Writing Tip: Don't Shy Away From Fear

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Keep these tips in mind throughout your writing process.

Show fear when it's applicable. Similarly, the "show no fear" image people often want to flaunt in their applications doesn't seem authentic because it isn't. You have many terrific qualities; being 100% fearless isn't one of them. You've experienced fear, whether it was about not finishing your Honors thesis on time or confronting a colleague about a sexist comment. Good. Fear helps you assess a situation, prepare yourself to address it properly, and take (sometimes very cautious) action. Addressing a fear can be quite humbling—it's another way to show vulnerability in your application. And fear can be a pathway to courage.

Writing Tip: Show Self-Awareness

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Keep these tips in mind throughout your writing process.

Show that you're self-aware. Many of our clients shy away from sharing examples of their weaknesses or times they've made mistakes in their Personal Statement. But replaying a fumble is an opportunity to then share actions you took to remedy a situation and lessons you learned. That said, not every issue you present must be one that you've fully resolved. For example, say you're great at presenting ideas on paper but you have a hard time speaking up in professional settings. Likely, one beautiful, clarifying moment didn't change that forever. That's something you work on over a long period. You may share an anecdote where you spoke well in front of an intimidating group and how you prepared to do it. Then say how you will continue improving your verbal communication skills and how you plan to exercise that muscle regularly in the future. That's a stronger, more realistic take than "I will never have this problem again!”

Writing Tip: Remember what Resonates

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Keep these tips in mind throughout your writing process.

Remember what resonates most with reviewers: Passion. Depth of Impact. Potential. We probably don't need to explain passion to you. Depth of impact means expressing how much an experience and your actions during it changed things within you and/or outside of you. Potential is you exemplifying one or more qualities that medical, law, or business schools admire: Leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, etc. You know these from your brainstorm “buckets."

Writing Tip: Emphasize Past Experiences

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Keep these tips in mind throughout your writing process.

Emphasize past experiences. Focus on what you've done more than on what you want to do. So many of our clients think their essays should exclusively be about their fantasy future. But this isn't a magic carpet ride. Your rug must be on the ground. What you have accomplished and learned is the only proof that you are committed to the study and practice of medicine, law, or business. (Take note of that phrase because you should be reinforcing this commitment throughout your application.) 

Your Chronotype: Your Performance

Our society puts a lot of emphasis on external knowledge-gathering. Obtaining degrees, certifications, and reading the latest developments in industry publications. We are taught to be conscious of ways that we can improve our knowledgebase and skillset. Yet, many of us are overlooking an opportunity to value-add by looking inward and positioning ourselves accordingly. 

“For decades, organizations have optimized for efficiency of systems,” said Michael Platt, Faculty Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. “The next frontier is optimizing for the human brain. When we align work with how our brains actually function, adaptability becomes a structural advantage, not just a cultural aspiration.” 

One component of this alignment is chronotype. Research by the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative in collaboration with the Slalom HabLab has shown working in tandem with your chronotype positively impacts individual and team performance. Let’s dive in.

What is a chronotype?

You’re probably familiar with circadian rhythms, or the 24-hour cycle where the body catalyzes necessary functions, including wake and sleep times, hunger and digestion, energy use and rest. Your chronotype, then, as described by UCLA Health, is the “subjective way you experience your circadian rhythm” within the day. In other words, some people have a chronotype that syncs with the sun, whereas others may not. Pop culture references the idea with terms like “morning birds” and “night owls.” 

Your chronotype is predominantly genetic. Although it may shift some with age (see: your toddler self’s versus your teenage self’s wake-time preferences). While outside factors, such as light exposure and lifestyle choices can make mild impacts, it is preferable to notice and work with your natural tendency rather than fighting to overcome it.  

Mt. Sinai Health recognizes neuroscientist Dr. Michael Breus’ four chronotype categories:

1. Lions: (15 percent of people) These are the folks who tend to wake around 5 AM and retire around 9 or 10 PM. This group is most productive in the morning. 

2. Bears: (40 percent) Bears generally wake and sleep with the sun and are most productive between 11 AM and 6 PM.

3. Wolves: (30 percent) Up late howling at the moon, wolves typically wake around 9 AM and go to sleep around 12 or 1 AM. They are most productive at night. 

4. Dolphins: (15 percent) These light-sleepers often experience insomnia and/or sleep anxiety. Dolphins fight sleep and wake frequently throughout the night. They are most productive mid-morning, generally between 10 AM and 2 PM. 

Why does it matter?

It’s simple. “Timing is a hidden variable in performance,” executive director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative Elizabeth Johnson said. “We scrutinize talent, strategy, and technology, but rarely ask whether we’re engaging people at the moments their brains are best equipped to deliver.” 

But it’s also nuanced. Your energy ebbs and flows throughout the day, providing varying peak output times based on task type. Some cognitive functions do not vary based on chronotype, while others – research shows attention and alertness – are quite impacted by time of day. 

The Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and the Slalom HabLab explored chronotype and its impact on creative output. Participants completed both a chronotype assessment as well as an assigned creative task. The task was scored on four attributes: productivity, diversity of ideas, originality, and depth. Researchers then compared the average task scores for participants who completed the task during their peak time period based on the chronotype assessment and those who did not. The preliminary findings were clear: The group that completed the task according to chronotype, scored higher on average, across the four evaluation areas. Noteworthy differences emerged in the scores for originality and depth in particular.

“What this study shows is something neuroscience has long suggested: The brain is not uniformly optimized across the day,” said Michael Platt, Faculty Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. “When leaders expect peak performance at all hours, they’re operating under a biological illusion. High-performing organizations recognize that timing is a cognitive variable. Aligning work with neural readiness isn’t a perk, it’s a performance strategy.” 

If I know I’m a night owl, is that enough?

Importantly, about 27 percent of participants in the Wharton study self-identified with a chronotype that did not match their assessment results. This suggests that on occasion, a disconnect exists between perception and reality. 

We recommend the Morning-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) for a scientifically-validated method to determine your chronotype. This assessment uses your reported behaviors to provide you with your placement on a continuum from “super lark” to “super owl.” In addition to your placement on the scale, this tool will provide suggested times when you may maximize your productivity for different tasks. 

Additionally, we encourage you to incorporate this finding into daily life. Here are three ways to make the most of your results, and increase your productivity at work:

1. Share your chronotype with teammates and let them know your preferences for allocating time. Additionally, ask those you work closely with how they work best. 

   If you’re a night owl and your co-worker a morning lark – kismet! You can pass work off between you efficiently. Two night owls? Again, kismet! You can work creatively together later in the afternoon, or you can meet for administrative discussions earlier in the day and block time for deep work during your productive late afternoon hours. 

2. To build on the last idea; when possible, block out your calendar based on your chronotype. Place tasks that are more creative, analytical, or administrative in nature where they might make the most sense for you in your day. The MEQ will provide key insights for understanding this timing.

3. Generally, attempt to adhere your schedule to your chronotype for both work and social activities. Determine when deep work makes sense, as well as exercise and social activities. For example, dolphins are generally suited to morning exercise to stave off grogginess, whereas bears may choose to work out in the morning or in the early evening to match their energy peaks. Finally, when looking to socialize, consider if a morning coffee or an evening happy hour would better suit your sleep needs than a late night. Prioritize sleep and wake times that will maximize your energy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement (Part 5)

In this five-part blog series, we’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

• Having too many readers: Having too many readers review your Personal Statement is a common mistake. If you're an Apply Point client, consider asking two people besides your two Apply Point advisors (who work as a team) to read your essays. If you're not working with a consultant, you could ask up to four people to read your work but make that the maximum just so you won't be overwhelmed by input.

This is certainly not us saying that you shouldn't have any readers at all. You want eyes or ears on this, especially if they're attached to someone you respect who knows you well. In fact, the top question you should ask them is: "Does this sound like me?" Friends, family members, or a mentor can confirm if your essay gets your personality and best qualities across. That said, send them the edited, polished draft rather than your raw first draft. This way their suggestions and questions won't psych you out because you already have a good idea of what you want to present in your statement.

One more note on having too many readers: Never post your essay in an online forum, such as Reddit. Sharing thoughts and advice on the overall application process online with other prospective students is great, but if you post your essay, you'll have too many strangers giving input and you’ll be vulnerable to plagiarizers. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement (Part 4)

In this five-part blog series, we’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

• Using long quotes: A short conversation you had in an intense circumstance can be illustrative in a Personal Statement. It helps a reader picture the event. But making the point of your essay completely revolve around a long quote of someone else's thoughts about medicine, leadership, integrity, or whatever, makes it their essay, not yours. No literary celebrity, professor, professional you worked with, or dad is supposed to be the star of this show. 

• Dwelling on childhood stories: Saying you played lawyer / doctor / businessman as a kid should not feature prominently in your Personal Statement. In fact, we'd skip it: It's not a unique sentiment. Schools don't care how long you've dreamed of taking this step—they care if you have the potential and drive to make it happen.

This doesn't mean that a flashback scene is never relevant. If your mom had cancer when you were eight years old, you grew up fast, and you learned things about the healthcare system and doctor-patient interactions that influenced your professional goals. That is noteworthy. But you need this essay to focus on your recent impactful experiences. Ones that reinforced your interest in this career path and gave you the skills applicable to excelling in a program. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement (Part 3)

In this five-part blog series, we’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

• Staying linear: You don’t need the essay to be linear. Imagine your intro paragraph as the opening sequence of a movie—the most thrilling ones start mid-scene. You want to see an action star in action, not waking up to a buzzing alarm clock. Don't save the excitement for many scenes later. Show yourself there, then explain how you got there. 

• Overusing passive voice: Keep most of your sentences active. Passive voice can minimize your contributions and slow down your essay's momentum. Active sentences move the statement forward. 

There is flexibility, of course. Some passive sentences aren't slow-going or unnatural. Take the passive "My research has been accepted for an oral presentation at the National Impressive Conference." vs. the active "The National Impressive Conference has accepted my research for an oral presentation." Honestly, both sentences are fine. Neither goes on too long nor is confusing. Both read as a natural way of speaking—the passive one might be a little more natural. 

There are also times when you'll use passive voice for effect, accuracy, clarity, or flow. Just be mindful of how often you're doing it. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement (Part 2)

In this five-part blog series, we’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

• Being uptight: A personal essay is more like journalism than an academic paper. You're telling a story, and this one is about you. You want to sound intelligent and respectful but being a bit colloquial makes you appear confident and relaxed. As if to say, "This is who I am. This is who I plan to become." Boom.

Also, a profound statement is often a simple one. We've heard more than one app reader complain about needing to consult a dictionary because an applicant had been over-consulting a thesaurus. Another reason to write less formally: You're going to interview at these schools. (Hopefully!) If you don't speak at all how you write, they're going to be confused about who you really are. 

• Getting too poetic: Being a little poetic can show style, but if your point isn't clear, a beautiful turn of phrase is meaningless. One of our mottos is: "Clarity above all things." Leave no room for misinterpretation. The reader needs to see the story how you do. Crisp and untangled writing is also best given the character count limitation and how much you need to share. There is room for imagery but there isn't a lot of room for showiness. 

• Spouting off clichés: Nothing says, "I don't think outside of the box" quite like the phrase "I think outside of the box." We also read a lot of first drafts that include "puzzle pieces"—skip 'em, they're going to be in a thousand other essays. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Personal Statement (Part 1)

Writing a Personal Statement is a massive undertaking. In a relatively short document, you’re trying to show the admissions committee who you are and what you value, while simultaneously building a case for why you will succeed in the program and, later, in your career. It’s a lot. But we can help. 

In this five-part blog series, we’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

• Trying to include everything: You cannot fit every experience you've ever had into this essay—and hey, that's why you also submit a Resume or a Work and Activities section. Stick to one or two key experiences that prompted growth and reinforced your interest in the program. The Personal Statement is about showing depth. 

• Telling instead of showing: The admissions committee is looking for more than a list of your strengths and traits. Not only is that boring, it is unreliable. A good rule of writing is: “Show, don't tell." Listing off your qualities is meaningless if you're not backing them up with real-life examples. Instead of telling the reader, “I am a good leader because I am diligent and organized,” provide a leadership anecdote that will show you empowering your team. 

Similarly, don’t tell the school what you will do in the future without showing them why you are capable of achieving such things. We've said it before: Sharing goals works when what comes before it exemplifies your strengths and abilities. More than what you want to do, what you have done tells us who you are.

MBA Application Tips: Letters of Recommendation (Part 2)

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a great relationship with my college advisor. Would it be appropriate to use her as a recommender?

For entry into business school, it is best to ask supervisors from your full-time post-baccalaureate professional experiences.

What if I don’t feel comfortable telling my direct supervisor I am submitting applications to business school?

While it is preferred to have a recommendation from a current direct supervisor, it may not always be an option and schools understand. Be sure to address the situation in the optional essay; and ask a former boss and/or a professional colleague who is superior to you on an org chart to write a letter. Emphasize the positives of having this person write your recommendation too. Tell them your chosen recommender can speak specifically to your actions on a valuable project. Or that you worked under your ex-boss for a lot longer than your current one and felt they could give a thorough take on your strengths.

What if my recommender asks me, the applicant, to write the letter? 

Your supervisor might say, "I'm too busy; you write it, and I'll sign it." If a potential recommender puts you in a tough spot and only agrees to submit a letter that you’ve written, it is best to move on. It is often obvious to schools when an applicant has crafted the copy because of similarities in voice to other application components. 

MBA Application Tips: Letters of Recommendation (Part 1)

Let's be real: Recommendation letters are not going to be what makes or breaks your MBA applications. Most don’t differentiate prospective students from one another in the minds of admissions committees. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they are filled with glowing reviews of an applicant’s leadership and/or innovation abilities and potential. No applicant asks a supervisor to write them a letter if there is any question the content of the letter could cast doubt on their candidacy.

But, if done right, a letter of recommendation can reinforce and expand upon key themes presented in other application components like your resume, essays, and short answers. Here are some actions to take to make sure that happens.

Select the Best Recommenders

Most schools require two letters of recommendation from supervisors who have overseen your work in full-time post-baccalaureate employment. Of course, you will want to choose those you know will sing your praises, but also who can back up their claims on your abilities in the areas such as innovation, leadership, and teamwork with specific examples. The writers of your recommendation letters should know you well. Don’t ask the CEO you’ve seen in the elevator a few times because you think his title will impress admissions committees. Save requests to very senior colleagues with significant influence at a specific school (say, they're donors or members of the board) for letters of support, which they can send separate from your application to the Dean of the business school. 

Take a Strategic Viewpoint

If one of your essays is anchored in a story that shows the reader your critical thinking and problem-solving aptitude on a significant project, one of your recommenders could provide additional insight on this project in their letter. And, if this first letter of recommendation further emphasizes your innovation potential, the second should focus on other qualities, such as your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment. Furthermore, if you see gaps in your application, you may want to speak with one of your recommenders who could address them in his or her letter and share how you’ve grown from specific challenges.  

Set Your Recommenders Up for Success

Give your recommenders enough time to meet your request. We suggest at least eight weeks prior to submission. It is also helpful to give each one a short portfolio of information, which should include: 

• School names, recommendation questions, and submission date(s)

• Method for recommendation submission (e.g., online via link)

• Background information (academic, professional) and your future career goals

• Illustrative anecdotes from your work with this recommender, with particular emphasis on the following topics: varied and growing work responsibilities, performance at a high level (as judged by your project managers and peers) in a team environment, personal characteristics you want to highlight (e.g., determination, intelligence, creativity and/or leadership), recognition/awards, accomplishments, and your ability to grow from constructive criticism

• (Optional) Illustrative anecdotes from your extracurricular/personal life that will allow your recommender to show your abilities in community-building, and present you as a well-rounded, caring, approachable, and motivated person who would contribute to the MBA community

The weakest type of letter is one that is too general—that lists your qualities but doesn't show them. The illustrative stories you provide (and you can do this in a bulleted list) should be unique for each recommender and should highlight the qualities you want the recommender to expand upon. These inputs will allow you to subtly influence the recommenders’ output and ensure the recommendation letters include concrete and varied examples that reinforce your existing application content. 

Laying the Foundation for Your MBA Application: Build a Brainstorm Document

Before you begin work on your business school application, we recommend that you create a brainstorm document where you will explore your formative experiences—what you thought, felt, said, and did. This brainstorm will be your touchstone for everything about this application process. It will help you discover what meaningful experiences and qualities you want to highlight in your essays and discuss during your interviews. 

Putting meaningful experiences into different "buckets" helps a lot. You might have some crossover with experiences technically fitting into two buckets or more—don't worry about that; put them in one bucket, for now, to keep things grouped. Maybe write: "This is also a leadership experience" or "Innovation/Critical Thinking" in your notes.

An important note: Eighty percent of these experiences should be from adulthood (college and beyond). Twenty percent can be from before then if they established foundational skills or led to evolutions in perspective. For example, if a family member’s illness during your high school years inspired your desire to found a healthcare start-up. 

Bucket 1: A-ha Moments. What meaningful experiences changed your mind about or expanded your perspective on something? Some could be spectacular successes, others, catastrophic failures. Have you learned from a mistake? What skills of yours did you discover in a challenging time? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? (Prepare yourself, we're going to ask those last two repeatedly.) 

Bucket 2: Leadership. In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 3: Teamwork and Collaboration. During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 4: Innovation. In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 5: Experiences that Reinforced Your Commitment to an MBA. What meaningful experiences reinforced your commitment to pursuing an MBA and your post-MBA goals? Was it meeting a professional you admired? Was it accomplishing something at work or in a volunteer setting? What did you think of these things at the time? How did you feel?

Bucket 6: Miscellaneous. What experiences have you had that you can't quite categorize? What else should we know about you? What do you think we don't necessarily have to know? Don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability and use everything you’ve got. You should even include things about yourself and what you care about that you don't imagine will be a factor in an essay (e.g., your quest to make the perfect chocolate cake, your passion for wordle). You might be able to weave aspects of your personality or some fun facts into your essays and interviews to add some color—or something even better.

Critical Thinking in the Time of Gen AI

In need of a restaurant recommendation for a client dinner? Improved flow in a long email? Data consolidated into an easy-to-ingest format? 

For all of this and more, you might turn to AI. And, while Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini are always waiting to answer, their very existence also prompts questions. Existential ones, like “How is my industry changing? What will my job look like in the next year… five years… 10 years? What skills will continue to matter? Am I prepared for my career now, and the one I’ll have in the future?”

In an article for Forbes, journalist Samantha Walravens honed in on how AI is affecting the current education space and workplace. “Colleges are racing to integrate AI, but students are entering a workforce that is evolving even faster,” she wrote. “For today’s graduates, survival in the job market will depend less on technical credentials alone and more on pairing AI literacy with judgment, adaptability, and the human skills that machines—as of yet—cannot replicate.”  

Moreover, while it may seem counterintuitive, it is our own innate intelligence and curiosity that is most complementary to AI. Anthropic’s Fourth Economic Index Report, published in January, describes research that found that the correlation between the sophistication of a person’s prompt and that of Claude’s response was “nearly perfect” at 0.92. In other words, Claude’s response met the intellectual level of the operator. Cornelia C. Walther Ph.D., who described this finding in Psychology Today, wrote, “AI mirrors human abilities, literally. In this new era, the most valuable technological skills for hybrid citizens will remain knowledge, critical thinking, and a quirky mind.” 

Alas, the very existence of generative AI may be robbing us of such gifts. A recent MIT study showed that as we increase our use of AI, we are prone to cognitive offloading—or letting the AI do the thinking for us. This, in turn negatively impacts our critical thinking skills as we engage less deeply in the work and/or decision-making and trust the machine more. 

Michel Gerlich, Ph.D., Head of Center for Strategic Corporate Foresight and Sustainability and Head of Executive Education and Senior Faculty at Swiss Business School, also led a research study on AI and critical thinking and garnered similar findings. He wrote, “The study highlighted that users who trust AI tools are more likely to rely on them for decision-making, thus reducing their engagement in critical thinking processes. This trust, fostered by the perceived reliability and convenience of AI tools, promotes a cognitive dependence that diminishes the need for active cognitive effort.” 

So, what can we do to stop our own disengagement? First, Walther urges us to change our philosophical conception of AI. She wrote, “We must stop viewing AI as a ‘magic box’ and start viewing it as a cognitive exoskeleton. An exoskeleton only moves as well as the person inside it. If the person is stationary, the suit does nothing.” 

Tactically, Wanqing Zhang, Educational Developer and Learning Experience Designer, provides three steps for actively engaging your critical thinking skills while you use AI on her Think to Learn YouTube channel. 

Her guidelines for making the most of AI: 

• Define your context. Zhang suggests starting with an active process of defining your goals for each query or project. What are you really looking to do? How will AI assist you? What are your criteria for success? What are your constraints? What will happen if things go wrong?

• Confirm the sources. Do not trust the sources provided by AI. Confirm their veracity, by going to listed sources and reviewing them. Do they say what AI is saying they do? Are they reputable? 

• Consider what would change your mind. What information would make you reject the AI recommendation? When might you decide that the strategy isn’t working? What new information could come to light that would make you consider alternatives? Zhang uses the example of an AI-generated marketing strategy: If engagement dips by X percent, will that spur you to pivot? 

AI might be changing the world around us in so many ways. But some things don’t change, including the need to meet each decision with our full curiosity, engagement, critical thinking, and humanity. If we can do that, we can make the most of AI as a tool. 

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Compatibility in Close Knit and Collaborative Communities

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated your academic readiness and high quality and quantity of professional experience, one question will remain in the minds of admissions committees: Will this applicant be compatible in our program’s collaborative and close-knit community?  

To answer this question the admissions committee will pay particular attention to:  

• Essay responses. Do not use your essay and/or short answer responses as additional resume space. Instead go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now. Keep in mind that listing off your qualities is meaningless if you're not backing them up with real-life examples.

Review our blog on using lessons from memoir to write your personal statement.

• Interview responses. Use nearly every response to tell a story, rather than making general claims about your abilities. Anyone can speak in generalities. How boring! But no one has your set of unique experiences. Through anecdote, your values and character will come alive.   

Review our blog series on the MBA interview. 

• Recommendations. While these responses are not within your control, they are within your influence. Provide each of your recommenders with a portfolio of information that includes illustrative anecdotes that will show your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment and grow from constructive criticism.  

Review our blog on obtaining high-quality recommendations.

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated academic readiness, the MBA admissions committee will assess the quality and quantity of your full-time, post-baccalaureate work experience. They want to know: Does this applicant have the professional experience they need to accomplish their short-term post-MBA goals? 

To get their answer, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your:

• Resume and Essays. Think of your resume as a general overview of your life from the start of college until today, that articulates clearly the results you’ve achieved and impact you’ve had in each role or involvement. In contrast, your essay responses should be deep dives that will show the reader, through anecdote, your abilities in the areas of innovation and/or leadership and/or teamwork. On average, business school matriculants have about four years of work experience. If you’ve spent less than four years working, provide an explanation as to why you want to get your MBA now. 

Review our blog on crafting a results-driven resume. 

Review our blog on key mistakes to avoid when writing your MBA application essays.

• Your stated career goals. Provide the admissions committee with specific short-term, post MBA goals that make sense given what you’ve done in the past. This will convince them that you will hit the ground running securing an internship and job as soon as you enter the program.

  A common mistake we see in MBA admissions is applicants who, unknowingly, position themselves as an employment risk. This can happen when you articulate a goal set that is too vague or unrelated to any of your past experiences. Once you are admitted, you will have the opportunity to reevaluate your goals. You’re allowed to change your mind! But your first goal, of course, is getting into business school. 

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

The first question that an MBA admissions committee will ask when they look at your application is simple: Will this applicant be able to compete in the academic rigor of our program?

Elite MBA programs are academically challenging. You must be able to thrive amidst the inevitable analytical and quantitative challenges. Since the best predictor of future success is how you’ve handled rigorous academics in the past, to answer this question, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your: 

• Undergraduate (and graduate if you have them) Transcripts. They will consider not only your GPA, but also the quality of your course load. Does your GPA fall into the average range for the schools where you are applying (typically between a 3.3 and a 3.7)? Did you take on challenging courses and do well? Did you succeed in classes that required analytical or quantitative work? 

  If your answer to any of these questions is “no” or even “...maybe,” consider taking an analytical course or two, prior to applying to business school. Succeeding in these additional classes will provide the dual benefit of shoring up your confidence and case for admission, as well as giving you a chance to confirm that you’ll enjoy the MBA curriculum. 

• Standardized Test Scores. Submitting a strong GRE/GMAT/Executive Assessment score will reassure the admissions committee that you have the critical thinking, verbal reasoning, and quantitative skills necessary to succeed in the program. A strong quantitative score is particularly beneficial if your undergraduate major or professional experience did not require much in the way of analytics.

  The good news for business school applicants is that admissions committees will only use your highest submitted score. So, re-take it. You’ll likely do better the next time around.  Not only will a higher score benefit you from an admissions perspective, you will be more likely to get one of those sought after merit-based scholarships. 

MBAs come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. That’s the fun of business school! Just be sure you can convince them that you’ll thrive in their classroom.

Prospective MBA Students: Start Building Your School List

We advise our MBA applicants to apply to between six and eight schools. Here’s what to keep in mind: 

• Rankings / Prestige. There’s been a lot of buzz over the past year about the efficacy of rankings. So, while this is an area that we encourage you to review for the programs you’re considering, we would discourage you from making it your top/only priority. Delve into the publicly available data, studying the metrics that are most important to you. This information will be a wonderful starting point for further investigation.   

• Geography / Network. Where you are located plays an important role in your ability to network. If you know where you want to live post-graduation, consider applying to programs that are within that city or state. Similarly, if your goal is to enter into a particular industry, consider applying to programs that are located near one of the industry’s hubs.

• Career Placement. Take a close look at what industries and/or companies are recruiting at the MBA programs that you’re considering. Or, if you are very interested in a particular company, consider the programs where they recruit most heavily. You can review each school’s career placement report and/or engage with the school’s career services team to learn more. You may also want to confirm that the school’s MBA program facilitates clubs and activities that are relevant to your career goals (e.g., Finance Club, Luxury Goods Club, Marketing Club), as they will often host events connecting potential employers with interested students, as well as providing other resources.

Keep in mind that your top-ranked schools may not overlap exactly with the U.S. News and World Report or Financial Times. And that is just fine.

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Consider Your Finances.

While we generally do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You don’t require merit-based support. If you don’t need financial support in the form of merit-based scholarships, Round Three is fine. Most programs won’t consider applicants for scholarships after the January deadlines.  

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Consider Your Reasoning.

While we generally do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. We’ll highlight these considerations throughout this week.

You face a professional transition. Were you recently laid off? Did you just return from a military deployment or other overseas work experience? Shutter your startup? If you have a personal or professional reason for submitting an application in Round Three, rather than earlier, we recommend that you include this information in the optional essay space. Providing the admissions committee with an understanding of your timing will help you to build a stronger case for admission.