Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
May 2110:00 AM EDT
-10:30 AM EDT
Most candidates submit a resume built for a recruiter. Admissions committees are reading for something else entirely. This session covers what adcoms actually evaluate, where strong candidates lose ground before a single essay is written, and why...
May 2208:30 AM PDT
-09:00 AM PDT
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great and how you can present a strong MBA application. Explore the difference between our One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs, talk to our admissions team, and meet students.
May 2203:00 PM EDT
-04:00 PM EDT
The old MBA recruiting playbook is dead. Here’s how top admits are getting ahead this summer.
May 2308:00 PM PDT
-09:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
May 2910:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Download the MBA Launchpad App, for FREE access to the largest MBA database - Data backed read on your profile - Identify gaps before you apply - Build a balanced school list - Track your deadlines - Mock interviews - Extensive content library
Jun 1006:00 AM PDT
-06:15 PM PDT
Register for the GMAT Club Virtual MBA Spotlight Fair – the world’s premier event for serious MBA candidates. This is your chance to hear directly from Admissions Directors at nearly every Top 30 MBA program..
PersonalMBACoach
Expert
Personal MBA Coach Founder
Joined: 11 Sep 2010
Last visit: 18 May 2026
Posts: 3,824
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 11
Status:Boutique MBA Admissions Consulting from a Wharton graduate - Helping applicants get into top global business schools since 2008
Affiliations: Wharton, MIT
Location: United States (NY)
Overall Client Admit Rate: 96%
Expert reply
20 Dec 2017, 17:58
Kudos
Bookmarks
Are your applications really ready to go?
With the first of the round 2 deadlines in just over 2 weeks, it is time to do a status check on your progress and make sure your applications are solid. For some of you, waiting until next year (or for a select few considering round 3) may be the way to go.
Unsure if your applications are ready? Here are a few things to look out for.
Story
• Is your story clear? Does the reader walk away knowing you are and what matters to you? In many instances, this should include some personal and some professional perspective. However, this does not mean they have to know EVERYTHING about you. The reader should walk away with one or two key takeaways on who you are and what makes you a unique fit.
• Are the stories consistent throughout all the application components? Your resume, essays, short answer questions and letters of recommendation should all include the same general message. Any inconsistencies are an instant red flag!
Why MBA?
• Have you clearly thought out and articulated why you want an MBA? To get promoted or to gain business skills are not good reasons. While not all schools ask this question, all candidates should be able to clearly explain (either in the essay or in the interview – if given the chance) what skills and experiences they hope you gain from an MBA and how it will help to attain their career goals.
School Specifics
• Some of the essays are similar across schools and you may start with material from one school and try to morph it into essay content for another school. Whether you morph material or not, make sure that you are being specific enough about each school in your application.
• Admissions committee members read thousands of essays every year, and it is very easy for them to determine who is genuinely interested in the school and knows a lot about the program and who crafted a generic essay.
Short Answer Questions
• Short answers are very important! Don’t let the fact that the questions are brief and only part of the online application fool you into thinking they aren’t necessary to focus on.
• Ensure the same voice is carried throughout your application, which includes your resume, essays and short answer questions.
• These questions may only ask for 250 characters, but optimizing those characters to tell the strongest story you can will take some time.
Recommenders
• One of the most overlooked areas of the application is the recommendation section.
• Ensure your recommenders know your complete story and can write letters that help to corroborate that story.
• To the extent that your thinking has developed as you went through the application phase, make sure to update your recommenders.
Essay Quality
• Are your essays really strong enough?
• Do you find yourself re-reading paragraphs because you don’t see how they exactly fit into the essay or you are unsure if the arguments are strong enough?
• It is a good idea to have someone else read over your essays, and ask someone who isn’t extremely familiar with what you do on a daily basis. This will give you an outsider’s objective opinion of your accomplishments and help to ensure you are talking about your experiences with the right level of detail for someone outside of your industry.
• Is your essay telling the reader something about you? While a story can often add to or even make a great essay, the goal for every essay is to convince the admissions committee that you will add value on campus (and beyond). Make sure every essay sends a message about what you have to add.
Remember, if you have any doubts reading these tips, Personal MBA Coach is here to help with all aspects of the application process! If you would like individual and personal support, please find information about Personal MBA Coach’s comprehensive packages or contact me to learn how I can help!
As an MIT Sloan BS graduate and Wharton MBA grad, I have been helping candidates get into the schools of their dreams with a 96% success rate for over 10 years. Email me today at: [email protected]
With the first of the round 2 deadlines in just over 2 weeks, it is time to do a status check on your progress and make sure your applications are solid. For some of you, waiting until next year (or for a select few considering round 3) may be the way to go.
Unsure if your applications are ready? Here are a few things to look out for.
Story
• Is your story clear? Does the reader walk away knowing you are and what matters to you? In many instances, this should include some personal and some professional perspective. However, this does not mean they have to know EVERYTHING about you. The reader should walk away with one or two key takeaways on who you are and what makes you a unique fit.
• Are the stories consistent throughout all the application components? Your resume, essays, short answer questions and letters of recommendation should all include the same general message. Any inconsistencies are an instant red flag!
Why MBA?
• Have you clearly thought out and articulated why you want an MBA? To get promoted or to gain business skills are not good reasons. While not all schools ask this question, all candidates should be able to clearly explain (either in the essay or in the interview – if given the chance) what skills and experiences they hope you gain from an MBA and how it will help to attain their career goals.
School Specifics
• Some of the essays are similar across schools and you may start with material from one school and try to morph it into essay content for another school. Whether you morph material or not, make sure that you are being specific enough about each school in your application.
• Admissions committee members read thousands of essays every year, and it is very easy for them to determine who is genuinely interested in the school and knows a lot about the program and who crafted a generic essay.
Short Answer Questions
• Short answers are very important! Don’t let the fact that the questions are brief and only part of the online application fool you into thinking they aren’t necessary to focus on.
• Ensure the same voice is carried throughout your application, which includes your resume, essays and short answer questions.
• These questions may only ask for 250 characters, but optimizing those characters to tell the strongest story you can will take some time.
Recommenders
• One of the most overlooked areas of the application is the recommendation section.
• Ensure your recommenders know your complete story and can write letters that help to corroborate that story.
• To the extent that your thinking has developed as you went through the application phase, make sure to update your recommenders.
Essay Quality
• Are your essays really strong enough?
• Do you find yourself re-reading paragraphs because you don’t see how they exactly fit into the essay or you are unsure if the arguments are strong enough?
• It is a good idea to have someone else read over your essays, and ask someone who isn’t extremely familiar with what you do on a daily basis. This will give you an outsider’s objective opinion of your accomplishments and help to ensure you are talking about your experiences with the right level of detail for someone outside of your industry.
• Is your essay telling the reader something about you? While a story can often add to or even make a great essay, the goal for every essay is to convince the admissions committee that you will add value on campus (and beyond). Make sure every essay sends a message about what you have to add.
Remember, if you have any doubts reading these tips, Personal MBA Coach is here to help with all aspects of the application process! If you would like individual and personal support, please find information about Personal MBA Coach’s comprehensive packages or contact me to learn how I can help!
As an MIT Sloan BS graduate and Wharton MBA grad, I have been helping candidates get into the schools of their dreams with a 96% success rate for over 10 years. Email me today at: [email protected]
