A great blog post on how to get into Harvard from one of the best blogs I’ve read in awhile called Study Hacks. This is a nice summary on how to get accepted into a top program and how we help clients:
“the greatest asset of these relaxed superstars is not the quality of their activities, but the fact that they’re genuinely interesting people. This trait, which I call interestingness, permeates their application – from their essay to recommendations – and has a profoundly positive impact on their admissions chance”
Tim Ferriss, the author of Four Hour Work Week, wrote a blog post about the importance of the Superstar Effect. I recommend reading his entire post, but I will summarize its relevance to the application process in this newsletter.
The Superstar Effect is a mathematical explanation for why the best receive disproportional rewards to all others. For example, a website that is ranked 1st on Google search is clicked on almost 4 times (42.13%) more than the 2nd link (11.90%). For the applicant, these results are no different:
A Sociologist, Paul Atwell, studied the Superstar Effect on applicants to Dartmouth College. He found that valedictorians had a 75% acceptance as opposed to the fifth-ranked student that had only 25%.To gain admission in such a competitive time, you must create the Superstar Effect in whatever field you do best. You can achieve this by not only establishing your skills but also eliminating your completion.
This application method is what helped me gain acceptance into Tuck School of Business with a modest GPA and GMAT and Harvard University with similarly credentials. In my application, I managed to establish myself as the best in a field. For my clients, I work with them to do the same.
Contact me for more questions as I would love to help you gain admission to your top choice school.
When going into an interview or talking with faculty and students, make sure you know information about the school THAT IS NOT ON THE SCHOOL’S WEBSITE. Since you’re competing against other applicants – a concept often overlooked by most people – go beyond, outside and above the competition. One way to do this and ultimately win the application game is to know more about the faculty than other students. For example, although Robert Shiller is a famous Yale Profession, you might quote things from his books or articles. Here is a great article by Shiller called What Would Roosevelt Do if you’re thinking about Yale SOM.
Although most of you do not lack productive skills and motivation, here is an article from the popular blog Zen Habits on How to be Insanely Productive (yes…insanely productive). If can also save time by managing your application in our online portal. Fill out a profile evaluation if you more info on how it helps our clients.
1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)
2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?
3. What is the greatest challenge or hurdle you have overcome, either personally or professionally, and how did you manage to do so?
4. Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?
5. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.
- Understand that this is a zero-sum game
Don’t think of the application process as an academic paper to get an A. It’s a competition to beat other people out of a limited number of spots.
Figure out who is your competition and how you can beat them. It’s pretty easy. For example, I was in a white, male, athletic pool. By knowing your competition, you can more easily beat them.
The less people you compete against, the more likely you’ll get accepted. Once you know your competition, position yourself so you compete against the smallest group. I had a 680 GMAT and a 2.9 GPA, do you think I wanted to compete with all the white males applying? I would have been destroyed.
Once you position yourself against your competition, find a niche. Figure out what makes you special and be the best at it.
- Understand that people ultimately decide
A group of 5-10 admissions officers are going to sit in a room and decide your fate. These people have emotions, biases, generalities, and assumptions. Use this to your advantage. Win these people over and you get accepted.
It is important in your application process to remember to have fun. Think about an admissions officer reading thousands of applications on the same essay question; it must get incredibly boring (yes, even during your essays). One way to stand out in the crowd of essays, interviewers and applicants is to have some fun.
For example, in one of my essays I actually used a swear word (a–hole). In another, I talked about a company I started called Wingmancard, which helps people meet other people to date. In that essay, which answered why I wanted to get an MBA, I included a jpg of the cards to liven up my essay.
Here’s a pretty hilarious flier I saw yesterday to help make today more fun for you:
Have you seen this flier...yes
One of our clients, who recently had an interview at UC Irvine, was kind of enough to talk about his experience during the interview, how he prepared, and tips and advice on how you might prepare for Irvine and other MBA interviews.
He was also kind enough to do a quick podcast testimonial about IAS services. We also have a podcast about the Kellogg Interview.
The application process is the art of selling yourself. If you’ve done any sales, you know that you must use emotion to gain interest and then logic to close the deal. Successfully navigating the application process is no different.
Adcom accepts people they are emotional attached to. The GMAT, GPA and other parts of your application are just logical support for their emotional reasons for wanting you to come to their school. The best way to get a group of people emotionally invested in you is to have a Champion within the group.
The Champion is someone who convinces the rest of the group that you should be admitted. They point out your strengths, give reasons for your weaknesses and influence in approving your bid. If you have a Champion, you will be much more likely to get admitted.
How to contact your Champion
- Reach out to the school’s admissions office directly via email or phone and ask to connect with one Admissions person
- Find an Adcom’s personal email online through a blog, website, Linkedin profile, etc. and contact them
- Get introduced by someone within their school
How to develop a relationship
- Contact early and often
- Keep in touch 1/month
- Ask for advice on essays, recommendations, visits, etc.
How to go the extra mile
- Visit the school with a non-interview time to meet with your Champion
- Get to know the Champion personally (ask questions)
- Get other people you know to email the Champion on your behalf with personal recommendations
Feel free to contact us for more information.
Ideal game plan:
- Apply to 3 business schools in the first round
- Define a top choice business school and focus your energy around this program
- If you want a “tester” school, apply to Columbia’s MBA rolling admissions a month prior to your top choice school (Columbia will count as 1/3 schools)
- Plan on applying to two more schools in the second round
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