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Jerry,
As admissions consultants, we sometimes review first drafts of a client’s essays and are moved by a particular story or impressed with what the applicant has accomplished, but we still have to let them know that their response needs to be overhauled. When this happens, our comments are usually along the lines of, “This is great, but . . . you’re not actually answering the essay question.”
Believe it or not, this is one of the most common missteps we see as extraordinarily talented candidates pull their materials together. They might be so intent on positioning themselves in a particular way or highlighting a certain achievement that they fail to directly respond to what their target program has asked, either completely or partially.
For example, Stanford inquires, “What matters most to you, and why?” In our view, the “and why” part is more important than the “what,” but many applicants overlook it when they begin to outline their responses. Kellogg asks, “Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created lasting value. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?” We find applicants usually have lots to say about a time they’ve shown leadership, but then forget to mention the setbacks they had to overcome in the process or include a summary of what they learned from the experience.
So as you get ready to buckle down for Round 2, take a step back and make sure you’re actually answering the adcom’s questions.
Remember:
We've covered everything from the impacts of COVID-19 on this year's MBA admissions process, to essay-writing mistakes, to admissions test anxiety, to advice on recommenders in our B-Schooled podcast. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn so the next episode downloads immediately tomorrow morning!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
After you’ve submitted your MBA applications and are waiting to hear back from programs, it’s normal to have a moment of panic — either immediately, or at some point a little later on. You’ve been agonizing over your materials for months, and now you just want to know where you’re going to end up already.
When that moment of panic hits, try to remind yourself that you pulled together the absolute best set of materials that you could. Everyone feels extremely anxious in the weeks between due dates and interview invitations, so if there’s anything you can do to keep your mind off of “The Wait” — do it.
What you shouldn’t do, however, is contact the school with “updates” on your candidacy. There are deadlines for a reason. If each of the thousands of hopefuls kept emailing and calling their dream programs after their materials were submitted, the admissions committee would never have time to actually read through those materials and make decisions. The best thing you can do is sit tight and let them do their jobs.
“But what if I just got an unexpected promotion?” you might say.
“What if I just singlehandedly brought in $2 million of new business to my firm?”
“What if I was let go two days after the deadline?”
“What if I finally got to visit campus and sit in on a class and now there’s so much more I have to say about why this program’s the best fit for me?”
“What if…”
We’ve heard every type of scenario, but the reality is that it’s extremely rare for anything to happen to someone post-deadline (personally or professionally) that would actually change the adcom’s ultimate decision on his or her candidacy. They’re judging your fit with their program based on a lot of different factors — one new accomplishment probably wouldn’t be enough to sway their decision.
Reaching out to admissions teams with updates could also backfire by suggesting that you think you are special and not subject to the same rules (as in, deadlines) as the rest of your peers who are applying. They might've just moved your name in the "interview" pile ... and now you went and gave them a reason to reconsider.
So please, resist the urge to call or email the admissions office after you’ve submitted your materials. Instead, plan to share any exciting updates with them during your interview. We talk a lot more about this on episode 22 of our B-Schooled podcast, if you need more convincing!
We know it's hard, but try your best not to stress out before you hear back from programs. Remember:
We are proud and excited that MBA Insight has named Stacy Blackman Consulting the top MBA admissions consulting firm!
If you are lucky enough to get an interview invitation, don't miss tomorrow's episode of our B-Schooled podcast, where a former Kellogg admissions director on our team doles out some seriously good MBA interview advice. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn so that episode will download immediately tomorrow morning!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
As you submit your Round 1 applications, be prepared for a case of the butterflies. It’s perfectly normal to get nervous after all of your materials are uploaded. It’s also normal to get a little bit down on yourself and wonder if you even have a shot at getting in to your dream school. That’s just part of being anxious about something you really want.
We’re here to tell you that you DO have a shot. Have confidence in yourself. If you’re applying to any of the top MBA programs, odds are that you’re already an accomplished person in the first place. It’s kind of a self-selecting process in that way.
However, there is one word of caution we have for anyone who is used to going the extra mile in order to reach his or her goals. When applying to business school, let your required materials speak for you. This is not the time to ask every alum of School X that you know to send in additional letters on your behalf. Nor is it the time to call the admissions commitee and try to impress them over the phone, or see if you can “drop by” for an impromptu interview.
These extra measures won’t help; imagine how overwhelmed each school would be if thousands of applicants were trying to do something above and beyond the required materials! They’re judging you based on your background and accomplishments, not whether you could round up more recommendation letters than anyone else.
Be sure to take a moment after you hit “submit” and reflect on how far you have come in this process—celebrate, and be proud! We cover additional things you can and should be doing after you submit in tomorrow's episode of our B-Schooled podcast, available on all major platforms, so be sure to check that out.
Remember:
If you're applying in Round 2 or you haven't taken (or retaken!) your admissions test yet, you won't want to miss September 30th's B-Schooled podcast episode—"Admissions Test (and Other) Anxieties"—featuring Jay Bryant, a former MBA admissions director who is now a liaison between business schools and ETS, the company behind the GRE® General Test. Jay's going to fill listeners in on the new at-home version of the GRE test, as well as discuss things applicants can do to keep admissions-test anxiety at bay. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn so it downloads immediately on the 30th!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Hi Jerry,
Thank you for requesting a free analysis with SBC. We consider it a privilege to get to know exceptional candidates and look forward to discussing your MBA goals. A principal from SBC will reach out soon via email with next steps.
We would like to connect with you swiftly. If you do not hear from a Principal within one business day, please reply "ready" to this email.
In the meantime, be sure to view the different rankings of MBA admissions consulting firms here. Also, Google "Stacy Blackman Consulting" andcheck out our online reviews. We have the highest number of online reviews across the Internet for our industry, and yes, we are proud of our track record!
Finally, view this short video for some words of wisdom to keep in mind as you begin your MBA journey.
My very best,
www.StacyBlackman.com
+1 323.934.3936
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
Last week we talked about how Stacy Blackman Consulting has former admissions officers from all of the top MBA programs on our team, and how these ex-adcom consultants help with Flight Test™ reviews for each of our All-In clients, contribute their insiders’ knowledge to our internal message boards and assist with program-specific questions. We asked these valuable team members if they had any advice for our readers who are applying in Round 2.
Here's Part Two of what they had to say:
For some schools (such as CBS), fit and knowledge of the school can be equally as important as qualifications. You still have to have the qualifications, but if you have them and don't have the knowledge of the school, it can be a reason for rejection. Know where and why you are applying!
Schools like to see a mention of you attending their events (even though they're virtual this year) or speaking with their students (or both!) in your essays.
It is a good idea to have items and examples to discuss in your interview that are not on your resume.
For some schools (such as Kellogg), interviews are truly blind; your interviewer will have only seen your resume.
In a group interview situation (such as at Wharton), highlighting the ideas of others or effectively drawing out quieter members of the group is seen as a plus.
Learn more about our consultants here!
And don't miss your chance to get some great applications and admissions insight from Stacy Blackman herself on this recent podcast she did with our friends at Clear Admit.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
Your resume is finalized, you’ve secured your undergrad transcript, your recommenders are working on their letters and your essays are well underway. What’s left to tackle in the typical MBA application? The data form.
Data forms are comprised of drop-down menus, checklists, informational fields and short-answer responses that give the adcomm a quick overview of who you are. They’re likely to be the first thing reviewed in your package, which means they’re responsible for forming the reader’s initial impression of you. That’s why it’s important not to complete the data form in a rush right before the program’s submission deadline.
There are two problems that arise from hurrying through a data form:
Careless typos, and
Failure to use short-answer fields strategically.
The first issue can be easily avoided: have someone else review your data form once you’ve completed it. Since most forms can only be completed through the school’s online application, there’s no spell-check functionality included.
For short-answer responses—meaning fields where you’re given anywhere from 50 to 2,000 characters for your answer—you should think through what information you’ve provided in the rest of your materials and then try to either complement or expand upon it in the data form.
Each part of your application package should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen your candidacy and tell the admissions committee something new. The data form often gets overlooked on this front because it seems so straightforward and, well, boring. But we view it as an easy way to make a positive first impression.
We cover common data form questsions (about the employment, salary, awards and activities fields, as well as various dropdowns) and provide several additional tips for how to make the most of the data form on our B-Schooled podcast's episode #21, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
Remember:
If you haven't taken (or retaken!) your admissions test yet, you won't want to miss tomorrow's B-Schooled podcast episode—"Admissions Test (and Other) Anxieties"—featuring Jay Bryant, a former MBA admissions director who is now a liaison between business schools and ETS, the company behind the GRE® General Test. Jay's going to fill listeners in on the new at-home version of the GRE test, as well as discuss things applicants can do to keep admissions-test anxiety at bay. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn so it downloads immediately tomorrow morning!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
Our clients come up with all sorts of excuses for not working on their applications.
Most of them seem legitimate – a family member is sick or has died, people at work are not supportive, switching jobs, hectic travel schedules, moving to a new home, having a baby, 80 hour work weeks…yes, it’s safe to say that these are all good reasons for having a tough time writing essays.
But ultimately, there is only one reason that applies 90% of the time. It’s fear. Fear of failure. Fear of not doing this right. Fear of taking the wrong approach. The fear can be truly paralyzing.
After all, if you were guaranteed an admit, wouldn't it be that much easier to proceed!?
If you need some help working through the fear and getting motivated to write essays, simply hit reply to let us know you want to get started. We can help to get you moving in the right direction.
Cheers,
The Team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Hi Jerry,
You slave over your MBA essays, draft, edit and redraft…you enlist trusted friends to provide feedback, and then incorporate all of their edits. You check the spelling, the grammar and more, you scrutinize every word, obsess over various approaches, you analyze every last detail. Finally, you send your package off to the admissions committee, praying that the package shines and that every word you have written resonates with the admissions committee, who will obviously be scrutinizing everything. Right?
Well, not really. Actually, most applicants are surprised to learn that AN INITIAL READ THROUGH OF YOUR ENTIRE FILE (INCLUDING TRANSCRIPTS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION) TAKES LESS THAN 15 MINUTES.
What does this mean for you? It means that you need to understand how your file is reviewed so that you can leave an impression in 15 minutes. How do you ensure that your most important messages come through? Our team of consultants and editors can help you figure that out. Start with as little as two hours and begin to quickly make headway. Simply reply to this email and let us know you are ready to begin.
To your success,
The Team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
StacyBlackman.com
323.934.3936
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
In our second of five newsletters designed to help answer frequently asked questions about how admissions commitee reviews work, we will tackle applicants’ career paths, resumes and career goals.
Returning to our fictional applicants Jackie and Bill, here are their backgrounds and plans:
Jackie
Career path: Two years total
Two years of full-time work experience as an investment banking analyst for a top NYC bank
Career plans:
Short term - Continue in finance in investment banking role post-MBA
Long term - Launch her own private equity firm
Bill
Career path: Five years total
1 year at Oracle
2 years as an investment banking analyst for a top NYC bank
2 years as a private equity associate in San Francisco
Career plans:
Short term/Long term - Launch a game-changing educational software company
Breaking it Down: Career Path, Resume and Career Goals
While it may seem like the number of years of experience is important, a better measure is what you have done with your time. Quality of work experience is much more important than quantity. Jackie has good experience, however with only two years, she will have difficulty differentiating her very common IB background from the thousands of other applicants out there. Bill’s a bit longer on experience, and he seems to have moved around a lot. Why? The admissions committee will want to understand the reasoning for his career transitions. The white space between each role is as important as explaining the role itself.
Additionally, as many MBA programs continue to decrease the number of required essays, the MBA resume has become an even more important evaluation tool. In general, the admissions team understands your day-to-day responsibilities (if you have had a traditional role). Use your resume to highlight your accomplishments so that you stand out.
Jackie’s resume was a standard investment banking resume, just listing her job duties and selected transactions that she worked on. A better tactic would be to explain what she achieved on several transactions. Did she play the role of an associate? Did she present to C-level executives? Did she devise a new financial modeling method that contributed to the success of a deal?
Bill’s resume explained more about his specific achievements within the investment banking position as well as his move to a coveted private equity post. However, he’ll still need to explain why he left Oracle after just one year.
Career goals are also an important part of the equation, as the majority of top programs want to make sure you have a clear reason for attending business school and have a plan afterward.
Jackie’s goals are somewhat vague, and it seems like she wants to return to banking. She would benefit from having a more specific short-term goal focused in a particular industry. For example, she has a double major in economics and environmental studies. Even if she wants to continue in banking, she would be better served by mentioning she wants to focus on companies in the environmental space and in the long term launch a PE firm that concentrates on this space as well. By increasing the level of specificity in her goals, she gives the admissions team more confidence about her success post-graduation.
Bill’s goals are also vague, but he came prepared in his essays and interviews with a sketched-out business plan of how he will launch his own company post-MBA. He has a plan for specific classes he’ll take, found a professor at his target program who could help him through independent study, and identified a start-up club on campus where he will further craft his business plan and connect with investors. All of this detail will ensure he is ready to start his launch work soon after graduation. While Bill has chosen a riskier path, he has a clear, demonstrated plan to achieve his goals, which helps the admissions committee assess the achievability of his goals to a much better extent.
Stay tuned next week, when we’ll cover how admissions teams looks at leadership activities and extracurriculars.
Until then,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
When you pull together your MBA application materials, you might find yourself stumped (in a few different ways) about how to explain your career goals. Thankfully, as we wrote about last month, the adcom isn’t going to hold you to what you write in your essay. But they do expect that you have given enough serious thought to your own future that you can clearly articulate your short- and long-term plans. More importantly, they want to hear about why you have those goals.
But sometimes this brings up another conundrum: should you be totally honest about your future career vision, or should you try to somewhat tailor it based on what each program you’re applying to is known for — or who the major recruiters are on campus?
We find it’s usually best to tell the adcom what you really want to do. They’re pretty good at sniffing out insincerity, and writing what you think they want to hear falls into that category. Plus, it will be harder for you to share a convincing “why” for your goals if they’re not really your goals! Then if you get to the interview stage, you’ll have to worry about continuing the act. If you want to totally switch industries or are looking for a post-MBA role in a notoriously competitive field, then throw in a sentence about what else you might be open to doing on your way to your ultimate goal.
The good news is that while each program may have a reputation for strength in certain functional areas or industries, almost all of the top business schools still have plenty of courses, clubs, conference and other parts of their curriculum that cater to just about every type of career goal. So that’s how you customize your responses for each school: show them you’ve done your research and know exactly how they can help you.
Think of it this way:
Our friends at Clear Admit are providing prospective applicants with a can't-miss event featuring the Wharton School of Business, MIT Sloan, Yale SOM, Duke Fuqua, and Chicago Booth on September 2 at noon EST and September 16 at noon EST. The event will offer applicants insight directly from the schools on their essay topics, and will also provide additional admissions resources. Reserve your spot now by registering here!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Hello!
Clear Admit let us know that you'd like a candidacy assessment for your MBA plans. Could you please share your resume or linkedin, and let me know which deadlines you're targeting?? Let me know if you've taken a practice GMAT or GRE yet.
I would love to assess how we can help and the best time to guide you. In the meantime, please take a look at our consultant team here: The SBC Team of Consultants
As well, here are our most?frequently asked questions, ranging from "can you get me into HBS" to "why should I?hire?SBC?"
When you’re hard at work on your MBA applications, it’s easy to get caught up in what sounds great to you, or what seems impressive to your friends, co-workers or parents. But what you really need to be doing is considering your materials from the admissions committee’s point of view.
Granted, it can be tough to form a truly objective opinion of your own candidacy. For example, some candidates think that if they have a high undergraduate GPA, aced the GMAT and have been successful in their career so far, their admission is all but guaranteed to the top programs. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
The majority of candidates who apply to the leading business schools are bright, personable overachievers who would be an asset to any program. Adcoms see literally thousands of deserving profiles come across their desks each year. That’s why you need to think beyond your obvious achievements and differentiate yourself through your essays and interviews by picking stories and experiences that are memorable and unique. This becomes even more critical if you're in an industry that typically makes up a bigger portion of the applicant pool, such as investment banking or consulting. (If you missed last week's episode of our B-Schooled podcast about essay mistakes, now might be the time to subscribe! Tomorrow's episode about creating a strong MBA resume is a must-listen as well. Links under the image below.)
Having said all of that, if you’re so down about your shot at getting into a certain school that you’re considering not even applying there in the first place, take heart. While the process is extremely competitive, you shouldn’t count yourself out before the game even begins. Chances are your humility is a trait the adcom would appreciate.
Focus on highlighting what you can share with your classmates that would be valuable to them — experience or knowledge that others can learn and benefit from. Look at your application from the viewpoint of the people who are charged with putting together a diverse group of outgoing students. How will you enlighten your classmates over the next two years?
Here’s one way to think about it:
From how COVID deferrals will affect the upcoming admissions cycle, to an interview with a recent HBS grad, to an in-depth and personal discussion about how to figure out what to do with your life, our B-Schooled podcast covers every aspect of the MBA admissions process. Subscribe now at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
Are you an LGBTQ+ MBA applicant? A group of LGBTQ+ consultants from the SBC team came up with 9 tips just for you, based on their own experience.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
There’s a lot to think about when you’re pulling together your business school application materials. You’ve got to make sure your resume is in top shape, that your recommenders will have their letters uploaded on time, that your essays are compelling and position you well — the list goes on.
One thing that is easy to forget in the whole process is communicating to the adcom why you need an MBA in the first place. (Oh, the irony!)Have you taken some time to really think about this yet? If going back to school has always been a part of your plan, the application process could turn into something you “just have to do” in order to reach your goal. You might get so focused on trying to impress the adcom that you fail to explain how their program could actually help you.
We’re not talking about the “Why school X?” type of responses where you show you’ve researched a program by integrating classes, professors, clubs and other parts of the curriculum into your essays. We’re talking about clearly detailing what you still need to learn and what experience you must gain in order to reach your career goals.
If — in the process of highlighting your background, achievements and future plans — you don’t say why you need an MBA, the adcom may decide that someone else would benefit more from their program.
So don’t be afraid to point out what gaps you have and exactly how an MBA can help. The adcom isn’t looking to put together a class of people who are already perfect and have nothing to learn from each other!
Think of it this way: if he could admit it, you can, too.
Our friends at Clear Admit are providing prospective applicants with a can't-miss event featuring MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern and Texas McCombs on September 16 at 12:00 p.m. EST. The event will offer applicants insight directly from the schools on their program's essay topics, and will also provide additional admissions resources. Reserve your spot now by registering here!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
If you recently started business school or are about to shortly, congratulations! It may seem like years ago that you first began working on your applications, or you might feel like the whole process flew by. Either way, the time has arrived to start the process of earning your MBA.
Obviously COVID-19 has changed many logistics for schools, professors, staff and students. Your experience during the coming months might not be what you expected. But if you find yourself getting frustrated, remember that you are surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the world — even if classes and events are virtual for a while. Take advantage of going through this unprecedented experience and moment in time together. I have no doubt that MBAs are going to find creative and safe ways to bond and get to know each other in the weeks ahead. And perhaps even solve a few of the country's biggest problems while they're at it.
Before the MBA experience consumes all of your extra time, we'd encourage you to take a moment to do these things:
Thank your recommenders. Big time. Meaning, get them a gift card for the dinner you would've normally taken them out for, give them another small token of your appreciation, or at the very least write a heartfelt thank-you note. Don’t underestimate the role your recommenders played in helping your candidacy — their glowing praise and memorable examples of your accomplishments might have been what convinced the adcom that they just had to have you in their program.
Thank the rest of your support system. You likely had someone else read over your essays or spell-check your application. You probably also had some good friends who listened patiently as you stressed out about everything from the GMAT to interviews to notification day. Make sure you let them know you how much their support meant to you. Even better, return the favor the next time they need help with something.
Get your finances in order. Even if you know where the majority of the money is coming from that will fund your MBA — be it personal savings, student loans, scholarships/grants or assistance from your family — now is the time to think about a monthly budget for your time as a student. There will be no shortage of opportunities to spend money over the next two years, and you should prioritize what’s most important to you before everything and everyone starts competing for your time. If you know you won’t be able to afford it all, start thinking about what you definitely don’t want to miss out on and prioritize from there. Your savings account will thank you later.
Make new friends, but keep the old. Start getting to know your new classmates through your program’s intranet, message boards and virtual meetups. It’s a great feeling to already have a few acquaintances before classes fully kick into high gear. But don’t forget about the co-workers, friends and family members you’ll be saying goodbye to. Yes, there are tons of ways to stay in touch with people these days so it’s not like you’re going to totally drop off the face of the earth. Except that you kinda are — at least for a little while. Business school is intense. You’ll be mentally and physically exhausted during your first year (in a good way, we promise). So get some quality time in with those you care about now and forewarn them you may be a little less communicative than usual this fall.
Most of all, try your best to enjoy this unique period in your life during an unparalleled time in history. One chapter is closing and another (very exciting) one is beginning. Take some time to celebrate your huge accomplishment !
Think of it this way:
We wanted to remind you that just because you got into b-school doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye. In fact, Stacy Blackman Consulting has a site that focuses exclusively on life hacks, career advice and off-beat tech news. It's perfect for MBA students or those in post-MBA roles. Sign up for the Blacklight newsletter now!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
You probably already know that we have a diverse group of MBAs on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team. We each bring something unique to the table that the rest of our staff (and our clients!) can benefit from. This week we thought the timing was right to highlight consultants who have previous adcom experience. We’re proud to have former admissions officers from all of the top MBA programs on our team!
In addition to directly advising our clients, our ex-adcom consultants help with Flight Test™ reviews for each of our All-In clients, contribute their inside knowledge of the admissions process to our internal message boards (so that our entire team can benefit from their experience), and can also weigh in on program-specific or client-specific questions when the need arises.
We asked these valuable resources on our team to share their insights with those of you who are currently working hard on your materials for Round 2.
Here's what they had to say. Here's (some of) what they had to say. We’ll cover the rest in a future newsletter, so stay tuned.
The adcom will spend about 20 minutes in total reading all of your application materials.
During the early part of the screening process in each round, adcom members may review as many as 50 to 100 applications per day. Details and unique stories about your personal background can make you stand out from the crowd.
Each application is read by at least two individuals: either 2 adcom members, or the first pass is done by a contract reader, followed by an adcom member.
Admissions teams will often compare applicants from the same industry, the same firm, or even the same office location. Your toughest competition may be someone you work with.
The application questionnaire (or data form) is one of the most overlooked opportunities to highlight your accomplishments. Many candidates simply copy text from their resume into the application. It should instead be viewed as an opportunity to add rich details and expand on your limited resume bullet points.
You can and should take the GMAT or GRE more than once! It looks good to adcom members if you keep trying to improve your score (assuming it needs improvement).
In general, this is good advice when it comes to your applications (and life in general!):
Learn more about our consultants here!
Want to earn $25? Our friends at Clear Admit want to hear about what information you needed (and where you looked for it) when deciding which MBA programs to apply to. Complete their 15-minute survey and you could receive a $25 Amazon.com gift card!
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
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Hi Jerry,
It’s common for applicants to want to make contact with other applicants who are just like them. I can understand that. After all, if I were a Japanese paleontologist who likes frogs and studies Art History, it would be comforting to know that someone with that identical bio was admitted to my dream school. However, applicants are admitted because of their differences, not because of their similarities. If you are Japanese, you are not the only one. If you are a paleontologist, you are not the only one. If you study Art History, YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE.
However, you are the only you. Let’s say that again: You are the only you. The only one in the entire applicant pool; the only one in the world. The funny thing is, that even though we have been ourselves for our entire lives, it’s incredibly difficult to convey who we are and what makes us unique.
Do you find yourself struggling? Most of our clients did before working with us.
If you are interested in learning how we have helped others, check out our case study: this true story illustrates how one client evolved through his work with Stacy Blackman Consulting.
If you would like to see your application progress in a similar way, you can simply reply to this email, letting us know that you would like to proceed.
Best,
Stacy
StacyBlackman.com
323.934.3936
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
We’re going to tell you something you probably already know: if you’re applying to an MBA program this year, be careful about what you post online. As we discussed in a newsletter a few weeks ago, it’s possible that business school adcom members could do a quick search on your name before admitting you to their program, and you don’t want something written in haste — or that you thought was private — to derail your chances of getting in.
But being active on social media platforms isn’t a complete no-no. In fact, savvy candidates could actually use these venues to boost their credibility and solidify the good impressions made through their application materials.
For example, let’s say that you’re hoping to switch careers after business school, and in one of your essays you share your intention to work for a company that develops clean-energy options in third-world countries. You could tweet links to articles or books you’re reading on the subject, you could post about an online conference you attended, or you could give your take on the most promising advancements in the field.
Or maybe your career to date has led you to become somewhat of an expert on microfinance. Reinforce that reputation through your online presence. Let people know when you were quoted in an article or asked to be on a panel.
Are you a marketing guru? It would be easy to weigh in on — or share — what some of the biggest brands are doing on social media, especially in light of COVID-19.
The key is to keep things professional and on point. It’s absolutely fine to let your personality shine through, too — just as it should in your essays.
And you’re already following the programs you’re applying to, right? Doing so could be a great way to get some insight about a school that you could work into your essays.
Remember, if you don’t consider social media to be another way to strengthen your candidacy, you may be missing out on a great opportunity that other MBA applicants will most certainly take advantage of.
Think of it this way:
Need help building a positive social media presence? Stacy Blackman Consulting offers a dedicated social media strategy service.
Have you listened to B-Schooled yet? Stacy Blackman Consulting's new podcast has already covered everything from the impact of COVID deferrals on this year's applicants, to how to strengthen your quantitative profile, to how to pick the best recommenders, to an interview with an HBS/GSB admit, and more. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
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Hi again, If you have questions about your MBA plans, please email me anytime.
Take care! Best, Esther Magna MBA, MPH | Stacy Blackman Consulting Inc | www.StacyBlackman.com
On Thursday, July 2, 2020 at 11:37 AM, Esther Magna <esther@stacyblackman.com> wrote:
Hello! Just wanted to confirm you received the email below. Let me know if you'd like to connect.
On Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 4:33 PM, Esther Magna <esther@stacyblackman.com> wrote:
Hello!
Clear Admit let us know that you'd like a candidacy assessment for your MBA plans. Could you please share your resume or linkedin, and let me know which deadlines you're targeting?? Let me know if you've taken a practice GMAT or GRE yet.
I would love to assess how we can help and the best time to guide you. In the meantime, please take a look at our consultant team here: The SBC Team of Consultants
As well, here are our most?frequently asked questions, ranging from "can you get me into HBS" to "why should I?hire?SBC?"
On Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 4:33 PM, Esther Magna <esther@stacyblackman.com> wrote:
Hello!
Clear Admit let us know that you'd like a candidacy assessment for your MBA plans. Could you please share your resume or linkedin, and let me know which deadlines you're targeting?? Let me know if you've taken a practice GMAT or GRE yet.
I would love to assess how we can help and the best time to guide you. In the meantime, please take a look at our consultant team here: The SBC Team of Consultants
As well, here are our most?frequently asked questions, ranging from "can you get me into HBS" to "why should I?hire?SBC?"
At the end of April — when early bird Round 1 candidates were just starting to pull together their MBA application materials — the Stacy Blackman Consulting team launched B-Schooled, our MBA admissions consulting podcast. Since then, our episodes have been downloaded tens of thousands of times, and we've covered everything from how to strengthen your quantative profile, to how to pick the right recommenders, to how to make the most of the data form fields, and even got really introspective in one of our most popular installments: "What should you do with your life?"
Our host, Erika Olson, is a Michigan Ross BBA and Harvard MBA who’s been on our admissions consulting team for over a decade. If you haven't tuned in yet, please join us each Wednesday for a new episode.
Through B-Schooled, we’re able to go deeper on the topics we cover in our blog and this newsletter about how to pull together your personal-best business school materials — and make the most of your time once you matriculate.
If you're hard at work on your Round 2 materials or are thinking about applying in the future, we guarantee you will find lots of helpful tips to help you make the greatest impact possible with your materials. If you like what you hear, don't forget to subscribe!
B-Schooled is available on most major podcast apps, including:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
TuneIn
If there’s something you’d like for us to cover in a future episode, please email podcast@stacyblackman.com – we’d love to hear from you!
Until next week,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
What does the incoming Biden administration mean for business schools? Stacy's shares her thoughts in this Poets & Quants article.
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
If you're putting the finishing touches on your MBA materials right now, our most recent B-Schooled podcast episode entitled "Before you submit in Round 1..." is for you. Check it out and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn. In that episode we cover several things you should do (and not do) before submitting your materials in the coming days or weeks.
For today's newsletter, however, we will focus on one of the most important things you should NOT do right now: make last-minute changes. You must resist the urge to keep tweaking and wordsmithing your materials right up until the deadline. No good ever comes of it!
“But wait!” you might think. “I may figure out a better way to word that one sentence that’s always bugged me. Or I could come up with a smoother transition between paragraphs in my essay. Or…”
Nope, don’t do it. At some point—and ideally that point would be at least a few days before a program’s deadline—you just need to put your materials on lockdown and submit them. By continuing to fine-tune, you run the risk of making other errors in the process of “fixing” something that was probably fine in the first place.
Keep in mind that your entire application will be read fairly quickly by the admissions committee in 20 minutes or less. They’re going to walk away with an impression of you that’s based on a rapid review of all of your materials—no one sentence or resume bullet point or activity description is going to seal your fate. You’re better off submitting a version you’re happy with and have thoroughly reviewed in advance of the deadline than putting yourself in the position of making a last-minute change that results in a mistake they do notice.
We know this process gets nerve-wracking as due dates loom. But just take a deep breath and remember:
Make sure you’re following Stacy Blackman Consulting on Twitter and Facebook for all of the latest MBA news. And again, remember to subscribe to the B-Schooled podcast for timely tips and information on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
You were probably asked this question all of the time as a little kid. Thanks to your business school applications, you’ll have to answer it again. Only now you must envision where you’ll be in your career ten to twenty years out — after you’re armed with an MBA. You’ll also have to detail the path you intend to take to get there.
But how do you go about explaining your short- and long-term career goals if you’re not really sure what you want to be doing in the first place? Maybe you’re pursuing an MBA in hopes that the classes and people you’re exposed to will help that light bulb go on in your head.
That’s perfectly fine, and you’re certainly not alone. Here’s a little secret: the adcom doesn’t expect you to know exactly what you want to be doing decades from now. And no one’s going to hold you to what you write in your essay. However, your answer to the career goals question is still important. If an applicant doesn’t appear to have given any serious thought to his or her own future, that could be a red flag.
If you already know how you’d like your career to progress, that’s wonderful. But if you aren’t sure about what you want to do, our advice is to spend some significant time thinking about what kind of career would make you happy. More importantly, consider whether or not your dream career is realistic based on your skills and past achievements (combined with what you’ll learn at business school).
If your goal is something general like “running a company,” you need to keep working. Vague responses such as “starting a firm,” “being a CEO” or “launching a nonprofit” won’t differentiate you from other applicants. Think about (and include in your essay!) exactly what kind of company you want to run/launch, WHY you want to do what you want to do, and how you’ll get there; those details are more likely to set you apart.
We’ll leave you with this bit of career-related inspiration:
"Given that I was coming from an over-represented field, I wanted to work with a consultant who would take the time to help me comb through my story and help me cherry-pick the most compelling aspects of my candidacy. My SBC consultant provided invaluable advice and recommendations for the entire application process – from formatting tips to interview insights, she always had an answer for my questions, responded quickly and thoroughly, and most importantly, helped me “get out of my own head” and assemble two applications to my dream schools with confidence. I am thrilled to say that working with SBC helped me gain admittance to both GSB and HBS."
- SBC Client Admitted to both HBS and Stanford GSB Class of 2022
Read more SBC client testimonials here! And don't forget to make sure you're caught up on our B-Schooled podcast, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and more.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
It’s Thanksgiving week in the United States, and on Thursday, millions of people will take a break to reflect on everything they have to be grateful for, even in the midst of a global pandemic and all-around rough year. It’s a good time for MBA hopefuls to do the same.
If you applied to schools in Round 1, you’re getting close to learning the final results of your efforts. Before you do, you should make a point of circling back with everyone who helped you along the way. Sure, you’ll touch base with them again to let them know where you’re going to end up. But it’s nice to thank people now so it doesn’t seem like you’re only grateful for their help because you were accepted to a certain school.
Think back to when you first downloaded your applications and make a list of those who played a role in ensuring you felt confident once you hit “submit.” Your recommenders, your friends and family members who proofread your materials or gave you great advice, your co-workers who helped calm your nerves after everything was sent in — everyone who’s supported you. We’re sure they’d appreciate a quick note of thanks.
If you’re currently in the midst of interviewing, remember to shoot a short thank-you email or letter to your interviewers, too! Don’t be discouraged or worried if you don’t hear back, though; some schools have policies about interviewers responding to candidates before final decisions are out. But we know they’ll be impressed by the gesture nonetheless.
What if you’re working to hit Round 2 deadlines? It’s still appropriate to thank those who have been helping you so far — especially your recommenders, who may be taking time away from their families to work on your letters over the holidays.
Remember:
From all of us to all of you: Happy Thanksgiving, and thank YOU for reading our newsletter. If you find yourself with some extra time over the long holiday weekend, make sure you're caught up with our B-Schooled podcast, which has new episodes every Wednesday covering just about every aspect of the MBA admissions process. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
If there’s one overarching trend we’ve seen in our nearly two decades of admission consulting, it’s the move toward greater diversity at the top MBA programs. Business schools used to be infamously dominated by those from the consulting and banking industries, and most students were white males. Now, however, programs strive for diversity across several buckets: gender, ethnicity, industry, function or role, home country — even sexual orientation.
What does that mean for applicants who are in consulting or financial services, or those who are in overrepresented demographic buckets? It means that you’re going to have to work hard to stand out and prove you have something valuable to bring to the table. In other words, you’re going to have to clearly demonstrate that what your classmates will learn from your personal and professional experiences outweighs the fact that you aren’t contributing to a more diverse environment in the traditional ways.
We often meet with applicants who are shocked to hear that their “stats” won’t be enough. A high GPA and a high GMAT score are never bad things, of course, but they don't guarantee admission, either. The MBA application process is a self-selecting one in many ways. Meaning that the people pursuing b-school in the first place are the ones who’ve done well in school, on tests and in their careers so far. The majority of applicants deserve to get in, "on paper." But while your stats tell the admissions committee whether you can likely handle the rigor of their program, they don’t reveal anything about how you work with others, what leadership roles you've taken, what motivates you or what your future goals are.
Unlike undergraduate colleges, MBA programs heavily rely on students teaching each other. Even schools that aren’t primarily case-study-based still expect high levels of spirited and interactive discussion in class, with students sharing their past experiences for the benefit of others.
So while everyone who applies to business school should try to communicate the unique aspects of their candidacies that their classmates will learn from, it’s exponentially more critical that those from overrepresented buckets do so. You’re going to want to pull from your volunteer, extracurricular and leadership experiences across all facets of your life. You might want to talk about places you’ve traveled and what you did or learned there. You might have a defining moment to share that led to your future career goals. You will want to highlight anything you are involved with at work that might be related to recent news headlines, as admissions committees love it when students can share firsthand experience with buzzy topics.
Applicants from the “traditional” buckets are still admitted to MBA programs across the country every year, so if you’re in one of those buckets, there’s no reason to lose hope. But you should look objectively and realistically at your candidacy and perhaps widen the net of schools you’re considering. Try to figure out what it is that your classmates would learn from you, and then focus on incorporating those themes into your materials. You can do it!
Realizing you need help crafting your story? Sign up for a free profile analysis from SBC.
Are you a reapplicant? Don't miss tomorrow's B-Schooled episode that's just for you — subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn so it downloads as soon as it's available.
Until next time,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
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Hi Jerry,
I just got off the phone with Jason, a client with whom I worked five years ago. We were laughing remembering how terrified he was to even begin his applications. The first set of essays he sent me had a statement at the top, bolded and red: THIS SUCKS!!! HELP!!!!
I still remember, because I could feel and relate to his anxiety. In that one line he perfectly captured how most people feel when they start their essays, and I completely identified. To be honest, his essays did kind of suck. But at least we had a starting point, and we went from there. I eventually convinced Jason to be as honest throughout his essays as he was in that one statement at the top. So he stopped regurgitating his resume, and started talking about who he was and what mattered to him. We spent a lot of time thinking about his passion for karate, and how certain aspects of martial arts have impacted his performance at work and his philosophy on life. Fast forward five years, Jason’s life has progressed by leaps and bounds. He is a Columbia MBA and has an amazing position at a hot start up in NY.
I am sharing this story because you may now be where Jason was then, and I can tell you that there is a path for you to get to where you want to be. It can be extremely overwhelming, but also very exciting to step up and take action.
If you are ready to advance your life by leaps and bounds, and need to get unstuck, we would love to work with you. We understand and we really do know how to help! If you are ready to get started, simply hit reply and send; we will contact you.
Cheers,
Stacy Blackman
StacyBlackman.com
323.934.3936
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
You may agonize over your MBA application materials for months, but an admissions commitee member may spend less than 15 minutes total reviewing your file. What happens during that critical quarter-hour that can literally change your life?
This is the first in a series of 5 blog posts where we'll try to help answer frequently asked questions including:
What is an MBA Admissions Committee looking for?
How exactly do they review my application?
At SBC, we have former admissions committee members from every top school on our team. In this series of newsletters, we'll be sharing our collective expertise and giving you a peek into what really happens during an admissions review.
To illustrate our points, we’ll use two fictional MBA applicants to a top 5 MBA program: Jackie and Bill. In today's installment, we'll focus on our fictional applicants’ “stats.”
Jackie’s Stats:
Yale BA Economics and Environmental Studies
Overall GPA: 3.7
GPA by year: Year 1 - 4.0, Year 2 - 3.8, Year 3 - 3.6, Year 4 - 3.4
Excellent overall GPA, but trends down a bit throughout her tenure
Quant grades are not strong
Elite undergrad institution
Lots of Yalies apply
Interesting mix of majors
She challenged herself with double major and rigorous quant classes
GMAT Assessment:
Only took the GMAT once, even with the knowledge it was below the school’s average. Why didn't she take it again?
Bill’s Stats:
University of Memphis, BS Computer Science (on scholarship)
Overall GPA: 3.35
GPA by year: Year 1 - 2.8, Year 2 - 3.2, Year 3 - 3.6, Year 4 - 3.8
Quant grades: Calc 1 B, Calc 2 A, Stats A, Accounting A
GMAT: 750 Verbal 42/96%, Quant 50/87%, AWA 6, IR 8
GPA Assessment:
Below-average GPA, but trends up nicely
Underrepresented undergrad institution
Challenging major
On scholarship
GMAT Assessment:
He aced it!
Breaking it Down:GPA & Undergrad Program, along with GMAT Score
The admissions commitee looks at several components of your GPA: your overall GPA, your year-by-year breakdown, the overall trend, and the rigor of your course load. For example, a 3.7 in a sports management major is not necessarily stronger than a 3.3 in economics or engineering. And the fact that Jackie had low B’s in all her quant classes may hurt her. Bill’s lower grades are offset by solid A’s in most of his quant classes, which is a huge plus for him. Also, Bill shows significant improvement. Although he clearly struggled early on, he eventually figured out how to juggle even more rigorous courses with other commitments.
Prestige of the undergrad school is also considered, but it’s weighed against how many applicants come from a particular school. In this case, while Jackie went to a terrific undergrad program, if there are a lot of applicants from Yale, a candidate from U of Memphis on a scholarship might be more appealing.
And then there’s the GMAT or GRE, which are very important admissions assessment tools. While Jackie’s is just below the average for a top 5 program, she only took it once. This calls into question why? Even attempting the GMAT or trying the GRE just one more time would have demonstrated to the admissions committee that she had the self-awareness that her score was below average and would have given her points. Jackie’s quant score also is below the 70-75% threshold, which at some top programs might be an issue without other quant strength indicated throughout the rest of her application. For Bill, combined with his high quant grades, he achieved a very strong quant percentage on the GMAT, which helps to mitigate any issues with his lower GPA in his earlier undergrad years.
In all, admissions commitees believe that your GPA and GMAT/GRE are important indicators of your ability to succeed in the classroom. With a lower GPA and/or lower quant grades in undergrad, it would be worth taking another quant class or two now to help better demonstrate your intellect. With the GMAT, it’s important that the overall score be within the range of your target program AND that the individual components (especially quant) are each strong, with quant hitting your school’s desired — but often not publicly stated — threshold.
We'll be back next week with this series to cover how an admissions committee would assess the candidates' career paths, resumes and career goals.
Until then,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
First and foremost, happy holidays! We hope you and yours are able to take a break and celebrate safely as this challenging year comes to an close.
Today, in our third in a series of five newsletters designed to help answer frequently asked questions about how admissions committee reviews work, we will tackle applicants’ leadership and extracurricular activities.
Returning to our fictional applicants Jackie and Bill, here are their leadership initiatives and involvement outside of school/work:
Jackie
College Extracurriculars
Newspaper: managed Lifestyle section
Sorority, President
Dance group, Manager
Environmental Club
European Club
Running Club
College Summers
1st – Travel with family
2nd – Environmental community service
3rd – “Green” internship
Post-College Extracurriculars
NY Marathon
Board of Environmental Support Group
Board of NY Cares
Young Contributor Board of Ballet
Class Rep for Yale fundraising
Bill
College Extracurriculars
Volunteer tutoring
Worked 40 hours/week in retail store to finance college
College Summers
3 years of full-time work in parents’ shop
Post-College Extracurriculars
Created online finance job search support for U of Memphis students
Launched and rolled out tech enrichment programs for low-income-area high schools
Breaking it Down: Leadership and Extracurriculars
As you can see, Jackie has participated in several activities, but how much is too much? Was she really an effective contributor in all of them? She seems to have a consistent interest in “green” causes, a track record of leadership roles and has given back to her alma mater. Bill seems to have been consumed by his full-time work and has very limited activities throughout college and post-college; however, he was working to finance his college studies that his scholarship didn’t cover. Looking closer at the content of his activities we see that where he was active, he was focused on helping others. He also created his own opportunities and gave back to his alma mater — all positive traits in the eyes of the admissions committee.
The bottom-line here for the admissions team's assessment: EVERYTHING counts, even how you spend your free time. Impact is most important, so focusing on a few activities and making a difference can be more impactful than a laundry list of involvements. Extracurriculars are also a great opportunity to demonstrate leadership, especially if you are light on work-related leadership, as both Jackie and Bill are. Extracurriculars are also a chance to show you are well rounded and have a passion; this passion can be used to help develop your planned career goals and shape your MBA story.
Stay tuned next week, when we’ll cover how admissions teams looks at your essays and recommendation letters. And once again, happy holidays!
Until then,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
First and foremost, happy new year!
In our final in a series of 5 newsletters meant to help answer your frequently asked questions, we will reveal what happened to our fictional applicants, Jackie and Bill, on their MBA journey.
At SBC, we have former admissions committee members from every top school on our team. We’re sharing our collective expertise to give you a peek into what really happens during an application review.
And now, the time has come! We know you've been curious about how Jackie and Bill's MBA journeys each ended. As a refresher, here are summaries of their stats:
Jackie
Bill
GPA
3.7 Yale
3.35 U of Memphis
GMAT
690
750
Years work experience
2
5
Please reference the previous installments for greater detail on Jackie and Bill's candidacies.
So what happened?
Jackie was waitlisted at a top 5 school in Round 1. Here’s why:
While the admissions team was impressed by her grades at an Ivy League program, they were concerned by her GMAT score — both the fact that her quant was on the lower end of their range and that she did not attempt to improve on her score, taking it only one time.
She was lighter on work experience and did not relay many points about how she differed from her peers in the heavily oversubscribed investment banking space.
Her career goals were vague and she did not have a clearly achievable plan laid out.
She had a terrific range of extracurricular activities, but it would have been nice to see her passion in one of them play out in a clearer thread throughout her application.
Her essays themes were fairly generic and she was not very specific about her research on the school, which made the adcom wonder how she’ll add value to their program.
While she had good recommendations, she did not follow the instructions, submitting three (the school requires two), with only one being from her supervisor. The other two recommendations were from a college professor and a nonprofit board member.
The combination of these issues led to her being waitlisted. But there’s still a happy ending to Jackie’s story, as she submitted an application in Round 2 to another top 5 program and was admitted! Here’s what she did to succeed:
Took the time to do thorough research on the program and communicated it well throughout all aspects of her application.
Took the GRE and submitted her higher score.
Told her real story about her environmental interests and tied it in well throughout all aspects of her application. And she focused on just a few activities that supported her story.
Submitted only serious, value-added recommendations.
Took the time to do it right versus rushing through a Round 1 application.
On the other hand, Bill was admitted to a top 5 program in Round 1! Here’s what he did to succeed:
Researched the program.
Successfully tied together his interests in finance, tech, entrepreneurship, education and mentoring.
Showed a track record in all of these areas, which demonstrated his sincerity.
Rocked the GMAT!
Improved his grades over time in college.
Highlighted his personal background, which helped the admissions team understand the whys behind his actions; he got points for overcoming a more difficult family background.
We hoped you’ve enjoyed following our applicants on their journey and have taken away some key insights that will help you on your own. Best of luck!
And once again, happy new year from the entire Stacy Blackman Consulting team.
If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription Stacy Blackman Consulting, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, US
Jerry,
In our fourth in a series of five newsletter designed to help answer frequently asked questions about how admissions commitee reviews work, we will focus on applicants’ essays and recommendation letters.
At SBC, we have former admissions committee members from every top school on our team. We’re sharing our collective expertise to give you a peek into what really happens during an application review.
Jackie
Essays:
Why School X – Solid finance education, interested in flexible curriculum, networking within class and forming bonds with sectionmates
Other essay themes – Travel experiences, marathons, diverse community service contributions, stories from work
Recommenders:
Current boss – Stellar, said she was one of the best analysts ever
College professor – Discussed her exceptional quant abilities
Nonprofit – Excellent recommendation discussing her contributions
Plus two additional letters from prestigious alums discussing her contributions
Bill
Essays:
Why School X – Excited about school’s entrepreneurial programs, discusses Small Business Development Center and Venture Initiation Program
Other essay themes – Family background, national track & field competitions in high school, mentoring experiences
Recommenders:
Head of PE firm – Positive recommendation, but a bit generic
Current boss at PE firm – Very strong recommendation discussing abilities and personality, and adding a great deal of additional insight
Breaking it Down: Essays
MBA programs are looking for a variety of factors within your essays. If you have a standard Goals essay, the admissions committee is evaluating not only the ambitiousness and achievability of your goals (as discussed in installment #2 of this series), but also whether business school is even needed to achieve your goals. In these types of essays, the committee is also looking to see if you have done your homework on their program. While Jackie lists a lot of school attributes, they are vague, and she could easily be discussing another school’s program. Bill is more specific, detailing exactly why the program is for him. In his case the admissions team is able to easily see how he’ll come in and add value immediately. Specificity is key — demonstrate your knowledge by detailing specific classes, professors and
extracurriculars to show the adcom how you will be prepared from Day 1!
Beyond the goals-focused essays, the admissions team should learn something new about you in your essays. Jackie focused on a number of unique themes in her responses; however, she did not note anything “green” in any, which was perplexing having been an environmental studies major in undergrad combined with several “green” extracurriculars. It seems like she has a good story here that she is not truly capitalizing on.
Bill talks about his family background, which includes immigrant parents and growing up in his family business along with his mentoring work, which he appears to truly love — all are positives and help set him apart from other applicants. Where Bill falls short is that he discusses a national track & field competition in high school, which seems distant and not the best area to focus on for someone in his mid-to-late 20s. Bill would have been better served to address in more detail his tech enrichment program that he developed for low-income-neighborhood schools. This effectively demonstrates leadership as well as an intent to give back to his community.
Breaking it Down: Recommendations
While Jackie has a plethora of people relaying all sorts of good things about her, she’s actually disregarding the school’s recommender instructions, which state:
We require two letters of recommendation from people who are very knowledgeable about your performance in a work setting, ideally from current or former supervisors.
Jackie’s current boss fits this bill perfectly; however, using a college professor and a nonprofit board member do not. She will have points taken away for not following instructions and for an adcom evaluation, every point counts! She would have been better off selecting her second recommender as someone who also knows her work experience but from a different angle — possibly her mentor at the firm or another manager with whom she has worked closely. Also, while some schools accept additional letters of support, you need to be very careful about them. Too many are overkill and can have the reverse effect on your application. If you want to go this route, make sure your school is open to this and be very judicious about who submits a letter.
Bill has a strong recommendation from his current boss, but he made a misstep in using the head of his firm, who gave him a very generic recommendation. MBA programs are clear on this point: the title of the recommender is not as important as his or her ability to effectively evaluate your performance. By using the head of his firm, Bill lost an opportunity to provide more detailed information about his accomplishments in the workplace. A better route would have been to choose a former supervisor at one of his two previous companies as his second recommender.
In summary, make sure your recommenders know you and add meaningful insight; familiarity always trumps prestige. Letters from current and recent supervisors are always most important. Don’t submit extra letters unless they are truly helpful, providing an additional point of view.
Stay tuned — next week we will reveal what happened to Jackie and Bill!
Until then,
The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting
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