Category Archives: MBA Admissions Book

MBA Adcom, MBA Admissions, MBA Admissions Book, MBA Essay Questions, MBA Essays, MBA Interviews

How to Make your MBA Application Stand Out

One of the problems I have as an MBA admissions adviser–friend, coach, confidant, drill sergeant–to applicants trying to crack top-tier schools is explaining that while “good is nice and great is nicer” neither will get you into a top-tier MBA program. Only “good + special” will get you in.

Everyone knows that there are far fewer places than excellent candidates, but not everyone understands the implication of this, which is that the standard “good” profile application is more likely to fail than succeed. I do ding analyses: often there is something clear to point to, but often there is not. I’m left saying “there was no juice,” and I don’t mean this as a cop-out.

What I mean is–putting it another way–the applicant has provided reasons for Adcom not to reject them, covering all bases, saying the right things, but has not given Adcom a compelling reason to say yes.

Easier said than done. What if there is no specialness (distinctiveness) there? “I haven’t done anything that special,” they will say. “I have not won Olympic medals; never hot-air ballooned over the Atlantic; not pulled anyone from a burning car …”

I won’t kid you, it’s great if you’ve done something memorable like this. But there are two types of specialness. Specialness of what you have achieved AND specialness of who you are. Not everyone has the first type in their bag, but everyone can have the second.

Here are examples of the second type:

1. Distinctiveness of insight, self-reflection, and self-understanding. Unfortunately (but fortunately for you, dear reader) it appears these days that it takes a special person to be willing to reflect on their life path, their roles, their identity, their motivations. But this is exactly what Adcom wants of you. That’s why they ask complex, motivational questions. The quality of genuine self-reflection is so unique among 20-something-year-olds (and so highly correlated with real leadership ability) that if you can do it right, you’ll be special just for this.

Note: doing it right means being open and honest, but also circumspect, professional, to-the-point, and focused on the essay question, using practical examples and stories. It does not mean wallowing self-indulgently as if for your local Agony Aunt magazine column.

2. Distinctiveness of communication. Writing and (in the interview) speaking is the basis of your interaction with Adcom. Words are your tools. You do not need to be a fancy creative-writing major to write a wonderful MBA admissions essay, but there are basic tools of storytelling and essay building that make a piece of text stand out. Be aware how much turgid, repetitive prose your Adcom reader has to wade through. Getting your point across in a bright, clear, and organized way will make you stand out. (Much more about the how of this is in my MBA Admissions Strategy book.)

3. Distinctiveness of direction and goals. You can’t change your past. You should present it in the best light, but for better or worse, it is set. Your future is ahead of you. It can be anything–you can make any claim, within reason. It is a “free hit ” in the sense that you are pretty much invited to distinguish yourself from the crowd through the extent of your ambition, and the relevance, interest, and worthiness of your career path.

 

MBA Admissions, MBA Admissions Book, MBA Essays

MBA Studio is 10!

1 Comment

It is 10 years since MBA Studio was founded. It started more by chance than design, as seems to happen in this industry. I had worked on a few applications, including my own, and found I was good at it (and successful.) This was due to my media-editor background, my strategic marketing training, and my b-school cultural immersion. Anyway, quite early on I realized I was saying things to clients that had not been written down. So I wrote a book (MBA Admissions Strategy) which, happily, was snapped up by the first publisher I sent it to (McGraw Hill) and has since become a best-seller, now in 2nd edition.

On the back of the book, and gratifyingly also often by word of mouth, the client side of the business grew strongly and I was quickly forced in to a decision that has defined MBA Studio ever since: Do I adopt a flotilla of sub-consultants and spend my time managing them? Or do I stay a hands-on practicing MBA admissions advisor? I chose the latter because I was far more motivated by the intellectual and strategic challenge (and fun!) of crafting a savvy application that finds the way to pick the lock of the admissions gates and get a person admitted to an elite school, sometimes beyond even their own expectations. There is nothing better than getting the “wow, I’m in!” email, knowing I’ve meaningfully improved someone’s entire career and life prospects. (Full disclosure: I do of course have marketing and administrative support staff.)

So it’s been 10 years, and here’s to the next 10. As a point of demarcation, I’ve decided to implement some changes in service provision. Where MBA Studio used to handle all aspects of the application, as defined by the book, the focus going forward will be on the essays and allied asynchronous services. This is a business decision. Full-service provision for a one-consultant operation is inherently “lumpy” – I have to leave big spaces of time to fully serve clients who sign up in August for a large menu of services that they may use sporadically, or not at all, or in a January rush! This means every year I’ve been turning clients away. With an essay focus I’ll be able to work more consistently, and for more clients.

In another adjustment, the free essay review is withdrawn. There is simply no longer time to do them. In its place are sample reviews which demonstrate what’s on offer (see Services tab.)