Getting denied or waitlisted at your dream MBA programs is a terrible feeling. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. There is a way to overcome this challenge and create a winning MBA candidacy.

MBA candidates who start their preparation early tend to be accepted to more and better schools and get offered more scholarships. Here are 3 steps you should take to set yourself up on the path to successful acceptance.

I’ve seen hundreds of leaders leverage their MBA to significantly and positively impact their careers. An MBA is a powerful way to equip yourself with knowledge, skills, and a network that propel you forward.

But how do you know it’s time and it’s the right thing to do?

The most important ingredient of a successful MBA application is reflection – taking the time to assess and understand your past, your current state, your motivations, the pivotal moments of your career so far, the future you want to build for yourself and the bridges between each of these parts.

As a candidate, it’s so easy to be tempted to travel down the road of trying to impress. You think of every accomplishment, every award, every activity that makes you look like the high achieving candidate top MBAs are looking for. But I am here to advise you to think of yourself differently. Don’t try to impress. Try to excite.

But what’s the difference, you say?