In the first part of this article I wrote about the sections of the application which required imagination and creativity – your essays, interview, and recommendations. This part is about those sections of the application which are more or less set in stone.
Remember, everything is evaluated by application readers who read thousands of applications a year. While you cannot change your educational qualifications, GMAT scores, or work experience, you can polish and present them in the best possible light. You need to be creative in how you present these facts to the admissions committee and there is no part of the application you can afford to take lightly.
Quantify Your Experiences
I’ve come across countless essays (pun intended) where applicants write vaguely about their experiences. This is unfortunate, because such essays rarely make an impact on admissions committees. Instead of writing “my efforts were appreciated by senior management”, frame it in a way that is more descriptive and packs more punch like” my work made the operation more efficient and impacted the bottom line 15% and my efforts were recognized by senior management with a 10% pay hike”
In the case of work experience, the quality and value of your contribution to the organization is more important than working in brand name organizations. Even if you work someplace which is not well known, chances are, someone from your organization has applied to the same MBA programme in the past. Hence, the application readers are aware of your employers – in rare cases they are not; there are enough Indian students on campus whom they can ask. Here again, the essays are the best way to highlight quality.
Generally most top ten schools expect at least 3 years of post-qualification work experience, the average being around 5 years. Internships and part-time experience while working towards a degree are not considered full-time work experience. Only in the case of CA’s and medical doctors are exceptions made.
Most applicants worry that their university was tougher in grading relative to others. However, admissions departments worldwide have received transcripts from every conceivable institution in India. Hence, they’ll have a pretty fair idea of the quality of your institution in comparison to others, and thus, normalize your grades. This is also why it is not necessary for you to convert your scores to GPA.
The GMAT score is just another measure and does not carry extra weightage in the evaluation . A high GMAT score is not a must if your academics and work experience is of high quality. Consistency is what they look for; hence, a consistently good performer will outshine those who are brilliant in patches. Most schools are quite happy with GMAT scores of 650 to 700. If your performance has not been consistent, then a high GMAT can to some extent compensate for the inconsistency.
I once had an applicant who wanted to conceal his DUI record in the US in his application. I advised against this. Be aware that you are applying to B-Schools in a post-9/11 America and homeland security does background checks on international applicants! The student ended up writing a very nice essay about how the experience turned him into a better person and won the respect of the admissions committee.
Also, changing your personality to suit what you think the admissions committee is looking for is not a good idea – it is easy to spot – especially since admissions committees keep records of all student interactions. If during a phone call you told them you were interested in Finance and Accounting, or on a campus tour you tell them it’s your dream to work for the Big Four, they will be very skeptical when your application arrives and you have suddenly become an entrepreneur interested in information technology for rural markets. It’s wise to be honest, clear and straightforward. You cannot get away with exaggeration, inconsistency, and being economical with the truth!
Overall, your application should be easy to read, explanatory and paint a true and clear picture of yourself, your achievements, and plans for the future. And most importantly – it should present yourself in the best possible light. And let me re-emphasize, give credit to others when due, and try not to come off as the lone ranger.