B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit

This episode covers common questions MBA candidates have about reapplying -- including specific advice for those who first applied in spring 2020's extended Round 3 (aka "the COVID round") or who originally applied to a 2+2 or deferred admissions program while still in college.

Your resume is perhaps the single most important part of your application materials. This episode covers how to maximize that one precious page.

Round 1 deadlines start to hit a little over a month from now, so while you're in the midst of essay writing, make sure you don't make any of the 6 common mistakes we'll cover in this episode.

In this episode, Erika is joined by Kellogg JD/MBA and fellow SBC consultant Gina for an in-depth discussion about how applicants can use the MBA application process to reflect on what they really value and what kind of work might make them truly happy.

Since in-person campus visits and traveling information sessions aren’t happening for a while, MBA admissions committees are offering several different types of virtual experiences and online information sessions to help prospective students get to know their programs better. This episode answers the questions: Are these online sessions valuable? How should they be approached? Should they be treated like an interview? Can an online interaction with the adcom help or hurt my chances? What questions should I ask? How can I use something from the session in my essays? What other ways can I research programs?

This episode details: The most important recommender criteria What you should do if you can’t ask your direct manager for a letter What you should do if you don’t want anyone at your company to know of your MBA plans If it’s OK to use college professors or extracurricular contacts as recommenders Whether seniority or alumni status matters Whether "side letters" are effective What you should do if you’ve worked for more than one company since college What you should do if you haven’t worked with one of your recommenders for some time, and finally What you should do if you work for a family-owned business

The coronavirus has upended the MBA journey for those starting programs in the fall, for those who requested but were denied deferrals, and for those who will be applying this year.  In this episode we'll be sharing our thoughts on 5 questions related to how COVID has impacted the MBA process, including: If you’re admitted to a top school but already know in-person classes won’t be the norm for a while, does it still make sense to go? If you were admitted to a top school, requested a deferral and were denied, how should you think about the choice you face now? If you’re applying for the first time this coming cycle, is the competition going to be worse because there will be fewer spots next year due to Covid deferrals? If you apply, is it better to apply in Round 1 or Round 2? Are some schools safer bets to apply to now than others?

In a continuation of last week’s episode on “candidacy question marks” – or red flags on an MBA candidate's record – this week's episode covers what to do if you: have employment gaps in your career, are unemployed when you apply,  get laid off or fired after you submit your materials, or have something like a DUI or honor code violation from college on your record.

This episode covers what to do about “question marks” — or possible red flags — in an MBA applicant's candidacy, including: A low GPA A low test score A few low grades within an overall decent GPA A lack of extracurriculars A lack of work experience, and "Too much" work experience (or when an applicant is older than the rest of the candidate pool) Additional issues will be covered in Part 2 next week.

In this episode, Meg — a former University of Chicago Booth admissions committee member and current SBC admissions consultant — joins Erika to discuss some of the biggest things they see MBA candidates wasting their precious time on during the application process. They address: Their most-hated question MBA candidates often ask *Why* it doesn't make sense to worry about certain things in the admissions process What applicants' time is better spent on What waitlisted candidates should do (and not do) to strengthen their position  The pros and cons of MBA message boards What MBA candidates should do if/when they find themselves filled with doubts