Toggle navigation
MBA Watch Logo
MBA Watch Sponsor
Rice Business | Mr. Doesn’t Know When To Quit
GRE 331, GPA 3
Stanford GSB | Mr. Anti W2
GRE 331, GPA 3.0
MIT Sloan | Ms. Sassy
GRE 329, GPA 3.46
MBA Watch Sponsor
Kellogg SOM | Mr. HealthAI
GMAT 700, GPA 3
Harvard | Mr. Global Consultant Leader
GMAT GMAT FE 705, GPA 7
INSEAD | Mr. SE To PM
GMAT 675, GPA 3.0
MBA Watch Sponsor
Harvard | Mr. Data Econ
GMAT 750, GPA 4
Harvard | Mr. Energetic Indian
GMAT 760, GPA 9
Stanford GSB | Ms. Multifaceted Desi
GRE 309, GPA 4
MBA Watch Sponsor
Tepper | Ms. MRI Gal
GRE N/A, GPA 3.3
Columbia | Ms. Big4 CPA To MBA
GMAT 730, GPA 3.69
Cornell Johnson | Ms. Indonesian Tech
GMAT 740, GPA 3.02
MBA Watch Sponsor
Stanford GSB | Mr. IB To TFA
GMAT 750, GPA 3.4
NYU Stern | Ms. CA – Controller
GRE 321, GPA 8
Chicago Booth | Ms. Low GPA High Impact Care
GMAT 685, GPA 2.56
MBA Watch Sponsor
PQ Logo
Featured Schools
University of Cambridge Judge Business School logo
NYU Color (440 x 200 px)
Rice Logo
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
University of Pittsburgh Katz
MBA Full time event
Today's Featured Schools
Featured Schools
University of Cambridge Judge Business School logo
NYU Color (440 x 200 px)
Rice Logo
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
University of Pittsburgh Katz
MBA Full time event
  • Home
  • Main Menu
  • Most Recent
  • This Week’s Most Viewed
  • GMAT Master
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • Study In UK
  • Special Reports
Rankings
  • MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Executive MBA
  • Undergraduate Business Schools
News & Features
  • All Business School News
  • MBA
  • International MBA News
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Admissions
Inside Business Education
  • THE Register
  • Thought Leadership
MBA
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Faculty & Leadership
  • Best 40 Under 40 Professors
  • Events
Students
  • News & Features
  • Meet The Class
  • Best & Brightest MBAs
  • Best & Brightest Online MBAs
  • Women In Business School
Careers & Pay
  • News, Advice, & Trends
Online MBA
  • News & Advice
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • Events
  • Pursuing Purpose At Gies
Masters Degrees in Business
  • News & Advice
  • Specialized Masters Directory
  • Rankings
  • Business Analytics
  • Master's In Management
  • Events
Financing
  • Financing Your Degree
Study IN Series
  • Study In France
  • Study In UK
Admissions
  • News & Advice
  • Admissions Consultant Directory
  • Your MBA Game Plan
  • Admissions Gateway
  • Getting Into HBS, GSB, & Wharton
  • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
  • MBA Watch
  • Events
GMAT & GRE
  • News & Advice
  • GMAT Master
More Resources
  • FREE: Insider Guides
  • FREE: Successful Essays To The GSB & HBS
  • Special Reports
Events
Videos
Podcasts
Executive MBA
Undergrad
Full Archive

About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us

Follow Us

Subscribe | Login

  1. Home
  2. Sponsored Blogs: Insights & Advice From MBA Admissions Consultants
  3. Students
  4. Women In Business School
  5. The Top Mistakes Women Make When Applying to Business School

The Top Mistakes Women Make When Applying to Business School

by: Karen Marks, president and founder of North Star Admissions Consulting on May 09, 2017 | 793 Views
May 9, 2017
    • Copy Link
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on Twitter
    • Email
    • Share on LinkedIn
    • Share on WhatsApp
    • Share on Reddit

A group of women preparing to complete their MBA programs. Learn more about MBA tips for women

As the former lead diversity recruiter at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, I interacted with thousands of women who were applying to graduate school.  As the President of North Star Admissions Consulting I have gotten to know even more – bright, competent young women with tremendous potential, who are interested in earning an MBA.

In both of these roles, I have seen women make common errors that severely limit their opportunities.

Here are the top mistakes that women make when applying to business school:

  • Lacking Confidence

Some women believe that they need to be “perfect” candidates, and that small blemishes (or perceived blemishes) will disqualify them from consideration.  In reality, top graduate programs are extremely excited to meet strong female candidates. Admissions officers are looking for reasons to admit fantastic women, not reasons to deny them.

  • Aiming too low

Women are coveted commodities, especially in traditionally male dominated fields like business.  By underestimating their market strength, women sometimes preemptively take themselves out of the running and don’t even apply to the most competitive schools. If appropriate, I encourage women to apply to schools and for scholarships that they thought were unattainable.  Given the right advice, they can absolutely succeed.

  • Using self-deprecating language

When talking about their tremendous academic or professional accomplishments, I have spoken with women who use words like “luck.” I have also noticed a tendency to say “sorry” during an interview, and to emphasize collaboration over individual accomplishment. Don’t be afraid to own your strengths and achievements.

  • Dismissing their own instincts

Women sometimes assume that other people know more than they do about the best way to craft their candidacy, and about the admissions process. Following advice from too many people (and discounting your own ability to filter information and make good decisions) can lead to paralysis, and to a muddled, diluted candidacy.  Have faith in your own judgment, choose a few impartial, expert advisors and aim high.


Karen has more than 12 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Clients have been awarded more than $47 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.

Trending

Meet The Georgia Tech Scheller MBA Class Of 2026, Lauren Dasher

Boardrooms & Bedtime Stories: Meet Kellogg’s Power Moms

First To The Finish: ASU’s Pioneering AI In Business Program Has Its First Grad

Meet The Georgia Tech Scheller MBA Class Of 2026, Tilka Persaud

Heidi Hillis Fortuna

Crafting A Compelling Career Vision For Your MBA Application

From Office To Home: Women Experience Less Discrimination Remotely, Toronto Rotman Profs Find

What They’re Saying: Top Admissions Consultants On MBA Applicants’ Reaction To Trump

Behind The Scenes At HBS Admissions

Tagged: business school and women, diversity in business schools, Karen Marks, MBA and women, North Star Admissions, recruitment of women for business schools, recruitment of women in MBA programs, tips for women applying to business school

Post navigation

Previous Article: Can You Scale It?
Next Article: A New Rankings Revolt In The Making?
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Search for:
  • Personal MBA Coach's Chicago Booth Essay Tips
  • Partner Blogs

    What Europe’s MBA Admissions Directors Want You To Know

    by Matt Symonds, Fortuna Admissions (1 day ago)
    MBA specialization with Melissa Jones from Fortuna

    6 MBA Specializations To Supercharge Your Career

    by Melissa Jones, Fortuna Admissions (5 days ago)
    NEW Karen Marks Photo

    Advice Column: Predictions For The 2025/2026 MBA Application Cycle

    by Karen Marks, North Star Admissions Consulting (5 days ago)

    How To Stand Out In The Application Pile

    by Matt Symonds, Fortuna Admissions (4 weeks ago)
    Jody Keating, Fortuna Admissions

    5 Tips To Craft A Killer MBA Resume

    by Jody Keating, Fortuna Admissions (1 month ago)
  • Online MBA Hub Specialized Masters Directory Business Analytics Hub MBA Admissions Consultants Assess My MBA Odds

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

About Poets&Quants | P&Q News Archives | Privacy Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Editorial | Contact Us | Sign In / Register

Copyright© 2025 C Change Media, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com