MBA Admissions Tip: 3 Ways to Show an MBA Program That You Mean Business
During the MBA application process, you’ll need to learn more about your target programs in the process of rounding out your “why are you pursuing an MBA/why [school name here]” essays. Keeping this important component of the MBA admissions process in mind, we wanted to offer some advice on how to polish this element of your file and get the most mileage out of this section.
MBA Admissions is Personal
Schools look for applicants who seem genuinely excited about their program, and the best way to bring this across in your essays is to come right out and say it. Many applicants are well-researched, but present their findings in the form of objective facts. The adcom will already know whether their program features a flexible curriculum, is very strong in marketing, or offers an international focus. What they don’t know – and what you should be explaining in your essays – is what you find exciting and appealing, and why. Stating your interest in a school by connecting its offerings to your goals and interests is a great way to help the adcom understand (and ideally get them to agree with) your opinion that you would be a good fit with the program.
Cite Your Sources
In addition to hearing about your impressions of the program, the adcom will also wonder how you arrived at your conviction that their program is right for you. Did you attend a virtual information session or an MBA tour? Visit the campus? Sit in on a class? Contact the heads of student clubs? Speak with alumni in your current or target field? Comb through student blogs and other online sources of information? Sharing the steps you’ve taken to familiarize yourself with the school will showcase the effort you have put into learning about the program and will also add credibility to your comments about your commitment.
Keep it Tailored
Just as it’s important to mention aspects of the curriculum or community that make a particular school unique in comparison to others, it’s also essential that you highlight how your own interests and goals guide your discussion of school-specific elements. This approach will not only have the benefit of showing off the research you’ve done on the program in question, but will also help you to stand out from other applicants by virtue of your unique goals and interests. Sure, it’s reasonable to mention the core curriculum, as this is an important aspect of the business education, but because this could be a draw for any applicant to a given program, you would be better served by focusing on those classes that are most relevant to your particular educational needs.
MBA Admissions Academy
Episode 12: Essays I: The Basics
MBA Applywire
Only applying to Wharton "Deferred" Program (Due to eligibility)
Demographic: Asian Male, 26
Academic Background: B.S. & M.S. in Nuclear Engineering @ Top school in S.Korea
GPA: B.S.(3.76/4.30), M.S.(3.93/4.30)
GMAT Focus: 675 (Q-96th, DI-95th, V-56th)
Pre-MBA Employer: Recieved FT Offer @ Bain (expected start: July 2026)
Post-MBA Goal:
- Short: Banking
- Long: Infrastructure PE
Internships: Internship @ BCG
Research Experience:
4 conferences and several papers under review about Nuclear Fuel Materials, Nuclear Plant Economics & EPC, Nuclear Reactor Core Design
Extracurricular Activities/Leadership:
- Led a consulting project for a nuclear energy company in S.Korea
- Honor Society, College of Engineering
- VP of the student council @ UG department
- Soccer/Baseball team(non-varsity)
Awards:
- 2 x Minister's Award (1st place in Nationwide competition in Energy Sector)
- 5~10 x Minor Awards mostly in Energy & Nuclear Engineering
Honors:
- U.S. Army Commendation Medal
- Presidential Science Scholarship(Awarded by the President of the Korea, one of 25 recipients nationwide) - Fully funded during UG
- Korea Defense Veteran's Association (KDVA) Scholarship
- Honor Society of the College of Engineering
Hi All,
Location: India YOE:2.8 yrs Industry: Software Role: Senior software developer
I have been working in a software Mnc and recently got fired. I had initially planned to apply for MBA programs for 2027 intake. But given the recent layoff I'm not sure what to do next. I didn't yet take the gmat. And confused if I should do a job hunt now or prepare for gmat, since I wanted to apply for round 1s by sep.
I definitely want to go for a good International MBA for 2027 intake.
What should I do next, follow are the choices I can think of-
1. Prepare for a good gmat score, finish it in next 2-3 months, I also have a small startup idea that I would like to in parallel experiment/try out, not sure how far it will succeed.
2. Prepare for gmat, complete in next 2-3 months then do job hunt(might or might not be able to get a job by the time I apply for round 1s)
Please suggest what is better for my mba applications.
’m applying for deferred mba. Here’s my app:
Ethnicity: Middle eastern female (international student)
University: T3 Canada with full-tuition scholarship
GPA: 3.75 (will graduate with distinction in CS/Math)
GMAT Focus: 675, all parts above 85 percentile
Work experience: 2 FAANGS, 2 Hedge funds, 1 AI lab, 1 unicorn.
Research: 2 papers under review; 2 years of TAship for math and cs courses; received a grant
Extracurricular: 2 VC-based fellowships in Silicon Valley; I also won a funding for developing my non-profit project in the college which we tested in multiple orgs across our province; some little women in cs things; top Canada in trading competition
Post-grad plan: got return offer from all my internships and currently planning on a startup (very early stage)
* Background: 28M, CEE Region (Underrepresented)
* Education: Bachelor of Economics (GPA: 8.3/10) from the top university in my home country.
* Education (Grad): Master in Finance (GPA: 4.7/5.0) from the top university in a second country (Poland).
* GMAT: 675.
* Work Experience: 5 years total.
* 2 years in Big 4 Transactions.
* 3 years in a local M&A Boutique.
* Note: Big 4 experience was gained concurrently with my studies. My Master’s schedule (3-4 days a week, 17:00-21:00) allowed for full-time professional engagement.
* Extracurriculars: Founder of a finance community for the CEE region (70+ members). We focus on mentoring and networking.
* Post-MBA Goal: Pivot into a Private Equity Mega Fund.
* The Pitch: Leveraging a unique CEE expertise. Poland is a booming market; as the economy matures, I expect increased MF activity (CVC is already active here). I also plan to scale my finance community into a primary regional hub.
I'm a GCC national at MBB in the region. Mostly worked on large-scale government projects, and hoping to continue in government after graduation (also a woman, not sure if that makes a difference but I see fewer women from my country applying to MBAs).
322 GRE (162V 160Q)
3.0 GPA from US T30 school (this one is painful but I had a strong upward trend after switching majors)
5 years experience (boutique + currently MBB)
MBA LiveWire
received via email around noon and there were just a few spots open for early next week