This blog post is part of our “Application Insider” blog post series that provides insider information, tips, and advice about applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program.

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APPLICATION INSIDER TOPIC:

CORE QUALITIES WE LOOK FOR IN APPLICANTS

You are likely looking at a lot of different MBA options at the moment. You are probably even thinking to yourself, “all these programs seem similar, so what’s the difference?” The difference is in the students and the community in which you will join. Here at UCLA Anderson, we are rooted by three pillars: Share success, think fearlessly and drive change. These three values are in the DNA of our school and is what we also look for in having prospective students join the #AnderFam. Fit is important because a big portion of the MBA experience occurs outside of the classroom. At UCLA Anderson, we value people who not only share their success but look to actively leave an impact at the school.

When crafting a story for the admissions committee on why a program like UCLA Anderson is right for you, you must address three critical points: 

1. Why MBA?
2. Why MBA Now?
3. Why Anderson?

To make yourself a strong candidate for UCLA Anderson, think Poker and play your “ACE” card:

• Academic Profile: Our program is rigorous, especially the 1st-Year core which happens to be very quant heavy. We want to make sure you can handle the program so we expect our students to master the business fundamentals in order to be successful in their academics and eventually, their career. Within academics, we look at a combination of your test scores and your undergraduate grades. However, those are just two (or three) data points to a story within academics. For your test scores, we will take a look at your score in each section. At UCLA Anderson, we only consider your highest overall score, so you can take the GMAT or GRE (we really have no preference) as many times until you’re satisfied. For academics, we will take a deeper dive in your academic profile by determining the rigor of your undergraduate school, major, and coursework, your trends in grades, as well as other academic achievements to get a better sense of the context of your achievements.
• Contribution to Anderson: Contribution potential is vital since being an active member of the UCLA Anderson community is part of our “shared success” culture. We need students who will engage with their peers in a meaningful and impactful way during their time here and after. Our students support one another by creating opportunities and changes that benefit all. This might mean taking on leadership roles in our Anderson Student Association (ASA) and 50+ clubs or leading one of our Anderson Career Teams. The average UCLA Anderson student is a part of 8 different clubs and holds leadership roles in 3. We will assess this by looking at your prior involvement and/or leadership on-campus during your undergraduate studies, in the workplace, and/or through your community. All students need to add something special to the class, so we look for those who will bolster the diversity of voices here from different backgrounds, regions, and interest areas. To gain a good understanding of our students, the average UCLA Anderson student is a part of eight different clubs and holds leadership roles in three. 
• Employability: Accelerating your career is one of the top reasons to pursue an MBA, so how prepared are you to achieve your goals? How focused and attainable are your goals? Your resume and letters of recommendations will guide us in determining which transferable job skills will carry you to future roles, especially if you are looking to pivot function or industry. We know that your goals may change during your time here, but the admissions committee will always be looking for three things when considering employability: (1) career progression, (2) career impact, and (3) transferable skills.

Through each of these areas, we can compile a complete picture of you and how your core qualities align with our community here at UCLA Anderson in sharing success, thinking fearlessly, and driving change.

Check back for more “Application Insider” blog posts that will cover information and tips on the many aspects of applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program!

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Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu