If you’re one of the many who have been impacted by recent tech sector layoffs, you are likely pondering the next steps in your career. Change and uncertainty are scary, but they can also result in important reflection on what you want that next step to be. If business school has been in the back of...
With Round 1 deadlines closing in over the next few weeks, many of our clients are (smartly!) turning their focus to MBA interview preparation. We love mock interviewing with them in the lead up to the real thing and, over the years, we’ve gleaned a number of MBA interview pitfalls to which even the most impressive...
You may have seen that several top business schools, including Wharton, UCLA Anderson, and UVA Darden, recently released 2024 MBA class profiles. While MBA class profiles are always interesting to help understand trends in the business school landscape, there were a number of notable surprises this year. For those currently in the MBA application phase, what does...
If Kellogg School of Management is on your list of target MBA programs, you have likely started thinking about the essay questions. You’ve come to the right place. Below are the 2022-2023 Kellogg MBA essay questions and tips to strengthen your responses. Kellogg MBA Essay Questions (2022-2023) Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create...
It’s that time of year! Top business schools are starting to release their MBA application deadlines and essay questions for the 2022-2023 application cycle. If you are applying in Round 1, now is the time to pick your first school and start drafting essays. Remember, when you apply matters. Early action programs tend to have higher acceptance...
If you’re like many MBA hopefuls applying to business school this year, you’ve begun to map out your application approach and are daydreaming in earnest about what it would be like to attend your top choice program. As you consider your own qualifications – both your strengths and your weaknesses – you may wonder, what matters...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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,...
*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 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...
Choosing the right MBA programs has never been easier with our side-by-side comparison of the top MBA programs....
Let’s Get Efficient Deferred MBA admissions candidates: Get expert support through our new Small Group MBA Workshops. We're offering the benefit of working with a Vantage Point MBA consultant in small, high-value sessions. You'll receive personalized feedback. You'll also learn from your fellow participants. Whether you're just getting started or halfway through, these sessions empower you with...
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...
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 MBA admissions site or forum. You will find that most dialogue gears toward 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 be helpful to outline a...
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...
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,...
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...
Updated 10.1.20 These three bullets should be on your MBA resume if you want to stand out. When crafting your application, your resume deserves special attention. The right MBA resume bullets can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. Round 2 deadlines are three months away. If you haven't started your MBA resume, now is the time....
Updated 9.17.20 After interviewing countless MBA candidates for Kellogg, I can solve the mystery of whether your questions matter. They absolutely do. To remain competitive, you must recognize the specific MBA interview questions to avoid. The inquiries you choose demonstrate your level of interest, your listening skills, and your professional engagement. Second, they often demonstrate how well...
With Kellogg’s 2020-2021 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...
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 am often surprised by how often applicants overlook this part of the process. This is especially true now. Many programs have gone virtual. Although some parts of the...
*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 MBA 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...
A successful MBA application demonstrates your alignment with a specific institution. While official websites provide foundational data, school marketing materials often blur together. Top-tier programs all highlight cutting-edge coursework, acclaimed faculty, and premier corporate recruitment networks. Consequently, researching MBA programs when you can’t visit requires a shift toward subjective metrics: institutional culture and personal compatibility. This is...
Last week, Vantage Point MBA Senior Consultant Katie M. hosted a webinar on GMAT Club's YouTube channel. She tackled a timely topic: networking for your MBA applications. MBA networking can feel especially abstract in an already subjective application process. Many applicants see it as another task on a long MBA application to-do list. What is it...
It’s already February. You may feel like there is plenty of time before the first round of MBA application deadlines. However, there are five things you can be doing right now to strengthen your applications and reduce stress later. Review the list below and start planning your timeline for the year. Assume that everything will take...
Wondering where the last six months went? They flew by in a blur. You're not alone. The first two deadlines for top MBA programs slipped away. You're not alone there either. Now you're questioning: Is MBA Round 3 worth it? Or should you wait until next year? The Truth About Round 3 MBA Applications We can't decide for...
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...
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...
Should you apply Round 1 vs Round 2? HBS deadlines are just 13 weeks away. At this stage, many applicants realize that work projects or personal commitments have consumed more time than expected. Consequently, the application process feels more rushed than originally anticipated. This is also the time when many applicants start wondering whether they should...
If you’re just starting, the timeline below can help you stay on track over the next 13 weeks. This MBA application plan ensures you hit every deadline. 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...
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....
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...
A winning HBS essay strategy can make the difference between a good and a standout application. Many candidates struggle to know which stories best highlight their leadership and personal growth. At first glance, the Harvard Business School essay question seems fairly simple. It will remain unchanged this year. What more would you like us to know as...
Vulnerable leadership MBA is the secret weapon that separates good 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. You might claim you predicted the failure. Or you might say your hands were tied. This tendency...
It’s not "we" — it’s "me." For the ladies out there, repeat that to yourself. Why Women Struggle With Self-Promotion For a large portion of the women I work with each year who are navigating MBA applications for top programs, we eventually discuss the 'W': not win, not woman, but "we." Women tend to feel uncomfortable taking credit...
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...
Want to change the world through business? Our MBA scholarship helps social impact leaders get into top programs—for free. Business leaders can transform communities by solving society's most pressing challenges. Coca-Cola's supply chain delivers medications to rural developing areas. Google provides educational technology to underserved schools. What will you do? Vantage Point MBA's MBA of IMPACT...
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...
The short answer: 'It never hurts to ask.' Over the years, many of our clients have received amazing news. Schools have selected them for scholarships from at least one of their desired MBA programs. Sometimes, however, the money comes from a second or third choice instead of their coveted first choice. So, the question we often get...
Schools will release this year's MBA applications sometime in June or July, on average. So what can you be doing now? A lot. If you start your MBA application timeline now, you can knock out some low-hanging fruit. You'll be ready to hunker down once the applications come out. First thing’s first - if you haven’t taken...
