6 Qualities That Make You an Ideal Candidate for College Admission Committees
Here are some general criteria and why they are important to the admission committee.
- 1.Professionalism
The admission committee at a top B-school does not merely look for a person’s profile for what they have achieved, but also the level of maturity and professionalism that they display in their application. Are you impatient and short-tempered? Sure, these might be qualities you’ve seen in on-screen managers, but the admission committee might look upon this as a sign of immaturity. These are displayed in the essay and interview components of the application process.
- 2.Intellectual Capability
Albeit not the most pressing criteria, a fair share of the ‘smarts’ is an essential quality to possess while applying to a b-school. After all, the admissions committee must also determine if you would really be able to perform under the high-pressure environment that would often be simulated in terms of assignments, projects and coursework. Your past academic performance and standardized test scores are generally used as indicators of these in tandem with the other activities you have included in your resume and essays.
3.Ambition and Potential
Merely having ambition may not help you make the cut of the top list of candidates by the admission committee at a top b-school. Your ambition needs to be supplemented by potential – a greater likelihood of future success and the drive to attain that, ensures that all the stakeholders behind your admittance at a B-school are satiated. The top organization gets a potential talent and the alumni network gets another accomplished high-quality addition.
- 4.Action-Oriented approach
Sure, thinkers run the world. But where future leaders and managers are created, the action is the name of the game. It is not only important that there be ideas, but a drive to work on them, and not merely allow them to incubate for years on an end. An aspirant greatly amplifies their chances in the eyes of the admission committee if they know how to weigh the risks, when to take that leap of faith and when to work towards making mere blueprints of real products and services. This is most prominently displayed in the initiatives you’ve taken up and your community involvement.
- 5.Communication Skills
We get it – your domain is technical and your interests similar. However, the admission committee at a top b-school will most definitely look at your ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Don’t get us wrong; you do not have to be tan Ernest Hemmingway, but it is imperative to be proficient at putting your point across.
- 6.Being Able to ‘Do Numbers’
Although you do not need to be the next Euclid, a b-school admission committee will look at your quantitative skills. In fact, most b-schools will also have candidates take a mathematics preparation component before the course starts. This skill is important to have at a quotidian level and is seen in your GMAT scores and any past experience you have in a field that requires these skills.
We hope that this blog serves as a resource to increase your knowledge base and puts you one step closer to a top B-school. If you’re looking for help with your MBA application, we can help you.
