“Pre-assessments serve two purposes. First, you get candid, informal feedback on how competitive your profile looks, especially how you are currently presenting your story. And second, you get to learn more about the program. How does it fit your career and personal goals? And one important thing I want you to remember is that a pre-assessment is not a final decision. It’s not about judging you.”
– Roanne Law, Assistant Director, CUHK MBA

Many top-ranked MBA programs in Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia actively encourage applicants to connect with admissions teams before submitting an application. But most applicants don’t know this – or are too nervous to reach out.

Should you contact admissions before you’re ready? What if you haven’t taken the GMAT yet, or your resume isn’t polished? And how do you make sure the conversation is actually useful for both sides?

In this episode, Darren invites Admissions Directors from three top-ranked programs – IESE (Spain), CUHK (Hong Kong), and AGSM (Australia) – to guide you on how to approach these early conversations, what to expect, and how to use them to strengthen your application.

If you’re considering reaching out to an MBA admissions team before applying, listen to this first.

Topics

• Introduction (0:00)
• What is an MBA Pre-Assessment? with Roanne Law, CUHK MBA (3:15)
• How to Engage Early – Tips & Expectations with Patrik Wallen, IESE MBA (11:15)
• Addressing Common Concerns About Pre-Assessments with Kenneth Cheung, AGSM MBA (18:30)

Show Notes

• CUHK MBA
• IESE MBA
• AGSM MBA
• Get pre-assessed by top MBA programs
• #116 Interacting with MBA Admissions Officers at Events
• #192 MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most Out of Your MBA with Adam Putterman, Kellogg MMM ’19

Resources for Applicants

• Get free school selection help at Touch MBA
• Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs
• Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)

Subscribe

• Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube