NEVER SELL yourself short when applying to B school
Some people just feel uncomfortable showing off. if you're going to be one of the 100,000 or so expected to apply to graduate business school this year, you cannot afford to be one of them. Put your best foot forward--with a resounding thud. Write down all your accomplishments, and don't be shy. The admissions committee won't do any extra research on you; they'll only know what you tell them. On the other hand, don't exaggerate either. These guys can tell fluff when they see it. Instead, be straightforward. Be your true self. That should be good enough.

Admissions Criteria
Most schools rely on the following criteria (not necessarily in this order): your Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score, college GPA, work and leadership experience, essays, letters of recommendation and interviews, of which the first four are the most heavily weighted. The more competitive the school, the less room there is for weakness in any one area. In B-school admissions, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Each of the numbers has an effect but doesn't provide the total picture. What's fair about the system is that you can compensate for problem areas. Even if you have a low GMAT score, you might counterbalance it with a high GPA, quantitative work experience or the completion of an accounting or statistics course.

Grade-Point Average
Most applicants suspect that the GMAT score or GPA pushes their application into one of three piles: yes, no or maybe. At most business schools that's not the way it is. Unless one or more of your numbers is so low it forces a rejection, the piles are "looks good," "looks bad," "hmmm, interesting" and all variations of "maybe."
A high GPA shows you've got brains and discipline. It shows the admissions committee you have what you need to make it through the program. If you're applying directly from college or have limited job experience, your grades will matter even more. The admissions committee has little else on which to evaluate you.
Grades in English and math courses are important; B schools want students who communicate well, and number crunching is an inescapable part of your education. It's especially important that you do well in economics, statistics and calculus. If you have a liberal-arts background, did poorly in math or got a low GMAT math score, take an accounting or statistics course for credit at a local college. Get a decent grade and this will go a long way toward convincing the admissions committee you can manage the quantitative challenges of the program.

GMAT
Most B schools require you to take the GMAT, a standardized multiple-choice exam with math and verbal sections. B schools believe it measures your verbal and quantitative skills, and predicts success in their M.B.A. program. The GMAT weighs heavily in the admissions decision. If nothing else, it gives the school a frame of reference with which to measure you against other applicants.
Take a test-prep course that reviews the math and verbal material, teaches you test-taking strategies and builds your confidence. If you didn't ace the GMAT on the first try, take it again. But watch out: multiple scores that fall in the same range make you look unprepared.
If you don't have math courses on your college transcript or numbers-oriented work experience, it's especially important to get a solid score on the quantitative section. There's a lot of math between you and the M.B.A.

Work Experience
Business schools favor applicants who have worked full time for three reasons: maturity comes with experience; you're more likely to know what you want out of the program; and your experience enables you to bring real business perspectives to the classroom. B-school programs are designed for you to learn from your classmates, so each student's contribution is important.
While there is no magic number, three to five years of work experience is standard. At three years you've worked enough to make a solid contribution. Beyond five, you may be too advanced in your career to appreciate the program fully. You may also have reached a salary level too pricey for most recruiters. If your grades are weak, consider working at least three years before applying. The more professional success you have, the greater the likelihood the admissions committee will overlook your GPA.
Working in an industry that generates few applicants can also be effective. Applicants from biotechnology, health care, not-for-profit and even the Peace Corps are viewed favorably.
What you do on your job is important. Seek out opportunities to distinguish yourself. Even if your responsibilities are limited, exceed the expectations of the position. B schools want leaders.

The Essay
Several months before your application is due, read the essay questions and begin to think about your answers. Can you describe an ethical dilemma at work? Are you involved in anything outside the office (or classroom)?
Use the essay questions to frame your personal and professional activities. Look back over your business calendar and see if you can find some meaty experiences in your work life. A good essay describes your true, heartfelt interests and shows off your sparkling personality. It can be the clincher, the swing vote on the admit/deny issue and the most substantial indication of who you really are. Essays tie all the pieces of your application together to create a summary of your experiences, skills, background and beliefs.

Recommendations
By the time you apply to business school, you shouldn't have to scramble for recommendations. Bosses who know you well will recommend you on both a personal and professional level. They can provide specific examples of your accomplishments, skills and character. Additionally, they can convey a high level of interest in your candidacy.
Business-school recommendations are made in confidence; you probably won't see what's been written about you. Choose someone you can trust to deliver the kind of recommendation that will push you over the top. A casual acquaintance may fail you by writing an adequate, yet mostly humdrum letter.
Left to their own devices, recommenders may create a portrait that leaves out your best features. You need to prep them on what to write. Remind them of those projects or activities in which you achieved some success. The recommendation should reinforce what you're saying about yourself in your essays.

The Interview
If you can get an interview, go for it. In person you're a more compelling candidate. You can address weaknesses or bring dull essays to life. Most important, you can display the kinds of qualities --enthusiasm, sense of humor, maturity-- that often fill in the blanks and sway a decision. A great interview can tip the scale in the admit direction.

When to Apply
The timing of your application can make a difference. Although there are no guarantees, the earlier you apply, the better your chances. The majority of applicants don't apply until the later months, so as the deadline draws close, the greatest number of applicants compete for the fewest number of spaces.
Have confidence in yourself as you fill out your application, but keep in mind this advice from a Columbia Business School admissions officer: "I like to see somewhere in the application that [an applicant's] universe is greater than themselves."