Often, being an MBA admission consultant, I get calls from many students who are in colleges and looking for answers to questions like “what should I do in profile building for MBA or to crack M7 B-schools?” Often, closer to the point of application, a lot of work is already done. Therefore, if doing an MBA is somewhere in your future plans, even if you are not sure about it, then taking a few steps now will help you get success in the future.

If you are an undergrad or doing a Master’s, the first thing one has to focus on, without saying, is academics. Keeping up with your high grades is important, the least that any B-School would expect. In terms of your extra and co-curricular activities, leadership roles and consistently pursuing activities around your interests will help you later in creating a strong narrative.

By chance, if you are doing any part-time job to finance your undergrad degree, don’t worry about not having enough time to participate in extra-curricular activities. Admission committees do respect people who keep a balance between course load and work during college. In fact, they respect the fact that you worked your way through your college.

Another activity that you can do in the subsequent years before applying to an MBA program, is community service. But considering it as an application filler and doing it just 6 months before your application doesn’t make sense. If done closer to the point of application, Admission Committee understands that this activity is done for MBA admission only. Look out for such opportunities in college itself, but only if you are interested and passionate about it. Just doing this for seeking some admission outcome will not be contributory. Please understand that the intent should be right; it automatically becomes a meaningful part of your profile, else not. As an additional note, if you cannot continue doing community service during your work job then it is alright, as the admissions team would understand that the jobs could be demanding and may not leave you with enough time.

Once you are out of school, you should consider taking the GMAT or GRE if you are planning to apply within 5 years. When you are in your college, you are in an active learning mindset, and therefore studying for exams in the flow becomes easier. But when you start your professional life, getting back to studying could be difficult. Earlier on, you also have the time and flexibility to retake your exam or switch to another exam (GMAT vs GRE or vice versa). Once you start your job, taking time out becomes difficult. I have also seen that MBA aspirants tend to go for two-three months' leave, just to prepare for GMAT or GRE. Or, in extreme cases, they leave their jobs to prepare for these exams. These steps make your overall profile look weak. Therefore, one should give the exam as early as possible.

Did you know UAH can help you get into M7 MBA schools and Top 25 B Schools? Find out more about our MBA Admission Counselling to see how we can help you gain admission to your dream Business School!

At work, you should take initiative and go beyond your role. You should change your project if you have been in one project for a fair amount of time and there is no additional learning. We often suggest that aspirants should not forget to keep relationships healthy with bosses and peers as they progress through roles or switch companies. Doing so will not only help your network remain strong, but it will also make it less awkward when it comes time to ask for recommendation letters.   

Cracking M-7 B-schools extending to the top 30 B-schools is a difficult task, but if you start early, it becomes easier.