B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit

B-Schooled's host Erika interviews her 2020-21 Round 2 client Maddy, who was accepted to HBS, Stanford GSB, Berkeley Haas and Yale School of Management, and chose to attend Stanford. Erika and Maddy will discuss Maddy's background, her application highlights and her interview experience at each program.

Is there an advantage to applying for business school in Round 1? If your MBA materials aren't ready in the fall, is it significantly harder to be accepted in Round 2 after the new year? This episode focuses on the differences between Round 1 and Round 2, whether or not there is an advantage to applying in either round, and what the single most important factor should be in choosing when to apply.

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.

This episode talks about how to use the STAR method to organize your thoughts for powerful resume bullets, essays or interview responses. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and if you follow this structure when telling a story or explaining an accomplishment, it will help you get straight to the point and focus on the information that matters most to the admissions committee.

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.

This episode builds upon the advice covered in episode 16 ("MBA your resume") on how to create an MBA resume that best positions and differentiates your candidacy.

Our host Erika Olson interviews her recent SBC admissions consulting client Mike, who is about to head to Columbia Business School (CBS) after applying to MBA programs during the intense 2020-21 application year that saw record-high application numbers due to COVID. Mike talks about his background, the strengths and weaknesses in his candidacy, how he approached his essays, and how his CBS interview went, and also shares advice for future applicants.

Being able to tell a clear story about your career to date is a critical part of your MBA candidacy. This episode covers what to do if you've worked for several employers within a relatively short timeframe, especially if your career moves don't immediately make sense "on paper." We'll also cover what to do if you've been laid off or fired for a job, or if you worked somewhere for less than a year.

In this follow-up to episode 56, which gave a general overview of European MBA programs, Cathy, an INSEAD graduate and one of Stacy Blackman Consulting's European MBA experts, answers frequently asked questions about MBA programs outside of the US. Topics include the differences between European and US-based MBA experiences, the visa process, the interview process, recruiting information, and more.

This episode covers 5 MBA applicant pitfalls – as in, traits, attitudes or approaches that some MBA applicants take that can ultimately derail their chances of success.