What It Took to Get Into 5 Competitive Business Schools (and 2 M7s)
And just like that, I’m headed to business school.
Early in college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do after graduation. My first two years felt like one long adjustment period.
I went straight to college after high school, thinking I would pursue neuroscience, take the MCAT, and eventually go to medical school.
Well… long story short, that did not happen.
Instead, I found myself gravitating toward the humanities and eventually pursued a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations & Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.
When I finally settled on what I wanted to study during my sophomore year, I assumed my background in IR would eventually lead me toward law school or perhaps even academia. I could even see myself pursuing a PhD and eventually teaching. Business school was not even remotely on my radar.
Then things shifted.
Following the 2024 presidential election, I began to see changes unfold in real time. I watched people a grade above me enter the year with full-time offers, fellowships, and year-long paid opportunities, only to see many of them disappear. Funding within spaces connected to my field became increasingly uncertain, and for the first time, I began seriously questioning what my future career path could look like in International Relations.
I always knew I wanted to pursue graduate school and earn a professional degree. But careers in international relations, diplomacy, and government began to feel far less straightforward than they once had.
So naturally, I started looking elsewhere. I began exploring programs that could expand my opportunities while still aligning with my goals for myself and the career I hoped to build.
After days of trying to find a program for myself, I came across Master’s in Management programs (MiM). To be honest, I did not know what a MiM was at first. I had heard people talk endlessly about MBAs, law school, medical school, and PhDs. But MiM was never a program that was mentioned at the dinner table.
The more I looked into them, though, the more they felt like they had been designed for people exactly like me: students early in their careers who wanted to build stronger business foundations without abandoning the experiences and perspectives they already had.
Throughout various chapters of my life, I have often compared myself to my peers or to people I have never even met. But if the past year has taught me anything, it is this: applying isn’t only about proving you are the most impressive person in the room. It’s about communicating your story with clarity and purpose, demonstrating why you are ready for this next step.
1. Research programs and schools that actually fit your goals and what you are looking for.
A common mistake during the application process is applying solely on the basis of ranking and prestige. While these factors matter, they shouldn’t define your decision. A highly ranked program may not fit your needs, and it doesn’t always guarantee a job after graduation.
I spent time reviewing the curriculum structure, career outcomes, location, class profile, alumni networks, and opportunities with my trusted tutor. I knew I wanted a program that would help me build a strong business foundation while also giving me the flexibility in my career post-grad.
At the end of the day, you are not just getting into a program. You are looking for a place where you can see yourself growing and thriving equally.
PRO Tip: We created a MiM matrix via Google spreadsheets last summer. I was given 12 programs to choose from. I ended up going with a good 5. One safety. Two targets. And 3 Reach. Grad School application fees can single-handedly go up to $175 USD per application. So it is important to be strategic with each application you put out.
2. Know your “why?”
This sounds simple, but I think this is the most important part of my application that I have consistently heard from various schools. I think knowing your why is incredibly important, as it allows you to distinguish yourself from other candidates. A good ‘why’ response can skyrocket your chances of getting admitted.
Admissions committees want to know not only what you have done but also why you have done it and what you hope to achieve next.
Before I started writing my essays, I had to ask myself tough questions. Why did I want a MiM? Why now? Why this program? What skills did I hope to gain? What career did I imagine after?
Look, as humans, we are always evolving, and you do not need your whole life trajectory mapped out post-grad. I didn’t. I still don’t. But you should be able to explain the story that connects your past to your future.
Admission officers and interviewers can usually tell when an answer is genuine, and intentional rather than when it is memorized to sound impressive.
3. I chose to celebrate my background, not apologize for it.
Coming from an International Relations background, I initially went into this application process with a bit of apprehension. I initially felt like I was competing against finance, economics, and business majors. I kept thinking I was missing something until I wasn’t. For the longest time, I was convinced that I hadn’t taken the right classes, lacked technical internship experience, and somehow knew things I didn’t.
For a while, I saw my background as something to compensate for, rather than what set me apart.
At some point, I realized that I was approaching the whole process completely incorrect. My experiences in International Relations have given me skills I previously overlooked: communication, research, critical thinking, understanding global issues, and analyzing complex problems from different perspectives.
Admissions committees are building classes, not cloning the same applicant over and over. If everyone had identical majors, experiences, and stories, there would be little to learn from one another.
The moment I stopped trying to sound like a business major and started sounding like myself, my applications became much stronger.
4. I connected with alumni from every school.
One of the most prevalent things that helped me throughout the application process was taking the time to connect with alumni and current students. I did not go into those conversations treating them like networking checkboxes or trying to impress anyone. I approached them with genuine curiosity.
I asked about their experiences, the program’s culture, what surprised them, and whether the program actually lived up to what it looked like on paper.
These conversations gave me insights I couldn’t get from rankings, brochures, or admissions websites. They helped me understand what I genuinely wanted in a program.
These conversations also strengthened my applications because I could speak specifically about why I wanted each program. Instead of generic statements, I pointed to real aspects of the school that resonated with me.
People often think networking matters only after you’re accepted. I realized it can matter even before you hit submit.
5. I didn’t let rejection scare me away
I applied despite uncertainty and overthinking. In hindsight, I’m glad I did. I was accepted to every program and received no rejections.
The biggest thing I learned from that experience was that sometimes the obstacle standing in your way is not actually your qualifications, your experience, or your résumé. Sometimes it is your own assumptions about what you think you can do.
You can only create new opportunities by giving yourself the chance to pursue them.
Looking back now, I think the biggest thing this entire process taught me was that you do not need to have your entire life figured out at twenty-two. For a long time, I thought successful people had some perfect roadmap and always knew exactly where they were headed. I assumed certainty came first and everything else followed.
But for me, it happened the opposite way around.
I changed majors. I changed plans. I questioned myself more times than I can count, and I spent far too much time comparing myself to people around me. Yet somehow, despite all of that uncertainty, things still worked out.
If there is one thing I would tell anyone applying to graduate school or figuring out their next step, it is this: do not count yourself out before anyone else gets the chance to.
You do not need to be the most qualified person in the room. You do not need to have the perfect résumé or a perfectly linear story.
You just need to be willing to take the chance on yourself. Sometimes that ends up making all the difference.
Where I Got in:
Georgetown University McDonough School of Business (T-20) - Accepted with scholarship.
University Chicago Booth School of Business (m7)- Accepted.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business (T-15)- Accepted with scholarship.
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (m7)-Accepted with scholarship
Boston University Questrom School of Business (T-50)- Accepted with scholarship.
If you have any questions, or would love to connect please leave them below!
remember p = r - c