McCombs School of Business | Ms. Registered Nurse Entrepreneur
GMAT 630, GPA 3.59
Berkeley Haas | Mr. Hanging By A Thread
GMAT 710, GPA 3.8
Harvard | Ms. 2+2 Trader
GMAT 770, GPA 3.9
Berkeley Haas | Mr. Young Software Engineer
GRE 330, GPA 3.60
NYU Stern | Mr. Indian Analytics Consultant
GMAT 700, GPA 3.0
Chicago Booth | Ms. Start-Up Entrepreneur
GRE 322, GPA 3.4
Columbia | Mr. RAV4 Chemical Engineer
GMAT 750, GPA 3.62
Wharton | Mr. Big 4 M&A
GMAT 760, GPA 3.5
Harvard | Mr. Aerospace Project Manager
GMAT 740 (Second Attempt), GPA 3.6
Columbia | Mr. Ambitious Veteran
GMAT 700, GPA 3.1
Tuck | Mr. Army To MBB
GMAT 740, GPA 2.97
Tuck | Mr. Running To The Future
GMAT 720, GPA 3.5
Tuck | Mr. Low GPA To CFO
GMAT 720, GPA 2.9
Chicago Booth | Mr. Hopeful Aerospace Entrepreneur
GMAT 720, GPA 67.5%
MIT Sloan | Mr. French Tech
GRE 307, GPA 12.5/20 (top 10%)
Kellogg | Mr. Latino Tier 2 Consultant
GMAT 690, GPA 3.7
MIT Sloan | Mr. Classic Engineer
GMAT 750, GPA 3.29
Wharton | Ms. Type-A CPG PM
GMAT 750, GPA 3.42
McCombs School of Business | Mr. Dyslexic Salesman
GMAT 720, GPA 2.9
Stanford GSB | Mr. Deferred Asian Entrepreneur
GMAT 720, GPA 3.4
Yale | Ms. Mission Driven
GMAT 700, GPA 3.2
Columbia | Ms. Indian Fashion Entrepreneur
GMAT 650, GPA 69.42%
INSEAD | Mr. Big Chill 770
GMAT 770, GPA 3-3.2
INSEAD | Mr. Airline Captain
GMAT 740, GPA 3.8
Harvard | Ms. British Surgeon
GMAT 610, GPA 3.8
Ross | Mr. Dragon Age
GRE 327, GPA 2.19/4.0
Stanford GSB | Mr. LGBT Social Impact
GRE 326, GPA 3.79
Stay informed.
Sign Up!
PQ Logo
Featured Schools
Cornell Johnson Logo
University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
Search for:
Toggle navigation PQ Logo
Today's Featured Schools
Featured Schools
Cornell Johnson Logo
University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
  • Search for:
  • Sign In
  • Register
  • News
    • MBA News
    • Archives By Category
  • Rankings
    • Rankings Home
    • Poets&Quants Top 100 MBA Ranking
    • Poets&Quants International Top 50 MBA Ranking
    • Poets&Quants Best Online MBA Ranking
    • Best MBA Programs For Entrepreneurship
    • Fantasy MBA Ranking Game
  • Schools
    • MBA Programs
    • Executive MBA Programs
    • Online MBA Programs
    • Specialized Masters Programs
    • Gies Business | Partner Publisher
    • Insider’s Guides to the Top Business Schools
    • School Videos & Deep Dives
  • Admissions
    • MBA Admissions News & Advice
    • MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
    • MBA Watch
    • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
    • Calculate My MBA Odds
    • Making Your MBA Happen With Fortuna Admissions
    • MBA Watch Video Assessments
    • More Videos & Admissions Advice
    • Podcasts By P&Q
  • GMAT / GRE
    • Test Prep Advice & News
    • Test Prep Resources From Manhattan Prep
  • Students
  • Jobs
  • EMBA
  • Online MBA
  • Masters
  • Events
    • MBA Admissions Event
    • preMBA Networking Festival For NEW Admits
  • Videos
  • MBA Watch
Poets&Quants on Twitter Poets&Quants on RSS Feed Poets&Quants on Facebook Poets&Quants on YouTube Poets&Quants on LinkedIn Poets&Quants on Soundcloud
  • News
  • Rankings
    • Top 100 MBA Ranking
    • Top 50 International MBA Ranking
    • Top Programs For Entrepreneurship
    • Top Online MBA Ranking
    • All MBA Rankings
    • Fantasy MBA Ranking Game
  • Schools & Programs
    • MBA Programs
    • Executive MBA Programs
    • Online MBA Programs
    • Specialized Masters Programs
    • Gies Business | Partner Publisher
    • Insider’s Guides To Top Schools
  • Admissions
    • Admissions News & Advice
    • Admissions Consultant Directory
    • MBA Watch
    • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
    • Calculate My MBA Odds
    • Admissions Advice | Fortuna
    • MBA Watch Video Assessments
  • MBA Watch
  • GMAT / GRE
    • Test Prep Advice & News
    • Manhattan Prep Resources
  • Students
  • MBA Jobs
  • Executive MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Events
    • MBA Admissions Event
    • Networking Event For NEW Admits
  • Videos & Podcasts
  1. Home
  2. Admissions News & Features
  3. Sponsored Blogs: Insights & Advice From MBA Admissions Consultants
  4. Ace The Video Statement For MIT Sloan

Ace The Video Statement For MIT Sloan

by: Brittany Maschal, Expert Coach, Fortuna Admissions on August 31, 2018 | 0 Comments Comments 14,902 Views
August 31, 2018

mba-video-statement-for-mit-sloan

A growing number of business schools have introduced a video component of the MBA application in recent years, including INSEAD, Kellogg, Yale, Rotman, and MIT Sloan. In addition to seeing you in action, the video component allows MBA admissions to assess your confidence, presentation style, language skills, and ability to think on your feet. My Fortuna Admissions colleagues have offered great advice on acing the MBA video essay, including tips on set-up, presentation, and fielding sample questions. Each of those great insights are still valuable and applicable to MIT Sloan.

But just as MIT Sloan eschews the M7 convention throughout its MBA application (requiring a cover letter and org chart in lieu of traditional written essays), i’s video component is unlike the others. Instead of seeing how you’ll field a series of randomly selected questions, MIT Sloan wants a one-take video statement in which you “introduce yourself to your future classmates.” And the kicker is that you get just 60 seconds to deliver a response that’s meaningful, memorable, and coherent.

Last year, one of my clients delivered a 60-second presentation that knocked it out of the park. The secret to his success was to focus on just one story from his life, which revealed a distinctive aspect of his personality. Frankly, it was an anecdote that might easily be overlooked, if it weren’t for the artful way he used his story to illuminate the personal values and attributes that made him a great fit for MIT.

His video didn’t showcase any remarkable technical skill, nor attempt to deliver his elevator pitch. He appeared to be sitting at his desk in a small, tidy corner that might have been a bedroom or office. Then he launched straight into a story that evoked a specific moment in time, and suddenly I could picture the scene. I felt myself get curious and attentive. What he achieved was a winsome glimpse into what made him unique, and it exuded warmth, sincerity, and authenticity. He even managed to convey a personal “ah-ha” that was both profound and relevant. And what he chose to omit was so intentional and well-tuned that you couldn’t watch his video statement without wanting to meet him. Slam dunk.

While the content is your own, there are several key characteristics you can take to heart in creating your standout video. Here are six top tips to keep in mind for MIT Sloan:

  1. Consider elaborating on one, specific experience. A single story that conveys something meaningful allows you to offer more depth about who you are beyond a shimmering track record of excellence. Think of something that won’t be found in the rest of your application – what will add value to your overall narrative?
  1. Avoid a monologue of your professional accomplishments. This means sidestepping what my Fortuna colleague Karla Cohen refers to as the “resume to prose” essay (and while a video isn’t prose, this translates to scripting a story of successes and achievements). “It’s a common mistake, and it robs your story of the potential for making an emotional connection,” says Karla in her recent article on what HBS really wants. “When you take the risk to be vulnerable, it inspires a human connection, and it’s so much more appealing.”
  1. Take the risk to reveal something personal. Focusing too heavily on work-work-work makes you seem less human. Or like you’re trying to give the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. The objective here is to give them a genuine glimpse of who you are.
  1. Emphasize quality over quantity. A minute can feel impossibly short, and there isn’t a lot of room for sharing. Dig deep to explore a specific story that says a lot about you, and allows you to make a connection to the values that MIT holds dear.
  1. Connect your values to those of MIT Sloan. MIT is looking for brilliant, imaginative doers who are having an impact in the communities in which they exist. Think about anecdotes and stories that show when you’ve gone beyond yourself, demonstrated leadership and/or created a positive impact.
  1. Strike a tone that’s humble yet confident. The applicant pool at any M7 school is teeming with overachieving wunderkinds. So, while you’ll want to convey your poise and authenticity, be sure to release any shred of entitlement or arrogance. (This isn’t politics, and boasting won’t win you favors.) Being likable is a huge part of admissions success.

To cite an enduring maxim from the late author and poet Maya Angelou, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” MIT Sloan’s video essay is an opportunity to make the admissions committee feel something powerful. And, ultimately, leave them feeling a desire to meet you in person.


Fortuna-AdmissionsBrittany Maschal is an Expert Coach at MBA consulting firm Fortuna Admissions and a former member of admissions teams at Wharton, Princeton & Johns Hopkins.

Trending

These 17 B-Schools Are On McKinsey’s Target List For MBA Recruits

Comments

These 40 B-Schools Are On Bain’s Target List For MBA Recruits

Comments

MIT Sloan MBAs Hit Breaking Point With Administration

Comments

Acceptance Rates & Yield At The Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs

Comments

Tagged: Brittany Maschal, Fortuna Admissions, mba admissions consultant, MBA application video

Post navigation

Previous Article: Fuqua Dean: Immigration Policy Hurting U.S. B-Schools
Next Article: LBS Launches New Masters In Analytics
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Poets&Quants on Twitter Poets&Quants on RSS Feed Poets&Quants on Facebook Poets&Quants on YouTube Poets&Quants on LinkedIn Poets&Quants on Soundcloud
  • Sponsored Blogs
    Karla Cohen, Fortuna Admissions

    3 Things You Need To Know If You’re Applying To HBS

    by Karla Cohen, Fortuna Admissions (2 days ago)
    Pascal Michels director of MBA admissions at IESE

    Don’t Be Distracted By MBA Rankings: Forbes, The Financial Times & Bad Data

    by Pascal Michels, Menlo Coaching (2 months ago)
    Scott Edinburgh

    Personal MBA Coach’s Guide To MBA Planning

    by Scott Edinburgh (2 months ago)

    Five Ways To Stay On Track With Your Virtual School Research

    by Donna Bauman, Stratus Admissions Counseling (3 months ago)
    Alex Collazo, Admissionado

    How To Make A Delicious MBA Application Essay

    by Alex Collazo, Managing Director of Systems & Content at Admissionado (5 months ago)
  • Advice and Articles
    • How To Use Poets&Quants MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
    • How To Select An MBA Admissions Consultant
    • MBA Admission Consulting Claims: How Credible?
    • Suddenly Cozy: MBA Consultants and B-Schools
    • The Cost: $6,850 Result: B-School

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© 2021 Poets&Quants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com

Connect Me