October 23, 2025

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What is the secret of a successful MBA application?

After a calendar year of disruption brought on by coronavirus, many possible pupils are inquiring irrespective of whether now is the appropriate time to utilize for an MBA, how to pick out between distinct enterprise universities and what to do to maximise the chances of thriving admission.

FT MBA position 2021 — top a hundred

The pandemic has pushed most studying on line and made uncertainties about economic progress and potential customers in the career industry, but finished tiny to sluggish down demand from customers for the prestigious diploma. A lot of folks have determined to stay in education — or return to it — in get to strengthen their capabilities and chances of upcoming results.

Nonetheless superior tuition service fees, the opportunity charges and earning losses of offering up operate now, as perfectly as the depth of examine, are discouraging some prospective pupils from implementing now. “It’s the $1m concern from candidates: is this the appropriate time?” mentioned Eddie Asbie, interim executive director of admissions and monetary assist at SC Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, a person of fifty percent a dozen authorities the FT assembled to reply readers’ inquiries on MBA apps.

Eddie Asbie of SC Johnson says prospective applicants should consider their motivations, such as a desire to acquire new skills, shift careers or specialisms
Eddie Asbie of SC Johnson says possible applicants must take into account their motivations, these types of as a motivation to obtain new capabilities, change occupations or specialisms © Patrick Shanahan/University Images

“A whole lot has transpired — personal conditions, employment, relatives lifestyle,” he mentioned, arguing that possible applicants must take into account their motivations, these types of as a motivation to obtain new capabilities, change occupations or specialisms. “The most significant is to self-replicate. Can you put together the greatest software attainable? Have you truly finished your because of diligence to know the universities? What is most significant?”

Joy Jones, chief solution officer and standard supervisor of assessments at the Graduate Management Admission Council, which administers the Gmat check for enterprise universities, a main indicator of demand from customers, mentioned there have been “strong good trends” — notably in Europe.

Joy Jones of the Graduate Management Admission Council said there were ‘strong positive trends’ for MBA demand
Joy Jones of the Graduate Management Admission Council mentioned there have been ‘strong good trends’ for MBA demand from customers © HANDOUT

Tarini Sundar mentioned she experienced no regrets about having an MBA at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, soon after determining she wished to change from a get started-up to a large tech enterprise. She graduated past calendar year and now functions at Salesforce and can help with recruitment. She mentioned US companies valued the diploma for capabilities it taught which include “leading with empathy, significant pondering and collaboration”.

Virginie Fougea, worldwide director of admissions and monetary assist at Insead, argued that when some European industrial providers have been ordinarily considerably less targeted on recruiting individuals with MBAs, the diploma was widely recognised and valued.

On the concern of irrespective of whether it is a very good plan to utilize to enterprise university this calendar year, relatively than wait right until the pandemic is more than, she mentioned that a person component to take into account was course period. Although many MBAs — notably in the US — acquire two years, Insead’s a person-calendar year course suggests members implementing now will graduate in 2022. “I see folks who really don’t want to be bystanders, hoping for the earth to be much better in a year’s time,” she mentioned.

Virginie Fougea of Insead says Gmat is a useful indicator of ‘commitment, comparison and competition’
Virginie Fougea of Insead says Gmat is a beneficial indicator of ‘commitment, comparison and competition’

David Simpson, recruitment and admissions director at London Small business School, which gives programs long lasting between 15 and 21 months, argued that applicants who are hesitating must “think prolonged expression and on the effect on your career, not just your original career.” He additional: “You cannot put your lifestyle or career on maintain. The earth will see folks who go to enterprise university now as the courageous kinds who stand out.”

His university nonetheless has destinations for an MBA setting up in 2021, but he warned versus implementing simply just to keep choices open and then searching for a deferral if recognized. “The concern is, when are you prepared? It is a whole lot of effort to make an software, so make absolutely sure you utilize when you want to go.”

Sundar stressed that MBA programs and pupils diverse widely and applicants must devote time accomplishing their investigation. “Don’t make the blunder of making use of the similar software and attempting to retrofit it. Diverse universities have really distinct cultures which will dictate your practical experience,” she mentioned.

Simpson suggested drawing up a listing of conditions and searching at others’ priorities and choices. “Speak to pupils, alumni, the folks who are paying out,” he mentioned. He mentioned graduates have been normally very pleased of their university but also frank since they experienced a “gatekeeper attitude” to assure the high quality of upcoming applicants.

Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth says prospective applicants should study schools’ employment reports to understand more about their graduates’ career outcomes
Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth says possible applicants must examine schools’ employment experiences to comprehend more about their graduates’ career outcomes © HANDOUT

Donna Swinford, affiliate dean for student recruitment and admissions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Small business, agreed that present-day pupils have been a pivotal resource of steering. “They are the kinds who lived the programme and will reply actually how they navigated it . . . and locations for enhancement.”

She mentioned possible applicants must examine schools’ employment experiences to comprehend more about their graduates’ career outcomes. They must also take into account the teaching design, which was in some destinations lecture-centered and at others largely targeted on interactive circumstance-centered teaching.

For most applicants, having the Gmat will be a 1st phase. Jones mentioned enterprise universities giving waivers normally did so only for candidates who have been “extraordinarily strong” in other strategies — these types of as obviously shown specialist capabilities or deep specialist practical experience. “The Gmat offers an objective measure when you have a really wide and various applicant pool.”

She mentioned the system of getting ready for the Gmat assisted candidates as “an on-ramp” to an MBA, masking issues these types of as significant pondering and info investigation. It was a beneficial practical experience in by itself for individuals who are operating and experienced “sometimes been out of examine mode” to brace for the intensive examine of their course.

Simpson mentioned the Gmat was beneficial as an indicator of “commitment, comparison and competition”. For Fougea, it was in some cases “the only way we can comprehend how [candidates] will cope with the tutorial aspects” of the MBA, specifically for the subset who experienced not taken an undergraduate diploma.

In reaction to inquiries about writing successful apps, Swinford at Booth mentioned: “Make absolutely sure you are writing what is true to you, not what you think the university wishes to listen to. It is less difficult to be you.”

London Small business School asks for a one essay, which Simpson mentioned was to “describe what you have finished, what you will do at the university, and what you hope to do in the future”. He advised applicants to stress “simplicity, clarity, honesty — enable your personality shine through”.

Asbie mentioned tutorial ability was significant but admissions officers have been also intrigued in operate practical experience, to comprehend “how have you produced an effect in your organisation, and how are you main tasks or teams”.

For individuals generating it to interview, his suggestions was “be authentic”. He stressed that the design was “conversational”, offering candidates a possibility to clarify career moves and achievements as perfectly as personal interests. “The interview truly provides us a very good feeling of who’s truly finished their because of diligence, who will be thriving.” For Swinford, it was also a possibility for candidates to interview the universities.

Fougea’s final suggestions? “Be trustworthy, passionate, really don’t more than prepare. Be legitimate.”

The FT’s yearly Online MBA survey has just been printed. Browse more right here

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