MBA Application Kickstarter
After 14 years on the MIT Sloan admissions committee, I have great insight into what top schools are looking for in applicants. This tailored package will help set you up for success in the application process. We will start by having a call so I can learn about you first as a person and about your dreams, goals and desires beyond the confines of an MBA program. What do you love to do? What hobbies do you have? What role do you take on in professional and social situations? From there we will collaborate on questions and exercises to bring to light the traits and qualities or your themes that make you tick- that define who you are as a person and identify the strongest stories that will help set you apart in the applicant pool. We will then work on aligning your short-, medium- and long-term goals with your current skills, interests and passions while identifying the specific skills you will need to gain in an MBA program to be successful in reaching those goals. This will become the basis of your MBA narrative that will be incorporated across all elements of your application and will help you frame your answers to the “Why MBA?” question. Next we will work to build a school list tailored to your requirements and interests. While this may seem easy at first blush, the “best” or highest raked programs may not be the best programs for you. Finding schools that closely align with your goals, learning style and interests is critical, as is having a mix of stretch, target and likely schools on your list. Finally, we will brainstorm to come up with a list of possible recommenders. Recommender letters are a critical piece that applicants have the least control over. When I was at MIT Sloan, there were many instances when the letter of recommendation was the make-or-break element in a candidate’s file. It is not sufficient to ask just anyone to write a letter, you want to be sure that your recommender will be your champion and write glowing letters in support of your candidacy. We will work to identify who is likely to write you the best letters. Spoiler alert, it is not your peer and it isn’t necessarily the company CEO. This reflection and strategy work will help kickstart your application process and provide you with the elements you need to confidently and successfully begin your MBA application journey.
What's included
Coaching is delivered via live and asynchronous sessions. In my time as an admissions coach, I have established a proven cadence for working with clients. The MBA Application Kickstarter is generally completed over the course of several weeks during which the applicant completes written assignments for review. I edit all work and provide specific and actionable feedback after each session. When needed, we will schedule a call to go over materials.
- -An individualized MBA narrative that will serve as the basis for all applications, along with a realistic school list tailored to your goals and a solid list of potential recommenders. -Upon completion of your MBA Application Kickstarter, you might elect to work with me on an hourly basis for support on updating your resume, recommender prep, any aspect of your essays from brainstorming to editing, as well as interview prep/mock interviews. Note: this package does not include work on applications.
Meet your expert
Lisa C.
Former MIT Sloan Adcomm |hundreds admits M7 & T15 | 5 Stars P&Q, GMAT Club.
After working in finance for over 10 years and getting an MBA along the way, I took a hiatus to focus on my growing family. A serendipitous meeting with an acquaintance led to me working as an admission advisor at MIT Sloan for 14 years. There I read thousands of applications and interviewed thousands of candidates for the MBA, EMBA, MFin, LGO and Sloan Fellows programs. I loved the work, meeting bright and engaging candidates, but increasingly felt that many applicants were missing key stories or information that would have allowed their applications to really pop. In my last few years at Sloan, an old friend convinced me to join her doing admissions consulting and I have never looked back! Over the last 8 years I have been supporting MBA and other specialty master's candidates identify experiences and traits that allow them to present their very best selves to committees and as a result to stand out in competitive applicant pools. I have helped candidates with various employment histories, and, as a member of a Blue Star family, I particularly enjoy working with veterans and active duty military members who seek to pivot out of the service or who are building a military career and want to upskill. Outside of work I am a competitive tennis and platform tennis player, and an avid downhill and backcountry skier and hiker.
