From the Associate Director of Admissions: Tips to Strengthen Your Asset Management Application

With a little less than one month left before the January 13 application deadline, I’m sure many of you are in the midst of working on your application to the Asset Management program. You may have questions about specific elements of the application and how to present your candidacy to the Admissions Committee.

Earlier this month, my colleague Laurel Grodman and I hosted an online Asset Management application tips event. During this session, we offered some insights into our review process and walked the audience through each component of the application. Watch the following clips from the event to hear our advice on how to approach specific components of the application:

If you couldn’t join us live, you may find it helpful to view the full recording.

In addition to the application tips event, we have also hosted several small-group, online Q&A sessions allowing us to connect with applicants in a more intimate setting. Based on the engaging conversations I’ve had with many of you, and the questions our team has received in recent weeks, I’d like to provide responses to the three questions I most often hear when speaking to prospective students.

Whom should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?

Most of you are early-career candidates, coming directly from undergrad or just a year or two out. For you, we would like to see one letter from someone who can attest to your academic abilities and one letter from someone who can speak to your professional performance. If you’ve been in the workforce for a few years, we would prefer to see both letters come from current and former supervisors.

It’s important to know that we’re more interested in the content of the recommendation, not your recommender’s title. Choose recommenders who can speak to who you are as a person and shed light on your performance and potential.

I’m concerned about my test score/GPA/lack of experience. Should I even bother applying?

The Admissions Committee will take a holistic view of your application. There is no one application component we weigh more heavily than the others. We’re interested in understanding your academic preparedness, the impact you have had in your personal and professional life, how you hope to succeed and lead in the industry, and your ability to be a positive and engaged Yale community member.

If you wish you brush up on certain skills or retake your GMAT or GRE exam, you’re welcome to do so after the application deadline. We cannot guarantee that information we receive after the application deadline will be included in our evaluation, but we will do our best to consider new information when possible.

What is the best way to make myself and my application stand out?

There’s no need to do anything extraordinary to get our admissions committee to notice you. What makes someone stand out can be vastly different from candidate to candidate. The key is to remain your true self throughout the process!

My advice is to focus on putting forth a factual, clear, and cohesive application. Your application should tell the story of who you are and communicate your interest in the program you’re applying for. You want your story to be seamless—don’t leave the committee with unanswered questions. If you think the committee might have a question about a gap year, a rough semester, a professional decision you’ve made, etc., please use the Optional Information section to provide context or explanation.

I hope these tips help you to put the finishing touches on your application and present your best candidacy. If you have further questions, we hope you’ll attend one of our upcoming admissions events or email us.

Best,

Signature

Emily Whitehouse
Associate Director for Admissions, Management Master’s Programs
Yale School of Management
PO Box 208200 l 165 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06520
T: 203-436-4299
assetmgmt.admissions@yale.edu