This year marks the completion of our 26th fully enrolled session of the altMBA. We’re now in 45+ countries, 645 cities and have almost 3,000 alumni.
Each session we get more qualified applicants than we have room for. While it might seem daunting, it turns out that the application is pretty straightforward and you can put together a really solid set of answers in just a few minutes.
Here are five pro-tips from the altMBA admissions team on how to stand out:
- Who are you?
We can’t get to know the real you, but we can try. Begin by sharing your Facebook or LinkedIn links, or a blog if you have one. And then, be honest.
We’re not looking for 4.0 GPAs or a resume littered with fancy names. Instead, we want to know who you are beyond your professional goals and achievement. Where you’ve been, where you’re going, what are your dreams, what have been your greatest challenges… Or at least as much as you want to share in just a few paragraphs.
When we screen applicants, we’re not focused on our numbers, we’re looking for people like us — people who want to contribute and to make a difference.
The biggest tip is this: simply apply. Write from the heart and hit submit.
2. Show generosity
The altMBA works because there are more than a hundred other people looking out for you, contributing to you, rooting for you. And we make that happen by selecting people who are eager to do that for others.
Students initially come to the altMBA for themselves but what we find is a large part of the transformation comes from the generosity of feedback, insight and thought that students give to their peers. We like to see the desire to do more.
Part of the magic of the altMBA comes through the feedback and collaboration. We find students who will be generous in their contribution and can expend emotional labor for the class.
3. Why is this a good fit?
The altMBA is an intense 4-week sprint that requires commitment — you can consider it a passionate side hustle. It’s not only important for you to demonstrate why you would be a good fit for the workshop but why the altMBA is a good fit for you.
Communicating why the altMBA is critical to your journey will help us determine if we can help you make the change you’re looking to make.
4. Don’t wait
What do exceptional leaders have in common? They don’t wait. They ship and they ship often. The same applies to submitting your application.
Competition gets tougher as we near the final deadline for each session. There are only a limited number of seats per workshop and once we’re full, we’re full.
We often hear that “a few months from now might work better for me”…There will never be a perfect time to level up. The future is unpredictable so leap now and commit to making a change.
Leap first.
5. Cross your I’s and dot your T’s…
While the internet is a grammarian’s nightmare, in some places, a few extra minutes of attention to detail matter. The altMBA involves video and written work so spelling and grammar matter. Articulation is critical and part of that is communicating in a clear, thoughtful way.
Take a minute to read it over one more time before you hit submit…
Mostly: Apply. Simply apply. That’s the most important tip we can share.
