Are you familiar with The Consortium, including their MBA member school and The Consortium fellowship fellow program? If not, you should be! 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 we can all rally...
How to network and why exactly networking is important is something we’re frequently asked by our MBA admissions consulting clients. In an already subjective and sometimes vague process, “networking” can seem particularly abstract or worse, can simply be another “thing” on your long MBA application to-do list. While there’s no hard deliverable attached to networking, we believe...
One of the most common concerns we hear from clients is that their low GPA will prevent them from being accepted to the MBA program of their dreams. Whether it was because you chose the toughest major at your university, had a little too much fun, or were so involved in extracurriculars that you didn’t have...
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 was the first to launch in 2007 and has rightfully earned a reputation as a spectacular opportunity for superstar college seniors (and those who entered a master’s program right out of undergrad). What Is HBS 2+2? On a basic level, HBS 2+2 (and other...
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...
If you were lucky enough to emerge from the Round 1 business school application process with one or more acceptances in hand, congrats! It was competitive year, made even more challenging by a limited ability to visit and network with schools in person. A subset of you may have even received offers of scholarship money to help...
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 sortable tool ranks the top business schools on dimensions such as class size, average post-MBA salary, top recruited industries and more. It also includes the key criteria (GPA, GMAT, etc.) to help assess where you are likely to be a competitive...
If you’re wondering how to find the best MBA admissions consultants, this article is dedicated to you. While I can’t claim to have all of the answers, I can give you my perspective as someone who has been on both sides of the table: I worked with an MBA admissions consultant when I was applying to...
In the already subjective MBA application process, “networking” can seem 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 think networking is very transactional or artificial (i.e. schmoozing), where you reach out to someone to “get something” like...
*Updated June 7, 2021 It's that time of year! The top MBA programs are starting to release their deadlines and applications. Now is the time to pick your first school and start drafting essays in order to be ready for the September and October deadlines. Over the next few weeks, all of the deadlines and essay topics...
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...
If you were lucky enough to emerge from the Round 2 business school application process with one or more acceptances in hand, congrats! It was competitive year, made even more challenging by the inability to visit and network with schools in person. A subset of you may have even received offers of scholarship money to help offset...
Choosing the right MBA programs has never been easier with our side-by-side comparison of the top MBA programs....
Let’s Get Efficient With the launch of our new Small Group MBA Workshops, we’re offering the benefit of working with a Vantage Point MBA consultant in small, high value sessions where you'll receive some personalized feedback alongside learning from the questions and feedback of your fellow participants. Whether you’re just getting started, looking for a starting point,...
Updated 1.14.21 One of the most common concerns we hear from clients is that their low undergrad GPA will prevent them from being accepted to the MBA program of their dreams. Whether it was because you chose the toughest major at your university, had a little too much fun, or were so involved in extracurriculars that you...
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 10.29.20 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 pool by slightly more than half. You have probably read about...
Updated 10.23.20 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 2022. So which timing is right for you? As with all aspects of the MBA application process, it depends. To help you...
In recent years, we’ve seen significant growth in deferred MBA programs at the top business schools. A trend that started primarily at Harvard Business School with the 2+2 program and Stanford GSB has now come to Wharton, Chicago Booth, Columbia, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Darden, and Yale. The list continues to grow every year. As a college senior,...
If you’ve recently hit submit on your MBA applications, after doing a little happy dance that you no longer have to spend every free moment on essays, your attention will quickly turn to the interview portion of the process. Most schools will release interview invitations over the next month or so (if they haven’t already) and,...
Updated 10.1.20 With Round 2 deadlines roughly three months away, now is a great time to get started on your MBA resume, if you haven’t already. As an MBA admissions consultant, I often find that clients underestimate the importance of the resume portion of their application and are surprised by the number of iterations we work through...
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...
Updated 9.17.20 After interviewing countless MBA hopefuls for Kellogg, I can solve the apparent mystery of whether the questions you ask the interviewer matter – they do! Why? The questions you ask demonstrate three key things. First, they show how interested you are in the program based on the research you’ve done. Second, they often demonstrate how well...
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 networking in advance of applying to MBA programs can make all the difference between a standout and forgettable application. Yet, I'm often surprised by how often this part of the process is overlooked, especially now when many programs have gone virtual. Although some parts of...
*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. Remember, when to apply matters. Early action programs tend to have higher acceptance rates but are typically binding commitments....
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...
A big part of putting together a winning MBA application is demonstrating that you are the perfect “fit” for the school you are applying to, and that you are excited about that specific program and school. The schools' websites only get you so far; they start to blur together as the top schools all offer cutting...
Last week, Vantage Point MBA Senior Consultant, Katie M., hosted a webinar on GMAT Club’s YouTube channel on a very timely topic: networking for your MBA applications. In the already subjective application process, “networking” can seem particularly abstract or can be simply another “thing” on your long MBA application to-do list. What is it exactly? Do you...
It’s already February, and while it may seem like you have plenty of time before the first round of MBA application deadlines, there are several things that you can be doing right now to give yourself a leg up on applications this year (and reduce your stress level in the fall). We recommend that you take...
If you’re wondering where the last six months went, how they flew by in a blur, you’re not alone! If the first two application deadlines for the top MBA programs somehow got away from you, you’re also not alone! And now you’re probably questioning if it’s worth applying in round 3 or waiting until next year. While...
As a college senior, are you wondering, “If I take this job over another, will my chances of getting into grad school be higher or lower?” or “Will this job give me enough experience to be appealing to the top MBA programs when I graduate?” These questions are hard to answer right now as, after you graduate,...
The resume you used to get your last job is not the one you will use to apply to business school. I know - it’s frustrating. You spent hours getting it right to go out into the job market, only to find that you’re going to have to rework that small but powerful document in order...
HBS is due in 13 weeks. This is the time of year when many applicants realize that the crazy project from work, your wedding planning, or whatever else has been a major time commitment has left you feeling pressed for time in what is actually a longer process than you originally thought. As such, this is...
If you’re planning to apply to an MBA program round 1, it’s go-time! Many schools have already released essay topics and deadlines, so hopefully you already have a strong application strategy and personal brand that you’re leveraging to start thinking about how to approach one of the most critical and time-intensive aspects of the applications: the...
An insightful applicant asked me last week “when have you seen an applicant fail?” I love this question. And as I thought about the applicants who had come to us asking for an assessment of what went wrong last year, there was one thing their applications had in common: lack of a clear theme. At Vantage...
As you’re applying to business school, your resume is like your executive summary: it should concisely tell the story of how you’ve grown and developed over the course of your career as well as provide an indication of your focus areas and motivations. However, not all resume bullets are created equal! Simply describing what you did...
At first glance, the Harvard Business School essay question, which will remain 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 more thought, many candidates find themselves quite lost, trying to figure out what the adcom is looking for and...
Picture this: in an interview you’re asked a question about something that went wrong in a past job. Instead of simply explaining what happened, you find yourself shamelessly spinning a story about how you had a feeling all along that whatever “it” was would fail but your hands were tied. In different versions, this propensity to...
It’s not “we” it’s “me”. For the ladies out there, repeat that one again to yourself. For a large portion of the women I work with each year who are applying to the top MBA programs, at some point in the process we talk about the “W”: not win, not woman, “we”. Women, much more so than...
MBA applications take up a TON of time!! From studying for the GMAT to visiting schools, writing essays, prepping recommenders and interview prep, we estimate that the average applicant spends around 150 hours to 250 hours applying to b-school depending upon the number of schools you’re focused on. That’s a pretty serious part-time gig in addition...
Business leaders can have an enormous impact on enhancing communities and the world through finding creative solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges. For example, Coca-Cola’s robust supply chain has brought much-needed medications to rural areas in developing countries, and Google supplies innovative educational technology to school systems in need around the country. What will...
It's already February, and while it may seem like you have plenty of time, there are several things that you can be doing right now to give yourself a leg up on applications this year. Take a look at the list below, start laying-out your timeline for the year, and as always, we offer a free 30-minute...
The short answer is “it never hurts to ask”. Over the years, many of our clients have gotten the amazing news that they have been selected for a scholarship from at least one of their desired MBA programs. Sometimes, however, the money comes from a second or third choice instead of that coveted first choice school....
This year's MBA applications will be released by the schools sometime in June or July (on average). So what can you be doing now? A lot. If you start now, then you can knock out some of the low hanging fruit and be ready to hunker down once the applications come out. First thing’s first - if you...
