What type of MBA programs are you applying to? Determining which programs to apply to is an often neglected step in the pre-application process. Some people think that this just happens, but this is not often the case. A clear goal is very necessary for a strong MBA application. Your application should be tailored to your individual situation and needs. It is highly recommended that you begin your application with a good idea of how many schools you wish to target. It is generally recommended that students separate their potential schools into three categories: reach, on-par, and safety. Clearly segmenting these schools before you actually apply will arm you with a goal and focused plan to allocate your resources.

The majority of students aim to target five or 6 schools in one application year. Two reach schools, two at the on-par level, and two safety schools. In all of your applications, it is important that you choose a school where you are competitive as an applicant. This involves looking at a school's average GPA, GMAT score, and work history. Your ideal school list should contain: reach schools where you have a slight chance for acceptance, on-par programs that yield a good chance of acceptance, and safety schools which will give near certain acceptances.

If you are looking for methods to bolster your application status before you hit that submit button, consider improving your GMAT score. The GMAT is the only aspect of the application that offers a fair and uniform comparison across all potential MBA applicants. It is a relatively common fact that Business schools place great weight on a high GMAT score. In fact, if you peruse through top tier business school programs, you will find that all of them have a student body with an average of 650+ GMAT score. Thus, if you find yourself seeking to improve your MBA candidacy, consider investing in a worthwhile GMAT study program to improve your application status.

The GMAT Bootcamp seeks to provide the absolute best GMAT preparation materials available anywhere and to enable individuals to master the GMAT and gain admission to any MBA program. To learn more about us, please visit our web site, http://www.thegmatbootcamp.com

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Are your numbers really so bad? It may be difficult to find average GPAs, but if you have a 2.6, you know it's low for almost any MBA program. Roughly, except for the most elite schools, a GPA below 3.0 warrants a deliberate effort to counterbalance.

Looking closely at your numbers.

Which numbers are low - GMAT, GPA, or both? If only one of these numbers is low, at least the other number demonstrates your academic ability. Some people are simply not great standardized test-takers. A low GPA often is attributable to the simple fact that college students are still growing up. In fact, a 3.0 GPA that starts out below 3.0 and trends upward consistently, with the final semester or two in the 3.5 range or higher, is not nearly as worrisome as a GPA that trends in the opposite direction.

If both numbers are low, how do they break down? If your GMAT quant score was high and you had solid grades in quant courses in college, that's a plus, because MBA adcoms always look for evidence that the applicant can handle the mathematics involved. If it's the quant side that drags the numbers down, it's more of a problem. The point is, read the nuances of your scores. Assess and interpret the picture that emerges. Then develop an application strategy to address that issue. Low numbers vary significantly in the impression they create, depending on the details.

Addressing low quant scores.

Register at your local community college ASAP for calculus and/or statistics if you haven't taken them -- and earn an A! If you earned a D or F in other quant-oriented courses, consider re-taking them as well. If you have time to take additional quant-oriented courses, such as finance or accounting, it will help even more. In your essays, highlight quantitative aspects of your work to demonstrate proficiency. If you have some say in what your recommenders write, ask them to confirm your quantitative ability.

Addressing low verbal scores.

Consistently low verbal scores will raise a red flag. Your essays are the ideal place to neutralize this concern. They should be expressive and flawlessly written. You also should select examples and anecdotes that highlight your communication skills. So excellent essays are a must. Looking beyond the essays, ask recommenders to comment positively on your verbal skills. Finally, you can take a course at a local college that involves substantial writing, either business related or other.

Evaluating the numbers in the context of your demographic profile.

You must first understand your demographic profile vis-a-vis the MBA applicant pool for your chosen school(s). Regardless of how rare a demographic profile may be, an adcom will not admit an applicant if it believes he cannot handle the coursework. Beyond that, it's really a matter of supply-and-demand. Demographics encompass your ethnicity, nationality, gender, and industry background. It is well known that Indian engineers and computer scientists with high numbers are over-represented in the applicant pool, as are white and Asian male investment bankers with high numbers.

Using your essays to counteract the low numbers.

With low numbers, your first hurdle is demonstrating you're qualified. Your low scores may now be "understandable," but they won't excite the adcom, so your work experience must. "Mine" your work experience for all evidence of accomplishment, leadership, and impact. Show through anecdotes and examples that you are a person who makes a difference on the job beyond what's expected. Exceptional contribution and leadership as a volunteer or in another non-work activity also serve this purpose, though with the low numbers, strong work experience is still essential.

Selecting the right schools.

All schools do not give the "pillars" of your application - GMAT, GPA, work experience - the same weight. Columbia and Stanford will put more weight on the GMAT and/or GPA than others. Some will be more interested in the specific qualities, experience, and demographic factors you bring than will others. Select programs that meet your learning needs. Then focus on those that take a more holistic view of applicants and/or those that favor your distinguishing characteristics.

The optional essay.

If your numbers are below the 80% range, they warrant an acknowledgement and an explanation. Similarly, if extenuating circumstances caused the low numbers, those circumstances are an important part of your profile. The optional essay is often the place to make these statements. If you write the optional essay, make it short and straightforward. Provide a brief explanation, take responsibility, and focus on evidence of your talents that counters the impression made by the low stats.

Creating a thoughtful strategy to counteract the effect of low numbers can transform you from a non-viable to a viable applicant at the schools of your choice. However, it's up to you to show the adcom that the numbers don't define you.

Adrien Brody http://mbalive.net runs an informational website that provides guides to business school and business education.

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Applying to your potential MBA programs out there can be a bit of a daunting task. You've probably been working for a few years, and with any luck you're also doing volunteer work and working to further yourself as an outstanding individual. If not volunteer work, you got your GPA, you studied your GMAT and passed, and now it's time to send out those applications. With those applications, though, comes the idea of showing off your skills through the MBA statement of purpose essay portion of your application. So that means you need to start brainstorming and researching each of those programs you want to go to.

So you get your first draft of those essays done. The next step is to find a consulting agency that will help edit your MBA statement of purpose essay. This is a very different process than that of simply editing an essay for a college class, mainly because these editors won't just be checking for style and grammar, but also will be helping you craft your essay into a completely different direction. With a consultant looking at your essays, your typical process will start with a quick edit for the grammar, formatting errors, and also content. That first actual round of your essay editing, though, will mean very extensive feedback. If you're wondering why, it's for one main reason.

In that first round of editing, your consultant is going to make the key decisions with your essays to make sure it is geared towards the school. It's all about your approach, and the MBA essay editing consultant wants to give your essay the strong approach that suits the school so that they see you as their perfect candidate whose goals match their program. It can be discouraging, especially if writing essays isn't your forte or your favorite part of the application process, but don't let it get to you. Look at editing as taking the strengths in your essay and then expanding upon them. You should feel good when your paper comes back with a lot of notes in red and suggestions on directions to go, as it means your consultant has found the potential in your essay and wants to bring it to the front for your admissions representatives.

After you've had a chance to look through those notes, choose an approach suggested by your consultant, and then revise the errors. You'll wind up bringing it back for a second review. Again, you normally will have a consultant looking over this next draft to make sure that you stay focused and can make changes that bring out the strengths in your essay, while removing the weaknesses. Now that you have a draft that has a particular approach, this second edit will probably go faster, as the focus will now be on making sure your goals and the approach work together.

From then on, you will probably have a few more meetings with your consultant to make sure that your MBA essay editing process goes smoothly and that you have a winning essay.

Josh Hohman has created a revolutionary video-based MBA Admissions system: MBA Application Bootcamp! Learn more about the MBA statement of purpose here.

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