Matt Symonds, co-founder of Fortuna Admissions, has written a passionate plea for MBA applicants. In an article for Forbes, the admission expert, advises potential MBA students to enjoy the process of applying to business school and to start it as early as possible. “Push aside the inevitable anxiety about M7 selectivity rates, ever-higher GMAT scores, and the fierce competition among talented peers,” Symonds says. In his opinion, the MBA application is a reminder of the meaningful road to self-discovery. “If you bring awareness to the process of applying, and not just the outcome, the benefits will extend far beyond an acceptance letter.”
To make the journey an enjoyable as well as successful one, the expert shares a number of recommendations that he has collected amongst his peers:
- The sooner you start your personal journey of introspection, the more you will enjoy the admissions process, and the greater your chances of admissions success. Have an "early bird mindset."
- Spend sufficient time on self-reflection as the schools are not only interested in learning about academic and professional results and successes but also want to get to know the person behind.
- Having clarity about yourself will help in the interview process as well as when writing essays like Stanford’s “What matter most to you and why” or Kellogg’s “How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg?” or Columbia’s essay that asks for “an example of a team failure of which you have been a part” (and what you’d do differently).
The top tips for an early bird mindset are:
- Uncover your "personal brand"
- Look beyond your current horizon
- Great insights spring from great question
- Release the tyranny of the "perfect profile"
- Understand how you’re perceived
Read more on www.forbes.com