Winning MBA Admission Tips: Recent Episodes
Atul Jose
One aspect of the MBA Application that is beyond your control is the recommendation letter.
GMAT/GRE – you can retake and improve the score.
Essays, you can dramatically improve the quality of the narrative with the support of Admissions Consultants like me. But for managing supervisors who are 3-30 years older than you, it is not a straightforward process.
I have created a 10-step checklist for you
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Round 1 vs. Round 2 vs. Both
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Nudge the Supervisor towards a Narrative Direction
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Persist with Open Communication
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Coach, when all Fails
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Professional Relationship vs. Mentorship
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Vacation and Holidays – Planning Ahead
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Adjectives – Find the Balance
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More Examples with Competition in Mind
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5 Star Rating by Default
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Essays and Recommendation Letter – Is it the Same Person Check
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High-stakes problem solving is one of the most common and effective style of narrative. This style is not just limited to MBA essays. Even in movies, the reason why you are not hooked to a narrative is because of the predictability of the ‘high stakes’ problem.
Superhero movies are one such genre that is now getting saturated because it is almost always about the ‘end of the world’.
Why Applicant’s Essay Don’t Stand Out - Harvard MBA Leadership Essay
For Harvard MBA leadership essay, the reason why the essay is not impactful is because of the applicant’s inability to offer context around the problem.
The context is not just about the details. It is capturing the scale of the problem.
Scale: And when I talk about scale to a client, the first thing that they introduce into the essay are multimillion or billion dollar deal size in the narrative. This is a repetition of the resume, which might seem lazy for the admissions team.
Secondary Impact: If you are in finance, the secondary impact of the deal – either in helping your company’s brand position or growth or impact on a community/industry are much better narrative threads for your leadership essay. And luckily for applicants, the stakes if captured with the right emotion is not dependant on the size of the deal.
A million dollar deal could mean a lot for a startup, but for an established firm, it might just be a small change. So understanding the size of the company, the size of the team, the deal size in the industry, but most importantly capturing the ‘problem’ that is a direct hindrance from getting a deal through should be the core of the narrative.
Incentives: Some of the best hindrances in a problem that you should capture are around incentives. Why certain stakeholders continue to offer remarkably poor level of service or why the culture perpetuates certain power dynamics. All these insights will elevate your standing in a crowded Harvard MBA application pool.
Dilemma: Another great way to capture the challenges governments face (if you are working with the government through non-profits or directly), is by citing dilemma. And if you are offering advisory service, first capture the dilemmas before you introduce your solution. This way, you won’t trivialize the problem.
For the access to Education in rural south Africa Harvard MBA Essay example that I had captured for F1GMAT’s Harvard MBA Essay Guide, the focus is on capturing ‘why’ children from rural south Africa are behind in educational milestones, the tools that could solve the problem and the stakeholders who are perpetuating status quo.
I have also captured dilemma the government and stakeholders are facing so that the solution looks truly innovative and not just something that anyone can do it.
I have shown how to capture the high stakes problem with nuance. You may download it with F1GMAT’s Harvard MBA Essay Guide
I have advised against using exploration of career through MBA as a narrative. One reason is that schools don’t like applicants who have not dedicated their time in exploring careers or finding a fit in an industry or a function.
Your due diligence and commitment for career growth will be questioned if you are coming from a traditional background.
Modern Creative Careers
But in our modern careers - a technology person can very well have a loyal following through YouTube or TikTok, or a travel enthusiast could have 1 million followers and a traditional career.
Not Just Subscription Count
I remember a year ago when a potential client from China reached out and the only thing she shared was her TikTok subscription count. She was breaking down complex finance jargon into bite sized learning videos. It was highly engaging for the audience. Her day job as a banker in a global brand was not remarkable. It had all the traditional career milestones.
If I had worked with her, the first thing I would have thought about would be to connect these two stories.
Connecting Creative and Traditional Careers
For the Harvard MBA Career Choice or Business Minded essay, I have shared a narrative of an applicant, who is working in Private Equity. But the path to enter private equity was not straightforward. She shares how even as a kid she was really into rock music and guitars. I really wanted to capture that passion in the opening line itself. Then the build up was all about the dilemma of choosing a career.
This works because she continues to have over 50,000 patrons supporting her music, downloading her albums or spreading the word about her new releases. You should not use a dilemma narrative if the only metric that you can share is the subscription count. Because as anyone in modern Video streaming platforms would share, you could acquire followers at a faster pace through advertising. Schools know that. But if you say that over the past 5 years, "I recorded let us say 20 songs, and through each song, I built an audience" – that is much more believable.
For F1GMAT’s Harvard MBA Essay Guide, I have captured a unique story of an applicant facing dilemma of continuing in Private Equity or her music career. And if you are using a similar narrative, you must understand the background of the applicant. She is in the top 1 percentile in Private Equity.
The dilemma is a dilemma because she is doing incredibly well in Finance and for a one-person band with limited marketing, her music career is also impressive.
You can’t use such an example if one of your creative, sports or passion career doesn’t have verifiable milestones like awards, recording, albums, and finally subscription or download counts.
For the Haas MBA Feels Alive essay examples in F1GMAT’s Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Guide, I have used five themes.
1) A Globally Known Challenge
For this strategy, we take the reviewer to a global challenge that was in the news cycle for a prolonged period of time (more than a month). Typically, news with such longevity tends to get rehashed or picked up on social media. The subject also gets broken down into multiple socio-economic angles. When such a wide readership exists for a topic, it becomes much easier for an applicant to connect with the reader.
Climate Change is the best example of such a cause.
I have highlighted one such example – the declining coastal line in Fiji from Climate Change in the Haas MBA Feels Alive Essay.
2) Industry Challenge
The industry challenge example in Haas Feels Alive works for applicants in the Oil and Gas industry or a function that requires regulation (Finance, AI). The challenge to make this example believable for Haas Feels alive essay is in capturing a sincere tone. Many of the manufactured narratives on a person working in high-polluting industry or industry known to have several bad apples feel forced. There are no indications on the person’s thinking beyond the narrow pursuit of a career in the industry.
Volunteering and examples of serving those affected by climate insecurity or insecurity from a disappearing industry or those left behind by systemic inequity are excellent ways to improve the sincerity of the essay.
Editor’s Tip: Education is a good theme for the Haas Feels Alive Essay that works for applicants working in the Oil and Gas industry or in roles where there are limited opportunities to showcase a ‘caring’ aspect of their personality.
I have captured an example in Education – a reinvention of curriculum for rural students in Africa, where none of her responsibilities in her day job is mentioned. This presents a holistic perspective on the applicant’s journey instead of her superior technical skills as a remote engineer in the O&G industry.
3) Random Experience to Professional Experience (Both Similar Feelings)
This MBA Essay Writing strategy depends a lot on the art of segue. Once you know the themes of Segues that are effective in MBA essays, switching from a random experience to a professional pursuit will not look forced. It needs a lot of practice. I have seen applicants wasting hours to get this transition right. A better strategy is to focus on the overall essay and the theme of what makes you feel alive and then work on perfecting the transitions in the 3rd and 4th iterations of the essay.
In this MBA Essay example on a person’s hardship growing up, the experience looks random until the reader reaches the middle of the essay, where the applicant’s passion for serving the beneficiary makes sense. A technological intervention with AI as a tool adds to the theme of the MBA essay, we are likely to see this year. The mention of the technology solutions also dispels the myth around Marketing and Branding persons’ limited quant skills.
4) Evolution of a Person’s Outlook, a.k.a Growth
A great technique to show vulnerability, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence is through addressing a perspective you had before and comparing it with your perspective now. In one of the Haas Feels Alive Essays, I shared an applicant’s passion for flying, that started with her motivation to master the instrumentation technology. Later when the applicant began working on a Healthcare diagnostic startup, she realized the limitations of just relying on ‘technology as the only solution’. This evolution of her thinking could not have been captured in the Goals or the DEI essay. We strategically used two examples – Flying as an extracurricular and her experience in a startup to demonstrate her growth in outlook.
Writer’s Tip: You should show care while shortlisting such examples. The growth should not look trivial. It should be genuine and meaningful in how you see the world now. One easy way to understand the evolution of your character is by monitoring your change in hobbies or interest in a topic over the past 5 years. Ask Why? The answer will reveal your changing perspective.
5) Influence of Mentors/Parents
The experience or extra-curricular that you mention in the Haas MBA Makes you Feel Alive Essay often involve parents or a mentor.
An example of fly fishing or hunting with parents to being a passionate supporter of preserving wetlands or forests has a logical connection if you carefully reconcile both the narratives. The challenge is not to dwell on one activity and learn to segue at the right moment.
In this series, I will break down 10 easy-to-follow steps that I have used to help clients get into M7 schools and the mistakes many clients confessed they made while tackling the multiple work, life, and admissions priorities.
So the 3rd step is to Go the Extra Mile.
I don’t use Instagram. I tried for F1GMAT but got so distracted by the motivational quotes that I was scrolling through hundreds of them a day.
I am not going to motivate you in this step. But I want you to honestly ask yourself – are you willing to take all the corrective steps, follow all the strategies and next steps that consultants recommend, and sacrifice a lot of your social time for your M7 and T20 MBA application?
This is the only question I want you to answer for yourself. Not for me.
If the answer is “No,” and you have a genuine weakness in your profile – either your undergraduate scores are below par, GMAT/GRE are right at the border, and you have a long way to go before crafting a Winning MBA Essay, or you are from an overrepresented demographic then you must accept the risks of rejection from multiple M7 schools.
You will hear stories of the last-minute applicant and those who didn’t spend a dime on consultants cracking Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton MBA applications. But the reality is that an applicant who has support in editing, branding, and guidance is likely to follow through on corrective steps.
Most will not.
I had several experiences where the corrective step was just to write a bad draft of an essay.
The overthinking and analyzing – comparing with friends’ essays who got into M7 schools, copying some template, or using Bots to write some openers are all a waste of time.
The admissions team wants to hear your voice.
You are not the same as your friend who got into an M7 school.
Your story is unique and inspiring. But it will not be revealed in the first drafts or second drafts. It will take 5-10 iterations to craft a winning MBA Essay.
If the weakness is in your recommendation letter, you must find good supervisors, motivated to write authentic lines, and offer context about the challenges you overcame in your professional life.
If the weakness is in your test score – you must retake GRE or GMAT and spend at least 60-90 hours preparing and improving your score in a month’s time.
If the weakness is in volunteering, join organizations that are eager to accept your expertise. Understand their funding model and the beneficiaries and see how you can contribute. Then, use those stories in the essays.
There is always a corrective step.
Going the Extra Mile is always about actions and not strategizing or overthinking.
I hope you got value from my advice.
I have shared the F1GMAT premium links to the 10 Steps to Mastering M7 MBA Admissions series.
Read them and take action.
10 Steps to Master M7 MBA Admissions* M7 MBA Admissions Step #1 - Understand Schools * M7 MBA Admissions Step #2 - Early Pivot from GMAT to GRE * M7 MBA Admissions Step #3 - Go the Extra Mile
Welcome to the 2nd step in F1GMAT’s 10 Steps to Mastering M7 MBA Admissions series. I am Atul Jose.
In this series, I will break down 10 easy to follow steps that I have used to help clients get into M7 schools and the mistakes many clients confessed they made while tacking the multiple work, life, and admissions priorities.
So the 2nd step is to Start Early with GMAT Prep and Pivot to GRE after 2nd Attempt.
We used to write tutorials on Mastering the GMAT. We still have a version of Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning Guides in F1GMAT’s Store, but a trend that could be the side-effect of our diminishing attention span across ages is the lack of endurance or attention to sit for 2-3 hours and complete a task.
GMAC – the organization behind GMAT had to shorten the test to Focus Edition, which is much more manageable in terms of completion rate.
We often quote studies on the impact of sitting for too long or the diminishing return of working on a task without a break or the 20-minute work, 10 minute break techniques. But the challenge is not the lack of endurance to complete a task. We are surrounded by digital trigger points like emails, tabs in your browser, messaging apps and worse news alerts that has truly diminished our ability to focus.
Now, add to our lack of focus, you put in a test like the GMAT that is not a straightforward problem-solving test, and you are faced with a huge challenge to be at par with peers applying for M7 and T20 schools. And the challenge is not universal.
I had summarized about the GMAT Score by Undergraduate degree – a while back in one of my analyses from a GMAC report. Now GMAC doesn’t reveal such split up by undergraduate degrees.
Then, the undergraduate degree that was consistently scoring at the top of the charts were Physics, Mathematics and Engineering majors and the performers at the bottom of the table were Marketing and Education undergraduates.
Arts and History undergraduates were also known to underperform.
Why am I highlighting and shaming my friends from Arts, Marketing, History, or Education?
It is not shaming. It is reaching the GMAT scoring limits with coaching – one-on-one or online and pivoting quickly to the GRE.
The GRE test is much easier for those who couldn’t improve their GMAT score by the 2nd attempt.
The improvement should be at least 20-30 points with each attempt.
In our estimate close to 30-40% of the test sent in top schools are GRE scores. So if your score doesn’t improve after the 2nd attempt, switch to GRE.
A big mistake applicants make is to delay the test date for the GMAT.
For Round 1 – ideally, the test date should be July 2ndweek. This will give you at least 1 month to pivot to GRE after a 2ndattempt a week or two after the first attempt.
August could be the month you could tackle GRE Prep and application essays for select schools (1-3) for Round 1 MBA application and the rest for Round 2.
If you are applying for Round 2, GMAT should be attempted latest by October 2nd week, a retake by last week, and pivot and preparation during the Month of November for the January deadlines.
To summarize, the #2 Step – To Mastering M7 MBA admissions is to develop a strategy to pivot to the GRE if GMAT Prep doesn’t work out.
Starting early with a GMAT test date is the way to go.
In this series, I will break down ten easy-to-follow steps that I have used to help clients get into M7 schools and the mistakes many clients confessed they made while tackling the multiple work, life, and admissions priorities.
Let us dive into the First Step
#1) Understand the School’s ExpectationsEven if you have read F1GMAT’s Essay Guides, I would highly highly recommend that you start following admissions managers, and key persons in the admission team through social media, newsletters, YouTube and school events.
Not all admissions person writes extensive blogs.
There are some M7 schools that are notorious for not revealing anything about what the admissions team is expecting while there are other schools like Wharton, and MIT where the expectations on the deliverables in the application is very clear, including the narrative or cover letter structure.
Value of FAQ PagesIt is tough to navigate through the application section of many MBA programs.
Most of them will have an FAQ or commonly asked questions section where you can get a ton of information on common mistakes in an application.
I would recommend that you bookmark the sections and come back to them throughout your admissions season. This will give you an anchor on what needs to be prioritized.
YouTube ChannelAnother great platform for understanding the admissions team’s thinking is their YouTube channel.
Again, not all schools are updating with tips every year but if you can watch an application overview video from the admissions team and skip through the general tips and pay attention to specific strategies that inevitably gets revealed in long videos, you will find some gems on the common mistakes applicants make, and at least 1 strategy to stand out from the crowd.
One on One EventsThe best place to understand where you stand in the application hierarchy is through events – online or offline where you get an opportunity for one-on-one conversations.
In group conversations or presentations, the problem is that the admissions team is focusing on general advice that has limited value for standing out from the crowd. When you get an opportunity to ask the person one-on-one about your profile weakness or ways to improve your profile, you are likely to get a direction on where you should be heading.
Of course, all these strategies and advice are available for you with F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service for a very small price.
You may visit, store.f1gmat.com/career-planning and I will offer feedback on your profile, help you edit your resume and guide you with milestones.
ConclusionTo summarize, the #1 Step to Mastering M7 MBA Admissions is to Understand the School’s Expectations
Q) I naively resigned from my job in December anticipating an acceptance offer for Round 2 MBA application. I couldn’t convert the interviews. Now I have a 3-month employment gap. Should I start preparing for Round 1 deadlines without a job offer in hand?
This is a common challenge applicants face post pandemic when the Consulting, and Technology industries couldn’t anticipate customers’ need to move out of their homes and explore activities outside the Technology ecosystem.
Consulting that depends on the Technology industry was the victim of this optimistic forecasting.
If you work in Consulting, the entry-level boom that the industry experienced in the past 3 years have come to an end.
Now, if you apply to Round 1 deadlines in September without a job offer in hand, there are two challenges you are likely to face:
1) Lack of Confidence
Even the best clients who had some setbacks in terms of employment gap from the department becoming obsolete or the project or product deprioritized from lack of funding or demand approached the admission process with a lot of skepticism. Such a negative attitude towards completing the deliverables could be noticed in the quality of the output in the essays and even how they coordinated recommendation letters.
One way to immediately build back your confidence from the employment gap is to join a non-profit and fully immerse in helping deliver for the underprivileged or those in the society who needs your expertise the most.
If you are from consulting, think how you can apply your consulting skills to build solutions, support beneficiaries with knowledge transfer and educate your peers about the best way to improve the efficiency of the team.
Even for the best candidates, it takes at least 2 months to get an offer in a down market that is at par with the previous job offer – in terms of salary package and the job title. This gap is expected. By joining a non-profit and dedicating at least 10 hours a week, you will build you confidence, access influential networks, and most importantly, you will have stories for your MBA application essays.
But the best solution to get back your confidence after an Employment gap is by getting a job offer at par with your previous role. Prioritize job search over Round 1 MBA application. You will have equally good opportunities during Round 2.
2) Recent Experience
The first update waitlisted applicants send to schools is about a recent promotion or an award. This is a big giveaway on what schools value. I had to edit so many essays where the first draft of clients all had mentions of experiences from a year or two year ago. This is a big red flag if you are targeting T10 or T15 schools.
Recent experience is valued over milestones from a year or two years back or even from college unless the milestones are truly in the top 1%.
You should be aware of this preference.
Get a job offer, lean into the onboarding process, and join projects where you can deliver for your new company in the shortest time.
With this strategy, you will have volunteering and impactful recent contributions for your Round 2 MBA application deadlines in January.
If you need help strategizing for your MBA application, finding funds, DING analysis, or choosing an MBA or Master’s program, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service.
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A reader from LinkedIn reached out to me and asked for help with Round 3 MBA Application Essay Editing. The first concern the person raised was that my former colleagues have all got into M7 school. I also want to get into these schools but don’t want to wait till Round 1.
I looked at the profile – and there it was – an International Entrepreneurial applicant with six months of his own startup experience. But then why can’t a person wait for another six months and improve the odds of success when the number of available seats is not depleted to 10-15% of the total class size?
Here are five scenarios where you should consider Round 3 MBA Application Round
1) US Citizens
Round 1 and Round 2 are bombarded with international applicants who are applying to 5-7 schools. When the competition and unique constraints are much more impressive for an international applicant than an American applicant, the chance to stand out with typical career, extra-curricular, and volunteering milestones also goes down.
Round 3 is not like that. Competition from the international applicant pool is substantially low due to visa restrictions and also from promotions not happening typically in the last quarter of a financial year. There are scenarios where US citizens can stand out.
One is if they were part of a critical project whose timeline coincided with the Round 2 deadlines in December.
March is an excellent time to regroup and apply for Round 3 deadlines in April. Schools won’t find it a challenge to accept a local applicant over an impressive international applicant who is likely to face visa constraints, especially when the economy is not doing great, and there is a surplus of talent in the Consulting, Finance, and Technology industries.
2) Atypical Profile, but there is a caveat
When I talked about the ideal Round 3 profile in a previous podcast, I encouraged Entrepreneurial applicants to apply as they fall under the atypical profile. But there is also a scenario where you are six months into your own startup, and you are already applying to an MBA program. This could be tricky because without completing a year on a new career direction, you are hinting at some setbacks in your entrepreneurial career. Now, if you use a goal where an MBA is mentioned as a tool to access funds or a wider network in the Business School, it won’t look feasible.
A startup takes 1-2 years to gain some momentum. Here, applying without completing that minimum period with a new venture will be seen as a weakness.
This is not the case for someone who transitioned to a new company and the culture didn’t fit with their temperament. Then, applying during Round 3 makes sense. But obviously, you can’t mention this reason. You must find another goal to show motivation.
3) Military, Government, and Non-Profit
There are schools like Darden, Tuck, Haas, Ross and NYU Stern that have more than 12% of the class coming from the Military, Government, and Non-profit. Obviously, all these schools are not accepting atypical profiles during Round 3, but if you are from either of the three industries – Military, government, or non-profit, applying during Round 3 has a lower risk in these schools as long as you focus on the goals and the motivation part of the application essays.
There should be a clear scheduling challenge because you were posted in a different country or a critical responsibility prevented you from applying during Round 2.
Applying during Round 1 and Round 2 is the best way to show motivation.
Still, Round 3 works for Entrepreneurial applicants who have completed at least one year with their own startup, Military/government or Non-profit applicants, and US citizens.
4) Perception Against Reapplication
Each school has its take on Round 3 applicants who reapply in Round 1. The biggest hint of the school’s attitude is in the essays allowed to be submitted. If the school has only one essay for re-applicants, you will be clearly at a disadvantage unless the career progression or uniqueness of your achievement can overcome the limited space available to make your case. Testing it out in Round 3 without the assistance of any consultant and later Round 1 assistance with a consultant is a losing strategy. Better to take all the help. If you need our assistance with Essay Editing service, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
5) Round 1 or Round 2 Acceptance or Interview Invites
This strategy can save you a year. I recently encouraged a client who was content with a scholarship from a tier-2 school and was set on not applying in Round 2. I pushed her to apply to M7 schools, and with our collaborative editing, she got an invite from Booth, which was surprising for her and also me. Because it was not an easy profile to create a coherent goals essay. The contributions were all over the place. There was a mix of skillsets and personal. Volunteering and extra-curricular narratives that I had to choose from to eventually create a strong brand narrative for her essays.
If you have offers in hand from Round 2 and you are getting interview invites from a few M7 schools, I would target even more M7 schools in Round 3 itself.
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Preparing for MBA Admissions Interviews is not just about the right answer. A big part of our 2nd session in F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service is about delivery.
There are 3 factors that I keep reiterating to clients for improving their interview performance: Medium, Loud, and Clear.
For help preparing for your MBA Admissions Interview, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service
In our experience, productive collaborations begin with discussions about the edit comments. The debate over which phrases and lines to include are essential to improve the essays. Don't shy away from asking questions about the editing choices.
The best place to assess the Consultant's Approach is by reading their blogs, writing & editing tips, watching their videos, listening to their podcast, or reading the essays they have written and edited.
- Read the previews of our Sample Essays
- Read MBA Essay Writing Tips
- Read school-specific MBA Essay Writing tips
- F1GMAT's Essay Guides
Although very important, storytelling doesn’t mean you artificially inflate and include the hero’s journey into achievements that are expected out of your role.
Here are 2 strategies to bounce back after Round 1 Essay Rejection
- Analyze Your Branding
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False Perception About Stereotypes
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- For Strategy and help just with the Essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Editing Service
Round 1 interviews are tricky for anyone experiencing the interview process for the first time. Unlike job interviews where the functional role is defined and the expectations are set with job description, in MBA admissions, the questions are all about you - how you approached a crisis, how you pivoted, how you faced an ethical dilemma, the values that matter to you, the future that you foresee in your industry and why the school is your #1 choice.
In Round 1, there are 2 common mistakes that I have seen applicants make.
Subscribe to F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service
Here are 2 factors that you need to keep in mind while working with an admission consultant
1) Editing vs. Writing vs. Branding
2) M7 vs T15
Read: How to find the right MBA Admissions Consultant
For assistance with reviewing your MBA Application, Subscribe to F1GMAT's MBA Application Review Service
Consider 3 Factors before deciding whether to apply in Round 2, Round 3 or Next Year
1) Job Function
2) Time for Corrective Action
3) School's Admission Pattern
Read: Round 2, Round 3 or Next Year – MBA Application Strategy
Good failure examples in MBA Admission interviews feel authentic and not trivial. Broadly, three answers are often repeated but are effective.
1) Career-Related
2) Leadership
3) Lack of Power/Strategy to Escalate Cultural Issues
Read: 3 Good Failure Examples in MBA Admission Interviews
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Research and Insights into school preference, entry criteria and admission trends for the 2023 Entering Class (Top 15 MBA)
Read: 5 MBA Admissions Trends – Cue for 2024 Entering Class
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When clients answer questions about projects during F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service, the first drafts of the answers have several explanations that look generic and could be used for any industry or function.
Two steps to avoid generalization:
1) Quoting a Trend
2) Avoid Causal Relationship Between Events
If you need help Shortlisting schools and finding funds for your MBA, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service. For help with MBA Application Editing, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
Before you decide, consider these four factors:
1) Master’s Degree
2) Career Switchers without Master’s Degree
3) Military/ /Entrepreneurship
4) Traditional Finance and Consulting Roles
How you manage conflict in your team is a common question that often leads to long pauses if you don’t prepare for the answer. Through F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service, I have helped clients prepare for narratives that have a surprisingly common theme.
This is a scenario where the applicant – a 3–5-year experienced person is managing or collaborating with someone 10-15 years senior.
For help targeting M7 or Top 3 MBA programs, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
Interview Invites in October should be the first feedback about your Round 1 efforts. If you have followed our Strategy of targeting at least three, 5 to 10 ranked schools, then prepare with these 3 action items:
1) Analyze the Narrative that Worked
2) Take on Challenging Projects
3) Shorter Non-Profit Engagement
I have faced this problem quite a lot where clients come with talking points or an outline for the first hour of F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service.
The scope of the conversation changes quickly, even with a slight variation in follow-up questions. This could lead to missing certain vital points about the applicant’s strengths, motivation for transitioning to a new industry, or even perspective about certain industries.
I would recommend scripting for these scenarios.
- If you need help with your Stanford MBA Application, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
- For Career Planning and evaluating fit for the Stanford MBA Program, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service
- Download F1GMAT's Stanford MBA Essay Guide
Profiles with a unique combination of goal orientation, strategic thinking, and empathy always turn into a good fit for the Stanford MBA Class.
Here are 8 Stanford MBA Admissions Myth Debunked:
1) Business background
2) Branded Companies
3) Entrepreneurial School
4) High Cost
5) Admission Updates
6) Campus Visit Improves Admission Chances
7) More Recommendation Letters are Better
8) Early Interview Invites
For help with scripting the leadership style MBA admissions interview answer, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service
The MBA admissions team frequently asks about your style of leadership. The 3 Examples are cited by clients in our Mock Interview Service. They often work but work only if you have a similar background as the profile:
1) Empowering the Team – Business Owners
2) Consensus Building – Traditional Company Role
3) Experimental – Entrepreneurial Culture
If you need help Strategizing and Editing your Essays for Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton MBA, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service or you can Download our Essay Guides with Sample Essays
Today, I have a question from a reader who asks – which program is the easiest to get into – Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton MBA?
The three schools have different selection criteria and class composition. If I were you, I would look at the culture of the schools and the personality traits that the school values.
Let us look at three factors:
1) Entry Criteria
2) Acceptance Rate
3) Emotional Intelligence
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I have offered strategies and tips for answering MBA admissions interviews with F1GMAT’s MBA Admissions Interview Guide
The Tell Me About Yourself MBA admissions interview question is the most common question that you are likely to get.
Once you get an interview invite, go back to the essays and see which story from your essay could have influenced the invite.
Which traits and values stood out?
For help with Editing Darden MBA Essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
Download F1GMAT's Darden MBA Essay Guide for Sample Essays
For the Darden, the thing that you want to share with classmates that is not on your resume essay, include one of the three examples:
1) Life Threatening Events and Perspective
2) Unique Upbringing that Reframes your Achievements
3) Talent that Breaks Stereotype
If you want a free evaluation of your fit for admissions to M7 and Top 20 schools, Contact me, Atul Jose
The idea of an MBA from a top school arises when you feel stuck in a function, an industry, or a role. Most of your competitors are also stuck. But schools don’t look at career stagnation as a valid motivation for accepting you. They need a demonstration of 5 qualities.
1) Strong Motivation
2) Learning Capacity
3) Career progression
4) Leadership Potential
5) International Exposure
For help with preparing for your MBA Admission Interview, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service
I get a lot of similar questions on feasibility in F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service. One of the common questions I get from applicants in core engineering roles in industries like Oil & Gas, Electronics, Automobile, and Infrastructure is whether it’s feasible to switch to Management Consulting.
Although feasibility depends on each applicant’s experience and career path, consider these 3 factors:
1) Age
2) Exposure
3) Myth Around Extraversion
To evaluate fit for a Management Consulting Career, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Career Planning Service
I get a lot of similar questions on feasibility in F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service. One of the common questions I get from applicants in core engineering roles in industries like Oil & Gas, Electronics, Automobile, and Infrastructure is whether it’s feasible to switch to Management Consulting.
Although feasibility depends on each applicant’s experience and career path, there are 3 factors to consider:
1) Age
2) Exposure
3) Myth Around Extraversion
For help in converting Technical to Business IMPACT entries in your MBA Resume, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Resume Editing Service
In this MBA Resume Tips Series, I share why converting Technical to Business IMPACT entries is important to improve admission chances to M7 and T15 Schools.
The marketing, finance, consulting, technology, and strategy functions exist to serve the customer with your best product or service. Everything else is to support the objective. The disconnect is with two kinds of profiles - B2B and Technical Roles.
GMAC, recognizing the shift in markets and preference of the test-taking demographic, announced the "GMAT Focus Edition" on March 2023. The exam will be shortened by nearly an hour, with no writing required. The new GMAT Exam will be available to students from early 2024.
Apart from the shorter duration, here are 3 things about the GMAT Focus edition you should know:
1) Bookmark and Change Answers
2) Select Section Order
3) Total Questions
If you need help with Editing your MIT Sloan MBA Application Optional Essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s One Essay Editing Service
For this optional MIT Sloan MBA Admissions essay, the admissions team has clearly highlighted three aspects that you need to focus on before writing the essay – family, culture, community, or all three.
Covered in the Family Tips: Parenting (Authoritative, Neglectful and Permissive)
Covered in the Culture Tips: Geert Hofstede’s Study, Individualism, Uncertainty Avoidance, and long-term Thinking
Covered in the Community Tips: IMPACT of City and Neighborhood
If you need holistic guidance with MBA Re-application Strategy, Contact me Atul Jose
When MBA re-applicants reach out to me, they talk about the missed opportunity in writing authentically. Before you assume that lack of great stories was the issue, address these stereotypes and weaknesses:
1) Organizational Structure
2) Hands-On Experience
3) Take the Feedback
For help with editing your cover letter or one of your MBA application essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s One Essay Editing Service
MIT Sloan MBA Application Cover Letter is a little different from the Cover Letters that you draft for your job application. Here are 3 Secrets of Creating a Winning Cover letter:
1) Establish your Credentials
2) Team and IMPACT
3) Balance
Q) Why do Top MBA programs value international work and travel experience?
Atul Jose (MBA Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT): There are schools like INSEAD with a 2-campus structure that explicitly cites the importance of international work and travel experience. Top US schools have a different approach. They value candidates with US residence, either permanent residency or a history of working in the US for the past 2-3 years, either in long-term or short-term projects.
There are primarily two reasons for schools to prioritize applicants with international work, travel, and university experience:
1) Adaptability and Creative Problem Solving
2) Future of Employment
If you want to read Samples of how to write the Booth Personal Growth Essay, Download F1GMAT’s Booth MBA Essay Guide
Booth MBA Personal Growth Essay requires you to shortlist examples that demonstrate a growth in your skills and mindset. Here are three strategies to create a persuasive Booth MBA personal Growth narrative:
1) Discipline
2) Adversity
3) Teaching
Strategically use your extra-curricular, volunteering, and interesting entrepreneurial or life experience for this essay.
For Sample Ross MBA Essays and strategies to answer the questions, Download F1GMAT’s Ross MBA Essay Guide
Ross MBA Group 1 and Group 2 prompts are designed with two major themes. Group 1 talks about experiences from your professional and personal lives that lack context in your resume.
Group 2 is about your Emotional Intelligence and Resilience.
If you need help only with post-MBA Goals Essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s One Essay Editing Service
For help with editing your essays without losing your original voice, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
When you are just hours away from submitting your application, it can feel daunting, and many applicants miss out on small details that can jeopardize even the most planned application. Here are 3 best practices before you submit your application.
For help with strategy, branding and editing your MBA Application Essays, resume and recommendation letter, contact us
If you want to know the one secret that is a guarantee that you will get admission to an M7 school, it is a consistent track record of success. Typically, what happens is that an average applicant has a peak – mostly in school. Then they get into the real-world. And now they start facing some failures.
To see examples that we found interesting, Download F1GMAT’s NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide
The Pick Six NYU Stern Visual Essay with six IMAGES and a caption for each was part of the application even before Instagram became popular. The question is not a test of your photography skills or your ability to use tools to edit any imperfections in an image.
Here are 4 Quick Tips to answer the Pick Six NYU Stern MBA Visual Essay
If you need help in re-formatting your MBA Resume to a project-level or a strategic format, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Resume Editing Service
For help with strategy, branding, and essay editing, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Application Review Service
Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Recommendation letter Editing Service
The strengths recommendation letter question can make or break your admissions. After you have persuaded your supervisor to include relevant examples and highlight qualities that are unique and also important for admissions, make sure that you avoid these 3 mistakes:
1) Cliched narratives
2) No Context
3) No Comparative Metrics
If you need my help in editing your Leadership Essays or Essays around DEI or ESG, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
A theme that consistently appears in MBA application essays is using Power for Good. Schools carefully read any accounts of your non-profit engagements, team collaboration in your company, and your post-MBA goals to understand how you will use an MBA Alumni network and your acquired skills for the good of society.
If you are applying to Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, or any M7 MBA programs, you must assume that your competitors have unique life and career journeys.
The Why Stanford MBA Essay offers the opportunity to expand on your career. The What Matters Essay becomes the primary narrative to evaluate your values, commitments, and outlook on how the world should be.
In an attempt to capture one’s identity, applicants include 3-5 values and then offer examples for each value.
If you need help in brainstorming examples and editing your essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
For an independent evaluation and help with strategy to prioritize fit with the school, contact me Atul Jose
While strategizing your MBA or Master’s Application for US schools, plan for fit with:
1) Values of the School
2) Exposure to International peers
3) Cultural fit with the US
If you want holistic support for your MBA Application, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Application Review Service
For help with branding and shortlisting narratives to transform your application to a Winning MBA Application, Contact me - Atul Jose
If you need help with Editing and Brainstorming narratives for your Yale MBA Essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
For Sample Yale Essays, Download F1GMAT’s Yale MBA Essay Guide
In this Yale MBA Essay Tip, I share how to identify the community, share specific examples about the value you received and how you contributed to the community
If you want us to manage the recommendation letter writing process with a guideline document for the supervisor, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Recommendation Letter Editing Service
In today's MBA recommendation letter tip, I share 3 common mistakes I have seen while editing the feedback answer of the common LOR.
1) The Tone
2) Tactical vs. Strategic skills
3) The Voice
For 120+ Sample Essays of 16 Top MBA programs, Download F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay Guide
For help coordinating letters from supervisors and creating narratives for your MBA application recommendation letters, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Recommendation Letter Editing Service
In this recommendation letter tip, I will share a common mistake that applicants make while coordinating recommendation letters from supervisors.
If you need help in editing your MBA Resume to highlight your traditional career growth or entrepreneurial thinking, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Resume Editing Service
In this MBA resume tip, I will share two approaches to position your resume into a traditional profile or a profile with leadership and entrepreneurial experience.
For Help with writing Yale SOM MBA Essays, Read F1GMAT’s Yale SOM MBA Essay Guide (Includes Sample Essays)
If you want help with structuring the Yale MBA Essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
In today’s MBA Application Strategy Tips, I will share the one factor that can drastically increase your admission chances.
1) College-Based Volunteering – Fewer Points in MBA Admissions
2) First Job and Volunteering – More Points
3) Consistent Volunteering Engagement in All Cities – Most Points
If you need help in editing your post-MBA goals essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s One Essay Editing
In this MBA Application Essay Tips, I will share three qualities to ensure that your post-MBA goals Essay meet the expectations of the admissions team.
-
The Cliché
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The Specifics
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The Motivation
If you want to read Sample Tuck MBA Essays, Download F1GMAT's Tuck MBA Essay Guide
Q) Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else's sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community. (300 words)
If you need help in communicating with your supervisors or creating a guideline document to help the supervisors complete your recommendation letters, subscribe to F1GMAT's Recommendation Letter Editing
If you need help with editing your MBA Resume, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Resume Editing Service
If you want to read examples of 25 random things, Download F1GMAT's Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Guide
If you need examples of the Haas MBA What Makes you Feel alive Essay, Download F1GMAT’s Haas MBA Essay Guide
A professional has three transitions in their career. First is choosing a major, second is the first job, and third is the decision to continue in a technical role or pivot into management or a creative career.
If you need my help in evaluating your contributions and turning them into IMPACTFUL entries for your resume and a believable narrative for your essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Application Review Service
In today’s episode, I have a question from a reader who asks, “Should I include secondary IMPACT of my contributions in an MBA Application?”
The best essays captured the applicant's technical, persuasion, and communications skills. If you need help with strategizing and editing your MBA Application essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Editing service
If you need my help in strategically incorporating lessons from failure in your MBA resume, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s MBA Resume Editing
In today’s episode, I have a question from a reader who asks, “Should I include my failures in MBA Resume.”
This is an important question and often an ignored aspect of your professional milestones. If you work in a high-risk industry or function – Finance, new Technology, or Research- the chance of failure is often high.
If you want to know how to write MBA Application Essays for M7 or T15 MBA programs, Download F1GMAT’s Winning MBA Essay Guide
If you need help creating Winning MBA application essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
In this episode, I will share two strategies before Choosing Schools for the Round 1 MBA Application:
If you want to know more about how to write MBA Application Essays, Download F1GMAT’s Winning MBA Essay Guide
The first draft of your essay should not be perfect in terms of structure or even the focus of the narrative. It should touch on many aspects of how you see yourself, see the world and your role in this world. Through the process of pouring one’s heart out, the applicant finds their voice.
If you want to know more about how to write persuasive MBA Application Essays, Download F1GMAT’s Winning MBA Essay Guide
In today’s episode, I will talk about Understanding themes before writing MBA Application Essays.
If you need help creating a vulnerability narrative for your MBA application goals essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
In today’s MBA application strategy tips, I will talk about the difference between vulnerability, sympathy, and empathy and why a vulnerability narrative is essential for your goals and personal MBA application essays.
Without a vulnerability narrative:
If you need my help with Editing your MBA Application Essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Editing Service
In this MBA Application Essay Writing Tips Series, I will share 4 shortcuts for Creating MBA Essay First Drafts.
1) No Word Limit Writing
2) Paragraph Writing
3) Zig Zag Writing
4) Iterative Writing and Editing
If you need help with strategizing your post-MBA goals, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
I remember watching Mike Tyson’s last bout. When the sports reporter asks him why he is retiring, Mike honestly replies, “I can train and be fit, but I don’t have the fight and guts anymore.”
Don’t include your knocked out project in your weakness essay or your supervisor’s feedback question.
In today’s episode, I will talk about 3 Strategies to create authentic post-MBA goals.
Download F1GMAT’s Haas MBA Essay Guide to read our Sample Essays on DEI
Once you shortlist from the 12 identities, choose one of the three scenarios that are indicative of your leadership in DEI:
1) Increasing Representation
2) Educating DEI Initiatives
3) Belonging
In this MBA Application Resume Tips, I will share two common mistakes that applicants make - Choosing the wrong metrics and focusing on the wrong competitors.
This mistake is common among Technology Consultants, IB professionals, and management consultants who try to outsmart competitors with project metrics. There are many interesting IMPACT metrics that you can easily miss if you are programmed to see yourself only among your peers and not with other competing MBA applicants from your industry.
If you need help with editing Haas MBA Essays, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
In this Haas Video Essay Strategy tips, I explain the optimum speed of delivery, incorporating more than one principle, personal vs professional experience, and understanding leadership traits vs. principles.
If you need my help in evaluating Curriculum, post-MBA goals, and shortlisting schools, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service
In this Career Planning Tips series, I will share 5 factors to consider before choosing a General Management MBA program or a Specialist MBA program.
1) Career Trajectory
2) Employer Perception
3) Qualitative and People Skills
4) Curriculum
5) Short-Term vs. Mid-Term vs. Long-Term Value
If you need help with editing your Harvard MBA Essay, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
In today’s episode, I will share four strategies to approach the Harvard MBA Application Open-Ended Essay. HBS has one essay. The question is, “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (900 words)”
If you need my help with editing authentic narratives about your extracurricular engagements in the Education industry, Contact me, Atul Jose
In today’s Extracurricular tips series for MBA Applications, I will cover 3 Impactful Education-related narratives that worked for top MBA programs:
1) Funding Underfunded Non-profits
2) Working on Policy Side
3) Extracurricular-related Education Initiatives
If you need help planning your MBA Application, Reach out to me, Atul Jose
For this MBA Application Time Management Series, I will share 4 Strategies for your GMAT/GRE prep and your MBA Application.
1) Plan According to your Starting Hour
2) Plan According to your Productivity
3) Planning by Energy/Mood
4) Planning by the Hour
If you want to know whether your achievements, volunteering and extracurricular are enough to compensate for your GMAT 700, 710, or 720, Contact me, Atul Jose
In today's episode, I will share three scenarios when a GMAT 700 to 720 is enough for applying to M7 schools.
1) Multicultural Exposure
2) Unique and Relevant Projects
3) Unique Extra-Curricular and Volunteering
There are many ways to approach the NYU Stern Change Essay. I have captured it in F1GMAT’s NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide.
In this episode, I will share 2 strategies to approach the NYU Stern MBA Application Change Essay.
- Mapping the Change Slogans into Three Experiences
If you want to discuss your career transition and the Tech MBA curriculum that will help you make the transition, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service
In today’s episode, I have a question from a reader who is an engineer in his mid-30s. He asks, “Is it worth sacrificing 1 year and $100,000+ investment in a Tech MBA from a top school?
You have to consider two factors:
1) Your Unique Value
2) Industries you Served and Evergreen Industries
For examples of MBA Application essays with authentic narratives, Download F1GMAT’s Winning MBA Essay Guide
Today I will share three stereotypes you must address in your essays to stand out from competing Investment Banking MBA applicants.
1) Dollar or Scale Obsessed
The scale and dollar term value of your IMPACT should be highlighted in the resume, but you must look beyond these two metrics.
If you want to stay out of the editing process and let us manage the communication and the guideline document for the Recommendation Letters, Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Recommendation letter Editing service
In today’s episode I will share 2 types of supervisors that can improve your admission chances to top MBA programs by 60 to 70%.
1) Alumni with Excellent Writing Skills
2) Tough but Collaborative Supervisors
For a detailed evaluation of the Wharton or Columbia MBA Curriculum and whether it fits your post-MBA goals, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service
Today I will share the three major differences between Wharton and Columbia MBA programs on :
Download F1GMAT’s Winning MBA Essay Guide
When applicants think about the different contexts of leadership potential, most will gravitate towards the extremes, like changing the culture or the scale of the achievement in a technical function. This strategy works in some M7 schools, but if you want to increase your admission chances across multiple M7 schools, think about examples where you questioned the status quo.
Download F1GMAT’s Stanford MBA Essay Guide
In today’s episode, I will share three tips to answer the Why Stanford MBA Essay
1) Details
2) Good Cliches vs. Bad Cliches
3) Offering Value
I was writing the What Matters Essays for F1GMAT’s Stanford MBA Essay Guide and noticed a pattern that I want to share with you.
The first version of the Stanford MBA What Matters essays are often extremely idealistic or extremely analytical with a growth narrative included in it.
Today I will talk about the 2nd common mistake I see while editing MBA Application Resume. Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Resume Editing service
Today I will talk about ten interesting MIT Sloan MBA program trends.
If you need my help with Career Planning, developing a strategy for your MBA, or Master’s, or Dual Degree application, and shortlisting schools like MIT Sloan, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service
In today’s Stanford MBA Application Essay Tips series, I will share a few examples where Fear was successfully used as an emotional vocabulary for the Stanford What Matters Most to You and Why Essay.
If you need examples of the Stanford What Matters to you the most and Why Essay, Download F1GMAT’s Stanford MBA Essay Guide from F1GMAT Store
Q) Which M7 MBA is the easiest to get in?
You can also reach out to me, Atul Jose to find out the feasibility of getting into an M7 MBA program.
M7 admissions are tough regardless of your academic. GMAT/GRE score and the brand of your employer. Quite often, it is about your journey and your impact across different aspects of professional, personal, and community lives.
To improve your M7 MBA admission chances, look at four factors:
In this Stanford MBA Application Tip Series, I will talk about how to use one of the Emotional Vocabulary – Anxiety, to transform your Stanford MBA What Matters Most to You and Why Essay.
If you need examples of the Stanford What Matters to you the most and Why Essay, Download F1GMAT’s Stanford MBA Essay Guide from F1GMAT Store
Q) How should I connect my story with New York City for my Columbia MBA Fit Essay
The most common narrative I have reviewed and edited for the Columbia MBA application is about resilience. And the strange thing is that despite 5-10 variations of the same story, the narratives moved me. The applicants who were able to connect with me as a reviewer were those who used words that conveyed the right mix of emotion and action. The balance gave a certain authenticity to the narrative.
Q) I don’t have international work experience or experience in the US. Will that affect my chances for admission to a top US MBA program
Atul Jose (MBA Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT): I get this question a lot from Asian applicants – from India, China, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The answer is much more complicated than a simple mapping of your international holiday experience with cultural fit in US universities.
Today I will share a strategy that will improve your admission chances to Harvard or Stanford MBA program. This Strategy is not for those who are only targeting HSW schools. That is Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. The Strategy applies to anyone who thinks that HSW schools are stretch schools and require considerable planning.
Today’s question is from a Management Consultant who asks:
Q) A lot of my peers are targeting Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and Kellogg MBA programs. I have a good career progression, but I am struggling to find ways to differentiate myself from my peers.
Atul Jose: It is a good thing that you are aware of the challenges. That in itself is a great quality. If you need help in branding your profile, reach out to me
This is the #1 mistake I see while editing resumes of high-performing applicants. These are your typical Type A candidates who truly have achievements in the top 1 or top 5%, but they also have experiences as individual contributors that are not as significant. But it had a huge impact on the learning curve and their growth as a specialist.
I see 3 insecurities that are driving the exaggeration.
1) Age
2) Lack of Context
3) GMAT/GRE Score
Don’t get intimidated by the word ‘achievement.’ Business Schools are not just targeting Type A candidates. They are more interested in candidates who have a perspective about their achievement in the grand scheme of things.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today I will talk about 5 themes that you should capture in your professional achievement narrative for MBA application essays.
1) Income Earned
2) Time Saved
3) Money Saved
4) Brand Value
5) Scale of the responsibility
Today I will talk about three common weakness narratives that can jeopardize your admission chances.
1) Hard work
2) Communication
3) Leadership
Q) Should I visit the Campus to improve my MBA admission chances
This is an interesting question. Most international applicants will not visit the Campus – because of visa restrictions, costs, and other scheduling reasons. But if you are from the US or can afford to take time off and travel during the summer, I would recommend that you do so.
On-Campus School info sessions are typically conducted between June and August. I recommend visiting the Campus for three reasons.
1) Culture of the School
2) College Town vs City vs Weather
3) Stories for Essays
Today's question is from a reader who asks, "Do women applicants have a better chance of getting into a top MBA program"
To answer this question, you have to look at three data points
1) 4-year College Undergraduate Degree Trends in the US
2) GMAT Test Taking Volume (2018 to 2022)
3) Women's application pool from Investment Banking, Technology, and Management Consulting
Today’s question is from a consultant who has experience in over three countries with a diverse range of projects. His question is
Q) How should I shortlist leadership experiences for my MBA Application
When you are competing against some of the best Investment Bankers, Management Consultants, Product Managers, Marketers, and Technology Consultants, you must prioritize 3 leadership experiences:
1) Permanent IMPACT
2) Creativity
3) Team Performance
“Should I target Round 1 or Round 2 MBA Application?”
For those who don’t know, top full-time MBA programs have Round 1 deadlines in September and Round 2 deadlines in January. Typically, I get this question somewhere between July and August when the deadlines are near, and the client/reader is not fully ready with the deliverables.
So here are 2 factors that you should consider:
1) Funding
2) GMAT or GRE
Start with a full-length mock test for both GMAT and GRE without any preparation.
In today’s episode, I have a very important question from a reader who asks – How should I choose a top MBA curriculum that has a strong sustainability focus.
Sustainability has so many contexts. Once you understand how a sustainability framework applies across post-MBA industries and functions, you will be in a better position to shortlist top MBA programs.
Q) How should I shortlist the most relevant achievement for the greatest achievement or the biggest challenge MBA admissions interview question
When I am taking mock interviews, I am often surprised that this concept is not understood at an intuitive level.
You don't have to make up stories just to fit this rule, but these are the weightage by which you should shortlist achievements.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today’s question is from a reader who asks
Q) I come from a wealthy family. The admission essays require writing about one’s struggles. I have read many sample essays. They were around financial instability. How do I capture an authentic struggle for the essays?
In today’s episode, I will talk about 3 things that will make your essays realistic for MBA admissions - Dilemma, Opposing Forces and Conservative IMPACT Metrics.
Dilemma: Any interesting story or essay will have some element of doubt – on the choices you had to make. One way to do that is to clearly articulate the dilemma.
Opposing Forces: You don’t have to create villains in your narrative, but you can introduce opposing forces in subtle ways.
Realistic metrics: When in doubt, always use conservative numbers.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I will share one very important exercise that will make your post-MBA goals believable.
I have shared this tip in F1GMAT’s Columbia MBA Essay guide.
Many times, applicants trying to be contrarian share their post-MBA goal where the industry or the function is unique. They think that by doing so, the Business School will pay attention.
Don’t use this strategy.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I have 4 tips for Entrepreneurs planning to target M7 MBA programs.
1) The Milestone
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I will share one secret to improve the Tell me About Yourself or Walk me through your resume Interview question.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I will guide you on how to create an inclusive environment narrative for your Columbia PPIL Essay.
The biggest challenge when I create narratives for F1GMAT’s Essay Guides is in understanding what could be categorized as inclusive.
Here are two strategies to shortlist relevant experiences:
1) Find the Outgroup
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I will share how to focus on the one thing that will improve your admission chances to M7 schools by at least 60%.
When applicants start their research, they focus on the salary, the network, and the school's culture. But applicants rarely look at how they will add value to each school on the list.
This exercise should be your priority before starting the application.
1. Shortlist Achievements From Grade 1 to Grade 12
Welcome to F1GMAT's #askAtulJose series. In today's episode, I have a question from a reader who asks:
Q) In your experience, have you noticed any pattern in GMAT or GPA for applicants accepted to top MBA programs?
Crossed the age of 30 – Should you Apply to M7 Schools in 2023-24?Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I will talk about whether you should apply to M7 schools if you have crossed 30.
Welcome to F1GMAT's #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today's episode, I have a question from a reader who asks.
Q) Which top MBA program should I consider for a career in Operations Management? I have 4 years of experience with a leading retail company in the US.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I will share a summary of a study we conducted at F1GMAT comparing 2012 vs. 2022 Salary data for the top 100 Business Schools. The ranking is based on the Financial Times Business School rankings.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I will cover a common concern about MBA resumes – Balancing white Space with performance metrics.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In this episode, I will cover the essay tips for the Harvard MBA Application - 2024 Entering class and share 5 quick tips to approach the application.
The school has continued with the same essay as last year. The question is, “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?”
The word limit remains the same at 900 words.
Before you start drafting the essays, here are 5 quick tips for your Harvard MBA Application
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I will cover 4 winning traits for INSEAD MBA Admissions Interview.
The admission interviews at INSEAD are conducted by an Alumnus who might not necessarily be from your background. Typically, the interviews last 40-50 minutes.
While giving mock interviews for candidates through F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service, I noticed 4 winning traits for INSEAD’s accepted candidates.
1. Attitude
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. In today’s episode, I will cover what qualifies as an achievement in MBA admissions.
1. Professional Achievements
The initial brainstorming that I do with clients for consulting or essay editing, or resume editing service often involves breaking down the technical solution if the person is from the Technology or Engineering or Finance industry. I also ask questions about the team structure, the power dynamics in the organization, and the market conditions under which these projects were executed.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In this episode, I will talk about the ChatGPT craze.
A lot of applicants have reached out to me, asking if getting creative support from ChatGPT is a good idea. I think a lot of applicants targeting Master’s or MBA programs miss out on a very important detail.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I will cover how to differentiate yourself from the competition.
1) Emotional Intelligence
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. In today’s episode, I have a question from an MBA applicant who asks:
Q) I was fired from my job. Should I apply to top business schools?
If you were fired outside the publicly announced layoffs or downsizing in Technology, Management Consulting, or Banking, you need a very different approach.
1) Demonstrating Competence
Welcome to F1GMAT'sF1GMAT's Ask Atul Jose series. In today's episode, I will share 3 Story Patterns that seem authentic but don't work now.
1. The Poverty Narrative
In today’s episode, I have one advice for all applicants targeting the next MBA admission cycle. And this is something that I observed over the past decade.
Applicants often ask for an initial profile evaluation and end with one of the two questions – what are my chances, and should I do an MBA?
Welcome to F1GMAT’s Ask Atul Jose series. In today’s episode, I have a question from a reader who is applying for the top 10 MBA programs this year. The question is:
Q) I am working in a boutique management consulting firm. Last week, I got an interview invite for one of the Big 4 consulting companies. Is it wise to switch jobs between May and August, considering the Round 1 deadline for top MBA programs is September and Round 2 is January?
Welcome to F1GMAT’s Ask Atul Jose series. I am Atul Jose.
In today’s episode, I have a question from a reader who asks:
Q) I have a GMAT 750 and applied to M7 schools last year, got dinged in 5 without an interview, waitlisted in 1, and rejected after an interview in one. How should I approach the M7 MBA reapplication process?
The rejection pattern reveals something about your application. Since you only got one interview invite from the 7, there is a definite weakness in your narrative, volunteering/extracurricular, or branding that influenced the outcome.
Welcome to F1GMAT #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today I don’t have a question, but I began to wonder what makes an applicant a winning applicant. I found that they all had a story. A story that helped them stand out from a similar-looking profile. This is one of the common reasons why a GMAT 750 or someone with an excellent GPA gets dinged. They don’t ask themselves, “What is my Story .”They are somehow in a rush to submit applications. It becomes just a task. And they are hoping that by applying to the top 5 or 7, or 10 schools, one of the applications will work. And it did.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today’s question is related to storytelling. The question is:
Q) My storytelling skills are not that great. How can I improve my skills in the shortest time so that I am ready for the Round 1 deadline in September?
Atul Jose (Founding Consultant, F1GMAT): Start a blog.
Welcome to F1GMAT's Ask Atul Jose Series. I am Atul Jose.
Q) I am a late 20s applicant from Technology, based in the US, targeting all top MBA programs. As someone who has worked in London, Boston, and now in New York, I have no geographical preference. Should I choose a 1-year or a 2-year program? My goal is to transition into a Management Consulting role.
Atul Jose (Founding Consultant, F1GMAT):
Welcome to F1GMAT's #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today's question is from a Doctor in London. The question is:
Q) I am a 32-year-old Doctor from London with a typical 9-5 job. Although I can earn more by working additional hours, I have reached a career ceiling as a doctor. On the side. I have a few investments in real estate, and recently, I began to read up on Private Equity. Would it be wise to get an MBA this year and pivot completely to a private equity career?
Q) Should I apply for the Round 3 MBA Application. I am a US citizen.
Round 3 deadlines for the 2023 Entering class are unique. After noticing the unprecedented layoffs in the Technology industry, schools decided to introduce an extended Round 2 deadline only for those affected by the layoffs.
With the admissions chances increasing considerably with an interview invite, you must understand the reason why your profile was shortlisted. Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service for help with your interview preparation.
Subscribe to F1GMAT's Career Planning Service to choose an MBA/Master's program, for tips on joining non-profits to improve your profile, and strategies to improve your admission chances.If you don't have sufficient volunteering experience, start early. Ideally by Jan/Feb/March if the MBA Application Round 1 deadline is Sep and Round 2 is January of the next year.
Many applicants obsess over opening lines instead of the entire narrative. So much so that they forget that the purpose of the opening line is to spark curiosity about your story.
Here are 5 Openers to start an MBA Application Essay
1) Dialogue
2) Value Statement
3) Personal Crisis
4) Problem Statement
5) Context Statement
Best Practices for the 5 Types of Opening Lines:
Career Planning: store.f1gmat.com/career-planning for School Selection, Defining Post-MBA Goals, and Assistance with funding search, or you can subscribe to our Essay Review Service at store.f1gmat.com/essay-review where I offer end-to-end support with resume editing, recommendation letter editing, and essay editing or if you want help only with the essays, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service at store.f1gmat.com/essay-editing.
Today I have an unusual question from a reader. The question is:
For Help with managing the entire MBA Application Recommendation Letters, Subscribe to F1GMAT's 1-School MBA Recommendation Letter Editing Service
If you need help just with one supervisor, subscribe to the One Supervisor Recommendation Letter Editing Service
Welcome to F1GMAT's #askAtulJose series. I am Atul Jose. Today we explore INSEAD's MBA Application.
If you need help from me, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Essay Review Service at store.f1gmat.com/essay-review where I offer end to end support for the application covering resume, essays, and recommendation letters.
Atul Jose (MBA Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT): Today – I will share a step-by-step strategy to plan for your Round 2 MBA Application. We will cover GMAT/GRE, Essays, and Recommendation Letters.
Subscribing to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service: store.f1gmat.com/essay-review (including Resume, Essays, and Recommendation letters)
Sign up for F1GMAT's Essay Editing Service: store.f1gmat.com/essay-editing (Only Essays)
Sign up for F1GMAT's One Essay Editing Service: store.f1gmat.com/one-essay-editing (One Essay)
1) GMAT
Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Career Planning Service to evaluate your profile and find the best MBA and Master's Programs.
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending September 16, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
For help with NYU Stern MBA and Master's Application, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending September 10th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
For help with Oxford MBA Scholarship Applications, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Scholarship Essay Editing Service
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending September 10th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Exceptional women applicants with leadership potential targeting Oxford Said School of Business, London Business School, and Columbia Business School MBA programs should consider the Laidlaw Scholarships.
For help with Scholarship Applications, subscribe to F1GMAT’s Scholarship Essay Editing Service
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending August 27th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
On August 24th 2022, President Biden announced a three-part plan to provide more relief to America’s working-class families as they recoup from the COVID-19 pandemic. This three-part plan delivers on President Biden’s promise to cancel $10,000 in student debt for low- to middle-income borrowers.
If you need any help with MBA Application, Career Planning, Interview Preparation, Resume Editing, or finding funds, reach out to me through F1GMAT’s contact form
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending August 20, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Subscribe to F1GMAT’s Recommendation Letter Editing Service
Most schools reiterate the adage that if it is between the CEO who has barely worked with you or knows you, and a senior manager, who has seen your progress from a newbie to a seasoned professional, choose the latter.
The truth is not black and white.
The first scenario that you need to consider is whether your organization is flat.
Flat Organization
If you need help with interviews, sign up for F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending August 13, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Darden has now made the open interview available for the Full-Time MBA applicants through Early Actions. The deadline to schedule the interviews is September 8th, 2022.
Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service https://www.store.f1gmat.com/essay-review for help with Ross MBA Application
Today we look into Ross I want People to know that I Essay. This essay question is part of Group 1. Prompt 1.
The revelation question should surprise the admission team. Ideally, include an aspect of your personality that is an antithesis to your professional traits or nationality, or gender. Finance and Technology professionals - include creativity as the theme. For Consulting and Marketing professionals – a logical or creative mind both works.
Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service https://www.store.f1gmat.com/essay-review for help with Stanford MBA Application
To answer the What matters most to you and why Stanford MBA Application Essay, I recommend that you explore the Big Five model.
The model accurately captures your unique personality.
The Five factors are:
1) Extroversion
2) Agreeableness
3) Conscientiousness
4) Emotional stability
5) Openness
For help with your Harvard MBA Application, Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service
https://www.store.f1gmat.com/essay-review
While crafting your narrative for Harvard MBA Application, ensure that you highlight these 10 winning traits:
1) Exposure
2) Preparedness
3) Learning
4) Extroversion
5) Succinct Communication
6) Ownership
7) Data-driven decision making
8) Passion
9) Sense of Community
10) Chutzpah
harvard #essayreview #essayediting #mbaapplication
What kind of leader do you aspire to be and why? (300 words max)
Subscribe to F1GMAT's Essay Review Service for help with Haas MBA Application Essay Editing and Review
https://www.store.f1gmat.com/essay-review
Inclusive leadership is founded on self-awareness and self-evaluation. It requires building a foundation where values of non-discrimination, openness, and addressing biases are ingrained in every decision. It also requires the foresight to spot biases in oneself and in the team.
Explicit biases are easy to spot as these are cultural in nature or propagated by the country where the employer operates or emerging from the hierarchy & power structure in the organization.
Tuck MBA has a relatively small class – 294, with the campus located in the New England town of Hanover. Tuck attracts candidates who truly value the brand. The admissions team also wants to ensure that the candidates are analytically strong, balanced in accomplishment – professionally and with extra-curricular, self-aware, and collaborative.
The school attracts candidates who experienced the power of communities and understand the value of the Tuck MBA curriculum and the support the career service team and alumni offer.
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending July 2nd, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Top MBA programs that have released the essays and deadlines for the 2023 entering class or the 2025 graduating class during the first week of July include Stanford Graduate School of Business and MIT Sloan School of Management.
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending June 25th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Top MBA programs that have released the essays and deadlines for the 2023 entering class or the 2025 graduating class during the last week of June include Duke Fuqua School of Business and Ross School of Business. If you want help with school selection, career planning, essay editing, and review or mock interview service, visit F1GMAT Store
Researching about top Business Schools should be the most important activity in your MBA application process. If you get this process right, then all your efforts in GMAT Preparation, Essay Writing & Editing, Interview Preparation, and coordinating Recommendation Letters will fall into place.
In this deep dive into the factors to consider before choosing an MBA program, we cover:
Welcome to F1GMAT's weekend updates for the week ending June 18th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Top Schools that have released the essays and deadlines for the 2023 entering class or the 2025 graduating class during the 3rd week of June include NYU Stern, Yale, and Tuck.
NYU Stern's Full-time MBA program has four deadlines. 1st deadline is on Sep 15th, 2022, 2nd on Oct 15th, 2022, 3rd on Jan 15th, 2023, and 4th deadline on Mar 15th, 2023.
Welcome to F1GMAT’s weekend updates for the week ending June 11th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Top Schools that have released the essays and deadlines for the 2023 entering class or the 2025 graduating class during the 2nd week of June include: Wharton, Kellogg School of Management, and Chicago Booth.
Round 1 deadline for Kellogg is 14th Sep 2022, Round 2 on January 10th, 2023, and Round 3 on April 5th, 2023.
Q) I am an accounting professional from an overrepresented Indian CA application pool. Although I have a good work exp with a branded accounting firm, I feel typecast. How can I stand out for the highly competitive Wharton and Booth MBA Applications?
Atul Jose (MBA Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT): Indian CA Accounting profile faces four challenges – the internship narrative, the full-time experience, project details, and extracurricular.
Q) I am a military MBA applicant with service history in Afghanistan. Should I go into the specifics of any operation? Is it necessary for Harvard MBA Essay?
Welcome to F1GMAT’s weekend updates for the week ending June 4th, 2022. I am Atul Jose.
Top Business Schools have announced their deadlines and essays for the 2023 entering class or what we refer to as the 2025 graduating class.
The first school to announce the essays and deadlines was Harvard Business School. The school has continued with the open-ended essay question.
The question is, “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?”.
In this episode, we discuss 4 ways to answer the MBA Admissions Ethical Dilemma Interview Question and one way to answer the question when you don't have such an experience.