The Keys to a Great Application

There’s no magic key that will guarantee admission to business school.

The worst thing you can do is to write your application following some a formula you think will ensure your admission. Admissions professionals work to fill a limited number of spaces by making the best selections from among a large pool of applicants. Sometimes, it just comes down to supply (spaces in the class) and demand (applicants). It’s best to clearly state your goals on your application as they relate to a particular program’s strengths, limitations, content, and culture.

Meeting a school's minimum qualifications doesn't guarantee you’ll be admitted. Schools use such factors as academic record, recommendations, and work experience to judge your potential for success in a program relative to the overall applicant pool:

• Schools will use your GMAT® scores to predict how well you will do academically in their core curriculum.
• Your work experience, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation are assessed to help schools gauge your professional promise.
• Interviews and essays help schools determine why you want to earn a degree and how you will use it. These parts of the application also help schools learn about your communication skills.

Admissions officers weigh everything on its merits and make critical judgments about what is most important. They can determine the relative value of each part of an application, depending on each person’s total experience.

If you have limited work experience, your academic credentials may assume greater importance. If you have been out of school for a long time, your undergraduate record may be less important than your current job responsibilities.

The best way to achieve the right fit between you and a school is to represent yourself openly and honestly in your application.