Fortuna’s M7 Ignite: The Workout You Need To Get Your MBA Application Into Shape

As the past Director of Admissions at Wharton, I read MBA applications for years and I know just how much time, effort, and energy goes into developing a package that showcases your true talents. Over the years, I developed a sense of which candidates are confident in their presentations, and those who still doubted that what they submitted was the strongest indication of their abilities. There is nothing like feeling you really nailed it when you finally hit the submit button!

It’s tough to carve out time in your busy life to work on your resume, hone your stories for your essays, or arrange strong letters of recommendation. Often you’re doing all of this alone, without a sounding board to offer advice and feedback. But what if you had the chance to work in a group setting with other students also on the same path, guided by extraordinarily talented coaches from the world’s best business school?

That’s M7 Ignite — a different way to approach the MBA application process. This new offering from Fortuna Admissions is a way to get your applications into great shape without the daily mantra of “I really should, but I just don’t have the time!” Ignite is a focused, six-week hands-on workshop that walks you through each step of your application in a structured way that keeps you on schedule to hit your application deadline. 

I frequently tell my Fortuna clients that working on applications is a lot like going to the gym. You can go yourself, and do sets or routines that you have read about or your friends have shared with you, but the benefit of a personal trainer or a group class is that you have someone to support you along the way. The coach shows you the correct form while the class keeps you motivated and helps you maximize results..

M7 Ignite is a lot like your favorite group exercise class; you can build off the energy of others while you learn from our outstanding team of admissions experts. It breaks the application process down into manageable chunks, much like you would do in the gym; you might be surprised at how much you can accomplish in six weeks.

Ignite incorporates Fortuna’s proprietary tracking system that consistently guides you through each step of developing a quality application, avoiding a mad rush at the end. Curated pre-session readings and homework templates are designed to spark personal reflection. You’ll also have access to Fortuna’s self-paced  Career Vision Course that helps you discover your short-term and long-term career plans at your own pace. 

This pre-class work helps you get the most out of Fortuna’s expert coaches during the nine hours of live learning. You’ll be able to devote that time to one-on-one resume feedback and strategic essay writing guidance that helps you hone your compelling MBA story. And you’ll get resources like Fortuna’s school-specific recommendation guides that can be shared with recommendation writers, as well.

Each element of your application can be thought of as a specific skill, and you can think about this process as one of gaining microcredentials. Each week you add to your skill set so that at the end of the program, you have created deliverables that as a whole, comprise a compelling application!

In the thousands of applications that I have read over my 35 years in admissions, I can tell when an applicant feels like they have given it their all. And sometimes, you need some encouragement to light that fire; I am excited to lead M7 Ignite, sharing what I know from my experience as a Wharton gatekeeper, and to guide you through our process. See you in class!

Judith Silverman Hodara is a Director at MBA admissions coaching firm Fortuna Admissions and former Wharton head of Admissions. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.

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