What are Photocopies in MBA Applications and How to Use Them?

Photocopies in MBA applications are duplicates of materials written about you or to you by a third party, such as distinction letters, performance evaluations, or news articles. While not requested by admission committees, you may translate and/or photocopy 1-3 effective documents and send them to the school in hard copy. These photocopies should arrive prior to your application deadline. The level of impact on admission chances is typically 1 out of 5, based on retrospective analysis of success cases (HBS and others).
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We recommend that you send only effective Photocopies.

  • Effective Photocopies either:
    1. Strengthen your image as a leader and/or a team player, or
    2. Address a weakness in your candidacy.

    For example: If analytical skills are a weakness of yours as an MBA candidate, you may send Photocopies that help demonstrate how smart you are. If extracurricular experiences are a weakness, you may send a copy of a “thank you” letter that you got regarding the one community activity that you did participate in.

  • Photocopies of letters from senior people and government agencies which meet the above requirements are particularly effective.
  • Photocopies that contradict your current Career Plan are not recommended.
  • If you do not have effective Photocopies, we strongly recommend that you not send Photocopies. Attaching ineffective Photocopies could hinder your candidacy. For example, we do not recommend attaching this certificate: “Completed the Oracle 5.1 DBA Course”.
  • If you send Photocopies, add a note explaining what you sent and why you sent it. Your consultant may write the note according to the ARINGO note guidelines.
  • You may send the Photocopies together with other hard-copy materials that you send to the school (recommendation letters, transcripts, etc.)
  • If the school specifically recommends in the application forms not to send such documents – do not send them unless they are extremely effective in terms of your candidacy.
  • If the Photocopy is not in English: translate it to English and attach the original. Your ARINGO consultant may help you with the translation.

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We hope this helps. Much much much luck with the process,
The ARINGO Research Team