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04 Aug 2017, 09:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: London Business School Launches ‘World’s Most Flexible MBA’ |
 The London Business School MBA class entering this August will have a transformational experience as the school introduces major updates to its full-time program. According to an announcement made by LBS earlier this year, the new MBA will include flexible exit points at 15, 18 and 21 months, as well as the option for students to tailor their learning alongside core modules of the program. Students will now have a choice of summer work experience – paid internship, consulting placement or Entrepreneur Summer School – and a choice of more than 70 electives in year two. The program has also added new locations to the Global Business Experiences (GBEs), including Lima and Tel Aviv. The GBE program gives students the opportunity to apply their academic learning in a real-life, global business environment. Alongside the expansion of the global menu, students will have the opportunity to complete an extended group project in a key London sector. Business sectors will include: entertainment and leisure; technology, media and telecom; hospitality and tourism; healthcare, pharma and biotech; fashion, design and luxury; financial services; and the third sector. The school’s new MBA format will also offer:
For more information on applying, please visit the London Business School admissions website. |
07 Aug 2017, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Seeing Your MBA Application Through AdCom’s Eyes |
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When you’re hard at work on your MBA applications, it’s easy to get caught up in what sounds great to you, or what seems impressive to your friends, co-workers or parents. But what you really need to be doing is considering your materials from the admissions committee’s point of view. Granted, it can be tough to form a truly objective opinion of your own candidacy. For example, some candidates think that if they have a high undergraduate GPA, aced the GMAT and have been successful in their career so far, their admission is all but guaranteed to the top programs. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The majority of candidates who apply to the leading business schools are bright, personable overachievers who would be an asset to any program. Adcoms see literally thousands of deserving profiles come across their desks each year. That’s why you need to think beyond your obvious achievements and differentiate yourself through your essays and interviews by picking stories and experiences that are memorable and unique. This becomes even more critical if you’re in an industry that typically makes up a bigger portion of the applicant pool, such as investment banking or consulting. Having said all of that, if you’re so down about your shot at getting into a certain school that you’re considering not even applying there in the first place, take heart. While the process is extremely competitive, you shouldn’t count yourself out before the game even begins. Chances are your humility is a trait the adcom would appreciate. Focus on highlighting what you can share with your classmates that would be valuable to them — experience or knowledge that others can learn and benefit from. Look at your application from the viewpoint of the people who are charged with putting together a diverse group of outgoing students. How will you enlighten your classmates over the next two years? Here’s one way to think about it:  Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. |
08 Aug 2017, 05:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: The Bigger Picture: It’s Always Worth an Ask |
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I have a friend who consistently lands in the cushiest situations. Ever since I have known her, she would wiggle her way out of a final exam so that she could work on a more interesting project. She could negotiate dreamlike work conditions: lots of excuses to travel, super flexible work from home schedules, seemingly unlimited vacation. She never had a traditional set up; she always had a better arrangement, something that was perfect for her. I don’t mean to imply that this friend is a slacker. Not at all. She’s actually brilliant and hard-working and passionate. She will always get the job done. Many years ago, we were working on a school project together, and we needed special accommodations to reach our desired end result. I balked: I would never, ever, in a million years have thought that we could actually secure the special treatment. But my friend shrugged her shoulders and whipped off an email to the professor, stating, “It’s always worth an ask!” “It’s always worth an ask.” Simple, right? As someone who is a rule follower, who tends to stay within the lines, those words stuck with me. Ever since then, when I think of something I want, and it’s not exactly the prescribed route, I reach out and ask. It’s harder for me than it is for my friend. It’s harder because sometimes I feel embarrassed or almost ashamed if the answer is no. Why is that? Why do we feel ashamed when we are turned down for asking for what we want?  I was reminded of this a few weeks ago, when my family was at a campsite making s’mores. My kids were using bent branches to roast the marshmallows, but the family at the next campsite had official metal rods. My youngest daughter was dying to use one of their rods but was too embarrassed to ask. I asked her why and she replied, “What if they say no?” My older daughter, fed up with the whole conversation went over and asked. She came back a moment later with five rods, lighter fluid and extra Hershey’s bars. She turned to her younger sister and said, “They could have said no, but what if they say yes?” When we ask, we somehow feel vulnerable and a “no” can feel like a personal rejection. But it’s not. It’s just a no. If we don’t ask, we end up with a no. If we do ask, we might feel a bit embarrassed, but there is a very good chance that we will end up with exactly what we want or even something better: s’more sticks plus lighter fluid and chocolate! Do you want to scholarship dollars at your MBA program? Do you want a raise? Do you want the chef to prepare a special meal for you? Do you want your favorite masseuse to contribute to a fundraiser? Do you need to stay in your apartment two weeks longer than planned? Next time you hit a wall, consider whether there is a way around. It might be as simple as an ask. |
08 Aug 2017, 10:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: USC Marshall Fall 2018 MBA Essay Tips |
 The Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California program offers a southern California location and strong local reputation, a variety of programs and the resources of a large and prestigious university. While USC’s value statement: “Transformational Courage, Collaborative Ambition, Impactful Service, and Unwavering Integrity” is specific to the MBA program, Marshall adds: “We are the Trojan Family.” The larger University at USC is an important part of the program, and taking advantage of networking with the strong Trojan family will be a crucial part of your experience at Marshall. USC also values its position in Los Angeles, where there is a growing start-up community, biotech companies, entertainment, aerospace, and a global port to Asia, along with “292 days of sunshine a year.” ESSAY #1 What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (word limit: 100) With only 100 words to use here, stay brief and focused. What is your plan when you graduate from USC? Because you can add no context to your career plans, make sure your resume and other application materials support this next step. If you are career switching it will help to highlight any transferable skills in your resume or ask your recommenders to comment on your future plans and how you will use your MBA to reach your goals. If your next job is a logical step from your prior experience to your MBA, it’s still important to be specific about the job you plan to pursue to add as much detail to your application as possible. ESSAY #2 Please respond to ONLY ONE of the following essay topics. (word limit: 500) 1. Please describe the contributions you expect to make to your classmates outside of the classroom during your time at USC. 2. You have been asked to design a course to be taught at the Marshall School of Business. Please provide a title and description for the course. 3. What has been the most interesting day or moment in your life and why? 4. You have been hired by the Marshall MBA Admissions Committee to create an essay question for next year’s application. Please state the question and answer it. This USC MBA essay is an opportunity to choose the statement that fits best with your overall application strategy. You will have the opportunity to highlight your extracurricular skills, academic acumen, insight into the Marshall community, or a personal moment. Almost all of these essay questions also require significant research into the Marshall MBA program. With the exception of option 3, it will be important to know as much as possible about the academics at USC Marshall (option 1) and the student culture (options 2 and 4). If you are someone who has a standard career background and competition that may be similar, you might consider using option 1 or option 3 to describe anything something interesting or diverse in your background. Perhaps you have an unusual hobby, have made an impact on the community in a special way, or have an interesting family heritage. Option 1 might also be a great way to highlight your leadership skills. If you are someone who works as an individual contributor, or in a technical role, this is a great opportunity for you to tell a story that demonstrates that you lead in other informal ways. Think about how you may lead a group of peers, or lead in a community setting. ESSAY #3 (OPTIONAL) Please provide any additional information that will enhance our understanding of your candidacy for the program. (word limit: 250) This essay is fairly open-ended and might provide an opportunity to add additional information or to discuss a gap in your application. If you have a low GPA, grade below a C in a quantitative subject, an employment gap or any other issue in your background, this is the place to explain. Focus on clearly explaining what happened, and what you have done to improve or address the issue. Need help with your USC Marshall essays and application strategy? Contact us to learn more about what SBC can do for you. |
10 Aug 2017, 10:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tips for Applying to Business School as a Couple |
 This post originally appeared on Stacy’s ‘Strictly Business’ MBA blog on U.S. News For some professional couples, there comes a time when both partners realize that pursuing an MBA degree is the key to exploring new career paths and accessing an array of high-quality professional opportunities. However, the MBA admissions process is challenging enough for one person, and couples face additional considerations as they figure out their priorities and application strategy. Finding an MBA program that meets your needs when it comes to learning style, environment, size and so forth, must mesh with your partner’s preferences as well – and this is one of the hardest parts of applying jointly to business school. To avoid any unwelcome compromises or resentments that might damage your relationship, you’ll need to make a list of target programs where you both will be thrilled to study. Here are tips to help you and your partner successfully navigate the application process and chart your course for career growth as a couple. • School selection: No two candidates – even couples – are alike when it comes to test scores, leadership experiences, professional background or extracurricular interests. Before applying to b-school, make sure each application is competitive and can stand on its own merit at the schools you plan to target, because the strength of one candidate won’t compensate for an unqualified partner. In addition to applying to the same set of schools, couples can expand their range of options by focusing on cities or regions where both would thrive. Think in terms of applying to schools in the same area. For example, you might apply to the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University, the Columbia University Business School in New York City or the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in nearby Philadelphia, or Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business or the University of California—Berkeley’s Haas School of Business in the Bay Area. Other options include Harvard Business School or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management in the Boston area, or Chicago’s Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management or the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A smart strategy for couples open to this option is applying to identical schools in Round 1 and then expanding to nearby schools in Round 2 as a backup plan. Campus visits are also essential for couples, so take the time to get a good feel for each school and connect with current married or partnered students who can provide invaluable insight into their own application experiences and give you a better sense of how accepting the school is of joint applicants. • Timing your applications: It perhaps goes without saying, but you should both apply in the same round, which makes the decision much easier when you know whether you both got in. Also, if possible, apply in the first round to leave some wiggle room, if needed. The MBA application process can become all-consuming, and with two people balancing full-time jobs with test prep and essay writing, you might find that one of you is struggling and needs extra time to pull together the best possible application. A different approach for couples who know the region or city they ultimately want to work in is to stagger your MBA enrollment. One person continues to work while the other goes to business school and then enrolls in an MBA program once the partner has graduated. • Advising the admissions team: The admissions committee is made up of compassionate human beings, not mere number crunchers. If both applicants are qualified to attend and are a good fit with the program, the admissions committee will usually try to keep couples together. Some schools explicitly ask in the application if you’re applying jointly with a partner, but even if they don’t, it’s important to share that information with the admissions committee, especially if rejection of one applicant means the partner wouldn’t attend if accepted. Both you and your partner should use the supplemental essay to explain that you’re part of a package deal. Also, make the admissions team aware of your joint application intentions as early as possible. When attending events on the road or on campus, touch base with representatives to explain your situation and show them why you and your partner would make a great fit for their program. When it comes to making admissions decisions, your relationship status will likely come into play when the admissions committee is hesitant about just one of you. If the school feels that one candidate is outstanding and knows that he or she will only attend if the partner is also admitted, chances are that both will receive admissions offers. An MBA is an emotionally intense and enriching experience, and one of the best things about attending business school as a couple is witnessing each other’s growth in this unique environment and taking pride in each other’s accomplishments. From the support you can give each other during the application process to coming home at the end of each day during the degree process to share and debate your respective classroom experiences, going to business school with your partner may turn out to be the best decision you’ve ever made for both your career and personal life. |
11 Aug 2017, 09:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Georgetown MBA Students Pledge Summer Pay to Social Impact Internship Fund |
 This spring, the Net Impact chapter at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business launched a fundraising campaign for the Social Impact Internship Fund (SIIF) to encourage first-year MBA students to donate 0.5 percent of their summer internship pay to benefit fellow students who pursue internships in the social impact field. By the end of the 2016-17 academic year, 152 first-year MBA students — 55 percent of the Full-time MBA class — had taken the pledge to become a SIIF sponsor. Run by the Net Impact club, SIIF provides stipends to McDonough students with non-paying or low-paying social impact internships. Since the fund was created nearly 10 years ago, it has offered more than $300,000 in scholarships and stipends to MBA students interning with organizations such as USAID, OPIC, and Kiva. Money raised this year will benefit students taking internships in summer 2018. By awarding stipends, SIIF allows students to pursue the career paths of their choosing and reduces the financial burden associated with unpaid or low paying internships. SIIF also aims to help realize Georgetown McDonough’s mission of educating principled leaders who serve business and society as well as its Jesuit values such as women and men for others. Stipends are awarded based on the merit of the internship organization and project, benefit to the student’s career goals, and financial need, among other criteria. Last summer, for example, SIIF recipient Adrienne Rettinger (MBA’17) worked at Alpha Mundi Impact Investing, where she developed a strategic plan for the firm’s board that led to the establishment of the AlphaMundi Foundation. In addition to the amount raised from MBA students this summer, the club is recruiting support from MBA alumni and the broader Georgetown community to further strengthen the fund and make the school more competitive with other top MBA programs that offer larger stipends for these types of internships. You can learn more about the Social Impact Internship Fund at the McDonough School of Business by visiting the Georgetown Net Impact Club website. |
14 Aug 2017, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: How Your Social Media Profile Can Support Your MBA Candidacy |
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We’re going to tell you something you probably already know: if you’re applying to an MBA program this year, be careful about what you post online. It’s possible that business school adcom members could do a quick search on your name before admitting you to their program, and you don’t want something written in haste to derail your chances of getting in. But being active on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms isn’t a complete no-no. In fact, savvy candidates could actually use these venues to boost their credibility and solidify the good impressions made through their application materials. For example, let’s say that you’re hoping to switch careers after business school, and in one of your essays you share your intention to work for a company that develops clean-energy options in third-world countries. You could tweet links to articles or books you’re reading on the subject, you could post about a local conference you attended, or you could give your take on the most promising advancements in the field. Or maybe your career to date has led you to become somewhat of an expert on microfinance. Reinforce that reputation through your online presence. Let people know when you were quoted in an article or asked to be on a panel. Are you a marketing guru? It would be easy to weigh in on—or share—what some of the biggest brands are doing on social media. The key is to keep things professional and on point. It’s absolutely fine to let your personality shine through, too—just as it should in your essays. And you’re already following the programs you’re applying to, right? Doing so could be a great way to get some insight about a school that you could work into your essays. Remember, if you don’t consider social media to be another way to strengthen your candidacy, you may be missing out on a great opportunity that other MBA applicants will most certainly take advantage of. Think of it this way:  Need help building a positive social media presence? Stacy Blackman Consulting offers a dedicated social media strategy service. Are you signed up yet? Stacy Blackman Consulting and GMAC® are teaming up on July 28 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss and answer questions about the MBA admissions process. Register here (it’s free!). Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. |
15 Aug 2017, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Georgetown McDonough Fall 2018 MBA Essay Tips |
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Georgetown McDonough School of Business’s location in Washington D.C. puts the school at the center of public policy and international business. The program requires all students to be part of the Global Business Experience, an international consulting project. Georgetown also has the Steers Global Real Estate Center and new entrepreneurship initiative. Along with the academic and career benefits of the school, Georgetown’s community is close-knit, intellectually curious and diverse. Essay One: Please answer the following essay question in 500 words or less: “Describe a defining moment when you were challenged and exceeded expectations.” The moment can be a professional or personal one. If personal, then please also include how it had an impact on your professional development. Rather than a generic career goals essay, Georgetown would like to know how you have developed as a professional and the moments that were defining. Read about current students defining moments on the Georgetown McDonough admissions blog. We all have pivotal moments in our careers, and often they were painful as they were occurring. Perhaps you were asked to take on a project in a subject area you knew nothing about. Or you managed an employee who was more experienced than you. You might have joined a team that did not welcome your contributions. How did you take those professional challenges and turn them around to success? What tools did you use or develop to do so? Make sure you reflect a bit on your own development and what you learned in the process. Video Essay: Please introduce yourself to your future Georgetown MBA cohort in a one minute video. The Admissions Committee would like for you to appear in person during part of your video, and we strongly encourage you to speak outside of the experiences we can read on your resume. You may paste the link to your Youtube or Vimeo video in your application. Please note that we cannot accept private or password protected videos. For more instructions, view our Video Essay Guide. Georgetown’s video essay guide specifically asks you to appear in the one-minute video and to address situations outside your resume. However, you will have unlimited time to record and edit this video (unlike a video interview). While you have been asked to show yourself in the video, you may add other elements aside from your talking head, including interviews with family and friends, photos or graphics and music. Like all interactive MBA admissions essays, the content is the most important aspect of this exercise. The admissions committee wants to get to know you and your dreams, background and personality. Think about personal stories that would not come through in your resume, recommendations or your written essays. Perhaps you have a family story to tell, a hobby you are passionate about or a significant extracurricular responsibility. This is also the ideal place to demonstrate your fit with Georgetown. Can you take your hobbies to school and share with your classmates? Will your background add to the diversity of the class? Or can you open doors for your classmates professionally? Always think about your own contributions to Georgetown. If you can demonstrate enthusiasm as you speak to the camera and add other elements to the video it should be compelling to the admissions committee. Optional Essay One: If you are not currently employed full-time, use this essay to provide information about your current activities. (250 words or fewer) This essay is specifically for those who are not employed full-time when submitting this application. This is not meant for any past gaps in employment, low grades, GMAT issues or any other element to your profile. If you are not currently employed full-time you can explain what you are spending your time on here. Ideally you are volunteering, engaging in an entrepreneurial activity, or another professional pursuit. If you are taking time to help care for a family member or children, that’s legitimate too. Whatever the situation, make sure you are able to talk about how you plan to transition back to school and full-time employment post-MBA. Optional Essay Two: Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included. (500 words or fewer) This is an entirely open-ended optional essay. Most optional essays ask for an explanation for a gap in employment, the lack of a current supervisor recommendation, or academic issues. If you do want to address any of those elements to your application this is the ideal place. If you do not have anything to explain about your overall application you may want to use this space to highlight another aspect of your experience at work or in your extracurricular activities. Perhaps you have an amazing leadership experience you want to discuss. Or a learning experience that was not covered in essay one. There is no obligation to use the space, however, so do not write an essay just to add more for the admissions committee to read. If you do use this space to elaborate on your application profile, do not recycle essays from other schools that ask specific and recognizable questions. Re-Applicant Essay: Required for re-applicants. How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. (500 words or fewer) Many candidates can write about a specific improvement since your last application like a promotion, improved GMAT, or increased responsibilities or experience. Georgetown is also interested in the less tangible improvements like a revised career goal, personal growth or increase in maturity. Make sure you are able to make the case that you are now ready for a Georgetown MBA and that any new development has only strengthened your resolve. Need assistance with your Georgetown MBA application? Stacy Blackman consulting can help. Contact us to learn more. |
16 Aug 2017, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Defining Career Goals for the MBA Application |
 If you’re applying to business school, you know it’s time to get serious about defining your career goals. For most applicants, career exploration is the impetus for considering an MBA, and the majority of programs will spend time evaluating your career goals for realism and passion. I have no idea what I want to do. Many applicants want to go for an MBA, but no clue what specific career will be interesting afterwards. While an MBA program will expand your horizons and open doors you never considered, having a clearly formulated goal is integral to success. Therefore, it’s worth taking the time now to do a bit of soul searching. Think about…
Is my career goal realistic? Along with passion, realism is an important aspect of your MBA career goals. Consider the application process from the school’s perspective: MBA programs want to launch productive graduates who are successful in their careers and will contribute to the community. When evaluating career goals, ask yourself:
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17 Aug 2017, 08:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: How to Crush Your First Year of B-School |
 Throughout the business school application process, MBA candidates spend ample time filling out applications, writing essays and even honing interview skills to successfully gain admittance to their institution of choice. But it is equally important to prepare for the first year of coursework, which will have a long-reaching impact on your job prospects. Whether you’re just starting to complete applications or you are about to embark on your first days as an MBA student, here are five ways to successfully prepare for your first year of business school. • Attend all orientations and meet-and-greets: [/b]I can’t overemphasize the importance of choosing a school that instantly gives you a sense of community. [/b]One of the best ways to make the program feel like a perfect fit is to attend as many social mixers and orientation events that are planned for incoming students. Welcome Weekend and other preterm social events are prime opportunities to begin connecting with your future cohorts. If you’ve participated in the MBA forums or followed other MBA applicants’ blogs, then you may already have a head start on building relationships with your class. By spending time on campus weeks before the semester begins, you’ll also have time to familiarize yourself with the many resources available to students. This will give you an additional comfort level and allow you to adapt more quickly and focus your attention on other exciting opportunities that come your way. If you live halfway around the world and aren’t able to come to campus early, find out if your program hosts a Facebook group for your class so you can start connecting with fellow students. If it doesn’t, offer to help set one up. In the highly competitive MBA world, it’s common for first semester students to go through periods of self doubt. But in reality, the introvert has a natural advantage in making allies at b-schools. Extroverts who need to be heard will naturally seek out good, thoughtful listeners. When introverts think about building their friendships and network during b-school, they should take the long view. While extroverts may make the strongest first impressions on their classmates, it’s the introverts who often make meaningful and lasting connections with less effort. Besides, many of the introvert’s skills – among them team building and problem-solving – are key to successful businesses. • Maintain and build upon your existing network: The process of connecting with your new cohorts is the first step in building your existing network. But don’t forget to tend to your existing network once you’re admitted, though. If you’ve stayed in touch with your favorite college professor or know anyone in your network who has gone to business school, this is the ideal time to reconnect and inform them of your own MBA plans. Ask for their advice on how to maximize your business school experience, and let them know your professional goals and the companies you’re interested in. You never know when a mutual connection can give you a leg up in recruiting. • Prepare for recruiting season:[/b] The summer before business school is a great time to make a list of interesting companies that recruit at your campus. Research contacts at your target companies to see if you can arrange an informational interview. If you revised your resume as part of your MBA application, now it’s time to go back and make sure the professional version of your resume is up-to-date. Take a look at your social media accounts, including your LinkedIn profile, to ensure each represents your passions and abilities in a professional way. Once you have your shortlist in hand, set up a Google alert with each company name so that you’ll automatically receive news updates that will provide great material for your interviews with recruiters. Try not to get too attached to one company, though. Competition is fierce, and recruiters will interview dozens of equally bright and qualified students for just a few available spots. • Brush up on quantitative skills: [/b]A fair number of soon-to-be first-year students lack some basic quantitative skills. Many top MBA programs offer math camps for accepted students during the summer as a refresher of critical concepts. Review the course syllabus online and purchase textbooks in advance, if you can. If you have any weak spots in this area, sign up for the math camp early so that you’re ready to hit the ground running once classes starts. A growing number of students – even those with a finance background – have realized that these additional learning opportunities provide valuable time to network and bond with their future classmates before the rush of classes and recruiting hit in the fall. • Ramp up your reading habits: First-year business school students read hundreds of pages a week to prepare for class discussions. If you haven’t had time to read anything longer than a Wall Street Journal article in the past couple years, now is the time to ease back into the practice to minimize fatigue. If you don’t like to read, that’s all the more reason to start exercising those latent muscles now. An added bonus of extra reading is that you’ll likely become a much more interesting MBA student and potential summer hire to recruiters as a result. |
18 Aug 2017, 09:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Making the Most of MBA Fairs |
 For many who are just embarking on their B-school journey, attending an MBA fair like The MBA Tour or the QS Top MBA World Tour is a stellar way to meet admissions representatives from several programs and impress them with your thoughtfulness and preparation…in other words, stand out from the crowd. If you want to successfully navigate this invaluable MBA networking opportunity, make sure you follow these simple rules of fair etiquette: 1. Don’t ask questions that can be found in FAQs 2. Come with a resume if you have one handy 3. Don’t ask whether the GMAT is absolutely necessary at the first meeting 4. Don’t wear sandals–first impressions count 5. Don’t be a brochure–nabber 6. Try and attend the panel discussion and seminars 7. Ask whether you can meet alumni 8. Do your homework 9. Trust your instincts 10. Have fun Lack of preparation is the kiss of death at MBA fairs. A small amount of time researching a school can ensure that representatives are intrigued with applicants, rather than bored by questions that can easily be found on an institution’s website. Naturally, this means that coming up with queries that are fresh and original will be vital in making sure that you stand out amid a sea of would-be applicants. Our first bit of advice is to ask any questions that you actually and honestly have. Keep in mind, however, that not all representatives will know every last detail about their school—but they may be able to connect you with someone who does. Another option is to really listen during any presentations that are given, take notes, and then ask a related question to show that you were engaged. Or dig deep into the program’s website beforehand and jot down a few questions based on what you found there. Also, try to narrow your choices down to a few business schools before attending. This allows you to focus your research and prevents you from wasting your time talking to schools that you may later find out cost too much, don’t offer your preferred electives, or expect a higher GMAT score than you can deliver. Remember, from the adcomm’s perspective, the most memorable candidates they meet are those who have obviously done their research on what their specific program has to offer, and why it is the best fit for your career needs. |
21 Aug 2017, 10:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Check In Now with Your MBA Recommenders |
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As the majority of Round 1 deadlines are next month, you should plan to reach out to your recommenders soon to ensure they are pacing themselves and won’t be crunched for time once end-of-summer craziness hits. These contacts are doing you a huge favor, and it would be a shame if they had to take time away from their families and friends over the remaining weeks before their kids go back to school (or over Labor Day weekend, for those in the United States) because you hadn’t gently reminded them about their upcoming responsibility. While b-school applications might be consuming your life right now, they’re probably not top-of-mind for your recommenders. When you do your check-in, there’s a chance your recommenders may ask you to review what they’ve written so far. Or they may just want to verbally confirm that they’re covering the right points in their letters. This is your opportunity to remind them that the most critical thing they can do is include examples to back up any claims they’ve made about your strengths or personality traits. Many recommenders—especially those who aren’t familiar with the MBA application process—think that if they simply sing your praises and repeat how great you are in various different ways, that will be enough. Others assume their alumni status or their impressive titles will carry enough weight to make up for a generic letter. Unfortunately, they won’t. The best way for your recommenders to help you stand out from thousands of other highly qualified applicants is by painting a clear picture of who you are both professionally and personally. Sharing details of how you contributed to projects or giving specific examples of how you interact with others or went above and beyond (including funny anecdotes or quips that give insight into your personality)—these are the things that make for a great recommendation letter. Having said all that, if your recommenders don’t intend to share what they’ve written, don’t worry! Chances are you asked them to do this very important task because you know they’re competent people who will try their best to set you apart from the pack. But if they do ask for any advice as the deadlines near, just be sure to drive home the importance of going heavy on the examples. And when your recommenders’ letters are in, don’t forget to do something nice to thank them! Think of it this way:  Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. |
22 Aug 2017, 05:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: The Bigger Picture: Celebrate Everything |
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Unless you have been living under a rock, you are likely aware that yesterday was the long awaited total solar eclipse. Some lucky individuals got to experience a 100% aligning of the moon and sun, along with a big drop in light and temperature. For those of us who only got a partial eclipse (62% where I live) it was far less dramatic. In fact, many people in LA pretty much ignored it. Of course, everyone was talking about it…but for several of my friends and relatives, pilates class and business meetings trumped standing outside with flimsy paper glasses trying to get a look at a sliver of the sun. And that makes sense! Most of them explained that they’d catch it later on YouTube. My family, in contrast, made a clumsy shoebox viewer and bought several pairs of glasses so that we could experience whatever it was that there was to experience.  Why did we watch the eclipse? It’s not because we are so fascinated by astronomy or because we associate it with dark mysticism or ominous prophecies. We watched because it was a moment in time. This eclipse was visible from just about everywhere in the contiguous United States and was the first to cross from coast to coast in 99 years! Many of us pause each and every day to lament the craziness of our world, to note and condemn what is happening around us, from pollution to hatred to violence. But can we pause from ordinary human activity just to celebrate? Whether or not you looked at this eclipse, I encourage you to think about ways to celebrate life. If you have decided to apply to business school, take a moment to celebrate the big decision to invest in yourself, to take a step to learn, grow and advance. Celebrate when you wrap up the applications and submit. If you leave a doctor’s appointment with a clean bill of health, don’t take it for granted; celebrate it. Celebrating these things slows down time and increases our gratitude and our ability to live in and experience the now. I have a friend whose business grew surprisingly quickly in its first year. She immediately set goals to double and triple that growth rate. Big goals are great but she never celebrated her accomplishments. Instead, she ignored the rewards and just pushed to go higher, belittling herself when she failed. When she finally sold the company, she felt a sense of regret over not enjoying the smaller triumphs and milestones along the way. Did you know that September 6 is “Fight Procrastination Day?” You can dedicate the day to tearing through your to do list and getting it all done! And then you can celebrate all of your accomplishments on September 12 with “Chocolate Milkshake Day.” I encourage you to find more reasons to celebrate. Wake up each day and celebrate life, friends, overcoming challenges, doing something hard, successes and failures alike…and on September 12, milkshakes. Definitely celebrate chocolate milkshakes. |
22 Aug 2017, 10:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: UNC Kenan-Flagler Fall 2018 MBA Essay Tips |
 UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School is a flexible program that offers a full-time MBA in Chapel Hill, Executive programs outside of D.C., and even an online program. With a world-class university offering resources beyond the MBA program, UNC is an excellent option. Kenan-Flagler touts a strong career focus and that students receive career advancement from each MBA option. There is a global focus and several global immersion opportunities with each program at Kenan-Flagler. This essay set has only one required question, and it is entirely career focused. Kenan-Flagler is focused on your career and attracting recruiters to the program, so this is a logical area of focus. Essay One (Required) Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how your professional experience has shaped these goals, why this career option appeals to you, and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. Additionally, please briefly address a backup plan should your short-term goal not come to fruition for any reason. (500 words maximum) This is primarily a standard career goals essay. The question asks about your background, what your short- and long-term career goals are, and why now is the right time for you to pursue an MBA. The other part to this question is to describe your backup plan if you do not achieve your original career goals. The first part of the question focuses on the short term, asking for a very clear link between your short-term career path and your MBA. Due to Kenan-Flagler’s focus on the perspective of recruiters and your career advancement, this focus on the short term will show that you have realistic ideas about your career trajectory. The long-term goals should flow naturally from your short-term goals and demonstrate that you can plan for your career. Because everyone’s life takes twists and turns that may not have been planned, Kenan-Flagler wants to know if you have a Plan B that is as well thought out as your Plan A. If you want to work in consulting, but you aren’t able to land a job at the firm you prefer, perhaps you will pursue a role as in-house strategy in your target long-term industry. Finally, make sure that you have career goals that require an MBA and that you can cite specific classes, professors and programs at UNC that will help you achieve your goals. Essay Two (Optional) What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (300 words maximum) This question is a gift to any applicant who needs to differentiate his or her story. Think about what is unique about your background or perspective. If you have an interesting and diverse background you will certainly have enough material and the task will be to link your background clearly to a contribution you will make to the Kenan-Flagler community. Think about clubs or activities you will join and what you will bring that is unique. If you are someone without a particularly unique background you will want to focus on personal qualities. What personality trait helps you stand out in a group? What do people often tell you about yourself? And how will this trait contribute to the community at Kenan-Flagler? Essay Three (Optional) If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum) This optional essay is straightforward and simply requires you to outline your preparation for the program. If you do not have the requisite coursework you may have gained training through work that will result in the same preparation. If you do not have the preparation through work or courses, it may be worth registering for continuing education classes and informing the admissions committee in this essay. Essay Four (Optional) Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum) This optional essay can be used to explain anything unusual or problematic about your application, from poor undergraduate GPA to choice of recommenders. In addition, because it is so open-ended, you may use it to communicate any additional information that may be beneficial to your candidacy. If you did not have the opportunity to communicate one of the areas of your application strategy, this may provide the space to do so. |
23 Aug 2017, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: New Research on MBA Gender Gap |
 Top business schools continue progress toward gender parity of their student bodies. Despite this progress, many top schools are struggling to effectively address an academic performance gap between male and female students. While pipeline issues have long been suspected as a leading cause of this performance gap, new research from academics at Columbia Business School probes deeper into underlying factors contributing to the gender performance gap. Through a series of empirical studies, including a survey of MBA students at a top business school and a review of archival performance data (e.g., grades, GMAT scores) from multiple cohorts of students, the researchers uncover two driving causes of the performance gap: the background of students and their behavior in MBA classrooms. The new research brings hard evidence to an issue that has been widely debated in recent years largely on the basis of anecdotes and opinions. The new studies show—consistently for several recent student cohorts—that the gender performance gap in MBA students exists primarily in technically-oriented classes like accounting and finance, but not in socially-oriented classes like leadership and marketing. “These findings shed new light on the scope and source of the gender performance gap at top business schools,” said Michael Morris, the Chavkin-Chang Professor of Leadership at Columbia Business School and an author of the study. “But more importantly, they offer business school leaders directions for policies to effectively redress the grade gap.” Background – Interests and Aptitudes One source of the performance gap in technical-oriented classes is students’ backgrounds. Interests were assessed from entering students’ admissions applications as well as their responses to career counseling inventories. Not unexpectedly, given that psychological studies find consistent gender differences in interests from childhood onward, results revealed that more female students fit the “poet” interest profile and more men the “quant” profile. A similar difference appeared when looking at GMAT scores, which was more surprising to the researchers given that such aptitudes do not appreciably differ by gender in the general MBA population. These initial findings establish what top MBA programs are up against. From the very first day of the programs, male and female students differ on average in their interests, aptitudes, and the prior experiences that go along with them. This, in turn, gives rise to a key gender norm contributing to the performance gap: an expectation that female students have prowess in some areas and men in other areas. Behavior – Public Assertiveness or Private Effort Beyond the performance differences elicited directly by student backgrounds, the research shows that another source of the gender gap is how female students behave in response to gender norms during the MBA program. According to the studies, female students show less public assertiveness, especially in technically-oriented classes, whether measured by their own report or by that of the peers. Female students who fared worse in technical classes tended to be those who hedged their assertiveness, as active learning (i.e., class discussions and study group meetings) is essential for mastering the material. “In this context, assertiveness means asking questions of peers and professors that help elucidate class material – plain and simple,” says author Aaron Wallen, Executive Director of the Management Division at Columbia’s School of Professional Studies, and a former Lecturer at Columbia Business School. “Our research shows that female students far too often hold back and hesitate to ask the kinds of questions that would help them better master technical concepts and procedures, perhaps because it is inconsistent with the established gender norms linking men with technical ability. This has a profound effect on their overall achievement in MBA classes.” Fortunately, the studies show that female students do not internalize the gender norm, which would be reflected in their reduced academic effort. On the contrary, female students put in more private studying effort than male students, a result that held both in self-reports and the objective record of usage of the school’s tutoring services. The researchers conclude that this suggests that female students may recognize the costs of their reduced assertiveness and compensate somewhat by putting in extra effort in private. Recommendations for Improvement The authors offer recommendations for how leaders can institute policies that help close the achievement gap. They challenge some proposed fixes, suggesting that increasing the proportion of the class to 50% female will not solve the problem without prior measures to fix the pipeline of qualified female candidates. Some recommendations for increasing the supply of talented female applicants to top MBA programs include:
“Interventions for assertiveness often focus on women’s confidence or body language. But this misses the point. ‘Lean in’ interventions that address the roots of the problem would work better than ‘lean on’ interventions that suppress its symptoms.” They recommendations include training faculty and students in skills for eliciting and managing the participation of the people around them, a skill-set that is valuable in any work setting. source: Columbia Business School |
24 Aug 2017, 10:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: UCLA Anderson Talks Pros/Cons of Each Application Round |
 Round 1 or Round 2 – that is the question… There is definitely a frenzy around trying to submit applications in round 1. So much so that you might wonder what the other rounds are for. If everyone needs to submit applications in round 1, who exactly is being admitted in round 2? The answer: a lot of people are admitted in round 2, and if your application is not ready this October, you should not be afraid to slide to round 2. UCLA Anderson School of Management has shared its own perspective with prospective students struggling to decide in which round to submit their application, which we’ll summarize here: Round One Pros: All seats available; early application shows you’re serious about an MBA; waitlisted applicants can still be re-evaluated in rounds two or three; ample time to apply elsewhere in later rounds if not accepted. Cons: applicants might rush, creating lower quality application; less time to prepare for and take the GMAT or GRE; less time overall for self-reflection, school research. Round Two Pros: Most popular round at Anderson; allows ample time to prepare your application; allows time for a retake of GMAT or GRE if not satisfied with your score; more time to attend admissions events and learn about the program; allows time for a campus visit while classes are in session. Cons: Competition is highest; if waitlisted or denied, you may not have time to reapply elsewhere until next year. Round Three Pros: Allows the most time to pull together your best application possible; you’ll already have acceptance information if you applied to other schools in earlier rounds; allows the most time to enhance your application profile with additional promotions at work, new leadership experiences, etc. Cons: Stiffest competition of all rounds, as the majority of spots in the class have already been offered. At SBC, we say: All things being equal, round 1 may be a smarter strategy. At the beginning of round 1, all of the seats in the class are available. At the beginning of round 2, a bunch of seats have already been given away, and you are also competing with those on the waitlist. But then of course, there are those who say that all of the top candidates are applying in round 1 – and you are up against the toughest competition. So then, maybe it is best to apply round 2? This is getting confusing, right? The truth is that the admissions committees know what they are looking for. They have become pretty good at estimating numbers, and evaluating and accepting applicants that fit their criteria. The best strategy is not to play the game of which round, but to submit your application as soon as, but not until, it is ready. I recently spoke with a client who believes she can raise her GMAT from 650 to 700, but it will mean waiting until round 2 to submit applications. My advice? Go for the 700 in round 2. Always make sure all aspects of your application are the strongest they can possibly be, and then submit. Never sacrifice quality just to get in to round 1. And with all of that said…there are very few instances when I would recommend round 3. Only the strongest, most amazing candidates make the cut, so if your applications didn’t generate sufficient interest in earlier rounds, they certainly won’t amid the exceptional candidates at the end of the season. Instead, you should regroup, restrategize and apply again next year. |
25 Aug 2017, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Michigan Ross Admissions Director Gives Candid MBA Essay Advice |
 At Michigan Ross School of Business, MBA admissions director Soojin Kwon is a straight shooter who always strives to offer b-school hopefuls the clearest, most authentic application advice possible. We think Kwon’s latest blog post on how she would answer this season’s MBA essays provides both concrete examples for the short answer questions as well as a great tip for how you might get the brainstorm session started. As you know by now if targeting Michigan Ross, this year the school has decided to introduce a short-answer section with three groups of prompts. Applicants need to chose one prompt from each section and respond in 100 words or less. “We want to get to know more about you than we would in a traditional essay where you’d talk at length about one topic,” Kwon explained in May when announcing the changes. “You’ll get to share different sides of yourself that will be relevant to your experience during business school.” This week, the admissions director shares a helpful starting point for applicants, based on her experience with coworkers who asked Kwon the questions out loud. “As a first pass, I responded verbally, to see what would come to mind first to each question, then picked the responses that felt the most ‘authentically me’ within each group,” Kwon writes. “If you’re like me, this may be an easier way to start the reflection process than staring at a blank screen.” Click on over to the Admissions Director Blog to read exactly how Kwon answered these short-answer questions: Group 1: I made a difference when… Group 2: I was out of my comfort zone when… Group 3: A valuable thing I have taught someone is… “The hardest part of doing this wasn’t coming up with the ‘what’,” she reveals. “The hardest part was getting each word count down to 100 words. It required boiling each response down to its core elements. Every word had to be critical to the story. It was like solving a puzzle to try to balance content with brevity.” Here at Stacy Blackman, we’ve coached Ross applicants by reminding them that the personal attributes most valued at Ross include community engagement and interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills. When you think about your short answers you may want to write about an important extracurricular moment, a challenge you overcame, or an event in your life that highlights something unique about your background. Take note that these short answers are about getting to know you as a person, not as a collection of accomplishments. Your values and personal life will ideally shine through. The Michigan Ross admissions team will host a webinar on Tuesday, August 29th from 1-2 pm CST. Register today for more information about applying to Ross. |
28 Aug 2017, 09:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Should Your MBA Career Goals Be “Strategic”? |
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When you pull together your MBA application materials, you might find yourself stumped (in a few different ways) about how to explain your career goals. Thankfully, as we wrote about last month, the adcom isn’t going to hold you to what you write in your essay. But they do expect that you have given enough serious thought to your own future that you can clearly articulate your short- and long-term plans. More importantly, they want to hear about why you have those goals. But sometimes this brings up another conundrum: should you be totally honest about your future career vision, or should you try to somewhat tailor it based on what each program you’re applying to is known for — or who the major recruiters are on campus? We find it’s usually best to tell the adcom what you really want to do. They’re pretty good at sniffing out insincerity, and writing what you think they want to hear falls into that category. Plus, it will be harder for you to share a convincing “why” for your goals if they’re not really your goals! Then if you get to the interview stage, you’ll have to worry about continuing the act. If you want to totally switch industries or are looking for a post-MBA role in a notoriously competitive field, then throw in a sentence about what else you might be open to doing on your way to your ultimate goal. The good news is that while each program may have a reputation for strength in certain functional areas or industries, almost all of the top business schools still have plenty of courses, clubs, conference and other parts of their curriculum that cater to just about every type of career goal. So that’s how you customize your responses for each school: show them you’ve done your research and know exactly how they can help you. Think of it this way:  Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. |
30 Aug 2017, 07:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Why Tone Matters in Your MBA Application |
 Finding the right balance between confidence and humility is one of the critical challenges you will face in crafting your b-school essays and in delivering answers to admissions interviewers. It’s all about your attitude, which will permeate your essays and set the tone for the way the admissions committee views you. One of the key questions applicants often have is how confident they should try to appear. When you tell a story lauding your achievements to the admissions official across the table, that person’s visual cues can help you know when to scale back the confidence by one or two levels. With b-school essays, you have one shot to craft your message, and admissions committee members with diverse personality types and differing levels of acceptance and patience for bravado will read your prose. Likewise, some applicants face the dilemma of how much of an “expert” to paint themselves as in their field. It is critical to portray yourself as someone from whom your classmates can learn. Many business schools are case study-oriented; the quality of the education is essentially determined by the content the students contribute in the classroom. Additionally, offline conversations are a huge part of the learning process for both academic subjects as well as issues related to career choices. However, the “I’ve seen it all” attitude is definitely not something b-schools are looking for from their typical 25-to-30-year-old applicant. Even as you highlight the fascinating experiences you’ve had and the cutting-edge knowledge you possess, make sure you take careful stock of what you want to learn, both from your professors and your fellow students. The people who take the best advantage of business school are those who come in with a high level of curiosity and a willingness to absorb new information like a sponge. In short, the appropriate balance is struck when you have a developed a detailed awareness of what you have to teach and what you have to learn. So, how can you highlight your business and leadership achievements without sounding like you think you are God’s gift to commerce? Here are three pointers: 1. Acknowledge the team: NASCAR drivers use the “we” technique to a fault. “We were running great today. When we took that first turn, our car was running perfectly.” You don’t want to sound like a cliché, but positioning your achievements as team achievements works wonders. Plus, your abilities as a business leader will ultimately be more dependent on your abilities to achieve in a team format than in an individual setting. 2. Balance your portfolio of essays: You will probably have more license to emphasize your impressive achievements in some of your essays if you gain credibility in others by being honest and open about failures, weaknesses, and doubts. If you just highlight how the incredible amount of work you pitched into an entrepreneurial venture led to its success, you shouldn’t half-heartedly chime in with “sometimes I work too hard” as a personal or professional weakness in another essay. 3. Highlight mentors: If you are shining the spotlight on your leadership capabilities, make sure you also acknowledge people in your academic, extracurricular, or work settings from whom you learned some of these skills. This works equally well for hard skills””such as finance and negotiation””and for “soft” skills, such as leadership, communication, and mentoring abilities. Doing so shows you are good at recognizing the strengths in others and know how to learn from them. It’s also important that folks who come from positions and industries lacking that “glamour” factor don’t downplay their accomplishments. Certain high-profile investment banks and consulting firms are definitely the main feeder companies to American business schools, but it is often the people who come from less well-represented areas that have the most to teach the section or study group. You may have run a T-shirt shack. Or conducted accounting audits for sketchy firms. Or monitored quality control at a Senegalese ball bearing plant. Rest assured, you do have valuable things to teach your classmates. The trick comes in thinking through what those lessons are and showing you have an unusual perspective on them. |
31 Aug 2017, 17:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Eyeing a US Business School? Tips for International MBA Applicants |
 Nearly a third of students in some of the top MBA programs are international, which offers great professional and cultural diversity and enriches the classroom experience. Applying from abroad involves certain expected obstacles, such as the logistics of campus visits, securing visas and financial aid and demonstrating language proficiency, but students share other challenges as well. Here are three specific client cases – and their challenges – we’ve encountered while working with international MBA applicants that may help you with your applications. 1. Explaining your international GPA: Our client Naveen wanted to work in technology management and felt that the MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business would be a great fit for him. He had attended the College of Engineering at University of Delhi, where he received marks of distinction in almost every class. However, due to the difficulty level of the courses at his college in particular, those marks usually resulted in percentage scores in the 70s. Naveen was shocked when he translated his overall grade percentage as 73 – the equivalent of a C average in the U.S. He was convinced his academic record would stand out negatively when compared to applicants from American schools grading on a 4.0 GPA scale. Looking at grade conversion calculators available online, we found that for some transcripts, a 75 percent would be the equivalent of an American A-plus, and at other, more difficult programs, a percentage as low as 60 would translate to an A grade. We felt that the Stanford admissions committee would likely be familiar with the rigorous engineering program at University of Delhi and would know that marks in the 50-60 range would be the equivalent of a 3.5 GPA in the U.S. Naveen insisted on describing his degree as “First Class with Distinction,” and we agreed, so long as he used his actual scores without any conversion. This straightforward strategy worked, and Naveen ultimately landed a seat at Stanford. 2. Distinguishing yourself from other applicants: Another client, Abhi, desperately wanted to attend a top MBA program and had his sights set on University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. After earning his undergraduate degree in India, he had come to the U.S. to earn a master’s degree in engineering and spent three years in a technical position within a financial services company. Unfortunately, Abhi’s academic and professional profile was nearly identical to a thousand other applicants. His handful of extracurricular activities were similar to ones we had seen from other applicants. In addition, Abhi’s GPA and GMAT score were merely average, so we had a difficult conversation about the reality of this highly competitive situation and encouraged him to apply to a portfolio of schools in order to maximize his chances. He did agree to apply to four programs: Tepper School of Business, Darden School of Business, NYU Stern School of Business and Wharton – with Wharton being by far the most competitive. We mentioned his long track record of service, but really highlighted his organizing a large group to train for a marathon and raise money for a six-year-old girl with leukemia. Abhi discussed his own training process, recruiting and engaging others, planning multiple fundraising events and the leadership ups and downs that he encountered throughout the process. For Wharton, Abhi put in an extra push. He visited the campus more than once, and came to know the school extremely well, which was made clear in his essays. He also asked a good friend, a current student and someone who could legitimately add insight into his candidacy, to submit a letter on his behalf. The final package showcased how truly passionate he was about the program and what a good fit he was in terms of culture and goals. Despite having a profile that on the surface mirrored countless others, by digging deeper to find and highlight the compelling aspects of Abhi’s background, he was offered a seat at both Wharton and Tepper. 3. Balancing out zero community involvement: Schools outside the U.S. often place far less emphasis on an applicant’s extracurricular or volunteering involvement when making admissions decisions. When Italian national Aldo came to us for help with his applications, his problem wasn’t quantitative. His balanced GMAT with an overall 720 and a 3.8 GPA presented a very strong academic profile in addition to three years of investment banking experience. Aldo’s main issue was that extracurriculars and volunteering were not a part of his undergraduate experience, nor was it a priority for his peers in banking in Italy or London. He had no real way to demonstrate the community engagement that American MBA programs like to see. Although it didn’t seem immediately relevant to Aldo, we helped him see the value of his passion for travel, which had spurred him to visit all seven continents and study abroad in Singapore. Aldo referenced some of the lessons he learned while traveling and living in Singapore and London to demonstrate his cultural awareness and a sustained focus on international interactions. Ultimately Aldo was admitted to Wharton and NYU Stern. Each of these applicants benefited from taking a fresh approach to their particular situation. Often, the steps necessary to strengthening your business school application become apparent once you spend some time in self-reflection. |
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