Want To Get Into Multiple Top B-Schools? Read This.

Getting into a top business school is hard enough. But could you imagine getting into several?

Ilana Kowarski, a reporter at US News, recently broke down how applicants can gain acceptance into a number of business schools.

It’s Not All About Being Well-Rounded

Being well-rounded may sound ideal, but experts say simply coming off as a well-rounded applicant can make you stand out less.

“It can be tempting to try to fashion yourself as a well-rounded applicant, but that approach can get you lost in the crowd, especially if you have more of a traditional applicant background,” Arjun Venkataswamy, a prospective student who was admitted in this MBA admissions cycle to the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, tells US News.

Rather, Venkataswamy says, applicants should highlight certain traits that cater to specific schools or programs.

“Instead of laying out all of your positive traits and experiences, focus on the things that make you unique to a particular program and flesh those characteristics and experiences out into a compelling story,” he tells US News.

Know Yourself

Knowing yourself and your goals can help make highlighting desirable traits easier.

“Part of identifying that dream goal is being really honest,” Karen Marks, president and founder of North Star Admissions Consulting, says in an article for P&Q. “If you want to leave finance because you hate the long hours it doesn’t make sense to go into consulting. If you truly detest meetings and hierarchy it’s not a good idea to look for a traditional role at a big firm.”

Misha Kaura, a fashion entrepreneur who was recently admitted to several elite MBA programs, says she catered her search to schools that matched her career goals and academic interests.

“I spent a lot of time studying myself, analyzing my strengths, and determining my lifelong goals before I even started to think about where I might apply,” Kaura, CEO of Darlinghurst Enterprises, tells US News.

Know The School

On top of knowing what’s unique about yourself, it’s also important to know why a certain school or program is unique.

“The more research one does on a school and how its curriculum can help them get to where they want to go, the better,” Jeff Magnuson, a 2011 MBA graduate from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, tells US News. “The admissions folks read hundreds, if not thousands, of essays a year. They can spot the generic essays that could apply to any school.”

Get The GMAT Right

As painstaking and time-consuming as it is to prep for the GMAT, it’s important to get the right score you need for a top b-school.

Venkataswamy says that means applicants shouldn’t be afraid to take the exam more than once.

“If you approach the test with a growth mindset, it’s possible to dramatically improve your scores,” he said via email. “I had to take the GMAT more than once to get a score I was satisfied with. It will take time and planning, though, so don’t wait until the last minute.”

Sources: US News, Poets & Quants