What should I do to maximize my chances of getting into a top business school?

There are many controllable factors that can help improve your chances of attending a top business school such as Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton.  Four of the most important include:
- Track record of impactful work experience
- Strong letters of recommendation from your supervisors
- Excellent GMAT score and, to a lesser extent, GPA
- Compelling essays 

Work experience is often cited as the most important factor for business school admissions.  Candidates should look for jobs that involve building best-in-class business skills (such as working at Goldman Sachs or McKinsey) or involve leading large groups of people to accomplish important and challenging projects.  One piece of advice is to look at the resumes of successful applicants and see what types of roles they had pre-MBA.

In addition to having excellent work experience on your resume, it is equally important to have a track record of success at those jobs.  To evaluate track record of strong work performance, business schools require 2-3 letters of recommendations.  It is critical for these recommendations to be highly positive, and any lack of enthusiasm can be an instant red flag for admissions officers.

In terms of quantitative factors, Harvard, Stanford and Wharton have high average GMAT scores.  Harvard's median GMAT score, for example, was 730 out of 800 for the class of 2024.  Be sure to invest time in preparing for the GMAT, as candidates can significantly increase scores through consistent and dedicated practice.

Additionally, the essays candidates submit are very important.  The goal of a business school admissions officer to is find candidates who are likely to reach senior executive leadership or other impactful roles in society.  Your essay would ideally reflect a) an aspirational but attainable goal to reach a high impact position, and b) a clear path to get from where you currently are to your long-term goals, including a logical short-term goal immediate post-business school.

Some candidates opt to hire an MBA admissions consultant, which typically costs between $2000-3000 per application.  Consider whether an MBA admissions consultant would be valuable for your process, and if so, be sure to evaluate several by having free upfront consultations.