Guides: MBA Admissions Guides

Each prospective MBA candidate will approach the business school application process differently. Perhaps meeting with an MBA admissions consultant is not the best option for you right now, or you are hoping to get a glimpse of the application process before speaking to a consultant. Although nothing compares to working one-on-one with an mbaMission admissions expert, our Complete Start-to-Finish MBA Admissions Guide offers outstanding guidance for anyone applying to business school. Complete with brainstorming exercises, application advice, MBA essay writing tips, interview preparation, and numerous sample essays, resumes, waitlist letters, and recommendations, this free resource will support you through every step of your journey toward applying to business school.

We at mbaMission understand that the application process can seem daunting. In addition to your undergraduate transcript, the MBA admissions committee is evaluating other elements including your work experience, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, personal statement, GMAT/GRE scores, application essays, and admissions interview. When you introduce yourself to the business school admissions committee, you want to put your best foot forward. Our Complete Start-to-Finish MBA Admissions Guide can help you identify your strengths to stand out among the sea of aspiring MBA candidates.

If you are just beginning to consider applying to business school and are not quite ready to dive in to the Complete Start-to-Finish Admissions Guide or if you are looking for guidance on only on specific aspects of the MBA application process, we invite you to download one or more of our individual admissions guides on the following topics:

  • Selecting your target MBA program
  • Managing your social media presence for MBA admissions
  • Fundamentals of an MBA candidacy
  • Long-term planning
  • Brainstorming
  • Essay writing
  • Personal statement writing
  • Resume writing
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Optional essays
  • Interview prep
  • Waitlist strategy
  • HBS 2+2 and deferred admissions programs
  • Undergraduate business program

The mbaMission Fundamentals of an MBA Candidacy Guide could be a good starting point to help you understand the core aspects of your profile that the MBA admissions committees will be evaluating, including your GMAT/GRE score and GPA, professional experience, community activities, personal profile and fit with your target MBA programs.

Our Selecting Your Target MBA Program guide is intended to help you fully evaluate the relevant elements of the different MBA programs to better ensure your final choice will provide the atmosphere, training, lifestyle, resources, and support that fit your particular personality, needs, and goals.

The mbaMission Brainstorming Guide gives 16 probing questions to get you started on the MBA application brainstorming process. We offer straightforward advice on pinpointing your most compelling stories from your professional, personal, and extracurricular activities.

The mbaMission Resume Guide delivers guidance on writing a strong admissions committee-focused and results-driven resume. This MBA guide also includes three sample resumes with notes, plus more than 300 action-oriented verbs that demonstrate accomplishments rather than responsibilities.

If you are not sure who to choose as your recommenders, the mbaMission Letters of Recommendation Guide offers advice on properly selecting, communicating with and managing your recommenders. In addition, it includes a document for your recommenders to use in preparing your letters, plus a full sample recommendation with notes.

If you have already begun your MBA admissions journey, you may benefit from the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide and/or the mbaMission Essay Writing Guide, which can help you find the perfect topics for your MBA application essays—a standard admissions requirement that enables the admissions committee to get to know you. These MBA guides include numerous sample outlines, excerpts, and full essays with notes.

After you submit your business school applications, it is time to focus on the interview. The mbaMission Interview Guide explains how to prepare for your MBA interview, plus how the interview works and may be weighted at your target business school. It includes 100 questions that candidates are often asked and provides tips on what to do before, during and even after the interview. For MBA interview tips, it is a must-have resource.

In addition, the mbaMission Waitlist Guide and the HBS 2+2 and Deferred Admissions Guide offer advice to waitlisted applicants and those who wish to defer their admission, respectively.

If you need personal guidance on any element of the business school application process, contact us to schedule a free consultation with an mbaMission consultant. Our MBA admissions consulting team can help you through every step of the application process.


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