You only have to look at the careers of its illustrious alumni to know that the business school is a force to be reckoned with.
Dmytro Dubilet, co-founder of Monobank, Jim Ratcliffe, founder of INEOS, and Kumar Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, are just a few notable 
Yet the London-born school isn’t just concerned with high-flying careers, LBS has a strong commitment to diversity, with around 94% of international students featured in the Class of 2024.
LBS is a champion of women in business and hosts the annual EQUALL conference, which invites influential female business leaders to share their learnings while hosting workshops on everything from female health to accessing capital as a female founder.
So, how can you give yourself the best chance of successfully navigating the London Business School MBA application process and landing a place? BusinessBecause spoke with David Simpson, MBA recruitment and admissions director, at London Business School (pictured) to find out.
London Business School MBA application: What you should know
What skills or attributes do you look for in MBA candidates?
We welcome candidates with an ability to work in multicultural teams, who can demonstrate an international outlook. Beyond this, we require candidates to have an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification, as well as a minimum of two years’ work experience (the average number of years’ work experience on our MBA cohort is 5.5 years).
Importantly, we’re looking for people who can showcase their individuality and are able to tell their own story well. We’re eager to understand what it is that they can offer to their classmates and the LBS community as much as what LBS can offer to them. As part of the LBS application, they will also be asked to complete two essays, around 500 words. If selected from their application, they will attend an alumni interview and complete a video submission.
What are your school’s MBA application essay questions?
The latest LBS MBA essay questions are:
- What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School program contribute towards these? (500 words)
- What makes you unique? (200 words)
- Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (Optional - 500 words max)
Use your LBS MBA essays to communicate your career goals, talk about yourself and tell us anything else you think we need to know.
What are the biggest mistakes candidates can make in an MBA application to your school?
The biggest mistakes candidates can make in their application include writing generic answers in essays, providing incorrect employment details (dates, etc) and not being able to demonstrate that they’ve researched LBS. We hope to see candidates not just listing electives and names of professors, but showing that they have spoken with and learnt from students and alumni. We have very accessible Student Ambassadors, friendly alumni and lots of online and in-person events around the world.
Tell us one thing about your school’s MBA application process that most people wouldn't know.
All our interviews are with alumni. And we often match candidates with someone who has worked in their area and understands their experience profile and / or works in the area applicants aspire to work in.
The main LBS buildings at the London campus were designed by Buckingham Palace architect John Nash ©LBS/Social media
Which exam scores can candidates submit with their application?
GMAT or GRE, we don’t mind which.
What is the target GMAT score?
We are looking for a good GMAT or GRE score. The GMAT class range is typically 600-790 (555-795) and the average is currently 702 (c655).
Please describe how important the GMAT is for candidates’ application process?
A good test score is important. At London Business School we are recruiting students from all over the world and from different kinds of national education systems. So, a standardised test is a good way to have a consistent data point to benchmark everyone by. However, we really do take a holistic view of candidates and that’s why we have a wide range of scores every year.
What other insider tips can you share with candidates?
Although career ambitions may change course during the program, it's important for candidates to be clear on what they want out of their time with LBS, so the school can see whether they’re a suitable fit.
The first MBA application essay is the perfect opportunity to clarify career ambitions, and lay out precisely how the LBS MBA will help get you there. The second essay gives space for some creativity.
The LBS MBA is known for its flexibility, allowing candidates to customise their course to their specific interests, so it’s worth researching which modules they might want to take, and explaining in their application how they suit their goals.
David Simpson, MBA admissions director at LBS, says self-awareness, and an understanding of individual strengths and weaknesses, is important here. “Know the gaps you have coming into the program,” he advises. “Then you’ll know what you can focus on during your time here.”
How can candidates choose which application round to apply in? What would you advise?
We have three application rounds for a reason – we use them all. It makes little difference between rounds one and two. The final round is tighter, as we are usually rounding out the class by then, so volume of spaces varies and we may be looking for certain profiles more than others. But great candidates will get in whichever round they apply in.
