Great insight!

When an applicant uses Chat GPT for all of their MBA essays and thinks nobody will notice 😂

One of the underrated benefits of a fulltime MBA is freedom to experiment No boss, no performance evals, etc Sure, you have a TON of activities, trips + courses to keep you SUPER busy But many students won’t have that level of flexibility & autonomy again until they retire

Don’t try to perfectly time your MBA Some applicants say that they’re waiting until the recession “hits” to do their MBA like it’s some type of looming hurricane Focus on the factors within your control, and whether an MBA makes sense at this point in your career

This LinkedIn profile has been making the rounds on Twitter Salary reporting sometimes surprises MBA applicants as they’re completing the employment history section of their MBA apps Most schools do require some level of salary reporting for your pre-MBA gig

First draft is done and you’re reviewing your work Step back Think about the adcom They read tons of these essays every day Does the 1st sentence draw the reader in? Are you interested in reading your own work?

An applicant I had breakfast with this morning: “Wait, I can talk about my handmade jewelry side hustle on these applications?!” Yes! You don’t have to be a robot 🤖 in these apps Show them who you really are and what you’ve built at work, and after hours 🙌🏼

Remember those undergrad group projects? MBA programs focus a lot on collaboration. At HBS we had to assemble a mock electrical system with 15 classmates & 100s of different parts in our ops class. A fun but chaotic mess for us non-engineers 😂 Good topic to focus on in essays

I’m always a bit nervous when applicants don’t visit campus before hitting submit on their MBA app I’ve heard this so many times: “I loved X school until I visited in person…” It’s a major investment of time, treasure, and effort!

One of the many tough things about applying to MBA is having to repeatedly say no to friends, family, events, and all types of fun stuff Good luck to all of those buried in GMAT prep and essay brainstorming this weekend! The hard work will pay off 💪

One of the biggest mistakes I see in MBA apps? Lack of authenticity The person reading your essay is a pro at sniffing out BS Don’t tell them what you think they want to hear Share your real story. Your dreams, aspirations, and learnings from life Try not to overthink this

Great point, it’s actually one of the things that encouraged me to start tweeting and writing more For me, this reading/knowledge retention gap is even larger with audiobooks

With 2 years & $250k you can: - get promoted & a few raises at work - travel the world - start a new business - invest in RE Think critically on whether an MBA is worth it for you The answer for me was yes, but you should carefully think about the investment you’re making

I always start with goals My first meeting with all applicants starts with a goals framework I can’t tell you what your goals are But I can help you think about them and frame them for your MBA journey Get this right and the rest of the app process is SO much easier

An underrated hack while writing your MBA essays: seeking feedback from trusted mentors, friends, and family on your essays Invite them to be critical of your work and don’t settle for blind compliments (“this is great!”) Getting fresh perspective helps jumpstart new ideas 💡

Applying MBA Round 1? Now is a good time to be making those requests for letters of recommendation Recommenders get busy & your MBA app is not top of mind for them (even if they think the world of you!) Give your recommenders plenty of time to write you the letter you deserve

It’s interesting International experience is such a boost for MBA applications If you’re in undergrad and interested in an MBA down the road, consider how you can obtain int’l experience early in your career Great personal/career experience + gold when applying to B-school