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MBA Aspirants - 11 Tips to Consider during The MBA Tour

  1. Suit-up. This is basically a mini-interview; so dress for one. Just like in an interview, refrain from chomping on the Bubblelicious.

  2. Get your bearings. When you arrive, take a few minutes to review the map and schedule.  Use your scouting report to plan the school presentations you want to attend.

  3. Pleased to meet you. Greet each rep with a smile, a firm handshake and a positive attitude.  Psychologists have proven that people who smile are better liked than those who don’t.   Make eye contact immediately during the introduction.

  4. Establish rapport. Be outgoing; it is imperative to establish a connection with the reps. Smile, listen well, and be inquisitive and specific. You should listen carefully to their questions, answers, and statements so you can tailor your responses and find ways to create a common bond. Before leaving, be sure to close the conversation and thank them with an energetic “nice speaking with you.”

  5. Remember the titans. Remember the representative’s name; if not, casually refer to their name tag. This will help you network, establish rapport, and follow-up after the tour.

  6. Chit chat. Ask specific questions, but work them into the conversation. Opposed to rifling out your inquiries, take the time to chat and build conversation around the questions you’re asking.

  7. Communication is critical. Listen carefully to what the representative has to say. Avoid using filler words such as “um”, “like”, and “you know.” Show assurance through certainty in your voice.  Body Language often can speak louder than the spoken word:  Do not fidget, play with your hair, or rock from side to side; and most importantly, keep eye contact.

  8. Pump it upYou will be on your feet all day and taking in loads of information; avoiding mental and physical exhaustion will be a challenge. Remember, you need to be as refreshed and enthusiastic as possible when meeting the representatives-this is your future, people!

  9. Jot away the jitters. Bring pen and paper to jot down notes. When you inquire about next steps and the possibility of speaking with additional admissions reps, this will come in handy. However, keep the notes brief and make sure you stay focused on the person you are speaking with.

  10. 52 pick-up. Collect business cards from reps you speak to. This will aid your note taking and be useful when personalizing your thank-you e-mails.

  11. Plenty of fish in the sea. Explore all options and speak with reps that you may have not considered before. They are here to provide knowledge and expose you to new insights. Take advantage of these excellent resources in this critical search and decision-making process.

We hope you have read : 

 

The MBA Tour

www.TheMBATour.com

The MBA Tour events offer unique formats to explore MBA programs and discover your ideal business school

About the Author 

Atul Jose

I am Atul Jose, Founding Consultant of F1GMAT, an MBA admissions consultancy that has worked with applicants since 2009.

 

For the past 15 years I have edited the application files of admits to the M7 programs: Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School, MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, Kellogg School of Management, and Columbia Business School, together with admits to Berkeley Haas, Yale School of Management, NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, SDA Bocconi, IESE Business School, HEC Paris, McCombs, and Tepper, plus other programs inside the global top 30.

 

My work covers the full MBA application deliverable: career planning and profile evaluation, application essay editing, recommendation letter editing, mock interviews and interview preparation, scholarship and fellowship essay editing, and cover letter editing for funding applications. Full bio with credentials and admit history is here.

 

I am the author of the Winning MBA Essay Guide, the best-selling essay guide covering M7 MBA programs. I have written and updated the guide annually since 2013, which makes the 2026 edition the thirteenth.

 

The reason I still write and edit essays every cycle: a good MBA essay carries a real applicant's voice. Writing essays for F1GMAT's Books and Editing essays weekly is how I stay calibrated to what current admissions committees respond to.

 

Contact me for school selection, career planning, essay strategy, narrative development, essay editing, interview preparation, scholarship essay editing, or guidance documents for recommendation letters.