The EMBA Admissions Team’s Top Tips for Applicants

Last month, we welcomed the MBA for Executives Class of 2025, which means it’s time to start our next application cycle. The application for the MBA for Executives Class of 2026 launched last week, and we are looking forward to getting to know you. Here’s some advice from our team to consider as you start your application.

Your resume is a great place to start your application and showcase your skills and work experience to the admissions committee. Plan to keep your resume to one or two pages. It’s important to provide your professional history and trajectory, but keep this part of your application succinct. Use your resume to tell us about yourself; feel free to briefly include other experience (volunteer work, committees, or activities) that shape who you are on a more personal level. Be sure to proofread and use spell-check before you submit!
—Liz Lewis, Associate Director of Admissions

Each year, through art and science, we build a dynamic and diverse class. We carefully consider each candidate as an individual while also thinking about how they will contribute to the cohort on the whole. As you develop your application, be sure to focus on the unique voice and perspective you bring to the cohort based on your leadership experience, functional roles, career trajectory, academic exposure, management style, personal values, interests, and background. It’s important to express who you are to the admissions committee—communicating both how the program would positively impact you and how you would impact your potential classmates.
—Emily Whitehouse, Associate Director of Admissions

Identifying recommenders is often stressful for applicants. A current supervisor who knows you professionally makes a great first recommender and can speak to your current work and accomplishments. I’d advise applicants to connect with recommenders as soon as possible and sit down with them to remind them of your contributions to your company so that they can write you a great letter of recommendation. Be sure they know the application deadline so that they have plenty of time to craft and submit their letter, and so that your application isn’t missing a critical component when it’s time for the committee to review your file.
—Wendy Tsung, Assistant Dean

Another important area to consider is standardized testing. We are among a group of schools that requires the submission of a score as part of our holistic application review process, and we value this opportunity to consider your readiness for an EMBA program. We accept any one of three exams: the Executive Assessment (EA), GMAT, or GRE. I recommend the EA; this exam is relatively short (90 minutes) and requires less prep time—key for a busy working professional. Check out our recent webinar on the EA for more information and tips, and be sure to sign up for a test date well in advance of your EMBA application deadlines. When those deadlines loom, you’ll be glad to have it in your rearview mirror!
—David Daniel, Associate Director of Operations and Marketing

Your essays give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and to let your character and personality shine through. We are interested in learning about your skills and accomplishments, your leadership abilities, as well as your goals and objectives for pursuing an executive MBA at this point in your career. More specifically, why do you want to do this at Yale? The essays are short, so I recommend getting right to the point. They should have a beginning, a middle, and an end (just like when you wrote essays in high school!) and they should engage the reader so we will want to read more. I also recommend asking a friend, colleague, or supervisor for their impression to make sure what you are trying to convey comes through in your essay. Of course, don’t forget to check for spelling and other errors!
—Keith Gallinelli, Director of Admissions

We hope you find these tips helpful and that you’ll take the time to get to know us this year! An MBA is a major investment, and it is important that you take the time to explore how a program aligns with your personal trajectory, goals, and mission. This research will be invaluable for you, both in deciding on where to apply and in enabling you to put forth the strongest and most authentic application you can. Now is a great time to begin that journey! Take the opportunity to submit a resume for pre-assessment, join an information session, or attend one of our upcoming webinars. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at emba.admissions@yale.edu.