Who We Are: Client Profiles

Challenge:

Engineer with No Business Training

Strategy:

This client had ruled out applying to Harvard Business School (HBS) because of his lower-than-average GPA and GMAT, his age, and the overall low acceptance rate. Yet seeing the extensive nature of his leadership (making million-dollar engineering decisions, overseeing teams of 10–20 hourly operators, spearheading evacuation initiatives during a disguised training drill), we encouraged him to go for it.

In his essay, we delved deep into the times when he was challenged as a leader and how he worked through those scenarios. In prepping his recommenders, he reminded them of the specific results of different initiatives so they had ample evidence to prove he had driven impact. We also worked tirelessly on his resume and essay to remove any highly technical terms that non-engineers would not necessarily understand. And, while humor can be risky, it worked for him—his essay showed that he was not an engineer without people skills or a sense of humor, but someone who could laugh at himself. [Note: This is not a strategy we necessarily recommend for everyone, but it worked for this applicant.]

Challenge:

Member of an Overrepresented Group (Consultant at a Big Firm)

Strategy:

This client knew she came from an overrepresented pool and did not have the highest stats, so she really wanted to focus on what might be different: her extracurriculars and her aspirations of working in a large, multinational tech company. Yet we knew that if we focused only on this, the schools would wonder about her ability to drive business success. So we ended up spotlighting both her career and her extracurriculars.

A core part of our strategy was showing that she might be in a crowded pool, but she has done incredible things, was a very strong performer, and had global experience that would be relevant in a multinational tech company. We made sure that her personal statement essay showed an accomplishment in which she had driven impressive outcomes for her client and that served as inspiration for her career goals. We also made sure to highlight various performance indicators on her resume (e.g., her performance ratings, any awards she had received, any non-core firm involvement).

In the schools’ other essays, we delved deep into a volunteer effort she had led and that had resulted in considerable impact. While other consultants in this pool often have only work stories to rely on, she was able to add a very different leadership example to complement her work leadership.

Challenge:

Older Applicant

Strategy:

Working with a female client on the older edge of the applicant pool requires a lot of focus on the “why now” for an MBA. We looked at the client’s work experience, which was strong but also lengthy, and framed a story focused on innovation in the financial services industry. Given her wealth of experience, she had seen technology as a disrupter and now wanted to look toward a career path where she could use her background and knowledge to help financial companies incorporate digital technologies into their businesses.

In addition, her test scores were on the lower end of the median range, which meant we used opportunities on her resume and in the essays to highlight her quantitative and analytical proficiency where possible.

Focusing on programs that are more welcoming to older applicants, including Northwestern Kellogg’s one-year MBA, Columbia Business School’s J-Term, and the Stanford MSx Program, helped the client feel more optimistic about the process.

Challenge:

Applicant with No Extracurriculars

Strategy:

For this client, brainstorming together was an important step in the process. We searched for anything she did outside of work that was not organizational but that represented who she was. During our brainstorming session, we uncovered a commitment she fulfilled regularly to a family member and deepened that by tying it into experiences from her childhood, explaining how the work she did for this family member was to prevent that person from having to go through the same kind of situation she had. We also chose schools that had some creativity in their applications so this story could be presented in a more vivid way.

Challenge:

The Overrepresented Private Equity Applicant

Strategy:

This applicant was interested only in applying to HBS, a risky strategy, given how highly selective HBS traditionally is. We agreed that he would be able to differentiate himself via his work experience because of its strength. So we determined that we would rely on his resume, short answers, and powerful recommendation letters to tell his professional story and then try to reveal a depth of character beyond the workplace and intense personal values via his essay.

Although the core of the applicant’s community experience was brief, he was able to make a substantial impact by helping a visionary founder launch a novel nonprofit. Effectively, the founder served as the public face of the organization and fundraised for it, while the applicant recruited a robust volunteer team and created all the operational support systems. The applicant led with this community story and wrote his essay about “glue”—how throughout his life, he had connected people and helped hold organizations, professional teams, and even his own family together. His story, particularly with regard to his family anecdotes, was powerful and emotionally affecting and showed that a true human being lurked behind the stats and professional success to date.

Challenge:

The High-Performing but Highly Imperfect Consultant

Strategy:

We determined that he should explain his mental health issues in a frank and forthright manner, showcasing how he had proven (albeit sporadically) to have the potential to perform well academically, that he had sought help and subsequently grown, and that he had an extensive and stellar record in a high-pressure consulting position. He wrote essays about performing in stressful situations and managing setbacks, without explicit callouts to his past, and shared stories about being a role model for disadvantaged children as a Big Brother, which gave a sense of his broader perspective on the world. Effectively, the applicant’s entire application revolved around maturity, growth, and being grounded, sending the implicit message that he had turned a new leaf. Further, the candidate’s recommenders were able to identify him as a top performer internally, thereby corroborating his message.

Challenge:

Applicant with a Low GPA

Strategy:

We had early discussions about the GMAT. The client had a 720 but felt he could score higher, so we encouraged him to give it another shot. He eventually landed a 750. In most cases, having an above average GMAT is the best strategy to mitigate a below average GPA. Then, we discussed school selection. When the client first came to mbaMission, he was planning to apply to 10–15 schools, but we thought he would be spreading himself too thin. We landed on seven schools, with a couple “reach” schools and the rest we felt confident about. This client faced a problem we see a lot—he did not have a great reason for having such a low GPA. So we did not try to manufacture a big story or excuse. Rather, he was up front about the low GPA and used the optional essay to reflect on how college had been an adjustment period for him. We also highlighted positive life changes he had made since college, including getting in shape and taking on extra roles at work. This helped position him as someone who was willing to work hard despite his lower undergraduate GPA.