In this episode your host Chandler pulls together a range of suggestions from other SBC podcasts along with a range of new insights – to give you all the tools you need to not just survive your time on the waitlist but, hopefully, thrive.  Insights from this episode include: What being on the waitlist means (and what it doesn’t),  The importance of developing an individualized waitlist strategy, Specific guidance about following your school’s waitlist process (which varies from program to program), What to do if your school allows students on the waitlist to send follow-up materials and updates, Tips for asking about feedback regarding your application if appropriate, Tips for developing a relationship your waitlist point of contact, Possible benefits of playing the “waitlist long game”, and Suggestions for how to stand out on the waitlist (in good ways) and how to avoid standing out on the wait list (in bad ways).

This replay of B-School's one-year-anniversary episode features Stacy Blackman herself! Stacy will talk about her entrepreneurial career and how an MBA helped her (and continues to help her) start three companies. She'll also share advice for MBA hopefuls who are looking to run their own firms at some point after graduation, as well as for those who might be approaching the application process with entrepreneurial experience already under their belt.

For this podcast Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn, who is no stranger to the podcast. 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 Brothers.  A few weeks ago Dawn approached Chandler with a unique podcast idea: in this episode Dawn and Chandler discuss the recent Grammy performance featuring Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. Dawn uses this unique collaboration as a jumping off point to talk about a range of topics of interest to MBA applicants, including: Embracing authenticity and vulnerability Celebrating diverse perspectives Knowing how to play to your strengths The power of collaboration The benefits of surprising your audience Modestly shining the spotlight on your excellence Connecting with your audience on a personal level The benefits of starting early Listening to this podcast is a must – not only for artists and performers – but for anyone interested in crafting an application that allows you to really connect with your reader.

This replay of a two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. This week's Part 2 covers budgeting for your MBA, planning to relocate, and figuring out how to best spend your time between now and matriculation (when you aren’t attending to all of the other to do’s!). As a reminder, last week in Part 1 (episode 201) we discussed how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out  (on our website under "Work With Us").

This replay of a two-part series of episodes outlines 12 things that admitted MBA applicants should do between now and matriculation. Part 1 covers To Do's related to an applicant's current and future networks, as well as other important actions to take before leaving a job. We also discuss how to head off possible issues with your background check after you’re admitted. If that’s something that concerns you, be sure to check out  (on our website under "Work With Us").

Four our special 200th podcast episode we are sitting down with an early SBC client – Stephen Frayne, Jr. -- who worked with SBC almost 20 years ago. Chandler and Stephen talk about a number of important topics of interest to any MBA applicant, including:  How to think about the value of investing in working with an MBA consultant, The ways in which an MBA consultant can serve as a mentor, Advice from a re-applicants who don’t get in the first time… but ended up getting into his dream school the second time, Lessons learned from that same applicant who ended up TURNING DOWN his dream school for reasons he never would have expected, Suggestions for MBA applicants interested in the intersection between entrepreneurship and intellectual property, Lessons learned from standing up for yourself early in your career, The benefits of asking for help and coalition building, The power of taking a “portfolio approach” to life, Keeping a “beginner’s mindset” throughout the course of one’s career, and The perils of thinking small.    Special thanks to Stephen for this very honest and candid conversation.

For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”.    In the first segment of this series Chandler talked about WHERE YOU ARE NOW as an applicant what you have learned thus far in life.   In the second segment he discussed how to articulate bold goals for where you ultimately WANT TO BE.    In this critical third segment we connect the dots by discussing how to you GET FROM HERE TO THERE in ways that are specific, tangible, and – perhaps most importantly – realistic.   In this episode, Chandler discusses how to: Articulate what you want to get out of your MBA experience, Describe your short and long term career goals, Detail the career stepping stones connecting your MBA experience to your ultimate career objective, Identify and describe your own “career exemplar”, and Pressure test your career plan with an industry expert. Chandler closes the episode by pointing listeners to a range of other free SBC resources for those interested in additional career planning support.

For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”.   In many ways, these words summarize so much of Chandler’s entire MBA application philosophy. In this three part series, he will dive deep into authenticity, boldness, and career planning—and how each of these relate to MBA applications.   In this episode Chandler talks extensively about how to be bold in your MBA applications. Among other things, Chandler talks about why top business schools are looking for bold applicants and how to: Be bold by centering your passion and being specific, Incorporate bold elements into your career goals, Think about what you want to do with your life, Talk about your accomplishments without sounding like you are bragging, Talk about the elements of your application you are the most nervous about (and why this is a very good thing),  Write the essay that scares you, and  Decide how personal is “too personal” for MBA essays and interviews.

For the past two years our co-host Chandler has ended each of his podcasts with the same 9 words: “Be authentic, be brave, and have a solid plan”.   In many ways, these words summarize so much of Chandler’s entire MBA application philosophy. In this three part series, he will dive deep into authenticity, boldness, and career planning—and how each of these relate to MBA applications.   In part one, Chandler talks extensively about authenticity and aggregates a great deal of free resources related to this critically important topic. Among other things, Chandler talks about how to: Channel your most authentic self when writing your MBA essays, Highlight what you've learned and how you've grown, and  Deal with self-doubt while on your MBA journey Chandler concludes by challenging listeners to use authenticity as a way to reframe doubts into boldness. By turning your deepest fears on their heads, you might just discover the fuel you need to take your application to the next level.

Are you in the extraordinarily enviable position of having to decide between two or more MBA programs? Are you nervous about your choice or unsure of how to go about making such a huge commitment? This episode pulls together advice from the entire Stacy Blackman Consulting staff on how to approach this decision and what factors to consider (both short-term and long-term).