3 Ways to Demonstrate Fit with a Business School

Fit is incredibly important when choosing a business school.

“Choosing the right business school is time-consuming but very important task,” according to Fortuna Admissions. “There are so many strong programs out there, and you need to find the right fit.”

US News recently spoke to a few experts who offered advice on how to convince B-schools that you’re an ideal match for their MBA program.

CHANNEL AUTHENTICITY

If there’s one thing MBA admissions officers value, it’s authenticity. Admissions officers are tasked with building a diverse class profile, so the more you can be true to yourself, the better.

“The biggest piece of advice that we always give candidates is to be themselves,” says Rebecca Mallen-Churchill, senior director of recruitment, admission and financial services for graduate programs at the Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business. “Sometimes if you’re not even sure why you want to do an MBA, that will come across to the admissions committee.”

BE CONFIDENT

Owning your experience and worth can help convey a strong fit with a B-school. In many ways, being confident is part of selling yourself to the admissions committee.

“Just be confident, be relaxed, especially in the interview process, because they don’t want to see someone who’s nervous, trying to speak quickly,” Matt Sherman, an MBA student at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, says. “Staying poised is what you really want to do.”

CONNECT THE DOTS

As much as you can, try to align your personal and professional goals to what a business school has to offer. Whether it’s highlighting relevant courses or extracurricular opportunities, connecting the dots between you and the B-school can help demonstrate a strong fit.

“I’ll try to discuss with them what their goals are, and maybe suggest an alternative degree if there is one within our university that will align with their goals,” Stavrula Katsirmas, the associate director of integrated student experience and retention at LeBow, says. “Sometimes applicants feel that the MBA is the catch-all degree or it’s just a default if they aren’t sure what they want to do, but an MBA should be used to leverage existing professional experience to get somebody where they want to be.”

Sources: US News, Fortuna Admissions