<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>MBA Application &#8211; GMAT</title>
	<atom:link href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/tag/mba-application/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat</link>
	<description>GMAT Prep Course, Best GMAT Class &#38; Study Books &#124; Manhattan Prep GMAT</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:54:01 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2</generator>
	<item>
		<title>Laying the Foundation for Your Business School Application</title>
		<link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/laying-the-foundation-for-your-business-school-application/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2017 16:08:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Apps and Admissions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Mindset]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business school application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA Application]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=13573</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, mbaMission. By being proactive and doing some advance planning, aspiring MBA candidates can remove a great deal of stress from the business school application process and substantially bolster their candidacy. We have several big picture recommendations for applicants [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/laying-the-foundation-for-your-business-school-application/">Laying the Foundation for Your Business School Application</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13582" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/4-12-17-social-2.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - Laying the Foundation for Your Business School Application by mbaMission" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/4-12-17-social-2.png 1200w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/4-12-17-social-2-300x157.png 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/4-12-17-social-2-768x402.png 768w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/4-12-17-social-2-1024x536.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<p><b><i>Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, </i></b><a href="https://www.mbamission.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>mbaMission</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
<hr />
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By being proactive and doing some advance planning, aspiring MBA candidates can remove a great deal of stress from the business school application process and substantially bolster their candidacy. We have several big picture recommendations for applicants to consider to help them be as competitive and prepared as possible when admissions season begins in earnest.</span><span id="more-13573"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Few candidates realize that starting to visit campuses as early as late winter or early spring is a great way to learn about and establish interest in specific schools. Campus visits are not just opportunities for you to “register” with a program’s admissions committee but are also a time for you to gain a deeper, firsthand understanding of various academic methodologies and social environments. Such visits can also prepare you to write far more targeted and informed essays when the time comes. After all, you can only learn so much about a school from its website.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another way to gain a deeper understanding of your target schools is by meeting with alumni or students, and you can begin doing this now as well. Students may be able to bring specific programs and classes to your attention that are not prominently featured on a school’s website or in its marketing materials but that may be quite appealing and/or relevant to you. Referring to such resources and offerings may also help you strengthen your case for attending that particular school. By meeting with students and alumni and by visiting classes, you will collect a variety of data points that will serve as a foundation for you to persuade the admissions committee that its school is ideally suited to you, in a way that few other candidates will be able to do.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many candidates have trouble honestly and sincerely articulating their post-MBA aspirations, and virtually every business school requires that candidates write an essay that discusses their short- and/or long-term career goals. So if you hope to enter a competitive field, such as banking or consulting, now would be a good time to conduct informational interviews or even job shadow an individual for a day, if possible. The admissions committees frown on vague goal statements or generic claims that lack a profound personal connection to a position and are therefore less credible. By connecting with and learning from people in the position and/or industry you are targeting, you will gain insight that will imbue your stated career goals with sincerity and authenticity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A rather overt measure you can take to bolster your candidacy is stepping into a leadership role in your community, if you have not already done so. The earlier you take this step, the more time you have in which to create a track record and show that you are a substantive individual outside of the office. If you instead wait to start volunteering until the fall, your contributions will seem far less sincere, and you will not have sufficient time or opportunity to have the kind of profound experiences that lend themselves well to business school application essays. When identifying a volunteer activity in which to involve yourself, first and foremost, select an organization about which you feel legitimately passionate. If you are genuinely excited about the cause or organization you have chosen, you will be more committed to it, enjoy a more meaningful experience, and have a more heartfelt story to tell about it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ideally, your community experiences will both complement and supplement your profile. They can reveal a true passion for your field (complementary) or shift the admissions committee’s perspective on you (supplementary) and help differentiate you from other applicants. For example, an accountant who volunteers with Junior Achievement shows a commitment to his professional path and his desire to give back in this area, thereby complementing his existing profile. The accountant who coaches soccer in his community offers a new window on his personality and abilities, thereby supplementing his profile.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although a solid commitment to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> cause or organization will be helpful to your candidacy, the more esoteric the organization, the more distinct and memorable your story. You should not volunteer for a completely obscure organization just to be different, of course, but if you are truly passionate about a less conventional cause or hobby—antiquities preservation, for example—you should consider volunteering in the field, thus increasing your opportunities to discuss this unusual interest. Regardless of the focus and nature of your volunteer/community activities, strive to make an impact and show true leadership in doing so. If you can accomplish this, you should be able to add a valuable new dimension to your business school application.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your personal achievements can also differentiate you from others in the applicant pool by offering a far more diversified and remarkable picture of you. Start focusing now on accelerating the timeline of any endeavors or goals you have been actively pursuing. For example, if you have been intending to publish a certain article and are close to completing a final draft, do the work necessary to finish it sooner rather than later. If you have been working toward earning your CFA designation and have only Level III of the exam left to pass, be sure to take that final test this year. If you can run 20 miles and have been dreaming of completing a marathon, do it this year. We are not suggesting that if you have never run a mile in your life that you start training for a marathon now, but if you are close to achieving a goal and would likely do so naturally after your applications are due, accelerate your timeline so that you are able to reach it before the schools’ Round 1 deadlines.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bolstering your academic profile through additional course work can be equally important. Many candidates fret about their poor undergrad performance and feel that they are powerless to change the admissions committee’s perspective on their academic aptitudes, but MBA programs are actually far more forgiving of previous educational issues than other graduate programs are. Most applicants’ academic experience is far in the past, and their GMAT/GRE score, references, and work experience are better indicators of their potential for success. This is not to suggest that poor grades do not matter, rather that poor grades can be mitigated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you do not feel confident about your past academic performance, consider enrolling in additional course work immediately. In particular, if you did poorly in math courses (even if your overall GPA is quite high), the admissions committee may have some concerns about your ability to manage a heavily quantitative workload, so you should look into taking a calculus or statistics class. To show an aptitude for management studies, you might take an accounting, economics, or corporate finance class. But simply taking the course(s) is not enough—to effectively show that you have an aptitude for the work and that you take your academics quite seriously, you will need to get an A grade in any class you undertake.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even candidates who did quite well in undergrad might consider completing additional course work. Liberal Arts majors with 4.0s and no quantitative background can benefit from taking (and doing well in) a math class and a management class, which will allow them to confidently claim and support their competency to handle their coming studies. ?</span></p>
<hr />
<p><b><i><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-13225 alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/logo-150x150.png" alt="mbaMission logo" width="150" height="150" /><a href="http://www.mbamission.com/" target="_blank">mbaMission</a></i></b><b><i> is the leader in MBA admissions consulting with a full-time and comprehensively trained staff of consultants</i></b><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, all with profound communications and MBA experience. mbaMission has helped thousands of candidates fulfill their dream of attending prominent MBA programs around the world. Take your first step toward a more successful MBA application experience with a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s senior consultants. <a href="http://www.mbamission.com/consult/" target="_blank">Sign up today!</a></span></i></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/laying-the-foundation-for-your-business-school-application/">Laying the Foundation for Your Business School Application</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>MBA Application Tasks to Consider Completing Early</title>
		<link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 2017 20:02:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Apps and Admissions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA Application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA Application Tasks]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=13479</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, mbaMission. The MBA application process is really more of a marathon than a sprint, but many candidates make things harder on themselves than necessary by ignoring certain tasks until late in the game. Here we will cover some [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early/">MBA Application Tasks to Consider Completing Early</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><i><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13540" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early-manhattan-prep-gmat-blog.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - MBA Application Tasks to Consider Completing Early by mbaMission" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early-manhattan-prep-gmat-blog.png 1200w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early-manhattan-prep-gmat-blog-300x157.png 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early-manhattan-prep-gmat-blog-768x402.png 768w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early-manhattan-prep-gmat-blog-1024x536.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, </i></b><a href="https://www.mbamission.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>mbaMission</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
<hr />
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The MBA application process is really more of a marathon than a sprint, but many candidates make things harder on themselves than necessary by ignoring certain tasks until late in the game. Here we will cover some pragmatic and practical steps you can take to avoid feeling rushed and to ensure that all the parts of your MBA application are as strong as you can make them before you submit. With some foresight and planning, when the schools start releasing their essay questions in June and July, you will be able to focus solely on them, without the distraction and demands of some of the other parts of your MBA application.</span><span id="more-13479"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first step is to prepare your resume now so that come October, during the latest stages of the MBA application process, you will need to make only small modifications and updates regarding your most recent position, if necessary. By working on your resume now, you can give it your full attention, without the distraction of essay writing. Further, because the activity naturally requires you to reflect on your skills and accomplishments, it will remind you of certain meaningful experiences and achievements. In this way, preparing your resume can be an invaluable stage of the brainstorming process for your essays, so that when the time comes to start writing drafts, you already have some clear ideas for strong narratives you can use.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A second step to take now is to start identifying your recommenders (even if you do not approach them about the task for several more months) and gathering intelligence on each of the individuals you are considering. We find that one of the most frustrating parts of the application process for candidates is connecting with and motivating recommenders, so the more time you give yourself for this task and the earlier you begin, the better. Strive to find out whether your recommender has written letters for anyone else and whether he/she tends to generously dedicate time to employee feedback and review sessions. One of the best windows into your possible recommendation process with an individual will be the previous experiences of others who also called on that person for assistance, so you may want to speak with these earlier applicants to learn about what their experience was like. By identifying recommenders who will be helpful and supportive, you will potentially alleviate the stress of missed deadlines and unpredictable letters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, take time to reconnect with previous supervisors who could be strong potential recommenders, but with whom you may have fallen out of touch. You do not want to be in a position where you are calling a former supervisor for the first time in a year and asking him/her for a large chunk of time on a tight timeline. If you identify someone whose time you expect to need, make contact now and keep the relationship alive over the next few months. By doing so, you will be in a much better position when the time comes for your recommenders to begin letter writing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you plan to remain with or return to your current firm after you graduate from business school, do some research now to learn whether your company will sponsor all or part of your MBA. Firm sponsorship obviously confers financial benefits, but it also offers some additional power with respect to admissions. The schools know that company-sponsored candidates will be employed upon graduation and that their post-MBA goals are thereby “guaranteed,” which improves their attractiveness as applicants. However, securing firm sponsorship can be a timely process. We have worked with clients who have needed to apply for such scholarships 1.5 years before their proposed programs would begin, and you obviously do not want to be applying at the last moment if this is the case at your firm. Similarly, we have worked with clients whose companies did not originally have sponsorship programs but created them when the candidates brought forth the idea—a process that can take months of bureaucratic haggling. So, this is certainly a task you should undertake now.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, another step that can free up some time later is preparing your responses now to the short-answer sections of your target school’s application—the portions of the forms that pertain to your work history, community accomplishments, scholarships, and other such criteria. These sections do not tend to change much from year to year, and many candidates choose to postpone addressing these “details” until the last moment. By doing so early, however, you can avoid an enormous headache later. Furthermore, as with updating your resume now, you may discover stories in the process of completing these sections that will prove quite useful when you are later writing your essays.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this article, we have outlined several tasks you can complete (or at least begin) right away that will help you be better prepared for the MBA application process when it begins in earnest and will likely spare you some valuable time. Even if you take only a few of these steps, you should be well ahead of your competition and poised for a well thought out, lower stress experience, which should in turn maximize your chances for success. ?</span></p>
<hr />
<p><a href="http://www.mbamission.com/" target="_blank"><b><i><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-13225 alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/logo-150x150.png" alt="mbaMission logo" width="150" height="150" />mbaMission</i></b></a><b><i> is the leader in MBA admissions consulting with a full-time and comprehensively trained staff of consultants</i></b><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, all with profound communications and MBA experience. mbaMission has helped thousands of candidates fulfill their dream of attending prominent MBA programs around the world. Take your first step toward a more successful MBA application experience with a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s senior consultants. Sign up today at</span></i><a href="http://www.mbamission.com/consult/" target="_blank"> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.mbamission.com/manhattangmat</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/mba-application-tasks-to-consider-completing-early/">MBA Application Tasks to Consider Completing Early</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Troubleshooting Your Unsuccessful MBA Application</title>
		<link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/troubleshooting-your-unsuccessful-mba-application/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Mar 2017 16:28:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Apps and Admissions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business School]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mbaMission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MBA Application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unsuccessful MBA Application]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=13268</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, mbaMission. As the MBA application season nears its end, candidates find themselves in one of two positions. Either they were successful in their efforts and must now choose where (or whether) to enroll, or they are left wondering [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/troubleshooting-your-unsuccessful-mba-application/">Troubleshooting Your Unsuccessful MBA Application</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13378" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/3-8-17-social-2.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - Troubleshooting Your Unsuccessful MBA Application by mbaMission" width="1200" height="628" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/3-8-17-social-2.png 1200w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/3-8-17-social-2-300x157.png 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/3-8-17-social-2-768x402.png 768w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/03/3-8-17-social-2-1024x536.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<p><b><i>Each week, we are featuring a series of MBA admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, </i></b><a href="https://www.mbamission.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>mbaMission</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
<hr />
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the MBA application season nears its end, candidates find themselves in one of two positions. Either they were successful in their efforts and must now choose where (or whether) to enroll, or they are left wondering why they were not offered admission to their target program(s). To help those applicants who find themselves in the latter category, we will pinpoint some of the areas where many unsuccessful applicants tend to have fallen short.</span><span id="more-13268"></span></p>
<h4><b>Demonstrating a Strong, Clear Connection with Your Target Program</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In evaluating applications, a business school wants to know not only that you are right for its program but also that it is truly right for you! For the admissions committee to feel confident on these points, you must demonstrate clearly that you have done your research on the school and have identified specific resources, offerings, and characteristics that connect with you personally and address your particular needs and goals.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without realizing it, many candidates offer very trite and clichéd reasons for wanting to attend their target school(s), but pandering or generalizing will do nothing to advance your candidacy. Simply writing something like “[School name] offers a renowned marketing program and a strong team environment” or “I am excited about learning from [school name’s] world-class professors” is not sufficient. Your rationale for wanting to attend a certain MBA program must be truly compelling and apparent, or the school will likely choose another candidate who exhibits a greater level of passion for and connection with its program.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<h4><b>Establishing a Firsthand Relationship with the School</b><b><i><br />
</i></b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this age of electronic resources and readily available information, a candidate could easily do hours and hours of research on an MBA program without ever leaving their home or speaking directly to another person. As convenient as this reality may be, it is not a good formula for convincing a program that your interest in attending it is deep-rooted and genuine. We feel strongly that unless serious impediments to doing so exist, a candidate should always visit his/her target school. Not only is doing so helpful when the time comes to write essays and interview—given that you will have a much more thorough and personal understanding of the school and its community and therefore be better able to discuss your interest in it—but it also places you in a good light in the eyes of the admissions committee.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, if an in-person visit is just not feasible for you, find other ways of connecting with students and alumni—social media, direct email, phone calls, coffee dates, etc. An MBA program will never reject a worthy applicant simply for not having visited campus or connected with students or alumni, but these actions do reflect positively on the candidate. If a school is deciding between two similarly qualified applicants, and only one of the two has put forth the extra effort to travel to campus or to reach out to members of the school’s community, which one do you think has a better chance of ultimately securing a place in the program’s next incoming class?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<h4><b>Communicating Feasible and Well-Researched Career Goals</b><b><i><br />
</i></b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another potential trouble spot to consider is your goal statement. Without realizing it, many candidates offer superficial goals and do not convey the requisite passion for or knowledge of the career or position they are envisioning for themselves:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In the short term, after I graduate, I want to become a brand manager. After three years, I will climb to the position of vice-president of marketing, eventually becoming a director of marketing.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To effectively convince an admissions committee that you fully comprehend the path you have set for yourself and feel confident that with your MBA, you will be appropriately skilled and positioned to attain your stated goals, you must go beyond merely presenting the basics. You must demonstrate an understanding of the demands and responsibilities of your future position and show a clear connection between your existing skills and experience, those you expect to acquire at business school, and your professional aspirations. Exhibiting a genuine enthusiasm for the goals you present is another key part of the puzzle. You want to ensure that the admissions committee can be confident that you know what you want, that you understand what is required to achieve it, that you recognize the qualities and capabilities you already have that will help you succeed, that you have identified the ways an MBA will provide any additional necessary qualifications, and finally, that you are excited about what lies ahead.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<h4><b>Revealing Multiple Angles on Your Candidacy</b><b><i><br />
</i></b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your application as a whole is a collection of opportunities and venues through which to convey your personality, abilities, and experiences to a school’s admissions committee, so you want to be sure your focus is not too narrow. You should avoid repeating information, if possible, and find a way to share all your strongest and most compelling facts and stories. Many candidates unwittingly offer a very narrow view of themselves.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reread your application and ask yourself, “Did I share something new about myself in each essay? Did I discuss things that were not already covered in my resume, recommendations, and short answers?” Although offering two stories from the same sphere (e.g., from your professional life) is not unacceptable or inherently problematic, you must ensure that each story reveals something different about your candidacy. For example, in one essay, you could discuss your role as the team leader for a major project, and in another, you could share your experience as an individual mentor to a struggling coworker. Even though both are “work” stories, each one offers a novel perspective on you. Ideally, you would be able to draw from multiple areas of your life—professional, personal, community, athletic, international, entrepreneurial, etc.—when selecting standout stories, but if your candidacy lacks a high level of variety, you can still creatively diversify your profile by framing your narratives in different ways, from various angles.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<h4><b>Submitting Powerful and Appropriate Recommendations</b><b><i><br />
</i></b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the few hard-and-fast truths about the MBA admissions process is that the admissions committees expect applicants to submit at least one recommendation from a current supervisor (and if not, to offer a explicit and justifiable reason why—via an optional essay). If you were unable to procure a recommendation from your current manager and failed to explain why, or if you chose another individual as your recommender instead because you believed he/she has a “better” or more impressive title than your direct supervisor, this may have played a role in your failure to secure an admissions offer.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another possibility, of course, is that your recommenders were unable to effectively convey the information you needed and/or did not do so in the proper manner. Now that the application process is over and decisions have been made, asking your recommenders for a copy of what they submitted is acceptable and could be very illuminating. If your recommender did not convey a genuine understanding of your role at and value to the firm, did not identify you as an elite performer and distinguish you from others, did not communicate in a clearly honest and balanced way, and/or did not provide clear examples to back up any statements of praise, you should consider new recommenders going forward or ensure that your recommenders are better educated about what constitutes a compelling letter.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<h4><b>Targeting the “Right” Programs</b><b><i><br />
</i></b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just because you did not get into a target program, that does not necessarily mean that you applied to the “wrong” school. If you received an invitation to interview, that is at least an indication that your application resonated with the admissions committee and that you were considered a competitive candidate. However, if you applied to several schools and did not get a single request for an interview, you may want to reassess whether the schools you targeted were truly the right fit for you.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take a second look at your target school’s average GPA and GMAT/GRE scores. If your statistics were well below the published figures for your selected programs and you did not get an interview invitation, this may be one indication that you were shooting a little high. Similarly, consider the well-known strengths of the program and the industries into which it sends the majority of its graduates. If your professional needs and goals did not overlap with what the school typically provides, that may be another reason you were not selected to join its student body.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the end, one very feasible possibility persists: perhaps you did not do anything wrong at all. In a situation as competitive as MBA admissions, even candidates who submit very strong applications can find themselves on the outside looking in. So our message is to not be too critical of yourself or your efforts. If you are determined to obtain your MBA, you may just need to make some basic adjustments based on where your application may have been less robust than it could have been.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have been rejected or “dinged” by an MBA program and want to improve your chances for success the next time around, we can thoroughly review your original application to identify potential areas for improvement. Learn more about our </span><b>“Ding” Review/Re-applicant Strategy</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> service by </span><a href="https://shop.mbamission.com/collections/services/products/ding-review-re-applicant-strategy" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">clicking here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.  ?</span></p>
<hr />
<p><b><i><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-13225 alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/logo-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /><a href="http://mbamission.com" target="_blank">mbaMission</a></i></b><b><i> is the leader in MBA admissions consulting with a full-time and comprehensively trained staff of consultants, all with profound communications and MBA experience.</i></b><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> mbaMission has helped thousands of candidates fulfill their dream of attending prominent MBA programs around the world. Take your first step toward a more successful MBA application experience with a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission’s senior consultants. Sign up today at</span></i> <a href="https://www.mbamission.com/consult/" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.mbamission.com/manhattangmat</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/troubleshooting-your-unsuccessful-mba-application/">Troubleshooting Your Unsuccessful MBA Application</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>