Hello P&Q readers, welcome to my advice column! My name is Karen Marks and I am the founder and president of North Star Admissions Consulting. I’ve been helping people get into their dream schools since 2012, and before that I was Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. In both roles, my goal is to provide people with the accurate, insider information they need to succeed and make good decisions. Ask, no topic is off limits!
This month, I want to answer one of the questions I get asked the most on admissions calls: “How can I improve my chances of getting into business school – with a scholarship?”
I understand. Business school is expensive. The same is true with admissions consulting, and candidates are naturally concerned about the ROI of both. Since 2012, I have helped my clients win over $70 million in scholarships, including full tuition, primarily at M7 and Top 15 schools. I know how to help you get into the best school possible and what you need to do to win scholarships.
- Clarify your goals – and make sure they are consistent.
Articulating what you want to do when you graduate and why you need to go to business school to get there is an essential part of any successful application. It’s also surprisingly difficult to do. Your goals need to be ambitious but realistic, consistent with your interests and values, and specific enough to be understandable, but not TOO specific, which can make you seem inflexible. It’s a lot to manage, but if your goals don’t resonate with the committee, you won’t get in.
- Apply to the right schools. (For all the right reasons, to paraphrase the Bachelor.)
When I get calls with potential candidates who are applying to all of M7 – and who can’t articulate why they are interested in each of them, I get worried. It’s not that I don’t understand why prestige and brand recognition are important, and these schools are popular and super selective for good reason. However, they are also quite different from each other, and not all 7 (or all of the top 15, etc.) are likely to fit equally well.
Why does this matter? If you can’t articulate what you personally will bring to each school while also demonstrating that you understand its specific culture and curriculum, your application simply won’t be competitive.
Additionally, for most candidates, it makes sense to broaden your network. I’m not saying you should apply to schools that aren’t worth it for you – but the Rankings aren’t everything in terms of the value of a degreeand personal fit/ROI are critical components of any solid school roster. Additionally, if you want to maximize your chances of getting a scholarship, apply to schools where you are strong.
- Don’t be too confident.
We’ve all seen the numbers that indicate there has been a decline in business school applications. While this is undeniably true, the majority of applicants (most of whom are well qualified on paper) STILL GET REJECTED. Don’t assume (and definitely don’t telegraph) that you are entitled to admission. Business schools, especially the best ones, can often fill their classes with candidates who bring grades, scores and experience above the class average. Admissions committees don’t love arrogance—be humble and strive to submit thoughtful applications.
First round deadlines come quickly and are often advantageous for applicants – especially if you want scholarships. Putting together strong applications takes time; Don’t underestimate the process.
If the school doesn’t know you well, they’re unlikely to feel obligated to admit you, much less offer you a scholarship. Make sure you’re talking about what really matters to you and tackle deficits head on.
There is! Seriously, though, it’s incredibly rewarding to help people get into their dream schools, especially with multiple full tuition offerings. If you want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to optimize your chances of success, give me a call.
Karen has more than 15 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since the foundation North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown, and more. Customers have received over $70 million dollars in scholarships and over 98% have gotten into one of their preferred schools. Find out about a MBA Application Scholarship.
