Hi
Morgan1213:
It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed as you begin this process. The good news is you have plenty of time and many resources available to you. Separately, congrats on getting a fantastic GMAT score! That will open up many doors for you. As far as your questions are concerned:
1. When should I start the application process?
A: It depends on what you mean by start the process. The applications themselves don't get released until the late spring, but you can definitely get a head start on matters like your resume (which doesn't really change from school to school), lining up your recommenders (identifying the appropriate ones and building a rapport with them), fine tuning some aspects of your profile (such as extracurricular activities), and researching and reaching out to the MBA programs (current/former students and admission committees) to express your interest.
2. What are the major application steps?
A: There are a set of materials you will need to submit: resume/CV, 1-2 recommendation letters, essay questions (short answer, long answer and potentially video "essays"), and then the application itself which can include enumerating and describing your extracurricular activities, examples of leadership and recognition, and general biographical data. Subsequently, if invited, you will participate in an interview with an alumnus, second year student or admissions committee member. Then, you hear back the results and, hopefully, are in a position to pick between many options.
3. Should I hire and admissions consultant if I’m hoping to go to a top 15ish school? I understand there are a lot of factors on this one. I am currently an M&A advisory senior consultant at one of the big four accounting firms (not in advisory not consulting) in the Bay Area. I am not from California, but preferably I would like to go to a California school (Standford, Haas, Anderson) because of my wife’s job, but if necessary would have no problem going to any top school.
A: As an admissions consultant, I obviously think we can be extremely helpful especially if you need someone as a go-to for all questions from start to finish in the admissions process. Getting into a top 15 school is very hard, especially this past year (and likely this coming year) with the pandemic rendering all norms dated. Coming from the Big 4 will give you blue chip credibility, but you do need to articulate clearly your career path to date and your career path moving forward.
Please reach out to us at
Admissionado if you'd like to schedule a free consultation. During the call, you will have the opportunity to speak with one of our MBA experts who will review your background, help build a school list (including beyond the CA schools you listed), explain the scale and scope of our application support services, and answer any and all of your questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/Regards,
Seth
Admissionado Senior Consultant