Application Tips
Strategic advice on executing your MBA application, including tips on your résumé, data forms, and essays.
Published: October 2, 2022
Admissions Tip: Letters of Support
While business schools require candidates to submit one or two recommendations as part of the regular admissions process, we’re devoting this admissions tip to a lesser known relative of the formal recommendation: the letter of support. The letter of support is very different from a typical letter of recommendation, in ways that we will detail below. In fact, we’ll use this admissions tip to share the following information: What is a letter of support? Who can author and submit such letters? When should a letter of support be submitted? What should a letter of support cover in terms of content?
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Admissions Tip: 3 Ways to Show an MBA Program That You Mean Business in Your Essays
During the MBA application process, you’ll need to learn more about your target programs in the process of rounding out your “why are you pursuing an MBA/why [school name here]” essays. Keeping this important component of the MBA admissions process in mind, we wanted to offer some advice on how to polish this element of your file and get the most mileage out of this section. MBA Admissions is Personal Schools look for applicants who seem genuinely excited about their program, and the best way to bring this across in your essays is to come
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MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series Summer 2022
We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process without the use of sample essays? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series! Dates: July 13, July 20, July 27 & August 3. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel,
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Published: February 7, 2022
Four Reasons to Apply to MBA Programs in Round 3
As Round 2 interview invitations and decisions roll out, the Round 3 deadlines of leading MBA programs still glimmer on the horizon, holding chances for redemption, acceptance or even just practice. Conventional wisdom in the MBA admissions world suggests it’s best to avoid the final rounds when applying to top business schools, but sometimes circumstances dictate otherwise. One thing to keep in mind is that all indications suggest that this year could actually be a good one in which to apply in R3. The bump to application volume due to the pandemic is showing signs of fading. A strong job
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Published: October 18, 2021
Webinar: CMU Tepper MBA: Designed for the Intelligent Future – Video Recap!
Interested in an MBA degree that will stand the test of time? Check out our video recap of the recent Clear Admit and Carnegie Mellon Tepper webinar, “CMU Tepper MBA: Designed for the Intelligent Future.” In a future defined by vast quantities of data, will you be able to harness this information to make sound, innovative business decisions? The Tepper MBA combines advanced analytics with personalized leadership coaching to give you a formidable advantage over the competition. J.R. McGrath, Director of Admissions and Tepper MBA alumni discussed why the science of management and art of leadership matter in
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Published: October 17, 2021
Spooky Admissions Mistakes: Nightmares for AdCom Members
Let’s pumpkin spice things up! As Halloween approaches, we wanted to take a look at some of the most chilling nightmares that adcom members can face when evaluating MBA applicants. So, what are the scariest mistakes an MBA applicant can make? Clear Admit co-founder Graham Richmond shares his insights below so you can avoid admissions missteps like the houses that hand out raisins for Halloween treats. 1. Don’t Wear an Icarus Costume One of the scariest things for an admissions office is to encounter an applicant with a
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Published: September 29, 2021
Webinar: Pursuing an MBA Without a Business Background – Video Recap
Interested in an MBA degree, but come from a non-traditional background? Watch as Clear Admit and the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School take part in a panel discussion, “Pursuing an MBA Without a Business Background.” Did you know that over half of UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA students enter the program without a business background? Watch the video recap and hear from UNC Kenan-Flagler career experts, assistant dean of the Full-Time MBA program, and several current students as they talk about the doors an MBA can open for any driven professional. In this panel discussion moderated by Admissions
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Published: September 12, 2021
U.S. News 2022 College Rankings – What It Means for MBA Applicants
With the announcement of the 2022 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, MBA applicants may be wondering how their undergraduate records fit into MBA admissions. Within the MBA application itself, candidates supply their GPA, identify their undergraduate institution and provide unofficial transcripts. Clear Admit Co-founder Graham Richmond explains, “It’s really important to remember that MBA admissions officers are not just looking at your undergraduate GPA as a raw number. They are looking at it through a number of different lenses. For instance, how did your GPA evolve over the course of your four years in
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Published: August 4, 2021
MBA Essay Insight Event Series: Sept/Oct Dates!
As you most likely already know, essays are a critical component of the MBA admissions process. That’s why we’re bringing back our popular MBA Essay Insight Event Series for three more events this September into October. Join us on September 22nd, September 29th, and October 6th at 12 noon ET for insider application advice that you won’t want to miss. Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, hosted by Clear Admit Co-Founder Graham Richmond. Admissions reps will share some insight into their programs, and offer detailed advice on how to tackle their school’s essays.
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MBA Essay Insight Events: Join Us On July 28!
We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Event Series! We had our first two events on July 14th & July 21st and will be hosting one additional free online event – on July 28th @ 12 pm ET – to provide some insider advice to MBA applicants. Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, hosted by Clear
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Published: April 22, 2021
May 5 & 12: MBA Application Overview Event Series
You’ve got your grades and (maybe) your test scores. You’ve put in the time and effort at work, and have accomplishments and skills to show for it. You’re active and involved in your community, however you define it. You have the raw materials. So how do you put them together into a compelling MBA application? Join us for our Application Overview Event Series to get answers to just that question! We’re hosting two events next month – on May 5th & May 12th @ 12pm ET (both Wednesdays) – each with representatives from five leading business schools. We’ll start with 60-minute roundtable panel.
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Published: January 11, 2021
MBA Admissions Tips & Advice from HEC Paris MBA Director & Star Applicant
Sponsored Content Two women very familiar with what it takes to be successful in MBA admissions, particularly at HEC Paris, offer advice on each stage of the admissions process at the leading program. The HEC Paris MBA Director of Marketing, Sara Vanos, and a star MBA applicant, Kendra Bills, share their experiences in this special feature. Sara Vanos (left) & Kendra Bills (right) Sara Vanos joined HEC Paris in 2014, following her roles in MBA recruiting at Toronto Rotman. Sara currently serves as the Director of Marketing, Recruitment and Sales across the MBA programs at
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The Deferred Enrollment Program at Columbia Business School
As a college senior or graduate student, your path up until this point has likely been laid out relatively clearly for years—course schedules, weekly assignments, credit requirements, etc. Now, with graduation finally in sight, what will be your next step? What will you need to thrive in a global economy—not to mention, adapt to the ups and downs of one? Deferred enrollment MBA programs offer the ideal mix of real-world experience and advanced management education to give you greater freedom in your career choice, increased salary potential and more. For deferred enrollment, you secure your acceptance to business school now,
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Why Now is a Great Time to Apply to Business School
Through the toughest of times, business education can provide answers and solutions that not only heal economies, but uplift societies. The skills offered through an MBA—from finance and analytics, to leadership, management and more—can also empower you to be nimble in times of uncertainty, and prepare you for any business career of your choice. The journey to and through an MBA begins with reflection: Personally or professionally, what is your destination? An MBA can help you develop your skills, provide freedom in your job and career choice, and expand your network. Due to COVID-19, many MBA programs have extended
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Who Gets in from Round 3? Tips from Our Chat with Duke Fuqua Admissions
The Duke Fuqua School of Business admissions team recently hosted a chat on Clear Admit about all things Round 3. Read on for admissions advice, tips and more from Allison Jamison, the assistant dean of admissions; Meghan Pollard, Sr. associate director of admissions; Morgan Griffin, assistant director of admissions; and Jessica Brown, associate director of admissions. The chat transcript has been edited for clarity and content. What are the chances for an international applicant in Round 3? We admit international students in every round including Round 3. We look forward to receiving your application! As with
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Published: February 18, 2020
Episode 83: Application Strategies – Deferred Enrollment MBA Programs
The list of requirements for MBA admissions can be extensive—test scores, recommendations, essays and, of course, work experience. College seniors and graduate students may be well on their way to checking off all the boxes for an application to business school, but missing that final piece of full-time professional work experience. Enter: Deferred enrollment MBA programs. If you are a college senior or graduate student without work experience, you can apply to leading business schools through their deferred enrollment MBA programs. These offerings allow students to enroll two to five years after they graduate from school,
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Published: August 20, 2019
Yale SOM to Host Free Chat on August 22nd – “What does Yale SOM look for in a candidate?”
Yale SOM is one of the most sought after business schools in the world that any MBA candidate should consider, but what is Yale looking for in a candidate? Join us for this free chat with representatives from Yale SOM to learn more about what Yale SOM looks for in a candidate! Whether you are already considering Yale or just want to learn more, this chat gives you unparalleled access to the Yale SOM team to get an inside look of what types of candidates they look for. Get your questions answered on August 22nd right here on clearadmit.com!
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Published: August 18, 2019
Clear Admit and Tuck School of Business Host Webinar – “A Walk Through the Tuck Application”
Are you planning on applying to The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth this admissions season? If so, it may be helpful to know that they have made some exciting innovations to the application process. We’ve just made the “A Walk Through the Tuck Application” webinar we conducted with Valeria Wiens, Associate Director, Evaluation / Admissions & Financial Aid & Lesley Nesbitt, Associate Director, Yield with the Tuck MBA Admissions Team available online – and we highly recommend that you give it a listen as it brings valuable insight into applying to tuck! The webinar covered: What a Tuck MBA
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Published: August 12, 2019
Tuck School of Business to Host Free Chat on August 15th – “5 Tips for Preparing to Apply Round 1”
The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth’s MBA Application for Round One has a deadline on October 7th. Are you planning on applying in Round One? If so, this session will be beneficial to you as Amy Mitson, Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing at Tuck will be discussing 5 tips she has to prepare you for Round One applications. Join Clear Admit and Tuck for a free chat about some of the tips and best advice for filling out the Tuck MBA Application. Whether you’re planning on applying or just beginning to consider an MBA and wonder
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Podcast Episode 19 Replay: 10 Tips for Tackling the MBA Written Application
As the new admissions season kicks off, we know many of you are thinking about crafting essays, filling out data forms, and perfecting your résumés. Before you do anything else, check out the latest episode in the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast series, which tackles the written components of the MBA application head on. Clear Admit’s Alex Brown Our guest this week is Clear Admit’s own Alex Brown, who worked for several years as part of the admissions team at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He’s also the
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MBA Admissions Brief: Harvard Business School
Moving right along in our new series, MBA Admissions Brief, we hear from Chad Losee (HBS MBA 2013), the Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard Business School.
HBS Managing Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Chad Losee
Losee knows what it’s like to be on the applicant side of the process, having gone through it himself not too long ago. Moreover, he has a storied history with the school and passion for education that shines through his professional choices. After a couple of years at the management consulting firm Bain & Company, he headed to HBS— inspired by MBAs from Bain & Co, drawn to the case study method. While on campus, he volunteered as an admissions ambassador and spent the summer between his first and second MBA years working as an associate in the office of former HBS Dean Kim Clark. Upon graduating HBS, he spent a year working as a fellow for HBS Dean Nitin Nohria. The latter post was initially intended to be a few months, but stretched into a full year as a leadership fellow and later assistant director of HBX (now known as Harvard Business School Online). He also sat on the HBS Board of Admissions during that time, providing an up-close look at what became his every day in May of 2016.
Over the past three years heading up admissions at HBS, he’s helped shaped the exceptional classes, overseen a shift to two admissions rounds, welcomed an inaugural cohort of MS/MBA students and taken the time to talk to Clear Admit about interviews, financial aid and more—to mention just a few.
Read on for Losee's insights into HBS, their admissions and what actions applicants can start taking now.
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Podcast Episode 11 Replay: Clear Admit’s 12-Step Program for Early Bird MBA Applicants
Looking to get an early start on your MBA applications for the 2019-2020 application season? Clear Admit’s Co-Founder Graham Richmond outlines a 12-step program for early bird MBA applicants in this podcast. By getting the ball rolling this far in advance, you’re already setting yourself up for success. Richmond’s suggested steps can help ensure that you stay on track and take full advantage of your great head start. Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast Episode 11 Replay: Clear Admit's 12-Step Program for Early Bird MBA Applicants Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds
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Published: March 25, 2019
Yale SOM Innovates MBA Admissions Process with New Behavioral Assessment
Laurel Grodman, Managing Director of Admissions, Analytics and Evaluation, and Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean for Admissions at Yale SOM
Have you applied to the Yale School of Management or are you planning to apply? You may be wondering about that something extra in your Yale SOM application checklist—the Behavioral Assessment. The admissions team implemented this new, innovative tool to help them bring together a strong MBA class. To get the skinny on what the Behavioral Assessment is and how it’s being used in the Yale SOM admissions process, we caught up with Laurel Grodman, managing director of admissions, analytics and evaluation, and Bruce DelMonico, assistant dean for admissions. Read on for in-depth insights from Laurel and Bruce regarding how this tool plays a part in your MBA admissions experience.
Could you start by explaining what the Behavioral Assessment is and how it now fits into the Yale School of Management MBA admissions process?
The Behavioral Assessment is an online admissions tool that measures a set of interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies associated with business school success. It’s administered by the research division of ETS, and takes about 20 to 25 minutes for an applicant to complete. The test itself is a forced-choice module, in which you are given 120 pairs of statements and you have to choose the statement that is more like your own behavior. You don’t need to do anything in advance to prepare for the assessment, nor does it require any specialized knowledge or information.
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Published: January 13, 2019
Jumpstart your MBA journey: The MBA Tour North America
The MBA Tour North America: MBA & Business Master’s Conferences Our friends over at the MBA Tour are back on the road again. Meet University of Southern California, Boston University, University of Cambridge, IESE, HEC Montréal, & more top Business Programs! Join them in a city near you: Los Angeles: Saturday, January 26 San Francisco: Monday, January 28 Boston: Wednesday,
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Published: November 8, 2018
How to Prepare for MBA Interviews – Clear Admit’s Webinar Recap
Do you need help preparing for your MBA interviews? Clear Admit’s experts are here to give you advice and tips to be successful at navigating the admissions process. On Wednesday, November 7, we aired our interactive webinar “How to Prepare for MBA Interviews,” hosted by Alex Brown, Clear Admit’s long-time admissions expert and author of Becoming a Clear Admit: The Definitive Guide. The webinar covers: Different types of interviews that business schools conduct and why understanding each interview type matters for candidates. Nuances that exist across alumni, admissions committee and student-led interviews. A break down of the five most common MBA admissions interview
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