We’re pleased to highlight a recent Business Week article on “How to Stand out from the Herd,” featuring our very own Deena Maerowitz. Deena joined the Clear Admit team after a stint as Associate Director of Admissions at Columbia Business School, so she knows firsthand how important it is for applicants to distinguish themselves from the pool. This should always be a top priority for the b-school applicant, but as the competition grows for places at the top business schools, it is all the more important to leave a lasting impression on the admissions official who reviews your file. As the number of available seats in next year’s class dwindles, it is not enough to simply satisfy all of the adcoms’ criteria – successful applicants go a step further to show that they are different from the many of “acceptable” applicants in the pool.
This aspect of admissions strategy can be daunting to many applicants, especially for those who have “common” profiles in regards to their work history, country of origin or ethnicity. In addition to Deena, the Business Week article features insights from a collection of diverse players in the MBA admissions landscape sharing what they really look for in understanding the person behind the application. The result is a great resource, full of concrete strategies and suggestions about how to put a personal touch on one’s file and stand out from the rest of the pack.
One key approach highlighted in the piece was engaging the school community:
Tina Mabley, the director of admissions at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, recommends checking in with student volunteers, meeting alumni, or visiting the school.
It will automatically give you a better understanding of the school and prevent you from using the “three marketing slogans available on the web site,” she adds. But Mabley warns that using information about the school is different from sounding too rehearsed and simply repeating information. “The worst thing is when you’re in an interview and [a potential student is] telling you something they read on a chat board or heard from a friend,” she adds.
In light of this great advice, we wanted to point out some related tips we’ve offered along these lines over the past few months:
Off-Campus Information Sessions
Declare Your Love (And Explain It)
Best of luck to all those applicants working on Round Two applications!
Comments closed
