MBA applicants are surrounded by a variety of dilemmas during the complete process for applying an MBA degree in a business school. Often students disqualify despite of decent rankings in the written test. They fail during the interview process. Yes, it is a surprising feature but a harsh reality.

This article highlights the common mistakes that the applicant attempt and fall short of making their dreams in reality. Every mistake is followed by a piece of advice so that you do not leave behind lurking in dark and finding answers.

1. Lack of passion: Applicants generally have lack of passion. What they actually know is that they wish to take admission in an MBA program but why they do not have any concrete answer and hence are dropped by the admission committee.

a. Advice: Be ready with a concrete answer about what drives you to take admission into an MBA course. How can you prove to be an asset to the organization and how its teaching is useful to you and your surroundings at large?

2.Being pretentious: In a state of panic and under overly stressed conditions, students start pretending and are easily caught by the counsellors and show the way out.

a. Advice: Do not pretend. Simply, be yourself and share what the truth is. In case, you are not aware of any answer, just say no. The committee members understand and they know that not all information can be accumulated by all.

3. Lack of Homework:Applicants generally fall short of their homework in terms of basic questions about their expectations, about MBA course applied for and about the institution. This raises the eyebrows of the selection committee and is a red-signal.

a. Advice:Run through research about the MBA course and the institution online and through the printed material as well. Try to catch hold of current students and alumni as well. Be prepared tolearn and seek advice from them.

b.Advice : Beready with the answers to the basic questions such as: Why MBA? Why this particular MBA course? Why this particular institute?

4. Insufficient practice: Applicants get panic to the questions and haste sometimes they do not convey what they intend too.

a.Advice: Always practice before appearing for an interview. Rehearsing in front of a mirror is a good practice and it bestows confidence in applicants. Moreover, practising answers saves time at the time of interview because rehearsed answers take lesser time thus, saving time for unforeseen questions.

b.Advice : In case, you are not ready for the asked question, always, ask for a short pause – politely. Take time, think and then answer. 

5. Hollow Answers: Applicants deliver answers in order to impress the jury and with such a mind-set, they forget to support the answers with practical examples. If not true, they are caught red-handed and then flagged.

a. Advice: Always support your answers with true examples and first-hand experiences.

b.Advice: Always be ready with at-least three examples. Provide explanations, if asked for otherwise just summarize in crisp sentences, as required.

6. Questioning Interviewer: Applicants sometimes get afraid of the interviewer, which should not be in the case. Every applicant gets time to question the interviewer at the end of interview, make most out of it.

a.Advice: Utilize this time to align your goals and passion with the offerings from the institute.Check if you both are on same lines or not and decide accordingly for further action.