It’s awards season! In honor of the upcoming Oscars, we cordially invite you to subscribe to the critically acclaimed Tuck 360: MBA Blog. (Evening gowns and tuxedos are encouraged, but not required.)
And now in its debut viewing, it is our greatest pleasure to present, “Why applying to b-school is like writing a movie script!”
You need a compelling plot.
What is it about applying to bschool makes sense to the current story of your life/career?
What makes you a good candidate for business school?
What’s your motivation?
Do all the individual scenes, err…pieces, make sense as a whole?
You need others to support your effort.
Talk to your family, friends and colleagues about your decision. Ask their advice. Seek their help in raising questions you may not have considered. Connect with current students and/or alumni from the schools you’re considering. And when you do, be prepared with well-informed questions and requests for advice. Finally, identify colleagues who will be able to help sell your candidacy. This should be someone who is a current or former supervisor, or a close collaborator who can speak to your talents, potential, and areas for growth.
You need to be prepared for your close-up.
Give yourself plenty of time to reflect and think about the things that help you to stand out. Having a clear understanding of what you could bring to the classroom—and to the community—will help you write compelling essays and ace the interview. Have someone who knows you review your essays. Is the picture you’re presenting representative of you? Is it in your authentic voice and does it address the question being asked in an illuminating yet concise way? Practice telling your story verbally, too. Just don’t rehearse so much that it sounds unnatural. A true move star doesn’t need cue cards!