Briefly: What your MBA Story lacks
|
Creating an outstanding MBA essay is an art of omission. What you leave out is as important as what you leave in. Your job is to NOT throw shovelfuls of details at the MBA AdCom reader. Your job is to mercilessly remove the details that weigh your narrative down and let the “so what” shine through. This goes for each individual sentence, each paragraph, and your overall story. What will be judged is your judgment – what you choose as an answer, how that answer is conveyed. The Competitive ConundrumOne of the biggest mistakes I see MBA hopefuls make is misunderstanding the idea behind differentiation. Your hardships and personal sorrow are not what will differentiate you in the MBA admissions process, unless they led to values you put into action. Sometimes MBA candidates go as far as confusing differentiation with competitiveness. I’ve been asked “How can I write essays so strong and compelling that it compensates for my weak GMAT”. In reality, you might not be able to – competitiveness and differentiation are not interchangeable. Your MBA story can be strong and compelling, and it still might not earn you an admission if your test scores, GPA, and work experience are not competitive enough. No one gets admitted solely for dreaming bigAnother persistent mistake I see in essays is candidates staking their differentiation on what they promise to do. Painting an ambitious picture of your intent to make a difference in the world is worthless if you don’t have a track record to back it up. No one is getting admitted to a top school on a promissory note. The same goes for chasing prestige. For what else is “I have been dreaming about Harvard since I was ten years old”? Why should this be a reason for HBS to admit you? You will never be able to flatter a top MBA program into opening its doors for you. Why do MBA candidates choose to work with me?“How do you help?”, an MBA candidate asked at an event last week. I was traveling with GMAC Tours and around me was a circle of MBA hopefuls. How do I help indeed? It’s a big question. An important one. I’m a chief strategist. A chief thought partner. A chief cheer leader, too. My long record of leading an MBA Admissions Committee means I’ve been in the room where MBA admissions decisions are made. I know how red flags are discussed and accounted for. I know what happens when a candidate is on the cusp. I also know that every single candidate has a remarkable MBA story to tell. You didn’t get to this point by being complacent or mediocre. And it doesn’t have to be a story of heroic achievement. This experience lets me help MBA candidates in a way that is distinctly different. Last week, I got voted one of the Top 10 MBA Admissions Consultants in the world. That recognition reflects one simple fact – when you become one of my candidates, you become my mission. My investment in you matches yours. I don’t peddle some secret formula that you need to include in your MBA essays. I help create space for you to tell your genuine story. I encourage you to approach the MBA admissions process with a sense of inspiration and possibility instead of fear or cynicism. This is how one very successful MBA admit described it: “When I wrote my essays, Petia was excellent at facilitating “unconstrained” brainstorming first, and then helping me sharpen my focus and language over time. At no point did Petia suggest changes that altered my intended meaning, and I truly appreciated her ability to provide feedback – which she always explained in detail – that crystalized my story without trying to force a specific narrative or message into the essay. Petia’s commitment to helping her clients is unmatched.” How can we make your MBA story coalesce?Because I limit how many candidates I work with, my roster for Round 2 is already filling up. If you are ready to show up really strong in Round 2, don’t wait too long to see if we are a good match to work together. 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...
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?...
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...