3 Tips For The INSEAD MBA Interview

Using Social Media To Connect with Business Schools

In recent years, social media has become fair game in MBA admissions. In fact, according to a Kaplan survey, 36% of admissions officers reported visiting an applicant’s social media profile to learn more about them in the admissions process.

While that statistic may cause applicants to shy away from having a big online presence, experts say social media can actually be a helpful tool in the B-school selection process. US News recently delved into how applicants can best utilize social media to not only learn more about programs of interest but connect with B-schools as well.

A TOOL TO CONNECT

These days, business schools are social media-savvy and utilize a variety of platforms to market themselves to prospective applicants.

“We’ve seen schools use Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tik Tok, Snapchat, and We Chat, as well as YouTube and Vimeo for video marketing,” Caryn Beck-Dudley, president and CEO of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, tells US News.

Beck-Dudley encourages MBA applicants to explore B-schools’ social media channels to not only learn more about their programs but to connect with them as well.

“Social media is a tool of connectivity, so it is actually important for a student to use social media channels as a means of getting in touch with a business school,” Beck-Dudley says.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT

On top of connecting with B-schools themselves, applicants can also reach out to individual professors or students on social media to learn more about a program, student group, or course.

“If a prospective student was to reach out to me on LinkedIn or some other social media site, I would for sure respond and answer any questions that they may have,” Tracy Couto, co-founder of IgnitEd, a web platform that connects faculty with teaching resources and research opportunities, tells US News.

SHOWCASE YOUR INTERESTS

If you’re looking to connect with B-schools on social media, you’ll want to make sure that your online presence is professional and up to date.

“Choose a high-quality professional photo, and make sure your headline and summary of who you are reflect your values, goals, and MBA application materials,” Lana Silanteva, of mba.com, says.

Additionally, your social media profile can be an opportunity to showcase why you’re different, and why B-schools should consider connecting with you too.

“You can think of your online presence as an extension of your MBA admissions essay,” Silanteva says. “You spent considerable time crafting a compelling essay on who you are and why you deserve a spot at your dream MBA program, the same level of thought should be put into your social media profile.”

Sources: US News, mba.com, P&Q, Kaplan