What MIT Sloan Seeks In Applicants

MIT’s Sloan School of Management ranked number six in P&Q’s latest “Top Business Schools” ranking.

The prestigious business school, with a 14% acceptance rate, is very selective about who it accepts. Fortune recently spoke to experts about what kind of students Sloan seeks and how applicants can best approach their application to the program.

WHO YOU ARE

Sloan looks for applicants who have the experience to back up what they say.

“They’re always really looking at how people have taken their talents and put them into action,” Julie Strong, a former senior director of MBA admissions at MIT Sloan, tells Fortune.

Your cover letter and video statement are two areas where you can convey your story to admissions officers.

“Other than written communication, there’s really no way for [admissions officers] to see your personality,” Natalie Lahiff, an MBA admissions consultant with Solomon Admissions, tells Fortune. “They really want to just know what you’re passionate about, what’s driving you to come to MIT Sloan and get this MBA, and what are you going to contribute to the class, what are you going to bring to the table.”

The best way to approach the video statement, experts say, is to brainstorm stories that reveal who you are.

“For example, you might be passionate about travel and experiencing new cultures,” Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, writes. “Have you made several exciting trips in your life? Each has likely given you a new perspective. Maybe you developed a passion for Thai cuisine after a trip. Or, you collected Brazilian art from your travels to that country. Second, think of a few discrete examples. Third, put the stories and the introduction together. Make sure to practice until you are comfortable before you start recording.”

YOUR SCORES

The Sloan MBA Class of 2022 has a 3.54 median undergraduate GPA and 720 median GMAT score. While you’ll want to aim for those numbers, experts say, GPA and test scores aren’t everything.

“They want you to have a good working foundation and that breadth of experience before you come into the program,” Lahiff tells Fortune. “You need to be able to contribute to the class discussions and bring something to the table.”

Sources: Fortune, Stacy Blackman Consulting

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