Getting into a top school requires both strategic and tactical planning and this may be especially true if you are applying to a top business schools.
Getting accepted into a top MBA program is an arduous, time-consuming process, with plenty of potential pitfalls along the way. The most prestigious and selective schools – Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, and their ilk – say they accept only 10% of all those who apply. The ratio may even smaller in schools such as Stanford where the size of the class is relatively small – just slightly above 300.
Since earning my MBA from Wharton in 2008, I have been seeking ways to help prospective students of African descent get into the top MBA programs. Last year, I started a non-profit consulting project (b-schooladvisory.com) just for this purpose, and we have spoken to several African applicants from Nigeria Ghana, the UK and US.
For me, getting into these schools take a little more than being a “stellar student” because it is a given that most applicants have very solid academic backgrounds; to be successful you simply need to have the edge and that’s where I think the strategy and tactics come into play. Remember, you are competing for the same spot with candidates with different academic, professional and cultural backgrounds and when you think of it from that perspective; you quickly begin to see how competitive the selection process is.
I was privilege to be part of the student Admission committee while at Wharton and therefore experienced how decisions are sometimes made. I don’t claim to have any secret formula but here are a few tips that could help your chances and help you make a great impression with your application.
1. A good GMAT will not get you in but a bad one will hurt you: Overall, GMAT scores range from 200 to 800; the median is 500. At a top school, students’ average scores may be 700 and higher. It’s important to score within the range of scores traditionally accepted by the schools you are applying to, getting in with a score lower than the range is usually a challenge. Study hard and ace the GMAT
2. Tell Your Story; Think and Plan Ahead: Like most things in life, you need to plan ahead to be successful. You will need to tailor both your professional experience and extra-curricular activities (at least when you write about them in your essays) to reflect stellar accomplishments that can help you in class discussions and contribute to class teaching. Business-school admissions committees aim to enroll a broad mix of different personalities and backgrounds, so they want to know who you really are – even going beyond your professional life to include any significant experiences you may have had. Obviously, coming from an African background gives you a lot of unique experiences and you should not be shy to discuss those in details. In all planning to take the GMAT, researching schools, getting the applications, lining up your recommendations, and writing the essays all take time. The process could easily take 18 months so plan ahead
3. Talk to the right people: Be sure to reach out to people who have gone through the process. Current students and alumni of these top schools are always more than happy to discuss their experiences during and after the admission process and getting their perspectives could give you a lot of insights about the right mix of things to do.
4. Don’t rush to submit your application: Different schools operate on different schedules, but in general, B-schools accept one round of applications in October and another in early January. Don’t rush. There is no particular advantage in being in the first round of applications, although traditionally more international applicants submit their application in the second round. Don’t submit in the 3rd round because the class is almost full and being an international, the committee is not sure you will be able to complete the visa application process on time for the beginning of school year
5. All hope is not lost if your application has significant weakness: “Let’s say your undergrad GPA was less than stellar or you’ve been laid off or not promoted. Don’t think that is the end of your dream to getting into a top program but don’t just ignore it either on your application. Talk about how you bounced back and what you learned from those experiences. Often people think, ‘Well, they know I’m smart, and I have recovered and that was a long time ago, so it’s no big deal.’ But you need to explain it, because it will be noticed.”
For me, I followed these principles and it worked. There are no hard and fast rules to getting into your dream school, you just need to be hardworking, show a consistent record of outstanding achievements, do your research and talk to people that have gone through similar experiences and things should hopefully work out.
Wole Faroun holds an MBA (Finance and Strategic Management) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2008 and has over 10 years experience in Business Development, Technology, Corporate Strategy and Entrepreneural Management. Wole can be reached via wolefaroun@esourcingng.com
