Admission Drivers: What are the MBA Programs Looking For Probably the best MBA Admissions Consulting firm in the world

Important traits for MBA candidates

When applying to business school it is critical for an applicant to know what business schools are actually looking for. Otherwise it will be extremely difficult to market yourself in the right way, especially considering how competitive the process of getting into business school is. And for that precise reason you should take a look at the list of admissions drivers most MBA admission committees value the most in business school applicants below.

MIT Sloan MBA

MIT Sloan School of Management

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What leadership and management experience do MBA admission committees value?

MBA admission committees value candidates who have demonstrated leadership and management experience, such as having led, managed, or recruited people. This shows an applicant's ability to guide teams and take initiative.

How do MBA programs assess a candidate's team player and relationship-building skills?

MBA programs assess a candidate's team player and relationship-building skills by looking for instances where they have worked well with others and built relationships, even under difficult circumstances. Demonstrating collaborative abilities is crucial for success in business school and future careers.

What indicators of intelligence do MBA admission committees look for?

MBA admission committees look for indicators of intelligence through various academic and evaluative measures, including GPA/academic distinctions, GMAT scores, and insights from recommender reviews. These factors collectively demonstrate a candidate's intellectual capability and potential for academic success in an MBA program.

How do MBA programs evaluate a candidate's initiative and proactive contributions?

MBA programs evaluate a candidate's initiative and proactive contributions by looking for evidence of having initiated successful projects or changes. This demonstrates a candidate's ability to drive results and take ownership, which are highly valued qualities in business leadership.

International orientation/experience, cultural sensitivity

Public speaking (large audience is strongest – state the number of people), presenting to senior people, presenting to team

Persuaded people (senior people in particular)

Contributed to community/society

Negotiating, planning, decision making, selling, buying

How should candidates articulate the source of their career plan and MBA program choice?

Essay ends with something like:

“this experience helped me realize that I want to become the CEO of…”

-or-

“this experience made me realize that I need to do an MBA”

-or-

“this experience made me realize that Wharton is the right school for me”

How do MBA admission committees view promotions and career progression?

In most cases, a promotion is a situation in which:

  • A title listed on the resume is more senior than the previous title listed on the resume, AND in both positions the candidate worked with the same organization OR worked with organizations of similar size in the same industry.
  • A “semi-promotion” (better than nothing!) is an increase in responsibility (manage more people/bigger budget/bigger project, etc.) with no change in title.

  • Association with global brands (employer: Procter & Gamble, or: “negotiated with IBM”)
  • Association with large local companies (“Canada’s second largest cosmetics distributor”)
  • Association with famous people (“presented to the Secretary of State”)
  • Association with federal/governmental bodies (employer: the Ministry of Finance)

The admission committee is not likely to encounter many such stories

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