MBA Application Advice For Older Applicants - Poets&Quants

First of all, who is considered an older applicant? Now there is not a universal cutoff that determines what an older or younger applicant is, but rather there is more of a guideline. Generally you want to base this determination off of the average age of the student body. The average age for most of the top full time MBA programs is typically about 27 or 28 years old, but as we learned from our GMAT prep, averages don’t tell us a lot. Even looking at the middle 80% age range of full-time MBA programs, most students are between 25 and 31 years old.

So, if you have more than 7 years of work experience, at the time of application, you will be at the upper end of the range.  In other words, if you’ll be 30 or older at the start of the program, you’ll be above average. There is no cut off, though.

Every year, full time programs admit applicants in their mid 30s, however these people are outliers. Just as a candidate with a GMAT score that falls outside of the middle 80% of a school’s range must justify how they will succeed academically, an applicant that falls outside the middle 80% in age range must justify why they want an MBA, why now, and how they’ll fit with the program both culturally and professionally.

If you are an older applicant, what can you do to maximize your chances of admission? 

• Make it clear why you want an MBA now.

Admissions officers are going to see your age, your college graduation date and the years of work experience you bring, so there’s no sense in trying to hide or downplay this aspect of your profile.  Instead, make sure you have a clear and coherent response for why you want to get your MBA now, how it fits into your professional path, and how receiving a full-time MBA is the best possible path to achieve your goals.  Know that the admissions committee will be looking at this portion of your application with extra scrutiny. I guarantee that every 32 year old who was admitted to a top-tier, full-time program had a very clear and compelling argument for why they should be there. Nobody stumbles into a top-tier program with 10 years of work experience who simply said, “I’m looking to expand my career opportunities and improve my management skills” without providing significantly more detail.

• Demonstrate fit. 

Also, don’t forget to do thorough research on each program to which you are applying.  Talk with current students and recent alums who were a little older in their class and pick their brains on school culture, the ways they got involved, and their overall experience. Get on your target schools’ websites to find out what clubs interest you most and include these in your application essays to show the admissions committee that you’re serious about getting involved!  At Veritas Prep, we have expert consultants for older candidates and can help you refine your professional goals, why you need an MBA now, and how you will contribute to your class.

• Consider applying to a part time or EMBA program.

Many business schools, including Stanford and Wharton, offer other programs such as EMBA, part-time and executive education tracks that may be better suited to candidates who will not likely take advantage of the immersive experience of a full-time MBA.  If you have 7 or 8 or more years of work experience, be sure you are considering all of your options. Leaving your full-time job for two years is not always the wisest option for people later in their careers and will not provide the same ROI as for younger candidates.  Think through which program makes the most sense for where you are at in your life and career and what you desire out of your MBA experience. Generally the part-time and EMBA programs attract an older applicant pool given the structure and set-up of the programs. With whatever program makes the most sense for you make a strong case for how the offerings best align with your development needs.

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If you need help with any of the advice above or have questions, give Veritas Prep a call at 800-925-7737 to speak with an MBA admissions expert, or request a free MBA admissions consultation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! For more insights and advice, check out Veritas Prep’s blog, and be sure to find Veritas Prep on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Veritas Prep  is the largest privately-owned test prep and admissions consulting company in the world. Since 2002, Veritas Prep has helped thousands of applicants gain admission to their dream schools using its team of experienced consultants and a personalized game plan for each client.

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Who Gets Accepted To Chicago Booth - Poets&Quants

Donna Caramello (this is a composite based on real, successful Booth applicants I’ve worked with) is thrilled beyond words: she just received the Accepted email from Booth MBA.  I recalled how frankly annoyed she sounded when I suggested she consider Booth.  “It’s hardcore finance!  And I’m trying to get OUT of finance!  I’m all about innovation and entrepreneurship, you know that,” she’d said.

When we discussed program selection, MIT, Columbia, and Haas were no-brainers for her reach or stretch targets.  All appealed to her in different ways.  But she hadn’t checked out Booth – she had fallen for the outdated stereotype.  She didn’t know that Booth’s community, culture, and academic program would also be a great fit for her.  I just wanted her to give it a look. I often advise my MBA clients to take a look at programs they hadn’t considered. Frequently my clients find these programs appealing, and sometimes my suggestions turn into their first choice and the programs they ultimately attend.

Donna’s Background:

Donna Caramello grew up in affluent Chappaqua, New York.  She attended Hamilton College and majored in sociology.  She found she enjoyed the stats required for the major more than she’d expected and took some additional stats and probability courses.  She loved the academic experience overall, she said, and always felt excited when taking her seat in a new class.  Her hard work and diverse course load earned her a 3.55 GPA, which would have been higher if she hadn’t been so busy socializing, volunteering in a literacy program, and skiing.  Influenced by peers, she interviewed with investment banks early in her senior year and accepted an analyst role in a NYC investment bank after graduating.

She thrived professionally and, through contacts, after two years moved to private equity. There, she had increasing involvement with portfolio companies.  She saw a lot of employee dislocation post acquisition and largely ineffectual – or halfhearted – attempts by her company to address it.  During her third year there, her father died.  This personal jolt caused her to self-reflect, and she realized that while she was successful, she’d “gone along” rather than thoughtfully directed her career.

At work she saw a need for an enterprise that would reimagine and invigorate the concept and practice of training for both individuals and organizations as rapid change became the norm.  She envisioned a service that would prepare people to become independent repositories of cutting-edge skills, knowledge, and capabilities sought after by rather than supplicants to organizations.  She wanted to start such a venture, either right after b-school or after a short stint at an ed-tech startup.  To prep for b-school she took the GMAT and scored 720.

Why I Saw the Fit Between Donna and Chicago Booth:

First, she fit Booth’s embodiment of and commitment to “3 freedoms”: academic freedom, the freedom to take risks, and the freedom to define one’s impact on the world.

• Academic freedom: Donna’s academic record, while not featuring a stratospheric GPA, shows that she not only values but knows how to make the most of academic freedom. She explored widely, and when a new topic captured her attention, she often followed up with another course or two.  The result was diverse pockets of depth beyond her major, which broadened her thought process.  The Booth adcom wants people like Donna who will truly optimize the great academic opportunities it offers.
• Freedom to take risks: Donna has not taken many major risks so far, but her goals represent one. When we discussed this aspect of the program, she told me that she also is a fearsome skier, known among her pals as an “insane risk taker.”  She thought it probably wasn’t what Booth really meant.  I told her it sounded just right!  Why? Because it was fueled by passion and she had some interesting things to say about taking insane risks as a skier.
• Freedom to define one’s impact: Donna is taking a dramatic career turn precisely because she intends to define her impact on the world.

Donna also would mesh with Booth’s “Student Experience” which it defines as focused on “intellectual culture” and “community culture.”

• Intellectual culture aligns with the academic freedom discussed above. For Donna, it also means that she will receive the most rigorous analytic training and enjoy an abundance of resources via the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which integrates the intellectual dimension with practical experience and exposure to individual experts and practitioners.
• Community culture reflects what she loved about attending a small liberal arts college, as she is a natural contributor. Not in a flashy, dramatic way, but as someone who, whatever she is doing, thinks and has something to say, considers and enjoys others, and usually prefers a group effort or activity.  She is hungry to share her thoughts and concerns from her PE experience that shaped her goals, and she is determined to lure newbies to the slopes.  She will of course continue volunteering, either with literacy or with a new focus.

Donna’s Decision to Apply to Chicago Booth:

It took some convincing, but Donna did agree to explore Booth’s program. She was amazed that this renowned “finance school” had the perfect culture and academic offering to meet her entrepreneurial learning needs.  A visit to the campus and classes cemented her interest in the program, and her excitement about it enlivened her application essays and interview.  Although she was running from rather than to finance and had a slightly lower than average GMAT for Booth, Donna’s ideas, personality, goals, and clear capability won over the adcom.  I too was thrilled – but not surprised.

Takeaways for today’s MBA applicants?  There are two main ones for different parts of the process:

1. All top MBA programs are well-rounded, beyond what the conventional impression may suggest and in different ways. Make the effort to look at all possible options, to allow for a “pleasant surprise” in discovering fit – I’ve seen this serendipity happen often when someone looks beyond the obvious.
2. Look at and listen to how the adcom and students define their program’s qualities, culture, and mission. In developing your application respond specifically to these factors to show you belong, at your target program and specifically at Chicago Booth.

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Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA, EMBA and other business programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She looks forward to helping you too!

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How To Write An Unforgettable Business School Essay - Poets&Quants

For most qualified MBA applicants, the difference between getting accepted and getting dinged comes down to a compelling Personal Statement. There is no denying that solid numbers can help your application, but they definitely do not guarantee acceptance. While a 500 GMAT or a 2.5 GPA will most likely raise the red flag at Harvard Business School, even a candidate with a perfect GMAT score and a 4.0 GPA can be rejected by an elite MBA program. Strong numbers will never make up for weak personal statements or negative recommendations. The business school essay is an integral part of the application process. And although seemingly straightforward, these essay questions require a great deal of introspection and thought.

WHAT THE ADMISSIONS DIRECTORS ARE SAYING

Rebekah Melville from Yale School of Management points out one of the most commonly cited pieces of advice for MBA applicants: Justify why you are the right person for this class and explain how your aspirations will fit in with the school’s values:

“What we are looking for is to get a little bit deeper in the sense of who you are, what you value the most and the actions you’ve taken towards your beliefs. No one gets in on the basis of a fantastic essay, but it is another valuable piece of your application.”

In a similar vein, Luke Anthony Peña, executive director of admissions and financial aid at the Tuck School of Business, notes:

“You have great strengths, and you also have growth areas — this is why you are pursuing a graduate management education. It’s tempting to highlight the strengths and downplay the growth areas, but that reveals only a portion of the complete person. Show us that you acknowledge and own both.”

4 TIPS TO CRAFT THE PERFECT MBA ESSAY

1. BE AUTHENTIC:

Are you telling your own story, or a story that you think the MBA admissions committee wants to hear? If it is the latter, try again. Business schools are looking for students who are self-aware — who think about their own strengths and weaknesses — so you have to talk about something that gets at the heart of who you are, and it has be genuine to you. And the admissions committee can tell when you’re not doing that.

If music has always been a big part of what you do, then by all means talk about it, and talk about it as a passion — perhaps even as a passion that is driving you to consider a career in the arts. Conversely, if nothing in your background indicates any entrepreneurial experience or initiatives, then don’t bother talking about your dream to start your own company, even if that is what is students are doing at places like Haas or Wharton.

2. BE UNIQUE:

An authentic story, generally, means a unique one as well. And by unique we mean talking about something only you can talk about — so it shouldn’t sound like what the guy in the next cubicle over is talking about. For example, Wharton is pretty tired of run-of-the-mill private equity stories, particularly when many applicants that have private equity as their goal frequently don’t know what it is. (Need to better understand the different types of PE? Check out this article.)

Instead, dig deep to find that professional and personal experience that you know no one else is talking about in their MBA application. A very successful applicant to INSEAD explained why infrastructure investment banking was his goal. As an engineer who was in charge of big infrastructure projects, he had seen only too well how many great projects couldn’t get the financing they needed to be built. His response was to get an MBA to help finance things like bridges and tunnels. Needless to say, this was not a story many business schools had heard, which explains why his application was so well received.

3. BE SPECIFIC:

Specificity is the soul of credibility, which means that the more specific you are about what you have done and what you want to do the more credible your entire MBA application becomes. So your goal is not to “join a private equity firm,” rather it is to “join a private equity firm focused on mid-size manufacturing companies in India.” Similarly, consulting is a big field, so pick up on the story you are telling about your future career and narrow that down some. Maybe by consulting you really mean healthcare consulting. And then even take it a step further: Will you be looking to join the healthcare group of a large consulting firm like Accenture or at a boutique healthcare consulting firm like ZS Associates? Do your research, drop some names, show that you are knowledgeable about the space you want to go into. It makes your whole story more believable.

4. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE:

It is easy to say that all business schools are alike but in actual fact they can be much different, and your applications must reflect this. So it is not enough to say that you want to go to business school, rather you must explain why business school, and even more importantly, why that particular school. For example, inside the classroom some schools may teach exclusively using the case method (most famously Harvard Business School, University of Virginia, Ivey Business School), while others may be only lectures — though in actual fact, the vast majority use some sort of combination. Similarly, outside the classroom, many schools are very much focused on experiential learning, which means spending time doing real-world projects for all types of businesses. MIT Sloan’s Action Learning Labs, for example, provides such opportunities in a wide range of disciplines including entrepreneurship, healthcare, sustainability, and others.

To understand how Haas is different from Fuqua and Yale SOM from Booth, you have to connect with the schools, including visiting, attending local events, webinars, speaking to current and former students, etc. That way, when your do your MBA Personal Statement, MBA programs see the specific reasons why you want to go to their school, and how you will fit in.

FINALLY, GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

With this article you hopefully have gotten a better sense of what makes for a successful MBA Personal Statement. One thing that we have yet to include but is extremely important in crafting a successful MBA essay is … time. Most successful business school application essays take time to write well, be it the MBA Personal Statement or that 250-character short answer. A good essay is written, rewritten, and rewritten again, getting critiqued and honed along the way. This is generally not something that can be hurried.

While everyone works differently, some faster and some slower, my own instincts on this say that it takes about six weeks to really produce a high-quality first essay. Each additional essay takes less time, as you build off all the other essays you have completed. If you can complete an essay in a week or less, good for you, but I am somewhat skeptical of its quality.

Remember, admissions committee members are reading hundreds of essays, and they don’t have the time or the patience to wade through last-minute essays that are generally overly long, repetitive, and don’t quite answer the question. Remember the old adage: “If I had had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter.” Now you have the time to write that concise, elegant, and to-the-point essay — an essay that may just get you into your dream school.

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Harold Simansky received his MBA from MIT Sloan and a BA in economics from Brandeis University. Following graduation from Sloan, Harold worked at Bain & Company in its private equity group. His efforts included being one of many consultants working on the largest media merger of all time. Upon leaving Bain, Harold founded a series of companies in sectors that have included financial services, real estate, green energy, online rewards, print media and others, while also consulting to a private equity firm.

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Your MBA Recommender Strategy For HBS & GSB - Poets&Quants

If you’re setting your sights on both Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB, you wouldn’t be the first. They are indisputably the two most exclusive business schools in the world, with admit rates of 11% (HBS) and 6% (GSB) in 2017. Both schools are sleuthing for a habit of leadership and a track record of positive impact that demonstrates your future leadership potential. Since your letters of recommendation are the only part of your MBA application not written by you, they can that tip the balance in your candidacy. That’s why a key element of your strategic positioning must be your recommenders.

Last week, Stanford GSB Admissions Director Kirsten Moss put a fine point on having a well-tuned recommender strategy during a panel discussion of Admissions Directors at the CentreCourt MBA Festival in San Francisco. “Recommendations are particularly important – it’s one time we can get someone’s outside opinion looking in, other than your own, of what you’ve actually accomplished,” says Moss (who also happens to have been Managing Director of MBA Admissions for Harvard Business School). “I am looking for those fine details about ‘what did this person do, how are they distinctive?’ There are 50 different ways to be a leader but tell me a couple of them.”

To echo Moss, it’s all in the details – which is essentially evidence. Admissions committees are looking for a recommender’s honest reflection backed up by objective, concrete insights about your development and potential. They look to recommenders because they should possess specific knowledge about you that few other will have – not just what you’ve done, but how you’ve done it in terms of your impact on others and your organization. A great letter of recommendation illuminates how you’re perceived by others and brings your credentials to life.

So, who do you ask to write your MBA letters of recommendation?

“Choose wisely,” says Moss of recommenders. “Make sure that they’re committed to spending that time and that they’ll be able to actually give us those details and not just give a couple paragraphs, which won’t be helpful.” In other words, no matter how impressive a recommender’s title might be, their endorsement will fall flat if it’s peppered with platitudes or adjectives that might be applicable to any number of rock star candidates. Vague or generic reviews of you and your performance will hurt more than help.

This is why it’s less important to get someone who’s extremely senior and has a fancy title than someone who’s actually witnessed your development and growth first hand. Someone who has  been responsible for that development and growth and can comment in detail as well as enthusiasm is by far your best bet. If they can’t speak about you with both substance and specificity, they aren’t the right person for your recommendation.

So the best letters are from a current or recent supervisor. HBS, for example, strongly prefers direct supervisors. The ideal scenario is whoever is closest to you, but they should be senior to you, and preferably your direct supervisor or your boss’s boss. This isn’t always realistic, but it’s nonetheless ideal. If you cannot provide a recommendation letter from your current supervisor, you should explain why. Of course, there are situations in which applicants feel they can’t get a direct supervisor recommendation without putting their job at risk. In those cases, you’ll have to go back to previous companies, and previous supervisors and can work well. But again, if that’s your scenario, for schools like HBS or Stanford GSB, you’ll want to offer an explanation about why in your application.

This is where it’s important to know about each program’s expectations.

Moss’s recent advice reflects Stanford GSB’s values about the kind of perspective the admissions committee is hoping to gain from your recommenders, and implies some latitude. “I always say to candidates, think about the stories that you’re most proud of, the things that you’ve done – and it can be six-eight years [ago], go back through college – and when you think about those stories, where you’ve accomplished something, who do you know who could tell us about that story from a different lens? … Who’s actually seen me do it? Who’s been in the trenches?” says Moss. “For us it doesn’t matter what their title is, whether they’re an alum or not. It really is, who can tell us, and show us, the scope and scale of those accomplishments?”

A piece of advice I often give applicants when approaching recommenders about the process is to not just ask about a letter of recommendation like, ‘can you do this for me?’ but instead, ‘can you offer me a strong letter of recommendation?’ Inserting “strong” into your ask, then gauging their reaction, will tell you a lot.

Finally, it’s vital to equip your chosen recommenders to be your outspoken champions.

They may be well acquainted with the process, but then again, don’t assume they’ll know what they’re doing. I’ve seen too many great applicants let down by lackluster recommendations, probably unintentionally, because the person didn’t know what was expected. They’re busy people and they’re doing you a big favor, so you’ll want to be thoughtful about how to prepare them and keep them on track (without hovering too much, of course).

This is where the coffee date comes in: Sit down with them, make a list, refresh their memories on your achievements and the ways you’ve demonstrated excellence. Make sure they understand your MBA goals and aspirations, and talk through the different examples and get buy-in on ways they might convey your best qualities. They may see things that you haven’t seen, so you want that to be a conversation. This is about facilitating a process, not spoon-feeding them the material that they’re going to write (that would undermine the letter’s authenticity).

A vital ingredient to your future success will be the relationships you cultivate along the way, so take the time to let your recommenders know that you sincerely appreciated their efforts on your behalf.

“Circle back with your recommender with a timely and sincere appreciation for their support – no matter the outcome,” writes my Fortuna colleague Jessica Chung in her article on five tips for securing the best letters of recommendation. “If you’re accepted, they’ll want to celebrate with you, and if not, you’ll want to affirm their continued support if you elect to reapply.”

For more advice on a recommender strategy for HBS, view my 10-minutes video session, or view my latest article, What Harvard Business School Really Wants.

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Karla Cohen is an Expert Coach at MBA consulting firm Fortuna Admissions and former Associate Director at Harvard Business School. Fortuna is composed of former admissions directors and business school insiders from 13 of the top 15 business schools.

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Best Online Courses To Prepare For An MBA - Poets&Quants

MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have been revolutionizing education since the late 2000s, offering professionals and students worldwide fast and cheap ways of acquiring new skills and expanding their knowledge on virtually every subject. Platforms such as Coursera, Udacity, NovoEd, OpenClass, Alison and EDX (just to name a few) have been growing steadily and the quality of the online courses on offer is now beyond dispute.

While the Internet cannot compete with traditional higher education institutions, namely in the face-to-face and immediate interaction between students, Faculty and business executives, it can be a very useful tool during your preparation for an MBA. This blogpost suggests some courses that may help you ace your application and your MBA.

On Applications

If you feel overwhelmed by MBAs’ admissions processes and at a loss as to how best to navigate it all, relax: there are some very good MOOCs that will teach you some basic yet key tricks and skills to ensure you present a confident version of yourself to institutions and admissions managers. Our choice is Get into the Top MBA Schools + MBA Admission Tips, taught by the Columbia MBA and former Goldman Sachs’ employee Chris Haroun. It’s a comprehensive course on all aspects of applications, as well as on decision-making regarding schools and MBAs. Check it out, but don’t forget that you should explore all of the web’s offers to find out the adequate solution for your needs!

On Effective Communication

Most platforms offer courses on writing, preparing for interviews and debating. Since a major part of your application process involves some sort of communication, as does an MBA itself (essays; language exams; personal interviews; group work; public speaking and presentations; etc.), a course focused on effective ways of expressing your opinions and discussing specific topics is a good bet for an MBA applicant. Coursera’s Effective Communication: Writing, Design and Presentations aims directly at future business leaders, focusing on accuracy and elegance and exploring both contents and graphics.

On Finance, Strategy and/or Marketing

Most MBA students have been away for school benches for some time by the time their MBA begins. While professional life can undoubtedly be a constant intellectual challenge, lectures and academic work have their own rules and vocabulary. Enrolling in a MOOC on Finance, Strategy and/or Marketing (depending on personal preferences) can be a clever way of returning to a traditional studying routine while you wait for the kick start of your program, ensuring better time management and learning habits that may take away some of the pressure you’ll certainly feel. Plus, it’s a smart way of familiarizing yourself with new terms and trends (in English) that shape discussions in whatever field you’re most interested in, helping you make the most of the topics your MBA will address. There are literally hundreds of MOOCs on offer about these and other subjects; just conduct a thorough research on the main platforms and select the ones right for you.

On Post-Graduation Plans

Finally, don’t forget your post-graduation ambition! Life-changing though it may seem, the year you devote to your MBA is a stepping stone to higher goals, and you must bear them in mind throughout the entire program. Kickstarting your MBA Plans + All About Post-MBA Careers, available at Udemy, cleverly combines advice on how to perform during your MBA and on how to manage your career once you graduate. You can start planning your future as a business leader today!

Happy studying and do reach us if you have any queries. The Lisbon MBA Admissions Team will be happy to help! 

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Marta Andaluz is Director of Marketing and Admissions at The Lisbon MBA, a joint venture between two top European Schools based in Lisbon: Católica-Lisbon and Nova SBE. They offer a 1-year Full-Time MBA and an Executive MBA in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management. 

 

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Applying for an MBA Next Year? Find Out if You are Already Behind Schedule - Poets&Quants

Are you sure you are going to apply for an MBA, but not quite ready to apply this year? Are you feeling overwhelmed when you think about everything that needs to go into an application capable of earning you a spot at a top business school? Don’t stress – MBA Prep School is here to help with a timeline so you’ll know what to do this year to stay ahead of the curve.

Even if you’re planning to apply a year or more from now, you’ll want to get started now so you don’t miss out on opportunities to begin building your edge over other applicants.

Let’s start with what you should do a full year before you apply for an MBA.

• Get to Know Yourself:

You need to know yourself well before you can present yourself well. While that might seem obvious, the path to achieving self-awareness may not be as clear. We recommend regular journaling over the next year to provide a record of your experiences, strengths and weaknesses, and career goals. Not only will a journal help you practice writing about your experiences and aspirations for your application essays, but it will also prove useful as a reference during the application process. Take this time to do career research to solidify your short- and long-term career goals and how an MBA will help you achieve them.

• Get to Know the Schools:

The top business schools made it to the top for a reason. Look into the faculty, curriculum, research centers, and alumni testimonials of schools that interest you. Most programs will provide career reports; if a business school places lots of alumni into your desired post-MBA field, it will provide you with more opportunities to network with recruiters and fellow alumni in that field before and after graduation.

• Take the GMAT:

Taking the GMAT (or the GRE) should be a priority at this stage of the application process. Completing the GMAT early will ensure that you have enough time to retake the exam if you don’t achieve your target score the first time. Furthermore, when it is time to refine your list of schools, knowing your GMAT score in advance will help. Since a majority of MBA programs accept GMAT scores within a 5-year window, completing your exam as early as possible will give you one less thing to worry about as you move forward with your application.

What steps should you complete 6 months before the MBA application deadline?

• Pick Your Schools and Get Involved:

Narrow down the long list of MBA programs you might apply to and focus on the schools that most appeal to you. Pick a few schools that best match your interests and goals. Make sure that you choose schools where your profile is going to be most competitive. Start accumulating touch points with these MBA programs: join mailing lists, attend information sessions, reach out to alumni and professors, and visit campus if you can. Remember to keep detailed notes on your conversations and what impresses you about each program – this information will be useful later when you are answering Why Our School? essay questions.

• Write (Very) Rough Drafts:

Six months before applying is a good time to start pulling together the best ideas from your journal entries as outlines for the most commonly asked essay questions, like the “Why our School” essay or the “Career Goals” essay. While schools generally won’t publish their essays for each application year until June or July, many schools only make minor changes to their essay prompts and word limits from year to year. Drafting essays will allow you to practice working with common themes and expressing yourself in a stricter format than personal journal entries. If you’re not feeling confident yet, check out MBA Prep School’s previously published six-part Essay Boot Camp Series for helpful essay writing tips.

• Think About Who Might Write Your Recommendation Letters:

Start thinking about the people in your network who are best suited to write a strong letter of recommendation for you. Most top business schools require two letters, with one of the letters submitted by a direct supervisor. Your recommendations could make or break your application, so choosing recommenders who know you well enough to provide a genuine, glowing review is a vital early step. It will focus you in on the importance of shining in front of your current supervisor and keeping in close contact with a past supervisor whom you might ask to write your second reference letter.

You’ll want to do everything you can to stay ahead of the tough competition that you will face when applying to top MBA programs. Be sure you bookmark our next post, which will detail the things you need to do in the months leading up to the application deadlines to further enhance your odds of getting into a top MBA program.

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If you’re enjoying MBA Prep School’s articles on Poets & Quants, then you’re going love their 5-Star reviewed eBook entitled How to Apply for an MBA. Download your copy of MBA Prep School’s step-by-step guide on how to earn a spot in the world’s top MBA programs. https://mbaprepschool.com/ebook/

Tyler Cormney  is the co-founder of MBA Prep School, a full-service, boutique MBA admissions consulting firm that specializes in helping aspiring MBA candidates realize their dream of attending an elite business school. As a graduate of both Harvard Business School and USC’s Professional Writing Program, Tyler draws upon his unique blend of creative writing, strategic thinking, and coaching skills to help applicants stand out from the competition for a place in the most selective MBA programs, including Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton.

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Your MBA Application Best-Fit Checklist - Poets&Quants

Round 1 deadlines are next month and every successful applicant needs to show a fit with their target program academically, professionally, and personally. Veritas Prep offer a few suggestions in each area:

Academic Fit

• Do you have a competitive GMAT score?

The vast majority of applicants to top schools will be academically qualified to attend, so showing academic fit is an absolute must. MBA programs will look primarily at your GMAT score and undergraduate performance.

The GMAT score has shown to be the best indicator of academic success in business school, so admissions committees use this score as a means to “level the playing field” as they compare one candidate to another. While a stellar GMAT score will not guarantee acceptance, a low GMAT score alone can keep you out. It is the number one reason that an applicant is denied. Veritas Prep analysis has shown that if your GMAT score is 35 points or more below a school’s average, you will likely fall into the bottom 10th percentile of that school’s admitted class. This is a narrow range, and a score more than 35 points below your schools’ averages will be very difficult for most candidates to overcome. If this is a concern for you, check out the test prep options and free resources Veritas Prep offer to improve your GMAT score.

Professional Fit

• Does your resume demonstrate impact?

Following the GMAT score, your professional experiences are the next most important element of your candidacy. In general, no industry provides an advantage or disadvantage in the MBA admissions process, but admissions officers will look for clear evidence that, whatever it is you do professionally, you perform well amongst your peers. They will want to see that you’re a rising star.

Vertias Prep has written a whole article about How to Create a Breakthrough Business School Application Resume. A couple of the key takeaways: share accomplishments, not tasks, and show your impact.

• Have you prepared your recommenders?

After you’ve chosen someone who knows you well, cares about you, and believes in you, one of the most important things you can do is arm them with specific examples to illustrate your greatness. Even when your recommenders love you and want to see you succeed, when they sit down to start writing your letters of recommendation, they may not realize that it’s simply not enough to say, “This applicant has great leadership skills.” They need to say, “This applicant has great leadership skills, and here’s an example from a few months ago to show you why.”

Once they do realize that “show, don’t tell” is in fact the name of the game, they probably won’t have multiple examples handy to help back up their statements about you. Your job therefore is to provide them with these examples, in written form. If you’re wondering if providing such a “cheat sheet” is ethical or is a good idea, the answer is an unequivocal “Yes!” to both. Don’t leave your recommenders wondering how to show how great you really are.

• Is your narrative airtight?

Your ability to gain admission to a top MBA program will come down to the details, introspection, and overall unique narrative that you’re able to tell. The best short-term goals are genuine, achievable, and well-researched. For long-term goals, business schools look for students with ambition who are going to change their industry, community, or even society, so don’t be afraid to dream big! Connect the dots. An MBA may seem like an obvious choice to you, but don’t just assume that the admissions committee will understand why it’s the right choice. They want to hear your decision-making process in your own words. Clearly connect the dots among what you’ve done to this point, what you want to do in the future, and why you need an MBA from their program to get there.

Personal Fit

• Does your application represent who you are, in addition to what you’ve done?

Admissions committees are looking to understand who you are as a person, particularly through your essays, letters of recommendation and interview. Showcasing a track record of involvement in extracurricular, volunteer, and/or community activities is a good way to show admissions officers that you will be actively involved in the school upon admission. However, it’s not only what you’ve accomplished, but who you are, what motivates and drives you, the experiences that have shaped who you are today and who you want to be, that will help you standout in the crowded and highly competitive applicant pool.

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Work with Veritas Prep to improve your entire MBA application. Learn more about the services and free resources they offer. If you have questions, give them a call at 1-800-925-7737 to speak with an MBA admissions expert.

 Cecile Matthews is the Director of Admissions Consulting at Veritas Prep, the largest privately-owned test preparation and admissions consulting provider, helping applicants improve their test scores and gain admission to the world’s best graduate schools.

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Make A Great Impression At MBA Admissions Receptions - Poets&Quants

As a prospective business school student, you may be curious about the admissions receptions that many schools hold, both domestically and abroad. Here are some tips about how to make a great impression at MBA admissions receptions.

• Don’t feel obligated to ask questions.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with listening to the presentation. Please don’t feel like you have to raise your hand just for the sake of speaking.

• If you do ask questions, be thoughtful.

The best questions cover information that you can’t just find on the website. Inquiries about the culture, favorite aspects of the school, new programs and how to connect with students and alums can all be appropriate.

• Don’t ask for a profile evaluation.

It is rarely (if ever) appropriate to ask an admissions officer to assess your chances of admission. Receptions are an especially poor place to ask for feedback about your individual candidacy, so please refrain.

• Don’t ask the admissions officer to sell you on their school.

While hosting receptions around the globe, I was often asked to explain why Tuck was the best MBA program, or why this applicant should choose Tuck over other schools. This is not a good tactic – there is no one “best” MBA program, and while most representatives are very positive about the schools they represent they are not going to denigrate other programs.

• Be polite.

Admissions officers notice people, and they remember behavior. It does not look good to arrive late, talking on your cell phone, or to sit in the front row texting and watching you tube videos. The admissions officer hosting the reception may well interview you at a later date, or lead an on campus information session, and you want them to have a positive association with you.

• Keep it simple.

If you feel comfortable approaching the admissions representative, but don’t have anything in particular to say, consider introducing yourself and thanking them for the presentation. Be positive about the school and gracious – and bring business cards in case the officer asks you for your contact information.

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Karen has more than 12 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Over the last three years, clients have been awarded more than 14.6 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 95% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.

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Ask Yourself These 6 Questions As You Prepare Your Round One Applications - Poets&Quants

The first MBA application deadlines are less than two months away. If you are feeling a little panicked that you won’t be ready in time, follow these steps to make the most out of the next eight weeks.

• Have you selected your schools? By this point, your list should be finalized, but if it’s not, make this your first priority. Do your research by checking out school websites and if possible, scheduling a campus visit or tour. Search your network to find current students or alumni that you can take out for a coffee to discuss their experiences.

• Have you taken the GMAT/GRE? Schedule your test ASAP, leaving time if possible for a retest to reach your target score.

• Have you selected your recommenders? Do not wait until the last minute to ask people for letters of recommendation. They will not appreciate feeling rushed and your letters may suffer if they do not have the time to adequately prepare thoughtful and insightful letters. If you have already asked recommenders, now is a good time to make sure they have all the information they need and to gently remind them of the deadline. At Personal MBA Coach, we often give recommenders “early deadlines” to ensure nothing is rushed at the end.

• Have you started your essays? Most essays will need multiple drafts. You can kick-start the process by using the information from your MBA resume. What are your accomplishments? What steps have you taken in your career to lead you to where you are now, and where do you see yourself in the future? Consider what makes you unique and what you hope to gain from the program. Then, customize the essays for each school by using the knowledge you gained from online research, campus visits, and alumni networking. You may wish to begin with the easiest school, as your writing will likely improve as you write more essays. If your schedule is tight, however, start with the essays that are due the soonest.

• Have you started the application? Have you thought about the short answer questions? The short answer questions may require just as much thought and preparation as your long essays. Give yourself adequate time to make sure you carefully and thoroughly address these questions.

• Did you proofread? Did you proofread again? Ask a friend (or hopefully two) to proofread your essays and applications. You may not see that typo or misspelled word after all of your drafts and rewrites, but someone with a fresh pair of eyes will.

Eight weeks may not seem like a long time, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you should be able to accomplish everything you need to submit impressive applications to your target schools.

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Scott Edinburgh is a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan BS graduate and the Founder of Personal MBA Coach. As a boutique MBA admissions consulting and tutoring firm, we have been helping clients for over 10 years with a 96% success rate. Last year we helped applicants receive over $4.5M in fellowships. If you would like individual and personal support with any aspect of the MBA application process, find out more about Personal MBA Coach and our 5-star rating.

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Is It Financially Wise To Complete An MBA? - Poets&Quants

Is it smart financially to go for your MBA? Statistics don’t help much, in this case, for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s very hard to find out the methods and sources used in inquiries published by the institutions themselves. Secondly, there are major differences between taking an MBA at a top school or a second-tier school, as well as differences regarding the duration and modalities of the programs. Finally, and despite its dilution over time, the added value an MBA brings to your career is difficult to define; for instance, a fellow student who later turns into your major client can alone justify your investment.

So, which questions must you ask yourself to come to some conclusion?

1 – How much does an MBA cost?

MBA price tags vary widely across the globe: such a program is clearly much more expensive in the US than in Europe, where even postgraduate education tends to be somehow subsidized by taxpayers. The most expensive MBA programs in the market can reach almost US$200,000 in tuition fees alone. In Europe, tuition fees average somewhere between 20,000 and 80,000 euros. Impressive as these figures may be, they don’t reflect the actual cost of an MBA.

Tuition fees cover the academic side of the program, but don’t usually include study materials and textbooks; access to the school’s additional services (canteens, libraries, study rooms, language and computer labs, gyms, etc.); campus parking space; academic or professional international experiences during the program; study trips; field research projects; internships; conferences, book launches and gatherings at embassies or other relevant venues; and so forth. Tuition fees also don’t include travels, commutes, visas, and living expenses. Finally, there’s an opportunity cost to be considered (basically, all that you could be doing and the money you could be earning were you not enrolled in an MBA). Summing up, an MBA is an incredibly expensive venture.

2 – What are your motivations and post-graduation goals?

Most education analysts agree that taking an MBA isn’t worth it for people who don’t hold — or don’t wish to hold — managerial positions. When it comes to hiring and promotions, trends fluctuate, and you’ll always find those who believe that someone who’s risen in life with an MBA would’ve done it anyway. Think about your aspirations and talk to hiring managers, executives and investors you’d like to work for (or with) and ask for their opinion and advice.

3 – Is making more money your sole reason to take an MBA?

This is the easiest question to answer: don’t take an MBA just to make more money. Nowadays, no single stamp on your CV automatically corresponds to a higher salary.

In the end, taking an MBA will help you make more money and does make financial sense if — and only if — you choose a recognized program at a renowned institution that doesn’t saddle you with an impossible debt. And also if you make the most of every single opportunity to learn, develop your soft skills, network, and plan your post-graduation life. Summing up, the question you should be asking yourself is: is it wise for me to take this MBA?

Good luck thinking your decision through and contact us or request a meeting if you have any questions!

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Marta Andaluz is Director of Marketing and Admissions at The Lisbon MBA, a joint venture between two top European Schools based in Lisbon: Católica-Lisbon and Nova SBE. They offer a 1-year Full-Time MBA and an Executive MBA in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management.

 

MORE FROM MARTA AND THE LISBON MBA:  10 Tips For A Successful MBA Application Process, What Makes A Great Business School?, MBA Vs EMBA: How To Choose The One That’s Right For You

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What You Can Learn From Re-Applicants - Poets&Quants

They say that hindsight is 20/20. In the MBA application world, there’s nothing like a rejection from your dream school to make you go back and dissect what you could have done better and differently in your applications. As MBA admissions consultants, we meet and work with dozens of re-applicants every year who are looking to course-correct their prior year’s mistakes in hopes of securing an acceptance from a top MBA program. Often times, when I dig into a rejected application, there’s no “one thing” that was the obvious reason for the applicant’s ding. Usually, it’s a combination of things that the applicant either didn’t do or didn’t do well. To set you on the right path — and to hopefully help you avoid the heartbreak of rejection — I’ve laid out the common mistakes and pitfalls that I see in rejected applications. Hint: don’t make these!

1. Keeping it strictly professional.

Yes, you’re applying to business school, which is a professional degree and credential. However, your professional accomplishments and goals are only a part of who you are; they aren’t the whole picture. Business schools are interested in getting to know the whole “you,” not only what you’ve done at work but also how you spend your time outside of work, what you’re passionate about, and what experiences, beliefs and values have shaped who you are. MBA programs are in the business of grooming great leaders and leadership potential is best assessed through your behaviors, thought processes, and motivations and less so through the details of your latest consulting project or M&A deal.

I worked with a client two years ago who really struggled with this. He had applied the prior year with a high GMAT score and GPA and interesting work experience in the renewable energy sector but was rejected from his top choice schools. I discovered that his essays were way too focused on discussing trends and current events in his industry to justify the next steps he wanted to take in his career. As we started our work together, I learned that his experience growing up in an immigrant family deeply shaped his entrepreneurial ambitions, so we focused on telling that story the second time around. He’s now a student at Chicago Booth. Our advice: Get personal.

2. Failing to explain the “why.”

In many rejected MBA application essays I read, applicants focus on explaining their goals and highlighting their key professional accomplishments. However, in all those efforts to perfectly articulate the “what”, the “why” often gets lost or overlooked. And that’s a big mistake.

Conveying the “why” behind your actions is critical in your essays — even more so than stating the “what.” Chances are, the adcom has already come across other applicants with a similar profile or goals as you. However, your reasons for pursuing a career switch or for seeking that reach assignment are going to be much more interesting and unique to you. In addition, explaining the “why” in an authentic and simple way will show the adcom that you’re thoughtful and deliberate in your decisions and have the ability to reflect, learn, and grow. These are all desirable qualities in an MBA applicant and leader. It’s harder than it sounds to truly get to the root of the things you do or want to do but that self-reflection will be an important part of writing memorable essays. Our advice: Spend more time explaining the “why.”

3. Trying to say too much in your essays.

Strong MBA applicants have a lot going on in their lives between demanding jobs, extra-curriculars, travels, and other obligations. However, that doesn’t mean that every single thing should be included in your essays. In fact, it’s your job as the applicant to reflect on what stories and experiences are most important to share with the adcom and leave the rest to other areas of your applications. It’s better to write about one or two experiences in-depth rather than five or six stories where you barely scratch the surface.

We often see this mistake show up as an essay that reads like a running list of things the applicant has done, with little connectivity or room to explain why. Similarly, we also see candidates run away with ambition and over-commit in their career goals and reasons for pursuing an MBA. This was the case with our client who wrote her prior year career goals essay about breaking into investment banking, then pivoting to venture capital, and ultimately wanting to start her own renewable energy social enterprise.  While these ambitions are admirable, it’s a lot for an adcom to take in, especially when the applicant’s pre-MBA experience was unrelated to any of her goals. This also makes it difficult for an adcom to envision how the applicant would get involved on campus with so many conflicting priorities. Our advice: Be focused and deliberate about what you share and don’t share. Simple is usually best.

4. Insufficient focus on leadership.

HBS conveys this perfectly in their description of what they look for in students: a “habit of leadership.” This means that your application shouldn’t reflect only one or two instances of you stepping up to the plate or taking a leadership role on a project; instead, it should highlight leadership from multiple angles — from undergrad to your career to your extracurriculars and hobbies. This is where you may have to dig deep into your past experiences and consider your actions from multiple angles. Take the re-applicant who founded a nonprofit that promotes upward career mobility for professional women. In her original (rejected) application, she focused her essay on all the busy work she did to get the organization off the ground — from securing event space and corporate partners to recruiting volunteers and participants — but barely mentioned how she managed her team through a challenge early on and how she directed all the moving pieces to further her organization’s mission. As a result, the reader was left wondering exactly what impact she was having. This was a missed opportunity to showcase leadership.

Along the same vein, I often work with re-applicants to shift their mindset from “doing” and “taking orders” to “initiating” and “influencing.” Many times, those same applicants realize that they have more leadership experience than they originally thought once they reflect on their experiences through a different lens. If you’d like more specific guidance, my Vantage Point MBA co-founder, Meredith, explains how to best convey leadership in your MBA applications.

Bottom line, our advice is to highlight leadership in multiple ways and in multiple places throughout your application. This is your time to shine – don’t be shy!

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Melody started her career in investment banking and applied to business school to propel her desired industry switch to brand management. Melody wholeheartedly credits her admissions consultant with guiding and mentoring her throughout the application process and helping her gain admission to her top choice programs. Now on the other side of the table, Melody has leveraged what she learned personally and through advising many clients over the years to provide a winning service that can help every MBA applicant develop his or her strongest application.

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3 Questions To Consider As You Write Your Career Goals Essay - Poets&Quants

The career goals essay is a crucial aspect of many business school applications. MBA admissions directors may be interested in the decisions that have led you to this point in your career, but they are just as interested in the career path you plan to embark upon once you leave campus. How will you make the business world a better place?

Consider these questions as you write:

• How have your past accomplishments helped you define your future goals? Avoid reiterating your resume by listing every job you have had. Instead, explain how past achievements have sharpened your focus for the future. For example, perhaps you realized that you have a talent for innovation after receiving recognition for a project. Your essay might explain how this experience inspired you to concentrate your career on changing the marketplace in your field. Use this opportunity to highlight your strengths and how an MBA will help you to use them to your best advantage in the future.
• Are your goals specific and attainable? Do not be afraid to list an ambitious long-term goal, but also remember to include the achievable short-term goals you will need to get there. What position will you have immediately following graduation? What industry will you work in? In what ways do you plan to have an impact on your future company? How might you be different from other candidates with the same goals? These are the questions you should be asking yourself. Some people err on the side of vagueness because they do not want to commit to a career path or company in their essays. Specificity is always better. Even if your goals change while you are in school, it is best to state a clear purpose and intent in your essay.
• Are you passionate about your goals? Your essay should convey enthusiasm and excitement for your career. What was the motivation that led to your career path and what inspires you to advance to the next level and set new goals? By setting some context as to how you arrived at these career goals and what personal connection you might have with them, you can enable the reader to truly envision and feel your passion.

Business schools want to see that you have a vision for your future and will leave your unique mark. Use your career goals essay to demonstrate that you have a clear understanding of how an MBA will help you achieve your objectives.

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Scott Edinburgh is a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan BS graduate and the Founder of Personal MBA Coach. As a boutique MBA admissions consulting and tutoring firm, we have been helping clients for over 10 years with a 96% success rate. Last year we helped applicants receive over $4.5M in fellowships. If you would like individual and personal support with any aspect of the MBA application process, find out more about Personal MBA Coach and our 5-star rating.

MORE FROM SCOTT:  Ensuring Your MBA Applications Stand Out

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MBA Application Essays Part 1: Career Progress And Career Goals Essays - Poets&Quants

Introducing MBA Prep School’s Essay Writing Boot Camp Series

MBA Prep School  has created this Essay Writing Boot Camp article series exclusively for Poets&Quants readers. The six articles in the series combine to provide MBA applicants with “basic training” on how to develop and write successful MBA application essays.

Your MBA application essays can be your most powerful weapon in the fight to gain admission to a top business school. This Essay Writing Boot Camp series is designed to serve as an introduction to the application essay writing process.

In the first three articles in this series, we’ll categorize the most frequently asked MBA application essay questions and offer some tips on how to score top marks with your answers to each type of question.

In the fourth article in this series, we’ll highlight the qualities that MBA programs especially value —characteristics you should seek to showcase when writing your application essays.

In the fifth article, we will teach you how to develop promising topics and stories for your essays.

In the sixth and final installment in our series, we’ll share a valuable outlining framework that will not only enable you to identify your best stories but will also make writing excellent essays that much easier.

Once you’ve completed basic training, you will be ready for MBA Prep School’s advanced course on MBA essay writing: the MBA Essay Professor series. It’s free for a limited time to Poets&Quants readers.

Part 1 – Career Progress and Career Goals Essays

This is the first article in MBA Prep School’s Essay Writing Boot Camp series, so let’s begin by getting to know our “enemy” — the MBA application essays!

In this article and in the next two in this series, we’ll discuss the most commonly asked types of MBA application essay questions, and we’ll provide some quick tips for scoring top marks with your responses.

Every business school designs their own essay questions and words them in a unique way. Yet, despite differences in wording and presentation, the various schools’ questions are mostly asking for the same types of information from their candidates. Therefore, at the outset of your essay writing campaign, it will be advantageous for you to learn to recognize the most frequently asked questions. In this three-article series, we are going to discuss seven common types of MBA application essay questions:

• Career Progress Essays
• Career Goals Essays
• Why Our School? Essays
• Contributions to the Class Essays
• Leadership Essays
• Past Decisions Essays
• Setbacks Essays

Career Progress Essays

The first category of MBA application essay questions that you may encounter asks you to recount the progress you’ve made in your career thus far. This type of essay question offers you the opportunity to convey your achievements on the job and your professional growth.

Here are a couple of Career Progress essay questions from the current application season:

Kellogg Essay 2: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg?

UCLA Anderson Reapplicant Essay: Please describe your career progress since you last applied and how you have enhanced your candidacy.

Additional example essay questions include:

• Briefly summarize your career progress.
• Tell us about your career-to-date.
• What is your most significant professional achievement?

When answering Career Progress questions, bullet points won’t do – the admissions committee will already have a copy of your resume. So, what is the admissions committee looking for in the Career Progress essay? They want to read a “Career Story” — a kind of executive summary of your career to date. An effective response to a Career Progress essay question connects the dots, fills in the white spaces between those dots, and, in doing so, brings your resume to life.

Business school admissions committees admit high achievers. To score top marks on a Career Progress essay, you’ll need to provide evidence of distinguished career performance in the top 10% of your peer group that demonstrates your potential for future advancement.

Career Goals Essays

Your career advancement is certainly important to the top business schools. Nevertheless, an acceptance letter to the best business school isn’t a blue ribbon for past achievements. Admissions officers are interested in what you’ve achieved thus far as a way to forecast your potential for making an even bigger impact in the future. While admissions officers do care about your career story, most are more focused on learning about your plans for the future. Therefore, at some point in the MBA application process — in an essay, on the application form, or an interview — you’re almost sure to be asked to discuss your career goals.

To prove our point, here are a couple of Career Goals essay questions from the current application season:

Columbia Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job?

Michigan Ross Essay: Michigan Ross is a place where people from all backgrounds with different career goals can thrive. Please share your short-term career goal. Why is this the right choice for you?

Some other variations include:

• What are your professional objectives?
• What is your career vision?
• Where do you want to be 10 years from now?
• Tell us about your dream job.

When it comes to answering this question, you can earn top marks by demonstrating that you have passion for the career you describe and that your career goals are fueled by a larger sense of purpose — rather than by a desire for a bigger paycheck.

MBA admissions officers will applaud lofty ambitions, but they will also expect to see a credible career action plan that connects the dots between your current skills and experiences and your future aspirations.

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If you are enjoying these Essay Writing Boot Camp articles, then you will want to take advantage of MBA Prep School’s  advanced course on MBA application essay writing. 

Learn from MBA essay experts as they break down the most popular MBA application essay questions, provide outlining templates, and showcase high-quality essay sample response. A scoring chart accompanies each course, which you can use to determine whether your application essays are as effective as possible.

For a limited time, MBA Prep School’s Essay Professor course is free to Poets&Quants readers. Follow this link to sign up and learn how to write essays that will impress admissions officers at the top business schools: MBA Prep School’s Essay Professor Course.

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Tyler Cormney  is the co-founder of MBA Prep School, a full-service, boutique MBA admissions consulting firm that specializes in helping aspiring MBA candidates realize their dream of attending an elite business school. As a graduate of both Harvard Business School and USC’s Professional Writing Program, Tyler draws upon his unique blend of creative writing, strategic thinking, and coaching skills to help applicants stand out from the competition for a place in the most selective MBA programs, including Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton.

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