A recipe for success

Trying to win a place on a renowned MBA programme may feel like playing a lottery, but treating the application process with care helps tip the balance, writes Brutus Lo

According to a recent report, fewer than 10 percent of applicants won places in top-ranked MBA programmes' Fall 2002 classes. Today, if they wish to make their mark, serious candidates must ensure that their applications excel in every respect.

In the United States, MBA applications are divided into six critical components. The first two assess academic excellence and focus on an applicant's college transcript, or grade point average (GPA), and his or her graduate management admission test (GMAT).

Although it is tempting to say that the GMAT score is more important, an excellent GPA from a top-ranked undergraduate programme may be more compelling. However, a high GMAT score could compensate for a less-than-stellar transcript.

The remaining four components include essays, letters of recommendation, an interview and the applicant's resum*. As they are subjective, they present opportunities for candidates to help themselves stand out from the crowd. However, it is essential that they indicate an understanding of both the programme in question and the school's requirements.

According to Brandon Royal, Kaplan GMAT instructor and author of 88 Great MBA Application Tips and Strategies, there are usually three general types of essay. Topics include: 1. Who are you? 2. What are your career goals? and 3. Why do you need an MBA and why should it be from our school?

Candidates' essays therefore need to prove that the candidates are reflective, understand their goals, know what they are looking for and can learn from mistakes such as a poor GPA. Finally, it is vital that candidates ensure that essays are error-free and kept within set limits.

Letters of recommendation should be written by immediate supervisors, former bosses or community service colleagues. It may be necessary to "help your referees to help you", coaching them so that they highlight those qualities relevant to the target programme.

A resumé should not only detail an applicant's employment history but also emphasise the depth and breadth of his or her work experience. Above all, it should be prepared with the care that is given to putting together a job application.

Although not all schools offer interviews, when one is proposed, be prepared. Spend time reviewing current events, such as recent financial scandals. And, as Natalie Grinblatt, director of admissions, the Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, puts it, "We are also going to assess interpersonal skills. Remember a strong handshake, eye contact and good energy."

In a nutshell, the six critical components of an MBA application provide the key to convincing a school that you can withstand the rigours of their academic programme, that you demonstrate leadership potential and that you will contribute to both class and school.

Acknowledgement Brutus Lo is the MD of Kaplan Educational Center (HK) Ltd, an affiliate of Kaplan, Inc. which helped hundreds of Hong Kong students to further their studies in the US and all over the world over the last 12 years. He worked in Silicon Valley and earned his MBA from the Kellogg (Northwestern)-HKUST programme. Email: brutus.lo@kaplanhongkong.com.hk Website: www.kaplanhongkong.com.hk

Taken from Career Times 2003/09/05