In this series, I will break down ten easy-to-follow steps that I have used to help clients get into M7 schools and the mistakes many clients confessed they made while tackling the multiple work, life, and admissions priorities.

Let us dive into the First Step

#1) Understand the School’s Expectations

Even if you have read F1GMAT’s Essay Guides, I would highly highly recommend that you start following admissions managers, and key persons in the admission team through social media, newsletters, YouTube and school events. 

Not all admissions person writes extensive blogs. 

There are some M7 schools that are notorious for not revealing anything about what the admissions team is expecting while there are other schools like Wharton, and MIT where the expectations on the deliverables in the application is very clear, including the narrative or cover letter structure. 

Value of FAQ Pages

It is tough to navigate through the application section of many MBA programs. 

Most of them will have an FAQ or commonly asked questions section where you can get a ton of information on common mistakes in an application.

I would recommend that you bookmark the sections and come back to them throughout your admissions season. This will give you an anchor on what needs to be prioritized. 

YouTube Channel

Another great platform for understanding the admissions team’s thinking is their YouTube channel. 

Again, not all schools are updating with tips every year but if you can watch an application overview video from the admissions team and skip through the general tips and pay attention to specific strategies that inevitably gets revealed in long videos, you will find some gems on the common mistakes applicants make, and at least 1 strategy to stand out from the crowd. 

One on One Events

The best place to understand where you stand in the application hierarchy is through  events – online or offline where you get an opportunity for one-on-one conversations. 

In group conversations or presentations, the problem is that the admissions team is focusing on general advice that has limited value for standing out from the crowd. When you get an opportunity to ask the person one-on-one about your profile weakness or ways to improve your profile, you are likely to get a direction on where you should be heading. 

Of course, all these strategies and advice are available for you with F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service for a very small price. 

You may visit, store.f1gmat.com/career-planning and I will offer feedback on your profile, help you edit your resume and guide you with milestones. 

Conclusion

To summarize, the #1 Step to Mastering M7 MBA Admissions is to Understand the School’s Expectations
 

10 Steps to Master M7 MBA Admissions

• M7 MBA Admissions Step #1 - Understand Schools
• M7 MBA Admissions Step #2 - Early Pivot from GMAT to GRE
• M7 MBA Admissions Step #3 - Go the Extra Mile