There are a lot of do’s and don’ts to being a good MBA applicant, writes Jenni Denniston, manager of MBA admissions at recruiting at the Richard Ivey School of Business, on the Ivey blog Friday.
As you enjoy the last day of this long weekend signaling the unofficial start of summer, take a moment to reflect on Denniston’s six spot-on tips and make sure you’re following this advice as we head full-force into application season.
1. Do your homework
Read each school’s website thoroughly before shooting off any emails to an admissions officer or to general inquiries. It reflects poorly on you if you’re asking questions that can be found on the FAQ page.
2. If the opportunity exists to create an account with your target school(s), do so
Being on the mailing list keeps you in the loop for invite-only applicant events, Due Dates and other important information. If the school doesn’t know you’re interested in the program, it can’t keep you apprised of any news that would help in your application process.
3. Attend events hosted by your target Business School(s)
Whether it is an MBA Fair, Info Session, Open House, etc., attending an event in person and meeting representatives from the school is a great way to determine if the school is a good fit with your personality and background. It also shows that you have a higher level of commitment than a person who simply submits an application without any interaction.
4. Read the application requirements/instructions carefully
While requirements are similar among Business Schools, they are not identical, so be sure to know exactly what you need to submit, and what the minimum application requirements are. You will save yourself (and the admissions team) a lot of time and frustration if you take the time to print out the checklist and follow the directions.
5. Plan Ahead
Once you determine which schools you will apply to, work backwards: determine which Due Date you are targeting to submit your application, schedule your GMAT for at least a month before this date (just in case you decide you want to re-write), and have a conversation with your banker/parents/financial advisor about the investment you are looking to make in your education.
6. Be Patient
After reading the website and application instructions thoroughly (Tips #1 and 4), you should have a sense of what will happen after you click the submit button on your application: if the school indicates that it will contact you, be patient and let them contact you. Many programs have a ‘no news is good news’ policy, so if anything is missing from your application, or if you are required to schedule an interview, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Denniston elaborates further on each point, so be sure to read the original post for the complete scoop. Here’s to taking the first steps in preparing a terrific application!
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Read the full article: Ivey’s 6 Tips For Being a Good MBA Applicant
