Over the last weeks, I spoke with dozens of MBA hopefuls. The spring MBA fairs are in full swing and I was in NYC, DC, and London, meeting MBA candidates and reconnecting with school colleagues.
When candidates walk up to my table, the pattern is often the same. They show me their resume. I could see the apprehension in their eyes. They worry their record doesn’t measure up - that they don’t have the accomplishments, or the big name undergraduate program, or the manager title in their job. What they perceive as their deficiency is all they see and all they think I am seeing too.
When I spot and point out the great things on their resume that immediately stand out to me, they light up, “I am unique?”, they ask. Yes. Yes, you are.
Whether it was growing up in Kyrgyzstan, having worked on an oil rig in Thailand, or having helped build the super hosts community for Airbnb, every single candidate has a uniquely meaningful story. It’s just that sometimes it takes someone else to help you recognize it.
Do you know what else it takes to uncover your MBA story? Questions. Conversations. Iteration. This is why when I first start working with a new candidate, we spend many sessions digging into what you are made of. We start with your early years, talk about your education, the ups and downs of your life and career, and all the twists and turns of your path to this moment, the time when you are putting together one of the most important portfolios you will ever compile - your MBA application.
We build a beautiful pile of what I call “gold nuggets” - little stories about you, your actions, decisions, accomplishments, the times you had to learn hard lessons from failure, and your dreams for the future. When the time comes to start writing your essays, you have a collection of striking pieces to build a collage from.
Some will tell you that an MBA application is a puzzle. I don’t believe that. It’s a collage. A puzzle means that you have a limited number of pieces and they all have to fit a specific way. That approach is confining and limits you from showing how you are indeed one of a kind. A collage, on the other hand, provides room for improvisation and accommodates any piece you have on hand and deem worthy of weaving into the picture of you.
If you know you can use help building an MBA application that stands out in the competitive MBA race, don’t wait too long. I’ve already been working with MBA candidates for Round 1 for weeks and in some cases even months. Because I don’t limit the number of hours of support you receive, the earlier we start, the more time we have to uncover the unique substance that will bring your MBA story to life and move you to the “invited to interview” pile and then to “admit”.Here’s how one Wharton admit described her experience working with me:
“Petia is an amazing consultant who really cares about her clients’ success. She is extremely dedicated, professional, and provides candid and immensely valuable feedback to empower you to put your best application forward. We worked together on all aspects of my application, and Petia helped me tailor my materials to make sure the highlights of my essay and resume are better presented to the admissions committee. Her experience as a former Dean of Admissions helped me navigate the application process a lot better as she always provided the most targeted and efficient support. Through Petia’s help, I gained admission to Wharton and received a scholarship.
I would highly recommend Petia to anyone who is seeking help in the application process. She is a sincere friend and a great mentor!”If you are ready to see how my MBA AdCom expertise and guidance can be valuable to you, schedule your free consultation: https://www.mymbapath.com/free-consultation