Chat Transcript September 23, 2007, 5:49PM EST

Make Your B-School Application Stand Out

(page 4 of 4)

Linda Abraham

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FrancescaBW: How far along in the application process should I be before turning to a consultant?

ConsultantLinda: I think the earlier the applicant comes to us the better. Having a GPA and GMAT score are good, but even without that we can advise applicants on steps they can take in the year before they apply to strengthen their profile.

FrancescaBW: What kind of reaction do you usually get from B-school administrators? How do they usually feel about consultants?

ConsultantLinda: At this point in time, we have a professional relationship with almost all B-school administrators. Accepted also hosts chats and the overwhelming majority of our 150-plus chats have been with admissions directors. They all condemn services that write essays, but services like Accepted, or the AIGAC members that advise and edit, are increasingly viewed as professionals on the admissions scene, if not partners in the process.

FrancescaBW: What's your No. 1 piece of advice to applicants?

ConsultantLinda: I have two No. 1 pieces of advice. The No. 1 piece of advice for school choice is to focus first on your goals and qualifications to determine where you want to apply. Rankings are data points and should not be determinative. Obviously, my advice requires you to know what your post-MBA goals are.

My No. 1 piece of advice for essays relates to my first answer on the chat. You want to put your best foot forward in answering the questions. That means [demonstrating] what is distinctive about you and important to you.

FrancescaBW: What's the best way to get a higher math score [on the GMAT]?

ConsultantLinda: You're definitely moving away from my area of expertise in asking about the GMAT quant score, but I would recommend taking a prep course and being relentless about doing practice problems again and again and again.

FrancescaBW: What's the biggest mistake that applicants make when completing their application?

ConsultantLinda: There are a few: Failing to proofread so that they leave the name of another school in the essays. Writing what they think the schools want to read instead of thinking about what the school should know. Applying before clarifying their post-MBA goal.

FrancescaBW: How did you get started in the MBA admissions consulting business?

ConsultantLinda: That's a bit of a long story. I'll condense it. In the early 1990s, I had started an editing service aimed at college and grad students. I kept being asked to edit personal statements. I realized that if students applied journalistic techniques to their essays, the essays would be more interesting and engaging. I read all I could about admissions and decided to make grad school admissions my niche.

stephane88: How many schools should one apply for? Do admission consultants set a realistic strategy for the clients?

ConsultantLinda: I recommend four to six. Since this is going to be a tough year, I would raise the top number to eight. Admissions consultants work with applicants to develop a realistic strategy based on their goals and qualifications.

FrancescaBW: In the application, do you advise applicants to have a clear post-MBA goal even if they are unsure of what they'll actually end up doing?

ConsultantLinda: I advise applicants to clarify their goals before they apply. No one can be sure of what he or she will do in three years, but an individual's choice of schools should be guided by that goal. In addition, applicants won't have time to research a goal once they arrive at B-school. They will immediately start with internship recruiting. They really need to have a clear direction when they arrive and, as I mentioned, when they apply. Schools want to see that applicants can develop intelligent goals for themselves based on self-assessment.

justinpwood: What kinds of journalistic techniques do you recommend that we use?

ConsultantLinda: I recommend an anecdotal and illustrative opening to many essays, followed by a theme. This approach won't work for all essays, but it works very effectively for many. Also journalists are big believers in the active voice—another great means of making your writing more direct, succinct, and active. Finally, journalists also use active, vivid verbs that frequently involve the senses—again very effective in relating a story.