B-Schooled: Get Your MBA Admit

In order to stand out from your MBA competition, you need to take a step back and assess your candidacy from the admissions committee's point of view. This episode explains what they're looking for, how to differentiate yourself if you're in an over-represented demographic or industry bucket, and generally what types of themes successful applicants focus on in their essays.

Sometimes "Why do you need an MBA now?" is an essay question that programs ask directly, but more often than not it's something applicants should end up covering in an essay response even if there isn't a question about it. Questions around the timing of an applicant's MBA pursuit could also be asked in an interview. This episode covers common reasons why applicants need an MBA now versus earlier...

In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, Meg — a former University of Chicago Booth admissions committee member and current SBC admissions consultant — joins Erika to discuss some of the biggest things they see MBA candidates wasting their precious time on during the application process. They address: Their most-hated question MBA candidates often ask *Why* it doesn't make sense to worr...

Your resume is perhaps the single most important part of your application materials. This episode covers how to maximize that one precious page.

In this new episode, our host Erika and fellow SBC admissions consultant (and former Kellogg adcom) Caryn have a discussion that covers: Multiple tactics applicants can use to raise their quantitative profiles, especially if they don't work in finance- or numbers-heavy roles Insight into who might want to consider the GRE or EA instead of the GMAT for their admissions test How to use the Additiona...

For this two-part conversation, Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn Clare to discuss her "One Minute Method" for identifying underrecognized individual strengths. As many of you know, Dawn is no stranger to the podcast and brings so much to this conversation. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitte...

For this two-part conversation, Chandler sits down with SBC Consultant Dawn Clare to discuss her "One Minute Method" for identifying underrecognized individual strengths. As many of you know, Dawn is no stranger to the podcast and brings so much to this conversation. Dawn graduated as a PepsiCo Scholar from Harvard Business School with concentrations in finance and marketing. Dawn was also admitte...

In this episode replay, Chandler dives into 6 tips for MBA essays that even the most confident writers might miss.

This episode will motivate you to get going on your Round 1 MBA materials, and will cover what makes the most sense for you to be working on right now before applications are released.

Memorial Day weekend in the United States represents the unofficial kickoff of the 2025-26 business-school application year! What's the number one thing you should be doing right now if you plan to apply?

This replay episode covers 5 MBA applicant pitfalls – as in, traits, attitudes or approaches that some MBA applicants take that can ultimately derail their chances of success.

Have you bounced around in your career a bit? If so, you'll need to be strategic in how you communicate your career story — and future career goals — to MBA admissions committees. This replay episode discusses what to do if your career moves don't look exactly logical "on paper." We'll also cover how to write about being laid off or being fired, as well as what to do in your applications if you've...

After working so hard on your MBA materials for months on end, it can be shocking and devastating if you're not accepted anywhere. What should you do now? This episode discusses 5 paths forward for MBA hopefuls who were dinged.

Many interviewers report that they make up a big percentage of their mind about applicants during the first few minutes of an interview. This episode replay shares a number of very specific suggestions and tips to make yourself stand out during these first interactions, now that we're in the thick of Round 2 interview season. Our host Chandler shares his suggestions for something he calls a "perso...

After you've celebrated the huge achievement of getting into an MBA program, you have to figure out how you're going to pay for it! This episode replay focuses on the details of paying for your MBA with your own money, with "free" money, or with loaned money. It also includes what the FAFSA is used for and what your program's financial aid office can assist with.

It can be devastating to receive a ding after months of hard work on your MBA applications. This episode replay focuses on what a ding from any given program may or may not mean, and also gives advice on how you might choose to move forward.

In this replay episode of B-Schooled we sit down the Recy Dunn. Recy currently serves as the CEO of Ascend Public Charter Schools and oversees a network of 16 schools serving 6,000 students in grades K-12 across Brooklyn, NY. Prior to his role with Ascend, Recy served as the Chief Strategy Officer of the NYC Department of Education as well as a variety of other education leadership roles at both t...

In part 2 of this duo of popular past episodes, Cathy, an INSEAD graduate, answers frequently asked questions about MBA programs outside of the US. Topics include the differences between European and US-based MBA experiences, the visa process, the interview process, recruiting information, and more.

In this replay episode, our host Erika talks with Cathy, an SBC consultant and INSEAD grad, about some of the major European MBA programs and how they compare to US-based programs in terms of the admissions process, acceptance rates, campus experience, post-graduation employment opportunities and more.

During Round 2 interview season, this episode replay covers 3 reasons why candidates who seem similar on paper could end up with drastically different MBA admissions results.

While there are deferred-admissions programs for MBA hopefuls who are still in college, is it possible for someone with just 1 or 2 years of work experience to get into an MBA program "the normal way"? It's not impossible, but it's pretty rare. This episode replay explains why, and gives advice for MBA applicants who are less than 3 years out of college.

Considering this week's surprises in AI advancement, we're replaying Chandler's talk with Futurist Dr. Nathan Walworth. Futurism is a broad term referring to the advancement of disruptive technologies across industries. These exponential technologies are rapidly emerging in the fields of genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, synthetic organisms, nanotechnology, 3D printing, virtual reality,...

In this replay of co-host Chandler Arnold's very first B-Schooled episode, he welcomes SBC colleague Christina to have an extraordinary conversation about a hot topic in the world of MBA applications: authenticity. Chandler and Christina share several excerpts from past admissions consulting clients' essays as examples of how to use candor, vulnerability and boldness effectively.

Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we welcome Will Bachman back to the pod. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent m...

Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we sit down with Will Bachman. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent management...