How to impress MBA admissions directors?
Will my application be successful? Every year, thousands of prospective MBA students wonder about their chances of getting into an MBA program. This blog post takes MBAs’ official entry requirements and comments them to help you understand what admissions directors are impressed by.
1 – Professional experience
MBAs aim at boosting the careers of ambitious professionals, so a minimum of 3 years of full-time employment is a non-negotiable requirement. People often think that coming from one of the Big Four or a tech giant is enough to impress MBA admissions teams. Of course that brands matter, but what you must bear in mind is that your CV must demonstrate that you’ve got what it takes to be successful after your MBA, and not before! Use your job descriptions to demonstrate the kind of leader you are; how often you take the initiative of proposing something important for your firm; how well you work in a team; how creative you are when faced with a problem; and how internationally-oriented your mindset is. Your volunteering experiences can sometimes complement your professional path when selling these traits. If you’re a young professional, maybe you’ve never managed a project on your own at work, yet you may have done so when volunteering for a cause.
2 – Bachelor’s degree
Since an MBA is a Master’s degree program, only applicants with a Bachelor’s degree will be considered. Your official academic transcripts must be signed and stamped and list the subject matters you’ve studied and your grades. Having been a brilliant student is always helpful when applying for an MBA, but good grades alone won’t guarantee you a seat in the classroom. And MBAs are open to applicants from all backgrounds, so don’t fret about your Literary Studies or International Relations degree. Just make sure you explain why you studied what you studied in the past and how and why it relates to your desire to enroll in an MBA. Admissions directors will be much more impressed by witnessing an ordered and engaging way of thinking (shown in your application essays) than by perfect grades during your Bachelor.
3 – Proficiency in applied mathematics: GMAT or GRE
Mastering Mathematics applied to Management is another entry requirement, and few things impress MBA admissions directors as a 700+ GMAT or a great GRE score. It is possible to obtain, so aim high, without forgetting that an application is evaluated as a whole.
4 – Fluency in English: IELTS, TOEFL, CAE or CPE
English is the lingua franca of MBA programs. European students tend to sit for the academic version of the IELTS, but TOEFL, CAE or CPE are equally accepted. Great test results always help, yet language tests don’t carry the same mystique of the GMAT.
English language tests for MBA applicants: what’s the right one for you?
Important as they may be, official entry requirements don’t tell much about the profile of an impressive applicant. An MBA is a practical experience; long-term and forward-thinking; focused on Strategy and Investment; and – if it’s a good MBA – it strives to look at the business world from all points of view. Moreover, an MBA focuses on the power of networking inside and outside the classroom; institutions launch events, organize conferences and cocktails, invite Faculty “superstars” to ensure that the benefits of the students’ experience are shared and transformed into new professional opportunities.
This means that personal traits such as ambition and drive and skills related to networking; communication; public speaking; general culture; and the ability to adapt to new situations are key factors for admissions directors when considering a specific applicant. Sell yourself well and persuade your MBA’s admissions team, using all your applications documents, that you’re MBA material.
Good luck!
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