[申请攻略] Insider Tips to Yale MBA Application

Personal Information: Where your story begins

The Admissions Committee seeks to understand elements of your personal background that may provide context for the choices and opportunities that have shaped your academic, professional, and personal experiences. All questions in this section are optional. If you would like to provide additional information to expand on your responses to any of these questions, please do so in the “Optional Information” section under the “Essay” menu.

Test Scores: One piece of a larger picture

MBA applicants tend to put a lot of emphasis on test scores, but remember that they are just one piece of a larger picture. They give us some sense of your level of preparation for the core curriculum, but we consider all parts of your application when evaluating your candidacy and long-term potential.
We accept both the GMAT and the GRE. The admissions committee has no preference between the two exams, and we’re well versed in evaluating scores from each. When completing this section of your application, you only need to list your two highest scores to-date.
Send your official GMAT scores through www.mba.com (code 3TJ-BX-45). Send your official GRE scores through www.ets.org (code 3986). Note: Yale SOM has multiple GMAT and GRE codes. Be sure to send your scores to the codes above, which correspond to the Yale SOM full-time MBA program. We do not require non-native English speakers to submit an English language test such as the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
GMAC now allows you to only share one score rather than  your entire test score history. Nevertheless, we encourage you to share your test score history. Although we evaluate your candidacy based on the highest achieved, it’s helpful to see previous scores as they may include higher sub section scores, and they give us a sense of your commitment to the test.
Test scores must be less than five years old, measured from the deadline of the round in which you apply. For example, if you are applying in Round 2 (deadline of January 7, 2020), we will accept a GMAT or GRE score taken after January 7, 2015. We can’t guarantee that we will be able to review scores from exams taken after the application date, so plan to have all of your testing done in advance of the application deadline. If you do end up retaking a test after the application deadline, you will be able to enter the new score on your applicant status page. Always be sure to have your official score report sent from GMAC or ETS.

When we say we have no preference between the GMAT and GRE, we really mean it. Take whatever exam you feel most comfortable with. I also recommend being a bit strategic. If you know you’ll want to apply for a joint degree, maybe the GRE would be best for you since you can likely use that score to apply to both programs. If you’re thinking about a career in consulting or investment banking, keep in mind those firms are generally looking for a GMAT score on candidates’ resumes. If you’ve tried taking one of the exams a couple of times and aren’t attaining the score you’re hoping for, maybe it would be a good idea to try the other exam to see if that’s a better fit for you.
—Amy Abood, Senior Associate Director of Admissions

Academic Record: You are more than your overall GPA

What is done is done – there isn’t much you can do now to change your overall GPA from your undergraduate experience. However, it isn’t just about the overall number. As with your entire application, we are very interested in the story or the whole picture. What was the progression? Did you have an opportunity to take courses outside of your major? Were you working a job in undergrad to pay for your education? There are so many other factors that weigh into this picture.
—Kate Botelho, Associate Director of Admissions

Resume: How to showcase your experiences

Your resume is a great place to ground your application. It’s a quick and easy way for the committee to see what you’ve been doing throughout your life and career in a chronological way. Simple stuff: Proof-read it and spell-check it!
—Rebekah Melville, Director of Financial Aid and Admissions Committee member

Recommendations: The who, what, and when

We ask for two letters of recommendation. Recommendations are a way for us to get a different perspective on your candidacy from people who have worked with you and who know you well.
Unless you are applying as an undergraduate student, your two recommendations should be professional in nature. Many candidates ask us who the best people are to write their recommendations. Our answer is that they should be people who know your work well and preferably who are senior to you, not peers or subordinates.
Ideally one of your recommendations will be from your current supervisor. However, sometimes this is not possible. Maybe that person is a family member, or maybe you’re an entrepreneur, or maybe you haven’t told your supervisor you are considering leaving to earn your MBA. In these cases, we would suggest you look to your most recent former supervisor. In general, we care about the quality of the recommendation, not the title of the recommender.
The more insight your recommenders can provide in their evaluations, the better we’re able to understand your story and gauge your potential. You may also want to think about finding two recommenders who can speak to different strengths and skills sets.
We encourage you to reach out to your recommenders in advance and schedule some time to talk with them about your desire to earn an MBA – maybe  even reflect together on some of the growth experiences you’ve had and how you expect to add value to an MBA community. This can be great preparation for them to write you a thoughtful and comprehensive recommendation.
We do suggest, however, that you do not send your recommenders your essays or other written materials because they may incorporate them into their recommendations. Seeing the same language in your essays and recommendations may raise concerns to us about the independence of the recommendations, even if you were only trying to be helpful to your recommenders.
Finally, please note that this year we are allowing recommenders to submit their recommendations in Mandarin or Spanish. Our hope is that this change will make the process easier for recommenders who do not speak English and will give you more options in your choice of recommenders.

Try not to ‘title chase.’ Choose someone who actually knows you.
—Jourdan Brooks, Assistant Director of Community and Inclusion

Essay: What we’re looking for
We have one essay question: “Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.” We developed this question in collaboration with Amy Wrzesniewski, a professor of organizational behavior at Yale SOM. Your time in business school, and the choices you make thereafter, represent significant commitments. In asking this question, the Admissions Committee is seeking to learn about how you have approached a commitment of importance in your life.
When it comes to choosing a topic, be genuine. We want to hear about something that is meaningful and distinctive to you, in your own voice. Your commitment can be personal, specific or expansive. We receive outstanding, insightful essays covering a wide range of topics.
The content of your essay is every bit as important as the topic. Regardless of the commitment that you choose, the most effective essays do a great job of describing your approach to commitment. Point to the specific actions that you have taken, over time, to bolster your commitment. This is especially important if you have chosen a broad topic, such as an ideal or a belief. Don’t just explain why a commitment is important to you; we want to understand how your behaviors have demonstrated and supported your commitment.

The first thing that may come to mind about our essay question is, ‘Why is it phrased so broadly?’ That’s intentional. We don’t want candidates to think that we are trying to steer them towards a particular kind of commitment, either in nature or scope. The question is meant to elicit self-reflection and result in you describing a commitment that is truly meaningful to you.
—Maria Derlipanska, Senior Associate Director of Admissions

Optional Information: It is truly optional

The optional information section is not an additional essay, and most candidates do not need to complete this section. This is a space where you can address any questions you think the admissions committee may have about your application.  For example, if there’s a gap on your resume or you’ve chosen an unconventional recommender, this is the appropriate place to provide clarification.

Behavioral Assessment: We’re going beyond the academic record
Yale SOM is committed to continuous innovation in the ways we identify future members of our community.  We look for broadminded, intellectually curious students that represent a diversity of backgrounds and interests.  The newest component of our application process is the Behavioral Assessment, although we’ve been working on it behind the scenes for more than five years.
The Behavioral Assessment is an online admissions tool administered by the research division of ETS. It  measures a set of interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies associated with business school success.  It is a forced-choice module that takes about 20 minutes to complete and should be completed in a single sitting.  You do not need to do anything in advance to prepare for the assessment, nor does it require any specialized knowledge or background. While the assessment alone will not be the deciding factor for admission, it can provide valuable information when used in context with other elements of an application.

I can certainly appreciate how any new application component could create anxiety in an applicant. I hope it will put applicants at ease to know that our use of this assessment is geared towards allowing the committee to take more chances on candidates whose traditional metrics may not be the best predictors of success. To truly fulfill Yale SOM’s mission of educating leaders for business and society, we need a community of students whose backgrounds, experiences, and interests are diverse and expansive. If we limit ourselves to applicants who perform best on traditional academic measures like GMAT, GRE, or undergraduate GPA, we may miss out on candidates with extraordinary professional experience or personal backgrounds that would add vital perspectives to the classroom. At the same time, it’s our responsibility to ensure we bring students into the program who will succeed in the classroom—we don’t want to set up students for failure. The Behavioral Assessment gives us an additional piece of information to use in assessing who will perform effectively in the curriculum, specifically by helping us predict who will perform better than their academic history would suggest. So, it will allow us to take more chances on candidates without the strongest academic or testing profiles, but who nonetheless have what it takes to succeed in the classroom and who undoubtedly will make significant contributions to our community because of their experience and perspective.
—Laurel Grodman, Managing Director of Admissions

Video Questions: Designed to set you up for success

You will receive access to the video questions after you submit your application and pay your application fee. The video questions are not a substitute for the interview; they are a component of your MBA application.
Every candidate will receive three randomized, previously recorded questions asked by an admissions team member. No two applicants will have the same set of questions. The questions asked are similar to typical interview questions, and there are no “trick questions.” We are not trying to stump you.
After the question has been asked, two of the questions will allow for 20 seconds to gather your thoughts and 60 seconds to deliver an answer. The third question asked will allow for 30 seconds to prepare your response and 90 seconds to respond. You do not need to fill the entire response time. You can complete your answer and end the recording.

Here are a few tips on the video exercise. First, know you’re going to be great! This is not a deal breaker or maker. It doesn’t require any preparation beyond the practice tool you can access before you start your recordings. Don’t stress; we’re trying to set you up for success. One piece of advice is to familiarize yourself with the 60-90 second time frame. You don’t want to feel rushed in your answer, and you also don’t want to only utilize 10 seconds. Next, practice using Skype so that you can be comfortable speaking to a computer camera, which can feel awkward for some. And finally, be sure you have a good internet connection and a quiet, private space. You’d be surprised how many ‘bloopers’ we see in the video questions due to an unexpected colleague, partner, or pet joining your session!
—Kristen Mercuri, Deputy Director of Admissions

Interview: A two-way street
The interviews are offered by invitation on a rolling basis throughout the round. The email invitations are not sent out by region, so if you have a friend in your area who has received an invitation but you haven’t yet, it is not a signal about your chances of receiving an invitation.
If you receive an invitation, it will be an offer to come to campus for a 30-minute interview conducted by a second-year student. If visiting campus is not possible for you, we offer virtual interviews or interviews conducted by members of the Admissions team in major international cities. The interview is blind, meaning your interviewer will only know what they see on your resume.
By the time you’ve been invited to interview, we’ve evaluated the “hard” aspects of your application—academic record, work experience, career interests, etc.—and we think you could succeed in the Yale SOM academic environment. The interview stage is about assessing fit in both directions. Remember you’re interviewing us just as much as we’re evaluating you. No matter where you interview or who you interview with, it should feel like a conversation.
—Amy Abood, Senior Associate Director of Admissions