*Please note that no client details are ever shared in SBC Scoop or otherwise without complete sign off from client.

Our client Jillian thought she had the recommendation portion of her applications locked up. A few years into her career, she had in hand a strong recommendation from her current supervisor attesting to her leadership skills, and a former boss happy to emphasize her communication skills in a second recommendation.

Jillian was aiming for some top schools, and as she combed through the requirements for Harvard and Stanford GBS with her consultant, they found the catch. Each school asked for not one, not two, but three recommendations. Harvard simply asked for a current or recent supervisor to write one recommendation, and Stanford was a little more specific, asking for the third recommendation to come specifically from a peer and not a supervisor.

“But I work eighty hours a week!” was Jillian’s first reaction. “I’ve made sure to focus on my job the last few years and give it everything I’ve got- I barely have time for anything else so I’m not sure who to ask.” Jillian’s consultant first advised her to look at the problem the other way around: she already had two home-run recommendations ready, so this might be an opportunity to show off a side that hasn’t been showcased elsewhere in her application. They went through all the possibilities, from colleagues at her current and former companies, to her church volunteer work, to her Friday night bowling league.

What they found was Jillian had missed an answer that was right in front of her. At a previous position, she had worked extensively with a peer on several projects in a row, and in the process had become good friends outside of work, continuing their friendship even though both had moved on to other companies. Jillian hadn’t even thought of Grace as a peer anymore since they spent more time at the movies than working on spreadsheets nowadays, but of course Grace was delighted to write her recommendation, and was able to provide personal insight that even Jillian’s supervisors could not.

After digging deep for that third rec, Jillian felt great about sending off her applications to Harvard and Stanford, and as a result of her participation, Grace is now thinking seriously of going for her MBA as well.

Are you having trouble deciding who should recommend you for business school applications? Sign up for a free consultation to talk to one of our experts.

*Please note that no client details are ever shared in SBC Scoop or otherwise without complete sign off from client.

Today is the third year anniversary of the Lehman collapse, which sent a ripple of unemployment through the financial sector. In the past, unemployment was a red flag that required conscious mitigation. Now, business schools realize that even the best employees may have gone through a period without work over the last three years.

Christian wasn’t hit personally by the financial crisis, but he was an analyst at a large social media website that ultimately couldn’t compete with facebook. Due to the credit crunch, the parent corporation no longer had the patience to withstand huge losses from this website in 2009, and decided to lay off 50% of the workforce.

Other than his unemployment, Christian was a strong candidate with a 3.7 GPA from Emory and a 740 GMAT score. His work experience showed progression in the form of a promotion from Analyst to Sr. Analyst at his company in only 18 months. He had spent another two years at the social networking site before the round of layoffs.

When we started working with Christian he was still unemployed and had decided to use his time to start his own business. He was working on a niche retail website in his spare time, and volunteering with an organization called Taproot to keep his strategy skills fresh. Christian wanted to pursue his MBA to give him a basis in Marketing and Accounting that would help him operate his own company. He wanted to stay in the bay area and was only applying to Haas and Stanford.

The key aspect that helped us shape Christian’s profile was that he had remained busy and optimistic. Christian saw the layoff as an opportunity to pursue a dream of entrepreneurship. This was a story that could be told easily in his applications, and we focused one essay on how he wrote a business plan for his retail site, and the networking he did to understand the overall industry and the market size for his target audience. This story showed that he was determined, hard working, and able to use his people skills to expand his network.

The volunteer work that Christian was heavily involved in gave him an opportunity to cite recent teamwork. He also showed that he was interested in giving back, even while he went through tough times himself. We used the optional essay and his recommendations to show that he was a top performer who simply ended up at an unprofitable company. In his essays about work he was able to show that he had learned a lot about business from being part of a failed company. Overall, Christian showed that he had the grit to persevere through a difficult experience – a quality that is in high demand within MBA programs.

Despite his unemployment Christian was admitted to Haas where he made the most of the opportunity to become an expert on Marketing and Accounting for his start-up.

To read more SBC Case Studies, click HERE.

Rahul signed up with Stacy Blackman Consulting for a two-hour feedback session on his unsuccessful application from the prior year. With a 760 GMAT and a near perfect GPA from an Ivy League school, Rahul was surprised that he failed to receive even a single interview invitation from his applications to HBS, Stanford, Columbia, and Chicago. With better-than-average numbers, I had a feeling that Rahul needed to focus on the qualitative factors to make his case for admission.

When I read through Rahul’s application to Stanford it was clear that there was room to improve his essays and his recommendations. Rahul’s career goals were a logical extension of his current job in consulting – he planned to return to the firm and advance to partner, ultimately specializing in the technology side of the firm and focusing on developing that side of the business. However, he never explained WHY technology was a passion for him, or WHY he was so devoted to his firm that he wanted to make his career there. Though in conversation Rahul was passionate about his path, it came across as a default answer in his essay.

“What Matters Most” is a tough essay topic for every candidate. In Rahul’s case he focused on his family and particularly his relationship with his grandparents who had immigrated to the United States from India and embraced a new culture and way of life. Again, Rahul’s admiration for his family and forebears was captivating in speech, but did not translate in writing.

As for Rahul’s recommenders, they praised his work, but did not advance his cause. None of them addressed Rahul’s career goals in any depth, and they did not highlight his exceptional work as compared with his peers. Overall it seemed as if Rahul was a strong contributor to his firm, but he didn’t come across as the next generation of leader and superstar there. When we discussed this issue, Rahul explained he had not shared his career goals or any of his other essay topics with his recommenders. As a result, I guessed his recommenders were not as invested in his success and may have lacked direction in writing the letters.

Rahul was receptive to my feedback and continued to work with us to reapply to HBS and Stanford, while adding Wharton, Michigan and Kellogg as new schools on his list. Rahul devoted himself to essay writing, and the results reflected his infectious enthusiasm for his work and his personal life. He also set up lunch meetings with his recommenders to go over his strategy and plans for re-application. With his recommenders in the loop on his overall goals they supported him with enthusiastic letters, and even helped him take on new projects related to technology at the firm in the year before he went to school.

Rahul was ultimately admitted to Wharton and the Kellogg MMM program.

We have so many client stories and each one is different. Even applicants who appear to have similar bios are unique when we peel back the layers. View more client case studies here.

*Please note that no client details are ever shared in SBC Scoop or otherwise without complete sign off from client.

Nowhere is the mandate to be authentic more emphasized than with the Stanford GSB application essays. The Stanford GSB admissions website provides clear guidance and advice for what to do, and what not to do that all applicants should read and follow. As you approach topics for this set of essays think about the events of your life that have shaped your values and your future plans. Your accomplishments and achievements are part of why you have developed into the person you are today, however it’s far more important to explain your influences, lessons learned and motivations. Stanford GSB asks for candid self-examination in the first essay, and that theme of introspection should persist through the entire set of essays.

Stanford GSB Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?
This is the keystone of the Stanford GSB essays and your chance to demonstrate who you are and what motivates you. Topics can range from personal history to grand visions of the future. While this topic should not be explicitly career related (and the strongest essays may not be career oriented at all) a truly cohesive life path will likely bring some of the aspects of what matters most into the topic of Essay 2.

If the open ended prompt is intimidating you can try brainstorming over a period of a few days. Ask friends and family what values they see you demonstrating in your life and choices. Keep a notebook by your bed so you can record your first thoughts upon waking up, or dreams that might help you understand your motivations.

Though the essay question may seem open-ended, answering the question with vivid and specific examples will provide solid evidence that you have demonstrated or experienced “what matters most” throughout your life. Keep in mind as you select examples that Stanford GSB specifically advises focusing on people and experiences that have influenced you, rather than accomplishments or achievements.

Stanford GSB Essay 2: What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford?
The emphasis in the question on authenticity (what do you REALLY want to do?) is new this year. We’ve observed that in these economic times plenty of candidates are content to be conservative about their dreams. For Stanford that approach may backfire. Stanford likes to see applicants who dream big, and have the credibility to achieve their goals.

So think hard about what you REALLY want to do. Not what your parents or partner want you to do. Not what your boss wants you to do. Not what you think an MBA program wants to hear. What do you, with your own unique background and values, want for your life?

If the question seems too vast, take a few minutes to close your eyes and reflect. Envision your life in twenty years. Where do you live? How do you spend your days? What is your favorite activity? How does this vision fit into your career aspirations? Dream big about what two years at Stanford can bring into your life. Once you have identified your dream career, you also need to make sure an MBA is an important part of achieving your plans. Stanford wants candidates whose MBA will make an impact on the career they REALLY want, not candidates who are looking for a prestigious piece of paper.

One thing that is crucial “not to do” is be less than specific about why Stanford. You should know everything about the program that overlaps with your interests and aspirations. Have you met current students and alumni? Who are the professors you are excited about? What are the unique programs? Stanford GSB wants to know what you specifically need that will be uniquely satisfied by the program at Stanford GSB, and research will help you determine the specifics of the academic program, community and students will be essential to demonstrating your knowledge and fit with the program.

Stanford GSB Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.
Choose strategically here. What aspects of your background or career progress have not be highlighted in the previous two essays? Is there a community service involvement you would like to demonstrate? All examples must be from the past three years, and it is important to clearly describe your process and results. HOW is the key word for this set of questions. By asking specifically about your behavior, the admissions committee hopes to understand your motivations by clearly “seeing” your actions.

o Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Many candidates for Stanford have not led teams formally at work. If you have done so, this is an ideal essay to highlight your management experience. If you have no formal management experience think about the times you have served informally as a leader. Perhaps you led a team as part of a project, or led part of a project for your boss. If work did not provide an opportunity for you to lead a team, consider an example in your volunteer or extracurricular activities.

Whatever the situation, describe what happened and your role in the performance of the team. In addition to clear description, explain what the expectations were for the team and how your team exceeded them.

o Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
Making a lasting impact through a discrete project or achievement is possible, yet less likely than creating impact through your relationships with others and the overall operations of the organization. Did you create a new initiative that involves many others? Have you impacted the culture or operations of your organization through an idea or by developing your team? Think about actions you have taken that may have lead to a fundamental shift in the way things are done or perceived within your company or organization.

o Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative
This is a behavioral question focused on your ability to understand and motivate others. This question seeks to understand your leadership skills and ability to build support whether through action or persuasion. When answering the question it is important to demonstrate your own leadership skills through specific examples. Explain clearly how you (uniquely) were able to motivate your team or build support for the idea or initiative and what results you saw for the idea or initiative.

o Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined or established
The topic of this essay can be from almost any area of your life. It will be helpful to give the context around what was defined or established to clearly demonstrate how you went beyond. Why and how did you achieve results beyond expectations? This topic could be similar to Option A in scope, yet is focused on your individual achievement rather than directing a team’s actions.

As you put together your Stanford GSB application it will be helpful to read all of the essays together (and have others read them) to see the overall impression. It should be clear what your underlying motivations are, what you hope do you with your career, and how you operate as an individual and in a team within an organization. As Stanford GSB clearly requests, the best essays will illuminate your individual voice clear and strong.

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A lot has been said in recent years about schools like Harvard and Stanford taking a greater interest in younger applicants and denying older applicants, with many top schools following suit.  In fact, I have seen posts in forums that basically tell people there is “no chance” past a certain age.  Whereas ten years ago there was buzz about getting as much work experience as possible, more recently, applicants have feared having too much experience, being too old.  This case study is meant to demonstrate that older applicants do get in, and can and should apply.  But I also want to provide a context and explain why older candidates do often have a tough time.  Since our client ended up at HBS, I will speak to HBS, but this really applies to all top schools.

Harvard values great leadership.  If you are applying to Harvard when you are 34 or like our client, 37, you better have already developed terrific leadership skills and have a lot to show for them.  The problem is that many people with great leadership skills have achieved so much by the time they are almost 40, that they are not interested in going back to school.    However, if one of these people is interested, and can demonstrate great achievement balanced with a legitimate need/desire to return to school, than they have a good chance.  You see, proving that you are a strong and accomplished 40 year old leader, and balancing that with the fact that you want to improve in order to get to the next step, is tough to pull off.  But it is pulled off and “old” people are admitted every year!

Our client, Max, was 37 and applied to a full range of schools.  Harvard was actually a re-application for him – the others were all first time apps.  In a nutshell, his numbers were just average (3.5 GPA from mid tier school and 670 GMAT), and he had a nice, though not outrageous record of extra-curriculars.

Max’s work experience was stellar.  He had advanced quickly and impressively, and had significant P&L responsibility at Nestle.   He had rock solid evidence of strong leadership and communication skills, and he clearly had a lot to offer peers in classroom discussion.  Recommendations were also very good.  In drafting his application, he struggled with the balance between past experience and articulating ambitious, reasonable goals that supported his desire for an MBA.  Ultimately, he had a very big, high impact vision for his career.  But it was not a “pie in the sky” type of pipe dream.  His prior experience informed and inspired his future goals, and made them appear to be realistic: ambitious and realistic.  He was also able to tie unique personal experiences to his goals, showing how his career plan had personal meaning for him and was about more than just “making money”.

Even though he emerged from the process with admits from HBS and Tuck, it was not a smooth road.  His initial results were not so happy as he was waitlisted and then denied first from Wharton and later also denied from Columbia and Stanford.  At that point he seized upon the only aspect of the application that was still within his control and prepped like crazy for his Round 2 interviews.  Guess it helped tip him over the edge!  A very happy ending.

Facebook Contest: Answer the question below in the comments section for a chance to win an account from Apply in the Sky ($75 value). The winner will be chosen by the Stacy Blackman Team on 05/15:

How do you see an MBA degree helping you achieve your goals post-graduation?

To read more SBC Case Studies, click HERE.

Davis was a very interesting and non-traditional MBA candidate.  Following graduation from UC Berkeley, his US home had been Boston for eight years.  However, he really wanted to get back home to the West Coast.  As a unique candidate, and an older one, he concluded that he was a stretch for a top business school but still decided to try, and applied to UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, hoping that solid numbers, well written essays and alumni status would help him get in.

Davis had a 3.5 GPA and a 700 GMAT.

In terms of career, Davis spent one year as a strategy consultant, working for a boutique firm, and traveling extensively.  After that, he spent six years working from home for a very small travel company that led tours through Southeast Asia.  He managed all business functions for that company.  Finally, he joined a different travel company in Latin America, working in tour operations in Chile for one year.

When he applied to Haas, he honed in on the “traditional” aspect of his application, thinking that his one year of consulting was the most relevant to business school and would make him seem most like a typical business school student.  This was a mistake because that experience was seven years old by the time he applied.  It also was the least reflective of Davis, and left the admissions committee wondering why he left this role if he was so focused on it now.  His story was ultimately full of contradictions and did not feel authetic.

Davis was rejected from Haas on his first attempt.

As it turns out, Davis was a friend of a friend, and through an informal conversation, I encouraged him to apply again.  This time he added Stanford and INSEAD to his list, and reapplied to Haas.

He completely overhauled his application.  His main essay for Stanford talked very little  about his work experiences, and focused on his personal background and how it fueled his passion for exploring the world, and enabling others to do so.  He also discussed hs gratitude for his ability to travel, and how that tied into his background.

Again, Davis was denied from Haas.  He was also denied from INSEAD.  But he was admitted to Stanford..

I thought this was a great example of how important it is to really be yourself in your application and find the school that is right for you.  Contrary to popular belief, it’s not uncommon to be admitted into a more highly ranked program, and denied by a seemingly less competitive one.  That’s because the process is not all about numbers – it’s about numbers and experiences and personalities and FIT.  Davis FIT at Stanford, loved the experience and has never looked back!  Now he just has to decide who to root for at Berkeley/Stanford sporting events!

What do you think?  Does this outcome surprise you?  Do you see how Davis fit with Stanford?

To read more SBC Case Studies, click HERE.