MBA Admission Secrets - What Do Business School Admission Committee Members Look For?

In my 15 years of work as an Admission Counselor, I have answered thousands of questions from hundreds of MBA aspirants. While some of the questions are unique and context specific, a majority of questions (and their answers) are straight forward and informational in nature.

In this article, I will address a question that has intrigued almost all applicants since MBA programs gained reputation among students and professionals. The question is: What makes an MBA application – a winning application? Others may ask: Among varied factors such as GPA, GMAT score, Recommendation letters and Statement of purpose – Which one is the most important? Still others may question – What weight age does GMAT score have over GPA or work experience? In the following sections I will elucidate the relative importance of the factors.

Grade Point Average (GPA): The grade point average is the evaluative summary of one’s academic performance in school and college. The overall score may depend on several factors such as the grading standards in the institution and ranking of the school or college. MBA applicants are expected to have a ‘decent’ GPA, but this criterion should not be over emphasized. While its importance may vary from school to school, experts attribute 25-30% points to GPA.

Statement of Purpose: In this essay, the applicant is expected to state his/her reasons for applying to the program. It is an important piece of document that outlines the philosophy and purpose of the student. Some experts believe that it may tilt the balance in your favor if one ties with others on remaining criteria. It may be noticed that several professional bodies, admission counselors and review courses may provide services to craft someone’s statement of purpose. This practice has made admission committee members suspect a ‘well-written’ statement of purpose with suspect, especially if other components of application package are not as stellar. One can attribute about 10-20% points to statement of purpose.

Recommendation Letter: Most schools ask for reference letters from three people who have had a chance to observe the candidates’ work and behavior. Usually, professional supervisors and course professors write a confidential letter of recommendation. Schools use these letters to validate claims made by the applicant. However, given the fact that an applicant will always request some one to write a letter with whom he/she has had a positive work/academic relationship, admission officers choose not to give more than 15-25% points to this evidence.

GMAT score: While psychologists, academicians and decisions makers may differ on the appropriateness of an aptitude test as an evidence for future performance in studies and work, the GMAT score remains the most important criterion for selecting the right candidate among a group of applicants. Experts also concur that it is one of the most objective methods of selection per evidence obtained, for the MBA program. Despite varied views on GMAT test/score, most experts maintain that a candidate’s selection depends 40-60% on the GMAT score.

Work Experience: It is encouraged to have considerable and relevant job experience in order to appreciate the courses taught in the MBA program. Most candidates have 2 to 5 years of full-time work experience. While things may vary from school to school in granting admissions, admission committee members may give 10-25% points to job experience.

Having quantified various criteria for gaining admission in the MBA programs, I would like to add that no single factor may secure an admission. On the other hand, a very poor showing on one or more components may be a deal-breaker. Ultimately it is the ‘right’ mix of above-mentioned factors that may work in one’s favor.