Admission Officers Insights

We constantly interact with education specialists from numerous Ivy leagues, top universities, and business schools. Our aim is to nudge the student towards an easier and smoother process while applying for their dream university.

Read our Admission Officers' insights to understand the nuances of the study abroad and counseling process and how to break the admissions code.

Nicole Shay, Assistant Director of Admissions, Columbia Business School admitted to

What do you consider to be strong reasons for doing an MBA? Why should one get an MBA?

Many of Columbia Business School’s successful candidates are seeking an MBA to either make a function or industry pivot in their career, or to take a deeper dive in order to gain expertise in their current sector. MBA coursework is valuable for anyone who is looking to be a business leader. This might mean a leader in healthcare or consulting, but we also have many students who are seeking leadership in sectors like non-profit and the arts. Columbia Business School’s core curriculum, paired with our over 300 electives, allows each student to design her academic experience to best suit her goals, and shape her into a leader regardless of her past academic or professional experiences.

Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean for Admission, Yale School of Management admitted to

How does Yale help international students chalk their career paths?

At Yale SOM, we have a full-service Career Development Office (CDO) that works to prepare all students for their job search and then helps connect them with organizations with which they would like to work. Most of our graduates (about 85%) work in the US immediately after graduation, but we also have dedicated CDO resources to help source opportunities for graduates outside the US, for those who are interested in doing so. We also have a Yale-wide Office of International Students and Scholars, which works with students from outside the United States to help them navigate their lives and studies in the States.

Kate Smith, Assistant Dean, Kellogg School of Management admitted to

What defines a strong candidate for Kellogg school of Business?

When we evaluate our applicants, a few qualities really stand out to us. These qualities help us understand if an applicant is ready to seize all of the incredible opportunities that come with joining the Kellogg community. We look for people who:

– Can motivate a team to drive impact

– Are not afraid to question the status quo and seek non-obvious solutions

– Possess creativity and talent that is rooted in self-awareness

– Seek diversity in their networks and teams

– Are eager to dive in and collaborate with an engaged, ambitious community of peers

These are some of the traits that we really value. Our holistic application process allows us to understand how each person would bring these traits to Kellogg in his or her own unique way. From there, we teach students how to build on these abilities while they’re at Kellogg.

Michael Cuneo, Assistant Director of Admissions, Johns Hopkins University admitted to

How does Johns Hopkins University help international students chalk their career paths?

At Johns Hopkins University, we have an excellent Career Development Office which partners with students start with working with their Career Coach before arriving on campus. The CDO experience focuses on personal development, networking, and the all-important internship and job search.

Successful MBA students will be as busy with CDO activities outside the classroom as they are with MBA classwork and experiential learning activities. This will launch them in the next step in their career post-MBA and beyond.

Pascal Michels, Director of MBA Admissions, IESE Business School admitted to

Your final word of advice for students

Ask the hard questions during the application process. Don't get blinded by fancy brochures, wishy washy value statements or unrealistic employment statistics. Understand who you are to a school, but also what the school needs to be to you. Look for the click. If you don't click with the school, then you are probably about to spend a lot of money on something that you don't really want or need. There are many ways to further your education, many ways to transform. Gain a deep understanding of what the schools you consider will give you, and be very clear at articulating what you will give them. Because of course: the click needs to be mutual.

Imran Kanga, Director of Recruitment and Admissions, University of Toronto admitted to

What are some of the key features/highlights of your MBA program that make it unique?

Rotman's focus on research and collaboration with the government and emerging industries make it a truly unique proposition for students. We have research institutes in areas like behavioral economics, corporate governance and strategy, diversity and inclusion, gender equality to name a few. We are also investing heavily in Fintech, AI and machine learning so that students in our program will be able to master these emerging trends and lead organizations through the changes and complexities these emerging technologies will bring in the near future.

Tyler Henderson, Admissions Team, SDA Bocconi School of Management admitted to

What defines a strong candidate for your school?

Assuming a candidate is intelligent and motivated with a strong professional and academic background, what is important to us is global proficiency. This involves international experiences where applicants have lived, worked and studied, international projects conducted and languages spoken. Our program attracts a diverse audience of applicants from all over the world who are looking for opportunities after the program throughout the world so we want to see that applicants thrive in diverse situations.

'Iolani Bullock, Director, MBA Admissions, Georgetown University admitted to

What do you consider to be strong reasons for doing an MBA? Why should one get an MBA?

An MBA is not just for those in finance and consulting. Georgetown MBA alumni also work in technology, real estate, healthcare, hospitality, government and policy, nonprofits, international development, energy, education, military, manufacturing, transportation, and the media, entertainment, and sports. A specialized master's degree is likely to offer a more narrow skill set, while an MBA provides you with a broad range of skills that will prepare you for any industry or job function. No matter the industry or function which you pursue, you'll likely need skills to manage a budget; manage a team; sell a product, service, or idea; understand your broader economy or industry; and develop innovative ideas. Additionally, an MBA experience is just that, an experience. Unlike other graduate degrees where you might take classes and go home, in an MBA program you are expected to get involved outside of the classroom to improve your leadership ability.

Applicants typically fall into three categories – career enhancers, career switchers (function or industry), or aspiring entrepreneurs who either want to launch a startup or who seek employment at an existing startup, with an angel investor, or at a venture capital firm.

Additionally, the skills gained through the Georgetown MBA leadership curriculum, from teamwork to managing diverse teams, prepares students to make an impact when they enter the workforce.

Rodrigo Malta, MBA Recruitment and Admissions, The University of Texas at Austin admitted to

Is there any financial aid available to international students? If yes, who is an ideal candidate for this?

We understand that earning an MBA is an big investment in your future. To make your MBA more attainable, we provide merit-based recruiting scholarship to candidates.

Awards range from $5,000 to full tuition and are distributed to applicants who have demonstrated a superior record of academic merit and professional accomplishments. No separate application is necessary, since every applicant is automatically considered for recruiting scholarship during the admissions review process.

Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions, Duke University admitted to

What are some of the common mistakes you see frequently on applications?

Avoid being trite and superficial in completing your essays, and I would also focus less on your professional accomplishments in the 25 Random Facts essay, as we can read those through your resume or another part of the application form. Some people have a difficult time getting to 25 we know, but we recommend including context around how does that fact drive your ability to be a better, different, or a more unique Fuqua MBA. We want the insights behind the random facts, but also how they shape who you are today. It is also okay to infuse humor in your facts. Talk to your friends and family to get ideas of what might be appropriate or interesting to share, as these individuals tend to really know you – the good, bad and ugly.

We are genuinely interested in going beyond just test scores or any single data point – and as such we take our essays and the interviews very seriously. We are looking for people who share our belief that business can change the world for the better and possess the humility and leadership skills to bring out the best in others. That match all starts with sincerity and authenticity.

Don’t be afraid to be somewhat vulnerable in your essays as those are always most interesting.

Treat everyone in the process with respect; use good judgement and be self-aware of when you are coming on too strong or over communicating.

Towni Lao, Assistant Director of Admissions, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology admitted to

How does HKUST help international students chalk their career paths?

At HKUST, our Career and Professional Development Office works in partnership with our students to realize their career aspirations. As soon as you join HKUST, you will be assigned a career coach who will help you formulate an ideal career strategy, share professional advice and insights on your target job market, and introduce relevant career opportunities to you throughout the program.

A variety of career events like recruitment talks, the MBA Career Fair and overseas career treks are also organized throughout the year. We also arrange many career-related workshops like Professional Networking Skills and Case Interview Practice for Consulting Careers so as to enhance our students’ professional capabilities.

Sara Argudo Valero, Admissions Associate Director, ESADE Business School admitted to

What are some of the common mistakes you see frequently on applications?

Poorly written essays, short reference letters, missing important information in their application and CV, no explanation regarding gaps in their work experience.