We offer a wealth of tips and strategies across a range of topics—from application advice on Harvard or INSEAD to acing the GMAT, writing essays, navigating MBA interviews and more.
How to Get Off the Waitlist
Jul. 9th, 2020
Business school waitlists have been significantly expanded for a number of reasons – the unknown issue of how many students will defer given travel restrictions or difficulty to get a student visa, as well as the fact that many MBA programs are kicking off with a hybrid format blending courses online and in person. This […]
HBS Essay: 5 Key Tips on What Harvard Wants
Jul. 7th, 2020
Harvard Business School opened its application earlier this month affirming that its singular essay question remains intact: “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA Program?” For many applicants, this question feels maddeningly open ended – paralyzing even – […]
How to Address a Gap In Your MBA Resume: 5 Top Tips
Jul. 5th, 2020
A gap in a candidate’s MBA resume always gives me pause. When I was Associate Director of Admissions at UCLA Anderson, my team and I often probed into these breaks in employment in order to discern the context behind this gap, and figure out what the applicant did during this time period. Whether an unattributed […]
What New Dean Erika James Means for the Wharton MBA
Jun. 30th, 2020
On July 1, Erika James succeeds Geoff Garrett as Dean of The Wharton School, my alma mater. The late February announcement – sandwiched at the end of Black History Month and just before Women’s History Month – was well timed, as James represents both the first woman and first Black person to serve as dean in Wharton’s […]
Wharton MBA Essay Tips: How to Tackle the New Question
Jun. 29th, 2020
The Wharton School debuted a new required MBA essay question for the 2020-2021 application. Like Columbia’s new essay question, it pushes candidates to get more personal while giving them greater latitude to do so: “Taking into consideration your background—personal, professional, and/or academic—how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?” (400 […]
Introducing Fortuna Careers: Pivot & Open the Door to Your Future
Jun. 22nd, 2020
The decision to make a career transition can be exciting, but at the same time intimidating. Add in a global pandemic that’s upending industries worldwide and you likely have extreme new levels of conflicting personal concerns. While the most optimistic may contend that times like these are teemed with opportunity for personal growth, we know […]
Rejection: How to Deal with Business School Dings
Jun. 18th, 2020
Fortuna Director Caroline Diarte Edwards is co-hosting a weekly podcast, Business Casual, with Poets&Quants Editor-in-Chief John Byrne and ApplicantLab Founder Maria Wich-Villa. Each 30-minutes session is packed with valuable insights and timely perspectives. This episode focuses on dealing with rejection, including how to assess next steps and ultimately bounce back to reposition a successful application. You […]
Covid-19 Volunteer Opportunities: Tips for Prospective MBAs
Jun. 15th, 2020
The Covid-19 Crisis presents a special opportunity to be of service with your expertise – especially for MBA hopefuls who are light on extracurriculars. I was incredibly gratified to receive a message on LinkedIn from a prospective MBA applicant named Harley. Inspired by the call to action in my recent article for Poets&Quants, Extracurriculars In […]
How to Tackle the Columbia Business School MBA Essays
Jun. 5th, 2020
Columbia Business School just posted its deadlines for the Class of 2023, along with a new essay question that goes further than before to push candidates to get personal. View our recent strategy session discussing essay advice on Columbia, Kellogg, Chicago Booth & MIT Sloan. Unlike its M7 rivals, Columbia operates on a rolling admissions […]
MBA Admissions Advice for Applicants from Asia
Jun. 4th, 2020
Join our free, live webinar, A Winning MBA Admissions Strategy for SE Asian Applicants, on June 6/7 (depending on your time zone). I’m hosting this one-hour strategy session designed for students from the ASEAN region, along with my Fortuna Admissions colleagues Judith Silverman Hodara, Nonie Mackie and Heidi Hillis. We’ll explore the unique benefits and opportunities […]
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