What To Know Prior To Starting Your MBA Applications

With June in full swing, prospective applicants are underway in getting a start on their MBA applications.

Fortuna Admissions recently published a piece discussing essential tips applicants should know prior to starting their applications.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT

According to Fortuna, it’s important to identify your ‘personal lens and filter’ before you get started on your MBA applications.

“In evaluating the thousands of candidates competing for limited classroom spots, Admissions Committees will wonder: ‘Why do you want an MBA? And why an MBA at our school?’ Your unique motivations and vision for your post-MBA goals are effectively the lens and filter for discerning what’s most meaningful, useful and relevant to you.”

DISCOVER RESOURCES

It’s important to do thorough research of MBA programs beyond simply looking at rankings, experts say.

“The best sources of information are from the programs themselves,” according to Fortuna. “After digesting each school’s website, it’s valuable to look at each program’s student profile and employment report. Both will give you a sense of where candidates are coming from and where they went after graduation.”

PROGRAM FIT

Experts say it’s a good idea to understand which programs match your goals and personality.

“You might find that schools may seem similar at a glance, but each one possesses a unique culture and approach to management development,” according to Fortuna. “I advise to not rely too heavily on the MBA rankings to tell you what matters, although it’s tempting. The curriculum strength, community atmosphere, opportunities for career advancement, connectedness of its alumni network and institutional values are all more significant. Program length, location and cost are also major considerations.”

However, it’s best to hold off on visits until you hear your decision.

Stacy Blackman, of Stacy Blackman Consulting, says the best time to visit b-schools is in the spring.

“It makes little sense to check out the campus during summer,” she writes. “When classes aren’t in session, you can’t assess the one key characteristic you want to observe: the interaction between students and faculty.”

Sources: Fortuna Admissions, Stacy Blackman Consulting