If you have listened to any of our talks about admissions strategy you would have heard that it is important to convince the admissions committee you are a perfect fit for their program. Why is that so? This is because beyond strong test scores and grades, schools are seeking candidates who are likely to take full advantage of their unique educational resources and contribute to the learning community. With this in mind, most people would agree that sending the same exact statement of purpose (SOP) essay to ten different schools is not a winning strategy. Indeed, as part of our Start-to-Finish Consulting Service packages, when brainstorming with clients we will focus on identifying ways to convince the school that they are excited to get involved and contribute, while also pointing to the aspects of the curriculum and other campus resources that match especially well with the applicant’s needs.
Nonetheless, applicants shouldn’t take this idea of “fit” too far and overthink the situation. It is unwise to pretend to be someone you are not in an attempt to demonstrate that you fit what you think the program is looking for. For example, Yale School of Management (SOM) has a reputation for its strength regarding nonprofits and the public sectors. In fact, they were one of the last top universities to establish an MBA program when they did so in 1976. Before that time Yale only offered a Master’s in Public and Private Management. Based on this long standing tradition, Yale SOM has built a brand around their dedication to social impact. Naturally, enterprising applicants eager to exhibit their fit will highlight their social impact credentials. This sounds reasonable, except that it only makes sense for people with long social service track records. In short, it is not absolutely necessary to concoct an impact-oriented career plan and oversell past volunteering experiences (that may not actually be very impressive) to gain admission to this program. But don’t just take our word for it, Yale SOM’s Assistant Dean emphasized this point in a 2022 blog post.
Similarly, try not to rely too heavily on stereotypes and strengths of a school when applying for a program. For instance, the INSEAD MBA program is renowned for its connections to the leading management consulting firms, regularly placing 40% or more of its graduating class in this industry. Naturally, applicants eager to forge careers as consultants are interested in this program. We often see INSEAD MBA applicants that have no interest in consulting whatsoever feel pressure to make consulting their career goal in an effort to convince the admissions team that they fit what they believe is the school’s desired career outcome. Keep in mind that admissions teams will seek to compile a diverse class, in terms of ethnicity, industry, and domain knowledge, and that there is no preferred future career plan. Manufacturing an insincere career statement could be detrimental to one’s application, since it is difficult to show solid logic and passion for a career you are not really sincere about (especially in INSEAD’s two high-pressure alumni interviews).
The bottom line is that while convincing a school that things like your personality, career goals, learning needs and preferred involvement can be helpful in displaying fit in certain situations, it will only work if it makes sense based on one’s background and can be done with sincerity. Business schools want to build cohorts that are diverse and dynamic, so that students can share and learn from one another, while creating a rich community. An authentic career plan and value statement is much more likely to work to your advantage as a candidate than trying to conform to what you think the school wants you to be or do.