In an email to people who ever enquired about the school’s MBA programme, he writes: “When speaking to prospective candidates, I'm often asked the above question - it's a tricky one to answer, but I would say that there are certain intangible characteristics that make a candidate stand out.” And here is his take on an answer:

Great applications 'Glow'. Make sure you convey your passions and your dreams. If you have a dynamic personality, illustrate this in your application. The key thing is that we can understand who 'you' are from your application.

Do your research and show it off! If you've have been to an event, met a member of the school or spoken with an alumnus, make sure this is clearly mentioned in your application.

Think carefully about your referees. Titles are less important than content. If you ask for a reference from someone who hasn't worked with you directly, they are unlikely to provide sufficient detail.

Make sure your CV is as strong as possible. Your CV is likely to be among the first thing that an admissions team will review. Explain any gaps and ensure it is well formatted and easy to read. We ask for a one page CV. I appreciate it's difficult to distil your experiences onto one page, but if the CEO of a blue-chip company can do it, you can too!

Finally, remember that a GMAT score is only one aspect of a holistic review process. We regularly opt for candidates with comparatively lower GMAT scores (our current average is 698), who excel in other areas of the application.”

And last but not least in any application, not only in one to LBS, you should explain why you apply to this particular school specifically. Ashby writes: “The best applications address this question head on. It's crucial that you're able to explain why our MBA Programme is particularly compelling to you.”

Source: London Business School