Does showing interest influence MBA Admissions?

Fuqua uses a tool called Talisma, Booth & Kellogg use a much sophisticated tool – ‘Slate’ to track all previous communication from MBA Applicants. Business Schools are increasingly using these tools to measure eagerness or demonstrated interest in the program. Although Schools ask explicitly about your motivation for an MBA, and why a particular school, they are preemptively measuring your motivation by using communication meta-data.

Yield % - the percentage of applicants who joined the program after receiving acceptance, influence Business School Ranking. With most schools scoring below 80% yield rate, accepting applicant who has a better chance of joining the program leads to higher ranking, and an increased likelihood for the applicant to complete the program.

MBA AdCom Encourages Processing Fluency

If you ever wondered why brands repeat advertisement, there is a science behind it. When a brand repeats slogans, you associate product with positive attributes, even though these product attributes might not be independently verifiable. Slogans are constructed with length and recall in mind and world’s top 10 brands have mastered the use of easily repeatable slogans.

We associate difficulty to process information about a product as a feedback that the product has negative attributes. This tendency is reflected in how we evaluate individuals. The ease with which information about an applicant is processed creates the illusion that the ease is associated with the likeness towards her.

AdCom’s admission decisions are influenced by demonstrated interest and familiarity with the applicant. Shouldn’t we utilize all interaction points?

Yes but don’t overdo it.  There are four interaction points that you should leverage.

1)  Brochures

Download brochures with your Full-Name, and primary email id that you are likely to use for MBA application.

2)  Email Admissions Team

Use the email id provided in the MBA programs page. Don’t email just to start communication and don’t expect a response for trivial questions. Prepare profile specific questions for which only the AdCom has the answer.

3) MBA Tours & Info Sessions

Again, use your primary email id and Full-Name while registering for info sessions. If you take the ratio of attendees to the number of applicants registered for the event, the ratio is much below 45%. AdCom will notice applicants who have signed up for the info session, and skipped it.

4) Campus Visits

Although International students lack this opportunity, native applicant should not miss an opportunity to visit the campus, and attend a live class. Campus visit does not translate to admissions but as biases go, AdCom will remember your name. Even a slight familiarity with the profile can lead to better reception towards the pitch for an MBA program.

For each interaction point, maintain consistency in communication. Follow email and phone conversation etiquette while initiating, and planning for the four interaction points.