Tips on applying

The Application Form

Your form should be clear, complete and neat. When read quickly by someone who does not know you it should give a clear picture of you.

• Spend sufficient time - do the job properly. This is the first hurdle - most people fall here.
• Photocopy the blank form several times and fill out several drafts before you fill out the copy to submit. Get someone to look at your drafts - preferably someone who doesn't know you too well and who can therefore see the document as an Admissions person in the School might see it.
• If you are applying to a School in another country - remember that you might not get an interview - so the application documents are particularly important.
• If the application form refers to Interviews - and you are in another country - offer to be interviewed by telephone and/or by a local allumnus of the School.

The Resume, or CV

If a separate personal resume or CV is required, it should-

• Be concise and neat ( not handwritten ).
• Present you - as a person - clearly , to someone who does not know you.
• Be specific - saying what you have done, learnt and accomplished.
• Show evidence of your managerial and leadership skills.
• Show evidence that you are a good 'group worker' - most programs will need you to work in this way.
• Highlight specific skills and abilities that will differentiate you from others - and make you stand out from the crowd.
• Include some things which might become topics in an interview.
• Remember - spend time on your resume, and make it show - the School will want to see that you are taking them seriously.

The Essay

If it is about you - it should do all the things which are listed above for the Resume - but it is also a test of your writing ability , so it should also-

• Be well structured and logical (check spelling and syntax. Get someone to read it before you use it).
• Present your strengths - but recognize your weaknesses , and say how doing the program is intended to addrees them.
• Indicate what you would bring to the program - i.e. how you would be an asset to it , and subsequently to the School as an allumnus.
• Express your views and opinions.
• Address all the specific topics requested or suggested by the School - make a check-list and make sure you cover all items, preferably in the order the School presented them in any notes for guidance.
• Follow the School's requirements as regards line spacing, margins etc - and especially any word limit.
• Dont use 'mass produced' or 'off the peg' essays.

Letters of Recommendation/References

Take care to pick the right people to comment about you-

• Choose people who know you and who like you.
• Choose people in business or education, i.e. with job titles which will be recognized by the School.
• Ask them before and thank them afterwards (preferably when you have the result of the application).
• Brief them - but dont tell them what to write - speak to or meet with them, give them a copy of your completed application form , CV etc.
• Tell them their input is important and not just a formality.
• Choose people who have, and will give, the time to do a good job - ie not just tick the boxes and write no comments.

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