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Leverage International Roots for U.S. Grad School Applications

Emphasizing cultural differences is a natural way prospective international graduate students can craft unique applications.

Every college-age individual wants to believe that he or she is special and has something unique to offer the world. The good news is that being from somewhere other than the U.S. automatically provides you with some key talking points for your postsecondary application essays.

You have something that really sets you apart, and I'm not just talking about the ocean or the plane ride.

Schools are interested in influence, primarily the kind of influence their alumni will have on the global village. A student's experience will shape his or her influence on the world – where you come from has a big impact on where you go.

In applying to graduate school in the U.S., I talked about my home country's multicultural perspective. We like to call Canada a mosaic, a piece of art, a coast-to-coast picture made up of a variety of smaller shades and shapes.

As a prospective international student, I talked about how the experience of growing up in Canada shaped me. The Canadian national attitude of inclusion and participation in service has greatly influenced the way in which I view people and interact with them.

Using your status as an international student is an interesting hook for applications, and begins with the influence of country, culture and courage.

[Learn how grad school officials evaluate international applications.]

1. Country: You are from somewhere the school is not. This means you have been exposed to a different government and history and have a unique perspective on international relations. Use these global experiences to distinguish yourself as an academic asset.

To describe my interest in community service, I wrote about a central Alberta youth project where we worked with young immigrant families and provided child care while the parents learned English. This showed the effects of those cultural attitudes of inclusion and service, but also how I was able to exhibit an international interest while still at home.

Not only did this demonstrate that I was a functional and eager team player, but it also revealed that I could see where I stood in terms of others and their experiences, as well as identify and respond to community needs.

Besides that, I proved that I could make the connection between my home and my hopeful future and what impact I could make at Andrews University.

Presenting an issue of global import and discussing your nation's response allows you to state and defend your opinion and talk about what you would like to do about it if you had the education to back up your beliefs.

[Get answers to concerns of international grad school applicants.]

2. Culture: The way you approach, interact and relate to others is fundamentally grounded in your cultural background. For instance, some cultures are more collectivist while others are individualistic.

These aspects of intercultural relations are good to emphasize as you introduce yourself in essays. Referring to your own background and comparing it with what you expect to find in the U.S. will demonstrate two things: You already know how to do research, and you are smart enough to put the pieces together.

In my admissions essay, I wrote that the purpose of my educational pursuit was to leave a better world for future generations. I showed that my goals were aligned with the recent emphasis on ethical, self-sustaining production of goods and services that the U.S. has embraced.

[Explore ways to choose a U.S. graduate school.]

3. Courage: Talking about a risk you have taken or a problem you have solved is a fairly common essay prompt, and as a student contemplating leaving home and loved ones for a foreign land, you have more than enough angles to cover.

In applying for a scholarship on campus, I wrote about the international financing dilemma. The Canadian dollar is close but not equal to the U.S. dollar, and I discussed how student loans from one country did not take into account the currency exchange resulting in less than had been promised. It was an interesting twist that drew attention to the financial plight of international students coming to the States.

You might discuss your choice to study abroad, your appreciation for the challenges of living somewhere new or your doubts about leaving and how you plan to combat them. Being an international student in the U.S. takes courage of the highest caliber.

Learning how to present your past as an advantage will open up possibilities in the U.S. and elsewhere. Celebrate your background even as you begin this new journey. Of all the parts that make up your whole, it is a truly important one.

Katelyn Ruiz, from Canada, is pursuing an interdisciplinary master's degree in communication and English from Andrews University.

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Don’t Ignore a Low GPA in B-School Applications

Show admissions officers that you’ve grown and matured in an essay to counteract a low undergraduate GPA.

MBA candidates have anxiety over many facets of their applications, from less-than-stellar GMAT scores to weak quantitative profiles to blemishes on their academic records. One common weakness facing MBA hopefuls is a low undergraduate GPA.

Keep in mind that a 3.5 or better undergraduate GPA isn't considered low for the purposes of most MBA applications, so look at the mean GPA for admitted students at your target programs to determine whether you have an issue to overcome in that area.

[Find out which 10 schools receive the most MBA applications.]

Our client Spencer came to us for assistance with his applications to three top-five MBA programs. He had a successful track record as part of a business development team at a health care company, as well as great leadership examples on a nonprofit board. Spencer had achieved a strong, balanced GMAT score of 740. The main issue with Spencer's application was his 2.9 GPA from Boston University.

When we discussed his GPA in detail, Spencer said he was passionate about economics and did well with that subject and a few other classes that interested him. But he wasn't able to muster enthusiasm for his communications or literature classes – a reality that his grades reflected.

There were no extenuating circumstances that affected Spencer's GPA. He simply lacked the maturity to work hard in the classes he disliked.

The difficulty with a low GPA is that it's solidly in the past. When MBA programs look at academic records like the GMAT and GPA, there's a question of aptitude – if the applicant can do the work? – as well as application – if the applicant will work hard. It was clear that Spencer had the aptitude. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear that he would dedicate himself to his MBA course work.

[Match your personality with b-school teaching styles.]

Spencer directly addressed his low GPA in his optional essays. He made no excuses and admitted that he had lacked the wisdom to see the big picture during his undergraduate years.

He demonstrated that he had since developed the maturity to work hard in all classes, not just those he found intellectually interesting. He explained that he was a high achiever at work, had achieved A's in a set of pre-MBA classes and was prepared to dedicate himself to his MBA studies. Ultimately, Spencer's candor paid off and he was admitted to Columbia Business School.

Another client, Joe, had a fairly solid 3.4 GPA from his days as an undergraduate at University of California — Berkeley. Because his grades were decent overall, he wanted to gloss over the fact that he got a D in an introductory economics class. Joe assumed that the admissions committee would give him the benefit of the doubt and understand that this grade was a fluke.

While I understood his reasoning and sympathized with his desire not to dwell on a single failure, I fervently disagreed with this approach. If you don't provide those details, the admissions committee will make assumptions that may not be in your favor.

In Joe's case, the admissions committee may think he did not like or value economics as a subject, or that he could not grasp basic economic theory. Worse, they may wonder why he didn't feel the need to explain such a serious blemish on his record, which could lead them to doubt his judgment or presentation skills.

[Check out these six great careers for MBA graduates.]

As it turned out, Joe had a very good reason for the low grade, and the story behind the grade became an asset to his application. Rather than try to explain, Joe drafted an essay that focused on how he helped his family through a significant health and financial crisis. This included driving back and forth between Berkeley and San Diego on a weekly basis. The frequent travel, combined with a fairly inflexible professor, led to the D.

Joe's story revealed his personal priorities – his work ethic, dedication to family and determination. In many ways, it was the strongest essay he wrote. Joe talked about how he grew through this experience, and his honest self-reflection was rewarded with admission to the Wharton School.

These real-life examples show how addressing a low GPA in your MBA application is a critical step, whether it was caused by dramatic circumstances or mere laziness. Admissions committees really do consider applications holistically, so if all other aspects of your candidacy are strong, one flaw likely won't doom you completely.

Be honest, show introspection and growth and let the chips fall where they may.

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