After having spent 5+ years formally coaching clients through the business school application process and time before that informally coaching friends and colleagues, there are common mistakes that many applicants make that I have come across. Here are five mistakes to avoid when you are applying to business school so that your applications stand out from the competition:
Not crafting authentic applications
Many candidates are tempted to craft business school applications according to what they believe Admissions Committees want to see and/or according to what may have worked for a friend/colleague in the past. However, members of Admissions Committees have read thousands of applications over the years and can easily detect whether a candidate is being genuine or is just trying to curry favor with them. Do not try to be someone you're not in the application. I cannot stress this enough - authenticity is really the key to a successful application (please read my blog on this topic)! The most successful applications are those where candidates are true to themselves by drawing upon their unique experiences and perspectives.
Having generic post-MBA goals
A key aspect of the business school application and interview is expressing what you would like to pursue professionally post-MBA. Therefore, it is important to formulate post-MBA goals that are specific, ambitious, and credible. However, often times I see applicants stating goals that are very generic; for example, they say that they would like to start a company (without specifying what kind of a company) or that they want to make a transition from their current industry to another one (without specifying the role that they want to take on in the new industry). Take the time to really think about your post-MBA goals; career goals that are not well thought out or credible are often red flags for Admissions Committees that a candidate has not reflected deeply enough about the future and why an MBA is important for him/her.
Click here for three more common mistakes to avoid when applying to business school.
About Ivy Groupe:
Shaifali Aggarwal, the Founder/CEO of Ivy Groupe, is a graduate of Harvard Business School (HBS) and Princeton University. Shaifali has spent over five years successfully coaching 200+ diverse clients to top-tier MBA programs. Because of her deep knowledge of the MBA application process, Shaifali has been quoted as an expert in U.S. News. Shaifali has also been a featured speaker both domestically and internationally on the QS World MBA Tour and has led webinars on Beat The GMAT and GMAT Club.
Ivy Groupe (ivygroupe.com) is a boutique MBA admissions consulting company providing personalized and customized services to clients from around the world who are applying to top-tier MBA programs. We are passionate about helping our clients achieve their dreams so that they can impact the world.
Click here to sign up for a free consultation with Shaifali!
Not crafting authentic applications
Many candidates are tempted to craft business school applications according to what they believe Admissions Committees want to see and/or according to what may have worked for a friend/colleague in the past. However, members of Admissions Committees have read thousands of applications over the years and can easily detect whether a candidate is being genuine or is just trying to curry favor with them. Do not try to be someone you're not in the application. I cannot stress this enough - authenticity is really the key to a successful application (please read my blog on this topic)! The most successful applications are those where candidates are true to themselves by drawing upon their unique experiences and perspectives.
Having generic post-MBA goals
A key aspect of the business school application and interview is expressing what you would like to pursue professionally post-MBA. Therefore, it is important to formulate post-MBA goals that are specific, ambitious, and credible. However, often times I see applicants stating goals that are very generic; for example, they say that they would like to start a company (without specifying what kind of a company) or that they want to make a transition from their current industry to another one (without specifying the role that they want to take on in the new industry). Take the time to really think about your post-MBA goals; career goals that are not well thought out or credible are often red flags for Admissions Committees that a candidate has not reflected deeply enough about the future and why an MBA is important for him/her.
Click here for three more common mistakes to avoid when applying to business school.
About Ivy Groupe:
Shaifali Aggarwal, the Founder/CEO of Ivy Groupe, is a graduate of Harvard Business School (HBS) and Princeton University. Shaifali has spent over five years successfully coaching 200+ diverse clients to top-tier MBA programs. Because of her deep knowledge of the MBA application process, Shaifali has been quoted as an expert in U.S. News. Shaifali has also been a featured speaker both domestically and internationally on the QS World MBA Tour and has led webinars on Beat The GMAT and GMAT Club.
Ivy Groupe (ivygroupe.com) is a boutique MBA admissions consulting company providing personalized and customized services to clients from around the world who are applying to top-tier MBA programs. We are passionate about helping our clients achieve their dreams so that they can impact the world.
Click here to sign up for a free consultation with Shaifali!
Ivy Groupe, Founder/CEO
Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting
Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting
