Start Now on Round 2

Just a public service announcement - make sure to get things in motion right away for R2. After your test score is sorted, plan to allocate at least 2 months to the application materials, if you work 40 hours per week, can put a moratorium on travel, put hobbies and extracurriculars to the side, and have no major family obligations. The higher your work hours, travel, family and community responsibilities, the earlier you need to start.

Testing - I always get worried when I hear "oh, I am taking the test on X date" which tells me they think it's a one-and-done thing. Plan on it being a time-suck nightmare unless you know otherwise i.e., have taken multiple OG mock exams or have a previous score. I don't think I've ever worked with anybody who has applied with their first GMAT or GRE score. Even if it goes well, they rarely feel it was their best attempt due to nerves. So, give yourself ample cushion to retake, and possibly take once more after that.

Research - Consider that you need to do the introspection. My mantra is, research yourself, research your goals and research the schools - then find the overlap of those things in the middle of the Venn diagram. This can be lengthy. Keep in mind that this isn't just about "getting in" it's about identifying the right goal and finding the school that is best positions you to achieve that goal and excel in it. At the same time, ensuring the cultural fit is good enough for this network to be valuable.

The Creative Process - Once the research, or at least the introspection is complete, you need to brainstorm, outline, draft and edit the essays. Based on the essay prompts, you will need to research the "clubs, culture and curriculum" along with program offerings that help you meet your development and career goals. Plan to get quotes from students and alumni to support your arguments. On top of video essays - some you can prepare for others, you can't.

You will need to brainstorm, draft and edit your CV as well - which needs to be more focused on leadership and accomplishments than technical skills and job responsibilities. Don't be tempted to neglect the application boxes. The school created that application because that is what they want to know about you, it's what they feel is important.

I work with a lot of candidates that need to prioritize their efforts at work, but that mindset really doesn't make sense with MBA applications. Everything they ask for is important. MBA admissions committees are not in the game of giving themselves busy work, they want to turn things around quickly. Has every single admit to X school nailed all parts of the application? No, but why take chances or have regrets? This is especially true for those coming from an overrepresented demographic, industry or work function.

Recommendations: You will need to at least collaborate with your recommenders on the stories they plan to share and unfortunately, sometimes you need to take more of a leadership role in that as well, which is a matter of 2 to 8 essays, depending on the school.

Yale SOM has outright stated that the recommenders need to tell your story, and that these play a larger role in admissions than the essays. This isn't the case for all schools, but still, don't deprioritize this because the recs validate the quality of your work experience, and how others experience you, among other things.

LinkedIn: Even if the school doesn't overtly ask you for it, as some schools do, it's likely they're checking it out to ensure consistency between what you're saying to them privately and what you're saying publicly. And beyond that, to know what interviewers, future MBA colleagues and most importantly MBA recruiters will see.

Apply Broadly: Because you are applying round two, there's no viable backup. I would really encourage you to apply to more than 2 or 3 schools. Even if you do a great job of everything above, you're not privy to the strategic priorities of the school, or who else applies.

"I was nervous even applying to M7 EMBAs as an Indian national in tech, with a 149 EA score. With Farrell's help I cracked both Kellogg and Booth EMBA, and offered 25k and 35k scholarships respectively. " – S.S, Chicago

I know my clients inside and out, allowing admissions to know, like, trust - and admit them. For 11+ years now. Even overrepresented & low-stats clients crack M7. poetsandquants.com/consultant/farrell

Partner with me to significantly increase your chances of being admitted to your top choice MBA program. Complete my contact form to receive CV and profile feedback.