B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit

Everyone – and we do mean everyone – gets stuck on their MBA Applications from time to time. So it really isn't a question of IF you are going to hit a wall in your application process. It's a question of WHEN and—more critically—a question of WHAT you're going to do when this happens. In the first part of this two-part episode host Chandler Arnold explores what to do when you hit a wall. This episode includes 5 specific tips and suggestions, including such topics as: What you can learn by exploring WHY you're stuck Specific suggestions about using authenticity and vulnerability to bust through walls Embracing the fact that early drafts are often very bad The power of changing gears The benefits of stepping away and gaining perspective Chandler will also explore five additional strategies next week.

In this episode, Erika talks with fellow Stacy Blackman Consulting team member Deedee, who spent 12 years on the MBA admissions team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sloan School of Management. Deedee's passion for Sloan comes through as she gives invaluable insight on the program's unique application requirements (such as a cover letter, an organizational chart and a 1-minute video), and also explains how the program integrates with the Boston and Cambridge communities, as well as the wider MIT campus.

While there are countless ways to approach an MBA essay, we know a few things are true for virtually any business school essay prompt: You need to convey a lot of complex information succinctly, These prompts are often purposely broad/vague--which means that it is essential for you to structure your essay in a way that is compelling and easy to understand, and Admissions officers, who have to read hundreds or thousands of applications a year, read these essays VERY quickly. For all of these reasons, it is ESSENTIAL your essay is well structured, compelling, and that you make every word count. Of course you can write a well-structured essay in all kinds of ways, but one tried and true approach is probably the same format that your middle-school English school teacher taught you – the five paragraph essay: One introductory paragraph, Three paragraphs in the body that support and develop your argument, and One concluding paragraph at the end But the magic of what we share here ISN'T this format. Virtually every 14 year-old in the country is familiar with this format; the critical thing is how you LEVERAGE this format to integrate interesting and relevant stories about yourself in a way that is consistent and cohesive with your larger application narrative. In this segment your host Chandler will: Walk listeners through each paragraph of this essay structure, Suggest specific tips and suggestions to think about for each part of the essay, Share things to watch out for/avoid, and Showcase essay examples from successful applicants who earned admission to their first-choice programs

This episode covers: - How you should think about and position your short- and long-term MBA career goals in both the short-answer responses on business school applications, as well as in career-related essays. - What you should do if you have no idea what your career goals are, or if the main reason you want to go to b-school is to explore different options for your future career path. - Whether it's a bad idea to say you want to completely change careers or stick with what you're doing now.

Host Chandler Arnold sits down with longtime friend and MBA classmate Carie Lemack to talk about using an MBA in the aerospace field (specifically) and emerging sectors (more generally). Carie has served as a CEO and COO in aerospace enterprises, as an advisor to a number of aerospace startups, and is the co-founder of the Zed Factor Fellowship Program, a fellowship that empowers aspiring space and aviation professionals from historically excluded backgrounds. In this wide-ranging conversation Chandler and Carie laugh a lot. They also have radically candid conversations about a variety of topics, including: Advice for people interested in using their MBAs in Aerospace and other emerging industries, Tips for breaking into a new industry from a nontraditional background, Practical suggestions for how to leverage your passion to transition into a new field, Suggestions for women working in typically male-dominated industries, Suggestions for MBA students thinking about how to prioritize their time in business school, How to choose the "fights worth fighting for" in business school and in life, and Advice for MBA applicants doubting whether or not they "have what it takes" when applying to business school.

If you've toyed with the idea of using an artificial intelligence tool to write your MBA essays, this is the episode for you.

One thing many admissions officers focus on is identifying applicants who have a strong record of learning and growth, in both their professional and personal lives. With that said, effectively DEMONSTRATING you are open to learning and you have a proven aptitude for growth is often easier said than done. But don't worry. In this podcast, we share specific tips and suggestions you can use to highlight the things you've learned--and the ways you've grown--in three areas of your application: your essays, your recommendations, and your interviews. Listening to this podcast is a must for anyone who wants to distinguish themselves as a thoughtful and emotionally intelligent applicant.

In a continuation of episode 158 on "candidacy question marks" – or red flags on an MBA candidate's record – this week's episode covers what to do if you: have employment gaps in your career, are unemployed when you apply, get laid off or fired after you submit your materials, or have something like a DUI or honor code violation from college on your record. This is a replay of a past fan-favorite episode.

The things that scare us – especially in the context of MBA essays – are often the things that make us feel vulnerable, uncertain, or insecure. In short, things that force us to take our armor off and be vulnerable. Vulnerability in MBA essays also offers you a powerful opportunity to connect with your reader, demonstrate self-awareness and/or EQ, and – most importantly – tell a really memorable and compelling story about yourself. In this episode we talk about how to choose an essay topic offers these opportunities for candor and vulnerability, including sharing a range of examples and categories of essays that might be a good fit for you. This is a must for anyone interested in writing more boldly and more authentically.

In this episode, Erika talks with Joe Sweeney, the MBA Program Academic Director of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. Joe's unique experience as an MBA student, professor and administrator at Mendoza leads to an in-depth discussion of what makes Mendoza stand out, and how the program integrates with its community in South Bend, Indiana, as well as with the wider University of Notre Dame.