Hello forum! I am from an Asian country and my dream is to do an MBA at one of the most prestigious institutions in England - either Oxford or Cambridge.

I really want to make a good impression when I submit my applications for round 1 in the 2017 intake.

I have taken the GMAT and scored 700. My work experience is a bit low with 3 years now but of course this will be higher in the fall of 2017. I work in accounts management in a very international environment.

Right now I am looking for advice. Does anybody know what qualities that these schools look for when they take on international students? Please offer advice on how I can improve my chances, because this is really a dream of mine!

They look for people who are a good fit for the program's distinctive features and pool of employers.

Of course these are highly competitive schools, and while the GMAT/work experience is important, they'll also be looking for other qualities, such as leadership aptitude, interpersonal skills, a history of volunteer experience, etc.

Current student profiles and alumni profiles are great places to look to see who these schools have recruited in the past:

http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/mba/people/mba-alumni-profiles/
https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Recruit_our_students/Docs/MBA_ClassProfile_2014-15.pdf

... for instance.

Also, scour LinkedIn to find profiles of international students who have done their MBAs at Oxbridge to see where they were and where they are now. Look at their backgrounds, skills, etc., and see if yours line up.

It never hurts to also reach out to current students/alumni, especially if you have them in your network and if you have specific questions. Some will get back to you, some won't.