The EMBA Admissions Team’s Top Tips for Applicants
Advice for putting together your best application, from resume to recommendation and beyond.
Our Round 1 application deadline is just a few weeks away! We’re looking forward to reading your applications and getting to know you. Here’s some advice from our team to consider as you complete the application process.
Your resume is a great place to start your application and showcase your skills, leadership and work experience to the admissions committee. Plan to limit your resume to one or two pages. It’s important to provide your professional history, educational background and trajectory, but keep this part of your application succinct. Use your resume to tell us about yourself; feel free to briefly include non-professional experience (volunteer work, committees, or activities) that has shaped you on a more personal level. Be sure to proofread and use spell-check before you submit!
—Liz Lewis, associate director of admissions
Each year, we work fastidiously to build an incredibly dynamic and diverse cohort. We thoughtfully review each candidate’s individual profile while taking care to consider their potential to contribute to the cohort as a whole. As you develop your application, be sure to focus on the unique perspective and voice you bring to the table. These can be expressed by sharing your leadership experience, functional roles, career trajectory, academic background, management style, or personal values and interests. It’s important to convey who you are to the admissions committee—communicating how the program would positively impact you and what you would offer to your potential classmates.
—Emily Whitehouse, associate director of admissions
Identifying recommenders is often stressful for applicants. A current supervisor who knows you professionally and can speak to your current work and accomplishments makes a great first recommender. I’d advise applicants to connect with recommenders as soon as possible and have a conversation to remind them of your contributions to your company so that they can write you a great letter. 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, because this 90-minute exam is relatively short 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 the test in your rearview mirror!
—David Daniel, associate director of operations and marketing
We really want to get to know you personally. Your essays and the new optional video questions give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and to let your character and personality shine through. In the essays, we are interested in learning about your skills and accomplishments, your leadership abilities, and 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. You’re welcome to ask a friend to review, but keep in mind that this should be entirely your own work—we also encourage you to review our AI statement at the beginning of the application for guidelines on appropriate use of AI in this process. Of course, don’t forget to check for spelling mistakes 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’s important that you explore how a program aligns with your personal trajectory, goals, and mission. This research will be invaluable for you in deciding where to apply and putting forth the strongest and most authentic application possible. Whether you’re applying in Round 1 or in the spring, now is a great time to begin that journey! You can 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.
