5 05, 2023

How to Apply to a Top Ten MBA Program

By |2023-05-05T13:47:29-04:00May 5th, 2023|Chicago Booth, Columbia, EMBA, GMAT, HBS, INSEAD, Kellogg, LBS, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Ross, Stanford, UC Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, Wharton|0 Comments

How to Apply to a Top Ten MBA Program

A Top Ten MBA business school can open up a plethora of opportunities and career advancement for professionals. However, getting into a top ten MBA program requires more than just a good GMAT score and work experience. It demands meticulous planning, thoughtful research, and exceptional execution. In this article, we will guide you through the steps of applying to a top ten MBA program and help you prepare for the journey ahead.

  • Start Early and Research Thoroughly

The first and foremost step in applying to a top ten MBA program is to start early and research thoroughly. It is imperative to begin the application process at least a year in advance to ensure that you have enough time to complete all the requirements. Researching the various MBA programs, their curricula, faculty, and admission requirements will give you an understanding of the program’s suitability for you.

  • Focus on Your GMAT/GRE Score

A high GMAT/GRE score is one of the most important components of your application. It is the first impression that the admissions committee gets about your academic ability. A score of 700+ is considered competitive for top ten MBA programs. However, a high GMAT/GRE score alone does not guarantee admission. It is essential to balance your GMAT/GRE score with other components of your application.

  • Highlight Your Professional Experience

Your professional experience is another critical component of your application. It is essential to highlight your accomplishments, leadership skills, and your contribution to the organization. It is also essential to explain why you want to pursue an MBA and how it will help you achieve your career goals. The admissions committee looks for candidates who have demonstrated leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in their professional roles.

  • Write a Compelling Personal Essay

The personal essay is an opportunity to showcase your personality, values, and unique perspectives. It is essential to write a compelling essay that captures the attention of the admissions committee. The essay should explain why you want to pursue an MBA, your career goals, and how the program aligns with your aspirations. It should also highlight your achievements, challenges, and how you overcame them.

  • Secure Strong Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation play a vital role in the admissions process. It is essential to select recommenders who know you well, can speak to your abilities, and provide examples of your accomplishments. It is also important to brief your recommenders on your career goals, strengths, and weaknesses, so they can provide a comprehensive picture of you as a candidate.

  • Showcase Your Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities such as community service, volunteering, sports, and hobbies can add depth to your application. It demonstrates your ability to manage time, work in teams, and pursue interests outside of work. It is essential to highlight activities that align with your values and showcase your leadership potential.

  • Prepare for the Interview

If you are selected for an interview, it is essential to prepare well in advance. Research the program, the interviewer, and prepare answers to commonly asked questions. It is also essential to dress professionally, arrive on time, and make a good first impression.

In conclusion, applying to a top ten MBA program requires meticulous planning, thoughtful research, and exceptional execution.

It is essential to start early, focus on your GMAT/GRE score, highlight your professional experience, write a compelling personal essay, secure strong letters of recommendation, showcase your extracurricular activities, and prepare well for the interview. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of getting accepted into a top ten MBA program and embark on an exciting career journey. 

Want more advice about apply for a Round 1 or Round 2 MBA at a Top Ten school?  What about an EMBA program?

Contact me today for a free consultation and get into the program of your dreams! www.MBAIvy.com

Check out these other articles too:

  1. Tips To Writing A Better MBA Resume
  2. Should You retake the GMAT?
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1 09, 2021

Tips to Writing a Better MBA Admissions Resume

By |2021-09-01T00:15:57-04:00September 1st, 2021|Darden, Harvard, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, MIT Sloan, Wharton|0 Comments

Applying for admission to an elite MBA program such as HBS, Wharton, Chicago Booth, Kellogg, MIT Sloane Duke (Fuqua), Berkeley (Hass), Michigan (Ross) takes great planning and organizational skills. Bschool applicants often spend most of their focus on making their essays perfect and getting letters of recommendation that they neglect making their resume the best that they can make it. This is a BIG mistake! Your resume is frequently the first thing an admission committee member will review. If it is done right it will pull the member to actually be interested in the rest of your application.

Here are some tips for writing a great MBA admissions resume:

  • Try and keep it to 1 page unless you have more than 10 years experience or if you have some major accomplishment that requires more explanation than can be done on 1 page.
  • Highlight your most significant experiences and accomplishments at the top of your resume. Make sure it is easily readable and emphasize the things you did that made you stand out from your peers.
  • Talk about what you achieved versus what your job description is.
  • Always talk about the positive results that you achieved for you organization. Tangible quantification resonates louder than vague accolades.
  • Give more information about recent positions and list older positions with dates of employment, promotions and special achievements.
  • Stress how you’ve demonstrated leadership throughout your career and how that helped drive success within your organization.
  • In general, put work experience ahead of your education experience – and there should be no need to go back to high school unless there was a significant accomplishment that you achieved during those years.
  • Throughout your resume remember that you want to make yourself stand out. Include the most impressive awards, publications, professional licenses and organizations, and positions in volunteer groups.

Lastly, don’t wait until the last minute to get started on your MBA admission resume. You need time to edit and proofread your resume several times. It also is a great idea to have colleagues review it as well.

At mbaivy.com I can help you put your best foot forward as an MBA applicant. I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and Harvard graduate. I started MBA IVY: a leading ‘Top Ten’ Ivy League MBA business school admission consulting firm to help both MBA & EMBA clients learn what it takes to get into the most competitive business schools in the U.S. and abroad, and have achieved excellent results. Contact me for a free, personalized consultation.

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24 08, 2021

Why Bother Getting an MBA?

By |2021-08-24T12:23:13-04:00August 24th, 2021|Harvard, HBS, Ivy League, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays|0 Comments

Why bother getting an MBA?

If this question is on your mind it’s good to understand the positive impact getting an MBA  from one of the Top 10 bschools would bring to your career and life. An Ivy League MBA can help take you to places in your career that could increase your quality of life both in the office and out! It is good to keep in mind though that it is a large commitment of time and finances to make it happen but the rewards can be amazing! I can help you with the entire process!

One of the obvious reasons professionals choose to pursue an MBA from one of the Top 10 is for career acceleration and change. They have worked in the market for a period of time and realized that to get the leadership positions they want a graduate degree will get them there faster. They also realize that an MBA would help them to transition to another industry giving them greater flexibility to change roles.

In general, attending a top MBA program will also bring new skills to you including interpersonal, leadership, strategic thinking and communication skills. The programs are not just focused hard skills and quantitative analysis, in areas such as operations and finance. The top bschools focus and developing well rounded graduates that are ready to hit the ground running and make a difference in their existing organization after graduating.

MBA students are also hoping to get a ROI in getting their new degree. Sometimes your company may pay for you to return to school with some reasonable payback period! As with most advanced degrees you increase your salary potential with the more knowledge and ability you bring to a company. Not only could your earning potential increase but you may be setting yourself up to start your own business! MBA programs are ideal for connecting with other driven individuals to help establish a solid network post-graduation. These connections can become invaluable throughout your career and life in general.

If you need more guidance and insight please reach out for a free MBA or EMBA consultation. As a former Harvard admissions interviewer and Harvard grad, I specialize in helping clients get into the Top Ten Ivy League MBA and EMBA programs around the world.

The Top 10 include:

  1. Stanford
  2. Wharton
  3. MIT Sloan
  4. Harvard (HBS)
  5. Columbia
  6. Kellogg
  7. NYU Stern

You can contact me for a free consultation at: www.mbaivy.com and let me help you get into a great MBA program and achieve your dream of getting into the Ivy League!

Also, check out my other MBA & EMBA business school admissions blog articles, such as The Top TEN MBA + EMBA Programs for Entrepreneurs for free MBA admission advice!

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29 01, 2020

Rejected From HBS or Your Top Ten MBA Program?

By |2022-09-18T13:09:03-04:00January 29th, 2020|EMBA, GMAT, Harvard, HBS, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, Rec Letters, resume, Stanford, Wharton|0 Comments

Rejected From HBS or Your “Top Ten” MBA Program?

What should you do now?  Should you even think about reapplying for an MBA next year?

It’s January, and it’s cold in most parts of the country, freezing cold depending where you are, but nothing quite matches the cold sting of rejection you feel, if you got rejected from all of your MBA or EMBA programs this year.

Yup, sadly to say, it happens.

You took the time to apply, you really wanted to get in to a “Top Ten” MBA or EMBA program, your GMAT scores or EA (Executive Assessment) scores were strong, you’ve have a good job, with a prestigious, known-name firm in your field, and your recommenders were more than happy to help you out and write your rec.

So, let’s just say, in terms of gaining admissions to not only the MBA or EMBA business school program of your choice, but ANY MBA or EMBA program…you really don’t know exactly what went wrong.

And, then the next question that comes to mind is, “should I even try to apply again this year?”

That’s where I come in with some strong advice.  I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer, and a Harvard graduate myself.

I know how this stuff works!  First off, you need some eagle eyes on your actual applications — the ones that DIDN’T get you in to your school.

An experienced MBA admissions counselor will be able to take one look at your application (MBA resume, essays, recommendations, GMAT scores) and in a quick instant give you a run down of where the real problem lies.

Having been working in MBA admissions myself now for over 12 years, I will tell you, that most often rejections happen because of the following, and in this order:

  1. GMAT scores are too low for the MBA program you’re targeting
  2. The Resume: Not enough years of work experience, or work experience at non known-name firms (only relevant in certain fields, like finance…but there VERY relevant).
  3. POORLY WRITTEN MBA ESSAYS.
  4. Number 3 above is so important, I’m going to say that again: POORLY WRITTEN MBA ESSAYS are the #1 reason that almost 95% of people will get turned down from even interviewing at their top MBA or EMBA schools.
  5. Weak recommendations.
  6. Weak Interview (if you even got one, which if you didn’t, is a worse sign (but nothing that can’t be rectified next year, when you reapply!)
  7. Everything you have is “good enough” but there is not one single thing in your application that makes you stand out, or appear more interesting or unique than the person who just applied before you, or the person whose application they will read after, and so then you it simply becomes a random shot in the dark.
As a public service, let me now go through these most common reasons for MBA or EMBA business school admission rejections,  so everything becomes even more clear:

GMAT SCORES: The top business schools like HBS, Stanford, Wharton, and MIT can obviously have their pick of applicants, and the very first thing they look at is your GMAT score.  If you don’t know, or aren’t clear where your score fits on the hierarchy of business school candidates, take a look at my article here: The GMAT Score You Need To Get In To A “Top Ten” MBA!

WORK EXPERIENCE: Aside from what I have already said above, allow me to add that HOW your MBA resume looks is equally important.  The schools, and especially the more conservative (traditional) MBA programs like HBS, Wharton, Chicago Booth, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, UC Berkeley, etc., do not, under any circumstance, want to see a resume that doesn’t look like the person took the time to make it neat, easy to read, devoid of weird embellishments (like odd fonts – believe me, I’ve seen it), or they somehow make the font so small to cram everything in on one page, that you can’t read anything.  Don’t do that.

So, yes, your actually work experience is important, how many years, etc., but also do pay attention to how a formal MBA resume should look.  For a good article on MBA resumes check out my previous article here: How To Make Your MBA Resume Shine!

Now, on to my most important MBA admissions tip:

Don’t write weak MBA essays.  Don’t know what makes a GREAT MBA essay?  Do your research!  Get help!  Ask other MBA admissions consultants like me (as I offer a FREE consultation here: Click here for your FREE MBA consult!).

Make sure you know what a GOOD MBA essay looks like, or better yet 10 GOOD MBA essays, before you strike out on your own, unaware.  Poorly written, or just plain bad essays that don’t fully address the question, or (in the case of HBS) don’t give the MBA admissions committee anything at all close to what they are looking for…only makes it more likely that you, my friend, will get the big rejection.

And, nobody like that.

Brrrrr, did it just get cold in here?

YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: Very important, and perhaps more important than you realize, as someone who writes you a “nice” recommendation, is not going to hold water to someone who writes someone else a “the best employee I’ve ever had, he/she saved my life when we had to go to China for a business trip unannounced, sealed the deal singly-handedly, made the presentation, and brought our firm more revenue than we’ve seen in the last 100 years combined” recommendation.

In other words, you really need to make sure you’re choosing the best WRITER possible, when you’re looking to see whom to ask for recs. It makes a difference.

THE MBA INTERVIEW: I’m going to write an entire MBA admissions blog post on this one topic alone, so stay tuned, but basically, if you didn’t get offered an interview, that’s a bad sign, and if you were offered an interview, but it didn’t go well, or you don’t know how it really went, when it comes down to it, because you thought you did “okay enough” — just know that “okay enough” isn’t really okay, and that’s something I offer too, in terms of MBA or EMBA interview prep, so 1). You actually GET the business school interview in the first place, and 2). You don’t blow it when you do.

The interviews are extremely important.  On campus interviews are actually even more advantageous than alumni interviews (unless you are overseas), but this is something I will speak more about in my MBA interview blog post.

INDIVIDUALITY: Lastly, you really need to have something in your MBA application that makes you STAND OUT.

This can be anything — it can be a project you worked on, a perfect GMAT score, a humanitarian organization you founded, a business you run on the side, an interesting trip you took, or sport you participate in.  Basically, ANYTHING that makes the adcom (i.e. MBA admissions committee) say, “Oh yeah, I know who you’re talking about, I read that application too.”

Be memorable, stand out, have something, anything, that makes you just a little, itty bit “unique” and you’ll be way ahead of the business school admissions game.

And, remember, if the reason you didn’t get in was, in fact, one of the above, the best thing you can do for yourself is get a second pair of eagle eyes on your rejected MBA application, and have someone like myself give you an overview and an analysis  — because most problems are fixable, and with the right MBA admissions coach and help, you absolutely should fix the problems, get more work experience under your belt, raise your GMAT scores by taking classes or buying books, and apply again.

Each year I work with applicants who are actually reapplicants, and I get them in to HBS, Wharton, and Stanford.

There is no reason, with the right help, this can’t be you.

[I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and Harvard grad, and currently run the top MBA & EMBA admissions consulting firm: www.MBAIvy.com  Contact me today, and get into the bschool of your dreams!]

For other great MBA admissions tips and advice, you can read through my other blog posts here:

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3 12, 2019

The 5 mistakes That Will Ding Your MBA Application!

By |2019-12-03T09:58:14-05:00December 3rd, 2019|Chicago Booth, Columbia, Darden, Dartmouth Tuck, EMBA, Fuqua, GMAT, GRE, Harvard, HBS, Ivy League, Kellogg, LBS, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Ross, Stanford, Wharton|1 Comment

HBS, Wharton, Columbia, NYU Stern, Kellogg, Booth, they’re all the same when it comes to one thing: “dings.” If you’re applying for your MBA degree this year, you’re probably all too familiar with what that little word means. “Dings” are the marks made against you on your MBA application, the things you’ve done wrong, your failings, the things that will keep you from the MBA degree and business school and career of your dreams. “Dings” = MBA slang for really, really bad.

What if you knew ahead of time though, the top five things that you could avoid that would make sure an MBA admission officer’s “ding” on your application never happened? What if you could in fact, avoid the “dings” altogether and create a stellar application, by avoiding the most common dings, below?

Again, these are the top five things NOT to do:

1. DING #1: Speaking in a general versus personal matter = don’t do it.

This happens way too frequently among MBA applicants. In the essays, the applicant makes very general and sweepingly broad statements about “society” or “the global climate,” or “the issue” and goes on and on from their soapbox making a broad, generalized point, without really letting the admissions committee see them and who they are personally as an applicant. So, if you never use the word “I” in your essay and you find yourself talking about the various “ills of society” too much = DING.

2. DING #2: Not following though with your examples

Let’s say the question is, “Tell Us About A Time You Overcame Failure.” You have an example, you state where you were working at the time; you state what happened…the failure…and then you just stop on the negative. You’ve stated your answer as if it’s a fill-in-the-blank question. However, you have failed to provide any kind of self-reflection in the essay about why this “failure” occurred, how it influenced your life and career, and what you learned and took away from it that was positive (you always want to end on the positive). So, not stating these things, not following through on your examples is akin to answering someone in monotone = DING.

3. DING #3: Not knowing how to write well

You don’t have to be Shakespeare, you do have to be able to write well. Think about it, you’re applying for an MBA degree, and if all goes well, in the future you will be an executive or manager in charge of various employees, teams, and divisions. You better know how to write, regardless of your field. At the management level you represent the company. The MBA essays are the first place they look for clear, concise, logical and properly structured writing. If you can’t do it, get help. If you can’t do it, and you go ahead and turn bad writing in, thinking it doesn’t really matter and your essays are convoluted, unclear, grammatically incorrect or just plain confusing and/ or sounds like your eight year old wrote it = BIG DING.

4. DING #4: Not building a logical bridge

Often people use the MBA degree to bridge the gap between their past career (possibly even in a different field), and their future plans. “Dings” happen on this front however, when applicants fail to make their journey from point A to point B very clear and laid-out. How are you going to go from a mechanical engineer to a strategy consultant focused on tech investments? How does all your past experience figure in? Tell us. Tell us in detail. Make sure your plan is accurate. People switch careers all the time, and what the admission committees look for is simply: is your plan LOGICAL, does it make sense? Have you laid it out? Fail to show the necessary steps, or worse, not be clear about the steps yourself = HUGE DING.

5. DING #5: Not speaking with confidence

This one seems self-explanatory, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across applicants who write in a very self-deprecating way. They say things like, “if it’s possible for me to become a (fill in the blank) and go to your great school…” In other words, they put the school way up here on a pedestal, and themselves way down here in the plebeian mud. Don’t do it. The men and women who will one day be the top executives and leaders in their field KNOW they belong at these schools. There’s no self-deprecation, because they know they have just as much to contribute to the school as they will receive. There is no pedestal. Think otherwise and = DING. Show them you know you belong!

Avoid these five “dings” and you will be in much better shape than most of the MBA applicants out there. Master the essays, and you will have an excellent chance at success!

[I’m a former Harvard interviewer and a Harvard graduate and currently run the MBA admissions firm: www.MBAIvy.com Contact me today for a free phone consultation, and get into the school of your dreams!]

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29 11, 2019

The Harvard 2+2 Program: Is it Right For You?

By |2022-09-18T13:02:36-04:00November 29th, 2019|2+2, Harvard, HBS, MBA Admissions|0 Comments

HBS’s 2+2 program looks for students who have already demonstrated that they have strong promise to succeed. This can come from a bunch of different areas — maybe you have a really high GMAT score (over 720). Maybe you are an entrepreneur and started your own business already and are scaling it for continued growth. Maybe you have some unusual or impressive internship or mentors, or summer job, or professional experience in your background.

All these things make you stand out to admissions, especially at the top schools that offer 2+2.

AS Harvard’s own website states:

The 2+2 Program is a deferred admission process for current students, either in college or full-time master’s degree programs. It is comprised of at least two years of professional work experience followed by two years in the regular HBS MBA Program. We’re looking for innovative thinkers who have demonstrated leadership and analytical skills and want to develop their knowledge and passion to make a difference in the world. Upon graduation, admitted 2+2 students spend a minimum of two years (maximum of four years) working in a professional position in the public, private, or nonprofit sector.

College seniors from any academic background are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to high potential individuals on paths that aren’t as well established in leading to graduate business school, including applicants:

If you can get in, these programs are great. If you want help on your applications, I successfully get students into these programs every year. Contact me below if you’d like a free consultation today! www.MBAIvy.com

Check out my other blog posts as well, such as:

[I’m a former Harvard interviewer, and Harvard grad and currently run the top MBA + EMBA admissions firm www.MBAIvy.com out of NYC. Contact me today, and get into the school of your dreams!]

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30 05, 2017

MBA Application Deadlines for 2017-2018

By |2019-01-03T17:04:14-05:00May 30th, 2017|Columbia, Dartmouth Tuck, Harvard, HBS, INSEAD, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, NYU Stern, Ross, Wharton|0 Comments

The top MBA business school deadlines for the 2017-2018 admissions cycle are starting to come in!

I will be updating the MBA IVY blog as Round 1 dates and essay questions continue to be announced, but for now, the big changes from last year include Harvard (HBS) moving their deadline up to Sept 6 (R1) and Jan 3 (R2) respectively, and Wharton now more aligned with other “Top Ten” MBA programs, with a Sept 19th deadline for Round 1.

As mentioned, essay questions for some of the MBA programs have also already been announced, so while we still wait for others, check the list out below and check back soon!

And remember, if you need extra help or advice on this year’s application:

I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard grad, and run the top MBA admission consulting firm www.MBAIVY.com  Contact me today and get into the school of your dreams!]

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22 05, 2017

NYU Stern Announces New 1-Year MBA in High Tech

By |2019-01-03T17:04:37-05:00May 22nd, 2017|MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays, NYU Stern|0 Comments

The Traditional 2-year Tech MBA is About to be Disrupted

New York University’s Stern School of Business just announced its new 1-year MBA program in tech for IT professionals and others looking to further pursue and build upon their career in the high tech industry.

It’s a new category for a top business school that is already at the forefront of New York’s Wall Street and “Silicon Alley” community, as the one-year MBA allows those who are already immersed in the field to really narrow their professional focus, put their nose to the grindstone, and come out with an MBA in half the time (and the investment!) from a top business school like NYU Stern.

The Tech MBA is specifically designed for applicants who already have a solid technological background and want to take that next step.  It will prepare graduates, post-degree, to secure jobs in the corporate world in high tech finance and entrepreneurship across numerous platforms and industries.

MBA applications are available now for 2018 admissions at: NYU Stern’s Tech MBA site, and check out my other article The GMAT Score You Need to Get In to a Top Ten Business School!

[I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard grad, and currently run the MBA & EMBA admissions firm MBA IVY.  Contact me today and get into the school of your dreams!]

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21 05, 2017

Columbia MBA & EMBA Essay Questions for 2018

By |2019-01-03T17:06:16-05:00May 21st, 2017|Columbia, EMBA, MBA, MBA Admissions, MBA Essays|0 Comments

Columbia Business School has announced the MBA & EMBA essay questions for the 2017-2018 admissions cycle.

2018 ESSAY PROMPTS:

Goal: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters)

Essay #1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3 – 5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay #2: The full-time MBA experience includes academics, recruiting and networking. What are your personal priorities and how do you anticipate allocating your time at Columbia Business School? (250 words)

EMBA Essay #2: Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (250 words)

Essay #3: Please select and answer one of the following essay questions: (250 words)
a: Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life.
b: If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do?

Optional Essay: Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 words)

The MBA application to Columbia Business School is now live! Please visit the CBS admissions website for more information, and also look at the article: The GMAT Score You Need to Get Into a Top Ten Business School.

[I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard grad, and currently run the MBA & EMBA admissions firm MBA IVY.  Contact me for a free consultation today!]

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17 04, 2017

Stand Out From The Pack: Making Your MBA Application Even More Competitive

By |2019-01-03T17:06:48-05:00April 17th, 2017|MBA Admissions|0 Comments

Business schools like leaders. High GMAT scores are great, pedigree experience at well known-name firms will get you attention, but business schools…especially if you’re looking at the famed  ‘Top Ten’ and targeting places like HBS, Wharton, Kellogg or Chicago Booth for your MBA or EMBA degree, want to see that you also bring something actively interesting to the table.

What do I mean by “actively interesting?”  Something that demonstrates you are ambitious, innovative and using every ounce of your time to creatively push your career forward.

The best way to do this?  In my opinion, it’s to start your own side business, and/or not-for-profit organization.

It doesn’t matter how big it is, it doesn’t matter how successful.  What matters is that you ACTIVELY decided to take a step forward and tried something perhaps outside your comfort zone. Even while working a full-time job.

For example:

  1. I worked with an applicant who started a humanitarian organization raising just a mere $1,000 USD initially to buy school supplies for girls in India. This non-profit is now bringing in over $250k annually, and its founder, who really didn’t have much truly outstanding on her resume to begin with that would get her noticed, got into HBS, Stanford, and MIT.  She thought of an idea, built a website, enacted a marketing plan using nothing but social media, and MADE A DIFFERENCE in other people’s lives and her own.  All while working a “regular” job. This shows leadership, and is exactly what the top MBA programs want to see.

This strategy of building your own side project or business, and just putting it out there, also works particular well for those MBA business school applicants who might be straddling the fence in terms of not quite breaking a 720 on the GMAT, or not quite having “known name” firms on your resume, or not having enough years of what the MBA committee would deem “significant” industry experience…in other words, your MBA application could use a little boost to the next level.

Time and time again, I’ve had clients who decided to push forward by starting something new — however small it might be!  It doesn’t need to be this great big thing.  Really.  They put it on the web, took the necessary steps to market their new idea, maybe wrote a business plan, and regardless of profitability…did you read that?  If not, read it again to make sure you really get it… regardless of profitability, they demonstrated to admissions that they were willing to stretch, to take a risk with their time outside of work, to be ambitions, to try out their ideas even if they failed, because even failing could lead to the next great idea, and no experience in terms of MBA admissions is ever really wasted.

So, build a website, no matter how simple.  Think of an idea. Profit or non-profit. Create a landing page, or create something larger. Start something, anything, work on it, improve it as you go along, and just get it out there.  This will give you something else to talk about in terms of your business experience in your essays and in your MBA admissions interview. It will add color and interest to your entire MBA or EMBA application. It will make you more original, and original leaders are who the top schools want.

So far, the best site I’ve seen in terms of tech support and  minimum investment is: BLUEHOST:


For only $5.95 a month (and sometimes they have monthly specials that bring the cost down even lower) the company will host your site, and more importantly, provide tech support in helping you get your site up and running.

So, no matter if you choose to go the humanitarian route with a non-profit, or if your idea is a money making business that could be the next big thing, adding something “extra” and on-the-side to your MBA & EMBA business school application can make all the difference between an MBA admissions committee seeing you as just an average so-so applicant who doesn’t really stand out from the pack, to someone who has initiative, takes charge of their own future by actively DOING, and wants to make things happen.

So, want to get in to HBS, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, or MIT Sloan this year?  THIS is the type applicant you need to be.

[I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard grad, and currently run the MBA & EMBA admissions consulting firm MBA IVY.  My firm specializes in helping students get in to the Top Ten business schools. Contact us today at www.MBAIvy.com and get into the school of your dreams!]

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