Filling out your MBA application form can be a daunting task since doing it right can mean getting in, while mistakes can mean losing out on your dream school.
Many MBA applicants struggle with understanding how to present themselves effectively on their application forms. The pressure to stand out while adhering to stringent requirements can be overwhelming and stressful.
Every year, countless qualified candidates miss out on their dream programs simply because of common application mistakes. These missteps can undermine your hard work and dedication, putting you at a disadvantage in a highly competitive field.
This blog post will guide you through the process of filling out your MBA application form correctly and efficiently. From highlighting your achievements to articulating your goals, we’ll provide you with expert tips and insights to ensure your application stands out for all the right reasons. Let’s dive in and make sure you’re using all elements of your application to your strategic advantage.
General MBA Application Tips
While filling out the application form may seem like a simple task in comparison to crafting your resume, writing your essays, and preparing for interviews, we generally recommend that our clients fill out their application forms 2-3 weeks in advance.
This is not only to avoid technical issues but also to ensure you have enough time to read through the questions and find answers to anything you might need to research. If you are unsure about any aspect of the application forms, it’s a good idea to get in touch with someone who can give you advice. This may be your MBA consultant, or it may be someone at the admissions office.
Lastly, be sure that your responses in your application forms align with the information in your essays. The last thing you want is to have crafted a great personal brand and story, and then the admissions committee sees a contradiction in your application form!
Step 1: Application Basics
When filling out application forms, you will be asked whether you have applied previously and will need to provide personal information such as contact details, citizenship status, and family background. While some schools may request additional specifics, these areas are almost always included.
Answering these questions should be straightforward, but it’s crucial to be completely honest to avoid any issues. For optional questions such as gender or sexual orientation, you can choose not to answer without any penalty.
Step 2: Your Resume/CV
Make sure that you are attaching a well-designed resume with great content and just the right amount of detail. Before you attach the CV that you’ve used for your job applications, think again! An MBA CV is very different from a professional one.
You will want to be sure your resume is succinct but with enough quantifiable proof of your achievements to really emphasize your career’s proudest moments. For more on how to create a CV that will impress MBA adcoms, see our page on writing MBA CVs.
Insert video: Your CV is your sales document
Step 3: Employment
If there is an employment section on the application, you will need to provide a summary of your most recent work and most relevant accomplishments.
When filling out this section of your MBA application, avoid simply listing entries from your CV. This approach wastes both your time and that of the admissions committee. Instead, utilize this space to highlight the key aspects of your experience, ensuring that when readers go through your full application, they can easily connect your stories to the main points you’ve emphasized.
Additionally, structure this section to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Focus not only on your specific achievements but also on your leadership qualities and core strengths and values.
Step 4: Post-MBA Information
Once again, be sure that the information you summarize here aligns perfectly with what you are stating in your goals essay or goals section of your personal statement.
When choosing what you highlight, focus on the most important aspects that you want the readers to know before they dive into your essays. This includes your role, industry, and desired actions and achievements.
Step 5: Education
This section will ask for details about your high school, undergraduate, and any non-degree education. Some schools may request information on specific courses you have completed, particularly those that demonstrate your readiness for more analytical classes. As such, make sure you pay close attention to each school’s requirements and instructions.
Be aware that you will most likely have to upload a transcript, so be sure you have planned out enough time to request this information in advance.
Step 6: Extracurricular Activities
While not all applications ask questions about your extracurricular activities, it is an increasingly common inclusion on schools’ forms. This is because this aspect of your profile shows how well-rounded you are and highlights your commitment to your values.
When you are active in several extracurricular activities, you will likely need to narrow your focus to three (this is the limit in many forms). If you do have restrictions, select activities that best align with the theme and ideas presented in other parts of your application. For instance, if your theme centers on environmental sustainability, prioritize volunteering efforts that have made an environmental impact over unrelated experiences, like teaching.
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Step 7: Awards & Distinctions
When detailing your awards and distinctions, it’s important to showcase the recognitions that best highlight your achievements.
Given space constraints, prioritize listing the most significant and relevant awards. Choose those that align closely with your profile, goals, and experience. Focus on awards that clearly demonstrate your impact or reflect your core values.
Step 8: Essays
Double-checking your MBA essays before uploading them to the application form is crucial. Ensure that you have the correct version and that it’s in a format supported by the school’s application platform (we suggest PDF unless otherwise specified). Also, make sure you’ve paid attention to any school-specific formatting requirements.
Our team at Ellin Lolis Consulting is full of experts committed to making sure your entire application, including your essays, will lead you to success and into your dream school. Learn more about how we can support you with this here. You can also check out all of the helpful resources on essay writing that we’ve created!
Step 9: Test Scores
Your GMAT or GRE score is another key aspect of almost all MBA applications. Be sure you read the instructions carefully on how to report your scores — some will only want overall scores, while others may ask for details on specific components.
Schools will also likely require non-native English speakers to upload their language test scores. Most schools accept the TOEFL, while others only accept the IELTS or PTE, so be sure you have this figured out well in advance!
Get a Professional to Ensure Your Application is Perfect
Filling out the application is one of the most important parts of the whole MBA application process. While you may get to this stage and think you are in the clear, especially after months of hard work writing essays and preparing documents, executing your application form successfully may not be as easy as you have anticipated!
What’s more, as you will be completing your application form in the last stages of a complex process, you may easily forget some of the essentials. Luckily, our team here at Ellin Lolis Consulting has just the expertise you need to ensure that you have covered all your bases and are summarizing everything in a way that grabs the adcom’s attention and accurately points to your strengths.
If you are in need of help filling out your application, we offer hourly services that are ideal for those who just need to tie up loose ends on their application. You can buy 5 or 10-hour blocks that can be used for any of our consulting services, including application form review.
No matter what you use your hours for, you can be sure that our team members will make you stand out from the rest!
