"MBA applicants can improve their candidacy through compelling extracurricular activities, such as volunteering.
BUSINESS SCHOOL admissions officers who are evaluating prospective MBA students search for signs that they could become outstanding business leaders. One criterion B-schools use to judge applicants is extracurricular activities, because schools are eager to identify individuals who are actively engaging with and contributing to their communities.
‘Extracurricular activities are not a primary factor when reviewing applications but they can matter – and especially help – when factors like GMAT, GPA, etc. fall below expectations,’ Phil Miller, assistant dean for MBA and M.S. programs at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities Carlson School of Management, wrote in an email.
‘We review applications as holistically as possible and extracurricular activities provide a valuable sneak peek into what we can possibly expect from students if they join our community; i.e. engagement and/or leadership in student clubs and activities,’ he says." …