Why MBA Prep Coach?
When clients first come to me, they are generally looking to make a big career transformation but not sure what that looks like or how to go about it. They just know a bit about what they like – and even more about what they are trying to get rid of.
Also, when I first speak with clients, they usually do not have a clear understanding of what I call their “professional identity.” Their strengths, weaknesses, areas of competitive advantage. What they are known for in the eyes of others. The adcom wants to get to know you. But if you do not know yourself, you cannot really help the adcom get to know you.
And, they are unclear about, as they say, “what to put.” They don’t know what the admissions committees are looking for – or what motivates adcom to root for you. Because of this, they have trouble identifying what aspects of their background should be put to the foreground in their applications.
When it comes to discussing their work, they are unable to convey it in universal language the admissions committee could easily follow and absorb. This limits the impact of your application, and subsequently your chances.
What I Deliver
Knowing “what to put” – Often clients have a treasure trove of impressive anecdotes but are unable to recognize them as “exceptional”. We mine through your stories together so I can identify examples of what the adcom is seeking – leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, innovation, positive impact, etc.
Identifying the “brilliance factor” – I help you identify the breakthrough thinking you applied to solve the problem, to get the result. With tight word limits, it’s important we go down the right road with these stories.
Discerning all the ways you added value/had impact – I often spot ways my clients make a positive impact that they had not considered. I can see ways your actions benefitted the company that you may not. We work together to articulate the value derived from your actions.
Achieve greater self-awareness – Our most important task is to help adcom get to know you. I help you get in touch with your authentic self, so can better express who you are to the adcom. The better they know you, as a person, the more they will “root” for you.
Tell your story – By outlining your anecdotes with me, you learn an effective framework for telling stories. You will take this framework into interviews and carry it with you for the rest of your life. Also: because I outline all your essay stories with you, the drafts you write are on track, which saves time.
Set you apart – I focus on the attributes that separate you from other competitors in your profile group, to give you a strategic advantage. Beyond b-school, you need to communicate your USP cleanly and concisely. This is what sparks interest in you when it comes to interviews, networking and speaking with investors.
Remove barriers – In your line of work, you have learned a secret language replete with acronyms and industry terms. I help you translate industry jargon that into plain language adcom readily understands. Consider the expression, “A fish doesn’t know what water looks like.”
Establish your critical path – My key to success: research yourself, research your goals and research the schools. I guide you in doing the right things in the right sequence to get you closer to your goal of an admit.
Get a clear command of your professional identity for adcom – By getting to know you, I identify your brand promise. What you deliver in every setting. From this we come up with an “angle” unique to you, and weave that positioning through all elements of the application. By doing this work, adcom can then summarize who you are, making you memorable.
Polished final product – I edit all your work, so it accentuates the key communication objective of each piece. I cut away what distracts from the main message. By focusing on our communication objective and cutting the rest, you develop a more well-defined identity in the minds of your readers.
Leveraging your b-school investment – Having your goals ironed out allows you to spend time in b-school learning, instead of recruiting for a bunch of different industries. Why spend $200K only to get a job – classes, extracurriculars, and building a network hold a great deal of long-term value.
Be ahead of the game – In sum, you hit the ground running. I put my clients through the same exercises they do in zero week in business school, in terms of personal branding, and informational interviewing. You will have already completed some of your outreach in finding an internship or post-MBA job.
Reasons for My Success
✦ MARKETING EXPERT
Skilled at anecdotally conveying your leadership and problem-solving skills
✦ CERTIFIED CAREER COACH
Eliciting concrete post-MBA goals and steps to achieve them
✦ CORPORATE & STARTUP LEADERSHIP
20 years of post-MBA experience informing your apps
✦ FORMER MBA PROFESSOR
Academic perspective will help enrich your essays
✦ COMMUNICATION COACH
Guiding your prep for video essays and interviews
Also
I KNOW WHAT’S OUT THERE
I have read and edited several hundred essays through having worked for five large admissions consulting firms. I know what has been “done to death” by applicants, and where the opportunities lie.
I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
Click on the Prospective Clients button above to set up a time to chat and see if we would make a good team. I want to help you create your best applications – get into your dream b-school – and pursue a career that excites you.
RECEIVE ADMISSIONS TIPS
TESTIMONIALS
I got the call today and was accepted!! I’m so excited and at a loss for words. Thank you so much Farrell. Unbelievable and feel very humbled and lucky to have this opportunity. I really appreciate you pushing and encouraging me to pursue Kellogg. I wouldn’t be here without you.
"Just wanted to inform you that I received an admit from Kellogg, Tepper, and UCLA in round 2. I am joining Kellogg. Your interview tips helped a lot."
- A. Abhishek
"I thank Farrell whole heartedly for helping me get admitted to INSEAD, my dream B-school. When I found her on GMAT Club, I had already applied to London Business School, and was rejected without getting even an interview. In order to improve my essays and increase the chances to get admitted by my dream school, I decided to go with her, even knowing we on a very tight schedule..."
– Y. Jiang, Xian. China
"Farrell was a real life saver in the MBA application process. I first came to her to help me in developing a holistic application that was tailored to my target schools. Her process effectively identified key strengths and weaknesses in my candidacy and developed a strategy to give me the best chance of getting accepted..."
– L. R., Chicago, IL
"Farrell is the only one who believed in me. First, she spent hours learning about me, to make sure I chose schools that fit me, and also, where the adcom would appreciate my international background the most. Honestly, this is probably the most important part of the application process and most students neglect it..."
– K. Marie, Paris, France
"Farrell not only helped me connect the dots and tell my story, but also guided me through an important process of self-knowledge. The methods used during the process were simple and effective in finding answers about myself and my objectives. Knowing about myself was an essential step towards achieving my short and long-term goals..."
– G. Azevedo, São Paulo, Brazil