How Does Adcom Choose? - 工管

Let's examine a hypothetical situation. Two students from Taiwan are applying

to MBA programs in the United States: Terry, and Sharon. Terry and Sharon both

went to NTU and got top grades all through their undergraduate careers. They

have both volunteered at the Red Cross and come from upper middle class

families. Terry's father is a professor, and Sharon's father is an executive

at a silicon chip manufacturing company.


Here's a breakdown of Terry and Sharon's grades, and scores.

Terry
GPA: 3.7
GMAT: 720
TOEFL: 100

Sharon
GPA: 3.54
GMAT: 730
TOEFL: 101

If Terry and Sharon, who are so similar on paper, are applying to the same

school, how will the admissions officers decide between them?


Making the Decision


Admissions officers have a very difficult task. They need to understand the

kind of person both Sharon, and Terry are by looking at their paper

applications. Obviously, it's impossible to completely understand the type of

person that they are without meeting them in person, but admissions people

have to inspect thousands and thousands of applications every year. It would

be impossible to meet with everyone in person. So, it is your job to

communicate the type of person you are as effectively as possible on paper to

help make their decision easier.


Your Motivations


Admissions officers want to understand what motivates you. Why do you want to

get an MBA, and will it really help you achieve your career goals? What drives

you to get out of bed in the morning, and what would you spend your time doing

for free on the weekends and late into the evenings? What passion do you bring

to the MBA program? If Sharon is more passionate seeming on paper than Terry

is, that will be a point in Sharon's favor.


Your Character


Admissions officers need to understand how you make decisions, and that you

are a moral and ethical person. Obviously, if Terry writes about the time where

he made an questionable decision and made lots of money, and Sharon writes

about how she choose to make an ethical decision even if it didn't make her

lots of money, this will be a point in Sharon's favor. Admissions people need

to see that you have a long-view of ethics, and that you will consistently

make good decisions which will benefit their University brand, and the

companies you work with down the road.


How Do You Work in Teams?


MBA programs heavily involve group work and projects. You want to be careful

to structure your application to emphasize that you work well individually,

but also in groups. If Sharon talks about how she prefers to work independently

because she can get more work done faster than others, and Terry talks about a

time where he lead a group to success by listening to everyone's input an

helping the group make an informed decision, that will be a point in Terry's

favor. It is absolutely important to play up your respect for the group

process, and ideally communicate to admissions staff that you are a leader in

groups who brings out the best in your team mates.


Conclusion


Admissions staff need to get to know you so that if you are on in front of

them when they make a decision, and a Terry or Sharon is in front of them at

the same time, they have a compelling reason to choose you. In order to help

the staff get to know you, communicate about your passions, motivations,

character, and attitude towards team work.


If you'd like to read more freely available content with strategies to

optimize your MBA application, please refer to my blog

(http://www.transcendadmissions.blogspot.tw/) . If you'd like more

personalized attention and coaching through the application process, arguably

one of the most important applications of your life, please feel free to

reach out to me personally at [email protected].






--
David Johnston

--