Advice Column: Insider Tips From Current MBA Students (Part 1)

Hello P&Q readers, and welcome to my advice column! My name is Karen Marks, and I am the Founder and President of North Star Admissions Consulting. I have been helping people get into their dream schools since 2012, and prior to that I was the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. In both roles, my goal is to give people the accurate, insider information that they need to succeed and make good decisions. 

Towards that end, I am thrilled to be joined by several of my recent clients, who are attending Wharton, Columbia and Kellogg. This week, the first in a two-part series, we will share advice about what worked well, what they would have done differently, and how you can learn from their success. I really appreciate their insight into the process, and know that you will, too! (PS – do you have questions about the MBA process? Ask away, no topic is off limits!)

Thank you all so much for sharing your experience navigating the application process. Let’s start with one of the most common questions that I get:

“How did you figure out what to write about in your essays? Should I focus more on myself as a person, or on my work experience?”

Columbia 2026: Figuring out what to write in my essays was an extremely introspective process that I allowed myself months to meditate on. I wanted to decide if I should go with a boilerplate, “safe” path of what I thought AdCom wanted to see (e.g., consulting background going into something similar and dependable), or if I should throw caution to the wind and talk about my passions, however bespoke they might be. To figure this out, I did a lot of googling, reddit, etc., but personally having a conversation with my admissions consultant was the deciding factor to lean into my personality and writing style.  

In terms of personal to professional, I found this to truly be a blend, but more 60/40 split of personal to professional. I knew my professional achievements were not in the leagues of some of my competition, so I pulled out the main highlights that were relevant for my post MBA ambitions and then leaned in hard on my personality and who I was as a person. 

Wharton 2026: Before I began to write any essays, I first worked closely with Karen Marks at North Star Admissions to establish what I was trying to accomplish by going to business school. We talked about my long-term career ambitions and what I hoped to accomplish with my work, but we also talked about my passions outside of work, my hobbies, and what I wanted to prioritize in my life.  Answering the “big picture” questions helped me get specific about the changes that business school would help me make.

For example, through these discussions with Karen, I learned I wanted to take a step back from finance to gain operational experience, that I was really passionate about the consumer industry, and that I wanted to work towards higher-level leadership roles later in my career. Once we established these goals, we worked backwards to construct my essays. I focused on my future aspirations, and used my work experience as supporting evidence to show what I already had expertise in, and the gaps that I hoped to fill by going to business school. 

Kellogg 2026: Focus on yourself as a person. While there are many parts of your application to share your professional accomplishments, the essay is a great place to show who you are as an individual. MBA admissions aren’t just looking for candidates who will get good jobs after graduating; they are also seeking people whom other students will want to befriend and build a community with. When brainstorming for my essay, I took 4-5 rough ideas and started writing about each for an hour. I didn’t worry about wordsmithing or sentence structure; I just let the ideas flow out as if I were writing a journal entry. This was a helpful way for me to see if the ideas had substance and were worth exploring further. I also noticed that the ideas that flowed out easily were the best and most honest ones.

I landed on my final topic by no longer trying to think about what admissions wanted to hear and instead focusing deeply on who I am as a person and what I’m passionate about. I ended up writing about a topic that I sometimes felt embarrassed to share and had never even mentioned to anyone at the company I’d worked at for six years. I was vulnerable and open about the struggles I’ve had and how they’ve shaped my perspective on myself and what motivates me.

Karen: One of the best parts of my job is getting to know my clients well enough to help them identify and share what really matters. This level of introspection literally makes all of the difference, and is key to success. Furthermore, applicants often don’t understand what they actually bring to the table! Often, talking about areas of growth or challenge is exactly the right call.

“What advice do you have for current applicants?” 

Columbia 2026: Between strategizing, tests, essays, and managing a full-time job, this experience demanded a lot out of me (and many others). My advice is to first realize what you’re getting into and be fully committed to this process from start to finish, and don’t forget that luck plays a part in these decisions – for both better or worse. I promised myself that so long as I put my best foot forward on all aspects of the application, I would be comfortable with the outcome. 

Tactically, visit the schools you’re interested in (and/or virtual events), speak to alumni to learn more about how their process went. Create timelines and deadlines for yourself and stick to them as you would any job. Don’t be afraid to show AdCom who you are, your personality, and how it relates to where you want to go – they’re just people like us at the end of the day.  

Wharton 2026: Be specific about what you are trying to accomplish by going to business school.  Your goals for getting your MBA are most likely going to be different than the person next to you (that’s a good thing!) so you shouldn’t be worried about competing against other people on their terms.  While it’s easy to get caught up in getting into the most prestigious school or chasing after the most competitive and high-paying jobs, if those things don’t align with your goals, they will not be of much service to you. The clearer you can be about your goals and the closer you can stay to your ‘north star’ (sorry for the pun), the more targeted and efficient you can be in your application process, and the clearer your message as an applicant will come across.

Kellogg 2026: Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Admissions committees want to understand who you are as a person. Being vulnerable and self-reflective exhibits maturity and shows that you are at the right place in your life to start the next chapter. Second, don’t sell yourself short. You and your experiences are likely much more impressive than you think they are. Third, push yourself out of your comfort zone. This doesn’t just start once you are in school. It means approaching strangers at admission events and applying to schools that are miles away from where you live. 

Karen: Essentially, don’t underestimate the complexity of the application process, and don’t underestimate the maturity and self-awareness required to do it well. Also, it’s ok for your goals and target schools to evolve! Shaping the right school list and articulating genuine goals requires research and flexibility.

“What’s something you did that worked well, and something that you would do differently?”

Columbia 2026: What worked well – I was fortunate to have an excellent admissions consultant, so being able to pass my ideas through her helped tremendously. Giving myself enough time to study for the tests I took also worked well. Although it somewhat came down to the wire, giving myself ample time was essential in hindsight since I was not the strongest test taker. What could’ve been done differently – There’s never enough time. Work kicked off exactly at the time where I needed to be attentive to my applications, so having spare time would have made things easier. Otherwise, to be honest things were about as seamless as they could have been. 

Wharton 2026: For each school you apply to, do as much research as possible to determine their fit with your career goals. Look into the professors’ research; see what programs or classes they have that will help with your career transition or that match with your intellectual interests. Not only will this help with the interview and application process by allowing you to demonstrate your knowledge about the program you are applying to, but it will also help you learn which programs will not fit with your goals. Sometimes, closing doors can be even more helpful than keeping doors open.

Bonus advice: If you are able to interview in person, go for it! Not only will this give you a better idea about the program you are applying to, it is also a great opportunity to meet other applicants. People often apply to similar clusters of schools, so if you visit more than one school, you will likely see the same people multiple times. Making friends during this time not only makes the process more enjoyable, but other applicants are a wealth of information and can be very helpful in learning more about the schools you are applying to.

I would avoid applying to schools that don’t fit with your long-term career goals just because they are “good schools.” While it might be tempting to apply to the “top” MBA programs, applying to school that focuses on the tech industry and places most of its graduates on the west coast was incredibly unhelpful for me since my goal is to work in CPG on the East Coast. Just because you are able to spend an extra four-five hours and $200 filling out anther application does not mean that it is a worthwhile use of your time.

Kellogg 2026: Connect with current students and alumni early on! While information sessions are useful, speaking directly with current students and alumni provides a genuine perspective on the community vibe. Also, attend at least one open house MBA fair. At first, they can be overwhelming, but these fairs offer a quick overview of multiple schools. A brief conversation at one fair led me to consider one of my top choices. Additionally, they’re great for obtaining contact information from admissions staff to start building relationships and connect with other students. Logistically, consider applying for a GRE/GMAT waivers early in the process. If you can get waivers at schools, you are excited about it might not be worth going through studying for the exams!

Finally, don’t let uncertainty about post-MBA plans deter you from starting the application process. I postponed my application because I felt I needed a clear career path beforehand. It’s important to have a rough idea, but it’s okay to evolve your goals during the application journey, using it as an opportunity for self-discovery. It’s common for people to pursue different goals than what they initially outlined as their short and long-term objectives.

Karen: I totally agree with all of these suggestions! Start early, be thoughtful, invest the time to research and connect with your target schools, and lean into your strengths.

“How did you decide which school to attend?”

Columbia 2026: I was looking to primarily build a network in a specific city. Also, given what I wanted to go into post MBA, I needed to be in a place where internships, work experience, etc. were easily accessible. I was also very fortunate to have been accepted into my school of choice, which made my decision much easier. 

Kellogg 2026: I personally visited each school and engaged with numerous current students, asking them candid questions, including what improvements they would suggest for the program. This approach gave me a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each program. I also participated in accepted student days at each school, interacting with other admitted students to gauge if they were individuals, I’d like to be friends with. Additionally, I connected with alumni and professionals at companies where I aimed to recruit, seeking their perspectives on each program’s reputation among potential employers. Ultimately, I selected a program that aligned with my educational needs and offered a close-knit community atmosphere.

Karen: It’s always rewarding and exciting to help applicants decide which school to attend. These clients were all fortunate to have multiple fantastic options – and Kellogg, Columbia and Wharton are lucky to have them! Stay tuned for part 2, with 3 more students who are enrolled at Harvard, Columbia and Simon.

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Karen has more than 15 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 $70 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools. Inquire about an MBA application scholarship.

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