Although the world keeps changing at an accelerating pace—and the MBA admissions process continues evolving with test waiver options, program delivery models, and both in-person and virtual recruitment offerings—the habits of the most successful MBA applicants have remained constant.
Here are the core habits that our most successful Stratus MBA clients have followed on their journey to gain acceptance to their dream MBA programs:
1. Start early.
It takes time to reflect upon your career goals and your need for an MBA to fill knowledge gaps. It also takes time to research MBA programs and determine how to tell your story. When our clients begin their introspection process in the spring, they have more time to understand their own motivations and core strengths. They also have more time to research MBA programs, update their resume, and secure the best recommenders. When one of my clients completed all her introspection and school research by early summer, she was able to apply to more than seven MBA programs in Round 1 and secure over $650K in scholarships!
Our most successful clients start about five to six months before submission deadlines. And since most Round 1 deadlines are in September, that means starting this process at least by March or April.
2. Identify weaknesses and work to improve them.
Whether they take the GMAT Focus multiple times or decide to take the GRE or even the Executive Assessment, our most successful clients understand their weaknesses and create a plan to address them. However, these plans take time to implement. It can take several months to improve a GRE or GMAT Focus score or to complete an additional financial accounting or statistics course to show a school that you are prepared for the quantitative rigor of the program.
MBA programs value candidates who are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. One of my clients knew the GMAT was going to be a big hurdle, so he allocated two months to prepare for the test before starting his applications. Once he secured his score, he could give undivided attention to his applications—and he ultimately gained admission to M7 programs including Kellogg and Harvard. Another client knew he should develop his leadership skills and worked on this a year prior to starting the application process.
3. Be coachable.
If you collaborate with a nutritionist but do not eat the meals on your plan, you will not lose weight. In the same way, when you work with an admissions coach, it is not enough to hear the advice—you must follow through!
I had a client who initially resisted my advice. But when he listened to and acted upon my suggestions, he started to break through and secured a seat in the MBA program at Columbia. Sometimes the advice is about digging deeper into school research, refining career goals, or sharing specific support in your essays to tell your story in a more engaging way. Whatever the feedback, my most successful clients listen and respond to the advice their advisors provide.
4. Stay positive.
The MBA admissions journey is like a roller coaster ride. There are highs and lows—and surprise turns along the way! My most successful candidates keep moving forward. It hurts when your dream MBA program rejects you, and I always encourage my clients to take a moment to be sad. However, I then tell them to look at the next opportunity at the next program. Do not wallow over why you did not get into Stanford and then not prepare for your Chicago Booth interview. I had one client who was not successful in his Round 1 applications but remained focused on applying to more programs in Round 2, and he secured four Round 2 acceptances and more than $300K in scholarship offers.
5. Work hard on each draft and meet deadlines.
In the same way that marinating meat prior to cooking provides more flavor, applicants who take time to think about their work between drafts end up with more interesting and nuanced essays. Applicants who make steady and consistent progress on their essays have the most success. One of my former clients was particularly strong at meeting or beating deadlines, and she secured acceptances at Wharton, Sloan, and Haas along with significant scholarships as well. Another client who started doing introspection in the spring was able to secure acceptances to many top schools in Round 1 including Kellogg, Stanford, and Chicago Booth. He did a particularly good job of being thoughtful in each draft as he refined his ideas. Yet another client I worked with last year, who was an international student, gained acceptances to five top MBA programs in Round 1 because he started early and therefore had time to do the research and introspection necessary to submit compelling applications.
6. Pay attention to details.
Details matter! If you go to a fancy restaurant but see that the bathrooms are not in pristine condition, you may lose your appetite wondering if the kitchen follows strong sanitation practices. In the same way, if you have careless misspellings in your essays or—heaven forbid—put the name of the wrong school in your essays, the admissions team may remember this more than your big promotion. In addition, when there are inconsistencies between dates on your resume and dates on your LinkedIn profile, the admissions reader might start to doubt your credibility. Always review your application ONE MORE TIME before you submit!
By catching an extra zero in his salary box before submission, my client avoided misrepresenting his salary as $1,000,000 when it was $100,000. Another client caught her mistake of reporting two years of work experience instead of her actual five years of experience, avoiding any issues in her successful application to Wharton. By reviewing an application one more time, you can avoid the stress of realizing that you hit “Send” too soon!
7. Be nice.
My most successful clients have a positive attitude and appreciate everyone they meet on their MBA admissions journey. They say “thank you” to MBA student ambassadors who answer their questions. They are appreciative of the MBA admissions officers they talk to during the process. They respect the time of their admissions counselor by keeping appointment meetings. This trait turns out to be so important for success in MBA programs, work, and life in general! It can also help when negotiating for scholarships. I had a client who was able to secure an additional $10K in funding from Chicago Booth even after he sent in his deposit by simply being nice throughout the entire MBA admissions process.
If you are considering working with an MBA admissions consultant for the 2024−2025 season, there is no better time to start than NOW! Our Stratus admissions consultants all have MBAs from top programs, and we are available to start the conversation about your profile through a free consultation that you can schedule here.