Focus on the Why in MBA Applications
When applying to business school, many applicants focus on crafting their perfect resume, highlighting their accomplishments, and showcasing their impressive roles. They spend countless hours refining the “what” of their story—the achievements, the promotions, the awards. While these elements are undoubtedly relevant, they often miss the mark of what admissions committees genuinely seek to understand: the profound significance of the “why” in MBA applications.
In the world of MBA admissions, the “what” might get you noticed. But it’s the “why” that truly sets you apart. Here’s why admissions committees care more about the motivations behind your actions than the actions themselves—and how you can use this to your advantage.
Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
The “What” Shows Experience; the “Why” Shows Purpose
Business schools are looking for future leaders. Such people will excel in their careers while making meaningful contributions to their industries and communities. The “what” in your story—your job titles, responsibilities, and achievements—paints a picture of your experience. Yet, it doesn’t reveal the complete person behind those accomplishments. It’s the “why” that illuminates your drive, your purpose, and your vision for the future.
Admissions committees want to know why you made the choices you did: Why did you choose your particular career path? Why did you pursue specific projects or switch roles? Why do you want to get an MBA now and at their school? These questions dig into your motivations and values, helping the committee understand the essence of who you are beyond the bullet points on your resume.
For instance, you could explain how your passion for a particular industry led you to undertake a challenging project. Or mention how your values align with the mission of the business school you’re applying to.
Learn more about SBC’s 2-hour strategy engagement, which explores your strengths and weaknesses, target schools, positioning and differentiation AND allows you to test the waters with your consultant before committing to a full package.
The “Why” Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Reflection, Empowering Your Personal Growth
Self-awareness is a crucial characteristic of successful leaders. Business schools look for candidates who can reflect on their experiences, learn from them, and understand how those experiences have shaped their aspirations. Explaining the “why” behind your story demonstrates that you’ve taken the time to analyze your career decisions, understand your strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas where you need growth.
Applicants who articulate their motivations effectively show that they’re not just coasting through life on autopilot—they’re intentional about their career trajectory. That is crucial in an MBA environment. Business school is where you’ll constantly be challenged to make strategic decisions, whether in case studies, group projects, or future career choices.
The “Why” Connects Your Past, Present, and Future, Providing Reassurance About Your Career Trajectory
A compelling “why” in MBA applications helps AdComs see the thread connecting your past experiences, current aspirations, and future goals. It’s not enough to say you want an MBA to advance your career. You need to link your background to your desired future. By articulating why an MBA is your logical next step, you create a cohesive narrative that makes your journey relatable and convincing.
You are not just your resume. You are the white spaces in between. You are the transitions that got you from A to B, which will get you from B to B-school. —Stacy Blackman
For example, an applicant who worked in nonprofit fundraising might have the “what” of raising millions for their organization. But the “why”—a passion for social impact, a drive to create systemic change, or a desire to bring business acumen to philanthropy—adds depth and meaning to their achievements. This connection between past and future helps the AdCom envision you as part of their community and, eventually, as a successful alum.
The “Why” Differentiates You from Other Applicants
Many MBA applicants have impressive resumes. They’ve worked at prestigious companies, led teams, and managed large budgets. But these “whats” can start to blur together in the eyes of admissions committees. What differentiates candidates is the “why” behind their journey.
Your unique motivations, experiences, and aspirations make your story distinct. When you share the “why,” you provide insights into your personality, values, and long-term vision. Such authenticity resonates with admissions committees tasked with building a diverse and dynamic class.
Final Thoughts
When crafting your MBA application, don’t just focus on listing your accomplishments. Take the time to reflect on the motivations that have driven your journey. Understanding and articulating your “why” strengthens your application and helps you clarify your career path. Ultimately, it’s not just about what you’ve done—it’s about why and what you plan to do next.
***
Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership to hourly help reviewing your MBA essays, resume, and more. 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. ×
