Are you familiar with The Consortium, including their MBA member school and The Consortium fellowship fellow program? If you are not familiar, it is worth understanding. Formally known as The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM). This amazing nonprofit’s mission is to “enhance diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership”, which is something...
Our MBA admissions consulting clients frequently ask us how to network and why it matters. In a subjective and often vague process, networking can seem abstract. It may even feel like just another chore on your long MBA application to-do list. While there’s no hard deliverable attached to networking, we believe it’s a critical part of the...
Are you considering hiring an MBA admissions consultant and curious to understand how MBA admissions consulting prices work? It’s confusing, we get it! In today’s article, we’ll do our best to clarify the various ways MBA admissions consultants charge for their services and share the pros and cons of each. As MBA admissions consultants, we recognize this topic...
Many applicants worry that a low GPA will hurt their chances of admission. You may have chosen a difficult major, overcommitted to activities, or struggled to manage your time. The good news is that you can often mitigate a low GPA in your MBA application. For most applicants, college happened years ago. Since then, you have likely built...
While ‘when do MBA applications open?’ is a very relevant question (keep reading for the answer), it shouldn’t define when you begin working on your MBA application materials. Yes, we know the Round 1 MBA application deadlines seem so far away, but they’re not! Read on for our ideal MBA application timeline and you'll see why...
Dreaming of Stanford GSB? You're likely thinking about your essays. This guide will help you stand out in a highly competitive applicant pool. Here's everything you need to know to craft a compelling application. Stanford GSB Application Overview Stanford GSB Application Deadlines Round 1 – September 9, 2021* Round 2 – January 5, 2022* Round 3 / Deferred Enrollment – April 12,...
If the first two application deadlines for the top MBA programs got away from you, you’re not alone! Now you might be questioning if you should apply in round 3 or wait until next year. While we can’t make the decision for you, we can tell you the truth about round 3 MBA applications. How Top MBA...
As MBA admissions consultants, a question we often receive is which top MBA programs don't require the GMAT or GRE and whether taking one of these tests is really necessary to gain admission. We get it! Taking the time to prepare for and take the GMAT or GRE (often multiple times) is a lot of work....
You were invited to interview with Wharton, congrats! You’re one step closer to getting accepted. You might wonder: what are your chances after the Team Based Discussion? Wharton interviews roughly half of all applicants. However, it accepts only one in five. So, they’re looking to cut the remaining pool by slightly more than half at this juncture. What...
As an MBA admissions consultant, I often see applicants struggle with choosing between the GMAT and GRE. The decision can feel overwhelming. Should they take the GMAT or GRE? When should they prepare and sit for the exam? What GMAT or GRE score is ‘good enough’? These are the right questions to ask but, as with nearly...
In recent years, we’ve seen significant growth in deferred MBA programs at the top business schools. A trend that started primarily with the HBS 2+2 program and Stanford Deferred Enrollment has now come to Wharton, Chicago Booth, Columbia, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Darden, and Yale. The list of deferred admission (or enrollment) MBA programs continues to grow every year. As a...
HBS 2+2 is the ‘OG’ of deferred enrollment (or deferred admissions) MBA programs. It launched in 2007. Since then, it has earned a reputation as a spectacular opportunity for superstar college seniors and recent master’s graduates. What Is HBS 2+2? On a basic level, HBS 2+2 (and other deferred enrollment MBA programs) allows college seniors to secure a...
If you are currently in your senior year of college or enrolled in a graduate program that you began right after graduation, this article is for you. While it might be tempting to coast through to the summer, we urge you to consider whether you should apply to deferred enrollment MBA programs. What Are Deferred Enrollment MBA...
Congratulations on your Round 1 business school acceptances. Despite the challenges of limited in-person networking, you succeeded in a highly competitive year. A subset of you may have even received offers of scholarship money to help offset the very significant cost of attending a full time MBA program. Congratulations! Scholarship offers complicate your decision. While advantageous, these awards...
With the Round 2 deadline quickly approaching, you might be sitting down to tackle your Booth application over the holiday break. Chicago Booth offers numerous points of differentiation. Its urban location and innovative, flexible curriculum set it apart from other top programs. If you’re applying to Booth, here is what you need to know. Application Run Down Deadlines Round...
That’s the question facing many MBA applicants at this time of year. The Round 2 deadlines are quickly approaching in January but waiting until Round 1 next year means delaying matriculation until fall of 2023. So which timing is right for you? As with all aspects of the MBA application process, it depends. To help you make...
Deciding where to apply? Our newly updated Comparison of Top MBA Programs can help! This top MBA program comparison tool ranks business schools by class size, average post-MBA salary, and recruiting outcomes. It also includes the key criteria (GPA, GMAT, etc.) to help assess where you are likely to be a competitive applicant. However, be thoughtful about...
If you’re planning to apply to an MBA program in Round 2, establishing a comprehensive Round 2 Application Plan is essential to meeting your deadlines without compromising quality. Ideally, you already have a strong application strategy and personal brand, allowing you to focus on one of the most critical and time-intensive components: your essays. If you’ve...
MBA interview prep seems straightforward at first. Just practice standard questions, right? Hopefully yes, but not always. Effective MBA interview preparation requires more than standard practice, though. Adcom interviews may follow consistent patterns" (remove "across candidates, this rarely applies universally (especially for places like HBS where interviews are highly personalized). Alumni and current student interviews vary more....
If you've recently hit submit on your MBA applications, your attention will soon turn to the MBA interview tips. Most schools release interview invitations over the next month. Now is the right time to start planning your interview success strategy. As a starting point, consider what schools are trying to learn about you from this portion of...
If you’re looking for Essay Advice – Dartmouth Tuck, you’re in the right place. You may have seen that Businessweek recently reaffirmed its #2 ranking for Tuck amongst US MBA Programs. While specific rankings are of debatable importance, there’s no doubt that Dartmouth Tuck has amazing attributes to offer – beautiful surroundings, a personalized experience, and...
With Kellogg’s Round 1 deadline quickly approaching, our admissions consulting clients have been asking how best to prepare for and tackle Kellogg’s video essays. For context, let’s think about what Kellogg is trying to learn about you from this portion of the application. Since the school leverages alumni (like myself!) to conduct the vast majority of their...
If you're wondering how to find the best admissions consulting help, this article is for you. I can't claim to have all the answers. I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I can share perspective from both sides of the process. My journey began when I worked with an MBA admissions consultant during my...
Working on your Columbia Business School application? Here is what you need to know: Application Run Down Columbia is one of the only top schools where the timing of when you click “submit” can matter. Since Columbia has rolling admissions, it’s often to your benefit to submit your application early. This is an important one to stay on...
If you’re a round one MBA applicant and you haven’t had the “oh sh#t” moment yet, you’re probably not paying attention. Starting with HBS on 9/8, round one applicants face a busy month as they finalize their applications and make last minute changes before the deadlines. The team at Vantage Point MBA is here to help. Here is...
Kellogg’s 2021-22 application is open! If you’re considering applying to Kellogg, here is what you need to know: Application Run Down The deadlines are as follows: Round 1: 15 September 2021 Round 2: 5 January 2022 Round 3: 6 April 2022 (please do yourself a favor and don’t wait for Round 3) There are two required essay questions, which remain unchanged from...
At first glance, the Harvard Business School essay question seems fairly simple. It remained unchanged again this year. The prompt asks: What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy? However, many candidates feel lost after considering this question. They struggle to figure out what the adcom wants. They wonder which experiences from...
Wharton’s 2021-22 essay questions are out and offer a fresh twist on last year’s questions! As in prior years, their prompts are direct and allow enough word count to paint a robust picture of who you are and why Wharton is right for you (and vice versa). As such, I often recommend that my clients tackle...
“Is my test score strong enough?” That question is plaguing hundreds, if not thousands, of MBA applicants this time of year. By now, many MBA hopefuls have taken the GMAT or GRE at least once, but aren’t sure if their score is “enough” to get them into their dream programs. While a test score is only one...
Michigan Ross’ full time MBA application is live! This midwestern stalwart prides itself on its collegial culture and focus on action-based learning. Its location in one of the preeminent ‘college towns’ and passionate alumni network also count as some of this program’s key selling points. If you’re considering applying to Michigan Ross, here is what you need...
In the already subjective MBA application process, “networking” seems particularly abstract. What exactly is networking in this context? Do you really need to do it? How do you get started? What Is Networking? Let’s start there. Some folks see networking as transactional. They see it as schmoozing. You reach out to someone to 'get something' – a favor,...
And so, it begins…the first 2021-22 MBA application is live! Last week, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business opened their application. It includes a variety of short answer essay prompts. Admissions tweaked the prompts slightly from last year. Darden will continue to offer an early decision round. You can choose binding or non-binding options. In...
A question we often hear this time of year is “when should I start working on my MBA applications if I’m applying in the fall?” It seems so far away… But it’s not! You can guess where we’re going with this. The answer is that you need to start right now. Seriously, the amount of time you...
In a climate where there has been increased debate about the ‘value for money’ you get from a traditional full time MBA program, you may wonder whether a one-year MBA program is an option worth considering. After all, the cost of attending these programs can be significantly lower than their two-year counterparts. At Kellogg, for instance,...
When evaluating top MBA programs, rankings such as those published by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, The Economist, and several others, are a logical starting point and can provide a general pulse on how the market feels about each school. That said, have you ever noticed how widely rankings can vary by source, depending on...
As an MBA hopeful, you are undoubtedly aware that strong MBA recommendation letters are critical to your candidacy. You may wonder, how important are they to the admission committee’s evaluation of you? What, exactly, are they hoping to glean from your recommendations? And most importantly, how can you ensure that you get the most glowing letter(s)...
While many people think of January as the time to reflect, I find that spring – with its first warm days, sunlight extending a little later into the evening, and flowers emerging from the ground – can be an equally optimal time to set aside habits that aren’t serving us and commit to goals for the...
If you emerged from the Round 2 business school application process with one or more acceptances in hand, congrats! It was competitive year, the inability to visit made it even more challenging to visit and network with schools in person. A subset of you may have even received offers of scholarship money to help offset the very...
In Part I of this series on MBA career goals, I shared how to craft a short-term career goal that is specific, realistic, and logical. Checking those boxes' shows the admissions committee something important. You understand which companies hire from their program. But that alone won't excite them about having you in their incoming class. This is...
As an MBA admissions consultant, I help clients with several critical tasks. First, I help them develop their ‘personal brand’. This is often the most important element. A strong, authentic personal brand is the backbone of success. It drives your entire application. It is the marketing pitch you present to schools that demonstrates three key things. First,...
As an MBA admissions consultant, I often help clients with one concern. They want to know how to address an employment gap in their MBA application. The past year brought upheaval. More prospective MBA candidates than usual faced job changes. Many experienced periods of unemployment. They fear admissions committees will view this negatively. They worry about...
MBA interview questions are top of mind as Round 2 deadlines pass and invitations go out. Many MBA hopefuls will soon shift focus to interview prep. It’s smart to get a head start, especially this year. We’re finding that the turnaround time between an interview invitation and the big day is much tighter since interviews are being...
Updated 1.14.21 One of the most common concerns we hear? Clients worry their low undergrad GPA will prevent acceptance to their dream MBA program. Maybe you chose the toughest major. Perhaps you had a little too much fun. Or you were so involved in extracurriculars that you didn't have enough time to study. The good news? A...
Goodbye 2020 and hello 2021! While it seems every New Year comes with a sense of optimism and hope for the future, this year takes that sentiment to the extreme. Perhaps you’re planning for a fresh start in more ways than one by applying to MBA programs this fall. Congrats on taking that leap – from...
As the first semester of ‘business school in a pandemic’ comes to a close, we reached out to our past clients who are currently on campus to see what things have really been like. They graciously provided insights on everything from virtual classes to Zoom interviews to the MBA social scene and, while nothing about this...
Peruse any of the MBA admissions sites or forums and you’ll find that most of the dialogue is geared towards full time programs. While much of the advice translates to part time programs, clients I speak with who are interested in the latter option often rue the lack of specific resources. As such, I thought it would...
Updated 11.30.2020 At first glance, the Harvard Business School essay question, which remained unchanged again this year, seems fairly simple. What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy? However, after giving it some thought, many candidates find themselves quite lost, trying to figure out what the adcom is looking for and what stories and...
When it comes time to write your MBA application essays, one topic you can count on having to cover for nearly every program to which you are applying is why that particular school is the best fit for you. As an admissions consultant, I’ve helped countless clients craft this argument and I can undoubtedly say that,...
Perhaps it’s because this year has been…untraditional to say the least, time is flying by. The earliest Round 2 deadlines are approaching in just over six weeks! With the holidays thrown in the mix, the time that remains will elapse before you know it. That realization may strike fear in many of you, which is understandable,...
As an MBA admissions consultant, I find that clients and prospective clients, especially those early in their MBA journeys, are often fraught with anxiety and indecision about standardized testing. Which test should they take? When should they prepare and sit for the exam? Is their score ‘good enough’ or should they retake the test? These are the...
Updated 10.29.20 The Wharton Team Based Discussion is your next challenge. You were invited to interview with Wharton, congrats! You're one step closer to getting accepted. You might wonder what your odds are from here. Well, Wharton interviews roughly half of all applicants, but only accepts one in five. So, they’re looking to cut the interview...
These MBA interview tips will help you succeed in the next phase of your application. You've recently hit submit on your MBA applications. Do a little happy dance. You no longer have to spend every free moment on essays. Now your attention will turn to the interview portion of the process. Most schools will release interview...
Phew…you just hit submit on your last Round 1 MBA application! At first it’s a huge relief, as pulling double duty with a full time job and seemingly endless versions of your essays (not to mention all of the stress and uncertainty with the current state of the world) were enough to make your hair fall...
With Kellogg’s Round 1 deadline quickly approaching, my admissions consulting clients have been asking how best to prepare for and tackle Kellogg’s video essays. For context, let’s think about what Kellogg is trying to learn about you from this portion of the application. Since the school leverages alumni (like myself!) to conduct the vast majority of their...
If you’re a round one MBA applicant and you haven’t had the “oh sh#t” moment yet, you’re probably not paying attention. Starting with HBS on 9/8, round one applicants face a crazy couple of weeks as they finalize their applications and make last minute changes before the deadlines. The team at Vantage Point MBA is here to...
As an MBA admissions consultant, I've seen time and again how MBA networking can make all the difference. It separates a standout application from a forgettable one. Yet, I'm often surprised by how often applicants overlook this part of the process, especially now when many programs have gone virtual. Although some parts of the MBA application...
*Updated August 10, 2020 By now, most of the top MBA programs have released their application deadlines and essay topics for the 2020-2021 season. Below we’ve summarized what’s out so far so you can stay on top of it. First, it is important to remember that when you apply matters significantly. For instance, Early Action programs often have...
Perhaps it’s because this summer has been…untraditional to say the least, but time is flying by. The earliest Round 1 deadlines are approaching in only six weeks! That realization may strike fear in many of you, which is understandable, but try to harness the panic as motivation to plan for how you will use the remaining...
“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.” — Betty Reese In the current environment, the days slowly tick by. Fear often feels unavoidable. Many of us feel helpless and long for the recent past when life felt normal. I know I often do! Sometimes my...
Melody and I have held off on sending out advice over the last week as the right “advice” has seemed like a moving target. However, it looks like uncertainty will be the new “situation normal” for a while; and as two banker girls who lived through the 2008-2009 financial crisis, we have some advice for how...
Invited to interview with Wharton? Congratulations! You're one step closer to acceptance. You might wonder about your odds. Wharton interviews roughly half of all applicants. But they only accept one in five. They're cutting the pool by more than half. The Wharton Team Based Discussion (Wharton TBD) is your chance to shine. What Is the Wharton Team...
As a college senior, you may wonder if your initial career choices will impact your grad school prospects. If you are seeking flexibility, a deferred admission MBA might be the ideal path to ensure you are appealing to top programs while gaining professional experience. These questions are difficult to answer. After graduation, your career can take many...
How to Choose an MBA Program: Start With Rankings Rankings from U.S. News, Forbes, and The Economist offer a useful starting point, as they show how the market perceives each school. However, have you noticed how widely they vary? Rankings change by source, methodology, and even year. As a result, this volatility highlights an important truth: you...
As you apply to business school, using strong MBA resume bullet examples can significantly improve how admissions committees perceive your experience. However, not all resume bullets are created equal! Merely describing your accomplishments often fails to highlight your leadership potential. Admissions committees evaluate leadership as a primary metric. As such, below is a list of three bullets...
Vulnerable leadership is the secret weapon that separates good MBA applications from great ones. Picture this: in an interview you're asked about something that went wrong in a past job. Instead of explaining what happened, you might spin a story about how you predicted the failure. However, you might claim your hands were tied. In different...
MBA applications take up a TON of time!! Studying for the GMAT, visiting schools, writing essays, and prepping recommenders all take effort. We estimate the average applicant spends 150–250 hours applying to business school, depending on the number of schools. That’s essentially a serious part-time job on top of your day job. Every year, I speak with...
Every year we see a question that the “interwebs” seems conflicted about. Is it ok to write your own recommendation, or hire an admissions consultant to write it and have your recommender submit it? A lot of people apparently do this. Should you? No. And here’s why: first and foremost, your integrity. For most schools, you must...
Getting rejected from Harvard Business School is devastating. Many HBS reapplicants give up entirely. But with the right strategy, reapplying can succeed. This case study shows how Callie transformed her candidacy after rejection—and got into HBS and other top programs the second time around. From our initial conversations with Callie, we could tell she was a compelling...
It’s already February, and while it may seem like you have plenty of time, there are several things you can do right now to strengthen your MBA applications. Take a look at the list below, start laying-out your timeline for the year, and as always, we offer a free 30-minute consultation if you want to chat with us...
Many business schools have started releasing their 2017–2018 applications. These releases include the much-anticipated essay questions. For some applicants, this is the fun part. For others, it is the most stressful part. Boiling down your accomplishments, passions, and goals into 500–750 words is difficult. But step one is having something to write about in the first...
You're smart, motivated, and have a great idea. What value will an MBA for entrepreneurs really bring? Every startup requires trial-and-error, learning-by-doing, and learning-through-failure. You can't get this from a classroom alone. But MBA programs for entrepreneurs do provide fast-track learning. They offer benefits that accelerate your idea and growth potential. Below are considerations from startup founders....
After interviewing MBA hopefuls for Kellogg over the past six years, I can solve the apparent mystery of whether or not the questions you ask at the interview matter: undoubtedly,they do. Like the overall admissions process, much of the interview is subjective. There is no quantifiable formula to determine how well you did. In fact, it's...
Many of the top MBA programs have fairly similar interview formats; however, reviewing specific MBA Interview Reports can provide the edge needed to assess 'fit' and alignment with school goals. As part of this, most interviewers are looking to see what you might contribute to the class and what your personal vision and interests are. To...
You have approximately two months before the round two MBA application deadlines. So it’s time to un-glue yourself from the news, excuse yourself from the continued debates, and focus your attention on your own future - business school. With the holidays coming-up, round two deadlines sneak up on most people faster than they think. Taking the GMAT...
One of the most frequent questions that we get is whether rankings really matter. Do you have to go to the top ranked MBA program to be successful in life? Clearly the answer is no. There are many paths to success. But, let’s be honest: in general a graduate of a top-ranked program wil l have more...
HBS and Tuck have released their round one deadlines! Note that Tuck allows you to visit the campus and schedule an in-person interview. Historically, there have been limited spots for each date, so please schedule early. We added their applicant-initiatied interview deadlines to this calendar as well. As always, we recommend starting the application process asap if...
We figured that you have enough to worry about, so we're aggregating all of the round 1 deadlines into one calendar that we'll continue to update as new dates are posted (...
What makes for a strong performance in an alumni interview? Simple. Show that you’ve done your homework. About the school, but also about yourself. With alumni interviews you need to start by recognizing your audience. Your interviewer, who is probably doing 3-4 interviews a year, will have a combination of self-righteousness as their role of “gate keeper,”...
