As you browse the class profiles of HBS, Stanford GSB, Wharton, MIT Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth or any other school that frequently tops the rankings, a little voice in your head may be telling you the most important stat to have is that 98th percentile GMAT, or the Big 5 gig, or the coveted Ivy League undergad on your resume. I am here to tell you something different. 

The data point that has the strongest correlation with a successful MBA application (and a strong GMAT or GRE score for that matter) is the amount of time you spend working on it. 

This is it. It’s that simple. It’s also the one data point you have full control over. You can’t change the fact you are not the strongest standardized test taker. Or your undergraduate alma mater. But you can substantially up your overall chances by dedicating a significant and sustained effort at preparing for the test and working on your application. 

The most important ingredient of a successful MBA application is reflection – taking the time to assess and understand your past, your current state, your motivations, the pivotal moments of your career so far, the future you want to build for yourself and the bridges between each of these parts.

The optimal amount of time to prepare will vary – but it’s rarely less than months, many months for the actual application and the GMAT or GRE. 

And for your MBA Admissions interview, you need at least a couple of days. Not that you will pack them with non-stop prep but you need to space the prep out and dedicate some time to each part. 

Sure, there may be some rare candidates who decide to pursue an MBA and make it happen in weeks. It’s not impossible but it’s very, very far from the norm and more importantly – if you can take the scenic way, you may have more to gain. You may create a better list of targeted schools after some research and due diligence. You can appreciate the notion of fit better. Not everyone should be headed to HBS, you know.

A very valuable tool that can support your reflection is a good list of questions and a running document where you start jotting down your answers, your ideas, your aha moments, your concerns, and your questions to research. When I first started conceptualizing My MBA Path 18 months ago, I got the paid version of Evernote and started a running document – my MMP Idea Lab – with all the ideas for how to develop the My MBA Path brand and services. I still refer to it almost daily and discover great nuggets that I would have never remembered if I hadn’t written them down. 

So start writing your story. Write down your triumphs and failures. Keep adding, re-reading, revisiting, developing. If you are going to apply in Round 1, you have a runway of about 3 months. It’s not an abundance of time, is it?

After working with thousands of MBA candidates throughout my career, I know that first mile is critical. Starting with a good map will set your journey on a more successful trajectory. This is why I created MBA Application Boost Camp – so MBA candidates like you can have a space where they can start and continue their MBA journey and simply build the strongest possible application they are capable of. 

If you want to be the first to know when MBA Application Boost Camp opens enrollment for its next cohort, get on the list! It’s a special opportunity to walk the path to application submissions, empowered by expertise and community. As one former participant, now a Booth MBA student put it, “Petia is creating a game-changing program in MBA Admissions consulting”.

 Onwards and upwards,

 Petia

Is this helpful? What else would you like to know as you work on your MBA application? Get in touch and let me know. I respond to all emails personally and promptly. And if you need me to be your second set of eyes, I have made appointments available every day this week.