Can an average MBA candidate make it to an Ivy League school?

F1GMAT: AdmissionsConsultants is known for its expertise in guiding MBA candidates to Ivy League schools. What are some of the unifying characteristics of MBA candidates who make it to the top schools. Can average MBA candidates be positioned for success?

AdmissionsConsultants:  I find that it’s helpful to think about the admissions process as a series of three hurdles.  Successful applicants must clear each hurdle to gain admission to the program of their choice.

1) Academic Qualification

You need to have the grades and tests scores to demonstrate that you are capable of handling the academic workload.  If your GMAT/GRE scores and GPA are significantly below the average for that school, the admissions committee will doubt that you have the ability and/or work ethic to get the most out of their program.  They might even conclude that you’re a risk to flunk out.  In general, over 80% of applicants to selective graduate schools are excellent students with terrific test scores and competitive GPAs, and, therefore, they clear this first hurdle with ease.  

2) Intangible qualities

The second hurdle is your intangible qualities as they appear in your application.  What do your essays reveal about your character and aspirations?  What do your letters of recommendation say about what kind of person you are?  What does your resume tell the committee about your interests and talents?  Remember that the admissions committee is trying to get a picture for who you are.  They haven’t met you, but they’re trying to “get to know you” on paper.  You need to ensure that your essays and your recommenders convey who you truly are –but, obviously, in a positive light.

3) Interview

The third and final hurdle is the interview.  For many MBA programs, the school will invite intriguing candidates to interview with a member of the admissions office staff.  But, even if the school doesn’t require interviews, it’s often a good idea to do one.  It gives you another chance to make the case for admission to the program.  Here, again, the interviewer is looking at your intangible qualities.  Why do you want to get an MBA?  What do you intend to do with your degree?  How will you be an asset to the program?  

So, of these three hurdles, which is the most important?  The answer is: all of them.  You need to clear all three hurdles to gain admittance to your school of choice.  If your grades and scores aren’t good enough, your intangibles won’t matter and you won’t be invited to an interview.  If your essays don’t give a good sense of who you are, the admissions committee won’t be able to tell whether you’d be an asset to the program.  And, if you bomb the interview, it won’t matter what undergraduate school you went to or what your GPA was.

If you feel you are just an “average” applicant, there are many things you can do to improve in each of these three areas.  There are plenty of good test prep options as well as alternate transcript opportunities that can help you clear the academic qualifications hurdle.  There are often career and volunteer opportunities that can help you build your intangible qualities and certainly everyone can improve their interview skills with practice.

If you want help with any part of this process, AdmissionsConsultants is here for you.  All of our consultants have MBA admissions committee experience from top schools and they can coach you through the application process.  Visit our website at www.admissionsconsultants.com

About David Petersam

David Petersam is the president and founder of AdmissionsConsultants, Inc., launched in 1996. He graduated from the University of Chicago with an MBA. At Chicago, he gained an insider’s knowledge of MBA admissions, working in the admissions office there and contributing to admissions committee decisions. Prior to his MBA studies, he was a Certified Public Accountant.
On college and graduate admissions, Petersam has been quoted in the New York Times, featured in T.V. and radio programs, and has published a guest column in the Washington Business Journal.