How to Apply to Business School
If you think you are going to be applying to schools here are my tips!
1) Get your GMAT out of the way early. You don't want to be writing essays and still studying for your GMAT. Also, most people take the GMAT twice. If you wait until the last minute and you don't get the score you want then you don't leave yourself an out. Start studying now. Whatever method you choose to study, make sure you go to MBA.com and register for your GMAT, download the free PowerPrep software and buy the 10th Ed. Essential Guide to GMAT. You can only buy that book thru mba.com. As for what consitutes a good score? That depends on the school. Each school will publish the mid-range of GMAT scores. At a minimum you need to fall within the bottom part of that range. If you have a poor GPA (like I did) or some other perceived deficiency in your application then there is that much more pressure on getting a better or higher score.
2) Start thinking critically about the following things for your application essays - short-term and long-term career goals and how/why do you need an MBA to achieve them. Some leadership experience, preferably professional and preferably where you broke through some barrier or got people to do something they didn't previously want to do. Start thinking about a time you failed and how you overcame that failure and what you learned. It will be extremely helpful if you can put these thoughts down on paper and start getting your thoughts together rather then just thinking about them in the abstract.
These are the topics I've seen across many schools and the common essays I had to write in one form or another.
A couple of other things about essays and stats. Let's be real - everybody will have the same stats, i.e. GMAT, GPA, years of work experience. What is going to set you apart is your essays. Your essays will state what you have to contribute to a class and why they should accept you. Be personable. Don't write what you think adcoms want to hear. Take a risk. Think about an adcom reading 100 apps. What is going to make her sit up and take notice of your application?
3) Get your recommendations together now. You don't need to get the most senior person at your job, but you want someone who is going to write something meaningful about your experiences. You definitely need one recommendation from a supervisor, preferably present. I know this can present a challenge for those of you who don't want to let your current jobs that you are leaving or thinking about leaving. You have to call it based on your experiences, but what I've found is that companies are way more supportive then you think they are. The second recommendation you should use your best judgement as well. It can come from another supervisor, a coworker or someone outside of your job, but ideally it should be professional.
What you don't want your recommender's to say - Johnny shows a lot of leadership qualities. I loved working with him.
What you do want your recommender's to say - Johnny managed a project that was way beyond his job description. He was able to push through and get the job done. He is in the top three percent of employees I have ever worked with.
Make sure that your recommendations are meaningful and state specifics, not generalities.
4) Make a list of schools you want to attend and don't be a rankings whore!!! Rankings definitely have their place, but you will get the most out of your b-school experience if you go somewhere will you will fit in! Also, you want to try to visit all of the schools you are going to be applying to. Somewhere you will have to write an essay on "Why this school?" or answer the question of what you can offer the school. You want to have something more meaningful to say then well-ranked, great reputation, tight alumni network.
5) Think about what areas of your app you might need improvement on. Low GPA? Make sure you get a higher GMAT score and take some classes at the local college, particularly in quantitative areas. If you were not a quant based major or your job isn't quant intensive then it's not a bad idea to take some classes anyway. Remember that first year is going to be a BEAR in terms of quant and they want to make sure you can handle it.
These are just some of the ramblings I have for applying to schools. If I think of anymore then I will definitely put them down.
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