On the road to acceptance to the world’s most selective business schools, your most important ally is an expert. What would it be like to talk to a former Dean of MBA Admissions who is dedicated to connecting aspiring leaders with great educational opportunities? I publish my best insights into the MBA admissions process every week, and it’s free. Follow along here or subscribe to get insights delivered straight to your inbox.
The biggest mistake I see MBA candidates make again and again is misunderstanding the concept of “fit” between their candidacy and their dream MBA program.
An astonishing number of candidates fail to properly research and engage with the programs they are applying to. They miss the opportunity to understand how the MBA adcoms at these programs think of “fit”. And falling short in demonstrating fit in your MBA application is one of the biggest reasons candidates fail.
Read MoreDuring the first week of May, AIGAC (the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants) held our annual conference. This year’s conference theme was “The Changing Face of Graduate Management Education”. Over the course of three days, I got to participate and lead some of the discussions with MBA adcoms from all the leading business schools in the US and Europe.
I want to share with you the main themes that emerged.
Read MoreShould I worry about my undergraduate GPA? How do I build an alternative transcript? How are international GPAs converted in MBA admissions?
The GPA and the ways to overcome a weak one when you are applying to top MBA programs are among the challenges MBA candidates most frequently need help with. Let’s dive into the ways in which you can make up for a below average undergraduate GPA and how to show the academic readiness MBA programs look for.
Read MoreLast year, I worked with two dozens of MBA hopefuls, applying to the most selective schools in the world (and a whopping 95% of them got into one or more of their top choices!). They trusted me to read and critique their stories and as one of them put it, “your questions made me rethink the way I approached each and every detail of my essays”.
Read MoreHow could I use the optional MBA essay to strengthen my candidacy? This is the smart question successful MBA candidates ask themselves. This framework will help you decide when and how to opt into the optional MBA essay to enhance your profile.
Read MoreWhat are the biggest challenges applicants are facing right now? Is the MBA admissions market still super-competitive? Will the pandemic have a lasting impact on demand for top MBA programs? These questions are on the minds of MBA candidates and MBA admissions teams alike. Here is what I think we will see play out in the 2021-2022 MBA admissions cycle.
Read MoreThe MBA interview questions are among the four biggest MBA admissions interview challenges MBA candidates face. Find one powerful masterplan to know how to anticipate any MBA interview questions and ace the admissions interview.
Read MoreIt’s the stuff nightmares are made of for any MBA hopeful. After months of hard work, you have submitted your MBA application. Then you suddenly realize there is an error in it. What do you do?
Read MoreYou are pouring your heart into your application materials and you are worried how they will be evaluated by the MBA adcom. Let’s pull the curtain on what goes on in an MBA admissions committee and how MBA admissions decisions are made.
Read MoreBeing denied from an MBA program doesn’t have to be the end of the road. Learn how to reapply and get admitted the second time around.
Read MoreEven the best writers among MBA candidates often fall prey to several common MBA essay challenges.
Read MoreIf there is a magic ingredient to how a compelling MBA application is built, it lies in a candidate’s ability to balance the essential components of an MBA application and weave them into an overarching story, infused with passion and purpose.
Read MoreMBA candidates frequently ask how important school engagement is for getting admitted. Too often they approach it as just another checkbox. School engagement is an important part of the MBA application process but not simply to guarantee you have covered the minimum requirements for demonstrating school interest.
Read MoreYou often hear how you need to have “an MBA story”, how your MBA story is the most critical component of your candidacy, much more important than your statistics. Learn what this concept means and how to develop that story for yourself.
Read MoreThis past year, test waivers have helped many candidates who otherwise would not have been able to fulfill their dream of applying to business school. Should candidates pursuing an MBA be glad the opportunity to waive the test exists – and more importantly, should you apply for a GMAT or GRE test waiver?
Read MoreAll successful MBA candidates will need to develop four essential stories and weave them through their application. These four stories are narratives about leadership, accomplishment, challenge, and growth.
Read MoreThis spring, the themes that emerged from my many conversations with MBA candidates point to an intersection where hope and aspiration meet anxiety and confusion. Here are the five takeaways of dozens of MBA conversations.
Read MoreWhether you are applying for the first time or considering re-applying, you can educate yourself on the top reasons applicants get rejected. Use this knowledge to avoid making MBA application mistakes or to strengthen your candidacy as a re-applicant.
Read MoreThe road to an MBA is paved with questions. One of the first things prospective students ask is if they need an MBA at all. No matter how you slice it, the MBA is a means to an end. At the end – hopefully! - is professional advancement, personal development, and increased opportunities. But is the MBA the only way to get that outcome?
Read MoreHow do you know if you really need an MBA admissions consulting service? How do you decide on the right one for you? What value does an MBA admissions expert offer? Here is how to do your due diligence and get some useful insights along the way, regardless of whether you end up working with an MBA admissions consultant or not.
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