Rules of engagement – how to interact with business schools the right way
One of the questions MBA candidates frequently ask is how important school engagement is for getting admitted. Too often they approach it as just another checkbox during the MBA admissions process. School engagement is an important part of the MBA application process but not simply to guarantee you have covered the minimum requirements for demonstrating school interest to the MBA admissions committee.
The most important part of school engagement is to actually help you better assess the match between your MBA candidacy and the MBA program of your interest.
The next round of deadlines of many top MBA programs is just months away. With the runway getting shorter, MBA recruiting events are in full swing and in my conversations with heads of MBA admissions, they have shared that candidate engagement continues to be very high, indicating we are in for another very competitive MBA application cycle.
How should you approach the school engagement process to maximize the time and effort you invest in it?
Derive and deliver value
For any MBA hopeful, the primary goal of attending MBA events and connecting with decision makers and community members should be to learn. Speaking with MBA adcom members, attending coffee chats with current MBA students, and connecting with alumni, whose career trajectory you hope to emulate is a way to gain the insights that will make you a stronger MBA candidate and a better student.
You should do your own comprehensive research of your target programs and complement that with the types of color and nuance that only a conversation with someone who has lived and breathed the MBA experience can add.
Consider carefully how you will be introducing yourself during these touch points. Having a succinct pitch that can be tailored to the situation will help you stay crisp and leave a favorable impression.
Keep notes of the key learnings from each interaction. These nuggets will be helpful as you make a case throughout your MBA application materials as to why you are a good match for the school.
The key players
It’s helpful to be strategic about the key constituents that you can learn from during the MBA admissions process. In the course of getting to know an MBA program, there are several groups you will want to interact with:
Recruiting staff – in the simplest terms, these are the school representatives whose job it is to meet with prospective students, advise them, and encourage them to apply to the school.
Admissions staff – this is the team that works with actual applicants - the candidates who end up submitting an application to the MBA program. In many instances, the recruiting and admissions staff can be the same but not always. Collectively, MBA recruiters and admissions staff are one of the best sources of insights about the program and the admissions process. Some of them will also be part of the decision making on your admissions outcome.
Students – the currently enrolled students’ perspective is invaluable in understanding the school culture and community.
Alumni – they are the best source for a longer-term perspective on the value of an MBA over the course of your career.
Faculty – the school faculty with their backgrounds, teaching style, and industry knowledge will be the key factor in shaping your learnings. Getting to know them will enrich your understanding of business schools. Some of them also sit on admissions committees.
Career services – given that an MBA is almost always a pursuit of higher career goals, understanding the career resources and approach to career support at your target MBA programs is critical. In many instances, a career services representative (most often the head of career services) might also be part of the MBA adcom.
The Dos (and Don’ts)
Whether you are attending an in-person or virtual event, a coffee chat with current students, or simply having a call with an alum you reached out to, there are some simple rules that will help you make the most of the interaction while also leaving the kind of favorable impression that can tip the scale when decision time comes around.
Be professional – treat any interaction, even with a very friendly other party, with the highest level of professionalism. Dress, speak, and act professionally. Being too casual, having a messy background visible during an online interaction or a poor internet connection, not being on time or even worse - not showing up for a virtual event you registered for - all have the ability to reflect poorly on your candidacy.
Ask the right questions – candidates often make one of two mistakes. They either ask questions that are too basic and are already answered all over a school’s web site or they try to formulate a question they think will impress the other party.
What is a better approach? Do go for the deeper, more complex questions but make sure you are asking something that sincerely interests you and that will genuinely contribute to your understanding of the school and your own decision-making process.
Finally, consider whom you are asking the question of – do they have the required knowledge to speak about that particular aspect?
Follow up – this should go without saying but I still see it happen way too regularly. A thoughtful thank you email to everyone who spends some of their time helping you along is a must.
A really well written one that emphasizes the specifics of how the interaction enriched your knowledge and reaffirmed your interest in the school can easily end up being attached to your admission file and demonstrating the kind of interest that can be helpful when the time comes for your application to be moved into the pile that says “admit”.
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.