When it comes to studying MBA and opting for B-schools and all the formalities that it entails, the whole task of deciding gets too difficult. Almost a majority of MBA aspirants depend on hefty scholarships to opt for studying in top international Business schools, which means getting proper and reliable information is crucial.
But it is not possible for just anybody to offer valid and updated details about such aspects. That is why MBA aspirants reach out to admission consultants.
Are you at similar crossroads looking for some help?
Well, worry not, for MBA admissions consulting experts can make your life, and admission much easier than you can imagine!
So, should you hire an MBA admission consultant?
Well, here are five questions you should ask yourself before you decide.
How good are you at formal communication?
If you don’t know what works, and whatnot, then you should think again before filing the application form alone unless you want to re-attempt it. You should start by assessing the quality of your writing, not just blogs and emails but pieces that can qualify as business communication. You should practice penning down essays about your goals and be prepared for meetings and interviews.
Do you know your USP?
There are tons of applications submitted every year specifying some common traits, like Indian, IT, etc, and nonetheless, of say, a significant number of such applications get rejected. You need to determine the quality that differentiates you from others and should be able to write it in detail. So just saying that you are a leader would not be sufficient and you will have to write down how your leadership qualities have brought in a big change.
Are you aware of your weaknesses?
Before answering this question, you would have to understand the category of your weakness. Weakness is of two types – the first type is when you have shortcomings in your skills and soft skills and the 2nd type when there are underlying flaws in your application. For example, is your entrance exam marks low compared to the rest of your academic results? Make sure to let the consult guide you in such cases, otherwise there is a high chance of your application getting declined.
Do you know which of the success stories you can share?
First, ask yourself do you have any such success stories upon highlighting which you would be benefitted. If you have a couple of success incidents it is important to know which stories to share. You should understand what the essay is asking you and answer accordingly.
How much time do you have?
When you involve a professional in your MBA application process, you need some time in hand. This is because a few levels of quality control take place which automatically increases the overall time taken to decide. So if you are planning to submit your application within 3-4 days you might want to skip hiring a consultant.
What are some of the parameters to consider before hiring an admission consultant?
Before taking the next step of hiring, ask these questions to yourself:
Are the available consultants good enough?
Although there is not a simple and straightforward way of answering this, you should arrive at a partial answer at least. You can do this by asking for recommendations among your network and then check for pieces of evidence of their quality.
Can you afford the services?
MBA consulting services come in numerous distinct price points and therefore it is important to consider all your options before jumping to the buying process.
How long is their industrial experience?
The longer the experience, the more is the expertise, and the faster your application submission will be. If they have been doing it for some time now then they know all the crooks of the application and they will be able to share some tricks and tips with you to help you get started and be successful.
There might be many other factors that you would like to consider while deciding on seeking expert guidance from MBA admissions consultants. But when you have these basic criteria in mind, your decision will be firm and wise.
