Ten Tips for Your EvMBA Application
Author’s note: Although this post provides EvMBA application tips, the same principles may be helpful for other MBA programs.
So you’ve decided to apply to Goizueta Business School’s EvMBA program? Great! I’m excited for you to embark upon this journey and hope the following thoughts are helpful as you work on your application.
- Ask your boss, colleagues, family or friends what they think you should tell the admissions staff. You’ll need to talk about yourself for the essays and interview. Whether or not asking for this advice comes easily, you may be surprised at their insights.
- Watch Goizueta admissions web chat videos. There are hours of informative videos on Goizueta’s YouTube channel where the admissions team answers any question you could have. The more armed with knowledge you are, the more efficient and prepared you will be.
- If you apply for the final round, fasten your seatbelt. My point is not to discourage final round applications, but to encourage awareness that if you are accepted in that round, you’ll be diving right in. Be ready to clear your schedule, get some rest and take a deep breath!
- Know that there’s no one-size-fits-all time frame for the application process. I have heard of students spending anywhere from two to three weeks (that was me – not recommended!) to a year or more preparing. Your situation is unique, so set goals and work on your own timeline.
- Buy a study guide or take a class to prepare for the GMAT or GRE – and take actual, timed tests. I have heard that standardized tests are half strategy, and this resonated strongly in my experience. Informing yourself about that strategy component through a class or book is invaluable. Additionally, taking timed practice tests helps you know whether you need to work on your speed – don’t let that be a surprise on test day!
- Put yourself in the interviewer’s place. If you were them, what would you ask? Come to your interview prepared with those answers.
- Meet current students through campus visits. Because the evening program is 2.5 years long, many of the current students you meet will be your actual classmates. Can you imagine working with them? How do you feel about the culture you observe?
- Address the admissions staff’s questions before they ask. Do you have a low score on your GMAT? A gap in experience? Don’t leave it up for guessing. Nobody is perfect, and open communication shows that you have been thoughtful about the process.
- If you visit a class (and I highly recommend doing so), stay until the end. It is helpful to see ahead of time how it feels to work a full day and then go to class; it will make the transition a little easier if you are admitted.
- Don’t be boring! Imagine interviewing hundreds of applicants and reading pages of seemingly endless essays. Do you want to be another cookie-cutter, scripted person? Be yourself, and let “you” shine through your application and interview.
I wish you luck with your application and hope to see you on campus!