So, you’ve done your research and you’ve made a great first impression. By thinking out of the box, you’ve helped us to see who you are and that you meet our admissions criteria.
What’s left? How do you make sure we remember you, positively?
Many people focus too much on trying to demonstrate what they believe the school wants to know. Obviously, you’re trying to show how you ‘fit’ with the program. But it’s also important to be genuine. You want to make a good impression, but it’s actually very hard to do this if you are not being authentic.
In one of our pre-application Live Chats on Admissions Tips, our Recruitment and Admissions Director, Anna Farrus, recommended,
Create a story that makes you compelling. Showcase who you are beyond the application. Be assertive without being aggressive.
Most schools are looking for diversity, things that make you stand out. Look at the profiles of current participants, can you see yourself in this group? Why? What would you learn from them and what could you contribute? What makes you stand out from them? If they’ve all lived in multiple countries, using this as your unique perspective doesn’t help!
What makes you unique? It’s not living in multiple countries that will make you different, it’s something about that experience. Think about it. Don’t just share the facts, share the story to be more compelling.
This is especially important during the interview. The interview is your chance to take us from the paper version of who you are, to who you really are. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen with pre-rehearsed answers that give nothing away.
And don’t just focus on your past – think about the future too. What is it that you aspire to? What is driving you to invest in an MBA? It’s a big investment, so show us what you hope to get as a return and why you think this is a good investment.
Good luck!
Suzy
MBA Recruitment and Admissions
