Your Social Media: Making The Right Impression On MBA Admissions

Successful MBA application essay

Want Your Application to Stand Out? Here’s What You Need to Know

MBA applications jumped nearly 18% this year at the top 25 business schools when compared to 2019. With more people applying to business school, it’s more critical than ever for applicants to have an effective MBA application strategy.

Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, recently discussed some of the most popular patterns of today’s MBA application landscape and how applicants can put their best foot forward with a winning MBA application strategy.

SOFT SKILLS ARE KING

Soft skills are non-technical skills that are essential to effective collaboration, critical thinking, and time management. In recent years, these skills have taken the spotlight—especially in the business world.

At business schools, such as NYU’s Stern and Yale School of Management, MBA applications now include EQ (emotional intelligence) endorsements and behavioral assessments—all aimed at gauging an applicant’s soft skill strengths.

A winning MBA application strategy places a strong focus on highlighting soft skills.

“The days when the ‘hard’ skills of analytical and strategic thinking dominated are over,” Blackman writes. “Now, it’s oral and written communication, presentation, adaptability, and the ability to negotiate that companies want the schools to teach.”

THE RISE OF VIDEO

Increasingly, business schools are turning to video interviews to gauge how applicants think on their feet and to get a better sense of who they are off-paper.

“Digital elements such as videos allow the admissions committee to see an applicant’s presentation and interpersonal skills,” Blackman writes. “This helps them determine if you are confident and if you have any communication faults. Programs want candidates to be authentic. They also want to evaluate an applicant’s creativity and ability to think on their feet.”

HIGH COMPETITION IN TECH

Finance is no longer the only big player at B-schools. In recent years, tech has become more and more synonymous with the MBA. If you’re an applicant with a tech background, you’ll want to highlight what makes you unique.

“Applicants from companies including Google, Amazon, Uber, and LinkedIn are applying in high numbers,” Blackman writes. “Candidates from startup tech companies are also a more prominent presence in the applicant pool. This means that tech applicants may find the process more competitive this season.”

Sources: Stacy Blackman Consulting, P&Q