This MBA Candidate Overcame Impostor Syndrome To Win Admission To 6 Top B-Schools

SPEAKING WITH CURRENT STUDENTS

One of the most helpful things he did during this phase was to reach out to current MBA students and alumni at the schools in which he was applying. He even mentioned the names of folks he’d connected with in his essays, and what about their experiences resonated with him. “Speaking with current students helped me to learn about the school’s culture, and incorporate how it connected with me into the essays,” he says.

He was able to share his story with current students, and receive valuable feedback. They also helped him to flesh out his essays prior to submission.

Figueiredo advises that prospective MBA students make talking to current students a priority while writing their essays. “Find student clubs you’re interested in and reach out to those students over LinkedIn,” he offers. “Say that you’re considering going to that school and would love to hear more about their experience. Try to learn more about their process,”

BREAKING DOWN THE PROCESS

While he was committed to going to a reputable school, he also wanted to make his application process as efficient as possible.

He applied to programs that asked similar essay questions; he says that common essay prompts included questions around short and long-term goals, as well as how students would contribute to the community post-graduation. “You can double dip on those essay questions and answers to help you save time,” he explains.

For prospective MBA candidates who are also applying to multiple programs, he suggests that they budget their time for each step of the process. According to Figueiredo, laying out a clear structure will help to take away some of the overwhelm that’s inevitably part of applying to business school. “Break down the process by reading the essay prompts and figuring out which ones will take more time to think through and require reflection,” he says. “Get the low-hanging fruit prompts done and then budget your time for each essay. Allow yourself space to come up with ideas about what you want to write.”

TRUSTING THE PROCESS

Figueiredo says the hardest part of the B-school application process was waiting to hear from admissions about whether or not he’d be accepted. “I had to remind myself to trust the process,” he says. “I put in all the hours, studying, and hard work. I had to be comfortable with the fact that at the end of the day, it was going to be what it was going to be.”

“At the end of the day, admissions knows what they’re doing and, for the most part, chooses students that will benefit from their program,” he continues. “If the MBA makes sense for you, you have to trust that it will work out in your favor. If your application doesn’t really come together at the end, you will probably be fine without the MBA.”

HIS FINAL CHOICE: HBS

Once hearing that he’d been accepted to all seven business schools, Figueiredo visited in-person classes to help him make his decision.

Impressed with the efficacy of HBS’ Case Method — which differentiated it from other schools he applied to — he says he was “sold” after visiting a weekend class. “Being challenged with the Case Method multiple times a day, every day, seemed like the best way to achieve the skill set that I’m looking for in evaluating companies as an investor,” he says.

He begins his MBA at HBS fall 2022. Post MBA, he hopes to be able to experiment with different asset classes within investing, pivoting from investment grade bonds to other sectors. “I’m open to where I end up, but I know that I want to stay in a direct investment role.”

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