Things I wish I knew before making my application to WBS

Our MSc ambassador, Korn, shares the things he wishes he’d known before making his application to WBS.

My decision to apply to Warwick Business School was an abrupt one. As a full-time worker, this decision caused me a lot of headaches when having to juggle between my job responsibilities and the university application. To help others avoid this experience, I’ve shared some tips that I wish I had known as an international student before applying to the WBS MSc courses.

Do not go crazy over GMAT 

Ah, the dreaded GMAT. I have seen so many people - my friends included – put in a ridiculous amount of effort into taking and re-taking the GMAT over multiple months to improve their score. I just want to say that the GMAT is just one of the multiple data points that WBS uses, and a lower GMAT score does not kill your chance of getting an offer.

Try to not stress over IELTS. There are other options!

For many international students, IELTS can be their biggest hurdle during the application process. This, however, is not something to be stressed about as WBS recognises multiple English tests other than IELTS, such as PTE, CPE, CAE, TOEFL, Duolingo, etc. You can pick a test that you feel the most comfortable with, and this would not impact your chance of getting an offer. 

Your personal statement is important - do not ignore the question prompts
As a part of WBS application process, there is a requirement to submit a personal statement, which gives applicants an opportunity to share their experience and achievements. On your course’s webpage, you’ll see that there are some short question prompts that ask about how applicants will contribute to their chosen WBS MSc course.

Remember to keep asking Whys
Why WBS? Why this particular MSc course? Why now? It is even better to connect your personal goal with WBS's CORE values. 

Be very strategic in picking a referee

I personally know many people that based their referee choices on fancy titles, such as Director, Vice-president, Manager, etc. These people would not improve your chance of getting into WBS if they do not personally know you and cannot convincingly advocate for your personal skills and professional qualities. Therefore, I would recommend picking a referee that can make you stand out from hundreds of other applicants by going the extra mile for you. 

Talk to current WBS students and alumni

Studying at a business school is a big investment, and going beyond the website would allow you to get a diverse perspective on what to expect from WBS, as well as getting input from those that have already had gone through a similar experience. 

Above all the points that I have mentioned, please really think about your own personal journey and try to be yourself as much as possible. You need to think holistically about your experiences and what you hope to get out of WBS, as well as what you can bring to the Warwick community. 

Read more about the experiences of our MSc students here, or download our MSc brochure to discover our range of Postgraduate courses.