It’s a tough process, so you want to be able to talk with friends and stay positive. In the end, no matter what, you’ll be glad you went through the process because you’ll learn so much about yourself.
You hear a lot of people talking about creating a “personal brand” to sell themselves with in the interviews these days. In my opinion, that isn’t really very important.
I. Be confident & consistent
I think it’s more important to just get your story together and be consistent throughout your application. You should have a clear reason for being where you are and for wanting to go to business school. You should be very clear about what you want to do after business school.
The Admissions Officers want someone who sounds confident, and they want to be able to tell who you are from reading your essays.
II. Save time & money! Visit campuses online
Many people think it is important to actually visit the campuses of the top ten business schools you are considering, but in this day and age, I really don’t think that’s necessary.
I didn’t visit any campuses, to be honest. These days, you can find a lot of videos and information online to research the schools. I talked with previous alumni from the various schools. I don’t think going to a campus hurts or helps one way or the other. Most admissions people will tell you the same thing.
If you live close by, that’s one thing. Of course you should go visit the school. If you need to travel across the country and pay a bunch of money, don’t bother unless there’s something specific you want to find out before applying.
If you get into multiple schools, then it might be smart to visit and make an informed decision about which one you will actually attend. However, in preparation for your admissions interview, this just isn’t necessary.III. What do I want to get out of business school now that I’m in?
Now that I’m attending Harvard Business School, I want to make the most of it, so strategizing didn’t stop after I got accepted.
I want to get into start-ups, but I know that going to business school won’t just give me the idea and launch the company for me. I have to be ready to take the steps necessary to get there.
That’s why I’m putting together a plan for the activities and clubs I want to join to meet people who share my interest. In choosing things to take part in, I have to ask myself:
- What are the resources I will use?
- What faculty do I want to talk to?
- What programs are interesting?
That’s why it’s important to have a plan and be flexible to either cut back or add more.
