It’s Like Dating: Conversations with MBA Admissions

When I awoke this morning, a thought popped into my head – the MBA Admissions process is a lot like dating. This is not a new idea – I’ve talked about it before, but this morning I felt compelled to explore it deeper. I’ve been married for nine years and we dated for three years before that so while I may offer up lots of advice to others on dating, I can’t actually recall anything from firsthand experience. So I headed over to Match.com for some research. As I browsed the Match.com website, I was pretty amazed as how many articles were analogous to the MBA admissions process and I was super excited to have a seemingly endless set of blog post ideas!

Disclaimer: this is not an endorsement of Match.com or of online dating. If that’s your thing, go for yours!

“Conversation Tips for Dates” by Chelsea Kaplan…hmm? MBA candidates could sure use some advice on conversations during school networking events, which can sometimes be a little awkward and akin to being on a first date. Below are suggestions for engaging Admissions Officers in conversations at school receptions. Before I get to that I have to highlight one of Ms. Kaplan’s tips on things to avoid: “Squeals of excitement”. This is principally for the ladies, but gentlemen if you have been known to squeal this is for you too. This week there have been at least three articles about women using “girlie talk” in a professional setting to get what they want. As with squeals of excitement, I encourage you to avoid sounding like an exuberant five year old child.

In conversations with Admissions Officers, AVOID:

• Profanity – especially the f-bomb and the b-word.
• Getting too personal – this includes your dating life. Admissions Officers are very welcoming, but don’t mistake that for familiarity.
• Dominating the conversation – Admissions Officers are also at faking interest. Just because they are nodding and smiling doesn’t mean they appreciate what you are talking about.
• Nervous laughter – breathe. And avoid laughing after every statement that you make.
• Politics – it’s election season, but avoid conversations about politics, religion, etc.

In conversations with Admissions Officers, DO:

• Invite others into the conversation – you should not monopolize the conversation and unlike with a date, your willingness to bring others into the conversation will be welcomed.
• Show your interest – your body language will signal to the Admissions Officer that you are interested in what they are saying and in the school. You can also show your interest by asking well-thought out questions and continue engagement through your follow-up questions.
• Share current events in your industry – while politics may be off limits, business current events can be front and center in your conversations. You don’t need to know everything that is happening on Wall Street if you aren’t in finance, but you should be well-versed on your industry.