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 2008:00 AM PDT
-08:30 AM PDT
What’s in it for you- Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with Jenifer Turtschanow, CEO, ARINGO. Come with your details prepared and ARINGO will share insights! Pre-MBA Role/Industry, YOE, Exam Score, C/GPA, ECs Post-MBA Role/ Industry & School List.
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 2707:30 PM EDT
-08:30 PM EDT
Learn how to choose the right recommenders and strengthen your MBA candidacy in this live AMA with Stratus experts.
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..
12 Feb 2021, 14:04
Kudos
Bookmarks
I am hoping to apply for an MBA in round one 2021 (Sep 2021) so I can start my MBA in the Fall of 2022. I am pretty overwhelmed by how and where to start. I have already taken the GMAT (710) and don’t plan on taking it again. I have a few questions:
1. When should I start the application process?
2. What are the major application steps?
3. Should I hire and admissions consultant if I’m hoping to go to a top 15ish school? I understand there are a lot of factors on this one. I am currently an M&A advisory senior consultant at one of the big four accounting firms (not in advisory not consulting) in the Bay Area. I am not from California, but preferably I would like to go to a California school (Standford, Haas, Anderson) because of my wife’s job, but if necessary would have no problem going to any top school.
I am sure many of these questions have already been answered on GMAT club so I apologize for that, I’m not totally sure where to look. So if someone has links to similar threads that would be great too!
Posted from my mobile device
1. When should I start the application process?
2. What are the major application steps?
3. Should I hire and admissions consultant if I’m hoping to go to a top 15ish school? I understand there are a lot of factors on this one. I am currently an M&A advisory senior consultant at one of the big four accounting firms (not in advisory not consulting) in the Bay Area. I am not from California, but preferably I would like to go to a California school (Standford, Haas, Anderson) because of my wife’s job, but if necessary would have no problem going to any top school.
I am sure many of these questions have already been answered on GMAT club so I apologize for that, I’m not totally sure where to look. So if someone has links to similar threads that would be great too!
Posted from my mobile device
12 Feb 2021, 15:54
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Morgan1213:
It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed as you begin this process. The good news is you have plenty of time and many resources available to you. Separately, congrats on getting a fantastic GMAT score! That will open up many doors for you. As far as your questions are concerned:
1. When should I start the application process?
A: It depends on what you mean by start the process. The applications themselves don't get released until the late spring, but you can definitely get a head start on matters like your resume (which doesn't really change from school to school), lining up your recommenders (identifying the appropriate ones and building a rapport with them), fine tuning some aspects of your profile (such as extracurricular activities), and researching and reaching out to the MBA programs (current/former students and admission committees) to express your interest.
2. What are the major application steps?
A: There are a set of materials you will need to submit: resume/CV, 1-2 recommendation letters, essay questions (short answer, long answer and potentially video "essays"), and then the application itself which can include enumerating and describing your extracurricular activities, examples of leadership and recognition, and general biographical data. Subsequently, if invited, you will participate in an interview with an alumnus, second year student or admissions committee member. Then, you hear back the results and, hopefully, are in a position to pick between many options.
3. Should I hire and admissions consultant if I’m hoping to go to a top 15ish school? I understand there are a lot of factors on this one. I am currently an M&A advisory senior consultant at one of the big four accounting firms (not in advisory not consulting) in the Bay Area. I am not from California, but preferably I would like to go to a California school (Standford, Haas, Anderson) because of my wife’s job, but if necessary would have no problem going to any top school.
A: As an admissions consultant, I obviously think we can be extremely helpful especially if you need someone as a go-to for all questions from start to finish in the admissions process. Getting into a top 15 school is very hard, especially this past year (and likely this coming year) with the pandemic rendering all norms dated. Coming from the Big 4 will give you blue chip credibility, but you do need to articulate clearly your career path to date and your career path moving forward.
Please reach out to us at Admissionado if you'd like to schedule a free consultation. During the call, you will have the opportunity to speak with one of our MBA experts who will review your background, help build a school list (including beyond the CA schools you listed), explain the scale and scope of our application support services, and answer any and all of your questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/
Regards,
Seth
Admissionado Senior Consultant
It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed as you begin this process. The good news is you have plenty of time and many resources available to you. Separately, congrats on getting a fantastic GMAT score! That will open up many doors for you. As far as your questions are concerned:
1. When should I start the application process?
A: It depends on what you mean by start the process. The applications themselves don't get released until the late spring, but you can definitely get a head start on matters like your resume (which doesn't really change from school to school), lining up your recommenders (identifying the appropriate ones and building a rapport with them), fine tuning some aspects of your profile (such as extracurricular activities), and researching and reaching out to the MBA programs (current/former students and admission committees) to express your interest.
2. What are the major application steps?
A: There are a set of materials you will need to submit: resume/CV, 1-2 recommendation letters, essay questions (short answer, long answer and potentially video "essays"), and then the application itself which can include enumerating and describing your extracurricular activities, examples of leadership and recognition, and general biographical data. Subsequently, if invited, you will participate in an interview with an alumnus, second year student or admissions committee member. Then, you hear back the results and, hopefully, are in a position to pick between many options.
3. Should I hire and admissions consultant if I’m hoping to go to a top 15ish school? I understand there are a lot of factors on this one. I am currently an M&A advisory senior consultant at one of the big four accounting firms (not in advisory not consulting) in the Bay Area. I am not from California, but preferably I would like to go to a California school (Standford, Haas, Anderson) because of my wife’s job, but if necessary would have no problem going to any top school.
A: As an admissions consultant, I obviously think we can be extremely helpful especially if you need someone as a go-to for all questions from start to finish in the admissions process. Getting into a top 15 school is very hard, especially this past year (and likely this coming year) with the pandemic rendering all norms dated. Coming from the Big 4 will give you blue chip credibility, but you do need to articulate clearly your career path to date and your career path moving forward.
Please reach out to us at Admissionado if you'd like to schedule a free consultation. During the call, you will have the opportunity to speak with one of our MBA experts who will review your background, help build a school list (including beyond the CA schools you listed), explain the scale and scope of our application support services, and answer any and all of your questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/
Regards,
Seth
Admissionado Senior Consultant
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
16 Feb 2021, 15:34
Kudos
Bookmarks
Morgan1213
Hi there Morgan1213,
Thank you for sharing some of these thoughts and questions. Jumping into the application process can definitely be daunting. At Personal MBA Coach, we have created an MBA planning guide to help applicants position themselves for success: https://www.personalmbacoach.com/kickstartsignup. I encourage you to check it out! From strengthening your extracurricular profile to expanding your network, we have broken down the MBA planning process into smaller goals to make it more manageable.
As for beginning the application process itself, here are some of the main steps:
- 1. Finalize your school list and testing plans. You mentioned that you do not plan on taking the GMAT again so finalizing your school list should be priority number 1.
2. Select and prepare your recommenders.
3. Develop your MBA resume. Developing this resume will force you to take stock of your accomplishments, helping you determine what to include throughout your applications.
4. Begin the essay writing process. Ideally, you want to allow at least one month for this.
5. Answer short answer questions.
6. Leave plenty of time for proofreading.
Of course, we work with clients through their applications on a case-by-case basis. One of the main challenges that we help applicants tackle is figuring out how to truly tell their stories. This may be the hardest and the most important part of the application since MBA admissions directors see countless similar profiles each year. Personal MBA Coach helps candidates stand out and clearly articulate the value they will add on campus.
In terms of hiring a consultant, business schools saw a huge jump in applications this past year due to Covid-19. Your goal of a T15(ish) school is certainly in the competitive range. Most folks look at an MBA as an investment into themselves, and the money spent on a consultant is small compared to overall costs for tuition and living. Our clients earned more than $6 million in scholarship money last year, so for a majority of them, the service was basically "free."
Happy to discuss your profile and how we could potentially work together in more detail: [email protected].
Best,
Personal MBA Coach
