B-Schooled: Recent Episodes
Stacy Blackman Consulting, the leading MBA admissions consulting firm
B-Schooled, a podcast from top MBA admissions consulting firm Stacy Blackman Consulting, covers all aspects of the MBA application and admissions process. We offer insight and advice on how to pull together your personal-best business school materials — and make the most of your time once you get on campus. We’ll occasionally hold interviews with current business school students and recent graduates, as well as other important players along a typical candidate’s MBA admissions journey.
Erin Krawiec is the President and co-founder of Pitch Your Peers Seattle ("PYP Seattle), a nonprofit that turns philanthropy into a collaborative, pitch-driven experience where women fund impactful local causes. Her career spans entrepreneurship, high-tech business roles, and serving as an expert witness in corporate litigation—an unconventional path shaped by curiosity and a drive to make an impact. Today, she focuses on building community and creating opportunities for others to engage in meaningful philanthropy. Nicole Small has served as CEO of LH Capital, Inc. and Lyda Hill Philanthropies since 2014 and is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of both entities. As part of her work at LHP, Ms. Small, co-founded the IF/THEN initiative which was built to encourage and advance women and girls in STEM. She is also the co-founder and advisor of Pegasus Park, a life sciences innovation campus based in Dallas. From 2001-2013 Ms. Small was the Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science. Earlier in her career, Ms. Small held positions including founder and CEO of a tech start-up, EIR at a Bay area business incubator, and analyst with McKinsey & Company. Ms. Small holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, Anthony Ritz, Stacy Blackman Consulting's Director of Test Prep -- who's been a GMAT and GRE tutor for more than two decades -- shares a range of specific suggestions, tips and proven test-prep strategies for the GRE's Vocabulary section. Check out Stacy Blackman Consultings MBA Test Prep services here.
Patrick Curtis is the founder and CEO of Wall Street Oasis, one of the largest online communities for elite careers in finance and consulting, which he has built over nearly 20 years into a platform reaching millions of visitors each year. He began his career as an investment banking analyst at Rothschild, spent several years in private equity, and holds an MBA in Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School. He also leads WSO Academy, a structured mentorship and interview prep program that helps students land offers in investment banking and other competitive consulting and finance roles. Website: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrickmanningcurtis WSO LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/wall-street-oasis WSO Instagram: @wallstreetoasis Wall Street Oasis: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com?affiliate=sbc WSO Academy: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/academy?affiliate=sbc
It's not uncommon for overachieving MBA applicants to focus so much on trying to convince the adcom why they're worthy of a spot at their program that they inadvertently also communicate that they're already SO gifted and accomplished, they actually don't need a masters degree in business to succeed in the future. This episode discusses why all business school candidates need to be able to clearly explain why they need an MBA, especially if they are in one of four applicant buckets where it's important to clarify that need. Common reasons for getting an MBA are covered, as are reasons that might be realistic but are best left out of one's application materials.
We're often asked: "This is my GMAT/GRE score and this is the score I want—how many hours of tutoring do I need?" Our honest answer: before we can recommend a plan, we need to review one of your recent practice tests alongside you. This deep-dive analysis allows us to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and the most efficient path to your goal. Enter Stacy Blackman Consulting's Test Review package. This episode not only covers what that service includes, but also shares priceless MBA test-prep insight from Stacy Blackman herself and SBC's test prep expert, Anthony Ritz.
In this installment of Paths Less Traveled, Stacy talks with Ann Hsing. Upon graduating from undergrad at MIT, Ann opened and operated a bubble tea shop in Boston. She then worked as a strategy consultant at the small boutique Callidon Group, focusing on private equity due diligence projects and pricing structures. Next, Ann returned to school to earn her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Following business school, she was Vice President in Equity Derivatives Sales at Credit Suisse from 2009 to 2013 in New York City. Ann then joined The Alinea Restaurant Group. At the time of her departure, she was Director of Business Operations. Ann is now CEO of Seline and Pasjoli Restaurants.
In this episode we talk to Ty Greenberg, a former SBC client and a Stanford GSB graduate. Ty talks about his unusual background, his initial rejection from all of the business schools he applied to, changes he made and his eventual success as a reapplicant. HIs inspiring story offers helpful lessons to applicants coming from unorthodox backgrounds ,or who are considering whether to reapply to their dream schools after not succeeding initially.
The things that scare us – especially in the context of MBA essays – are often the things that make us feel vulnerable, uncertain, or insecure. In short, things that force us to take our armor off and be vulnerable. Vulnerability in business school essays also offers you a powerful opportunity to connect with your reader, demonstrate self-awareness and/or EQ, and – most importantly – tell a really memorable and compelling story about yourself. In this episode we talk about how to choose an essay topic offers these opportunities for candor and vulnerability, including sharing a range of examples and categories of essays that might be a good fit for you. This is a must for anyone interested in writing their MBA essays more boldly and more authentically.
Stacy interviews Anthony Ritz, Stacy Blackman Consulting's Head of Test Prep, to reveal the biggest MBA test-prep missteps he's seen students make over his many years in admissions consulting and test-prep tutoring.
In this episode, Stacy interviews David Aufhauser, a C-suite executive, entrepreneur, and investor operating at the intersection of sports, media, and technology. He has built and scaled businesses across immersive media, streaming, fan and athlete engagement, and women's professional sports, working with global partners including the Olympic Games, NFL, and NBA. From launching one of the first 24/7 live sports streaming networks to leading the creation of Bay Football Club in the National Womens Soccer League, David has consistently helped shape new categories at the forefront of sports innovation. Today, as an operating partner at Accelerate Sports, a boutique sports investment bank, he advises clients on pro sports M&A, capital raises, league expansion support, and LP/team equity transactions. And as the founder of Fastbreak, he partners with companies, family offices, and PE firms acting as a fractional operating team or interim executive to close capability gaps and accelerate growth in their sports investments.
Memorial Day weekend in the US serves as the unofficial kickoff of the 2026-27 MBA application season. In this episode, learn what you can be doing now to get ahead of the competition in the process. Also, now is the perfect time to download the new MBA Launchpad app from Stacy Blackman Consulting... it's built out of 25 years of proprietary MBA application data to help business school hopefuls with everything from school selection, to essay brainstorming, to mock interview prep, and more. And it's FREE until September 1, whether you work with us or not! Check out the YouTube demo, and then get more info on our website. Download SBC's MBA Launchpad app now! It's coming for Android soon, too.
In this episode, your host Chandler covers 10 tips to give waitlisted applicants all the tools they need to not just survive their time on the waitlist, but hopefully thrive. Insights from this episode include: What being on the waitlist means (and what it doesn't), The importance of developing an individualized waitlist strategy, Specific guidance about following your school's waitlist process (which varies from program to program), What to do if your school allows students on the waitlist to send follow-up materials and updates, Tips for asking about feedback regarding your application if appropriate, Tips for developing a relationship your waitlist point of contact, Possible benefits of playing the "waitlist long game", and Suggestions for how to stand out on the waitlist (in good ways) and how to avoid standing out on the waitlist (in bad ways).
Stacy interviews her former Kellogg classmate Michael Rosenband about his wild ride of a career, and how he ended up founding the Requity Foundation (https://www.requity.org/) in Baltimore after a career spanning several industries and geographies.
In this episode we discuss the unique value proposition offered by Cornell's Johnson Graduate school of management via a variety of MBA programs. Cornell offers a full two year MBA on its Ithaca campus, a one year, tech focused MBA at its NYC campus and hybrid MBA programs split between it's NYC and Ithaca campuses. Cornell also offers deferred MBA admission via its Future Leaders program. In this podcast, the dean of Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of management, Vishal Gaur, and the head of its NYC one year program, Manoj Thomas discuss the various programs offered by the school, what makes them unique, what they look for in candidates, key trends affecting the MBA landscape and much more.
The second installment in this two-part series outlines the final 6 of 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. This episode covers budgeting for your MBA, planning to relocate, and figuring out how to best spend your time between now and matriculation (when you aren't attending to all of the other to do's!), and more. As a reminder, last week in Part 1 (episode 285) we discussed how to head off possible issues with your background check after you're admitted. If that's something that concerns you, be sure to check out SBC's MBA PreCheck service (on our website under "Work With Us").
This episode is the first half of a two-part series discussing 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should be doing between now and heading to campus in the fall.. Part 1 covers To Do's related to an applicant's current and future networks, as well as other important actions to take before leaving a job. We also discuss how to head off possible issues with your background check after you're admitted. If that's something that concerns you, be sure to check out SBC's MBA PreCheck service (on our website under "Work With Us"). Stay tuned for Part 2 next week!
In this installment of our Paths Less Traveled series, Stacy Blackman talks with both the CEO of AI firm Woz (withwoz.com) and Woz's intern. Ben Collins, the CEO and co-founder of Woz, is also a Stanford GSB alum and discusses the details of his career, how Woz differentiates itself, and why he chose current GSB student George Lankas to intern at his firm despite George's lack of technical background. And George shares why he was interested in working at Woz in parallel with his MBA studies, as well as how his Stanford experience is going so far. This episode also includes details about Stacy Blackman Consulting's new Woz-powered service -- SBC Lab -- and how 5 lucky applicants can pilot this AI-driven MBA-applicant differentiator. Apply before April 13 at https://www.stacyblackman.com/Lab/ !
In the second installment of our Paths Less Traveled series, Stacy Blackman interviews Terry Cumes and Tristen Langley, a married couple who share how the same Stanford GSB foundation led one to global wellness entrepreneurship and the other to top-tier technology investing — and what this says about career optionality, partnership, and long-term impact. Here are the full bios for these amazing interviewees: Tristen Langley has over twenty-three years of experience in venture capital, operations, M&A and equities research with leading international investment and technology companies. Langley sourced, led and was operationally involved with private investments that have returned over $5 billion to investors. Tristen Langley holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She completed her graduate studies in software engineering at the Fraunhofer IESE, Germany. She earned a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honors) from the University of New South Wales and was the recipient of the University Medal. Tristen is now the Executive Director and Cofounder of Amalfi Capital Management, Limited. Terry Cumes is an international executive who has built, launched, and managed several global travel and education businesses. Terry is currently the CEO of Willka T'ika Essential Wellness, Peru's original luxury wellness center located in the Sacred Valley. Under Terry's leadership, Willka T'ika welcomes scores of groups each year from around the world. Each group is unique with programmatic themes ranging from yoga and mindfulness to transformative leadership in business. In 2022, Willka T'ika was included in "9 of the World's Best Wellness Retreats" by CNN and nominated "Best Digital Detox Retreat" by Vogue Magazine.
In this episode we discuss 4 things MBA candidates should consider when facing the "Bird in Hand" dilemma: meaning, when they have been admitted to at least one program, but are considering not claiming their spot, forgoing the sure thing and taking the risk of trying again in the future in the hopes of getting into a program they're even more interested in.
This episode discusses how accepted MBA candidates should go about asking for an increase in merit aid; the four situations a candidate might be in and their associated negotiating tactics; and detailed advice for approaching such an ask over the phone vs. email.
For years, MBA applicants have asked some version of the same question: "What job will I get after graduation?" It's understandable. Recruiting is a visible and important part of the MBA experience. But after decades working with business school graduates, Stacy Blackman has noticed something more interesting: the most meaningful MBA outcomes rarely follow a straight line. That's the premise behind Paths Less Traveled, a new B-Schooled podcast series launching this week. Each episode features conversations with MBA alumni whose careers evolved in unexpected directions over time. These aren't "first job after school" stories. They're about optionality, reinvention, and what happens when you treat the MBA as a long-term foundation rather than a short-term placement service. The series kicks off with Paul Earle, a Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management alum and Stacy's former classmate, who went on to found one of the fastest-growing emerging consumer brands in the U.S. His company, GOODLES, reimagines mac and cheese as a better-for-you product, and his current obsession is the Thrilled Cheese variety. But the conversation goes deeper than product launches. Paul reflects on what business school actually gave him: "I barely remember the technical classroom frameworks and methods and models. I vividly remember the friends I made and perspectives I gained and world I discovered. One of the best things I have ever done." It's a perspective that reframes what ROI on an MBA can actually look like, and one that applicants don't always encounter early in the process. If you've been thinking about the MBA primarily in terms of your first post-graduation role, this series is worth your time.
In this episode, Erika explains how your social media behavior could affect your MBA candidacy — positively or negatively. She covers what admissions committees might be looking for on your online profiles and platforms that could be problematic, as well as what kinds of social media posts might actually end up strengthening your candidacy. She also explains how reviews of your social media accounts don't end once you're admitted.
In this replay of a past episode, Erika talks with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. As Anthony served on the implementation and design team for Wharton's Team Based Discussion (TBD) interview format, this episode focuses on his insight advice for MBA candidates who will be interviewing with Wharton.
In this episode, Alex Liff interviews Andrew Walker, GMAC's Director of Research Analysis and Communication about the latest MBA application trends survey that he just completed. Andrew offers interesting insights into the latest trends both on the applicant and corporate recruiter sides and talks about what to expect going forward.
Final Thoughts After 20 Years of MBA Advising: Part 3 B-Schooled Co-Host, Chandler, is preparing to step away from his co-hosting responsibilities in order to care for his aging parents and launch a new venture for philanthropists. Chandler has decided to conclude his four years as co-host (and 20 years of advising MBA applicants) with a three-part series in which he gets very authentic and very bold in order to help you create a solid application plan. In this final of three episodes, Chandler takes a no-holds barred look at the last stages of your MBA application. In this episode he shares his single biggest pieces of advice in each of the following categories: Confronting your MBA fears and insecurities, Managing worry and anxiety on your MBA journey, Knowing what to do when you get stuck, Surviving thriving on an MBA waitlist, Strategizing applications specifically focused on Stanford and Harvard, and Looking back at lessons learned in his 20 years since graduating from Stanford. Listening to this three-episode series is a must for anyone wishing to benefit from a senior SBC advisor's more than 20 years of MBA applicant coaching experience.
Final Thoughts After 20 Years of MBA Advising: Part 2 B-Schooled Co-Host Chandler is preparing to step away from his podcast responsibilities in order to care for his aging parents and launch a new venture for philanthropists. Chandler has decided to conclude his four years as co-host (and 20 years of advising MBA applicants) with a three-part series in which he gets very authentic and very bold in order to help you create a solid application plan. In Part Two Chandler takes a no-holds barred look at the "heart" of your MBA application: your essays, your recommendations, your interviews and the other ways you demonstrate who you are as a person, above and beyond a list of numbers and accomplishments. In this not-to-be-missed episode Chandler shares his single biggest pieces of advice in each of the following categories: "Storymapping" and structuring your essays, Special advice for the first and last sentences of your essays, The power of writing the essay that scares you, Interview prep (and what NOT to do even if you think it will be OK), Choosing and supporting your recommenders strategically, Doing your homework about—and building a relationship with—your first choice MBA programs.
Final Thoughts After 20 Years of MBA Advising: Part 1 This episode is bittersweet for our longtime podcast co-host, Chandler. Chandler is preparing to step away from his co-hosting responsibilities in order to care for his aging parents and launch a new venture for philanthropists. He would like to share how much he has enjoyed co-hosting and wants to say a HUGE thank you to Stacy, Erika, Yvonne, Esther, Alex and the entire SBC team for their amazing friendship and support along the way. As Chandler thought about how to frame his last podcast, he ultimately decided to take my own advice. As our loyal listeners know, Chandler has closed each of his podcasts over the past four years with the words "be authentic, be bold, and to have a solid plan". To that end, he will conclude his four years as co-host (and 20 years of advising MBA applicants) with a three-part series in which he gets very authentic and very bold in order to help you create a solid application plan. In this first of three episodes, Chandler takes a no-holds barred look at the first phase of the application process, and shares his biggest pieces of advice in each of the following categories: Planning your application (including the very best place to begin, which most people miss) Defining career goals, Addressing lower-than-desired quant scores, Quantifying your resume, Using the data forms strategically, and … a special surprise at the end of the episode he hasn't shared before.
This episode gives applicants 10 things to think about in the days before submitting their applications. This is not intended as something to listen to an hour before you submit… but it does offer incredibly useful information to think about a day or two before the application deadline. As we always say: you want an application that is authentic, bold, and that offers a clear and consistent narrative. You want this narrative to come across cohesively via all elements of your application: your essays, your resume, your recommendations, and your interviews. To help set you up for success, today we offer ten suggestions touching on the following topics: Thinking through your overall application narrative to make sure this boldly and authentically represents who you are Reviewing your essays for common typos and other errors Asking your proofreader to help you by looking for the right things Bolstering quantitative results metrics—as well as adding useful context—to your resume Following up with your recommenders Reviewing your social media footprint When to actually hit submit (and when not to)
AI AND THE MBA APPLICATION Today we are talking about ai and the MBA application with SBC expert, Yvette. After graduating from HBS, Yvette led the HBS Alumni Circle and served as VP of HBS alumni club. Unique among MBA admissions consultants, Yvette also has extensive experience in the AI space and is the architect of MBA AI, an AI specifically focus on MBA admissions. In this segment Chandler and Yvette sit down to discuss: · What top MBA programs are saying about AI with regard to their application processes, · Things you should DEFINITELY AVOID with regard to ChatGPT and AI regarding your application, · Several AI usages that generally seem to be compliant and effective with regard to improving your application, · A useful overview AI detectors (and how they can help you), · and a final tip that everyone should keep in mind when applying.
In this episode, we cover how to make the most of a program's data form—the actual online application itself—which is made up several informational data fields, dropdowns selections and short-answer fields. Too many applicants overlook the opportunities in this unassuming form! We'll cover: • Optional fields • Common questions applicants have about certain fields and dropdowns • The awards section(s) • How you can use the data form fields to strengthen your candidacy
The Benefits of an MBA During Uncertain Times Today's guest, Dawn, graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitted to the Stanford GSB. Dawn is a full-time advisor and senior consultant with SBC who has 18+ years of experience getting clients from around the world admitted into full-time, deferred and executive MBA programs. Dawn has a high success rate having clients admitted every year. 99% of clients who work with her on four or more schools have gained admission. She has had several double admits to Harvard and Stanford. Outside of her work in admissions consulting, Dawn has experience at companies such as: Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Pepsi, the Carlyle Group and Warner Bros. In this episode Chandler and Dawn talk about a range of topics related to the value of an MBA during uncertain times, including: The value of an MBA in today's changing world, Whether or not an MBA really matters if you are doing well in your current career, The benefits of earning an MBA for mid-career professionals, How AI will influence job and career opportunities in the coming years, and a range of other topics. Chandler and Dawn will also share a number of specific client examples and lessons learned from recent application cycles. Listening to this episode is a must for any applicant considering the value of an MBA in today's rapidly evolving world.
For this episode Chandler and SBC consultant Dawn talk about key questions to consider when applying during Round Two. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitted to the Stanford GSB. Dawn is a full-time advisor and senior consultant with SBC who has 18+ years of experience getting clients from around the world admitted into full-time, deferred and executive MBA programs. Dawn has a high success rate having clients admitted every year. 99% of clients who work with her on four or more schools have gained admission. She has had several double admits to Harvard and Stanford. Outside of her work in admissions consulting, Dawn has experience at companies such as: Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Pepsi, the Carlyle Group and Warner Bros. In this episode Chandler and Dawn talk about a range of topics to help applicants stand out during the Round Two, including: Why do business schools have more than one round for admissions? Do you think there is a difference in applying round one or a later round? Is there any advantage in applying in Round Two? Chandler and Dawn will also share a number of specific client examples and lessons learned from Round Two applications. Listening to this episode is a must for any applicant applying during Round Two.
In the final episode of Erika's three-part conversation with her HBS classmate Rahul Mehendale, they discuss the unique role Rahul has taken on in her graduating class that's brought everyone closer together. It's an uplifting, inspiring talk you don't want to miss, full of great advice for aspiring MBAs.
In part two of this three-part discussion, Erika chats with her HBS classmate Rahul Mehendale about his experience at business school, as well as his consulting and entrepreneurial career to-date.
In part one of this three-part discussion, Erika chats with her HBS classmate Rahul Mehendale about what he did to differentiate himself from thousands of other Indian male engineers applying to business school.
Overcoming MBA Anxiety With The Help of an HBS Admissions Officer Part Three: Three Meditations For Your MBA Application Journey For the final episode of this very special three-part series, we are joined by SBC Consultant Pauline. Pauline holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, worked for years as an HBS Admissions Officer, and has presented/lectured at Stanford, Tufts and Villanova. Pauline is uniquely positioned to speak about anxiety as it relates to the MBA application process. Pauline is passionate about Business, Education and Spirituality and worked as a Level 1 Hospital Trauma Chaplain. She also holds a Divinity degree in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. In episode one of this series we talked about anxiety in the MBA context: what anxiety is, where it comes from, and discussed very specific strategies for what to do when anxiety strikes in the present moment. In our second episode we dug deeper and talked about how you can HARNESS this worry and anxiety in healthy and productive ways to IMPROVE your application. In today's episode we talk about how meditation can help you release worry and anxiety as well as tap into deeper parts of your own lived experiences. In this episode Pauline: Talks about how meditation can be helpful to anyone during times of worry and anxiety (or anytime, really). Chandler and Pauline also share specific suggestions about how meditation can be a useful aspect of your MBA application journey. Walks our listeners through three meditations specifically centered around the MBA application process: Getting into a positive state of mind The use of mantras in meditation And a breathing excercise Shares her own advice about how her clients have used meditiations Suggests other free online meditation resources our listeners might be interested in. Chandler and the entire SBC team would like to thank Pauline for this very special three-part series; a must for anyone facing worry or anxiety as a part of their MBA journey. Additional gratitude to Tiana McCaskill for composing and recording the special music for these meditations.
Overcoming MBA Anxiety With The Help of an HBS Admissions Officer Part Two: How Anxiety and Worry Can Be Helpful To Your Application For this very special three-part series, we are joined by SBC Consultant Pauline. Pauline holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, worked for years as an HBS Admissions Officer, and has presented/lectured at Stanford, Tufts and Villanova. Pauline is uniquely positioned to speak about anxiety as it relates to the MBA application process. Pauline is passionate about Business, Education and Spirituality and worked as a Level 1 Hospital Trauma Chaplain. She also holds a Divinity degree in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. In last week's episode we talked about anxiety in the MBA context: what anxiety is, where it comes from, and discussed very specific strategies for what to do when anxiety strikes in the present moment. Today, we are going to dig deeper and talk about how you can HARNESS this worry and anxiety in healthy and productive ways to IMPROVE your application. In this segment Chandler and Pauline: Share specific examples of how previous clients have harnessed worry and anxiety to improve their MBA essays, Discuss how thinking through your own “worst case scenarios and greatest fears” can help you prepare for your interviews, Roleplay specific scenarios in which applicants transform what they consider to be their greatest weaknesses as an applicant into strengths Provide a template to use when discussing failures or things you are not proud of in the MBA context This episode is a must for anyone grappling with worry, anxiety, or self-doubt along their MBA journey.
Overcoming MBA Anxiety With The Help of an HBS Admissions Officer Part One: Understanding What Anxiety Is In The MBA Application Context For this very special three-part series, we are joined by SBC Consultant Pauline. Pauline holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, worked for years as an HBS Admissions Officer, and has presented/lectured at Stanford, Tufts and Villanova. Pauline is also uniquely positioned to speak about anxiety as it relates to the MBA application process. Pauline is passionate about Business, Education and Spirituality and worked as a Level 1 Hospital Trauma Chaplain. She also holds a Divinity degree in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. This episode starts with a bit of radical candor about the fact that there are LOTS of things that applicants can find themselves worrying about. This includes the test taking process, starting your application, writing (and rewriting) those essays, pressing send, preparing for interviews, managing worries while waiting for your decision, wrestling with imposter syndrome, and so many other topics. In this episode, Pauline draws from her work as an HBS Admissions Officer—as well as her masters and doctoral work—to: Dive into the scientific underpinnings of anxiety, what it is, and where it comes from Share perspectives from various experts about physiology of anxiety Discuss the neurocognitive components, including the way anxiety affects the way you process information And there is good news—so much good news. Chandler and Pauline also share: a reminder that ALL applicants face anxiety at some point in their application process the benefits of "leaning in" to the discomfort anxiety sometimes brings understanding your own "window of tolerance" as it relates to anxiety ways procrastination and anxiety are often interconnected specific tips and tricks to implement IN THE MOMENT when anxiety strikes the difference between "self-care" and "self-preservation" on your application journey powerful things you can learn about yourself by facing anxiety head-on This podcast is a must for anyone struggling with anxiety, worry, or self-doubt on their MBA journey.
After you submit your MBA applications, should you contact the admissions committee with updates on your candidacy? What should you do if you find an error in your materials? Should you start preparing for your interviews now? This episode answers those questions and more, and advises listeners on the best way to make use of their time between submission deadlines and their interviews.
Life Lessons I'd wished I learned 20 Years Ago – Part 2: B-Schooled Episode 260 For this occasional ongoing podcast series, our host Chandler speaks with a number of corporate executives, nonprofit leaders, and wellness icons and asks the question: what life lessons do you know today you wish you’d known 20 years ago? In this episode, Chandler shares 5 pieces of wisdom that stood out – including a personal piece of advice from Stacy Blackman, our founder. Some of these lessons are narrowly focused on applying to business school. Some lessons are about making the most of the magical period of time you are actually in business school. And some lessons center the many years that come after… as you use what you have learned to build a life that is hopefully full of meaning, joy, and impact. Whether you are applying to business school, in business school, or working as a professional post business school – this is a very special episode not to be missed.
For this episode our host Chandler spoke with a number of corporate executives, nonprofit leaders, and wellness icons and asked the question, what life lessons do you know today that you wish you’d known 20 years ago? In this episode Chandler shares 5 pieces of wisdom that stood out. Some of these lessons are narrowly focused on applying to business school. Some lessons are about making the most of the magical period of time you are actually in business school. And some lessons center the many years that come after… as you use what you have learned to build a life that is hopefully full of meaning, joy, and impact. Whether you are applying to business school, in business school, or working as a professional post business school – this is a very special episode not to be missed.
In order to stand out from your MBA competition, you need to take a step back and assess your candidacy from the admissions committee's point of view. This episode explains what they're looking for, how to differentiate yourself if you're in an over-represented demographic or industry bucket, and generally what types of themes successful applicants focus on in their essays.
Sometimes “Why do you need an MBA now?” is an essay question that programs ask directly, but more often than not it’s something applicants should end up covering in an essay response even if there isn’t a question about it. Questions around the timing of an applicant's MBA pursuit could also be asked in an interview. This episode covers common reasons why applicants need an MBA now versus earlier or later in their careers, and suggests exercises to help articulate a strong response to questions about MBA timing.
In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, 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
Your resume is perhaps the single most important part of your application materials. This episode covers how to maximize that one precious page.
In this new episode, our host Erika and fellow SBC admissions consultant (and former Kellogg adcom) Caryn have a discussion that covers: Multiple tactics applicants can use to raise their quantitative profiles, especially if they don't work in finance- or numbers-heavy roles Insight into who might want to consider the GRE or EA instead of the GMAT for their admissions test How to use the Additional Info field/essay to address any quantitative weaknesses in your candidacy
For this two-part conversation, Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn Clare to discuss her "One Minute Method" for identifying underrecognized individual strengths. As many of you know, Dawn is no stranger to the podcast and brings so much to this conversation. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitted to the Stanford GSB. Outside of her work in admissions consulting, Dawn has experience at a wide range of companies, including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Pepsi, the Carlyle Group and Warner Bros. In part one of this conversation, Dawn described her “One Minute Method” for identifying strengths. This methodology really is about focus – helping you to identify and focus on your own superpowers and how best to make these central to your MBA application. In part two of this conversation, Dawn shares how to apply this methodology to application time management especially during periods of stress or anxiety. In this segment Dawn focuses specifically on: Helping you improve your own productivity, Managing your workload during times of stress and anxiety, Figuring out what to do when you get stuck on essays and/other parts of their application, Using this methodology to "stand out from the crowd" -- especially if you are a part of an over-represented demographic, Moving from overwhelm to productivity when the application becomes too daunting; breaking down big application elements into smaller manageable pieces in order to move forward. Dawn and Chandler also discuss how many applicants are currently overwhelmed by all that is going on in the world… and how to use this methodology to move from overwhelm to excitement by identifying new strengths they hadn't thought about before.
For this two-part conversation, Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn Clare to discuss her "One Minute Method" for identifying underrecognized individual strengths. As many of you know, Dawn is no stranger to the podcast and brings so much to this conversation. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitted to the Stanford GSB. Outside of her work in admissions consulting, Dawn has experience at a wide range of companies, including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Pepsi, the Carlyle Group and Warner Bros. In part one of this conversation, Dawn shares her framework the "One Minute Method" for identifying individual strengths and how she uses it with her clients. This exercise focuses on taking one minute to focus on what they do that is AMAZING. This exercise sounds simple, but when done correctly a series of times is incredibly powerful. This exercise is designed to be simple to support you with limited time. You can do it as many times as you would like and it is incredibly powerful. In this segment Dawn focuses specifically on: helping applicants who might be stuck on essay topics, potential interview questions, or other elements of the MBA application, focusing on your instinct and intuition for a brief time rather than over-analyzing or comparing yourself to others, centering who you are at core, clarifying your own internal intrinsic value, and harnessing that to make your application as strong as possible, offering specific and actionable tips on how to think about yourself in new ways or “break out of the box” that others might have put you in. Numerous applicants have found this exercise to be especially useful, when “stuck” or during times of application stress and anxiety. If you enjoy this conversation, we hope you will join us next week for part two of this series.
In this episode replay, Chandler dives into 6 tips for MBA essays that even the most confident writers might miss.
For our milestone 250th (!!!) episode, our host Erika shares her thoughts on if applying to business school still makes sense in these tumultuous times.
This episode will motivate you to get going on your Round 1 MBA materials, and will cover what makes the most sense for you to be working on right now before applications are released.
Memorial Day weekend in the United States represents the unofficial kickoff of the 2025-26 business-school application year! What's the number one thing you should be doing right now if you plan to apply?
This replay episode covers 5 MBA applicant pitfalls – as in, traits, attitudes or approaches that some MBA applicants take that can ultimately derail their chances of success.
Have you bounced around in your career a bit? If so, you’ll need to be strategic in how you communicate your career story — and future career goals — to MBA admissions committees. This replay episode discusses what to do if your career moves don’t look exactly logical “on paper.” We’ll also cover how to write about being laid off or being fired, as well as what to do in your applications if you’ve worked somewhere for less than a year.
After working so hard on your MBA materials for months on end, it can be shocking and devastating if you're not accepted anywhere. What should you do now? This episode discusses 5 paths forward for MBA hopefuls who were dinged.
Many interviewers report that they make up a big percentage of their mind about applicants during the first few minutes of an interview. This episode replay shares a number of very specific suggestions and tips to make yourself stand out during these first interactions, now that we're in the thick of Round 2 interview season. Our host Chandler shares his suggestions for something he calls a “personal MBA soundbite” – including how you can create this soundbite, how you can incorporate it into the beginning of your first question, and how you can use this language to provide a framework for your entire interview. While each is different, the main goals of a personal MBA soundbite are to: summarize who you are in an interesting/memorable/dynamic/compelling way at the start of your interview, create a framework for the first part of your conversation so that the interviewer understands your life and work experiences in the appropriate context given your future goals, and develop a short elevator pitch that can not only be useful as you prep for your interviews… but also in terms of other elements of your admissions journey–from speaking to current students, to alums, to admissions officers, etc. This episode is perfect for anyone wanting to start off on the right foot for that all-important MBA admission interview.
After you've celebrated the huge achievement of getting into an MBA program, you have to figure out how you're going to pay for it! This episode replay focuses on the details of paying for your MBA with your own money, with "free" money, or with loaned money. It also includes what the FAFSA is used for and what your program's financial aid office can assist with.
It can be devastating to receive a ding after months of hard work on your MBA applications. This episode replay focuses on what a ding from any given program may or may not mean, and also gives advice on how you might choose to move forward.
In this replay episode of B-Schooled we sit down the Recy Dunn. Recy currently serves as the CEO of Ascend Public Charter Schools and oversees a network of 16 schools serving 6,000 students in grades K-12 across Brooklyn, NY. Prior to his role with Ascend, Recy served as the Chief Strategy Officer of the NYC Department of Education as well as a variety of other education leadership roles at both the local and national levels. Recy earned his MBA and his MA in Education from Stanford. In this episode, Recy and host Chandler Arnold share: Suggestions for MBA students interested in the field of education Thoughts focused on how education is a central civil rights issue of our time The value of an MBA for those working within school districts, drawing from Recy's experiences in California, DC, and New York The value of an MBA for those running education-focused social enterprises, drawing from Recy's experiences leading Ascend Public Charter Schools The value of an MBA for those working with philanthropists, drawing from Recy's experiences with the Broad Foundation and receiving an $11M gift from MacKenzie Scott Thoughts on diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of education Tips for current MBA students who are passionate about education We can’t thank Recy enough for joining us. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone passionate about education, equity or leading social enterprises.
In part 2 of this duo of popular past episodes, Cathy, an INSEAD graduate, answers frequently asked questions about MBA programs outside of the US. Topics include the differences between European and US-based MBA experiences, the visa process, the interview process, recruiting information, and more.
In this replay episode, our host Erika talks with Cathy, an SBC consultant and INSEAD grad, about some of the major European MBA programs and how they compare to US-based programs in terms of the admissions process, acceptance rates, campus experience, post-graduation employment opportunities and more.
During Round 2 interview season, this episode replay covers 3 reasons why candidates who seem similar on paper could end up with drastically different MBA admissions results.
While there are deferred-admissions programs for MBA hopefuls who are still in college, is it possible for someone with just 1 or 2 years of work experience to get into an MBA program "the normal way"? It's not impossible, but it's pretty rare. This episode replay explains why, and gives advice for MBA applicants who are less than 3 years out of college.
Considering this week's surprises in AI advancement, we're replaying Chandler's talk with Futurist Dr. Nathan Walworth. Futurism is a broad term referring to the advancement of disruptive technologies across industries. These exponential technologies are rapidly emerging in the fields of genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, synthetic organisms, nanotechnology, 3D printing, virtual reality, big data, cybernetics and many other areas. Cross-disciplinary by nature, Futurism is growing in popularity among business school applicants. But what does Futurism mean in the MBA context? How do applicants passionate about these areas stand out? What roles can applicants from non-scientific backgrounds play in this rapidly expanding arena? Perhaps most importantly, is it true that futurist MBAs just might save the world? Chandler Arnold sits down with Futurist Dr. Nathan Walworth to discuss all of this and more. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone interested in exponential technologies, tech for good, and interdisciplinary approaches to systematic change.
In this replay of co-host Chandler Arnold's very first B-Schooled episode, he welcomes SBC colleague Christina to have an extraordinary conversation about a hot topic in the world of MBA applications: authenticity. Chandler and Christina share several excerpts from past admissions consulting clients' essays as examples of how to use candor, vulnerability and boldness effectively.
Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we welcome Will Bachman back to the pod. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent management consultants with experience at top-tier consulting firms. Today, Will and his team manage more than 1,000 independent consultants, over 90% of these consultants are alums of McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Prior to founding Umbrex, Will spent four years as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company eight years as a Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. Will also graduated from Harvard and earned his MBA from Columbia Business School. In the second part of this two-part segment, Will and host Chandler share advice for MBA students hoping to land a top-tier consulting internship or full time job during or after B school. In this wide-ranging discussion Will and Chandler discuss: Specific pieces of advice for MBAs wanting to land a MBB internship or full time offer, Several things Will and Chandler know today that they wish they'd known when applying for their first consulting positions, Suggestions for those from non-consulting backgrounds, and Other tips from Will, who currently works with thousands of MBB alums In addition to all kinds of great tips and suggestions in the podcast, Will has also been kind enough to share a free Consulting Skills Self-Assessment module with podcast listeners. Will developed this module with other Umbrex consultants, which helps you rate your consulting skills across more than 50 areas: https://umbrex.com/resources/consulting-skills-self-assessment/
Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we sit down with Will Bachman. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent management consultants with experience at top-tier consulting firms. Today, Will and his team manage more than 1,000 independent consultants, over 90% of these consultants are alums of McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Prior to founding Umbrex, Will spent four years as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company eight years as a Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. Will also graduated from Harvard and earned his MBA from Columbia Business School. In the first part of this two part segment, Will and host Chandler share advice for pre-MBA consultants interested crafting applications that stand out when applying to top-tier MBA programs. In our next podcast, Will shares advice for MBA students hoping to land a top-tier consulting internship or full time job during or after B school. In this wide-ranging discussion Will and Chandler discuss: Advice for pre-MBA consultants applying to B school, Ways to make applications from consultants stand out from the crowd, Suggestions about how to make your MBA application stand out from other consultants, Ways to complement the traditional consultant skillset, Suggestions for those wanting to explore their passions—and expand their business acumen—prior to business school, Tips for how to combat self-doubt during the MBA application process, In addition to all kinds of great tips and suggestions, Will has also been kind enough to share a free Consulting Skills Self-Assessment module with podcast listeners. Will developed this module with other Umbrex consultants, which helps you rate your consulting skills across more than 50 areas: https://umbrex.com/resources/consulting-skills-self-assessment/
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to those celebrating today. In this replay episode we share another extensive profile of an applicant Stacy Blackman Consulting worked with. We explain how the former admissions committee members on our staff assessed his candidacy and what ended up happening.
In this replay episode, we share an extensive profile of an applicant Stacy Blackman Consulting worked with. We explain how the former admissions committee members on our staff assessed her candidacy, what advice they gave to strengthen her materials, and what ended up happening.
Today we are joined by Brian Plemmons, Director and Global Process Owner for BD, a global medical technology company advancing the world of health. After graduating from high school, Brian joined the United States Navy. During his military service Brian also earned his Associate's Degree, then went on to earn his Bachelor's degree and a law degree. Brian practiced law for seven years before transitioning to corporate America with a global medical device company. After working in the corporate world for some time Brian then decided to return to school, earning his MBA from Kenan-Flagler in his late 30s/early 40s. In this wide-ranging discussion Brian and Chandler discuss a range of topics, including: How to leverage military experience in your MBA application (and in the classroom), The importance of "giving yourself grace" when applying to business school and planning your career, Suggestions for those interested in earning an MBA in addition to another advanced degree, Advice for older-than-average applicants, Advice for applicants with children, Tips for those interested in earning an MBA part-time, and real-world advice for running your own cost/benefit analysis on whether or not an MBA is the right choice for you. This podcast is a must for anyone--regardless of your age--interested in hearing thoughtful tips regarding the MBA application process from a global leader with lots of kindness and wisdom to share.
In this replay episode, our host Erika welcomes Bill Chionis, one of Stacy Blackman Consulting's experts on part-time (PT) MBA programs. They have a discussion about: Whether or not we've seen an increase in interest in PT programs since COVID hit in 2020 The benefits of PT program vs. a traditional 2-year MBA Similarities and differences between part-time and full-time MBA programs How employers look at PT programs How (and if) PT MBAs can pursue a career switch Part-time MBA application criteria and guidance
Friends, Lovers, and Entrepreneurship: Starting a business with a Friend or Spouse Have you ever dreamed of starting a business with a friend? Or maybe launching an enterprise with your significant other? If so, this episode is for you... Today we sit down with Purvi Mody, Co-CEO of Insight Education. Insight Education is an educational consulting company Purvi and her husband acquired, run, and have expanded dramatically--both in the US and overseas. This wide-ranging discussion touches on a number of topics, including: combining a passion for two different fields, embracing a nontraditional career journey, the pros and cons of starting a business with a friend or loved one, embracing authenticity in the application process, successfully drawing lines between "work" and "home", thriving in business school as an introvert, exploring the important ways applying to business school can "tear you down", and one special piece of advice Purvi likes to share with applicants. Whether or not you are thinking of starting a business, this podcast is perfect for anyone wanting to take risks, boldly follow their dreams, and embrace authenticity in their MBA application.
In this two-part series we are going to talk about fear. In the first episode our host Chandler unpacked three of the most frequent MBA application fears clients and other applicants have shared with him over the years. This included fears around: Not applying to enough “stretch” or “safe” schools, Letting parents (or others) overly influence your school selections decisions, and the challenges of paying for business school In this episode we will continue the conversation by unpacking fears related to: not being real/authentic/vulnerable enough in your essays, being too vulnerable or personal in your essays, and doubts that an MBA might not be the right degree for you in the first place In addition to the points above, Chandler also points listeners to a number of other useful podcasts about related topics you might want to check out as well. Our hope is that—after closely examining and learning from your own fears—that you will be able to use these fears to dramatically improve your application. This series is a must for anyone experiencing fears or doubts along their MBA application journey.
In this two-part series we are going to talk about fear. Fear--and admitting you are afraid--has gotten a bit of a bad rep in our world, especially in the world of MBA applications. However facing your fears fears can offer you a very real opportunity to learn about yourself and dramatically improve your MBA applications. In this episode our host Chandler unpack three of the most frequent MBA application fears that clients and other applicants have shared with him over the years. We will unpack each of these and examine: What these fears might REALLY be telling you about yourself, How you can lean into these fears, and What you can learn about yourself – and, therefore, make your application stronger – from this process. Chandler also shares a number of other useful podcasts about related topics that you might want to check out, including: Episode 125 – Where we share 5 things applicants are often scared to talk about (and why you really should), including: A low GMAT/GRE score A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation) The need to stand out from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic) Episode 126 – Where we continue the discussion and talk about: Failing grades or low GPA Being a candidate that is significantly “older” or “younger” than other applicants A sneaking suspicion that your school selection is way out of reach Episodes 137 – Where we talk about five specific ways to combat self-doubt during the MBA admissions process, including: Facing your doubts head on Developing a plan to address each of your doubts Role-playing “worse case” interview questions Clearing your mind Asking yourself, what can I learn from this doubt? Episode 138 – Where we talk about five more tips and suggestions for dealing with self-doubt, including: Don’t compare yourself to other people Develop a realistic post-MBA plan Identify a “career path exemplar” Find an MBA mentor Ignore your inner saboteur NOTE: We apologize for the lesser audio quality of this episode related to a one-time recording complication.
If there’s one question nearly every school asks somewhere in the application process, it’s a version of “What are your short- and long-term career goals?” Not only is this question essential to nail, but tackling it in the right way can provide a “north star” for your entire application—linking together who you are, what you’ve done, where you want to go, and how an MBA will help you get there. In this replay, host Chandler Arnold sits down with MBA admissions expert Christina Fu to dive into what works and what doesn’t when thinking about short- and long-term career goals. This episode is especially helpful for those who: Already have a clear idea of their post-MBA goals and want to articulate them in the most powerful way, Are still deciding between two possible career paths, or Have no idea what they want to do after B-school (this group is larger than you’d think, so if this is you, you’re not alone!)
This week our host sits down with Emma from the SBC team. Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. She’s also worked with BCG, Teach For American and so many other amazing groups. Emma and Chandler sit down to talk about a critical—but often overlooked—element of the application process: how to have meaningful interactions with the Admissions Committee during your application and journey. Emma shares a number of incredible pieces of advice, including: Two important things to be sure to do or keep in mind when interacting with the admissions office, Two important things to be sure to AVOID during your interactions with the admissions team, A great suggestion about keeping a positive attitude during the admissions process, and A special behind-the-scenes advice for our listeners based on her time as an admissions officer.
You’ve all heard the expression all work and no play makes Jack (or Julia) a dull sport. The same is true with MBA applications. Simply having an amazing set of professional accomplishments is not enough to get you into a top MBA program. Setting aside scores and academic achievements for another podcast, this podcast will dive into five different aspects of your life you might explore applications, including a few you probably have not previously considered. Question: Why are we talking about this? And why do business schools even ask you to write essays in the first place? Answer: These schools are interested in much MORE than your test scores, academic transcript, and professional accomplishments. More than almost anything else these schools are interested in learning what lessons you have learned about yourself and your leadership style, and—critically—how you will harness those learnings in order to drive impact in the world. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone who wants to: Present a full and complete picture of them to the admissions office, Stand out from the crowd by sharing unique and attention-grabbing stories and examples, and/or Identify memorable and authentic ways to share what makes YOU tick, how YOU think, how YOU have grown and changed over the years, and (very importantly) what lessons you have learned about yourself along the way. This B-Schooled episode can be found here, or take a listen on any of the major podcast platforms below.
In this replay of a past episode, Erika talks with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. As Anthony served on the implementation and design team for Wharton's Team Based Discussion (TBD) interview format, this episode focuses on his insight advice for MBA candidates who will be interviewing with Wharton.
As many of our listeners already know, Kellogg recently updated its MBA application. For this episode, our host Chandler sits down with former Kellogg Admissions Officer—and longtime SBC Consultant—Caryn to talk about all the changes… and how to tackle them. Caryn not only holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, she also worked as an Admissions Officer for Kellogg before joining SBC. In this role Caryn read and evaluated thousands of applications. For this podcast Caryn touches on a range of topics, including: SBC’s recent conversations with the Kellogg Admissions Team about a range of topics of interest to current and future students, The fact that Kellogg is much more than a marketing school (in fact you might be surprised what most students are focusing on), and A deep dive conversation about Kellogg’s wide range of MBA program options, including their—two year program, one year program, MBAi program, joint degree offerings, and other program options. Caryn also shares specific advice on the updated Kellogg application, including specific suggestions regarding: Two new essay questions, what you should focus on (and what you shouldn’t), Possible ways to approach each of these questions, Ways you might structure your essays, Potential pitfalls applicants should be aware of, and How to tackle all of these things within a very tight word count. Caryn then closes out the podcast with a few pieces of personal advice from her position as a former Kellogg MBA admissions officer that we promise you don’t want to miss.
Round 1 of the 2024-25 MBA application cycle is soon drawing to a close, and along with those deadlines comes a surge in self-sabotaging applicant behavior. This episode covers 3 things you should do before submitting, as well as 3 mistakes you should avoid making after your materials are in.
In May, B-Schooled co-host Chandler returned to the Bay Area for his 20-year Stanford GSB reunion. During the weekend, Chandler kept a notebook at his side and wrote down a number of thought-provoking quotes and notes from classmates and friends. In the second part of this two-episode arc, Chandler shares 5 additional reflections related to his MBA experience and intervening 20 years. These reflections--coming both from his own experience as well as those of his classmates--touch on a range of topics, including why: one big problem with perfection, why changing your own narrative is not only ok but essential, the double-edged sword of social media, and several very specific dangers of the very successful. Whether you’re targeting Stanford or are just curious to hear how Stanford GSB grads reflect on their experience, this podcast provides a unique sneak peek into the reunion experience at one of the world’s top business schools.
In May, B-Schooled co-host Chandler returned to the Bay Area for his 20-year Stanford GSB reunion. During the weekend, Chandler kept a notebook at his side and wrote down a number of thought-provoking quotes and notes from classmates and friends. In the first part of this two-episode arc, Chandler shares 5 reflections related to his MBA experience as intervening 20 years. These reflections--coming both from his own experience as well as those of his classmates--touch on a range of topics, including why: focusing on what you are “supposed to do” is only valuable up to a point, the power of being “joyfully irritated” shouldn’t be ignored, the “write your own obituary” exercise isn't necessarily the way to look back on your life. Not enough people are discussing a little secret about imposter syndrome, and two specific criteria to look for in friends during business school (and beyond) Whether you’re targeting Stanford or are just curious to hear how Stanford GSB grads reflect on their experience, this podcast provides a unique sneak peek into the reunion experience at one of the world’s top business schools.
In this replay of a popular past episode, we discuss how your social media behavior could affect your MBA candidacy — both positively and negatively. We cover what admissions committees might be looking for that could be problematic, as well as what kinds of social media posts might actually end up strengthening your profile. We also talk about how reviews of your social media accounts don’t end with the adcom once you’re admitted.
For the first time in more than a decade, Harvard Business School has updated its essay questions. In this much-anticipated series, we sit down with HBS alum and longtime SBC consultant Yvette to talk about each of these questions and share suggestions, tips and strategies regarding how best to approach these new essay prompts. In this segment, we tackle the third question: Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words) In this episode, we discuss: What this question is REALLY asking (and what it isn't), A discussion of what "curiosity" means in the context of this question and what curiosity-related experiences might be appropriate for this essay Possible ways to structure your essay response, Specific things you should do when answering this question, Possible pitfalls you should avoid when answering this question, and How this essay fits into your larger application This essay is a MUST for anyone thinking of applying to HBS. Special thanks the many SBC consultants and former admissions officers who shared useful advice and guidance that informed this episode.
For the first time in more than a decade, Harvard Business School has updated its essay questions. In this much-anticipated series, we sit down with HBS alum and longtime SBC consultant Yvette to talk about each of these questions and share suggestions, tips and strategies regarding how best to approach these new essay prompts. In this segment, we tackle the second question: Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words) In this episode, we discuss: What this question is REALLY asking (and what it isn't), A discussion of what "leadership" means in the context of this question and what leaership experiences might be appropriate for this essay Possible ways to structure your essay response, Specific things you should do when answering this question, Possible pitfalls you should avoid when answering this question, and How this essay fits into your larger application This essay is a MUST for anyone thinking of applying to HBS. Special thanks the many SBC consultants and former admissions officers who shared useful advice and guidance that informed this episode.
For the first time in more than a decade, Harvard Business School has updated its essay questions. In this much-anticipated series, we sit down with HBS alum and longtime SBC consultant Yvette to talk about each of these questions and share suggestions, tips and strategies regarding how best to approach these new essay prompts. In this segment, we tackle the first question: Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words) In this episode, we discuss: What this question is REALLY asking (and what it isn't), One possible way to structure your essay response, How to decide which experience(s) from your own life to share (and the importance of sharing what you LEARNED), Specific things you should do when answering this question, Possible pitfalls you should avoid when answering this question, and How this essay fits into your larger application This essay is a MUST for anyone thinking of applying to HBS. Special thanks the many SBC consultants and former admissions officers who shared useful advice and guidance that informed this episode.
Perhaps more than any MBA acceptance pair, many applicants dream of being admitted to both the Stanford Graduate School of Business (the GSB) and Harvard Business School (HBS). In this three-part series, two GSB + HBS dual admits -- host Chandler and SBC consultant Dawn -- sit down for a series of VERY candid conversations about gaining admission to these two schools. In the first segment, our hosts start by sharing some important context for how this podcast should be used (and how it shouldn't). Afterwards they share their personal takes on what types of students tend thrive in each environment. In the second segment, our host are more data driven, with Dawn and Chandler reviewing successful applicant profiles from each school. In this final third segment, Dawn dives deep into what some call the "unicorn" of the MBA applicant world... those applicants who are fortunate enough to earn admission to both programs. This episode is a must-listen for any applicant applying to either of these schools.
Perhaps more than any MBA acceptance pair, many applicants dream of being admitted to both the Stanford Graduate School of Business (the GSB) and Harvard Business School (HBS). In this three-part series, two GSB + HBS dual admits -- host Chandler and SBC consultant Dawn -- sit down for a series of VERY candid conversations about gaining admission to these two schools. In part one, Chandler and Dawn start by sharing some important context for how this podcast should be used -- and how it shouldn't. To that end, will listening to this podcast ensure that you get into both of these schools? No. But we can assure you that listening to this podcast will help you think about how you as a unique applicant can apply most thoughtfully to each of these schools... potentially increasing your chances of admission significantly. In part one Dawn and Chandler also share their personal opinions about what type of students flourish in these somewhat different MBA environments. This episode is full of behind-the-scenes information based on the speakers' unique experiences as well as information they've each gathered over decades of working with applicants applying to both schools. Part two of this series (episode 212) will be more data driven, with Dawn and Chandler reviewing successful applicant profiles from each school. In the third and final episode of this series (episode 213), Dawn will dive deep into what some call the "unicorn" of the MBA applicant world... those applicants who are fortunate enough to earn admission to both programs. This episode is a must-listen for any applicant applying to either of these schools.
If you know you want to pursue an MBA in the future, but that future is still at least a few years away, what could (and should) you do now to build a strong candidacy? This replay episode gives actionable advice for all aspects of an eventual-applicant's profile.
This episode is specially designed for applicants from military backgrounds… but if you think this is JUST for applicants from military backgrounds, you are WRONG. This episode is for anyone applying to business school from a nontraditional background. Today our host Chandler will be joined by SBC Consultant Margaret who has been working with MBA applicants—with a special focus on military applicants—since 2000. Margaret has successfully worked with every type of client imaginable, with a very high percentage receiving merit scholarships. Her clients can now be found on the alumni rosters of every top school. Last week -- In part one of this conversation -- Margaret and I discussed: Common misconceptions applicants from military backgrounds have about applying to business school, Unique application assets many military applicants have (and how to leverage these), and Common pitfalls applicants from military backgrounds should avoid. And today – in part two of this conversation – we will continue the conversation to cover a range of additional topics, including: The best advice Margaret has for applicants from military (and other nontraditional) backgrounds, Success stories from military applicants (and how these can help you in your own applications), and Some special secret advice for applicants from military backgrounds. This is a "must-listen" episode for military applicants... or any applicant from a "non-traditional" MBA background.
This episode is specially designed for applicants from military backgrounds… but if you think this is JUST for applicants from military backgrounds, you are WRONG. This episode is for anyone applying to business school from a nontraditional background. Today our host Chandler will be joined by SBC Consultant Margaret who has been working with MBA applicants—with a special focus on military applicants—since 2000. Margaret has successfully worked with every type of client imaginable, with a very high percentage receiving merit scholarships. Her clients can now be found on the alumni rosters of every top school. In part one of this conversation, Margaret and Chandler will discuss: Common misconceptions applicants from military backgrounds have about applying to business school, Unique application assets many military applicants have (and how to leverage these), and Common pitfalls applicants from military backgrounds should avoid. In part two of this conversation, we will continue the dialogue to cover a range of additional topics, including: The best advice Margaret has for applicants from military (and other nontraditional) backgrounds, Success stories from military applicants (and how these can help you in your own applications), and Several pieces of secret advice for applicants from military backgrounds.
In this replay episode, we welcome Stacy Blackman Consulting's EMBA expert, Bill Chinois, to discuss all aspects of executive MBA programs, including why someone might want to consider an EMBA over a part-time or full-time program.
Are you considering transitioning from the private sector to the nonprofit/social sector? If so, this episode is for you! In this episode, Chandler sits down with Becki Last, whose career includes leading major initiatives for both Fortune 500 companies as well as leading nonprofit social enterprise organizations. In this engaging conversation Becki and Chandler share: Suggestions identifying the right social impact organization/role for you, Tips for “selling” your corporate skill set to a nonprofit/social impact employer, Advice for easing your easing your transition from the private sector to the public sector, Suggestions for thriving in the public sector once you land your dream job, and Lessons from their own MBA and early work experiences they still use today.
In this episode your host Chandler pulls together a range of suggestions from other SBC podcasts along with a range of new insights – to give you all the tools you need to not just survive your time on the waitlist but, hopefully, thrive. Insights from this episode include: What being on the waitlist means (and what it doesn’t), The importance of developing an individualized waitlist strategy, Specific guidance about following your school’s waitlist process (which varies from program to program), What to do if your school allows students on the waitlist to send follow-up materials and updates, Tips for asking about feedback regarding your application if appropriate, Tips for developing a relationship your waitlist point of contact, Possible benefits of playing the “waitlist long game”, and Suggestions for how to stand out on the waitlist (in good ways) and how to avoid standing out on the wait list (in bad ways).
This replay of B-School's one-year-anniversary episode features Stacy Blackman herself! Stacy will talk about her entrepreneurial career and how an MBA helped her (and continues to help her) start three companies. She'll also share advice for MBA hopefuls who are looking to run their own firms at some point after graduation, as well as for those who might be approaching the application process with entrepreneurial experience already under their belt.
For this podcast Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn, who is no stranger to the podcast. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitted to the Stanford GSB. Outside of her work in admissions consulting, Dawn has experience at a wide range of companies, including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Pepsi, the Carlyle Group and Warner Brothers. A few weeks ago Dawn approached Chandler with a unique podcast idea: in this episode Dawn and Chandler discuss the recent Grammy performance featuring Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. Dawn uses this unique collaboration as a jumping off point to talk about a range of topics of interest to MBA applicants, including: Embracing authenticity and vulnerability Celebrating diverse perspectives Knowing how to play to your strengths The power of collaboration The benefits of surprising your audience Modestly shining the spotlight on your excellence Connecting with your audience on a personal level The benefits of starting early Listening to this podcast is a must – not only for artists and performers – but for anyone interested in crafting an application that allows you to really connect with your reader.
This replay of a two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. This week's Part 2 covers budgeting for your MBA, planning to relocate, and figuring out how to best spend your time between now and matriculation (when you aren’t attending to all of the other to do’s!). As a reminder, last week in Part 1 (episode 201) we discussed how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out (on our website under "Work With Us").
This replay of a two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. Part 1 covers To Do's related to an applicant's current and future networks, as well as other important actions to take before leaving a job. We also discuss how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out (on our website under "Work With Us").
Four our special 200th podcast episode we are sitting down with an early SBC client – Stephen Frayne, Jr. -- who worked with SBC almost 20 years ago. Chandler and Stephen talk about a number of important topics of interest to any MBA applicant, including: How to think about the value of investing in working with an MBA consultant, The ways in which an MBA consultant can serve as a mentor, Advice from a re-applicants who don’t get in the first time… but ended up getting into his dream school the second time, Lessons learned from that same applicant who ended up TURNING DOWN his dream school for reasons he never would have expected, Suggestions for MBA applicants interested in the intersection between entrepreneurship and intellectual property, Lessons learned from standing up for yourself early in your career, The benefits of asking for help and coalition building, The power of taking a “portfolio approach” to life, Keeping a “beginner’s mindset” throughout the course of one’s career, and The perils of thinking small. Special thanks to Stephen for this very honest and candid conversation.
For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”. In the first segment of this series Chandler talked about WHERE YOU ARE NOW as an applicant what you have learned thus far in life. In the second segment he discussed how to articulate bold goals for where you ultimately WANT TO BE. In this critical third segment we connect the dots by discussing how to you GET FROM HERE TO THERE in ways that are specific, tangible, and – perhaps most importantly – realistic. In this episode, Chandler discusses how to: Articulate what you want to get out of your MBA experience, Describe your short and long term career goals, Detail the career stepping stones connecting your MBA experience to your ultimate career objective, Identify and describe your own “career exemplar”, and Pressure test your career plan with an industry expert. Chandler closes the episode by pointing listeners to a range of other free SBC resources for those interested in additional career planning support.
For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”. In many ways, these words summarize so much of Chandler’s entire MBA application philosophy. In this three part series, he will dive deep into authenticity, boldness, and career planning—and how each of these relate to MBA applications. In this episode Chandler talks extensively about how to be bold in your MBA applications. Among other things, Chandler talks about why top business schools are looking for bold applicants and how to: Be bold by centering your passion and being specific, Incorporate bold elements into your career goals, Think about what you want to do with your life, Talk about your accomplishments without sounding like you are bragging, Talk about the elements of your application you are the most nervous about (and why this is a very good thing), Write the essay that scares you, and Decide how personal is “too personal” for MBA essays and interviews.
For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”. In many ways, these words summarize so much of Chandler’s entire MBA application philosophy. In this three part series, he will dive deep into authenticity, boldness, and career planning—and how each of these relate to MBA applications. In part one, Chandler talks extensively about authenticity and aggregates a great deal of free resources related to this critically important topic. Among other things, Chandler talks about how to: Channel your most authentic self when writing your MBA essays, Highlight what you've learned and how you've grown, and Deal with self-doubt while on your MBA journey Chandler concludes by challenging listeners to use authenticity as a way to reframe doubts into boldness. By turning your deepest fears on their heads, you might just discover the fuel you need to take your application to the next level.
Are you in the extraordinarily enviable position of having to decide between two or more MBA programs? Are you nervous about your choice or unsure of how to go about making such a huge commitment? This episode pulls together advice from the entire Stacy Blackman Consulting staff on how to approach this decision and what factors to consider (both short-term and long-term).
Today’s guest is Hanson Li, Founder and Managing Partner of Salt Partners. Salt Partners is a restaurant industry focused investment and operating company. Since 2014, Salt has been involved with of 8 significant restaurant companies—including 4 restaurants with Michelin stars. Salt Partners has also invested in 15+ technology and branded companies in the food and beverage industry. Prior to Salt, Hanson spent 10 years as Managing Director at The Hina Group, a China focused private equity firm and investment bank. Born in Hong Kong, Hanson grew up in Asia and Rochester NY. He graduated from Stanford Graduate School of Business as both a Siebel Scholar (awarded to top 5 graduates) and an Arjay Miller Scholar. He also holds a BA and MA from Stanford. Finally, Hanson currently sits on the board of Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Center for Asian America Media, and the advisory board of OpenTable. In this episode Hanson and Chandler talk about a wide range of topics, including: Advice for applicants who grew up outside of the United States, Suggestions for those interested in the fields of PE and investment banking, Advice for entrepreneurs hoping to start their own enterprises, and Suggestions for anyone interested in “non-traditional” MBA careers (generally) or those with a passion for the food and beverage world (specifically), Hanson also offers suggestions that will benefit any MBA, including: The best decision he made in business school, The one thing he wishes he'd done differently while in business school, and Important lessons he's learned from failure.
This episode offers insight into Harvard Business School's unique type of MBA interview, as well as advice on how to best prepare.
In this episode we sit down SBC’s test prep expert Anthony to talk about critical reasoning questions on the GRE and GMAT, with a special focus on the one logical fallacy that every test taker should be prepared for. In this episode, Anthony shares: General tips for critical reasoning questions, Specific advice about one critical reasoning question type that trips up many test-takers, and Suggestions for how to tackle these problems so that you won’t be caught off guard on test day. In this episode we will be reviewing to actual GMAT questions. For those of you following along we have included the full text of those questions here: QUESTION ONE: Asthma, a chronic breathing disorder, is significantly more common today among adult competitive swimmers than it is among competitive athletes who specialize in other sports. Although chlorine is now known to be a lung irritant and swimming pool water is generally chlorinated, it would be rash to assume that frequent exposure to chlorine is the explanation of the high incidence of asthma among these swimmers, since __________. young people who have asthma are no more likely to become competitive athletes than are young people who do not have asthma competitive athletes who specialize in sports other than swimming are rarely exposed to chlorine competitive athletes as a group have a significantly lower incidence of asthma than do people who do not participate in competitive athletics until a few years ago, physicians routinely recommended competitive swimming to children with asthma, in the belief that this form of exercise could alleviate asthma symptoms many people have asthma without knowing they have it and thus are not diagnosed with the condition until they begin engaging in very strenuous activities, such as competitive athletics QUESTION TWO: It is widely assumed that people need to engage in intellectual activities such as solving crossword puzzles or mathematics problems in order to maintain mental sharpness as they age. In fact, however, simply talking to other people—that is, participating in social interaction, which engages many mental and perceptual skills—suffices. Evidence to this effect comes from a study showing that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the force of the evidence cited? As people grow older, they are often advised to keep exercising their physical and mental capacities in order to maintain or improve them. Many medical conditions and treatments that adversely affect a person's mental sharpness also tend to increase that person's social isolation. Many people are proficient both in social interactions and in solving mathematical problems. The study did not itself collect data but analyzed data bearing on the issue from prior studies. The tasks evaluating mental sharpness for which data were compiled by the study were more akin to mathematics problems than to conversation. Anthony scored in the 99% percentile on the GMAT and has numerous perfect GRE scores. Not only is he one of our favorite guests, he is also available for one on one test coaching. To learn more about Anthony, visit please visit or check out his SBC bio .
This episode gives advice (and warnings) to those attempting to pull together MBA applications in the final weeks before the deadlines.
In this episode Chandler sits down with longtime friend, Anna Anderson, who leads celebrity and influencer engagement for The Nature Conservancy. Anna brings a long history of leading corporate social responsibility and social impact efforts at a number of leading social change organizations. In this episode Anna shares incredible advice for MBAs interested in careers in corporate social responsibility (CSR), Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and a variety of other social change areas. Anna answers a number of bold questions, including: The best lessons she learned while in business school, What she wishes she'd done differently while earning her MBA, Advice for MBA students looking for summer internships in the social change space, Advice for MBA grads looking to get into CSR, ESG and related social change arenas, And much more... This podcast is a must for anyone interested in using their MBA to advance social change.
It can be quite a challenge to fit an MBA application, data-form or essay response into the space provided when restrictive character or word counts are in play. This episode focuses on specific ways business school applicants can edit down essays and short-answer responses without compromising the power of their stories, anecdotes or statements.
What to do ONE MONTH before the deadline This B-Schooled podcast is designed for MBA applicants one month out from their application deadlines. In this episode our host share specific tips and suggestions for applicants putting the finishing touches on the following application elements: Polishing your resume, especially in terms of adding additional quantification and additional context, Ways to check in with (and support) those writing your recommendations, Ways to take your essays from good to great over a few weeks, Tips and suggestions for filling out the online application itself (AKA the data forms), and Ways to ensure your entire application is cohesive without being redundant. Finally, our host Chandler next encourages listeners tore-read their entire application from start to finish—then ends the podcast with 5 key questions to ensure your application is memorable, authentic and bold. This podcast is a must for anyone wanting to make the most of their last few weeks before application deadlines.
This replay of a past episode covers how to prepare for the various kinds of video essays (pre-recorded, live with known questions, and live with randomized questions) several MBA programs require, as well as general tips on what you should wear, where you should record, and more.
Having worked with MBA applicants for almost 20 years, co-host Chandler has seen levels of stress and anxiety associated with the MBA application journey rise steadily over the years. If you are struggling with stress and anxiety connected with your MBA applications, you’ve come to the right place. In this episode we’ve pulled together a range of tools from previous podcasts along with new content, so that you have a host of resources at your fingertips if and when stress and anxiety strike. But first—and this is important—we want to say that feeling stress and anxiety regarding to MBA applications are to be expected and are common to many applicants... definitely much more common than your peers and fellow applicants might be letting on. :) In this episode, Chandler will share: Suggestions for what to do when you are feeling stuck about one or more elements of your application, Tips for how to deal with frequent application concerns that can create stress, Recommendations about dealing with self-doubt (and how sometimes doubt can be a good thing), Comments about the power of remembering all you have already accomplished, and Specific suggestions about what to do IN THE MOMENT if application stress and anxiety strike. This episode is a very hopeful conversation about dealing with application stress and anxiety. Ultimately this is a dialogue about how reframe these feelings; using them as optimistic and productive fuel to propel your application forward.
This episode explores why it's important to demonstrate your knowledge of and fit with the MBA programs you’re applying to – and how you can do so in both your written materials and your interview responses.
The first sentence of each of your business school essays is incredibly important. This is your opportunity to start your essay strong, grab your reader’s attention, and chart a bold course for where your essay will go. On the other hand, an opening sentence that isn’t compelling can dramatically increase your chances of losing your reader’s attention and decreasing their engagement. In this podcast we will: Discuss why the first sentence is so important, not only for the essay itself but for the first sentence of each paragraph as well, Share examples of strong opening sentences and different categories of opening sentences you might consider Talk about the power of final sentences (for the essay as a whole as well as for each paragraph), and Share tips to make sure your first (and last) sentences are unique and memorable
In this replay of a popular episode, Erika is joined by her SBC colleague Lisa, former Director of MBA Admissions for the full-time and part-time MBA programs at Rice University’s Jones School, to have a discussion about when it is and isn't a good idea to share deeply personal stories in your MBA essays or interview responses. While you want to present your authentic self across your materials, when it comes to writing about certain past struggles or traumas, there is a fine line between what will differentiate you and what might give admissions committees pause.
In today’s podcast Chandler sits down with David Morgenstern (he/him). David serves as the Global Kids Apparel Business Operations Director at Nike. David shares his answers to a number of questions, including: What is the best decisions you made in business school? What things would you have done differently in business school? How can an MBA break into the world of sports/apparel? What advice for listeners wanting to thrive within a big company? What advice do you have for families about navigating family, work, and life? Note: David joins us on the podcast today to talk about the sports and apparel industry, thriving within a big company, and balancing the demands of career and family. David is not here at a representative of Nike.
For this podcast our host Chandler joins SBC’s Director Of Test Prep, Anthony, for a great conversation with our friend Tyler from Achievable—an AI-powered test prep platform for the GRE—to discuss the new shorter GRE and GMAT tests. In this episode Tyler, Anthony and Chandler walk through recent changes in the GRE and GMAT tests, including: The new GMAT focus, which is shorter than the previous test, including: Changes in the GMAT focus algorithm, New content focus areas for the GMAT focus, The ability to change up to 3 answers on the GMAT focus, The new shorter GRE test (what has changed and what hasn't), Differences between the two new tests, Pros and cons of the new tests, How to prepare for these new tests, Admissions offer perspectives on the GMAT vs the GRE, and How to choose the test that is the best for you. This podcast is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about these new shorter tests or anyone who is trying to decide which test is best for them. This conversation first aired on GRE Snacks and is re-aired here with permission.
In the second episode of this two-parter, our co-host Erika details the class sessions she went to during her 20-year Harvard Business School MBA reunion and what she took away from them.
In the first episode of this two-parter, our co-host Erika shares an overview of her 20-year Harvard Business School reunion this past June.
In order to claim a spot at your dream school, it’s critical that you find a way to let the admissions committee know what your classmates will learn from you and how you’ll be an asset to their program. However, since most schools don’t come right out and ask you to address what you’ll bring to the school’s community, you need to find a way to convey that information throughout your materials. In this replay of a past episode, we cover ways to communicate the knowledge, experience, soft skills and interests you’ll contribute to class discussions and be able to bond over with fellow students.
In this episode we sit down with an SBC alum, Whitney, who just completed her first year at Stanford… along with two different summer internships. Whitney comes from the social impact world and shares lots of great information in this discussion, including: The best decision she made during her first year, One thing she would do differently about her first year, Suggestions for those wanting to make the most out of their internship experience (and for those considering two different internship experiences), Tips for those interested in the social impact space, and Advice about taking risks. This podcast is a must for anyone interested in making the most out of their first year, anyone passionate about social impact, or anyone interested in learning more about the Stanford GSB student experience.
In this episode we sit down with an SBC alum, Ty, who just completed his first year at Darden and a summer internship with Bain & Company. Ty comes from a somewhat untraditional background—with a focus on music and social change—and shares lots of great information about his experiences at Darden and his transition to the world of consulting, including: The best decision he made during his first year, Balancing his marriage and being a father while in school, One thing he would do differently about his first year, Suggestions for those wanting to make the most out of their internship experience, Tips for those wanting to break into consulting, and Advice about taking risks while at B school. This podcast is a must for anyone interested in making the most out of their first year, anyone applying with an untraditional background, or anyone transitioning into the world of consulting.
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.
While there are countless ways to approach an MBA essay, we know a few things are true for virtually any business school essay prompt: You need to convey a lot of complex information succinctly, These prompts are often purposely broad/vague--which means that it is essential for you to structure your essay in a way that is compelling and easy to understand, and Admissions officers, who have to read hundreds or thousands of applications a year, read these essays VERY quickly. For all of these reasons, it is ESSENTIAL your essay is well structured, compelling, and that you make every word count. Of course you can write a well-structured essay in all kinds of ways, but one tried and true approach is probably the same format that your middle-school English school teacher taught you – the five paragraph essay: One introductory paragraph, Three paragraphs in the body that support and develop your argument, and One concluding paragraph at the end But the magic of what we share here ISN’T this format. Virtually every 14 year-old in the country is familiar with this format; the critical thing is how you LEVERAGE this format to integrate interesting and relevant stories about yourself in a way that is consistent and cohesive with your larger application narrative. In this segment your host Chandler will: Walk listeners through each paragraph of this essay structure, Suggest specific tips and suggestions to think about for each part of the essay, Share things to watch out for/avoid, and Showcase essay examples from successful applicants who earned admission to their first-choice programs
This episode covers: - How you should think about and position your short- and long-term career goals in both the short-answer responses on business school applications, as well as in career-related essays. - What you should do if you have no idea what your career goals are, or if the main reason you want to go to b-school is to explore different options for your future career path. - Whether it's a bad idea to say you want to completely change careers or stick with what you’re doing now.
Host Chandler Arnold sits down with longtime friend and MBA classmate Carie Lemack to talk about using an MBA in the aerospace field (specifically) and emerging sectors (more generally). Carie has served as a CEO and COO in aerospace enterprises, as an advisor to a number of aerospace startups, and is the co-founder of the Zed Factor Fellowship Program, a fellowship that empowers aspiring space and aviation professionals from historically excluded backgrounds. In this wide-ranging conversation Chandler and Carie laugh a lot. They also have radically candid conversations about a variety of topics, including: Advice for people interested in using their MBAs in Aerospace and other emerging industries, Tips for breaking into a new industry from a nontraditional background, Practical suggestions for how to leverage your passion to transition into a new field, Suggestions for women working in typically male-dominated industries, Suggestions for MBA students thinking about how to prioritize their time in business school, How to choose the “fights worth fighting for” in business school and in life, and Advice for MBA applicants doubting whether or not they “have what it takes” when applying to business school.
If you've toyed with the idea of using an artificial intelligence tool to write your MBA essays, this is the episode for you.
One thing many admissions officers focus on is identifying applicants who have a strong record of learning and growth, in both their professional and personal lives. With that said, effectively DEMONSTRATING you are open to learning and you have a proven aptitude for growth is often easier said than done. But don't worry. In this podcast, we share specific tips and suggestions you can use to highlight the things you've learned--and the ways you've grown--in three areas of your application: your essays, your recommendations, and your interviews. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone who wants to distinguish themselves as a thoughtful and emotionally intelligent applicant.
In a continuation of episode 158 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 is a replay of a past fan-favorite episode.
The things that scare us – especially in the context of MBA essays – are often the things that make us feel vulnerable, uncertain, or insecure. In short, things that force us to take our armor off and be vulnerable. Vulnerability in MBA essays also offers you a powerful opportunity to connect with your reader, demonstrate self-awareness and/or EQ, and – most importantly – tell a really memorable and compelling story about yourself. In this episode we talk about how to choose an essay topic offers these opportunities for candor and vulnerability, including sharing a range of examples and categories of essays that might be a good fit for you. This is a must for anyone interested in writing more boldly and more authentically.
In this episode, Erika talks with Joe Sweeney, the MBA Program Academic Director of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Joe's unique experience as an MBA student, professor and administrator at Mendoza leads to an in-depth discussion of what makes Mendoza stand out, and how the program integrates with its community in South Bend, Indiana, as well as with the wider University of Notre Dame.
In this episode, co-host Chandler Arnold sits down with Jamey Cummings to talk about leadership. Jamey graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering. While in college, he was the captain of the wrestling team and a two-time qualifier for NCAA Division I Championships. Jamey started his career as an Officer in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, where he served for nine years before earning his MBA at Stanford. After graduation, Jamey worked as a consultant with BCG before moving to the field of executive search with firms including Korn Ferry and Heidrick & Struggles. Jamey is currently a Partner at JM Search where he co-leads the Firm's Security Practice and is a member of the IT Executives and Technology Practices. Join us of this wide ranging discussion on leadership, including such topics as: Advice for those from military backgrounds applying to business school Suggestions for describing non-corporate leadership experiences in your MBA application Guidance for those wanting to transition into—or out of—consulting An overview of the world of executive search as a possible post-MBA career choice Suggestions for those interested in entering the world of executive search Insights into what post-MBA leadership skills top firms are looking for today Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone applying to business school from the military or any non-corporate background, spending time with Jamey is a joy.
This episode—a replay of a listener favorite—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 on May 17 (upcoming episode #162). Listen to B-Schooled episode #158 here, or on any of the podcast apps listed below.
First of all, we recognize that many applicants do consider MBA rankings as a key input into their school selection process. We consider MBA rankings too. But—and this is important—we belive these should be only one factor in your decision making process. The first part of this conversation focuses on six questions everyone should ask themselves regarding school selection--including considering traditional full-time MBA programs vs online, part-time, and executive progams, targeting a mix of “stretch” schools and schools you are more confident about, the pros and cons of international and specialized MBA programs, school culture, and variety of other topics. For the second part of this conversation, we encourage you to put down the rankings sheet (at least for the time being) as we consider 6 additional questions to help you identify schools that are the best fits for you.
Laura, a Michigan Ross MBA alum and former admissions committee member during her second year, joins Erika -- a Ross BBA graduate -- to share advice for and insight into the Ross application and interview process. And they might gush a little over how awesome Ann Arbor, Michigan, is as well.
First off, many applicants do consider MBA rankings as a key input into their school selection process. With good reason. We consider MBA rankings too. But—and this is important—we belive these should be ONE factor in your decision making process. Not the ONLY aspect of your decision making process. Leading entities ranking MBA programs typically evaluate a range of factors relevant to the MBA experience: from quality of instruction, to student/teacher ratios, to alumni resources, to prestige, to post-graduation employment rates, to starting salaries, and a range of other inputs. But the truth is that some of these criteria are probably more important to YOU than others. For this podcast, we encourage you to put down the rankings sheet (at least for the time being) and consider 12 specific questions to help you identify schools that might be the best fits for YOU. This podcast is the first of a two-part segment.
After working so hard on your MBA materials for months on end, it can be shocking and devastating if you're not accepted anywhere. What should you do now? This episode discusses 5 paths forward for MBA hopefuls who were dinged.
This episode offers a deep dive into an aspect of the MBA application process many forget about: connecting with students, faculty and alums at your target schools. There are SO MANY REASONS this is an important thing to do. Not only does this help give you a direct way to understand which school might be the best fit for you, but there are also indirect benefits –- from behind-the-scenes connections to admissions committees, to professional contacts, to networking opportunities, to new friendships. The list goes on and on. In this episode we discuss seven ways to connect with students, faculty and alumni. Importantly, this episode has been specially tailored to those of you who might come from a non-traditional background and/or don't think that you have any connections in this category. Topics covered in this episode include: Taking advantage of Zoom and other opportunities hosted by the admissions office. Reaching out to co-presidents of professional student clubs you might be interested in. Connecting with students from affinity groups you identify with. Approaching alumni, especially those you have something in common with. Considering approaching faculty and staff. Taking advantage of your networks (even if you don't think you have a network). Exploring national MBA affinity groups.
Alex, a GSB alum who's now on the SBC admissions consulting team, shares advice for Stanford's extensive MBA application, as well as insight into the program's culture and surrounding area in Silicon Valley.
For this episode of B-Schooled we sit down the Recy Dunn. Recy currently serves as the CEO of Ascend Public Charter Schools and oversees a network of 16 schools serving 6,000 students in grades K-12 across Brooklyn, NY. Prior to his role with Ascend, Recy served as the Chief Strategy Officer of the NYC Department of Education as well as a variety of other education leadership roles at both the local and national levels. Recy earned his MBA and his MA in Education from Stanford. In this episode, Recy and host Chandler Arnold share: Suggestions for MBA students interested in the field of education Thoughts focused on how education is a central civil rights issue of our time The value of an MBA for those working within school districts, drawing from Recy's experiences in California, DC, and New York The value of an MBA for those running education-focused social enterprises, drawing from Recy's experiences leading Ascend Public Charter Schools The value of an MBA for those working with philanthropists, drawing from Recy's experiences with the Broad Foundation and receiving an $11M gift from MacKenzie Scott Thoughts on diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of education Tips for current MBA students who are passionate about education We can’t thank Recy enough for joining us. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone passionate about education, equity or leading social enterprises.
To celebrate our 150th episode, our Founder Stacy Blackman joins us to talk about business school and the entrepreneurial journey. This episode is perfect for entrepreneurs, those who hope to work with entrepreneurs, or anyone interested in learning more about the entrepreneurial journey. For this episode, Stacy sits down with co-host Chandler Arnold to talk about their respective entrepreneurial experiences, in business school and beyond. For the first part of this conversation, Stacy and Chandler share a few SPECIFIC LESSONS THEY LEARNED IN BUSINESS SCHOOL. This conversation includes key takeaways including: The importance of testing and learning, Identifying market gaps and unexploited domains, The value of networking (even if you don't think you want to), and The power of trusting yourself; especially when others doubt you. For the second half of this conversation, Stacy and Chandler each share a few things THEY WISH THEY HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY in their entrepreneurial endeavors since graduation. This conversation includes such topics as: The value of connecting with people from different backgrounds and social/professional circles, Benefits of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zoon, personally as well as professionally, The power of believing in yourself--and being comfortable with not having all the answers, How to make peace with the fact that you cant do everything, the benefits of taking little steps forward each day, ... and much more. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we enjoyed making it. Plus, be sure to listen to the very end of the episode where Stacy shares some top-secret entrepreneurial advice she learned... from Yoda.
Hannah, a former member of the Columbia Business School adcom -- who's now on the SBC admissions consulting team -- shares advice for the CBS application, as well as details about the program's amazing outside-of-class activities and its new location in Manahattan.
In this replay, Erika talks with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. As Anthony served on the implementation and design team for Wharton's Team Based Discussion (TBD) interview format, this episode focuses on his insight advice for MBA candidates who will be interviewing with Wharton.
Many interviewers report that they make up a big percentage of their mind about applicants during the first few minutes of an interview. This podcast shares a number of very specific suggestions and tips to make yourself stand out during these first interactions. Our host shares his suggestions for something he calls a “personal MBA soundbite” – including how you can create this soundbite, how you can incorporate it into the beginning of your first question, and how you can use this language to provide a framework for your entire interview. While each is different, the main goals of an personal MBA soundbite are to: summarize who you are in an interesting/memorable/dynamic/compelling way at the start of your interview, create a framework for the first part of your conversation so that the interviewer understands your life and work experiences in the appropriate context given your future goals, and develop a short elevator pitch that can not only be useful as you prep for your interviews… but also in terms of other elements of your admissions journey–from speaking to current students, to alums, to admissions officers, etc. This podcast is perfect for anyone wanting to start of on the right foot for that all-important MBA admission interview.
How can you differentiate yourself from your MBA competition, particularly if you’re in one of the most competitive buckets when it comes to demographics or industry and function? That's the focus of this episode, which details specific ways to ensure you stand out from the most crowded applicant pools.
MBA candidates who've been waitlisted can feel like they're in some sort of admissions purgatory. In this episode, our host Erika and her colleague and former MBA admissions director Lisa discuss what options waitlisted candidates have to learn more about why they were waitlisted and what, if anything, they can do to increase their chances of admission.
If you have six months (or more) before your application deadline, this two-part podcast is for you. In Part 1 of this podcast, we shared five sets of suggestions helping you to: Think about your application as a journey of self-discovery that can teach you important lessons about yourself, Begin work on your short- and long-term goals now, Rework your resume with a focus on quantifying impact, Rework your resume with a focus on adding important context behind your numbers, and Set professional and extracurricular stretch goals to complete between now and the time you apply. In Part 2 of this podcast we continue the conversation with additional suggestions and tips focused on how to: Improve your GMAT/GRE score (or make the best of the score you already have). Work through a Storymapping Exercise for your MBA application Focus on—and improve—your MBA essays Consider being vulnerable in your application Set your recommenders up for success We’ve also included one bonus suggestion we think is really valuable… but you will need to listen to the episode for that! : )
This podcasts is designed for applicants who have 6 months (or more) before their applications are due. In addition to offering suggestions about how to present your scores, essays, resume, and recommendations in the best possible light, this episode offers specific suggestions on how to use the months ahead to improve the SUBSTANCE of these elements before the application deadline. Do you want to go for a promotion or a title change at work? Is now the time to take on new beefy professional/leadership challenge? Should you consider deepening your volunteer/extracurricular activities between now and when you apply? To set you up for success, we offer five sets of suggestions helping you to: Think about your application as a journey of self-discovery that can teach you important lessons about yourself, Begin work on your short- and long-term goals now, at the beginning of your application journey. Rework your resume with a focus on quantifying impact, Rework your resume with a focus on adding important context behind your numbers, and Set professional and extracurricular stretch goals to complete between now and the time you apply.
This replay focuses on when it does or doesn’t make sense to apply in a school’s final application round.
This podcast gives applicants 10 things to think about in the days before submitting their applications. This is not intended as something to listen to an hour before you submit… but it does offer incredibly useful information to think about a day or two before the application deadline. As we always say: you want an application that is authentic, bold, and that offers a clear and consistent narrative. You want this narrative to come across cohesively via all elements of your application: your essays, your resume, your recommendations, and your interviews. To help set you up for success, today we offer ten suggestions touching on the following topics: Thinking through your overall application narrative to make sure this boldly and authentically represents who you are Reviewing your essays for common typos and other errors Asking your proofreader to help you by looking for the right things Bolstering quantitative results metrics—as well as adding useful context—to your resume Following up with your recommenders Reviewing your social media footprint When to actually hit submit (and when not to)
A unique aspect of our admissions-consulting process at Stacy Blackman Consulting is our Flight Test, which replicates an actual admissions committee review of your entire application process. We have a team of former admission officers from the top MBA programs who serve as our Flight Testers, and this week we wrap up our two-episode conversation with one of them: Caryn, a former Kellogg admissions committee member. In Part 2, Caryn reveals how MBA adcoms judge a candidate’s essays, recommendation letters, extracurriculars and leadership.
At Stacy Blackman Consulting, we have a team of former admission committee members from the top MBA programs who serve as our "Flight Testers." Our Flight Test mimics an actual application review, just like the adcom will do it in real life. Except that you'll be getting personalized feedback on what you can improve BEFORE you hit submit. In the first of this two-part episode series, we talk with Caryn, a former member of the Kellogg admissions committee and member of the SBC team, who shares what MBA adcoms really think about -- and are looking for in -- applicants’ transcripts, test scores, resumes and data forms.
Are you having doubts about applying to business school? This could be a good thing. Are you having REALLY BIG DOUBTS? This could be even better. In this two-part episode host Chandler Arnold gets personal about combatting self-doubt and—more importantly—transforming this doubt into FUEL to drive your forward towards your goals. Last week we talked about 5 specific ways to combat self-doubt during the MBA admissions process: FACING YOUR DOUBTS HEAD ON DEVELOPING A PLAN TO ADDRESS EACH OF YOUR DOUBTS ROLE PLAYING WORSE CASE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CLEARING YOUR MIND ASKING YOURSELF WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM THIS DOUBT? In this episode we will talk about 5 more tips and suggestions for dealing with doubt: DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE DEVELOP A REALISTIC POST-MBA PLAN IDENTIFY AN “CAREER PATH EXEMPLAR” FIND A MBA MENTOR IGNORE YOUR INNER SABOTEUR Chandler concludes the episode by challenging listeners to reframe their doubts into boldness… by turning fear on its head, charting your own course, pressure testing your thinking and then turning the volume WAY up. This is an episode not to be missed.
Every thoughtful MBA applicant doubts themselves at some point during the MBA application journey. More critically,it is often the applicants who have the most to offer -- the most unique experiences, the most diverse perspectives, the most out-of-the-ordinary life stories -- who doubt themselves the most. Are you having doubts about applying? This could be a good thing. Are you having REALLY BIG DOUBTS? This could be even better. Host Chandler Arnold gets personal in this episode by sharing five specific ways to combat self-doubt during the MBA admissions process. He concludes with a framework for re-casting doubts as things you can learn from to make your application even more powerful. This is an episode not to be missed.
If you didn't get into your dream program, how long should you wait until you reapply? Should you use any of the same materials again? What about recommenders? This episode is dedicated to giving frank advice about how to approach the reapplication process.
Our host Erika is joined once again by former Kellogg admissions director Beth Tidmarsh for a discussion specifically about behavioral MBA interviews (i.e., "Tell me about a time when..." questions). They cover the types of behavioral questions candidates can expect, advice on how to answer those questions, pitfalls to avoid, and more. They also role-play a few questions and responses for listeners.
In the last episode your host Chandler Arnold shared five things he wished he’d known about recommendations when applying to business school, including: How to help your recommender think about the skills grid rankings, as well as how to prep your recommender for several frequently asked questions, including: FAQ 1: Describe the applicant’s key strengths and how she or he compares to others you have supervised FAQ 2: Describe the biggest piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant FAQ 3: Are there any areas of development you imagine the candidate might focus on during business school. FAQ 4: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the applicant (and why your recommender should not ignore this question). This week Chandler will share 5 additional critical recommendation tips, including: How to pick your recommenders How to create prep materials for your recommender How to make these recommendations part of your holistic application narrative What to do if your recommender asks you to write the recommendation yourself Recommendation timeline planning
In the last episode your host Chandler Arnold shared five things he wished he’d known about recommendations when applying to business school, including: How to help your recommender think about the skills grid rankings, as well as how to prep your recommender for several frequently asked questions, including: FAQ 1: Describe the applicant’s key strengths and how she or he compares to others you have supervised FAQ 2: Describe the biggest piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant FAQ 3: Are there any areas of development you imagine the candidate might focus on during business school. FAQ 4: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the applicant (and why your recommender should not ignore this question). This week Chandler will share 5 additional critical recommendation tips, including: How to pick your recommenders How to create prep materials for your recommender How to make these recommendations part of your holistic application narrative What to do if your recommender asks you to write the recommendation yourself Recommendation timeline planning
In this series of two episodes your host shares ten things he wished he’d known about recommendations when applying to business school, including: The skills grid recommenders frequently need to fill out evaluating your personal and professional skills Frequently asked questions, such as: Describe the applicant’s key strengths and how she or he compares to others you have supervised. Describe the biggest piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Are there any areas of development you imagine the candidate might focus on during business school? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the applicant? (and why your recommender should not ignore this question).
In this series of two episodes your host shares ten things he wished he’d known about recommendations when applying to business school, including: The skills grid recommenders frequently need to fill out evaluating your personal and professional skills Frequently asked questions, such as: Describe the applicant’s key strengths and how she or he compares to others you have supervised. Describe the biggest piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Are there any areas of development you imagine the candidate might focus on during business school? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the applicant? (and why your recommender should not ignore this question).
Our host Erika is joined by former Kellogg admissions director Beth Tidmarsh for a discussion about MBA interviews. They cover the types of questions candidates can expect, advice on how to answer those questions, what adcoms are looking to get from you out of these interviews, and more. Part 2 will be live on November 16.
You may remember madlibs from childhood—the silly word game where you fill in blanks to make an entertaining story… but don’t let the playful title of this podcast fool you! The content we discuss today is anything but silly. However, we are using the madlibs concept as a powerful FRAMEWORK to help you think about how best to articulate your short and short- and long-term goals in ways that are specific, authentic, bold, and realistic. If you have ever been intimidated about fleshing out your short and long-term career goals, this episode is for you!
We all know how to write, so what could possibly go wrong in an MBA application essay? Lots of things, as it turns out. In this podcast we dive into 6 tips for MBA essay writing that even the most confident writers sometimes miss. This will include: Directly answering the question asked The active vs the passive voice Writing an attention-grabbing first (and last) sentence The STAR format and why it is your friend Structuring your essay clearly Writing in a way that is clear, simple and concise Even if you think you have everything covered for your essays, be sure to give this podcast a listen.
In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, 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
This episode discusses the most important things you must communicate to the admissions committee -- as well as the red flags you can head off -- if you're a candidate who's only worked for one employer since college.
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 (This is a replay of episode 12.)
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 (This is a replay of episode 12.)
In this episode Caryn Altman joins us for more real talk. Today’s topic: the complicated question of sharing something in your application of which you are not proud. This might be explaining anything you wish you’d handled differently… from a low GPA, to a lapse in judgment, to something like a DUI. The key to approaching these topics effectively is often LESS about the incident itself and much MORE about how you respond to and explain the topic in your application. Admissions officers want to understand how you handled the situation, what you learned from the experience, and/or how you have grown and changed. In last week’s episode, we discussed: A low GMA or failing grades A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation) The need to stand out from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic) And this week we will tackle three additional topics, with even more candor: Failing grades or low GPA Being a candidate that is significantly "older" or "younger" than other applicants A sneaking suspicion that your school selection is way out of reach To be clear, this conversation is not just for people who’ve encountered these specific situations. The real takeaways from this episode focus not on the situation but an approach. And–let’s face it–who doesn’t have at least one part of their application they are nervous about? Today’s guest, Caryn Altman, worked as an Admissions Officer for the Kellogg School of Management where she read and evaluated countless applications. Caryn also holds an MBA from Kellogg and has been a longtime admissions consultant with SBC.
In this episode Caryn Altman joins us for more real talk. Today’s topic: the complicated question of sharing something in your application of which you are not proud. This might be explaining anything you wish you’d handled differently… from a low GPA, to a lapse in judgment, to something like a DUI. The key to approaching these topics effectively is often LESS about the incident itself and much MORE about how you respond to and explain the topic in your application. Admissions officers want to understand how you handled the situation, what you learned from the experience, and/or how you have grown and changed. In last week’s episode, we discussed: A low GMA or failing grades A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation) The need to stand out from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic) And this week we will tackle three additional topics, with even more candor: Failing grades or low GPA Being a candidate that is significantly "older" or "younger" than other applicants A sneaking suspicion that your school selection is way out of reach To be clear, this conversation is not just for people who’ve encountered these specific situations. The real takeaways from this episode focus not on the situation but an approach. And–let’s face it–who doesn’t have at least one part of their application they are nervous about? Today’s guest, Caryn Altman, worked as an Admissions Officer for the Kellogg School of Management where she read and evaluated countless applications. Caryn also holds an MBA from Kellogg and has been a longtime admissions consultant with SBC.
In this episode Caryn Altman joins us for some real talk. Today’s topic: the complicated question of sharing something in your application of which you are not proud. This might be explaining anything you wish you’d handled differently… from a low GPA, to a lapse in judgment, to something like a DUI. The key to approaching these topics effectively is often LESS about the incident itself and much MORE about how you respond to and explain the topic in your application. Admissions officers want to understand how you handled the situation, what you learned from the experience, and/or how you have grown and changed. The first in a series of two podcasts, this episode will cover how to address: A low GMAT/GRE score A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation) The need to stand out from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic) To be clear, this conversation is not just for people who’ve encountered these specific situations. The real takeaways from this episode focus not on the situation but an approach. And–let’s face it–who doesn’t have at least one part of their application they are nervous about? Today’s guest, Caryn Altman, worked as an Admissions Officer for the Kellogg School of Management where she read and evaluated countless applications. Caryn also holds an MBA from Kellogg and has been a longtime admissions consultant with SBC.
In this episode Caryn Altman joins us for some real talk. Today’s topic: the complicated question of sharing something in your application of which you are not proud. This might be explaining anything you wish you’d handled differently… from a low GPA, to a lapse in judgment, to something like a DUI. The key to approaching these topics effectively is often LESS about the incident itself and much MORE about how you respond to and explain the topic in your application. Admissions officers want to understand how you handled the situation, what you learned from the experience, and/or how you have grown and changed. The first in a series of two podcasts, this episode will cover how to address: A low GMAT/GRE score A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation) The need to stand out from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic) To be clear, this conversation is not just for people who’ve encountered these specific situations. The real takeaways from this episode focus not on the situation but an approach. And–let’s face it–who doesn’t have at least one part of their application they are nervous about? Today’s guest, Caryn Altman, worked as an Admissions Officer for the Kellogg School of Management where she read and evaluated countless applications. Caryn also holds an MBA from Kellogg and has been a longtime admissions consultant with SBC.
If you're usually not comfortable "tooting your own horn" -- or telling others about your achievements, this episode is for you. There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. How can you make sure you don't cross it in your MBA materials?
If you're usually not comfortable "tooting your own horn" -- or telling others about your achievements, this episode is for you. There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. How can you make sure you don't cross it in your MBA materials?
All of us who put together this podcast are on a mission to help MBA applicants shine their brightest when applying to business school. For this episode, we sit down with SBC consultant Marc Paulo -- who has worked in admissions at UVA Darden and for private sector leaders like McKinsey and Bain -- to share lessons we have learned from working with LGBTQ+ and other underepresented applicants over the years. This podcast is NOT ONLY for members of the queer community. It is a must-listen for ANY APPLICANT who might not feel as if they are part of the mainstream and/or who has a unique perspective to share. Do not miss these nine great tips for those wishing to tell their unique stories in bold and authentic ways.
In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, 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.
Today we are dive into a topic on the minds of many MBA applicants: test prep for the GMAT and/or GRE. We are joined by , Stacy Blackman Consulting’s Director of Test Prep, who’s been a GMAT and GRE tutor for more than two decades. Anthony works with his clients to develop an individualized plan of attack for a broad range of focus areas. To give an example of this, today Anthony takes a deep dive into one area of test prep he focuses on – in this case, GRE vocabulary prep – and shares a range of specific suggestions, tips and proven test prep strategies. If you are curious about GRE vocabulary test prep – or any individualized test prep plan – this podcast is for you.
It's a question that haunts all MBA applicants: How do I stand out? What's special about me? What makes me unique? This episode offers several ideas for how to understand what you have to offer an MBA program that no one else can.
This episode covers how to make the most of the data form—or the actual online application itself—and why you shouldn't underestimate its importance. We’ll cover: Optional fields Common questions applicants have about confusing fields and dropdowns The awards section(s) How you can use the data form fields to strengthen your candidacy (This is a replay of episode 21.)
B-Schooled Episode #118: Tackling Your Main MBA Essay (Part 2 of 2) Today we are dive into about one of the topics we get the most questions about: how best to tackle your main MBA essay. While different MBA programs approach this essay in different ways, what these programs REALLY want to understand is who you are as a person and what you are passionate about. Just as importantly, these schools want to understand WHY you are passionate about these things… and how you want to lead in these areas after earning your MBA. These questions can be intimidating. These questions can be overwhelming. These questions take real work. But, fear not! Today we are sitting down with SBC consultant Kevin Rockmael to talk about how to approach these questions, how to learn things about yourself in the process and – if you can believe it – actually ENJOY the experience. Part one already covered: Planning out your overall application narrative pinpointing your personal north star Clarifying your personal motivation(s) Part two will cover: Structuring your essay, and Stepping back and making sure your essay accurately sums up who you are and what you are all about.
B-Schooled Episode #118: Tackling Your Main MBA Essay (Part 2 of 2) Today we are dive into about one of the topics we get the most questions about: how best to tackle your main MBA essay. While different MBA programs approach this essay in different ways, what these programs REALLY want to understand is who you are as a person and what you are passionate about. Just as importantly, these schools want to understand WHY you are passionate about these things… and how you want to lead in these areas after earning your MBA. These questions can be intimidating. These questions can be overwhelming. These questions take real work. But, fear not! Today we are sitting down with SBC consultant Kevin Rockmael to talk about how to approach these questions, how to learn things about yourself in the process and – if you can believe it – actually ENJOY the experience. Part one already covered: Planning out your overall application narrative pinpointing your personal north star Clarifying your personal motivation(s) Part two will cover: Structuring your essay, and Stepping back and making sure your essay accurately sums up who you are and what you are all about.
Today we are dive into about one of the topics we get the most questions about: how best to tackle your main MBA essay. While different MBA programs approach this essay in different ways, what these programs REALLY want to understand is who you are as a person and what you are passionate about. Just as importantly, these schools want to understand WHY you are passionate about these things… and how you want to lead in these areas after earning your MBA. These questions can be intimidating. These questions can be overwhelming. These questions take real work. But, fear not! Today we are sitting down with SBC consultant Kevin Rockmael to talk about how to approach these questions, how to learn things about yourself in the process and – if you can believe it – actually ENJOY the experience. Part one will cover: Planning out your overall application narrative pinpointing your personal north star Clarifying your personal motivation(s) Part two (next week) will cover: Structuring your essay, and Stepping back and making sure your essay accurately sums up who you are and what you are all about.
At SBC we work with an increasing number of applicants interested in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion – either because they are personally passionate about these topics, see DEI as a possible post-MBA career path, or both. If you are interested in Diversity, Equity, and/or Inclusion this is the ABSOLUTELY the podcast for you. This episode includes all of the following (and more): Tips for DEI-focused applicants applying to MBA programs Suggestions about making the most of your MBA experience Thoughts on how best to advance DEI efforts after graduation For this episode host Chandler Arnold welcomes not one but two special guests: Julye Williams, founder of the Project 2043 initiative () and Keauna Mason who has championed DEI efforts at Facebook/Meta, the Boston Consulting Group, and a range of other companies. We hope you enjoy this helpful and inspiring conversation.
MPG, a former Assistant Director of Admissions and adcom member at Darden -- who's now on the SBC admissions consulting team -- shares insight into UVA's Darden School of Business and its surrounding Charlottesville community.
Your resume is perhaps the single most important part of your application materials. This episode (a replay of episode 16 from August 12, 2020) covers how to maximize that one precious page.
Looking back on 15+ years of helping applicants with their own MBA applications, host Chandler Arnold shares a Top Ten List of things he wishes he had known when starting his own MBA application. Part One of this podcast covers tips related to vulnerability in essays, resisting the urge to present yourself as a “typical” MBA applicant, special tips for reaching out to current students and alums, interview prep, and other topics.
Looking back on 15+ years of helping applicants with their own MBA applications, host Chandler Arnold shares a Top Ten List of things he wishes he had known when starting his own MBA application. Part One of this podcast covers tips related to short and long term goal planning, career aspirations, story mapping, test scores, and essay writing.
Erika talks with her SBC colleague Kevin, a member of the disability community, about what differently abled MBA applicants need to keep in mind, do/not do, and otherwise prepare for in their application materials, their interviews, their MBA experience itself, and their re-entry into the working world.
This episode will motivate you to get going on your Round 1 MBA materials, and will cover what makes the most sense for you to be working on right now before applications are released.
The hottest topic in MBA circles just might be a term you’ve never heard before: Futurism. Futurism is a broad term referring to the advancement of disruptive technologies across industries. These exponential technologies are rapidly emerging in the fields of genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, synthetic organisms, nanotechnology, 3D printing, virtual reality, big data, cybernetics and many other areas. Cross-disciplinary by nature, Futurism is growing in popularity among business school applicants. But what does Futurism mean in the MBA context? How do applicants passionate about these areas stand out? What roles can applicants from non-scientific backgrounds play in this rapidly expanding arena? Perhaps most importantly, is it true that futurist MBAs just might save the world? Chandler Arnold sits down with Futurist Dr. Nathan Walworth to discuss all of this and more. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone interested in exponential technologies, tech for good, and interdisciplinary approaches to systematic change.
In this episode (a replay of episode 6 from June 2020), our host Erika and fellow SBC admissions consultant (and former Kellogg adcom) Caryn have a discussion that covers: Several tactics applicants can use to strengthen their quantitative profiles What applicants should do if they have not taken the GMAT yet amidst test-center closures (COVID-specific) How to use the Additional Info field/essay to address any quantitative weaknesses in your candidacy
If there is one question nearly every school asks somewhere in the application process, it is some version of “What are your short and long-term term career goals?“ Not only is this question essential to nail, but tackling this it in the right way can provide a “north star” for your entire application--linking together who you are, what you’ve done, where you want to go, and how an MBA will help you get there. Host Chandler Arnold sits down with MBA admissions expert Christina Fu to dive into what works and what doesn’t when thinking about short and long-term career goals. This podcast is especially helpful for those who: Already have a clear idea of their post MBA goals and want to articulate these most powerfully Are still deciding between two possible career paths, or Candidly have no idea what they want to do after B school... and this group is larger than you’d think, so you are not alone!
Anthony Ritz, Stacy Blackman Consulting's Director of Test Prep, who's been a GMAT and GRE tutor for more than two decades, joins the podcast to share his insights on how MBA applicants can best prepare themselves to do well on their admissions tests. He covers: When to take the test How long to plan on studying for the test How many times to take the test What to do if you're not getting the score you want How his team can help applicants who aren't satisfied with their scores ... and more!
We love the podcast. Hopefully you love the podcast. But even if you love the podcast as much as we do, you might not have time to listen to all 100+ episodes. However one successful applicant, , did take the time to listen to EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. For this edition, Ty sits down with Chandler Arnold to share three key takeaways from the podcast, some specific episodes he found to be most helpful, and a few hidden gems he discovered along the way. Ty and Chandler also discuss how the podcast influenced Ty’s own application journey--including the topics of prioritization, avoiding overwhelm, embracing bold choices, and reframing the concept of applying from one of fear to one of excitement. Ty closes by sharing a candid perspective about the real work involved with MBA applications that might surprise you. Spoiler alert: Ty was admitted to three of his top programs and accepted a generous scholarship to his dream school.
What should you do if you're light on extracurriculars, volunteer work and community service? And is it even worth it to try and beef up this aspect of your MBA candidacy during COVID-19 lockdowns ... and when there are only a few months before Round 1 deadlines? This episode gives MBA applicants some tactical ideas for how to ensure they're not just relying on their academic and professional achievements in their materials. (This is a replay of episode #4 from May 2020.)
Chandler Arnold joins B-Schooled as a new host, and he welcomes SBC colleague Christina Fu to have an extraordinary conversation about a hot topic in the world of MBA applications: authenticity. Chandler and Christina share several excerpts from past admissions consulting clients' essays as examples of how to use candor, vulnerability and boldness effectively.
After you've celebrated the huge achievement of getting into an MBA program, then you have to figure out how you're going to pay for it. This episode focuses on the details of paying for your MBA with your own money, with "free" money, or with loaned money. It also includes what the FAFSA is used for and what your program's financial aid office can assist with.
This is a replay of our MOST popular episode. SBC admissions consultant Erika Olson interviews her past client Nick, who is about to graduate from HBS. Nick was admitted to both Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, and shares what he thinks made his MBA journey such a successful one. (This interview took place on April 7, 2020.)
It's our 100th episode! For this milestone, we've invited journalist Francesca Di Meglio—who’s reported on MBA programs for 20 years—to share her insights on what’s changed most over time … and what those trends mean for MBA students and applicants today.
My Consulting Offer CEO and former Bain consultant Davis Nguyen returns to the podcast to share insight on consulting interviews and recent trends he's seen in the industry when it comes to MBA hiring.
My Consulting Offer CEO and Bain alum Davis Nguyen gives an overview of both the consulting industry and consulting careers for MBA graduates.
Erika and her SBC colleague, Dawn Clare, discuss misconceptions about what it takes to get into Harvard Business School, as well as HBS-related questions we're often asked by the applicants we work with. Dawn also shares some inspirational life and career advice based on her own experiences.
Curious about how an online MBA works? In this episode, SBC's online MBA expert Bill covers the structure of these programs, how they are both similar to and different from full- or part-time programs, what the "typical" online MBA student profile is, and a few downsides to earning your degree online.
For MBA hopefuls, getting waitlisted after months of hard work can be devastating and demoralizing. But one of the worst things you can do after getting such news is to overreact and ruin your chances of eventually getting in. This week’s episode covers the most important things you should do—and not do—to improve your standing when waitlisted.
This episode takes a deep dive into the most common type of MBA interview: the behavioral interview.
It can be devastating to receive a ding after months of hard work on your MBA applications. This episode focuses on what a ding from any given program may or may not mean, and also gives advice on how you might choose to move forward.
After you've been admitted to an MBA program, it's very likely the program you decide to attend will perform a background check on you. This freaks a lot of applicants out, but really, is there anything to worry about with this process? This episode explains what exactly the background check will cover, what can be a red flag in your materials, and what you can do to head off issues.
This is the second of a two-episode arch discussing the Stacy Blackman Consulting team's thoughts on MBA rankings, the differences between the "top" schools and the next tier, and what's most important for applicants to factor in when making decisions on where to apply.
Do MBA rankings matter? Are there real differences between the "top" schools and the next tier? The Stacy Blackman Consulting team had A LOT of thoughts on these topics, so over the course of two episodes we'll be covering what applicants should keep in mind when considering business school rankings, as well as what's most important to factor in when making decisions on where to apply.
While there are deferred-admissions programs for MBA hopefuls who are still in college, is it possible for someone with just 1 or 2 years of work experience to get into an MBA program "the normal way"? It's not impossible, but it's pretty rare. This episode explains why, and gives advice for MBA applicants who are less than 3 years out of college.
Round 2 deadlines are approaching -- are you ready? This episode gives advice on what MBA applicants should focus on in the remaining days before their materials are due.
If you're more than 5 or 6 years out of college, or well into your 30s, do you have any hope of being admitted into an MBA program? Yes you do, but your journey won't be without its challenges. This episode focuses on several things you MUST communicate in your materials if you're an older-than-average MBA applicant.
A former Kellogg adcom director and current member of the SBC admissions consulting team shares magnificent insight into the multiple MBA programs at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
As we continue with our series of program-spotlight episodes, next up is the Jones School at Rice University. This week, our host Erika talks with Lisa, an SBC admissions consultant who was formerly the Director of Admissions at Jones. Lisa shares a lot of wonderful insight on the Rice community; what Jones is looking for in applicants’ essays and interviews; and nearly convinces Erika to move to Houston after running through everything the city and its surrounding areas can offer its students and residents!
If you want to be on Team Fuqua, this week’s episode is for you! It’s jam-packed with insider information from Sherry, a member of our SBC admissions consulting team who’s a former member of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business admissions committee. Sherry gives advice for each of Fuqua’s essays, and shares invaluable insight on several aspects of the curriculum, campus life and what students like to do in the surrounding Durham, North Carolina, area.
This week, two former Booth adcom members (and current SBC admissions consultants) share their insights on what is unique about University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, what Booth's adcom is looking for, and what student life is like both in and outside of the classroom.
If you're interested in the University of Texas Austin McCombs School of Business, this is a can't-miss episode! Erika interviews Rodrigo Malta, Managing Director, MBA Recruiting and Admissions at McCombs, who gives extremely insightful advice and information for aspiring MBAs.
A Tuck MBA who previously worked with Tuck admissions shares insight about the program; about the benefits of Dartmouth's Hanover, New Hampshire, campus location; and about what Tuck applicants can do to set themselves apart.
Erika talks once again with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. In this episode, Anthony shares insights about the strengths and unique aspects of Wharton's program that every applicant should know. (In episode 42 Anthony covered details about the Team-Based Discussion, Wharton's interview method.)
Cooper is on the younger side of the MBA applicant pool and applied to a handful of programs in Round 2 of the 2020-21 application season. He knew going into the process that in addition to his age, he'd after to overcome his GPA, GMAT score, non-feeder college program status and being in an overrepresented demographic bucket. In this interview, he shares his application experience and what he thinks helped him ultimately gain admission to Tepper. He also shares his experience at Tepper so far.
This episode covers who you should ask to write your recommendations if you work for a family business, lead a startup, or can't risk asking your direct manager (or possibly anyone at your current firm).
This episode focuses on smart MBA interview-prep strategies, and also covers which tactics are a waste of time or could backfire and negatively affect your performance.
Yesterday, Harvard Business School was the first MBA program to release its 2021-22 Round 1 interview invites and dings, meaning that thousands of MBA hopefuls around the world have just received news they didn't want to hear. This episode is for anyone who experiences a business school rejection this year and isn't sure what it means about their candidacy or what their options are now.
In this episode, our host Erika interviews her 2020-21 client Jenny, who found a way to differentiate herself from the rest of the financial services pack and gained admission to both CBS and Wharton.
This episode focuses on a few important things to keep in mind for MBA hopefuls who are applying in Round 2 of the 2021-22 application year.
Round 1 of the 2021-22 MBA application cycle is soon drawing to a close, and along with those deadlines comes a surge in self-sabotaging applicant behavior. This episode covers 3 things you should do before submitting, as well as 3 mistakes you should avoid making after your materials are in.
B-Schooled's host Erika interviews her 2020-21 Round 2 client Maddy, who was accepted to HBS, Stanford GSB, Berkeley Haas and Yale School of Management, and chose to attend Stanford. Erika and Maddy will discuss Maddy's background, her application highlights and her interview experience at each program.
Is there an advantage to applying for business school in Round 1? If your MBA materials aren't ready in the fall, is it significantly harder to be accepted in Round 2 after the new year? This episode focuses on the differences between Round 1 and Round 2, whether or not there is an advantage to applying in either round, and what the single most important factor should be in choosing when to apply.
Sometimes “Why do you need an MBA now?” is an essay question that programs ask directly, but more often than not it’s something applicants should end up covering in an essay response even if there isn’t a question about it. Questions around the timing of an applicant's MBA pursuit could also be asked in an interview. This episode covers common reasons why applicants need an MBA now versus earlier or later in their careers, and suggests exercises to help articulate a strong response to questions about MBA timing.
Sometimes “Why do you need an MBA now?” is an essay question that programs ask directly, but more often than not it’s something applicants should end up covering in an essay response even if there isn’t a question about it. Questions around the timing of an applicant's MBA pursuit could also be asked in an interview. This episode covers common reasons why applicants need an MBA now versus earlier or later in their careers, and suggests exercises to help articulate a strong response to questions about MBA timing.
This episode talks about how to use the STAR method to organize your thoughts for powerful resume bullets, essays or interview responses. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and if you follow this structure when telling a story or explaining an accomplishment, it will help you get straight to the point and focus on the information that matters most to the admissions committee.
In order to stand out from your MBA competition, you need to take a step back and assess your candidacy from the admissions committee's point of view. This episode explains what they're looking for, how to differentiate yourself if you're in an over-represented demographic or industry bucket, and generally what types of themes successful applicants focus on in their essays.
This episode builds upon the advice covered in episode 16 ("MBA your resume") on how to create an MBA resume that best positions and differentiates your candidacy.
Our host Erika Olson interviews her recent SBC admissions consulting client Mike, who is about to head to Columbia Business School (CBS) after applying to MBA programs during the intense 2020-21 application year that saw record-high application numbers due to COVID. Mike talks about his background, the strengths and weaknesses in his candidacy, how he approached his essays, and how his CBS interview went, and also shares advice for future applicants.
Being able to tell a clear story about your career to date is a critical part of your MBA candidacy. This episode covers what to do if you've worked for several employers within a relatively short timeframe, especially if your career moves don't immediately make sense "on paper." We'll also cover what to do if you've been laid off or fired for a job, or if you worked somewhere for less than a year.
In this follow-up to episode 56, which gave a general overview of European MBA programs, Cathy, an INSEAD graduate and one of Stacy Blackman Consulting's European MBA experts, answers frequently asked questions about MBA programs outside of the US. Topics include the differences between European and US-based MBA experiences, the visa process, the interview process, recruiting information, and more.
This episode covers 5 MBA applicant pitfalls – as in, traits, attitudes or approaches that some MBA applicants take that can ultimately derail their chances of success.
Harvard Business School's essay is open-ended and has no word limit. This episode focuses on how MBA candidates should approach both the content and the length of their response.
This episode covers exactly why extracurriculars are so critical to your MBA candidacy. It also gives advice on what to do if you're light on extracurriculars, volunteer work and community service, from either your college years, your post-graduation years, or both. Our host Erika will discuss if it's worth it to try and beef up this aspect of your MBA candidacy if you plan to apply to business school this year. She'll also address what those in areas of the world still battling COVID can do to strengthen their extracurriculars in a virtual manner. Overall, this episode gives MBA applicants some tactical ideas for how to ensure they're not just relying on their academic and professional achievements in their materials.
In this episode, Chandler Arnold, a Stanford MBA, SBC consultant and social-impact executive, shares advice for those in social-impact careers who are thinking about pursuing an MBA, and discusses what some of the top programs are doing in the social impact space. He also explains SBC's first-of-its-kind MBA Social Impact Accelerator, designed specifically for applicants with nonprofit or social impact backgrounds.
The 2021-2022 MBA application season is officially upon us, with several top business schools having already posted their deadlines, as well as a few programs confirming what their essays will be this year. Now that Round 1 is underway, what should you be doing? How exactly should you begin working on your MBA materials? This episode outlines some of the to do's it makes sense to tackle sooner rather than later.
The 2020-21 MBA application year saw double-digit increases in the number of students applying to business school, driven by uncertainty in the market and job losses due to COVID. Will this year be just as brutally competitive? Our host Erika discusses trends that the Stacy Blackman Consulting team has observed so far as the 2021-22 application cycle kicks off.
In this episode, Erika chats with Ryan Price of the MBA Secrets podcast. Ryan discusses his extremely unique MBA application and GMAT experience, his career, what he's learned from the MBAs he's interviewed for his podcast, and more.
Our host Erika talks with Cathy, an SBC consultant and INSEAD grad, about some of the major European MBA programs and how they compare to US-based programs in terms of the admissions process, acceptance rates, campus experience, post-graduation employment opportunities and more.
In this episode we welcome Stacy Blackman Consulting's EMBA expert, Bill Chinois, to discuss all aspects of executive MBA programs, including why someone might want to consider an EMBA over a part-time or full-time program.
This episode continues the in-depth look we started in episode 22 at research Stacy Blackman Consulting conducted across 22 SBC clients who were admitted to both HBS and Stanford GSB (some this past year, others a few years ago). We discuss the similarities between dual admits and also share how the themes we noticed may or may not have changed this past year due to COVID.
This episode marks the one-year anniversary of B-Schooled's launch, and who better to join us for the occasion than Stacy Blackman herself. Stacy will talk about her entrepreneurial career and how an MBA helped her (and continues to help her) start three companies. She'll also share advice for MBA hopefuls who are looking to run their own firms at some point after graduation, as well as for those who might be approaching the application process with entrepreneurial experience already under their belt.
This episode takes an in-depth look at research Stacy Blackman Consulting conducted across 22 SBC clients who were admitted to both HBS and Stanford GSB (some this past year, others a few years ago). Over the course of two episodes (this episode and episode 54) we discuss the similarities between dual admits and also share how the themes we noticed may or may not have changed this past year due to COVID.
Obviously not every MBA applicant needs to work with an admissions consultant in order to be successful! However, over the past two decades, 9 types of MBA candidates have emerged that we know we’ll be able to help the most. This episode discusses the buckets those candidates fall into and how an admissions consultant might assist in strengthening their candidacies.
After working so hard on your MBA materials for months on end, it can be shocking and devastating if you are not accepted anywhere. What should you do now? This episode discusses 5 paths forward for MBA hopefuls who were dinged.
This two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. Part 2 covers budgeting for your MBA, planning to relocate, and figuring out how to best spend your time between now and matriculation (when you aren’t attending to all of the other to do’s!). As a reminder, in Part 1 (episode 48) we discussed how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out (on our website under "Work With Us").
This two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. Part 1 covers To Do's related to an applicant's current and future networks, as well as other important actions to take before leaving a job. We also discuss how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out (on our website under "Work With Us").
If you know you want to pursue an MBA in the future, but that future is still at least a few years away, what could (and should) you do now to build a strong candidacy? This episode gives actionable advice for all aspects of an eventual-applicant's profile.
This episode covers how an MBA applicant's social media behavior might affect his or her candidacy — both positively and negatively.
In this episode we discuss 4 things MBA candidates should consider when facing the “Bird in Hand” dilemma: namely, when they have been admitted to at least one program, but are considering not claiming their spot, forgoing the sure thing and taking the risk of trying again in the future in the hopes of getting into a program they’re even more interested in.
This episode discusses how accepted MBA candidates should go about asking for an increase in merit aid; the four situations a candidate might be in and their associated negotiating tactics; and detailed advice for approaching such an ask over the phone vs. email.
This episode covers 3 reasons why candidates who seem similar on paper could end up with drastically different MBA admissions results.
Erika talks with Anthony Penna, a fellow SBC admissions consultant who spent 10 years with the Wharton School in Career Management and as Associate Director of Admissions for the full-time MBA program. As Anthony served on the implementation and design team for Wharton's Team Based Discussion (TBD) interview format, this episode focuses on his insight advice for MBA candidates who will be interviewing with Wharton.
This episode offers insight into Harvard Business School's unique type of MBA interview, as well as advice on how to prepare.
This episode focuses on when it does or doesn’t make sense to apply in a school’s final application round.
Are you in the extraordinarily enviable position of having to decide between two or more MBA programs? Are you nervous about your choice or unsure of how to go about making such a huge commitment? This episode pulls together advice from the entire Stacy Blackman Consulting staff on how to approach this decision and what factors to consider (both short-term and long-term).
MBA candidates who've been waitlisted can feel like they're in some sort of admissions purgatory. In this episode, our host Erika and her colleague and former MBA admissions director Lisa discuss what options waitlisted candidates have to learn more about why they were waitlisted and what, if anything, they can do to increase their chances of admission.
In this episode we share another extensive profile of an applicant Stacy Blackman Consulting worked with. We explain how the former admissions committee members on our staff assessed his candidacy and what ended up happening.
In this episode we share an extensive profile of an applicant Stacy Blackman Consulting worked with. We explain how the former admissions committee members on our staff assessed her candidacy, what advice they gave to strengthen her materials, and what ended up happening.
This episode gives advice (and warnings) to those attempting to pull together MBA applications in the final weeks before the deadlines.
In this episode, Roxanne Mendez, Executive Director of the Riordan Programs, joins us to talk about the experiences of underrepresented minority applicants applying to business school. For nearly 30 years, the Riordan Programs have been helping underrepresented and minority students excel at the country’s top MBA programs. Roxanne will give insight into why the number of underrepresented minority candidates considering top MBA programs is still lower than it should be, and will also share what underrepresented minority applicants should keep in mind if they do decide to consider pursuing a graduate business degree.
In this episode, Erika is joined by her SBC colleague Lisa, the former Director of MBA Admissions for the full-time and part-time MBA programs at Rice University’s Jones School, to have a discussion about when it is and isn't a good idea to share deeply personal stories in your MBA essays or interview responses.
Communicating what your classmates will learn from you and how you’ll be an asset to the MBA program you attend is monumentally important. This episode covers ways to get that information across through your resume and essays.
Often times, it's quite a challenge to fit an application, data-form or essay response into the space provided when restrictive character or word counts are in play. This episode focuses on specific ways MBA applicants can edit down essays and short-answer responses without compromising the power of their stories, anecdotes or statements.
This episode covers a quick admissions update from Harvard Business School before diving into why it's important for you to demonstrate your knowledge of and fit with the MBA programs you’re applying to – and how you can do so in both your written materials and your interview responses.
This episode discusses why all business school candidates need to be able to clearly explain why they need an MBA, especially if they are in one of four applicant buckets where it's important to clarify the need for a business degree. Common reasons for getting an MBA are covered, as are reasons that might be realistic but are best left out of one's application materials.
Our host Erika is joined once again by former Kellogg admissions director Beth Tidmarsh for a discussion specifically about behavioral MBA interviews (i.e., "Tell me about a time when..." questions). They cover the types of behavioral questions candidates can expect, advice on how to answer those questions, pitfalls to avoid, and more. They also role-play a few questions and responses for listeners.
In this episode, we welcome back Jay Bryant, a former MBA admissions director who is now a liaison between business schools and ETS, the company behind the GRE® General Test. Our host Erika and Jay will answer questions that listeners sent in about: Differences between the GMAT and the GRE General Test How MBA programs view the two main admissions tests Why admissions tests cover specific subjects When applicants should take their admissions test ... and much more!
Our host Erika is joined by former Kellogg admissions director Beth Tidmarsh for a discussion about MBA interviews. They cover the types of questions candidates can expect, advice on how to answer those questions, what adcoms are looking to get from you out of these interviews, and more.
In this episode, our host Erika welcomes Bill Chionis, one of Stacy Blackman Consulting's experts on part-time (PT) MBA programs. They have a discussion about: Whether or not we've seen an increase in interest in PT programs since COVID hit The benefits of PT program vs. a traditional 2-year MBA Similarities and differences between part-time and full-time MBA programs How employers look at PT programs How (and if) PT MBAs can pursue a career switch Part-time MBA application criteria and guidance
This episode covers: What candidates should make of recent news headlines about "soaring" MBA application numbers due to COVID, and Important context about dings, after HBS's Round 1 interview invites, Round 2 deferral and release notifications went out yesterday.
In this episode, we welcome Jay Bryant, a former MBA admissions director who is now a liaison between business schools and ETS, the company behind the GRE® General Test. Our host Erika and Jay will have a discussion about: What Jay’s been hearing from MBA admissions teams over the past few months regarding what COVID-19 has and hasn’t affected in the admissions process Common questions about the new at-home version of the GRE test Easy things applicants can do to keep admissions-test anxiety at bay Jay will return to the podcast in late October to answer listener questions about the GRE test, so please send in anything you’d like him to address to podcast@stacyblackman.com.
After you submit your MBA applications, should you contact the admissions committee with updates on your candidacy? What should you do if you find an error in your materials? Should you start preparing for your interviews now? This episode answers those questions and more, and advises listeners on the best way to make use of their time between submission deadlines and their interviews.
This episode covers how to make the most of the data form—or the actual online application itself—and why you shouldn't underestimate its importance. We’ll cover: Optional fields Common questions applicants have about confusing fields and dropdowns The awards section(s) How you can use the data form fields to strengthen your candidacy
This episode covers how to prepare for the various kinds of video essays (pre-recorded, live with known questions, and live with randomized questions) several MBA programs require, as well as general tips on what you should wear, where you should record, and more.
This episode covers some last-minute things to think about, do and not do as Round 1 deadlines loom.
This episode covers: - How you should think about and position your short- and long-term career goals in both the short-answer responses on business school applications, as well as in career-related essays. - What you should do if you have no idea what your career goals are, or if the main reason you want to go to b-school is to explore different options for your future career path. - Whether it's a bad idea to say you want to completely change careers or stick with what you’re doing now.
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
In this episode 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
In this episode, our host Erika and fellow SBC admissions consultant (and former Kellogg adcom) Caryn have a discussion that covers: Several tactics applicants can use to strengthen their quantitative profiles What applicants should do if they have not taken the GMAT yet amidst test-center closures How to use the Additional Info field/essay to address any quantitative weaknesses in your candidacy
In this episode we'll cover: Round 1 deadline news from some top schools How Covid-19 may or may not be affecting timelines and the applicant pool this year What it makes sense to be working on right now to start preparing your MBA application materials as Round 1 kicks off
What should you do if you're light on extracurriculars, volunteer work and community service? And is it even worth it to try and beef up this aspect of your MBA candidacy during COVID-19 lockdowns ... and when there are only a few months before Round 1 deadlines? This episode gives MBA applicants some tactical ideas for how to ensure they're not just relying on their academic and professional achievements in their materials.
This episode explains the risks of trying to be "Joe or Jane MBA" -- the stereotypical business school applicant.
SBC admissions consultant Erika Olson interviews her past client Nick, who is about to graduate from HBS. Nick was admitted to both Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, and shares what he thinks made his MBA journey such a successful one. (This interview took place on April 7, 2020.)
In this premiere episode of B-Schooled, an MBA admissions podcast by top admissions consulting firm Stacy Blackman Consulting, we'll discuss: What listeners can expect from the podcast in the weeks ahead, What MBA applicants can be doing to strengthen their candidacies between now and Round 1 deadlines in the fall, and One thing applicants should NOT be worrying about right now during these already-stressful times