Research Paper at an undergrad level?

Question

Hi GMAT Club, great forum here. This is my first post and I hope to keep it rolling

My query is regarding a recent dilemma. I am preparing my profile for those deferred admission programs (specifically ISB's YLP, IESE's YTP, Yale's Silver Scholars, HBS 2+2 etc.) On a recent summer project, my mentor offered me to continue the work I was doing for an entire semester, and he would get that work published in a decent journal. I wanted to know if having a paper published boosts my MBA profile in any way? Is it just a bonus or a massive boost? All help is appreciated. I look forward to contributing!

Admissionado · Answer

Of course it helps! It's not a massive boost, but it still is very helpful for you to stand out, and there's no reason not to do it.

DonAndres · Answer

Hi there! Thanks for the reply.

The problem is, I've been hearing conflicting accounts. Some say that while it does help, one would be way better off taking up leadership roles. That something like this does not, as such, add to one's extra-curricular credentials.

Can you throw some light on this?

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hey there,

As Jon mentioned, a paper is definitely a boost (but I agree - let's keep it in perspective, it isn't a game changer). The short answer, however, is a paper does not replace leadership roles. They're two very different things and go to different key themes. Thought leadership and research capabilities are great skills to highlight but the more common definition of leadership is also critical. You have to find a balance between the academic and practical, does that make sense?

Can you do both? I don't know your constraints or bandwidth but I suggest this because these experiences wouldn't necessarily be showcased the same way in your application. For example, a great leadership experience would earn vertical real estate on your resume versus a published paper wouldn't warrant more than one line.

So if your decision is one or the other, then leadership may be the way to go if the role/organization are impactful (and if you don't have a significant leadership footprint in your application). However, if you can do both or you already have leadership positions, a paper can definitely be a differentiator.

Cheers,

Bhavik

DonAndres · Answer

Thanks a lot

That was really helpful!

Research Paper at an undergrad level?

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