#231 Crafting a Personal Narrative that Stands Out with Ellin Lolis

Oct 17, 2025

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How can you stand out from thousands of MBA applicants with impressive CVs?

Darren sits down with Ellin Lolis, Founder and President of Ellin Lolis Consulting and one of the top ranked MBA admissions consultants on Poets & Quants, to learn how she helps MBA applicants craft powerful personal narratives. With a near 99% success rate, Ellen shares the process she uses to transform an applicant's collection of achievements into a cohesive and compelling personal narrative.

Topics

Introduction (0:00)
How Ellin Fell into Admissions Consulting (2:37)
The Importance of Narrative: Why Data and CVs Aren't Memorable (3:37)
What's Your Career Goal & Career Purpose? (10:20)
Finding the Golden Thread of Your Personal Narrative (22:20)
Dealing with "My Story Isn't that Interesting" (40:12)
How to Differentiate Yourself when You Have a Common Career Goal (39:55)
The Power of Vulnerability (45:23)
Darren's Hot Dog Story - How Mundane Moments Can Make for a Memorable Story (47:19)
How MBA programs are Evolving with AI (50:07)
Using AI in Your MBA Applications (52:54)
Video Essay Tips (59:28)

About Our Guest

Ellin Lolis is founder and president of Ellin Lolis Consulting, which has helped 98.9% of their clients get accepted to at least one program of their choice. Ellin and her team have spent over a decade helping MBA applicants craft their story and build their careers. Prior to starting her admissions consulting firm, Ellin worked in marketing and communications.

Ellin graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelors in International Cultural Studies, and is a member of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC).

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