Kickstarting Round 2 MBA Applications

Now is the time to begin working on your round 2 MBA applications. Whether you missed round 1 deadlines or have always planned to apply in round 2, Personal MBA Coach advises that all round 2 applicants begin working today.

Below, we share 5 key steps that you should start working on now.

1) Solidify your target school list and schedule campus visits if feasible

Spend time researching the MBA programs that best align with your long-term career goals and preferred learning environments. Pay close attention to each school’s unique culture and the top industries where its graduates are placed. Be sure to have some “reach” schools, some “more likely” schools, and some “safer” schools. Having a broad list is particularly important if you were rejected in round 1.

Keep in mind that Personal MBA Coach’s clients apply to 5 to 8 schools on average. We work closely with folks to develop well-rounded school lists to maximize their chances of acceptance.

Next, if it is possible based on your work schedule, physical location, and COVID-19 restrictions, you should aim to visit the campus prior to applying.

If a school is not allowing visitors or an in-person visit is not realistic for you, there are many virtual tours and events to attend. Regardless of whether you are able to visit, seek out current students or alums in your immediate or extended networks and reach out to them! This will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and what sets their MBA programs apart. In the post-COVID era, there are numerous virtual resources that make connecting with students and alumni easier than ever before.

2) Hone and articulate your MBA goals

Most MBA applications will ask you to share your career goals. This is a key question and one that should be given serious consideration before round 2 MBA deadlines start to approach.

Admissions directors are looking to see what your unique mark will be and how you plan to enhance the business world when you leave their campuses. The most successful career goals essays do two things:

A) Tie your past to your future. Whether you hope to take your career in a completely new direction, make a small pivot, or go back to the same company after your MBA, it is important to connect your past career to your future goals.
B) Specify career goals that are attainable and focused. Your goals essay should be specific and typically include both short-term and long-term goals. Of course, you should pay attention to each question’s particular wording.

While no one is going to hold you to what you write in your essay, you want to effectively think through and articulate your plan. These goals should also be attainable. In other words, you should not anticipate becoming the CFO one year post-MBA.

Look at sample job postings from your target companies and the required experience to get a better idea of what might be possible for you.

3) Craft your MBA resume

An MBA resume differs considerably from a professional one, as each accomplishes a separate goal. When building a professional resume, you are showing employers that you have the experiences and skills that they are seeking. You are selling your ability to do a specific job.

When creating a business school resume, on the other hand, you are showing the admissions committee how you have been successful and demonstrated leadership. Here, you are selling your future potential. Learn more about customizing a compelling MBA resume here.

4) Develop your personal story

Personal MBA Coach devotes the beginning of each engagement with candidates to crafting a successful personal story. Not only is this the most crucial part of business school applications, but it can also be the toughest. We advise our clients to begin this process months, if not years, beforehand. The good news is that every applicant has a personal story.

The content of the personal story will vary for every candidate, but do not include everything! The admissions committee does not want to read a 1,000+ word essay detailing the chronological flow of your life. Instead, you should be focused, logical and, of course, unique.

Your personal story should not be used as an opportunity to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Instead, consider what is most important to you, what influenced your career and personal decisions, and what ties these together.

No candidate is completely perfect; instead, we chart the best path with the hand that we were dealt, and the strongest essays show this.

5) Choose and prepare your recommenders

Selecting your recommenders is a critical part of the business school application process. Although it may be tempting to choose the person with the most impressive resume or the easiest person to discuss your resume with, Personal MBA Coach encourages you to weigh your options carefully. Select recommenders who know you best can write winning letters, and can successfully compare you to other candidates (more guidance on this here).

After you have chosen the right person, you must prepare them carefully. We often hear about candidates who ask someone to write their letter, ensure it gets submitted, and decide they are done. However, this can be a huge mistake. Your role in the letter of recommendation process should be far more involved.

Therefore, do not leave your LOR preparation until the last minute. Read our tips for more guidance on preparing your recommenders.

About Personal MBA Coach:

Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 14 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources, including Poets&Quants.

We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers.

Last year, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships!

Scott Edinburgh is a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan BS graduate and founded Personal MBA Coach 15 years ago with the goal of providing customized one-on-one support. Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, and is invited to speak at MBA Admissions events globally. Our clients have been accepted to all top schools globally with a 96% success rate. They received $6.5M+ in scholarships last cycle.

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