The competition to get into the best MBA
programs is ferocious, but you can improve your chances of getting accepted by
following these expert tips.
By
Anne Fisher,
Fortune senior writer
Stacy Blackman has built a thriving Los-Angeles-based business, called Stacy
Blackman Consulting (www.stacyblackman.com), on helping MBA aspirants avoid
ending up among the 90% who don't make the cut. Since earning her own MBA in
1999 from the Kellogg School at Northwestern and starting her firm two years
later, Blackman and her team have counseled more than 1,000 hopefuls on how to
wow the admissions committees at top B-schools.
Here are 10 tips for making a great impression.
1. Get a sky-high score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test.
Overall, GMAT scores range from 200 to 800; the median is 500. At a top school,
students' average scores may be 700 and higher.
2. Be yourself. Don't try to match some imaginary ideal. "Often,
people have an image in their minds of what kind of person a given school
wants," says Blackman. "Usually it's because they know someone who went there,
so they try to be like that person." What's wrong with that? "Business-school
admissions committees aim to enroll a broad mix of different personalities and
backgrounds, so they want to know who you really are - even going beyond your
professional life to include any significant experiences you may have had, like
a serious illness or an eye-opening trip abroad. Tell your real story. Trying to
be someone you aren't is likely to backfire."
3. Don't rush to submit your application in the first round. Different
schools operate on different schedules, but in general, B-schools accept one
round of applications in October and another in early January. Don't rush.
"There is no particular advantage in being in the first round of applications,"
says Blackman. "It's much more important to submit a really great application.
You do want to meet the deadline, of course, but quality counts more than
speed."
4. Be ready to discuss any weak spots in your resume or your undergraduate
transcript. "Let's say you've been laid off three times, like one client I
had. Don't just ignore that on your application. Talk about how you bounced back
and what you learned from those experiences," Blackman says. "Likewise, if you
have a glaringly low grade or two on your undergraduate record, address the
question of why that happened. Often people think, 'Well, they know I'm smart,
and that was a long time ago, so it's no big deal.' But you need to explain it,
because it will be noticed."
5. Be aware of the importance of recommendations. "A really common
mistake is to get fixated on the essay portion of the application and overlook
the crucial role of recommendations," says Blackman. Once references have agreed
to write a recommendation for you, it's essential to "keep in touch with them so
you are sure [the letters] get submitted on time," she says. But first....
6. Make sure you've asked the right people. "Prestige is less
important than how well they know you," Blackman says. "Sometimes people will
ask the CEO for a recommendation because that CEO attended the school the person
is applying to. But admissions committees want specific examples of how you
work, especially in the areas of teamwork, leadership, ethics, and respect for
others. The CEO is unlikely to know those details." Unless you work with the Big
Boss on a day-to-day basis, ask your direct manager, a close colleague, or a
client instead.
7. Ask one or two people to review your application. But don't overdo
it. "It's a good idea to ask one or two people whose judgment you trust to look
over your application before you submit it, to see if they spot any flaws or
omissions," says Blackman. Too many cooks spoil the broth, however: "If you
follow too many suggestions, your essay will end up reading as if it were
written by a committee, and you definitely don't want that."
8. If you end up on the "wait list," make the most of it. "Often
people assume that being put on the 'wait list' is the same as not being
accepted, and they give up. But lots of waitlisted applicants do get admitted.
There's an art to it," says Blackman. "If your GMAT score was relatively low,
take the test again. Send another recommendation or two, if you can. If the
school wants you to come in for an interview, do that. And keep in touch with
the admissions committee. You don't want to hound them, but it's perfectly okay
to send a letter if you get promoted or if you're working on a 'stretch'
assignment that broadens your skills."
9. Do your own research. Don't choose a B-school just by picking it
off a list. "Every MBA program is different, and you want to focus on the ones
that are right for you," Blackman says. "Compare the schools carefully, and
visit as many of the campuses as you can. If you can sit in on a class or two,
so much the better. That way, when you're asked why you want to go to this
particular school, you'll have a convincing answer - instead of just sounding
like you're reading from a brochure."
10. Start the process as far in advance as you can. Planning to take
the GMAT, researching schools, getting the applications, lining up your
recommendations, and writing the essays all take time. If you wait until the
last minute, you'll be rushed, stressed, and unlikely to put your best foot
forward. Want to go to B-school in the fall of 2008? It's not too soon to get
cracking.
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