Applying in Round 1? Here’s a Checklist for June

With June kicking off this past week, there are roughly 100 days remaining until Round 1 MBA deadlines.

Melisa Prevost, an admissions consultant at Stratus Admissions Counseling, recently put together a June pre-MBA to-do list with tips on how to get a head start on admissions deadlines.

SET YOUR GOALS

If you haven’t already, now is a good time to solidify both your short- and long-term goals.

For short-term goals, Prevost recommends specifying the type of role, company, and industry you imagine working in.

“Your goal should be both ambitious and achievable,” Prevost says. “With current recruiting headwinds, we are hearing from admissions teams that having two short-term options that can lead you to the same long-term goal shows flexibility and knowledge of the market.”

Long-term goals are a view into your career five to 10 years down the line.

“Your long-term vision defines your end goal, the peak of your career — answering the question ‘what you want to be when you grow up,’” says Heidi Hillis of Fortuna Admissions. “In response, it’s unnecessary to delve into exacting detail. Instead, your focus should be on the impact you want to have throughout your professional career. The admissions committee wants to know your values and motivations and how you plan to influence an industry or community.”

PLAN YOUR TESTS

Now is also a good time to get a head start on testing, especially if you haven’t taken your first exam yet.

“Taking the test now will give you time to reassess and retake before you get too deep into the application process for Round 1,” Prevost says. “Remember that there is a required wait time between tests, so be aware of that time frame.”

UPDATE YOUR RESUME

Read over your resume and make sure you’re highlighting things that admissions officers are looking for, such as impact and performance indicators.

“Keep in mind that your resume is only one component of your MBA application, so be careful about duplicating material that a reader will find elsewhere,” Prevost says. “The one time that your resume will need to stand alone with respect to business school applications is during an interview. Make sure that anything you might want to discuss in an interview is referenced on your resume.”

Sources: Stratus Admissions Counseling, Fortuna Admissions

Next Page: Landing a Job in Investment Banking