“My name is not Susan,” Whitney Houston once sang.

Or, more recently, “my name is not Sarah.”

Technology can be both a friend and a foe. Most of the time, we’re on great terms. But sometimes, like this morning, an erroneous email told you that you have just five days to claim your discount for a custom package. Oops!

When Not to Trust Your First Instinct

When the first alert about the mistake came in, I went into full damage control mode. I wanted to email you and beg you to either laugh it off or pretend it never happened. But here’s why I didn’t.

Errors Are Rarely as Terrible as We Think

I initially thought everyone who received the wrong email would see my error. Then I realized you don’t know if that email went to a dozen or a few thousand people (don't ask, I'll never tell).

The Tech Errors That Make Us Human

Once the initial embarrassment wore off, the email responses became fun.

• “I love a good deal! Let me know if you have time to catch up,” an old AdCom colleague chimed in. (Wait, I have actual AdComs on my email list, that’s flattering!)
• “Hi team, it seems that the coupon code (COUPONFORSARAH) is not working. Request assistance here,” a witty MBA hopeful quipped. If that was YOU, please write back and tell me if you REALLY tried to use it.

In our 1:1s, my current candidates politely didn’t mention it until I did (and oh, I fessed up like nobody’s business!).

Why Waste a Perfectly Good Email?

Now that I’ve got your attention, let me share something actually useful.

The Reason MBA Application Deadlines Exist

Have you asked yourself why MBA application deadlines exist?

They serve as a test (Wait, yet another test, Petia? Isn’t the GMAT enough?)

Schools use the deadlines to confirm your intent and commitment. They keep the playing field level—everyone has the same runway.

Deadlines also represent the first checkpoint for what MBA education is all about: solving complex problems and making strategic decisions.

This requires the ability to allocate and prioritize efforts and resources. And that’s exactly what MBA ABC is all about.

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Are You Ready to Commit to Your MBA Application?

Maybe you’re not applying this year, or you’re not ready to say, “I’m serious about this and I commit to start investing effort now.”

That’s OK. But if this IS the year you’re committed to getting admitted to your dream schools… when will you start taking action?

​MBA ABC is now live! One of the new participants has already finished all the lessons AND the first drafts of his Stanford GSB essays.

By the end of the first week, all participants will have clarity about what winning the MBA admissions race means and what actions it requires. They’ll know what strengths to amplify and what weaknesses need mitigation.

Your Next Steps

What will you accomplish by the end of next week? If you’re committed to making this the year you get admitted to a top MBA program, I want to help light a fire in your belly. I want to help you FORGE your way to the application deadlines.

But like school application rounds, this requires intent and commitment. That’s why MBA ABC has a deadline too: Wednesday, July 10 at 4 PM Eastern Time.

If you’re committed to playing a bigger game this year, come join me.

​You are invited.

Onwards and upwards,

Petia

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