Seemingly Similar MBA Applicants, Different Admissions Outcomes

similar MBA applicants

If Round 2 results from your dream school are in and you didn’t get the news you were hoping for, it can be pretty devastating. After months of hard work on your application and then a few more months of anxiety-ridden waiting, finding out that you weren’t accepted is tough.

When you’re already feeling confused, down, or angry, learning that similar MBA applicants, such as a friend or co-worker, did get an interview invite (or an acceptance) can feel like having salt poured into your proverbial wound. If you believe you’re actually more qualified than someone who received better news, it’s even worse.

One of the classic mistakes applicants make when considering MBA admissions decisions is believing there’s a magic formula that works every time. They assume that a certain GPA, GRE or GMAT score, undergraduate institution, employer, promotion track, etc., will result in a slam-dunk admission.

So, if your coworker has a similar profile and got an interview and you didn’t, the world suddenly makes no sense. Why do scenarios like this come to pass? How can two people who work at the same place or are similar “on paper” meet such different MBA fates? How can a stellar candidate receive a ding when a seemingly so-so applicant gets in? There are three main reasons.

Did you know SBC offers a Ding Analysis as an a la carte service? Contact us today to learn more.

The MBA application process is subjective.

Let’s face it: anytime humans are involved, you’re dealing with a process that will be influenced by many things you can’t control. Most MBA programs have more than one person reviewing each candidate’s file to control for this type of subjectivity. This means that if the first reader is having an awful day or feeling meh about your candidacy when reviewing your materials, rest assured at least one or more people will also read your application before reaching a final decision.

Admissions committees consider thousands of qualified applicants each year and have developed a strong sense of who will fit best with their program. While you may think you’d be a bigger asset to a certain school than an acquaintance who got in, the admissions committee felt differently.

You don’t know absolutely everything about your friend or co-worker’s candidacy.

If you did your homework on the MBA process, you know that AdComs are looking for what makes applicants tick. They want to understand your personality. They are interested in more than just your career experience and “stats.”

When comparing similar MBA applicants, it could come down to something written in an essay or recommendation letter that really moved or impressed the admissions committee. Even if you read your friend’s essays, you likely don’t know every detail included in their applications. Nor do you know everything discussed in their interviews.

Sometimes, something subjective and imperceptible to you gives a similar candidate the edge. Chances are your demographics, backgrounds, and motivations are not as alike as you might have thought. Ultimately, the AdCom saw something unique in your friend that they were looking for.

You may not have even been competing with your friend for a spot in the first place. 

As alluded to above, each program strives to put together a diverse class of impressive people. However, no one knows the secret sauce that any given AdCom uses to fill open spots. We do know that it’s not as straightforward as most people assume. Similar MBA applicants might have subtle yet important differentiators.

Everything from your gender to your industry to your nationality to your career aspirations, community service, and personality comes into play when an AdCom attempts to build a graduating class. And there’s no way to predict that because it depends on the full applicant pool the admissions committee sees in any given cycle. This changes year to year, even round to round, and certainly across schools. What worked for similar MBA applicants in 2022 might not prove as successful in 2023-2024.

Listen to B-Schooled Podcast #8: Time and Energy Wasters

Don’t Fall Into the Trap of Obsessing Over Similar MBA Applicants

We know how tempting it is to play the comparison game. In the end, comparing yourself to other candidates is a pointless exercise. Unfortunately, doing so won’t change anything or make you feel any better when similar MBA applicants get the results you didn’t. The best thing you can do is try to be objective about how you could improve your odds if you reapply next year. Many top B-schools welcome reapplicants!  Cast a wider net with new programs or strengthen your quant profile and community service record over the next several months.

We work with successful reapplicants every year, so this route can definitely lead to acceptance at your dream school. For assurance and inspiration, read our profile of former SBC client Ed Redden, who went from reapplicant to admitted at both Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School.

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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership and Interview Prep to hourly help with essay editing, resume review, and much more! Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Wharton, Booth and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team:
Meet Anthony, who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise.

Meet Kim, who was an Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Chicago Booth.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation.

Contact

(323) 934-3936
info@StacyBlackman.com

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