can quickly become a full-time job. Make sure you schedule several blocks of at least 4 hours to work on your app.
Step 2: Request your transcripts
Get this one out of the way as soon as possible, this is particularly important if you are an international applicant and need to get a credential evaluation via a third party.
Step 3: Research your target schools
While researching your target schools remember that fit is everything, consider your academic and professional background as well as your future goals to asses which program is more likely to help you achieve your goals, don't focus solely on rankings. You are more likely to make a compelling argument in your application if you know exactly why this school and why this program.
Step 4: Focus on 3 schools
Once you have identified your best matches select 3 schools: aspirational school, target school and “safety school”. Don’t over extend yourself. If you want to put together a good application you will have to be strategic and make a cut.
Step 5: Contact your recommenders
Reach out to your recommenders as soon as you have identified your targets schools and their requirements. Give them as much information as possible: deadlines and format. Then send a copy of your resume and a few bullet points of the qualities you would like for them to highlight. At this point, you will have to call them regularly to check on the status and provide them with any support they need.
Step 6: Start with your resume
This can be done in a couple days. Try to keep you resume to one page (the rule of thumb is one page per decade of work experience) and ensure that every accomplishment you mention is quantified. Your resume is one of the most important pieces of your application and AdComs will refer to it several times throughout the review process, it should to be thorough and easy to read: make sure you avoid industry jargon.
Step 7: Brainstorm for your essay topics
Think about your best leadership, teamwork, problem-solving or resilience stories. Draft a short paragraph for each of these stories. These will come in handy once you are drafting your essay.
Step 8: Craft your essays
Start with your career goals essay, it needs to be well articulated and tie with the rest of your application, if AdComs fail to understand your career goals and why an MBA will help you get there you will likely be rejected. Don’t hesitate to use LinkedIn if you need help identifying appropriate post MBA roles. Make sure you stay within the word limit and use your stories wisely.
Step 9: Don’t underestimate short answers in you application
Most schools have those, don’t just copy/paste sections of you resume. Take the time to draft complete sentences, even if this information is already in your resume. AdComs need a standardized version to make the review process easier (imagine having to review hundreds of resumes in different font, formats, colors…). Remember that most of these boxes don’t have a spellcheck option, review your answers carefully for typos.
Step 10: Review, Review, review (give yourself 48 hours before the deadline)
Give yourself time to read proof carefully, have someone read your resume and essay. If you need in-depth review seek professional help. Otherwise, ask a family member or a friend to review for typos and errors, not content. At this point we wouldn’t recommend making any changes to your story. Once you are done submit and celebrate the end of this writing marathon!
