Will We Be Having the Same Conversation Next Year?
I’ve spoken with a number of young professionals who say that this is their year. They are going to take the plunge and apply to business school in anticipation of entering in the fall of 2014 (and graduating in Spring 2016!) 2016 sounds so far away, but it’s only three years. While for candidates, with this decision comes a high level of excitement of what’s ahead, my enthusiasm is much more tempered. I’m excited that they are considering business school and that they are getting an “early” start – it’s not really that early – I’ve become a little cynical over the years about the actual-follow through.
When people make the decision to apply to business school, either they dive in head first going all in on business school, or they put “applying to business school” on their to do lists, probably at the top, though its placement varies from week to week, i.e. it may be a priority but it’s not the top priority. Overwhelming the first group will apply to business school this year. Now the second group is where we start to have some follow-through challenges. The “applying to b-school is a priority, but not the top priority” candidate falls into two sub-categories. The first is the candidate who has the flexibility to get serious about the application process three months before the deadline. This person has already taken the GMAT and has a strong MBA profile. She knows current MBA students and alumni who have gone through the process so she has a strong network. While starting sooner would be better, this candidate will get applications in.
The second sub-category is what kind of steals my joy. Not to be too dramatic, but these are the candidates that I talk to early in the process and then later in the process and then near the deadline about the same damn things – they stand in the same place for so many months that they lose the advantage of starting the process in March or April. You know that you need to get serious about the GMAT. You’ve taken a practice test, but haven’t signed up for a class. Or you’ve signed up for a class, but haven’t really started to study. You get my point.
If you fall into the category of MBA candidates that (1) will have to grind on the GMAT, probably taking it multiple times, (2) could benefit from additional coursework to strengthen your quantitative profile, (3) doesn’t have a robust network of MBA contacts, or (4) plans to move into another industry or field but isn’t really sure, then you need to get your butt in gear. Yes, my friends, it’s ass-kicking Monday! Let’s go!
Here are 10 things to do in the next three weeks if you are serious about applying to business school this fall:
- Think about what you want to be doing in 10 years professionally and how an MBA might help you
- Talk to someone who recently completed the MBA application process
- Check out the website of a business school that you might be interested in – watch their videos, read student blogs and check out the career services pages
- Step up your performance at work – you will need recommendations
- Register on mba.com (don’t opt out of getting information; a little spam won’t hurt you)
- Get involved in your community – one activity is enough. Join an organization that does something meaningful
- Take a GMAT practice test
- Talk to someone in the industry that you think you want to pursue post-MBA
- Get a copy of your undergraduate transcript so you can find out what’s on there
- Research GMAT test preparation options
