Goals in MBA Admissions: A Must

Yesterday I spent the day at a leading strategy consulting firm giving a seminar on MBA admissions on behalf of MBA Admissions Advantage.  My presentation was well-received, and I had a good time -- energizing and exhausting at the same time.

Thinking back on the day, I realized that in each of the four presentations I delivered, whether talking about applicant qualifications, choosing schools, the admissions perspective, or planning for the future, I ended up talking about the importance of goals.  And in the afternoon when meeting individually with the consultants/future applicants, I was struck by the fact that none of them had clear goals for their MBA -- not even the ones who were definitely committed to applying this fall and were working hard on GMAT prep.

Clear, well-defined goals are as much a requirement of MBA admissions as GMAT, GPA, and work experience.

To define your goals:

1. Look inward: What do you enjoy and where do you excel?
2. Examine what you have done off the job and see if there are lessons in your non-professional life for your professional life.
3. Clarify and mine  interests and past experiences.

Then look outward:

1. Examine professional paths that will take advantage of your strengths and give you more of what you find satisfying.
2. Research the schools to find those that support your professional goals and provide an educational environment where you can thrive.

Establish specific goals you want to achieve within a given program and a career plan for your post MBA years.

Clearly I went into much greater depth during the hours that I spent presenting yesterday, but these few tips are critical. Most importantly realize this fundamental:

Goals are not an afterthought in MBA admissions. They are front and center in the minds of admissions readers. Put them front and center in your mind as you prepare to apply.

Comments

[Emil Guluzade]

I am a senior undergraduate student from Azerbaijan. I have strong academic background(Mathematics Olympiad Champion, Best Student of the year (2002), GPA=4.0) and I my own business(Intenet Cafe). I am also Class Representative. I want to apply to HBS. What would you advice me about essays?

[Linda Abraham]

Please see http://accepted.typepad.com/admissions_almanac/2005/07/hbs_2006_applic.html where I posted tips on the HBS essays.

If you have a competitive GMAT, you should give HBS a try. Also check out Wharton.

[Ashish]

Hello Linda,

I'm a 24 year old engineer in India. I had faced some problems during my undergrad which meant I had to drop 2 years. I received a 66% grade though. In the meanwhile I have 4 years of work experience in the BPO and Software Industry with some impactful leadership experience. I think an MBA can best equip me towards my next step in career.
Now my GMAT is 740 and TOEFL 300. I didn't try hard but have been accepted onto the MBA program at HEC Paris. But I think an immersive American MBA experience would definately be better.
Would you think I have optimistic chances, if I choose to apply for the 2007 session?
On a related note, is it a hard and fast rule that past MBAs can't apply to Harvard etc. ever?

[Divya]

Hi Linda,

I'm an engineering graduate from India with good academic background. I have about 4 years of work experience in the software industry. I have also worked for a couple of months in UK with one of the leading banking companies. I have a GMAT score of 610. Could you advice me what kind of schools i can aim at in US?