Think about the people you interact with at business meetings and social gatherings. On a daily basis, you encounter many different personality types and communication styles. Whether consciously or subconsciously, you assess and compare these individuals according to a set of traits and behaviors that are either positive or negative. Those judgments, in turn, motivate you to seek either more or less involvement with a particular person.
This same analogy holds true when an MBA admissions committee is evaluating a business school application. Aside from the formal credentials and quantified achievements they consider, adcoms are also evaluating the values, attitudes and character of the applicant to determine whether he or she would be a good “fit” for the school and incoming cohort.
As you craft your MBA application, summarizing your professional, academic and personal background, you’ll reach a number of crossroads at which you decide how to present yourself to the school. There are numerous topics where you can and should convey confidence, pride, expertise and excellence. Sometimes even superiority. However, in helping nearly 5,000 past applicants position themselves for admission, The MBA Exchange can attest to the benefit of also presenting the softer side of a candidacy.
Demonstrating a sense of humility, gratitude, respect and deference reveals your humanity in authentic ways that are never visible in a resume or transcript. The way you describe your thoughts, feelings and motivations shows who you really are rather than just want you’ve accomplished. That’s precisely why we designed our analysis and planning process to help clients discover the full breadth and depth of their candidacy.
It’s somewhat ironic that a “business” school puts so much emphasis on an applicant’s principles, beliefs and self-awareness. But that is truly the case. Applicants who ignore this reality and believe that the only admissions criteria that matter are hard-core achievements are likely to be disappointed and confused on decision day. However, those candidates who also understand and speak to the humanity of their past, present and future are helping adcoms get past the curtain and see the person behind the application. Taking this enlightened, balanced approach to the admissions process will maximize your chances for ultimate success.
