Truth or Myth: MBA Essays Can Save a Low GMAT or GRE? You’ve probably heard it before: “Great MBA essays can make up for a poor GMAT, but a great GMAT can’t make up for poor essays.” It’s a saying as old as admissions forums themselves, and while it sounds catchy, it’s far from entirely accurate. Yes, essays are critical. But let’s get one thing straight: the GMAT and GRE measure something entirely different. Your essays won’t tell AdComs how well you think under pressure with the timer on....
9 months ago • 2 min read
Hard Truth #1: The MBA AdCom can love you and still say "no" to you. In MBA admissions, knowledge is power. The learning curve can be steep, and reapplying is no fun. As a former Dean of MBA Admissions, I’ve closely tracked trends in the MBA admissions space for over a decade. I’ve observed the ebb and flow of application volumes and the evolving profiles and motivations of applicants to top MBA programs. When I launched My MBA Path, I quickly joined AIGAC, the Association of International...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
Today, I want to tell you about something really important.But before I do that, I need to take a quick detour. Only humans need apply Last week, I came across an article by one of my former MBA professors at Babson. Some of you might even know him - Tom Davenport. He’s widely recognized as a leading authority in analytics and AI. He’s co-authored nearly 30 books, published over 240 Harvard Business Review articles, 70+ in MIT Sloan Management Review, and more in Forbes, The Wall Street...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
It's that time of year again. MBA candidates who entered the race with high hopes but faced rejection are asking for ding analyses. Reviewing their failed apps is heartbreaking. Why? Because too often I find a ton of potential left untapped. Here’s how it usually plays out When we speak, the candidate sounds fun and interesting. Their resume presents great. Then I open their “What matters most to you and why?” or “What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
What the Strongest Applicants Actually Do There’s a misconception in MBA admissions that only candidates who are struggling or insecure seek out help from admissions consultants. That if you’re smart enough, you should be able to do it all on your own. But here’s what actually happens: The strongest candidates are the ones who are most likely to bring in outside expertise. They know they have a shot at top programs, and they’re not about to leave things to chance. So they seek...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
Happy New 2025! I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I like to reflect — on the choices we make, the paths we take, and the questions that guide us along the way. In the last days of 2024, I had the joy of celebrating with one of my Round 1 MBA ABC stars. She had just ended her year with the ultimate champagne problem: deciding between Stanford and HBS. (Yes, both.) A Space to Ask, Refine, and Shine In our conversation, she shared something that stuck with me. What drew her to...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
Are you lost in a sea of essay prompts? Or picked one, only to be stared down by a blank page for days? You’re not alone. But the MBA application is a job to be done, and today is November 10. The first Round 2 deadlines are 55 days away. It’s time to cover some ground. Or should I say, it’s time to generate some word count? Start with your “Why” If you’ve been in my orbit for a while, you know how often I talk about how you need to start with your "why". Defining your “why” means taking...
almost 2 years ago • 2 min read
There’s a myth swirling around the MBA forums—that you should tweak (read: change) your career goals just to give the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. I’ve seen it. You’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve even been tempted by it. Here’s the thing: If you’re adjusting your career vision just to check some imaginary box, stop right there. I get it—you want to seem like the perfect fit. It’s easy to fall into the trap of tailoring your vision to appear flawless. But I will never tire...
almost 2 years ago • 2 min read
What do MBA Admissions Committees really want? Ask a group of MBA AdComs to name the number one quality they look for in candidates, and one word will rise to the top: Self-awareness. It’s no coincidence that the entire MBA application process is designed to test this very quality. After all, how else would you answer essays like the HBS one asking, "What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become?" But this leads to an important...
almost 2 years ago • 1 min read