Low GMAT Score? Here’s How To Bolster Your Application

Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management experts offer advice on how to ace your video interview.

3 Tips on How to Deliver a Strong Video Statement

Video statements have become an integral part of the admissions process at top B-schools, including INSEAD, Kellogg, Yale, and MIT Sloan. The video component allows admission officers to better evaluate your personality and key characteristics that are harder to gauge on paper.

Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, recently offered a few tips on how applicants can best prepare and deliver an exceptional video statement.

COMMON QUESTIONS

For the most part, B-schools tend to ask similar questions when it comes to the video statement.

Blackman says some of the most common MBA-related questions include: “Why Program X, Why an MBA overall, Why now, What are your career goals, Summarize your career to date, and so on.”

Some more “fun” questions to prep for include: “Review the last book you read/movie you saw/TV show you watched; What is your favorite song and why; Where’s the best place you’ve gone on vacation, et cetera.”

FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC STORY

A video statement is meant to add color and personality to your application. Focusing on a singular story or experience can help strengthen your statement.

“A single story that conveys something meaningful allows you to offer more depth about who you are beyond a shimmering track record of management and professional excellence,” Brittany Maschal, a Fortuna Admissions Expert Coach and a former admissions team member at Wharton, writes for Fortuna Admissions. “Think of something that won’t be found in the rest of your application – what will add value to your overall narrative?”

STRIKE A TONE

Your tone and overall poise are critical when it comes to the video statement. Maschal says applicants should try to deliver a tone that’s humble, yet confident.

“The applicant pool at any M7 business school is teeming with overachieving students. So, while you’ll want to convey your poise and authenticity, be sure to release any shred of entitlement or arrogance (This isn’t politics, and boasting won’t win you favors),” Maschal writes. “Being likable is a huge part of admissions success.”

Sources: Stacy Blackman Consulting, Fortuna Admissions

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