Application tips for University of Rochester, Simon Business School
Tell your story in the essays – and don’t forget to proofread!
When answering the essay questions, be honest, be yourself, and align your story with the School’s identity. The Admissions Committee has to determine not only if you are the right fit for Simon, but also if Simon is the right fit for you. After you have completed your essays, ask a friend to review them; a secondary reviewer can help you to catch any errors within your essays that you may have missed.
Consider using the Optional Essay to give your transcripts context.
The Admissions Committee will look at your undergraduate GPA, the strength of the college or university you attended, the rigor of courses taken, your choice of major/minor, and the trend in grades throughout school. Use the Optional Essay to provide an explanation for any gaps in your undergrad coursework or weak performance on your transcript. If your undergraduate performance was below your capabilities, or if you didn’t have much quantitative coursework, you may consider taking a statistics, calculus, economics, or financial accounting class at a local community college. This demonstrates that you are trying to improve your skill set and prepare for b-school.
Be “visible” at Simon.
While not an official component of the application, creating a personal impression can go a long way when applying for admission. If possible, visit Simon to get a feel for the campus, students, staff, and the city of Rochester. If you live internationally, regularly participate in our webinar series. When students visit campus or are attentive to the programming we provide, they are more equipped to answer the elusive “fit” question by having a deeper understanding of what a Simon education has to offer, which could be a great endorsement to your application.
Apply early to earn maximum scholarship support.
While you should wait until all the components of your application are completed to the best of your ability before you submit, as you might expect, the longer you wait to submit your application the more competitive the applicant pool becomes, so I encourage you to start or continue working on your application today. Starting early will give you the most time to prepare your best application. Keep in mind that if you apply by Jan. 5 you will be considered to participate in Scholarship Weekend. |
