Mr. Risky Business

Hi Mr. Risky Business, this is Julie-Anne Heafey from mbaMission. There’s a lot to love in your profile –those management development programs are excellent training grounds and already something of a stamp of approval on your candidacy…you’ve developed new things that have changed the way things operate at your company…and you have a monster GMAT score. I’m putting the GMAT last quite deliberately – sometimes these “candidacy assessments” over-emphasize the stats piece, but truly, it’s a holistic evaluation. Especially at Kellogg – your leadership, your teamwork, your attitude – they all matter. And that’s why I agree with the other expert Lisa here – you still need to bring your voice into the application. Your profile was pretty brief so it’s hard to get a sense of how you will approach your essays, but DO focus on the personal and really bring your heart into them if you can. If you can do that, your odds are excellent. Best of luck!

Mr. Risky Business, it’s Lisa Cummings of Stratus Admissions. Applying to B school should not be risky business for you. With your solid stats and professional record, your file will catch the eye of many schools’ admissions committees. To make sure your application really pops, you will want to craft a solid narrative that would include more details on the prospecting tool you developed as well as what the impact of that tool has been. You seem to have good leadership experience, both leading peers in a professional setting and at Michigan for your fraternity. I also like your interest in helping others through your literacy work and mentoring of new hires. Just so you don’t look like you are all business you will want to include a little information on what you do for fun – who are you? What do you do in your spare time? Your school list looks very thoughtful, a mix of ranges that should help you ensure that you are in a seat for the class of 2023. Good luck and stay well in these crazy times.