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MBA applicant asking about including a news interview in his application package

by | Nov 1, 2013 | Bschool admissions, Business School, Education, international applicants | 0 comments

The email below came to me from an Indian applicant who was recently interviewed for an article in BusinessWeek. His question to me is about whether he should include a copy of the article in his MBA application and, if so, how/where he should do so.

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TD wrote:

Hi Marquis Parker

I am TD, college senior from India. In the beginning of this year I was interviewed by a reporter from BusinessWeek magazine about my opinion on CAT vs GMAT as well as about my profile (CAT is a very competitive entrance exam for a MBA in India). And to my amaze she wrote a a lot (~40%) about me in the article (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-25/abandon-hope-an-elite-indian-b-schools-wild-selectivity ). This article was first published online in feb13 and then in april13 in print magazine. Please go through this article, its a nice read.

Now I dont know should I write about this article in my application or not. If yes, then where should I include this and how should I include this? I want to include this article because it somehow acknowledges my reason to go for international MBA and what I really like about its admission process. But, I don’t want to boast about myself and want to be humble while I present this. What do you suggest? And how about including the article link in “Additional material” section?

I am aiming for HBS 2+2, GSB, Chicago Booth, Yale in this application round. I have also attached my Resume for a brief overview of my profile. Awaiting your reply.

Regards
TD

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My response:

TD,

Thanks for checking out my blog and thinking of me as a resource for your question. Hopefully, my response covers all of the issues that you’re hoping for.

When clicked on the link in your email, I realized that I’d already seen the article before. I actually read it back when BusinessWeek first posted it a while back. It’s pretty cool that the reporter found you and incorporated your thoughts into the piece. Now, on to your question…

If I were you, I wouldn’t include the article as a major part of your application because it isn’t really additive to your profile. While it is great to have been interviewed for the piece, It feels like the article would be just an extra thing in the app and, when it comes to the MBA process, you should want everything that you submit to be beneficial for your profile. I know that you see the article as describing your reasons for wanting an international MBA, but this messaging should be clear from the MBA application essays that you write. If you leverage the essays correctly, you shouldn’t need the BW article to do any additional communication of your message.

If you really, really, really want the article to be a part of your application package, an alternative way to include it is to mention it in one if your admissions essays. If you do this, you can embed a link to the BW.com page into the text of your essay and the reader can click on it if he/she wants to check it out. This approach would allow the article to be a part of your application without it appearing that you’re trying to make it a highlight of your submission.

Of course, what I’ve described above is only my opinions, so I’d recommend that you reach out to some other MBA alums and get their thoughts. That way, you’ll be able to make a fully informed decision on how to proceed.

Take care and good luck on your applications.

Marquis