The inside scoop on HBS Essay Question #1: B-Schooled episode 214
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
Release Date: 07/17/2024
Do's and don'ts after you submit: B-Schooled episode 261
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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.
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Life Lessons I'd wished I learned 20 years ago, part 2: B-Schooled episode 260
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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...
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Life Lessons I'd wished I learned 20 years ago: B-Schooled episode 259
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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...
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How to think like an MBA admissions officer: B-Schooled episode 258
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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.
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Why do you need (not just want) an MBA now? : B-Schooled episode 257
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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.
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Avoid these MBA application time & energy wasters: B-Schooled episode 256
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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...
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MBA your resume: B-Schooled episode 255
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
Your resume is perhaps the single most important part of your application materials. This episode covers how to maximize that one precious page.
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Improving your quantitative profile: B-Schooled episode 254
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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
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The "One-Minute Method" for identifying strengths (Part 2): B-Schooled episode 253
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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...
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The "One-Minute Method" for identifying strengths (Part 1): B-Schooled episode 252
B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit
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...
info_outlineFor 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.