These Are Not Good Reasons for Applying to Business School
Applying to business school is a significant step that requires time, effort, and financial investment. However, the rationale behind your decision is just as important as your qualifications. Admissions committees want to understand what you bring to the table and why you’re pursuing an MBA. While some motivations can strengthen your application, others may raise red flags and undermine your candidacy. Here are some reasons for applying to business school that won’t impress admissions officers, followed by compelling ones that will.
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Three Bad Reasons for Applying to Business School
Reason #1: You Dislike Your Current Job and Want an Escape
The desire for change is natural. But applying to business school solely because you dislike your current role is not a strong rationale. Admissions committees look for candidates with a forward-thinking mindset, which means they are interested in proactive individuals who have a clear vision of their future and are committed to achieving their goals—not those who are simply trying to leave a bad situation.
Instead of viewing an MBA as an escape, focus on the opportunities it provides to grow and achieve your long-term goals.
Reason#2: You’re Uncertain About Your Career Goals
Business schools expect applicants to have a clear sense of their career aspirations. While refining your goals during your MBA is okay, starting the program with a solid direction can enhance your ability to make the most of the available resources. Reflect on your interests and objectives before applying, and you’ll feel more focused and determined in your MBA journey.
Reason #3: You Want to Relive Your College Experience
An MBA program is a professional degree, not an extension of undergraduate life. The academic rigor, career focus, and expectations for collaboration make business school a fundamentally different experience. Applying with the hope of recapturing the social aspects of college is likely to lead to disappointment and is a red flag for admissions committees.
Three Great Reasons for Applying to Business School
Reason#1: You Want to Hone Your Leadership and Strategic Skills
Business school offers a unique opportunity to develop advanced leadership and strategic thinking capabilities. Perhaps you aspire to lead teams, drive organizational change, or innovate within an industry. An MBA will provide the tools and frameworks to achieve those goals. Business school is a worthwhile investment if you have a clear vision of how these skills will help your career.
Reason #2: You Seek Career Advancement or Transition
Whether you’re looking to climb the corporate ladder or pivot to a new industry, business school can provide the resources to make it happen. Programs offer tailored career coaching, access to extensive alumni networks, and the chance to gain industry-specific knowledge through electives and internships. These resources are particularly valuable for professionals aiming to make a significant career shift.
Reason#3: You Value a Global Network and Lifelong Connections
Business school isn’t just about academics; it’s also about building relationships. The connections you form with classmates, professors, and alums can become invaluable throughout your career. If you thrive on collaboration and see the value in a strong professional network, this is a compelling reason to pursue an MBA.
Not all motivations for applying to business school will resonate with admissions committees. Avoid framing your application around weak justifications, such as dissatisfaction with your current job or a desire to relive past experiences. Instead, focus on showcasing your goals, skills, and the meaningful connections you hope to build. By articulating thoughtful reasons, you’ll stand out as a serious candidate and position yourself for success in your MBA journey.
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Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony 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. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
