Even the best candidate can have some weaknesses. Your application should address any inconsistencies or problem areas in your academic and/or professional background. Bring out any apparent deficiencies or problem issues first and explain them yourself rather than wait to be asked. A busy admissions officer may not have time to ask, and that could put your application at risk.

Admissions officers expect you to take responsibility for any problem issues. Use your application to show what you learned from these situations and to make people comfortable with who you are. The admissions department’s job is to find people who will be successful both in the program and after graduation, in the business world.

Be sure to demonstrate that:

• you have taken steps to correct problems
• past issues will not adversely affect your future academic or professional performance

These kinds of weaknesses could harm your chances of admission if you ignore them:

• a time gap in your resume
• a succession of jobs you didn’t hold for very long
• a lack of apparent increase in job responsibility over time
• a poor academic performance or grade point average (GPA) for one semester or longer