Who should write my recommendation letters?

Make sure to check the requirements of each program carefully as they do vary when requesting for a recommendation. If you’re a professional, you’ll want to ask a manager or a supervisor who best knows the quality of work that you performed and can speak to specific examples. If you’re an early career professional, you’ll want to ask an internship supervisor to talk about your pre-professional experience, or if acceptable, you’ll want to ask a faculty member to talk about your academic contributions.

How to ask is also significant in this process. You want to be considerate of your recommender’s busy work life balance. Ask in advance and allow at least four weeks for your recommender to write and submit your letter of recommendation. Send your resume highlighting key projects that you’ve been working on to refresh your recommender about your professional experiences and follow up. Make sure to thank your recommender for his or her time and reference. They might serve as a professional reference for you in the future.

What are you looking for in an essay?

Please read the questions carefully and understand what the admissions committee is asking you to write about. Frame your response to directly answer the questions even if the questions are different from your responses for other programs or are the questions that you are hoping to be asked. Make sure to understand that admissions representatives use your essays as tools to frame the interview conversation to assess you’re fit for the program and to evaluate your unique contributions to the learning community. Essays should be free from plagiarism and grammatical errors. Make sure to proofread your essays carefully and enlist your mentors or friends to also review your work, and don’t reference another MBA program in your admission essay.

What are you interview Dos & Don’ts?

Interviews can be very, very stressful so it’s important that you research the schools for which you’re interviewing thoroughly to be prepared to have engaging conversation. Enlist some of your supervisors, mentors, friends, or family members to help you with the mock interview before your formal session. Make sure to dress well. Whether it’s an in-person interview, Skype interview, or phone interview, you want to dress for success. A few interview don’ts: Don’t read directly from your application essays or your professional resume. You don’t want to sound scripted. Don’t interrupt the interviewer. Make sure to answer the question succinctly and to the point. And don’t make the biggest mistake by referencing another MBA programs offerings during your professional interview. Happy interviewing.

How do I stand out at an MBA event?

Dress professionally. When meeting with an admissions representative, first impression is everything. Make sure to thoroughly research the programs that you’re interested in to engage in meaningful conversations with admissions representatives, and also challenge yourself to explore a few programs with which you are less familiar. Make sure to ask important questions and refrain from asking questions that can easily be found on programs’ websites during your pre-event research.

Admissions events can be very busy and overwhelming. Be prepared by taking your professional resume and also your business cards. Make sure to follow up with an admissions representative after a fair event and thank him or her for their time and express your interest in their MBA program. A lasting impression is very important in the admissions process and you’ll want to make sure you express your strong interest in the MBA program of your choice.

How important is the GMAT?

It’s significant to remember that GMAT requirements vary by program and you should know the requirements, averages, and ranges of the programs to which you’re applying. The GMAT is important because students come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. The GMAT offers an objective and consistent measurement of candidate’s skills across those variables. The GMAT is typically only one factor in the admissions process but it can offset a lower academic record. GMAT prep is very important and we encourage candidates to explore GMAT prep courses, online tutorials, or even a GMAT handbook, and it’s important to know that employers are beginning to ask for GMAT in a prescreen for post-MBA employment opportunities.