In deciding whether to apply to specific MBA programs, you need to understand how the schools differ. What are their relative strengths and weaknesses? It isn’t easy to get a real sense of what makes a school unique: they all claim top faculties, great student bodies, and professional networks that will sizzle when you graduate….
Aligning Your Resume With Your Application Essays
“Aligning Your Resume With Your Application Essays” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. MBA and other graduate school applicants frequently submit a resume with their applications. Many schools require it, and some schools, such as Columbia Business School, even specify a given format. The resume not only will present a…
Waitlisted. Now What?
“Waitlisted. Now What?” is the latest post in our series Navigate the MBA Maze. First, a word of introduction: Realize that receiving a wait-list letter means you qualify for admission. You pass. You are probably on the wait-list (and not admitted) because they have already admitted applicants with your profile and want diversity in the…
Choosing From Multiple Business School Acceptances
“Choosing From Multiple Business School Acceptances” is the final post in our series Navigate the MBA Maze. You’ve been accepted at two solid schools. Great! Or, you’ve been offered admission to an OK school with a significant scholarship and your #1 choice with no financial aid. Or, you’ve been admitted to a top-tier program, but you…
MBA Admissions: Selecting Your Recommenders
“MBA Admissions: Selecting Your Recommenders” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. The best letters of recommendation come from people who have seen you perform. The weakest letters are of the “character reference” variety (from the clergy member who knows you only as a person who dozes during weekly services) or…
3 Tips for a Successful MBA Interview
“3 Tips for a Successful MBA Interview” is the latest post in our series Navigate the MBA Maze. Here are three key tips on how to present yourself during those crucial face-to-face minutes. 1. Structure Your Answers. Structure helps your interviewer see where you’re going with your answer and helps you remember where you’re going,…
Tips For MBA Video Essay Questions
“Tips for video MBA Essay Questions” is the latest post in our series Navigate the MBA Maze. Worried about being literally on stage? Here are my tips if you need to respond to a question in a short 1-2-minute video. First, realize that these video essays, like the written ones, are attempts to get to…
Writing the MBA Application Essay
“Writing the MBA Application Essay” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. You’ve decided which schools to apply to, and you even know what you want to write about, but you’re staring at a blank screen…What now? Follow these three steps to write your winning essay. Step 1: Introspection – You…
Choosing Topics for the B-School Essay
“Choosing Topics For The B-School Essay” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. In your applications, the schools are attempting to get to know you through your essays. So what should you write about? Write about what is most important to you and distinctive about you. The admissions readers seek to…
MBA Application Timing
“Application Timing” is the first post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. Should You Apply Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3? Do not try to win the admissions game through timing. Quality—not timing—trumps all. Submit your application when it is at its best. When in doubt, listen to Linda’s rule: “Apply in the…