B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit

Round 1 deadlines are upon us, and nerves tend to get the best of many candidate. This timely replay covers common last-minute traps that MBA applicants fall into and how to avoid them, as as what you should do and not do before submitting.

In this podcast we spend a lot of time diving into different element of your MBA application: your essays, your recommendations, your scores, your grades, and so many other things. But it is also critically important—especially as you near the end of your application process—to take a step back to review all these different elements of your application to make sure that they fit together as a cohesive whole.   Think about these different application elements as chapters in a book. While you want each chapter to be compelling in its own stand-alone way – your MAIN GOAL is for these different pieces to function together as an OVERALL NARRATIVE about you, you who are, what your goals are, and what you will bring to the school and to the world after graduation.  To this end, this podcast offers specific tips to help make your overall application narrative as compelling as possible including: Working through a “story mapping” excercise before your start your application,  Forcing yourself to think through—and pressure test—your short and long term goals EARLY in your application process, Creating your own “MBA soundbite”, Stepping back and reading each element of your application and thinking carefully about how they fit together, including: Your resume Your essays Your recommendations Your data forms Your MBA interview prep Finally, thinking about how all of these elements interact with each other to create a clear, consistent and cohesive narrative—while also making sure that you are as bold, vulnerable and authentic as possible. This podcast is a must for anyone wanting to make sure these independent pieces come together in a way that makes your overall application as powerful as possible.

In this replay episode, we cover why it’s so important to clearly convey the reasons you are pursuing business school. What will an MBA help you achieve that you couldn’t otherwise accomplish? Even though many programs don’t specifically ask this question, that doesn’t mean applicants shouldn’t be prepared with a strong answer. Other topics covered include: Common reasons for pursuing an MBA Four candidate types that need to ensure they have clear reasons for wanting the degree Reasons for wanting an MBA that you should probably not mention in your materials

In this episode host Chandler Arnold sits down with Melissa Román Burch, Chief Operating Officer at the NYC Economic Development Corporation and HBS alum. In her current role, Melissa mobilizes public and private investment through tax incentive programs, tax exempt bond financings and across a portfolio of 64 million square feet and 230 assets comprised of life sciences, film & entertainment, advanced manufacturing, off shore wind, and green economy businesses across NYC. Prior to her current role, Melissa spent two decades in the private sector, including time as a leading business executive/property developer as well as a stint on Wall Street. While Melissa is an undisputed leader in the field, this podcast is NOT just for people interested in commercial and industrial real estate. Rather, this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in: Advice for those interested in changing fields after earning their MBA, Suggestions for women working in spaces traditionally dominated by men, Tips for MBAs working in fields in which MBAs are less common, Comments on the value of “horizontal mentorship” and A strong reminder about the power of being bold.

This engaging conversation with UCLA Anderson's Assistant Dean Alex Lawrence covers the program's new essay, what the adcom is looking for in prospective MBA students, how Anderson runs its applicant interviews, unique aspects of the program, what students do around campus, and much, much more.

In this replay of a popular past episode of the B-Schooled podcast, we cover: Two big mistakes we see applicants make regarding school selection An exercise to help you think about and narrow down your school list Which business schools have reputations or are otherwise known for being strong in particular areas

Everyone – and we do mean everyone – gets stuck on their MBA Applications from time to time. So it really isn't a question of IF you are going to hit a wall in your application process. It’s a question of WHEN and—more critically—a question of WHAT you’re going to do when this happens. In the second part of this two-part episode host Chandler Arnold explores what to do when you hit a wall. This episode includes additional tips and suggestions, including such topics as:   Embracing the element of the application you hate the most, Reminding yourself why you are doing this, Having the courage to start over (part 1), Having the courage to start over (reason 2), and  Reminding yourself that you are lucky to be in a position to apply

Everyone – and we do mean everyone – gets stuck on their MBA Applications from time to time.  So it really isn't a question of IF you are going to hit a wall in your application process. It’s a question of WHEN and—more critically—a question of WHAT you’re going to do when this happens. In the first part of this two-part episode host Chandler Arnold explores what to do when you hit a wall. This episode includes 5 specific tips and suggestions, including such topics as:   What you can learn by exploring WHY you’re stuck Specific suggestions about using authenticity and vulnerability to bust through walls Embracing the fact that early drafts are often very bad The power of changing gears The benefits of stepping away and gaining perspective Chandler will also explore five additional strategies next week.

In this episode, Erika talks with fellow Stacy Blackman Consulting team member Deedee, who spent 12 years on the MBA admissions team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sloan School of Management. Deedee's passion for Sloan comes through as she gives invaluable insight on the program's unique application requirements (such as a cover letter, an organizational chart and a 1-minute video), and also explains how the program integrates with the Boston and Cambridge communities, as well as the wider MIT campus.

The podcast discusses the significance of structure in MBA essays and the need for integrating interesting stories. It highlights the importance of being vulnerable and authentic in presenting oneself. The speaker shares firsthand experiences of helping their community and discovering a passion for corporate social responsibility. It also explores the journey of an applicant in volunteering, tutoring, and striving for scalable social change. Lastly, it emphasizes the role of a powerful conclusion and authentic storytelling in crafting an impactful essay.