Gearing up for Round 2
Today, I have both good news and bad news for you, MBA hopefuls.The good news is if you are applying in Round 2, you have four beautiful months ahead of you. Four months to build the strongest MBA application possible. Four months to become an MBA candidate who is competitive and stands out. The bad news? Unlike Round 1, where pushing your application to the next round is a safe bet, there’s no good back up option for Round 2. What’s the best time to kick off your Round 2 MBA applications? Yesterday. But the next best time is today. What should you aim for? Two things: being competitive and compelling. What makes a candidate competitive AND compelling?The thing many MBA candidates don't realize is how often a “deny” is not a result of a major miss. It’s someone else having a 10% edge. Heck, it might even be 5%. Or less. But where do your competitors get that edge? A simple but compelling leadership story. A fire in their belly that comes from believing in their ability to be the kind of student, teammate, and leader the school looks for. Bonus good newsPart of my mission is to keep you, the MBA candidates who invite me into your Inbox, updated on the latest MBA Admissions trends. With data about the cycle that just concluded starting to become available, we know for a fact that applications went up. But trends are always shifting. Applications go up, then they go down. My prediction for the 2024-2025 MBA admission cycle?It’s that the main reason MBA candidates get denied will be even more amplified. What’s that reason, you ask? A weak, unsubstantiated career vision. Relying too much on a promise of what you will do than leaning on your track record. Another piece of news (you decide if it’s good or bad)More and more MBA candidates choose to work with an MBA admissions consultant. Why might that be? Because they recognize that having a thought partner, especially when that's an expert ranked as one of the Top 10 MBA Admissions consultants worldwide, maximizes their odds: How can you benefit from my MBA AdCom expertise?As a former dean of MBA admissions turned founder of My MBA Path, I deliver boutique MBA admissions consulting services, designed to meet you where you are and take you where you need to go: Get Unstuck: A focused, one-hour session for immediate support on specific challenges like essays or interview prep. MBA ABC: A 10-week interactive program with weekly live sessions and comprehensive resume and essays review and feedback Are you ready to uncover your 10% edge? Onwards and upwards, Petia |
My MBA Path
What do MBA Admissions Committees really want? Ask a group of MBA AdComs to name the number one quality they look for in candidates, and one word will rise to the top: Self-awareness. It’s no coincidence that the entire MBA application process is designed to test this very quality. After all, how else would you answer essays like the HBS one asking, "What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become?" But this leads to an important...
This last week, I had many conversations with candidates who are eager to submit in Round 1 even though their applications are gently whispering "I'm not ready".From weak test scores to weak answers to "What matters most to you and why?", their applications weren’t quite ready to make the strongest impression. It’s understandable to feel the pressure to apply early But unless you are fully confident this is the strongest possible MBA application you are capable of, please take a deep breath...
“This was incredibly helpful.” Yesterday, I heard that a lot. If you’ve ever worked with me, you’ve likely heard me preach: “We don’t praise our own work!” That’s what I say to candidates who try to sneak “I’ve worked tirelessly” or “My dedication and hard work have allowed me to…” into their essay. But “incredibly helpful” was literally used by Every.Single.Candidate who had a Get Unstuck session with me yesterday. So, I’m allowing myself to break my own rule. Now, the most important part is...