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Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Dec 2, 2020
Addressing Short Answers In MBA Applications
As part of their MBA applications, most business schools require candidates to complete short answers – these can be questions that ask an applicant to elaborate on areas such as his/her professional background, extracurricular involvement, and awards/recognitions received. The short answer sections are just as important as the rest of the application. However, too many times, I see candidates hastily completing these sections, which is a mistake. Below are my thoughts on how
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Sep 8, 2020
How To Bolster Your MBA Candidacy As A Reapplicant
If you're a reapplicant, that’s great that you are giving it another shot! I've worked with quite a few reapplicants, who by bolstering their profile from a prior year, were successful in gaining admittance to an MBA program of their choice. Reapplying is looked upon positively by business schools. By reapplying, you are demonstrating a strong, continued interest in an MBA program as well as your ability to be self-reflective and grow (a highly valued quality). If you are
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Aug 4, 2020
Why Are You Pursuing An MBA?
For any candidate applying to business school, this is a critical question to ask. After all, why are you willing to invest your resources (both time and money) as well as your energy to pursue this degree? As you immerse yourself in the application process, you’ll see that this question comes up over and over again, such as in information sessions, essays, and interviews. As you think about your response to this question, keep the following elements in mind. Your post-MBA
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Jul 1, 2020
4 Tips To Help You Handle Both Work And MBA Applications
This article originally appeared on fortefoundation.org. A question that I often get asked by candidates is how to juggle both professional responsibilities and MBA applications, given the demands of both. Performing well at work is, of course, extremely important. Moreover, there is no doubt that MBA applications require a lot of dedication – studying for the GMAT/GRE, developing your strategy/story, and writing your essays are just a few of the steps in the process. So h
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Jun 1, 2020
Current Business School And MBA Admissions Trends (AIGAC Conference 2020 Takeaways)
There is no doubt about it – the coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused many changes to take place across practically every part of normal life, including business school and MBA admissions. As a result of the uncertainty due to COVID-19, the MBA admissions landscape, not surprisingly, remains in flux. The Association of Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) recently held its annual conference in a virtual format where Admissions Officers from both US and European MBA programs
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Apr 21, 2020
Standing Out As An MBA Applicant In The Age Of Covid-19
While only time will tell, there is an expectation that as we head into Round 1 deadlines in the Fall, there will be an increase in the number of candidates applying to business school given the recessionary environment that has been spurred by the coronavirus (COVID-19). If this plays out as anticipated, the upcoming MBA application cycle will be more competitive than it has been in recent years as people look to enhance their professional skillset while riding out the weak
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Apr 1, 2020
Likely Impact Of COVID-19 On The 2020-2021 MBA Application Cycle
With the rapid changes taking place in the MBA application world due to coronavirus (COVID-19), I have been getting a lot of questions from candidates on whether they should apply in the current Round 3 for admission to the Class of 2022 (since deadlines have been extended) or in the upcoming 2020-2021 MBA application cycle for admission to the Class of 2023 (with deadlines starting in the Fall). Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut response to this question – it really depen
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Mar 4, 2020
Grit: An Important Quality In The MBA Application Journey
Applying to business school requires A LOT of hard work – there are many steps involved in the process and there can be myriad frustrations along the way. As a result, the one quality that it is imperative to possess while on your application journey is grit. With determination, you can take your applications to a level that will help you stand out from the crowd. Grit is required in the pre-MBA stage The pre-MBA stage is a critical one since it lays the foundation for the en
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Feb 3, 2020
Applying In Round 3? Here Are 3 Things To Keep In Mind
Are you planning to apply in Round 3 (or in the last round) of a school’s application cycle? As you may be aware, the final application round is a very difficult one, given that there are so few spots left for schools to fill (while most US schools’ final application round is the third round, many European schools' last round is the fourth round). As a result, it can often be better to push to Round 1 of the following year instead of applying in the last round, but that needs
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Jan 6, 2020
Factors To Consider As An Older MBA Applicant
Are you an older candidate who is thinking about applying to business school? Although most applicants are in their mid-upper 20s, if you are 30 years or older, pursuing an MBA degree can still be a very viable option for you. However, before delving into the application process, make sure that you are able to answer the following questions; based on my experience, the most successful older candidates can very clearly convey what their future career goals are, why they need t
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Dec 3, 2019
5 Common Mistakes In Business School Essays
Business school essays are an extremely important element of the application; unfortunately, however, I often see candidates not giving the essays the attention that they deserve. Remember that through your essays, Admissions Committees will begin to piece together your story: who you are, your values, your goals and aspirations, and how an MBA from their school fits into the picture. Below are five common mistakes that arise in business school essays – be sure to avoid them
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Nov 5, 2019
When Should You Utilize the Additional Info Section In MBA Applications?
Most business school applications will have either an essay or a short answer question where you can provide optional/additional information to help shed more light on your candidacy. It’s important to read the directions carefully, as most schools will make it clear that this space should only be used to clarify or explain things in your candidacy that you may not have been able to do so anywhere else in your application. Many candidates believe that they should be utilizing
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Sep 3, 2019
3 Piece Of Advice About MBA Focused Message Boards
When applying to business school, it’s only natural to try and get your hands on as much information as possible. After all, the more knowledge that you have about the process, the better off you’ll be, right? Not necessarily. While business school message boards can certainly contain helpful information, it’s important not to get so absorbed in the conversations that you lose sight of your goals and the most important person throughout this process…YOU. Below are three piece
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Aug 5, 2019
Are You Too Young To Apply To Business School?
Most candidates who apply to business school tend to have, on average, four to five years of full-time professional experience (i.e. the “sweet spot”), but does that mean you are at a huge disadvantage if you have fewer years of full-time work experience? The short answer is no. I have successfully worked with applicants who have had two to three years of professional experience prior to matriculating to MBA programs. However, there are a few things that should very clearly b
Shaifali Aggarwal, Founder/CEO
- Jul 2, 2019
The Importance Of Personal Branding In MBA Applications
A common misconception of applicants is that gaining acceptance to the top MBA programs comes down to having strong statistics – in other words, a high GPA score and high GMAT/GRE score are the key factors that will drive their success in the process. Unfortunately, given this assumption, many academic achievers are disappointed when they are denied admission to the schools of their choice (and surprised when those with more average scores are admitted). So, what is the diffe
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