Mastering Supply Chains Episode 1: How I Got Into One of the World’s Top 3 SCM Programs
Hello everyone and welcome back to CappuccinoCalling.
Todayyyy I’m introducing a brand-new series called Mastering Supply Chains!!!
This series will be all about the next chapter of my life: My Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.
In this first episode, I want to share how I got in, what other options I had, and which ones I secretly hoped for along the way.
The Application Journey
The whole process started last July/August when I began thinking seriously about where I wanted to study. Since I knew I wanted to stay in the Supply Chain Management area, I looked up rankings for Master’s programs in SCM. Here’s what I found:
#1: MIT, USA
#2: WU, Vienna
#3: RSM, Rotterdam
So, in September, I applied to WU for the first selection round with a recommendation letter from one of my internship supervisors and my TOEFL score (107/120). Unfortunately, I got rejected in December.
In February, I applied to CBS (Copenhagen Business School), which had somehow become my dream choice over the summer. Their application process is quite simple: transcript of grades, TOEFL, a statement about your motivation to study in Denmark and your connection to their job market.
At the same time, I also took my first GMAT (the standardized test for business schools). For RSM, I needed a minimum of 565 points to qualify — and I scored exactly 565 🤯! Yeah, I couldn’t believe it myself that I actually had that exact number. Wanting to do better than the bare minimum, I tried again in March… and scored 505. This really put me down at first, as I had studied one month more and put in all that work (and money) „for nothing“.
So, with my then officially terminated Bachelor’s diploma, TOEFL, CV, the first GMAT result and a short paragraph about my motivation of studying at RSM, I applied. Around the same time, I reapplied to WU - but this time with the GMAT and an additional recommendation letter from my professor of Production and Logistics. In April, I also applied to the University of Cologne for their Master in Business Administration – Supply Chain Management. That application included my diploma, TOEFL, (optional) GMAT, and proof that my Bachelor’s degree was recognized in Germany.
The Results
So, in the end, I had applied to four universities: WU, RSM, CBS, and the University of Cologne. Here’s how it turned out:
✅ WU → Accepted in the third round
✅ RSM → Accepted (on the day of my graduation which meant I was able to celebrate with my family and friends 🥹)
✅ University of Cologne → Accepted in July (but by then I had already made my decision)
❌ CBS → Rejected
Since I already teased a little about my preferences of my choices, here is how I originally ranked my choices:
CBS → My dream school in my dream city at the time.
RSM → World’s #3 in SCM, hello?! Plus the uni in general felt like a good fit - and I was ready for a new city/country to add to my CV 😋.
University of Cologne → I think the city and people would’ve made me really happy. It’s also one of the best universities in Germany.
WU → Even though it’s ranked super high and I was so grateful to be accepted, I knew it was time to start fresh in a new place. (Though I do miss Vienna and my friends there a lot).
So that’s the story of how I ended up at RSM!
Wish you a fantastic day and I hope to see you soon <3
Love you and byeeeee