Decoding MBA Admissions: The ACE Scale for Success
Gaining admission to your dream business school is challenging, given the fierce competition and the “black box” nature of the evaluation process. Did you know many MBA admissions committees use the “ACE” scale to assess applicants? It focuses on three primary factors: Academics, Contribution, and Employability. Today, we’ll break down this approach and guide you through what AdComs look for in each category.
Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
First Up on the ACE Scale: Academics
Your academic background is the foundation of your MBA application. The AdCom places heavy emphasis on your undergraduate GPA, coursework rigor, and GMAT or GRE scores. They want to ensure you have the intellectual horsepower to thrive in a challenging MBA program.
Undergraduate GPA
Your GPA matters because it shows your ability to execute in an academic environment. While a stellar GPA can bolster your application, AdComs understand not all applicants follow a straight and narrow path. If your undergraduate grades weren’t perfect, don’t despair.
Know that you’ll need to address this shortcoming somewhere in your application. You don’t want to sound whiny or make excuses; confront the issue head-on. Explain any circumstances that may have affected your academic performance and how you’ve grown since then.
GMAT or GRE Scores
Competitive scores on standardized tests are essential but aren’t the be-all and end-all. These scores help admissions committees compare applicants on a level playing field, but they also look for consistency across your application.
“The scores provide important information to schools about whether you’re prepared to handle both the intellectual rigor and the significant coursework of business school,” Anthony Ritz, SBC’s Director of Test Prep, explains.
A robust profile, including exceptional work experience and contributions to your community, can offset a lower GMAT or GRE score.
Check out: The Round Two Clock is Ticking…Should You Retake the GMAT?
Coursework and Rigor
The courses you’ve taken during your undergraduate years matter. Admissions committees favor applicants who have challenged themselves with rigorous coursework. If you had few to no quant classes in undergrad, a supplemental math class might strengthen your profile. This is especially true for applicants with a low GPA, GMAT, or GRE score or who have not had exposure to finance or accounting in their careers.
SBC consultants often recommend an online Math for Management class offered through UCLA and UC Berkeley’s online extension programs. “I really like these two specific classes because they not only give you give an overview of your quant skills, but they also help you prepare for the MBA curriculum ahead,” says SBC Principal Consultant Caryn.
Contribution: How You Make a Difference
Beyond your academic qualifications, MBA programs want to know what else you bring to the table. For this aspect of the ACE scale, they’re looking for candidates who will engage with the program and contribute positively to the school community.
As an MBA applicant, it’s essential to show how you can add value to the business school if accepted. Think of concrete ways beyond fulfilling course requirements and getting the degree. For example, what are your points of differentiation from other candidates? You may have a distinctive leadership style or knowledge you can share with the class. Share with the admissions committee how you will add to the existing organizations or mention your ideas for creating new ones.
During the admissions process, you can also show your dedication to giving back to the school and the broader community after graduation. Doing so can signal your long-term commitment to the MBA program, its mission, and your willingness to contribute to the school’s future success and impact.
Extracurricular Activities
AdComs like to take a cue from your time in undergrad. If you participated in clubs, student government, sports, etc., during that time, they view that as a predictor of what you might be like as a graduate student.
Your involvement in extracurricular activities demonstrates your leadership skills and your ability to work in a team. Highlight your achievements, whether it’s through student clubs, volunteer work, or sports. Explain how these experiences have shaped your character and prepared you for a rigorous MBA program.
Diversity and Perspective
At SBC, we work with an increasing number of applicants interested in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion – either because they are passionate about these topics, see DEI as a possible post-MBA career path, or both.
Listen to B-Schooled Podcast #116: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the MBA
MBA programs value diversity, not only in ethnicity but also in life experiences and perspectives. Your unique background can be a significant asset. Use your application to showcase how your individuality can enrich the classroom environment.
Letters of Recommendation
The rec. letter provides a fresh, third-person perspective on your skill set. Above all, your recommenders should enhance your application by offering new and valuable insights into you as a person.
Ask recommenders to provide concrete examples of how you’ve made a difference in their organizations. A persuasive letter will showcase your leadership, analytical ability, communication skills, and integrity. These are traits MBA admissions committees want to see in applicants.
Hear how SBC consultant Sherry, a former AdCom member at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, advises her clients about obtaining rec letters:
@stacyblackmanconsulting #MBArecommendations #SBCyourfuture ? original sound – Stacy Blackman Consulting
Employability: Your Pathway to Career Success
Admissions committees know that most applicants pursue an MBA to further their careers. Nowadays, career placement and starting salary heavily influence many well-known MBA rankings. So, it only makes sense that the admissions committee and career services staff often team up to make sure their admit offers go to candidates who will secure promising job opportunities.
The employability aspect of the ACE scale is critical. Certainly, no school wants to admit someone who will have little chance of landing their dream job after they’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the degree.
Work Experience
The quality and quantity of your work experience is a pivotal part of your application. Apart from deferred MBA admissions programs, business schools prefer candidates with three to five years working in roles that show leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills.
Career Goals
You must be clear about your post-MBA career goals. Admissions committees want to understand how the program aligns with your aspirations and how they can help you achieve them. A well-articulated career plan indicates that you’ve examined your goals and are a serious applicant.
Networking and Alumni Connections
MBA programs often boast strong alumni networks. Highlight your enthusiasm for tapping into these connections, which can be instrumental in securing post-MBA employment. The admissions committee wants to see that you are proactive and keen to leverage the program’s resources.
“We look for candidates who ACE the application process by showing they are prepared to hit the ground running here and make the most of the MBA experience,” this UCLA Anderson admissions blog post explains. “The best applicants come and prove how much potential they have to boost themselves up, add to our community and ultimately benefit the world.”
In summary, it’s not only about having a stellar GPA or test score. Your application must showcase how your unique experiences, contributions, and career aspirations align with the values and goals of the MBA program you’re targeting.
To increase your admit chances, prove your academic aptitude, your impact on your community, and your potential for career success. By mastering these three components of the ACE scale, you’ll be well on your way to embarking on a transformative journey toward your professional goals.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership to hourly help reviewing your MBA resume. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
