University Application Pie Chart: What matters most?

Table of Contents

1. What does an application consist of?

2. How your application is weighted

2.1 Your GMAT/GRE results (20%)

2.2 Your resume/CV (15%)

2.3 Your application (22%)

2.4 Your interview (21%)

3. In summary

Any applicant to a prestigious business school or higher education program wants to submit a well-rounded application that truly showcases their value, academic capabilities, and personal qualities.

But when that application passes across the desk of the admissions team, you’re probably wondering what they’re paying the most attention to. Is it your personal statement, your resume, or the results from your admissions exams?

Fret no longer – because today we’re going to go over exactly what a well-rounded application should look like and how it’s actually weighted when an admissions team is considering your acceptance.

A formal application to an MBA, Masters, or Business school should consistent of these 5 things:

1. Your resume from previous employment
2. Admissions Exam results, such as the GMAT and GRE
3. A personal biography and transcript
4. An interview (if the school requests it)
5. The application itself

Nearly 1/5th of what determines your acceptance is already set in stone, though, such as your work experience, as well as your transcript and biography, so where you really need to focus your attention is on the other 4/5ths of your application.

This might seem like a lot, but the good news is that 78% of what will determine your acceptance into your dream school is within your control, but where should you focus your energy the most?

The GMAT and GRE assessments let the admissions teams know that you can handle the quantitative, qualitative and verbal demands of their MBA programs, as well as the pressure of deadlines, and the ability to think critically in time-sensitive situations.

Although some schools are now allowing applicants to waive these assessments, they still currently account for 1/5th of how you’re assessed, so you can’t skip out on them.

The GMAT alone is scored out of 800, however, the European average currently is 585. A truly stellar applicant can and should achieve at least 600 to showcase their talents.

Luckily, this is one of our specialties at 700+Club, and we’re able to achieve results that are as high as 700 (it’s in our name) in both our private and group GMAT & GRE courses.

And if you want to learn more – just click here!

This might seem like a small percentage, but it’s easily one of the best opportunities outside of your interview to showcase your unique history, talents, and experience!

There are 1,000 different ways to approach writing a resume, though, and it can seem like paralysis by analysis when you get started. However, effective structure, with a balance between your hard and fast accomplishments, and who you are, is the key to writing a powerful resume.

Your application should communicate to admissions teams why exactly you chose their school and the course you’re applying for.

And a large part of communicating this should be done in your personal essay, which is no trivial matter. Applicants in the past with weaker test scores or less experience have been accepted into extremely prestigious schools based on their ability to communicate their personal value in an essay.

However, what makes a good essay? Much like the resume, it needs to be structured in a way that outlines your talents, experience, and personal journey to your chosen course.

We do provide admissions consulting as one of our services. We’ll work with you to craft the perfect resume and guidance on how to “sell your story” to your dream school.

Having helped thousands of students in the past, we know the secret formula that is needed to make your personality, accomplishments, and story stand out to an admissions team.

Which, if you do it right, will lead to… an interview!

The interview is your chance to sit down 1-to-1 with your dream school’s admissions team. At this point, they’ll know your capabilities, they’ll understand your assessment scores, and they’ll have read your personal statement – so what do you need to do to make the most of this process?

In short, you need to meet the expectations that your application has set. Business schools in particular love an applicant with personality and charisma. After all, it’s a vital skill to have when you migrate back into the professional world.

The best way to prepare you for this is regular practice; fielding questions you might expect from the admissions board, relating your personal story in a succinct and charismatic way, and working on your personal presentation skills.

Once more, this is an area that we’re experts in, and part of our Admissions Consulting also includes mock interview questions, interview scenarios, and more – all of which will help you make an impact in real life that only adds to the rest of your application.

This might seem overwhelming, but see these weighted assessments and the application process overall, as an ability to shore up any weaknesses in your capabilities, and to communicate 78% of the reason why an admissions team should accept you.

It’s part of the reason we offer a holistic approach at 700+Club, too, because we understand that a successful application is the result of its sum parts.

If you decide to use our services, we’ll work with you to exceed your current expectations for scores on the GMAT and GRE with our dedicated courses. We can then also provide you with Admissions Consulting to help you set up your entire application for success.

If you want to learn more – just click here to see what courses are on offer right now!