As the second round of MBA deadlines begins in winter, now would be the time to get together your application.
Some parts of it should be already fixed, like the GMAT results – still, the application includes other documents that could be improved over the next few months. That’s what you have to think about while preparing for the MBA deadline:
1. Choose the schools to apply to
Of course, most candidates would want to send their applications to top business schools like Stanford, Wharton or Harvard. Still, don’t forget they are not the only ones and try to include less popular, but nevertheless good schools into your list.
Of course, your b-school choice depends greatly on the region you want to work in, and the industry of your choice. If, for instance, you’d like to work in California, your best choice would be Anderson, which will allow you to form connections impossible to make in any other state. For those who choose to work in the energy industry, a good choice would be Jones at Rice. That’s why it’s better not to think only of the school’s prestige, but also the state it’s in and the sector their alumni mostly work at.
Moreover, if you include only the best b-schools in your list and overlook all the others, it could end up with no acceptance at all, as the competition is incredibly high. Your target school of choice could well be Harvard, but it doesn’t hurt to have safety options to land an acceptance in any case.
2. Keep to the schedule
Don’t leave your application papers until the last day of the deadline. Make a timetable with smaller separate deadlines to have everything ready by the time you need it.
Actually, the best way of meeting a large deadline is to divide it into smaller parts. For instance, you could:
- Start with letters of reference and ask your recommenders to write them well in advance
- Finish your resume in the middle of fall
- Move on with your essay at the beginning of November
- Afterward, begin writing essays aimed at your target schools
Don’t procrastinate; keep to the deadlines no matter what. Remember that your successful application is at stake.
3. Present yourself well
While writing your resume and essays, keep thinking what makes you a unique and original person.
It could be expressed in many things such as your career prospects, your interest in volunteer work, your academic success, your job experience, or your family background. Make your uniqueness the main topic of all your essays. The goal of your application should be to send a clear message of what kind of person you are and what you can help the school with. The key thing here is not to try and make yourself sound like a ‘Jack of all trades’ – such well-rounded people do not exist, and the admissions committee will notice the false undertones in your essays.
Show that you are different from others. Consider this: most people who applied during the first round, have jobs at consulting or finance companies, and if your background is similar, it’s vital that you have some qualities that distinguish you out of the rest. It’s absolutely necessary to get admitted during Round 2, as the third round will diminish your chances and make you wait for next year.
Take some time to thinks what makes you the person the school would want to admit. Don’t miss your deadlines, and have a clear vision of what school fits you best.
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