The b-school application is just as much of an opportunity for adcom members to get an overview of who you are as it is a crash course in “knowing thyself.” Applications ask would-be students to not just tell a story, but to do so within the context of their educational and professional goals.
Five current Yale School of Management MBA students took to the Yale SOM blog to discuss how applicants can contextualize the micro within the macro—and vice versa.
The following post has been republished in its entirety from its original source, the Yale SOM Blog.
Advice from Student Admissions Ambassadors
Students weigh in on how to select the best school for you and position yourself in your business school application.
Whether you’re currently working on your Yale SOM application for Round 2 or you’re still gathering information on individual schools, students’ experiences offer lessons on refining “the list,” identifying what is important to you in an MBA program, and positioning yourself in your business school application. We asked admissions ambassadors for their advice.
Jvaneel Parekh ’19
Really try to get a holistic understanding of the school culture, the mission, the academic program, the students and, of course, the school’s location! A school visit is the best way to do that, but if you can’t physically make it, attend an off-campus event in your city or connect with current students. This will allow you to evaluate if a school is truly the right fit for you and, more important, it will help you in the application process to show your enthusiasm for the school and speak about how you plan to make the most of your time at the school in the interview.
Paraj Tyle ’19
I think it is really important to be honest with yourself and know what you want to achieve out of business school. That not only helps find a good match in terms of opportunities, but also the right culture. The right culture fit is so important in having a phenomenal experience.
Lauren Motzkin ’19
Take the time to really think through your story: Why do you want to go to business school? Why is a particular school the right fit? Why is all of this essential to your career goals? This reflection will help in making a really big decision and will also help you to craft an authentic and consistent narrative for your application.
Lucas Silva ’19
Be vulnerable. Sometimes it will seem awkward or uncomfortable, but tell your true story, show who you are, and be open about it. Be bold enough to let your inner self shine in your application, but be even bolder by letting the school know that you’re not perfect, that you have space for growth, and that you have dreams and ambitions to reach—and it’s because of those ambitions that you want an MBA at that particular school.
Yale SOM admissions ambassadors are current students who serve as contacts for prospective students. We invite you to connect with admissions ambassadors to learn more about anything they’ve addressed here, as well as about Yale SOM’s mission, our culture, our academic programs, and anything you identify as being important to you during your MBA journey.
Clear Admit Resources
Thanks for reading this edition of Fridays from the Frontlines. As you work on your SOM MBA essays and application, we encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s Yale offerings:
- Yale SOM School Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
- Clear Admit SOM School Snapshot: overview of key curricular details and application information
- Clear Admit SOM School Guide: in-depth program and campus information and side-by-side school comparisons; everything you need to know for a successful application!
- Clear Admit LiveWire: admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to Yale SOM
- Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to Yale SOM
