How to Get Into MIT Sloan School of Management

MIT Sloan School of Management is one of the most renowned business schools in the US, with more than 5,000 applicants each year. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Sloan welcomes applicants from diverse academic backgrounds, including social and physical sciences, humanities, engineering, and, of course, business.

This article will cover everything you need to know if you are thinking of applying to the MIT Sloan MBA program.

MIT Sloan School of Management

Becoming a Qualifying Candidate for MIT Sloan’s MBA Program

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Before beginning the application process, you need to figure out if you currently qualify for an MIT Sloan MBA. The factors you need to consider are your GMAT score, post-college work experience, leadership skills and experience, and undergraduate GPA. Further, you should note any honors or awards you have received in your MIT Sloan application.

Generally, if you have an impressive GMAT score and at least 5 years of work experience, you are ready to apply to business school.

Acing the GMAT

To get into most top MBA programs, you’ll need to make sure you earn a high score on the GMAT. The average GMAT score for admitted MIT Sloan students is 730, meaning that starting early is crucial. Specifically, in case your GMAT score is too low, you will have time to retake the GMAT to increase your test scores in time for application deadlines.

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If your resume is not as impressive as you might desire, your GMAT score is an opportunity to figure out how you can build your profile to have a greater chance in the future. Further, you can make up for gaps in your profile with a unique personal history, impressive extracurricular activities, or any other outstanding achievements.

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Building the Right Profile for MIT Sloan

Along with your general qualifications, including professional experience, academic performance, and a competitive GMAT score, the MIT Sloan admissions committee is looking for MBA students who will fit in with the rest of the student body and increase the school’s reputation. MIT students come from diverse backgrounds, so you should complement these differences with your own story.

This is another reason you should start your application process early, leaving time to compose essays that focus on what makes you unique. Further, you need to demonstrate that you fit in with the culture at MIT Sloan and have concrete reasons why the MIT Sloan MBA program is right for you, as opposed to other top-ranking business schools. One way you can do this is to cite aspects of the MIT Sloan curriculum that will help you achieve your future goals.

Networking with MIT Sloan MBAs

An additional way you can build a strong profile is to demonstrate that you already have a network at MIT. As an added bonus, talking to current students and alumni will help you understand what MIT is looking for and how to market yourself as a competitive applicant. One way to do this is to attend MBA events and campus visits. Further, you can reach out to MIT students and alumni via LinkedIn to build your network.

Writing a Great Application

The next step is to get started on your written MBA application. On the application, you will be required to submit your resume or cover letter, add references, and upload your essays.

Filling out an application might come across as a rudimentary step, but make no mistake, the process of putting all the pieces together on the application form can be deceptively time-consuming. It is crucial that you allocate enough time to get it just right.

The MIT Sloan Essay

Essays are a big part of the application puzzle, as they are where you get to highlight your profile and demonstrate what makes you unique. This is an opportunity to engage the admissions committee with great storytelling, communicating how you fit into the MIT Sloan MBA community.

Recommendation Letters

To apply, to MIT Sloan, you will need two letters of recommendation. To ensure that you stand out and impress the admissions committee, you should let your recommenders know early so that they have plenty of time to prepare and write a detailed recommendation. The earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to start cultivating your relationship with potential references.

Prepare for your MIT Sloan Interview

The final step of the admissions process is the interview. If you receive an interview invitation, you should spend time preparing with practice questions. The better prepared you are to answer any possible questions, the higher your chances are of making a good impression. Further, practicing your interviewing skills and preparing will help you feel less nervous when the big day comes.

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Best Tips for How to get into MIT Sloan

  1. Become a qualifying candidate
    • Get the highest GMAT score possible to compete with other applicants.
    • Ensure you have five years of professional experience when you start at MIT.
  2. Build the right profile
    • Organize campus visits and network with students and alumni to ensure that you know what MIT is looking for. Demonstrate that you understand the culture of the school (and the ways you will fit into that culture and get along with future classmates).
  3. Write a great application
    • … starting with a great personal essay! Your essays will be an opportunity for you to go beyond the stats and communicate what makes you different from other MBA applicants. Good storytelling is important and it indicates to the admissions committee that you can meaningfully reflect on your personal and professional experiences prior to applying.
    • Reach out to your references. You will be asked for two letters of recommendation, so make sure you are cultivating professional relationships and giving your references plenty of time to write their recommendations.
  4. Practice for your interview
    • Once you have been invited to an MIT interview, it is time to begin prepping. The MIT interviews can be overwhelming, so be diligent in your preparations. One great way of doing this is to work with practice questions.
  5. Start early!
    • Make sure you have all your general qualifications in order and that you have a long runway to work on any gaps in your profile before the application deadline. This includes time to gain more experience at work, participate in extracurriculars, and get a good GMAT score.

All of the steps outlined above will help you understand that burning question: how to get into MIT Sloan’s MBA program. Becoming an MIT graduate will surely open many exciting doors and prepare you for a successful professional life.

Hopefully, our guide has not only helped to explain how to win admission but has also posed the question of whether MIT is the right school for you. If so, then we wish you all the best on the application!

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