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What Areas Should You Focus On In An MBA Application?

When applying to an MBA program, many applicants fear their background or experience may not appear exceptional or unique to admissions committees. It’s more important, however, to focus on how you convey your story and what area you focus your application on.

Stacy Blackman is the founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting — an MBA Admissions Consulting firm. Blackman recently published a US News piece discussing four critical areas MBA applicants should focus on in their application.

1) Work Experience and goals

While admissions committees tend to prefer three or more years of work experience for applicants, Blackman says the quality of your work experience matters more than the length.

“Even if you’ve had the same title for years, you can differentiate yourself from other applicants by highlighting concrete professional growth, quantifiable achievements or examples of times when you embraced new challenges and took advantage of learning opportunities,” she says. “Whether your pre-MBA experience has been at Goldman Sachs or the family business, the admissions committee will look first and foremost for steady progression.”

For those applying straight from undergrad with limited work experience, competition is tough but it’s doable. Blackman says applicants with limited work experience should research business schools that are open to younger, less experienced candidates.

“Younger applicants must be able to point to a stellar academic record that includes an exceptional undergrad GPA and GMAT or GRE scores that are through the roof,” she says. “Any noteworthy scholarships or awards received in college should be included as well.​”

It’s important to convey to admissions committees what area of study you are interested in. Blackman says applicants should pinpoint their career goals and explain areas of interest in their essays.

“Successful essays don’t include the statement, ‘I look forward to figuring out my future career path in business school,’” she says. “Make sure you define the role you envision in the future and explain the effect you want to have in the business world and on society.”

Your application will be stronger if you can sell your employability to an admissions committee. It helps to put yourself in the school’s perspective: “MBA programs want to launch graduates who will go on to become successful professionals and serve as active alumni,” Blackman says.

2) Leadership

Similar to work experience, leadership is not so much the level of the position you held, but how you led and motivated others. While management positions show some validity, Blackman says leadership can also include personal achievements such as times you’ve led ideas, sports teams, or student groups.

“Successful leadership examples should show how you motivated other people, bringing out their passions, educating them and helping them see organizational priorities in new ways,” she says. “A leader’s work energizes or improves others’ work, so find anecdotes in your professional and extracurricular background that illustrate this kind of behavior.”

Furthermore, Blackman stresses that applicants should define leadership challenges they faced. How you were able to lead and overcome those challenges is more important than your actual position.

“Collecting impressive titles does not make someone a great leader – helping a team overcome great challenges does,” she says.

 3) Creativity and intellect

Creativity in your application is the ability to think outside the box. Some schools, according to Blackman, use creative essay prompts. At Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, the essay prompt asks applicants to do the following:

“Imagine that you meet up with a member of the admission committee at an airport while on a layover. You have an opportunity to make a memorable impression. Use this essay to introduce yourself. Include any information that you believe is important for the committee member to know about you, both professionally and personally.”

The evidence you provide to support your essay’s points are crucial. Blackman says admissions teams will look for evidence in your essay that demonstrates a unique or creative perspective.

“Think beyond your obvious achievements and differentiate yourself by highlighting your most compelling stories and experiences,” she says.

Creativity is something that can be conveyed in an essay, but intellectual aptitude for applications is often based on your academic ability. In the case of the MBA, that’s your GMAT or GRE scores, undergraduate GPA, and college major.

“Admissions committees actively seek a diverse class, and that’s where schools will factor in a strong GMAT score or additional college-level math courses that prove you can handle the program’s academic rigors,” Blackman says.

4) Interpersonal skills and fit

A number of business schools now require applicants submit video essays, participate in team-based discussion, and meet for group interviews. These new requirements are meant to gauge a candidates’ interpersonal skills and whether or not they will fit in with the school’s culture.

“They want to see that you can play nice with others,” Blackman says. “Your application and interview should support the individual attributes that make you a great candidate and person overall, convey your understanding of the school’s culture and reveal how you will be a terrific fit, if admitted.”

By focusing on these four areas, applicants can strengthen their application and boost their chances of acceptance. Most importantly, focus on how you convey your story and what areas you want to focus on in your application.

Sources: US News, US News,

Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business