If you’re considering returning to school after a few years in the professional world, you know the decision requires serious reflection. And committing to the business school admissions process is one of the bigger steps on your MBA journey.
MBA admission tips
Here are some tips and guidelines to have in mind while approaching the MBA application process.
Consider this a two-way street
Applying to an MBA program is a process of you and the admissions committee getting to know each other and, ultimately, an opportunity for self-discovery.
Take the time to reflect on your own motivations in applying to a specific business school. A good application will demonstrate clarity, honesty, self-awareness and maybe even a sense of humor. You must have many stories that you can share. It’s up to you to choose the ones that present a consistent image of who you are, what you have accomplished and what you want to achieve.
We hope you enjoy getting to know yourself as much as a business school like IESE enjoys getting to know you.
Distill what’s really important
This is where you can show your personality, motivation and values. Now, we as a business school understand that expressing all of this in a few hundred words might seem a tall order. But it may help you to view this as an opportunity to drill down on what it is that makes you, well, you.
Ultimately, we want to get to know you beyond the cold data that makes up the rest of your application. We hope you’re encouraged to show your personality!
Prepare your essay
MBA applications come loaded with numbers and stats. The essay section is your chance to tell your story beyond test scores, grades and career achievements. Essay questions will vary by school and admissions year, but there are a few questions to ask yourself to help prepare for just about any essay topic that comes your way.
Ask yourself the following:
- What makes me unique? In what ways have I broken the mold that my CV might not reveal?
- How do my personal and/or professional experiences make me the right fit for this business school, rather than any business school?
- What are some concrete examples of my demonstrating true leadership? And how do I communicate them with passion and personality?
- How can I tell my story while avoiding clichés and not merely listing accomplishments? How can I make it personal, and perhaps even funny?
IESE MBA application tips
IESE’s mission is to educate business leaders with a general management approach guided by a global mindset and people-centered vision. It is the bedrock on which the school is built, strongly informs its culture and is something that we want to see reflected in our student body.
There are many ways to demonstrate the values of the school. You can share an example of where you went above and beyond at work, how you made a difference in your community or some other aspect of your life inside or outside of a professional setting
General tips
You can read a detailed description of the application process, including dates and the application itself here. Below is our admissions calendar:
More updated info in the Key Dates and Deadlines for IESE MBA.
We generally encourage international applicants to target earlier rounds (R1, R2) to give themselves more time to secure visas and prepare for a move to a new country. Do note the decision dates and payment deadlines on our website as well; you may want to take those into consideration when deciding which round to apply.
