A Flight Test for Your MBA Application
One factor that sets Stacy Blackman Consulting apart is that we’re the only firm staffed with former MBA admissions officers from every M7 program. Today, we’re sharing application insights from Caryn, a former AdCom member at the Kellogg School of Management and a long-time SBC consultant who is a flight tester on our team. The SBC Flight Test is a comprehensive evaluation of your application designed to simulate a real admissions committee review.
Admissions officers typically spend only 15–20 minutes on each applicant’s file, so flight testers give feedback based on that rapid, holistic assessment. This trial run for your application can identify any potential red flags before they reach an actual AdCom reader after submission.
“The flight test is meant to be a commentary on the overall strength of the application versus specific feedback on one particular school,” Caryn stressed when she dropped by the B-Schooled podcast. “We only do one per client, as clients can apply that feedback to all of their schools.”
Caryn discusses everything from essay strategies to choosing the right recommender and ensuring your application’s narrative flows seamlessly. “Over the years, having reviewed countless of these ‘flight tests,’ I’ve seen many common pitfalls and best practices that can be game-changers for MBA hopefuls,“ she explains.
Whether you’re just starting the MBA journey or looking to polish your final drafts, Caryn’s advice can provide valuable perspective on making your application stand out.
What are your chances of getting into a top business school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
The Essays are Ground Zero in a Flight Test
One of the most frequent errors of MBA applicants is not fully addressing the essay prompt. Admissions officers assess self-awareness as much as the content, so staying true to the prompt and demonstrating insight into the question’s intent is essential.
Caryn recalled one applicant’s response to a Kellogg essay asking about a leadership experience and what he learned from it. The response missed the mark because the applicant overlooked the learning piece entirely—a critical omission since Kellogg specifically requested it.
Another common mistake is writing essays filled with technical jargon. Admissions officers come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds; not all are familiar with specialized industry lingo. A general rule is to write clearly enough for someone without your background to understand. For optimal success, imagine you’re explaining it to a 7th grader.
B-Schooled Podcast Episode #139: Advice from a Former AdCom Pt. 1
Also, ensure the story you tell in your essays aligns with your resume and application form—especially regarding career goals. If your resume shows a background in one field but your essay outlines an entirely different ambition, explain the “why“ behind your transition. Consistency and cohesion across each element in your application are crucial.
You can also use the essays strategically to highlight different skills across responses. For example, if you mention leadership in one essay, use another to showcase teamwork or adaptability. This approach gives a fuller picture of who you are and helps avoid redundancy.
Finally, be sure to showcase your in-depth knowledge of each program.
“They want to know that you’ve done the research, that you care as much about their program as they care about getting you in,“ Caryn says. Mention courses, professors, and resources that interest you—details that make it clear you’ve thoughtfully considered what the school offers and how it fits your goals.
The “Black Box“ of Recommendation Letters
Recommendation letters are an understandably stressful part of the process since candidates can’t fully control the content. The best recommenders are those who know your work well, not necessarily the highest-ranking individuals in your organization. A manager who can provide specific examples of your strengths is more valuable than a CEO who knows you superficially.
Therefore, creating a “recommender package“ is a smart move. Prepare a document outlining the strengths you’d like highlighted, backed up by project-specific examples. Schools often ask recommenders to discuss situations involving constructive feedback, so provide examples where the focus is on how you improved upon receiving it—not on the feedback itself.
You should also include any weaknesses that need framing. For instance, your recommender might emphasize your analytical skills if you have a lower test score. Or, if you were laid off, they can clarify that it was due to company-wide changes, not performance issues, and reinforce that they would rehire you if possible. This mitigates weaknesses while reinforcing your candidacy.
“It’s really important for you as the applicant to take a stab at what you think that weakness is,“ Caryn stresses. “Because I’d rather have you frame it up and have the recommender then write to it, then the recommender come up with a major weakness that you might not want them to communicate.“
B-Schooled Podcast Episode #140: Advice from a Former AdCom Pt. 2
Big Picture Evaluation
Admissions officers review a complete application holistically, examining your academic background, work experience, career plans, rationale for an MBA, extracurriculars, and leadership potential. When SBC conducts a Flight Test, we check to see if each piece contributes to a cohesive narrative that underscores your motivations, achievements, and fit for the program.
Extracurriculars are especially valuable as they show who you are outside of work. “You don’t necessarily have to list every single extracurricular you’ve ever done,“ Caryn says. “But it’s important to list the ones that are important, that show you in a good light and with enough detail that AdCom can understand and appreciate what you’ll bring to the program as a result.“
Career goals are another area where applicants often stumble. Goals should be realistic, specific, and relevant to your personal or professional background. It’s crucial to show how an MBA will serve as a bridge to your goals. If you’re switching careers to an entirely new field, you’ll need a strong rationale rooted in your past experiences. Also, some fields don’t strictly require an MBA, so if your goal is to move up within private equity, for example, you’ll need to make a clear case for why an MBA is essential.
Lastly, that intangible “X Factor“ often comes down to how well-rounded and collaborative you appear. “It can be a little tricky though to come across as both a leader and a team player. And that’s honestly what the admissions committee is looking for,“ Caryn reveals.
In your essays, recommendations, and any additional materials, demonstrate how you lead thoughtfully and work well within a team, painting a complete picture of a candidate who is not only capable but also approachable and collaborative.
The Final Touch: Consistency Checks
As a last piece of advice, pay attention to the small details. Double-check for grammar and formatting errors, and ensure your resume and data sheet are consistent. The data form may seem minor to your application, but Caryn emphasizes its importance. Correct mistakes like mismatched GPA data or inconsistent work experience dates.
The form isn’t just a replica of your resume—it’s an opportunity to highlight the details of your job responsibilities and provide context to your career path. For specific, quirky fields (e.g., “desired job function”), do your best to be accurate, but don’t overthink it.
With these insights culled from the SBC Flight Test process, applicants can confidently approach their MBA applications, knowing how to showcase their potential in a way that resonates with admissions committees. This process, though challenging, is ultimately a reflection of who you are and how you envision contributing to your chosen program.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs. From our All-In Partnership to interview prep, essay editing, resume review, and much more, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×