4 Things NOT To Do When Waiting For Your MBA Admissions Decision

One of the most nerve-racking times for MBA applicants is not before they submit their applications, but rather while they are waiting to hear back from their dream schools after they have sent in their application materials. With this in mind, let’s explore a few things to avoid while you are waiting to receive your MBA admissions decision.

1) Reading Message Boards

Online message boards and forums are often a good source of information from other like-minded individuals experiencing similar situations to yours during the application process. On the negative side, however, message boards can also encourage and exacerbate a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to waiting for your official admissions decision. Sometimes message boards become bastions for fear mongering and misinformation, and when coupled with the stress of the application process, this can manifest into some really irrational thoughts and behavior. I highly recommend avoiding these boards if possible while you are waiting on an admissions decision, especially around decision days when programs release their application decisions.

2) Unnecessarily Contacting the Program

MBA admissions committees evaluate all touchpoints they have with a candidate. So just because your application has been submitted does not mean the non-application evaluation period is over. Avoid the temptation to call into the admissions offices of the business schools you have applied to asking questions about decision timelines or other publicly available information.

Keep in mind, MBA admissions officers receive tons of outreach from candidates all over the world, so although you think your question is unique and necessary, more than likely it is not. Use your discretion here when deciding whether to reach out or send additional information to schools, but keep in mind that a major part of being a good business person is judgment – make sure you use good judgment in deciding whether or not that outreach is truly necessary .

3) Slacking Off at Work

For many business school applicants, it is easy to slack off on day-to-day work activities during MBA application season and divert all of one’s energy to crafting the perfect application, but anything can happen once an MBA application is submitted. Once you send your application to your schools of choice, it is a great time to double down on tasks in the office. Also, if you are not admitted to your school of choice, you may need to stay at your company longer than expected, in which case, you will want to continue to position yourself for success in your current role (especially if you plan to reapply to business school in future application cycles).

4) Getting Into Trouble

This probably goes without saying, but keep yourself out of trouble while you are waiting for you MBA admissions decision to arrive. Post-application submission is not the time to completely let loose. Keep your social media account clear (and private) and avoid any other problematic activity – it would be a shame to lose admission to your dream school based on poor post-submission behavior.

Remember, maintain your composure and positive behavior during that dreaded post-submission waiting period to avoid compromising a potential offer of admission.

 

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Want expert advice on the next step in your journey to business school? Call us at 1-800-962-2069 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or request a free MBA Admissions Phone Consultation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! You can also join Veritas Prep for a free webinar on the Veritas Prep YouTube channel. They’ll offer tips to help you on your journey to business school and answer your questions. Sign up at https://www.veritasprep.com/business-school/free-online-mba-admissions-workshop/. For more insights and advice, check out the Veritas Prep blog, and be sure to find Veritas Prep on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Dozie Azotam is a consultant with Veritas Prep, the largest privately owned test prep and admissions consulting company in the world. Since 2002, Veritas Prep has helped thousands of applicants gain admission to their dream schools using its team of experienced consultants and a personalized game plan for each client.