Application Tip From Ross Admissions Director
Soojin Kwon Koh, admissions director at the Ross School of Business, has issued the first installment of her application tips in hopes of demystifying the process for prospective applicants.
The University of Michigan is still in the final testing stages before rolling out a new online application system campus-wide, and Soojin expects the full-time MBA application to go live by Sept. 1
And now, for Soojin’s first application tip:
The first essay question asks you to briefly introduce yourself, and the director acknowledges that the short word count may leave some applicants wondering, “What can/should I say about myself in 100 words?”
“While I can’t tell you what a ‘successful’ response might look like, since this is the first time we’re using this question,” says Soojin, “I can share a couple things we’re not looking for in Essay 1:
- A summary of your resume or your stats (e.g., where you went to school, your GMAT score, etc.). We’ll already have reviewed those before we get to your essays, so no need to repeat.
- A preview of your responses to the other essay questions (e.g., your goals, why Ross, your passions, etc.).
You may wonder how you can introduce yourself without referencing your career to date. It’s okay to weave it into your essay, but don’t let that be the sum total of what you write.”
As an exercise, Soojin asks applicants to imagine what they would say to the director if they met at an event and had only one minute to make a positive, lasting impression.
“Don’t feel like you have to approach it in a particular way or talk about a particular aspect of yourself,” she urges.
In addition to working on your essays, Soojin suggests applicants use this time to give your recommenders their questions so they can begin drafting their responses.
To learn more about Ross, check out dean Robert Dolan‘s recently published statement to prospective applicants explaining what sets Ross apart from other MBA programs.
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