• Business School
    • Admissions Help
    • School-Specific MBA Essay Tips
    • Executive MBA Essay Tips
    • MBA Admissions Calendar
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
    • EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants
  • Medical School
    • Admissions Help
    • Med School Admissions 101
    • Secondary Essay Tips (by School)
    • Student Interviews
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
  • Law School
    • Admissions Help
    • Law School Admissions 101
    • Selectivity Index
    • Free Guides
    • Podcast
    • Video Tips
  • Graduate School
    • Admissions Help
    • Grad School Admissions 101
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
  • College
    • Admissions Help
    • Free Guides
    • Supplemental Essay Tips
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
Accepted

1 (310) 815-9553

Blog HomePodcastContact Us

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

December 2, 2018

Reading Time: 2 minutes

3 Mistakes Successful MBA Applicants Don’t Make

3 Mistakes Successful MBA Applicants Don't Make

You already know what you need TO DO. Now let’s take a look at three things you DON’T want to do if you want to get accepted to your top-choice MBA program.

Don’t make these mistakes when applying to b-school:

Mistake #1: Applying without a clear idea of what you want to do after you earn the degree.

Having clear career goals is a MUST for successful MBA applicants. You may think you can cover up this lack of direction in your application, but the adcom are trained to see who has focused goals and who does not. Business schools are looking for applicants who will both succeed as students and as businesspeople in the post-MBA career world. If you don’t show direction early on, then there’s a chance you’ll flounder through b-school and won’t smoothly transition back into the workforce. YOU won’t get the most out of your MBA experience, and nor will the school. It’s a lose-lose for everyone.

Instead, solidify (with some degree of flexibility) what you want to do post-degree so that you present yourself as a strong, focused candidate in your applications. Remember, you’ll personally benefit from this research and direction, in addition to it boosting your chances of admission.

Mistake #2: Writing what you think the admissions committee wants to know as opposed to what you want them to know.

You THINK that by writing what the adcom wants to hear, that your essay will be creative – ingenious even. But what ends up happening, is that everyone thinks the committee wants to hear the same thing and they end up writing something UN-original in order to fit those imagined specifications. Instead, look deep into yourself and think about what you truly would like to share with them – that’s the ONLY way that your final product will be authentically original, and the only way that you’ll really impress the adcom.

Mistake #3: Applying exclusively to schools based on the rankings and without any sense of your own competitiveness.

If all applicants made this mistake, then Harvard, Stanford, and other top five programs would be even more selective than they are and VERY few people would ever gain admission. Yes, HBS is good for some people, and Stanford is good for others, but they’re certainly not the best schools for everyone. If there’s no possible chance that you’ll get accepted to a top five, top ten, or top fifty program, then start your quest by crossing those off your list. Save yourself the heartbreak of rejection and the costs and setback of reapplication by choosing reasonable programs to apply to.

That being said, so long as you apply to at least one safety and a few on-pars that you’d be thrilled to attend, then it certainly can’t hurt to try for a few reasonable reaches.

Accepted’s expert advisors can help you check off your admissions to-do’s and ensure that your application is mistake-free (of these three blunders and others). Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing Services to learn more about how we can help you get ACCEPTED.

New Call-to-action

AcceptedFor 25 years, Accepted has helped business school applicants gain acceptance to top programs. Our outstanding team of MBA admissions consultants features former business school admissions directors and professional writers who have guided our clients to admission at top MBA, EMBA, and other graduate business programs worldwide including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, INSEAD, London Business School, and many more. Want an MBA admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

 

Related Resources:

• Best MBA Programs, a free guide to selecting the right program for you
• The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Competitive MBA Applicant, a free guide
• B-School Selectivity Index: Discover the schools where you are competitive

Article by Accepted / MBA Admissions

Get Accepted!

Choose your desired degree and then the service that best meets your needs.

Which program are you applying to?

What do you need help with?

Join the informed applicants who read Accepted's blog!

8 Popular Posts

1. Your Guide to Getting off the Waitlist in 2022

2. How to Write About Your Research Interests

3. 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

4. 7 Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

5. Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools

6. Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

7. The 9 Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on a Med School Waitlist

8. M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 2022

Recent Posts

  • 2022-23 AMCAS Work and Activities Section: What to Include (With Examples)
  • The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans Application Essay Tips
  • Teamwork in Medical School Admissions: How to Show You’ve Got It
  • How to Get Into HEC Paris MBA Program [Episode 470]
  • Why Do You Want to Be a Doctor? [Short Video]

Sample Essays

MBA Personal Statement Examples

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Law School Personal Statement Examples

College Application Essay Examples

 

This Site is Featured on GMATClub

Home Page Services and Prices MBA Med School Law School Grad School College

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog
Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553
© 2022 Accepted

BBB A+ RatingStamp of AIGAC Excellence

Copyright © 2022 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in