When Grades & Test Scores are Similiar, How do Admissions Staff Choose?

Let’s examine a hypothetical situation. Two students from Taiwan are applying to MBA programs in the United States: Terry, and Sharon. Terry and Sharon both went to NTU and got top grades all through their undergraduate careers. They have both volunteered at the Red Cross and come from upper middle class families. Terry’s father is a professor, and Sharon’s father is an executive at a silicon chip manufacturing company.

Here’s a breakdown of Terry and Sharon’s grades, and scores.

Terry

GPA: 3.7

GMAT: 720

TOEFL: 100

Sharon

GPA: 3.54

GMAT: 730

TOEFL: 101

If Terry and Sharon, who are so similar on paper, are applying to the same school, how will the admissions officers decide between them?

Making the Decision

Admissions officers have a very difficult task. They need to understand the kind of person both Sharon, and Terry are by looking at their paper applications. Obviously, it’s impossible to completely understand the type of person that they are without meeting them in person, but admissions people have to inspect thousands and thousands of applications every year. It would be impossible to meet with everyone in person. So, it is your job to communicate the type of person you are as effectively as possible on paper to help make their decision easier.

Your Motivations

Admissions officers want to understand what motivates you. Why do you want to get an MBA, and will it really help you achieve your career goals? What drives you to get out of bed in the morning, and what would you spend your time doing for free on the weekends and late into the evenings? What passion do you bring to the MBA program? If Sharon is more passionate seeming on paper than Terry is, that will be a point in Sharon’s favor.

Your Character

Admissions officers need to understand how you make decisions, and that you are a moral and ethical person. Obviously, if Terry writes about the time where he made an questionable decision and made lots of money, and Sharon writes about how she choose to make an ethical decision even if it didn’t make her lots of money, this will be a point in Sharon’s favor. Admissions people need to see that you have a long-view of ethics, and that you will consistently make good decisions which will benefit their University brand, and the companies you work with down the road.

How Do You Work in Teams?

MBA programs heavily involve group work, and group projects. You want to be careful to structure your application to emphasize that you work well individually, but also in groups. If Sharon talks about how she prefers to work independently because she can get more work done faster than others, and Terry talks about a time where he lead a group to success by listening to everyone’s input an helping the group make an informed decision, that will be a point in Terry’s favor. It is absolutely important to play up your respect for the group process, and ideally communicate to admissions staff that you are a leader in groups who brings out the best in your team mates.

Conclusion

Admissions staff need to get to know you so that if you are on in front of them when they make a decision, and a Terry or Sharon is in front of them at the same time, they have a compelling reason to choose you. In order to help the staff get to know you, communicate about your passions, motivations, character, and attitude towards team work.

If you’d like to read more freely available content with strategies to optimize your MBA application, please refer to my blog. If you’d like more personalized attention and coaching through the application process, arguably one of the most important applications of your life, please feel free to reach out to me personally at transcendadmissions@gmail.com.

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