What top B-schools look for you in your application

Applying to B-Schools can be stressful for each applicant. Every aspirant goes through an emotional roller coaster ride involving a long cycle lasting 6-9 months. In this blog we at Careercarta try to answer some of the basic queries we face every year from many applicants which is what exactly top B-Schools look for in applications.

What top B-schools look for you in your application: Leadership

First and foremost thing to remember is that almost each and every B-School is looking for next generation of leaders and as such that needs to be highlighted in application throughout. Different leadership skills are honed and are at exhibition over different course of time and therefore MBA applications are tedious and lengthy. Essays form the backbone of applications and a significant amount of time is needed to get that right blend. One important mistake which we see every year is applicants comparing their application from last year admitted students and we always have one response that MBA applications are very personal thing and as such reflect yourself and not what you aspire to be.

What top B-schools look for you in your application: Academic Credentials

Good academic credential definitely adds positively to application. Here good academic credential does not necessarily mean acing all semesters of your college but apart from academic excellence overall participation in different college societies and leadership roles in respective clubs definitely adds a lot of weight to your application. A good GMAT score always is big positive to have in one’s application. While most of the other parts of the application are subjective, GMAT score forms a deciding factor when admission committee has to select between two similar profiles. Every school will have different GMAT requirements and we always encourage applicants to do their research keeping their score in mind.

What top B-schools look for you in your application: Work Experience

Most of the B-Schools require some work experience before joining the program. Bulk of the applicants that come to us have a query of not being from a branded corporate experience. While having a brand name in your professional experience always helps but it definitely is not the show stopper. More importantly admission committee is looking for increasing responsibility and career progression in your professional experience.

What top B-schools look for you in your application: Objectivity

Objectivity is another important criterion that admissions committee have a keen eye on every application. We encounter several applicants who try to perfect their application which is good but hardly a reality. B-School is an experience where every student is trying to hone their skills further and prepare for their next professional journey and as such admissions committee doesn’t expect a perfect application. Therefore, it is necessary to be objective in your application and be as close to one’s personality as possible. Accepting one’s failure and then being able to show progress is much better than being hideous about it and then being pointed out.

What top B-schools look for you in your application: Soft Skills

Self-confidence and good soft skills are an absolute must as most of the top B-Schools would have an interview round. It is imperative to be articulate and have the ability to present your ideas in a lucid yet comprehensive way to showcase your entire range.

Like we say to all our students every year, getting admit into top B-Schools is like a hurdle race. One needs to prepare for every hurdle. While failing even in one of them would disqualify, passing all still doesn’t necessarily means success. It’s a combination of lot of ingredients which are then blended into right proportions to get that right output. For any additional queries visit our website www.careercarta.com and do drop us a line.

Read more about MBA in Finance here: MBA in Finance

Read our analysis of a dual MBA degree: Second MBA-Analysis

Read more about Harvard 2+2 program here: Harvard 2+2