How to Stand Out with Your MBA Essay and Interview
Just completing the MBA admissions requirements is no small feat. But how do you take your efforts to the next level of getting noticed and ultimately accepted to your dream MBA program? Hone your essay and deliver an impressive interview with these MBA application tips.
Take your MBA essay from good to great
Just about every business school MBA program requires that applicants write at least one essay. So, how do you write one that will help you stand out among the pool of other qualified applicants? The application essay is your opportunity to get beyond the numbers of your GPA and GMAT score and reveal something deeper about yourself. Ultimately, schools are trying to find out what differentiates you from other candidates and whether you will be a good fit for their program. So how do you do that?
Read the essay prompt carefully and make sure you are answering it. Many prompts will relate to your career goals, and how you imagine earning an MBA will enable you to fulfill them.
Check out our best practices for writing a MBA goals essays.
Your essay should have a logical structure that flows nicely from one idea to the next. Be sure to use lively language and anecdotes from your personal and work life to make the essay interesting and showcase your personality. When you’re finished, remember to proofread your essay carefully—spelling and grammar mistakes will reflect poorly on you.
Another way to set yourself apart from other applicants is by answering the optional essay. Is that a good option for you? Check out our advice.
Nail your MBA interview
After you’ve submitted your essay and the application deadline has past, you’ve made it onto the short list of applicants and been invited for an interview. What should you expect and how can you deliver your best interview? More importantly, what are some common interview mistakes you should avoid?
First, its important that you understand the purpose of the interview? The interview panel aims to get to know more about you, your personal and professional achievements, your leadership potential, and how the program can add value to your post-MBA career aspirations. Beforehand, carefully review all your application materials. It’s important that how you respond to questions from panel reinforces the MBA story you tell in your applications.
Don’t forget: this is your opportunity to ask questions, too. You should take this opportunity to ask questions that have not been addressed in the marketing materials, such as any curriculum changes and how the business school or program develops relationships with your post-MBA target industry. Don’t ask questions that are answered on the school’s website: this will tell them that you didn’t do your homework and suggests you aren’t a serious applicant.
Most importantly, remember to be yourself! Don’t try to be what you think the business school wants to see.
Insider advice to help you get into your dream MBA program
The MBA admissions process is a unique challenge for any applicant – regardless of how qualified they are. Having a little insider advice from experts can go a long way toward you submitting your best possible MBA application and getting that acceptance letter you’ve been dreaming about.
In the mba.com Full-Time MBA Application Guide, we provide you with the information and guidance you need to craft MBA applications that elevate your story and help you stand out from the pool of other qualified applicants.