If Your Friends Jumped Off a Bridge: MBA Peer Pressure
My parents raised my brothers and me to be independent thinkers. They didn’t want us to fall prey to peer pressure, following the wrong crowd down the wrong path. And they would rhetorically ask “if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?” My response was generally silence (for fear of bodily harm) and a quick eye roll!
The advice that my parents gave on peer pressure was spot on for a teenager. As we get older though, we may hold on to these thoughts of not “following the crowd” and do things on our own. Of course, in many areas that makes still sense. But in our professional development, it rarely pays to do it alone or in a vacuum. In applying to business school, a little peer pressure is a good thing. So get peer support to get through the MBA application process efficiently and successfully.
1. Peer pressure will motivate you
GMAT, school visits, a Finance course, essays, and on and on and on. There is a lot of work required to apply to business school and most of us are not self-motivated enough to get it done alone. There are too many professionals who had plans to attend business school, but they never quite got the inspiration to apply. There was nothing and no one pushing them hard enough toward the MBA so the dream deferred became a dream abandoned. Having friends and peers that know your career goals and your aspirations about business school will motivate you to stay on track. Just over a year ago, I told my friends that I was writing a book. Why did I do that? For the last year, the first question that everyone asks when they see me is “are you finished with the book yet?” No, damn it. I’m not done…but I’m getting there. If I haven’t told anyone about the book, I can assure you that I would not be working on it now. My friends are keeping me motivated to accomplish one of my goals of being a published author. Tell your friends your goals so they can help you reach them – some will provide encouragement or a swift kick in the pants, and others, who have similar aspirations, can be accountability partners in getting those applications submitted.
2. Peer pressure will keep you on track
You are working a full-time job and have lots of people and other activities to occupy every minute of your day. It can be tough to stay on track. The MBA application process is prescriptive – there is very little secret about what you need to do to be successful, but it’s time-consuming especially when you have lots of other obligations. I used to work at MLT, which offers the MBA Prep program. It’s an awesome program that helps a couple hundred people successfully apply to business school every year. The MBA Prep team, especially the coaches, is amazing, but it is the high performing peer community that really makes the program unique. When people around you are getting their stuff done and figuring out how to stay on track, it compels you to do the same thing. Peer pressure will help you get to the application submission finish line.
3. Peer pressure will strengthen your candidacy
Lots of people will give you advice in the MBA application process. Of course, I think mine is the best (I wouldn’t be sitting on the floor writing this if I didn’t…my house is being painted and it was the quietest place I could find). Admissions officers have the inside scoop. Alumni and students are critical resources. But don’t forget about your peers – they can help you brainstorm ideas for your essays, they can edit what you’ve written and they can share resources and information that they have found. They are neck-deep in the same process so they completely understand what you are going through. I don’t suggest that you only talk to other pre-MBA candidates because your view will get a little skewed and this will create lots of anxiety. But likewise without peer insight you will be missing a critical element of advice and support to deliver great applications.
Peer pressure in the MBA application process is a good thing. Find other pre-MBA candidates that are applying to business school at the same time as you. Together you can keep each other motivated and on track and help each other to get admitted to business school.
