Blog

Start Early, Stay Focused

2010年05月30日

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to give a presentation on MBA Application Strategy at Affinity, Noguchi-sensei’s excellent GMAT and TOEFL school in Kanda. In the talk, I gave tips on such things as what the business schools are looking for in candidates, how candidates can make themselves stronger candidates, what rounds to apply in, and how they can decide what schools are the best fits for them. Other areas I covered included the keys to high impact essays, the importance of thorough preparation for interviews and cost-effective ways to improve English skills outside the classroom. After the presentation, Noguchi-sensei kindly invited me to stay for the celebration party of his successful students, some of whom were my clients too. It was a great event.

One of the key points I made in my talk was the importance of doing thorough research of the schools you are applying to. In essence, you should become an expert of the programs in your “portfolio” of schools. This entails thoroughly reading the website and brochure as well as contacting students and/or alumni. Think of it as due diligence, and it is important for several reasons. First of all, if you don’t know a school well, it is very difficult to write compelling essays. It is not good enough to provide general reasons for why you are applying to a specific school. You must be thorough and specific, and the only way to do that is by really getting to know a school. This “homework” will also prepare you for the interviews, which is absolutely vital to the admission process. And a side benefit of thoroughly researching schools is that it will improve your reading comprehension as well.

Another thing I emphasized is the importance of beginning the essay and application preparation as soon as possible, even if you are still studying GMAT and TOEFL. Every year, my clients are amazed at how much work goes into writing essays, securing recommendation letters, getting transcripts, filling out online applications, etc. It takes a really long time. By starting early, you can improve both the quality and quantity of applications. Plus, you can avoid the rush and panic that comes from waiting until the last minute.