Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Apply in Round 3.

Don’t mean to beat a dead horse here [side note: is there a less gruesome way to say that?], but Round 3 is a tough nut to crack. For many reasons. Which we’ve outlined before. People WILL get in during Round 3, of course, and there are many applicants out there who should apply. But there are also some who should put the breaks on MBA applications right now and come back in Round 1 next year. And who are …
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The Tuesday Q&A: How To Succeed in Round 3

QUESTION: I tried to get some applications in during Round 2 this year, but work got in the way and I had to push back to Round 3. Everyone I talk to says Round 3 is nearly impossible, but I’m eager to start b-school this fall. Am I making a mistake applying in Round 3? Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of getting in? ANSWER: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, dude, but …
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From Our Consultants: Getting a Head Start on 2013

Application deadlines for MBA programs that start in 2013 are a looong ways away. Hell, b-schools haven’t even finalized their class lists for 2012 yet, so there’s no reason to start thinking about those 2013 apps, right? Nnnope. Round 1 deadlines may not be coming for 6 months, but that doesn’t mean you have 6 months to sit around and twiddle your thumbs. On the contrary, it means you have 6 extra months to improve your profile and increase your …
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The Tuesday Q&A: Are Lofty Career Goals a Bad Thing?

QUESTION: I’ve just started working on my essays and I’m starting to second-guess my long-term goals. Are there any significant risks if your long-term goals are grand? Say, finding a treatment for AIDs or cancer, or, feeding the hungry in Africa? ANSWER: Wow, those are some big goals, dude. And some might say, unrealistic. Now, I don’t want to say that, because who am I to tell you that you won’t find a cure for cancer or feed the hungry …
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The Tuesday Q&A: Should I Interview On-Campus, or Off?

QUESTION: I’ve been invited to interview at Wharton and I have the option of doing my interview in India in the next week, or on campus in 3 weeks. While I’d like to visit campus for my interview, I’m just not sure if i can make it happen in such a short time frame. Is not visiting going to look bad for me? ANSWER: Suuure, happy to offer up some thoughts. I have spoken with adcoms directly about this exact issue. …
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The Tuesday Q&A: Euro vs. US B-School Applications

QUESTION: In your experience, is there any distinctive difference between the way a traditional European b-school views the application essays versus a US b-school? In other words, do we use a different approach when writing essays, or do we simply go in, guns blazing, everywhere? ANSWER: So… what you’re asking, essentially, is what is the difference between an app for a European program and a US-based one? And the answer is quite simple: Generally, yes, you will “go guns blazing …
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The Tuesday Q&A: Getting an Early Start on your MBA Applications

QUESTION: Hi. I’m interested in applying to MBA programs that start in 2013. I know it’s early and essay questions aren’t out yet, but I’m wondering if there’s anything I can start working on now? ANSWER: Hello there! Great question and one, quite frankly, we wish we got more around here. Too often people come to us for help in the 11th hour, when their apps are due in less than a week! It’s great that you want to be …
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The Tuesday Q&A: How Do I Get Off the Waitlist at Wharton?

QUESTION: I got waitlisted at Wharton in R1 and I don’t know what to do. I’ve been reading your blogs and I know that you say people can reach out and update their application while they wait to hear back, but you also say that Wharton does not want you to do that. So… is there anything I can do? ANSWER: First things first: congrats on getting waitlisted. Yes, congrats. Because that wasn’t an outright ding, which, as I’ve said …
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Tuesday Q&A: Can I Go To Kellogg for I-Banking?

QUESTION: I am in the process of deciding on my second deadline schools (I know… I’m a bit late on the uptake here). I’ve been reading your blog for awhile and your advice to “go to the best school you can” kind of makes sense, but I have a question. Do you think it holds true irrespective of my goals? For example, say if my goals relate to I-Banking; do you advise me to go to Kellogg instead of Stern or …
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From Our Consultants: Overcoming MBA Application Challenges

You feel that yet? The exhaustion, both mental and physical, that comes with looming application deadlines. You can barely lift yourself out of bed (that is, assuming you even had a chance to get into bed last night), let alone muster up the brainpower to write/revise/re-write another MBA application essay. But you must. power. through. That deadline is what? 3 days away? 7? That’s not a lot of time and you gotta dig deep to tap into the energy it …
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