Prevent Mistakes in MBA Applications
Making the cut for an MBA program is a difficult feat even with excellent credentials.
“If you’re going to apply, you need to give it your very best shot,” says David Simpson, admissions director for the MBA and master’s in finance program at the London Business School. “You’re better off applying to a reduced number of schools rather than applying poorly to a wide range of schools.”
Before submitting an MBA application, experts say prospective students should check their application for these 10 common errors.
1. Using the wrong school name
One of the most cringe-worthy blunders in an MBA application is when an applicant mentions the wrong school in his or her essay.Unfortunately, admissions officials say, this often happens, and it typically results in rejection.
“The biggest mistake we see here with applications is students who do not proofread their essay submission well enough,” says Mike Minutoli, director of graduate programs with the Willumstad School of Business at Adelphi University. “Every cycle, I receive at least one essay that was written for another university where the applicant has professed their ‘strong attention to detail.'”
2. Generic essays
Admissions officers say sending generic MBA essays that could be sent to any business school conveys a lack of effort. Crystal Grant, head of admissions at Imperial College Business School in London, says applicants should tailor each application they submit to the school receiving it.
“We know that application forms can be lengthy, but every section is there for a reason,” she said in an email. “If you copy and paste your answers between schools, you’re missing a great opportunity to demonstrate how you fit with the culture and values of each institution.”
3. Focusing on out-of-reach schools
Top business schools typically have high admissions standards and low acceptance rates.
The painful truth is that an MBA applicant is unlikely to be accepted to a highly ranked MBA program unless he or she has extraordinary credentials, and even then, acceptance is not guaranteed, U.S. News columnist Stacy Blackman wrote in the “Strictly Business” blog.
“Being realistic about your profile and aligning yourself with programs that mesh with your particular academic and professional background is the surest recipe for success,” Blackman wrote.
4. Phoniness
Experts say some MBA applicants make the mistake of writing admissions essays that reflect what they believe admissions officers want to hear rather than writing essays that reflect their true personality.
These contrived essays usually backfire, Blackman wrote. “Even if you have a pretty good idea of what a particular business school looks for in MBA candidates, this isn’t the time to remake yourself into what you think their ideal student would be. This is a major pet peeve of the admissions committee, which is why they have gone to great lengths recently to come up with creative essay prompts.”
5. Lying or exaggerating
Any dishonesty in an MBA application that is discovered will typically lead to automatic rejection, experts say, and if it is found after a student has begun MBA courses, he or she will generally be expelled.
Dan Bauer, CEO of The MBA Exchange admissions consulting firm,says that MBA admissions officers will typically reject an applicant who they suspect of deception.
“Business schools want and need to believe they’re admitting someone who has done exactly what they say they’ve done,” he says. “When in doubt, the application is discarded.”
6. Relying too much on feedback
Incorporating too many suggestions from friends and family can lead MBA applicants to erase their own voice from their MBA application, said one expert.
“The way you write is the way you write,” Jesse Mejia, founder and CEO of the MBA Catalyst admissions consulting firm, told U.S. News. “How you tell your story must be narrated in a way that the reader can hear you speak from the heart.”
7. Choosing the wrong reference
It’s important for MBA applicants to be selective about who they ask to write their recommendation letters, experts say.
“If a potential reference seems less than enthusiastic in any way, keep looking,” Blackman wrote in a blog post. “That person’s ambivalence will likely come through in the letter.”
8. Repetition
Each component of the MBA application should introduce some new and valuable information.
Deena Maerowitz, a principal with the Bertram Group admissions consulting firm and a former associate director of admissions with Columbia Business School, told U.S. News emphasizing a single accomplishment too much in an MBA application often gives a negative impression.
“Your application pieces can complement each other,” she said, “but you don’t want to repeat everything because that’s a waste of the admission officer’s time.”
9. Unanswered questions
Simpson of the London Business School says an inconsistency or a lack of clarity in an MBA application reduces a person’s chance of acceptance to b-school.
“Their main job is to help us understand what they do, why they want to do an MBA, why they want to do an MBA at our school and what value they’ll add. That is their main task to do, and if they leave any confusion or gaps, then that’s going to go against them,” Simpson says.
10. Inappropriate tone
“The admissions committee isn’t interested in declarations of eternal love and will likely suspect that you’re professing the same adoration for every school to which you’re applying,” Blackman wrote.
Striking a balance between humility and confidence in MBA essays and providing a reason why admissions officers should choose you instead of your competition are also important.
More on Applying to B-school
Discover how to identify MBA programs that are a good fit for you as a student, and learn how to craft a compelling MBA application. Access our complete rankings of the 2018 Best Business Schools.
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10 Mistakes to Avoid in MBA Applications originally appeared on usnews.com
