Personal MBA Coach's Tips For Kicking Off Round 2
With summer coming to an end (though for those of us on the east coast it does not feel that way weather wise) and round two deadlines for most schools that fall in January, it is easy to put your MBA applications on the back burner. Dont make this mistake! Whether you arent quite ready for round one or have always been in the round two camp, it is time to get started NOW!
Here are 5 steps you should be taking today!
1) Think about your personal story
We spend considerable time with candidates crafting a winning personal story. This is the most important part of the application and it can also be the hardest. I advise my candidates to start this process months, if not years, in advance! The good news? Everyone has a personal story.
So, what should you include in your personal story? This will differ for every candidate but across the board I can tell you, not everything! No one wants to read 1,000+ words with a chronological flow of your life. Instead, you must be focused, logical and unique.
This is also not the time to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Instead, think about what is most important to you, what drove your career and personal decisions and what single idea connects these all together. This is the hard part, so give it time.
No candidate is ever perfect, instead, we chart the best course we can with the hand we were dealt, and the best essays show this.
2) Fine tune and articulate your career goals
Most business school applications will ask you to think about your career goals. This is a very important question. Admissions directors want to know how you will make the business world better when you leave their campuses and they want to know what your unique mark will be. The best career essay will do two things:
- Connect your past career to your future goals. Whether you plan to take your career in a completely different direction, make a small career pivot or return to the same company post-MBA in a higher role, it is important to connect your past to your future.
- Include career goals that are focused and attainable. Your career essay should generally include both a short-term and long-term goal, though of course pay attention to the specific question wording. These goals should be specific. No one is going to hold you to what you put in your essay, but it is important to think through and convey your plan.
For more on drafting your career goals essay, read our blog.
3) Finalize your school choice and schedule campus visits
Research the programs that best fit with your long-term goals and ideal learning environments. Pay careful attention to each schools culture and the industries where its graduates are most often placed. Make sure that you have some reach schools, some more likely schools and some safer schools, especially if you want to ensure you get in this time around.
Next, schedule campus visits! If it is realistic based on your location and work schedule, you should try to visit the campus before applying. There is no better way to get to know a school and the admissions committee wants to see you are truly interested. Whether you visit or not, look for current students or alumni in your immediate or extended networks and take the time to talk to them now! Learn about their experiences, what sets their programs apart, etc.
4) Select and prepare your recommenders
Selecting the right recommenders is a very important part of the application process. It can be tempting to select the person with the most prestigious resume or the person easiest to discuss your business school plans with. I encourage you instead to carefully weigh your options and choose recommenders who know you best, can write great letters and can compare you to other applicants. For more on this, read our top 5 tips for selecting your recommenders.
Once you have selected the right person, you also have to prepare them carefully. We often hear of candidates who ask someone to write the letter, ensure it gets submitted and call it a day. This can be a big mistake! Your role in the LOR process should be much more involved than this. See our tips on arming your recommenders to write the best letters possible.
5) Customize your resume
A business school resume differs from a professional one. These resumes accomplish two different goals. For a professional resume, you want to show potential employers that you have the specific skills and experiences they are looking for. You are selling your ability to do the job. For an MBA resume, on the other hand, you want to show how you have been successful and demonstrated leadership. You are selling your future potential. Get more details on developing your MBA resume here.
Need Help? Personal MBA Coach is willing to be your guide. Founded by a Wharton and MIT graduate, we regularly help applicants navigate their applications each year. We also conduct mock interviews with former M7 and top 10 interviewers on our team.
Personal MBA Coach has been guiding candidates through all aspects of the MBA application process for over 10 years with a 96% success rate. Call us today at 617-645-2424 or email [email protected] for a free consultation on your profile along with how we can help make your career dreams a reality!