A graduate business degree can be a gateway to some of the world’s most influential careers—but the application process is intensely competitive and can differ vastly from student to student, with personal experiences and professional backgrounds coming into play.
When Alex Kim (pictured right) first joined the army in 2018, he worked as an infantry officer for three years in Alaska, before joining a mental health-oriented non-profit in Austin. For Alex, the management skills he gained through both experiences motivated him to apply for an MBA at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
By comparison, Arden Silva’s (pictured right) path to business school started on very different terrain. Having completed an undergrad degree in business administration at UT Austin, they decided a career in data science was their calling—and where better to apply than to their alma mater’s MS in Information Technology and Management (MSITM)?
As with most US business school programs, both Alex and Arden needed to submit a comprehensive application package. This typically includes a resume, transcript, references, and essays, with both programs at Texas McCombs also requiring a video assessment.
While the school's MS and MPA programs are test optional, applicants are able to submit a GMAT or GRE score if they feel it strengthens their overall profile. Equally, MBA candidates can submit scores from the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment (EA), or they may be eligible for a test waiver depending on their background and qualifications. To strengthen his profile, Alex chose to take the GMAT.
So, with all those application components to ace, how did Alex and Arden successfully land a place at b-school?
Tips on how to ace your business school application
How did you study for the standardized test?
Alex: “The first thing I did was I took a practical exam provided by mba.com to see where I was at and to understand what my weaknesses were. I found that it was the quantitative part that I was slightly lacking at, so that's what I focused on. Then every two weeks or so, I would take another practical exam to see where I was at.”
Expert tips:
“When you build your application timeline, I would say plan to take the GMAT at least twice. That way, if something happens the first time that you take it—maybe you're sick, or something happens on your way to the testing center—you already have the possibility of a second take,” says Rodrigo Malta, managing director of MBA recruiting and admissions at UT Austin.
“MS programs are fully test optional, and applicants can choose to submit a GRE or GMAT score to enhance their application. Most frequently a test score can be helpful if an applicant is either lacking adequate quantitative prerequisites OR didn’t perform as well as they would have liked—a strong test score shows potential where we may lack a track record," says Emily Schatzle, director of admissions for MS programs at UT Austin.
How did you prep your resume?
Alex: “I had to translate my military experience over to be more broad so that people who haven't been in the military can understand what I did. To help do that, I had people at the school look at my resume and give me feedback. That’s why I think I was successful.”
Arden: “For the MSITM program, I included how I interpreted business requirements, and then how I then used those business requirements to implement a technical solution in my undergrad at UT. We also did a capstone project, so I included that in my resume.”
Expert tip:
“For the students that are still in undergrad or just coming out, extracurriculars are big [for the resume]. We want to know what they were involved in and what leadership opportunities they may have had, because they haven't necessarily had the opportunity to do full-time work experience in most cases,” says Emily.
How did you go about tackling the essay?
Alex: “Going through the journey and understanding why I wanted to do an MBA was a strong starting point for me, because I had a very clear path in my head of how I ended up there.”
Arden: “I think having something that you can reflect on, even if it's just a sentence or two talking about something eventful that happened that day, can make it a lot easier to form stories that you can then write about [in the essay].”
Expert tips:
“A common pitfall that I see applicants have challenges with is overly focusing on their professional trajectory and accomplishments. One of the things that we really try to do with the new essay prompts is open the door for applicants to tell stories about who they are and what drives them beyond work,” says Rodrigo.
“Some common essay mistakes I see are students either going too vague or too long-term. When I'm talking to prospective students, I usually tell them, when you're thinking about your career goals, imagine that you are in the program. You are crossing the stage at graduation. Now what's next, and how is this program helping?” says Emily.
How did you prepare for the video assessment?
Alex: “You want four or five stories where you had a plan, you executed the plan, and you did really well. Then you want to have one or two stories where you overcame an obstacle, as well as one or two stories where you failed and overcame that failure.”
Arden: “[The Master’s interview] is very similar to a job interview. You should get your star stories down, so: Situation, Task, Action, Result. You should have a very concise way to talk about how you work through problems. You should also show that you're curious and you’re passionate.”
Expert tip:
“Unlike live interviews, video assessments lack natural cues to indicate when to stop answering a question. Therefore, practicing when to stop is crucial. Additionally, practicing for the video assessment overall is key to performing well," says Rodrigo.
So, there you go: with these key tips, landing a place in your dream school should feel a little more achievable.
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