Tips for putting together your best B-school application

Post By:
Meg Meyer
MBA/MPH Candidate, 2012

Check out the School of Management website. There is a lot of information about requirements, the current class profile, and how to visit us on the Graduate Admissions page.

Come visit BU in person. There is no better way to get a feel for the School of Management than to come see for yourself. You can visit a class, have coffee with a current student, and/or attend an Information Session to get a better idea of the programs.

Watch videos on our youtube channel. These kinds of videos will give you a good idea about what life as an MBA is like, what professors are doing, and what the different specialties are that we offer.

Figure out what kind of job and life you want on the other side of your MBA. The admissions team wants to know that a BU MBA will benefit you and help you move your career where you want it to go. If you can convince them that an MBA at BU is the missing link between where you are now and your dream job, it will greatly strengthen your application. Don’t be worried if you’re a career switcher, just explain your reasoning.

Make your essays BU-specific. After you have learned what the program offers, be sure to make your personal statement and other essays BU-specific. It’s really tempting to use the same essays for multiple schools but more often than not, the admission committee can tell if you’re forcing it!

Proof read. (enouigh said)

Think of your application holistically (because that is what the admissions team does). Everyone has strengths and weaknesses in different areas but the many parts of the application give you a chance to create a well-rounded picture of yourself. We do not have set minimum admission requirements, but we do have target ranges that we look for in certain areas of the application, including GMAT score, undergraduate grade point average, and quality and number of years of full-time work experience. The best way to assess the competitiveness of your application is to compare yourself to our class profile. Strengths in some areas may compensate for weaknesses in other areas and if there are any parts of your work or academic history that you thing need explaining, feel free to do so! For example, if your undergrad GPA is lower than you would have hoped for but you really picked it up during your last few semesters, you might want to explain what happened in an optional essay.

Give your recommenders plenty of time. It never looks good to rush someone that you are wanting a recommendation out of. It’s also a nice idea to thank them formally after. As an idea, I sent my recommenders BU mugs as a small thank you gift!

Practice for your interview and come prepared. If you get asked in for an interview, try to think of answers to questions you might get and practice what you might say. Be sure to bring a copy of your resume as well and be comfortable explaining everything on it. Good luck!

Meg is a second year MBA/MPH student studying Global Health Management. She is also the President of the new Global Health and Development Association. You may find her running around Boston with a backpack on or challenging people to dance-offs.