As one group of nervous applicants transitions to being enrolled students, another group gets ready to apply. Why not learn from the successes, failures and decisions of the group before you? For the next several weeks we will be publishing interviews that we conducted with some of last year’s clients. We provided a list of questions and asked that they be brutally honest and try to provide any insights that could help future applicants.

Biggest mistake you made or almost made in this process?
Selling myself short by thinking that I could not overcome seemingly minor weaknesses in my application. There is clearly more to the admission process than GMATs and GPAs and my success throughout the process clearly proves it.

Some keys to your success?
One key to my success was making the process personal at each school by reaching out to an admissions counselor or staff member regularly. By the time my application went to committee at Columbia, the admission counselor called me the night before to find out if there were any last minute updates to my application. I was able to develop this relationship through campus visits and regular communications. Also, reach out to the clubs and organizations that you are interested in and gain their support.

My advice is also to interview with an admissions counselor rather than an alumni. I found admissions counselors much more prepared for interviews and it made the process more enjoyable.

How did you put together the following important aspects of your story?
– why MBA?
I positioned myself as a career switcher and need the training that is taught so well at top business schools. Beyond the academics, I was looking to build a professional network and take a break from 6 long years of investment banking. The opportunities for personal development and testing my limits were equally as important to me.

– what are your career goals?
My career goals seem to change daily, but I am pretty sure that I want to pursue a consulting internship for the summer. I enjoy working in professional services and the complicated business issues that consultants face interests me. Down the road, I hope to use my management and leadership skills to run a division of a major multinational.

What was most helpful in your interview prep?
Most helpful to the interview prep was the confidence that I gained in working with my consultant. The story she helped me prepare was succinct and communicating it actually became fun. I’d suggest interviewing at your top choice schools after you have had a bit of practice. Again, admissions counselors in my opinion host much smoother and easier interviews and they don’t get interrrupted by business calls. I also found it helpful to speak with current students and get their thoughts on the interview process and figure out what the “hot topics” are.

How did you select your recommenders?
Selecting recommenders was pretty straightforward for me. My boss knew I was applying so it made things easier. I would say that you need to give your interviewers a minimum of 3 months to get the job done and check in with them weekly. Start by giving them concrete examples of your experiences which support the rest of your application. It is helpful to find a recommender who went to business school. The style of writing and knowledge of what the schools are looking for will be helpful.

What were you most nervous about in your profile?
I was most nervous about my GMAT score initially.

How did you overcome this potential stumbling block?
I realized that my strong GPA and global business experiences far outweighed my lower than average score. I focused on other quantitative elements of my background and made sure that my recommenders knew to focus on this area.

How did you select your list of schools?
My list of schools was largely based on the strength of the overall program. Having a finance background, I wasn’t really interested in a program that was well-known for finance. I wanted to learn more marketing and develop my soft skills. I thought Kellogg provided the best opportunities for me. I did apply to a couple of safety schools as well. I received very interesting financial incentives to attend a lower top-tier school, but my decision was ultimately based on career development opportunities and not near term finances!

What was helpful when you hit writer’s block?
My consultant was helpful when I hit writers block.

How did you stay motivated?
I stayed motivated by being organized and balanced. Its easy to get caught up in the process but things just have a way of turning out for the best.

What was the best GMAT resource?
The best (and only) GMAT resource is “The Offical Guide”. Manhattan GMAT is the only test prep company that uses these “real” GMAT questions in their lessons.

End result: Attending Kellogg

For other Kellogg insights, visit: Majalo

By Jeremy Dann

Think for a moment about the audience for your business school application: you will be spending hour upon hour writing a magnum opus may be read by just one person—or a select few at most. These people have dozens of applications they need to get through each day and even the most diligent may at times miss some points in your essays. That’s why you need to make things as easy as possible for the admissions committee members by making sure they can’t miss who you are and what you can add to the class.

The best applications feature three or four aspects of the applicant’s character and experiences that anyone reading the essays can’t help but identify. These three or four traits combine to form “Brand You.”

We all know the power of brands. Companies spend tons of cash to make sure you know how they deliver value and what they stand for. While there are many more subtle facets to their full corporate identities and many nuances to their product/service offerings, firms need to make sure that customers have a complete and unambiguous understanding of a limited list of characteristics. Take, for instance, this list of traits for a few well-know companies:

1. Low prices everyday, huge selection, one-stop shop
2. Great place to hang out, socially responsible, respect for employees
3. Great design, simplifying the complex, cool
4. Irreverent, youth-oriented, influencing lifestyles
5. Fun, family, fantasy

Even from just these short descriptions, you can probably guess which companies we’re referencing (see below). That’s because these messages have been pounded into your head through repetition, multiple interactions with the firm or exposure to marketing messages.

Similarly, candidates need to make sure the people who read their applications make no mistake about the core of their character and experiences. Certainly, all applications end up covering more than three to four points if they capture the wonderful complexities of us as humans. But if we give equal weight to 20 traits, we water down the main things the admissions committee needs to know about us.

If a candidate wants to be known as “a natural leader…intellectual, creative, driven, community-minded, responsible, action-oriented, nurturing, committed, rigorous, internationally-focused, physically fit, welcoming, laid back, institution-building and adventurous,” ultimately, we really don’t know what this person stands for.

People “branding” themselves like this have made choices on what they want to emphasize:

“A behind-the-scenes leader, creative problem-solver, and passionate about international development.”

“A great motivator, cutting-edge thinker on financial markets and committed to education.”

“Dedicated to environmental causes, a skilled negotiator, a committed mentor and family-oriented.”

Reinforce the main three to four traits through repetition; other aspects of your character and experience will come out naturally.

* * *
It’s never too early to start cogitating on the general outlines and topics for your essays.  Paying attention to what makes a “great essay” months before you start writing will help you sort through your best concepts. 
* * *

Just a few words can trigger our thoughts about a brand. Did you get these from the short statements above?
1. Wal-Mart
2. Starbucks
3. Apple
4. MTV
5. Disney

To view some applicants’ essay related ponderings, check out these blogs:
UniQpath – Essay Advice

Dave for MBA – Will I be proud to call you a fellow alum?

It’s great that so many schools are now offering feedback sessions. It’s further support for the idea that reapplicants are welcome, encouraged, and quite often successful. Wharton has even claimed that reapplicants have a slight edge in the applicant pool. So – sign up for feedback sessions whenever you can, and make the most of your time.

Because your time will be limited, it’s important to prepare in advance of the session. Write down a few pointed questions that will help you make the most of your meeting. If there is anything you questioned throughout the process, now is your chance to clear things up. Note that there is an art to extracting information. It is doubtful that a member of the admissions committee will tell you flat out that you are NOT qualified. Nor will they tell you to change your life plans, just for the sake of the application. In order to gather real information, your questions should sound something like this:

- Was there any concern about my quantitative abilities? If so, what can I do to demonstrate my capabilties?
- Were my career goals clear?
- Are my reasons for wanting an MBA sound?
- What were some of the biggest weaknesses in my application? Do you have any suggestions for how I can ease your concerns in those areas?

Don’t expect to receive the secret key to success; take what you can get and do not beg too much for information. Keep in mind that this is one additional opportunity to build a relationship, so be pleasant, engaging and polite. Treat this as an extension of your interview, and don’t forget to follow up with a thank you note.

For some insights direct from the Wharton adcomm, read their Reflections on MBA Feedback Sessions.