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

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

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

As a top-tier MBA program, thousands of candidates apply to Wharton each year. Based on my experience, there are three main qualities that Wharton looks for when evaluating candidates for admission; these are impactful leadership, strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate. My thoughts on each of these characteristics is below. Impactful leadership Being able to demonstrate leadership should come as no surprise; this quality is extremely important to all of the

Over the past decade, the average GMAT scores at the top business schools have steadily been rising. Why is this the case, and what are the implications for applicants? Reasons for rising average GMAT scores GMAT scores are rising because GMAC, the administrators of the GMAT exam, has made the GMAT more favorable for candidates. Because candidates can cancel a score within 72 hours of taking the GMAT (after knowing what the score is), and even reinstate a cancelled score, the

Those with non-traditional backgrounds often believe they are at a disadvantage when applying to top-tier MBA programs, but that is definitely not the case! Non-traditional applicants can often stand out from the crowd because of their differentiated experiences and what they can uniquely offer their class. However, as a non-traditional applicant, there are a few key areas of the application that you should absolutely nail in order to be competitive. Clearly articulate your s

Business school essays are an opportunity for candidates to share aspects of themselves with the MBA Admissions Committee in order to provide a more holistic picture of who they are; however, many candidates are daunted by the prospect of writing essays for business school applications. Based on my experience and that of clients whom I have worked with, by approaching the essay writing process in a systematic way, it can actually be quite enjoyable. If you are facing writer’s

This article originally appeared on fortefoundation.org. You’ve worked hard to craft your business school applications, which is why it’s worth taking some extra time to make sure all of the pieces are in place. With deadlines for Round 1 fast approaching, here are five questions to address before hitting the submit button. Is each application portraying a holistic picture? All of the different parts of the application, when viewed together, should convey your qualities and y

With admission to top-tier business schools getting increasingly competitive, how can you stand out from a very competitive pool of applicants? Many applicants hire an MBA admissions consultant to help position themselves in the best light possible, but should you? This is a very personal decision and depends on your comfort level with the MBA application process as well as your writing skills. If you're confident with how you plan to position yourself and how well you write,

International applicants can contribute a lot to business schools given their perspective and experience in certain regions of the world; however, through my work with international applicants, I have noticed four areas in which international applicants tend to falter the most when applying to business school. These four areas are outlined below. Lack of extracurricular activities Many international applicants, having grown up in environments where academics and strong profes

With an acceptance rate of 6%, the Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB) is one of the most competitive business schools to gain admission to. What qualities does the school value when it evaluates candidates? On its website, Stanford clearly states its evaluation criteria, which are the following: Intellectual Vitality, Demonstrated Leadership Potential, and Personal Qualities & Contributions. Let's go through each of these criteria in more detail. Intellectual

After having spent many years coaching clients through the business school application process, there are common mistakes that applicants make that I have come across. Here are five mistakes to avoid when you are applying to business school so that your applications stand out from the competition: Not crafting authentic applications Many candidates are tempted to craft business school applications according to what they believe Admissions Committees want to see and/or accordi

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” –Oscar Wilde “How do I get into the top business schools? What can I do to stand out from the competition? Is there a ‘formula’ that will help me get accepted into the MBA programs of my choice? My friend/colleague got into [fill in the blank] by focusing on [fill in the blank] on his/her apps – should I do the same thing?” I often get asked these questions from clients and prospective clients seeking an edge in the business s