MBA Adcom's Red Flags: Who gets dinged from MBA Admissions

MBA Essays

If you fall into any of the categories alongside, your application to business school is at risk of being dinged, and you are strongly advised to take professional advice in the MBA admissions process.

None of these problems are fatal. Everyone has weak points in their application. Strong applicants manage them correctly.

There's no formula for this. It depends on how you play the cards you have, to reframe the situation. It takes experience.

At the MBA Admissions Studio we've done it many times. If any of the problems here apply to you, we can show you what to do about it and lead you through the process.


	Adcom's Red Flags ï¿½ who gets dinged from MBA Admissions

"Send not to ask for whom the ding bell tolls"

It tolls for YOU*if:

You intend changing your career direction or your primary industry

You have no hard evidence of leadership experience

You are under 24 or older than 30 at the time of application (for a full-time MBA);or under 30 or over 45 (for an executive MBA)

You are currently or have been previously self-employed; or there have been breaks in your career.

Your background is very common: e.g. banking, consulting

Your background is unusual, and/or low in business experience

You have no volunteer or community service experience

You are applying to a foreign country

You come from a high applicant country - US, India, China, etc.

You are or have been unemployed in the last three years

You have been with your present company for under a year, or you have been employed by 3 or more companies

Your undergraduate academic record, GPA or equivalent, is sketchy

You have not been promoted in your job (or your previous job)

You do not have referees who will praise you unconditionally

Your GMAT is below 680 (for a top-20 program)

You are underpaid considering your level of seniority and responsibility.

You are not sure what you want to do with your MBA

You have no clear team experience, or don't know your team player profile

You have an arts or social studies background (hello, you're a "poet")

You were dinged last year from any business school

You have another Masters degree, or a PhD

You don't have some math or stats in your background

You are short of international or intercultural contact experience

You don't think you have any weaknesses (wake up and get one fast!)

You are short of active writing experience and the last time you wrote an essay was at college.

*Rejection letter. (With apologies to John Donne, 1572-1631).