Applying For An MBA? This Is How You Can Create An Outstanding Story And Get Selected

The average criteria for admission to post graduate programmes in Management are a graduate degree, GMAT/GRE score and a strong profile, backed by one or more MBA essays.

Why essays are important?
Admissions committees across B-schools have accepted MBA application essays as the mirror to see and assess the credentials and personality of the concerned MBA applicant. In the MBA application components, essays give an idea whether the candidate is a good fit for the B-school or not. In that sense, a well-written MBA essay is like a passport to enter the hallowed world of any esteemed B-School. It also works as a key differentiator and helps an applicant stand out from the rest.

MBA admission: Prerequisites
In all business schools, GMAT score is a critical component in the selection process. All elite, full-time MBA programmes demand high GMAT scores. In Harvard Business School, the average GMAT score required is 727. At Stanford, it is 732, which is the highest in the US. In the University of Chicago’s Booth School, a GMAT score of 723-plus is a must. The above information clearly points out how vital it is to prepare well for GMAT and score as high as possible.

Tell your Story
In writing MBA essays, an applicant must ‘tell a personal story’ and attain a good personal judgement. While writing the MBA essay, the candidate must be specific and should not beat around the bush.

Essay is self-introduction
In any B-school, shortlisting the summation of all desired components takes place. In that process, the MBA essay will be treated as a decisive variable, with the candidate being placed as a main character of the story. Here is an excellent B-school shortlisting tool by Genedmba.com, which will help you to extract B-school information according to your profile.

Sample essay topics
Here are some sample essay topics that show how incisive they are in projecting the real personality of an applicant before the admission board.

• Why do you want to attend this business school?
• What are your career goals?
• What will you do with your degree?
• Why do you want an MBA?
• Your strengths and weaknesses.

Moreover, every top B-school has its own essays for MBA application.

Employability
Through these essays, B-schools scan the applicants for the desired values and qualities to enrich their MBA programmes. These institutions admit applicants to their MBA courses, hoping to place them in top companies and corporations. Therefore, getting talented students for their MBA programmes is a top priority for all reputed B-schools.

Secret of outstanding MBA essays
According to Accepted.com, there are a few dos and don’ts in penning impressive MBA application essays.

Make no claims, just show it: In the essay, never make superficial claims like ‘I am the best’ or ‘I am amazing.’ Making tall claims will not work in MBA essays. But if there is a genuine personality or professional trait, present it convincingly. For instance, strong work ethics could be a good point. Do differentiate yourself by playing it up as one of the key strengths and use stories/examples to reinforce it.

Highlight an achievement
To highlight work ethics, you can link it with an award you had won and show it. Here’s what you can say: When I won the award for the best employee last year, my supervisor mentioned that my work ethics got me the award. Pursuing personal and team goals relentlessly is my passion and I look forward to an opportunity to work with classmates and others teams for such projects in your esteemed B-school. Here, the award has been highlighted as a tool of recognition for a critical personality trait and adds more credibility than telling the same in so many words.

Don’t oversell
To establish oneself as a worthy candidate, some applicants try and project themselves as superheroes without a single chink in the armour. The fact is that successful candidates in top B-schools are down-to-earth people and have presented themselves as very genuine human beings in their applications.

Select the right stories
So the key to writing about oneself is all about selecting the right stories. Trace those stories and say a lot about:

• Who you are?
• How do you think?
• How do you react to less-than-ideal situations?
• How do you solve problems?

Present those things in the fewest words possible. Do not fake things and just be yourself. Express yourself as sincerely as possible and keep it limited to 300-400 words.

To conclude, treat these ideas as proven tips that may help all MBA aspirants to prepare some impressive essays and finally make their way to leading B-Schools.

We wish you all the luck!