Visiting B-Schools In Person: Two Case Studies

The MBA Admissions process can be pretty exhausting. Once you have taken the GMAT and sent in your applications, you may be ready to take a huge sigh of relief, kick back, and watch your mailbox, but not so fast! One very important step in the admissions process remains. An in-person visit to the business schools you’ve been dreaming about is your next step! In the case studies below our MBA Admissions expert tackled two very different campus-visit scenarios.

Case Study 1

A B-School applicant has decided to visit the campus to check out the business school in person and perhaps get a chance to talk to students and – if available – faculty. The student did not visit as part of a formal tour or invited guest. How should the student inform the school of his visit?

Our MBA Admissions expert says...

There are many ways to let the school know that you have visited. First of all, I would contact the school and let them know that you will be there and if there is anybody around whom you could speak to (either in admission or in an academic area you are interested in). Next, I would try to attend an information session in your area, and there let admissions people know that you made the effort to visit. Lastly, I would try to meet as many current students and alumni as you could and let them know that you visited the school.

In addition, when you submit your application, you should include a brief paragraph (and I mean brief) in the additional information section of the application explaining that you visited the school over the summer. This should be more than enough to get the point across. Remember that while it is important to show that you have invested time and energy in learning about a school, there are many other factors that admissions will be focused on when you submit your application. Simply put, this is just one of a many factors the school will consider.

Case Study 2

A B-school applicant has received several invites to Round 3 Interviews. She is beginning to think the invitations to interview are simply a courtesy the schools extend to a large number of applicants. She worries she is wasting her time with so many successive interviews.

Our MBA Admissions expert says...

Business schools are not in the business of playing games. Simply put, they are way too busy just to invite candidates to interview whom they are not serious about. And while there are fewer seats available in the last round, they accordingly adjust the number of people they invite to interview. If you are invited to successive rounds of interviews, you should feel comfortable that the school considers your application strong and wants to get to know you better. You should prepare for this interview with all the determination and energy that you would have if you had been invited in an earlier round and try to get the skepticism out of your thoughts.

Please drop by our MBA Admissions page for more information to help you prepare for a campus visit or interview of your own!