The road to grad school can be a long one with several moving pieces. In last week’s blog, we talked about the GMAT and the importance of creating a plan for preparation. This week, we’re going to take a look at some of the key decision points that you’ll need to make, some of which are inter-dependent with your GMAT preparation and performance.
Often, folks will decide on a program and program type based on convenience, but there are several factors to think about as you start researching your future home for the next 1 to 3 years. First, why are you going back to school? Are you looking to further your career and stay in your current industry? Or are you looking to switch industries altogether and will an MBA give you not only the skillset to do so but access to a larger professional network? And while you’re at it, are you thinking of going to school full-time or at night? If the answer if full-time, does it make sense to look at a one year program so you’re only out of the workforce for a year?
As you can see, there’s much to consider before you even start thinking about actual institutions. Once you’ve gotten a handle on your motivations and preferences, then the real research begins. Just because an institution is consistently ranked in the Top 10 in various publications doesn’t mean it will be the best fit for you. If you’re looking for a quant-heavy program that will set you up for a job on Wall Street or a career in banking and finance, chances are those institutions might not be the same ones that will deliver an overall general management and leadership program. You probably heard much of this advice when you were applying to undergrad universities – your top choice isn’t going to be the top choice of every person you grew up with because you’re all pursuing different careers and opportunities. Business school is no different. As you’re thinking about these questions, take notes! You can kill two birds with one stone since you’ll likely be addressing a lot of these questions in your application and personal statement.
Take InventoryJust like you took inventory of skills, strengths and weaknesses with the GMAT, take some time to review your résumé and academic history. If there are gaps in employment, be prepared to address those. If you took finance, accounting and statistics in college and didn’t do so well, think about signing up to re-take them at a local university or community college. Being able to demonstrate not only improvement but a consistent commitment to improve is highly valued by schools. If you were a liberal arts major and don’t have some of these courses on your transcript, consider signing up as well. It’s a great to show schools that you’re serious about the program, but more importantly can handle the quant that you’ll be exposed to in your first year.
Also think about extracurricular activities. Have you challenged yourself to find organizations and activities that allowed you to demonstrate leadership or develop a new skill? As previously mentioned, we’ll touch on all of these tasks over the next few weeks so you can put together your best application and find the program that will be the best fit for your skills and future plans. | 
