How to Demonstrate Quantitative Experience in Your MBA Application

From accountants to teachers, top business schools tend to admit a diverse cohort of students. But there’s one trait prestigious B-schools all look for in applicants: an appetite for analytics.

At Harvard Business School, for example, ‘analytical aptitude and appetite’ is one of three key characteristics highlighted in the business school’s ideal applicant page.

Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, and her team recently offered a few tips on how applicants can strengthen their quant profile when applying to B-schools and prove to admissions officers that they have a strong appetite for analytics.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Your letters of recommendation are a key aspect of your application where your recommender can play up your analytical strengths.

“I always tell clients to suggest to their recommenders that they highlight any analytical work whatsoever that they’ve done,” says Caryn Altman, an MBA admissions consultant at Stacy Blackman Consulting and former admissions officer at Kellogg School of Management. “Your recommenders want to help you. They might even be willing to review your career to date and help you remember quantitative aspects of your own past projects you might have forgotten about.”

MBA RESUME

The MBA resume is another area of your application where you can highlight your analytical experience. When summarizing your experience, pay attention to how you quantify your accomplishments.

“Don’t write something like, ‘Ran training sessions that increased quarterly revenue,’” Blackman says. “Instead, say, ‘Ran six training sessions for 100+ sales team members that ultimately increased quarterly revenue by 7 percent.’”

GMAT/GRE SCORE

Stellar test scores can show admissions officers that you are academically ready to take on an MBA curriculum.

“Since you can’t time travel to boost any of your grades in your college math classes, you’ll want to go hard at the GMAT or GRE,” Blackman says. “By that, we mean investing 100+ hours studying and preparing to get the highest score possible if you really want to strengthen your quant profile.”

Even retaking the exam can be a good look—especially if you lack quantitative experience.

“You want to show them that you’re persistent and that you recognize this weakness in your candidacy,” Altman sayas. “Self-awareness is a huge trait AdComs are looking for. Trying again, even if you get the same score, is still better than having that lone score on your report.”

Sources: Stacy Blackman Consulting, Harvard Business School

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