Blog:
How to Get into The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
September 30, 2024
In 1881, Wharton became the first collegiate business school in the world. Joseph Wharton’s legacy lives on (his image can be found on the MBA Pub shirts) through a highly-ranked MBA program, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
What If I Don’t Have a Compelling Story?
September 27, 2024
When applying to top MBA programs, one of the most daunting tasks can be crafting a compelling personal narrative. In fact, it’s the number-one reason people reach out to work with me on their applications. For those who haven’t started a successful business, worked in a war zone, or overcome extreme adversity, the task of…
How to Get into Dartmouth Tuck
September 27, 2024
Like all top business schools, the Tuck curriculum is rigorous and designed to challenge students to reach their full capacity. Tuck’s goal is to develop leaders with a broad set of business skills who will better world of the business, and one of their key approaches to achieving that is cultivating self-awareness.
Attention International Applicants: Top US MBA Programs with STEM Designations
September 26, 2024
Over the past couple of years, the top 25 MBA programs have certified their programs (or portions of them) as STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). A STEM designation for an MBA program allows international students with F1 visas the eligibility to extend the Optional Practical Training (OPT) period to work in the United States from…
Six Resources for Black MBA Applicants
September 24, 2024
Black students represent an important talent pipeline for firms across industries. However, enrollment at top MBA programs, which are gateways to access mid- and senior-level opportunities, has stagnated over the past decade. Although Bloomberg reported in 2021 that Black students made up less than 10% of annual enrollment on average nationally, this percentage may decrease…
Tips for Your INSEAD Application Essays
September 21, 2024
INSEAD Application Essay Tips, 2024-2025 Get ready to write! INSEAD has one of the largest sets of required essays of any top MBA program; the admissions committee definitely demands that you put in the time to prove your interest in the program. Additionally, you’ll need to record four short videos for the video component of…
Applying to MBA Programs When You Have an Untraditional Background
September 20, 2024
Over the past 10–15 years, top MBA programs have accepted more students from untraditional backgrounds, including education (e.g., Teach for America), the Peace Corps, PR/media/communications, and the government/public sector. Having students from a range of different backgrounds adds to the diversity of business school classes. In all types of programs, but especially those that use…
Should I Write the Optional Essay?
September 19, 2024
When applying to top MBA programs, you’ll likely encounter an “optional essay” as part of the application process. It can be tempting to skip this essay, especially if you feel your application is already strong. But should you? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on your circumstances and the specific guidance provided by each school. Let’s…
Five Reasons to Pursue an MBA Along with the CFA Designation
September 18, 2024
Here are five ways an MBA and the CFA® Program work well together and can help you achieve your career goals in the investment industry. Earning a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter is indeed a time commitment: the average charterholder spends around 300 hours studying for each of three levels of the exam, and fewer…
Six Tips for the Wharton Team Based Discussion Interview
September 17, 2024
Congratulations on being invited to interview at Wharton! Making it this far in the business school application process is a huge win (fewer than half of applicants are invited), but preparing for the Wharton Team Based Discussion (TBD) presents new challenges. As you likely know by now, Wharton’s interview process is unlike any other MBA…
Is a Tech MBA for Me?
September 13, 2024
Technology is everywhere these days—and careers revolving around technology are the focus of many MBA programs. Although a general-management MBA will help you build strong management and business skills, if you are looking to pivot specifically into technology, there are tech-focused programs designed to help you get there. In addition, all tech MBA programs are…
Six Keys to Successful MBA Application Essays
September 12, 2024
In today’s competitive admissions climate, a successful MBA application requires significant time, planning, and self-reflection. One of the most important elements of that application is the essay, which is where you set yourself apart. The right essay can have a positively transformative effect on your profile—and, with it, your admissions decisions. Given our decades of…