Kaneisha Grayson's Blog, page 21

How To Create the Perfect Grad School Resume

If you’re applying to MBA, JD, or policy school graduate programs, you will be asked to submit a professional resume. Though it may be tempting to just submit your resume as it currently is so that you can focus on other areas of your application, it’s vital that you spend quality time updating and editing your resume to ensure that it highlights your skills and strengths for the admissions committee.

Your resume should not be overlooked for a few reasons. It is often the first thing that the admissions committee reviews, and it is also the document that they will constantly refer to throughout the process. Not only does your resume offer important insight into your background and experience, but it may also dictate the types of questions that the committee asks during your interviews.

That being said, creating an effective resume for professional grad school programs is no easy task. That’s why we put together a quick guide to help you create the ideal grad school resume. Here are just a few things to keep in mind as you revise your resume for grad school applications:

1. Provide specific examples of your achievements.

When it comes to demonstrating your skills and abilities, you want to show, not tell. This means providing specific examples of your accomplishments in each position. Instead of using vague phrasing to explain what you did in each position, give a specific achievement that can be verified.

For example, “built strong relationships” is a phrase we often see on applicants’ resumes. Though people skills are important and relationship building can lead to greater trust between customers and the company as well as better results for clients, this phrasing is vague and could mean just about anything. Instead, show how you built relationships and give details on the results of this relationship building.

2. Show the results of your work.

In addition to providing examples of your accomplishments, you’ll also want to highlight the results of your hard work. How did the company benefit from your contribution? Showing this in detail helps admissions committees wrap their heads around your capabilities and the value that you provided your employer.

Admissions committees like to see results-oriented language that shows your impact on the end result. When describing your contributions, be sure to use concrete language and action verbs. It is essential that you quantify the results of your efforts when possible. Did you increase lead generation by a certain percentage? Save the company X amount of dollars? Include these details on your resume.

3. Focus on accomplishments for extracurriculars.

If you are going to include extracurricular activities or volunteer experience on your resume, you need to make sure that you are focusing on what you have contributed to these organizations. Rather than just providing a long list of activities, highlight the meaningful impact that you made on the organization.

For instance, if you took on a leadership position at an organization, describe how your work in this position helped further the organization’s goals. Similarly, if you volunteered within your community, you need to provide some details on how you contributed to the organization in a way that’s tangible.

4. Keep it to one page if it’s for business school.

Ideally, your MBA resume should fit on a single page. If you have been in the workforce for several years and have more experience, then it may be longer but should not exceed two pages. You want the admissions committee to be able to scan your resume and learn the most important things about your background and experience. Give just enough information for them to understand how you contributed to each position.

5. Be honest.

Above all else, you need to make sure that the information you put on your resume is an honest reflection of your experience. Part of the admission committee members’ job is to judge an applicant’s credibility. They will ask you questions about the information on your resume during the interview process, so you are not doing yourself any favors by lying about your accomplishments or experience.

Instead of inflating your achievements, work to describe them in the best light. Take time to think about not only what you did in each position but how you contributed to the company’s overall goals. Consider the aspects of each position that will help you highlight your leadership skills and capabilities.

Need help with your business, law, or policy graduate school resume? One of the first things we we work on with our clients is whipping their resumes into shape.

To learn more about what we do and how we can help you, schedule your free 90-minute Breakthrough Call today.

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Are MBA Admissions Consultants Worth the Cost?

Note: In this article, we’ll primarily focus on MBA applicants considering working with MBA admissions consultants. However, here at The Art of Applying, in the spirit of our founder who is a joint degree graduate of Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, we work with applicants to top business schools as well as other graduate degrees such as policy school, law school, education, and social work.

MBA hopefuls are often concerned about the financial investment required to work with The Art of Applying. We get it. You’ve worked hard for your money, and you’re about to spend a lot of it in pursuit of an MBA at one of the country’s top schools. You want to make sure that working with the experts at The Art of Applying is really worth the investment.

The best way to answer that question is to look at the results we can provide. We can’t speak for our clients, but we can speak to their success. Below, we’ll dive a little deeper into what you are really paying for when you hire an MBA admissions consultant and demonstrate the return on investment that The Art of Applying can provide.

Are MBA Admissions Consultants Worth the Cost?

With so much information available for free on the Internet, you may be wondering, are MBA admissions consultants worth the cost? That’s a fair question, but it’s important to consider what you are paying for.

While we do encourage you to do some independent research before you come to us and talk to others who have applied and been accepted to top MBA programs, this is often not enough to completely support you in being successful throughout the entire MBA admissions process. There is a lot of false information floating around out there and many different stories, circumstances, and paths that have led people to their particular programs. You shouldn’t rely on just one person or experience to guide you through the admissions process.

An MBA admissions consultant helps you break through all the noise to provide you with a clear and proven strategy for approaching the admissions process. Not only have the consultants at The Art of Applying been through the MBA admissions process themselves, but they’ve worked with a diverse array of candidates with a myriad of personal and professional stories. This holistic experience guides the consulting team in combining a customized application strategy tailored to each candidate with a proven process for successfully navigating the admissions process.

More than just expert advice, you are getting someone who has been in your shoes and can support you along the way. We know the process can be frustrating and that it’s hard to stay motivated. Our team is here to remind you of your goals and why you started this process. We want you to succeed, and we’ll be here to celebrate your successes and help you through any setbacks.

While online forums can be a nice place to commiserate and celebrate anonymously with other applicants, there is nothing like having a dedicated team there with you side by side throughout the entire application process.

In the end, you get out of admissions consulting what you put in. Though your admissions consultant provides guidance and advice, it’s up to you to do the work. Just like a sports coach can provide game-changing guidance, it’s still up to the players to train, practice, and perform on game day.

“You have to do the hard work. We don’t do it for you,” says Kaneisha Grayson, founder of The Art of Applying. “You have to write the essays, study for the GMAT, and show up to your coaching calls. You have to be honest with us about your goals and open about your feelings along the way. You’ve got to be willing to invest in yourself and your future if you want it to pay off many times over.”

Calculating the ROI of The Art of Applying

The Art of Applying is a premium service, and some people can get a little sticker shock when they learn the financial investment required to work with our expert team. However, when you compare the cost of our program to the potential results that can come from working with someone who can provide targeted, strategic advice, the value really is priceless.

Take it from one of our best success stories – David V. After working with Kaneisha and the team at The Art of Applying, David was accepted to Harvard Business School, Wharton with a full tuition scholarship, and Stanford Graduate School of Business with the Knight-Hennessey Scholarship.

With a background in finance, David excels at thinking in numbers. When asked about the ROI of working with The Art of Applying, he says, “Just on a dollar amount perspective – I’m getting 15 to 16 times what I put in. That’s just in dollars. Not to mention the career advice and help with the transition process – how invaluable it was to hear that I can make the career transition that I’ve always wanted to make. Looking at it now, it’s almost silly to think of the money I put up front as a hindrance.”

From David’s point of view, The Art of Applying isn’t a luxury good, but a vital part of the admissions process. There are only so many things that you can do to get a leg up in this process. You can’t easily change things like your GMAT score, GPA, or work experience. However, through the guidance of an MBA admissions consultant and getting help bringing out your personal story, you can position yourself as a competitive candidate.

“If you’re already looking at The Art of Applying, then you’ve already come to terms with the sticker shock of an MBA. This is peanuts in comparison to that, and it makes all the difference. It can be the difference between your fifth choice and your first choice school. It can be the difference between no money and full tuition,” David says.

“I would not look at the cost of The Art of Applying with sticker shock. Add it on top of what you would expect to pay for your MBA. But just like your MBA, it’s something that’s going to provide real returns fairly early. I fully endorse it.”

Interested in seeing what The Art of Applying is really all about? Schedule a FREE 90-Minute BREAKTHROUGH CALL to find out how our team can help you achieve your graduate school goals.

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Changing Jobs While Applying to Business School: an interview with our client David V.

At The Art of Applying, we recognize that you have choices when it comes to getting help, support, and guidance with your MBA, JD, and policy graduate school applications. The way that we approach the application process is a bit different than others, and it may not be a good fit for everyone. However, we think that the best way to understand what our particular program has to offer is by hearing about the experiences of our clients.

Our client David V. is one of the most successful clients we’ve worked with. Not only was he accepted to all three of the prestigious business schools that he applied to, but he also received a tremendous amount of funding.

What’s more is that Kaneisha and the team at The Art of Applying helped him discover a new career path that allows him to pursue his passions while making a positive impact on the world.

You can watch Kaneisha’s interview with David here, or keep reading to hear his story:

David’s Story: How He Got to Where He is Today

David grew up in a single-parent household in Brooklyn, New York. As a low-income student and person of color, things weren’t always easy for him. With the help of great mentors growing up, David worked hard and excelled in school. After graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Economics, he worked in investment banking at Bank of America for two years and then moved to Los Angeles to work with a private equity firm for two years.

While he was in Los Angeles, David’s girlfriend, Jasmine attending a speaking event in New York hosted by The Art of Applying. After meeting Kaneisha and loving her energy, Jasmine thought it would be a great opportunity for David to connect with Kaneisha to learn more about the application process.

Initially, David set up a call with Kaneisha to talk about his goals. He knew it would be a great fit for him because Kaneisha was candid with him about the process and the work that is required to succeed. He was proactive – reaching out to ask for help a year before his deadlines in September 2016 so that he could start working with the team in January 2017. He later received his admission decisions in December 2017.

The results? David applied to three business schools and got into all three: Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (where he received a full tuition Knight-Hennessy Scholarship as the first class of fellows), Harvard Business School, and University of Pennsylvania Wharton (where he also got a full tuition scholarship).

Why Get Help with the Application Process?

Like many individuals who are thinking about applying to MBA programs, David knew he needed help and support with the application process. Though he went to an Ivy League university for undergrad and was successful, he recognized that navigating MBA programs was different and so was the level of competition.

“When you’re competing at the MBA level, it’s not just about academics or work experience or your personal story. It’s a holistic approach. And I knew that I had a story to tell that may be a unique from most applicants or at least would help me stand apart from applicants with a similar background in finance,” David says.

“So I knew that I needed to have someone in my corner who understood how I can craft my story and most effectively sell myself and cement the brand that I was hoping to show the business schools. I thought it was going to be valuable and it really was.”

For David, the GMAT was a bit terrifying. When he first contacted The Art of Applying, he had not yet taken the test and wasn’t sure how it was going to go. But the team helped David recognize that his GMAT scores were just one part of the total package. There were many other aspects of his application that were under his control and made him a competitive candidate.

“I had the misconception that I needed a perfect GMAT score. That there was no other way that I could get into my dream schools. Ultimately, I did well. But even before that, working with The Art of Applying put me at ease that there were other things in my story, things that I hadn’t even considered, that would help me stand out.”

More Than Just MBA Consulting

David initially contacted Kaneisha for help with the application process, but ended up getting much more out of his experience with The Art of Applying. When he first started working with Kaneisha, he was considering a JD-MBA. Though the prestige of this degree choice appealed to him, he didn’t have a clear sense of what he wanted to do with his career.

After having a candid conversation with Kaneisha, David started to really think about the path he wanted to take and decided on impact investing, which would allow him to utilize the knowledge and skillset he gained through his finance career to make a social impact, something that was close to his heart. Before they even talked about applications or schools, they talked about him making a transition from finance to the nonprofit world. By helping him with his transition at work from a finance job to a fellowship position at SEO (Seizing Every Opportunity, a nonprofit that helps underrepresented college students get prestigious internships in finance and consulting, of which both David and The Art of Applying’s founder Kaneisha are alumni), Kaneisha and The Art of Applying team helped inform how he thought about the future.

More than just insight into his career choices, Kaneisha gave him the confidence and support he needed to make that jump successfully and still be as compelling, if not a more compelling, as an MBA applicant.

“As I started to work with The Art of Applying, I started to see the benefit of the skillset that I have. I started to see why my story mattered and how it impacted where I’m at today. Through the exploration process and iterations of my story, I transitioned from thinking I’d follow a traditional finance path to focusing on impact investing – which allows me to merge my passions of social change and making an impact through finance.”

The Art of Applying Difference

Receiving funding from his dream schools has changed the way that David looks at his career. Instead of feeling like he needs to go into his job to pay off debt or find a job that offers prestige, he can now focus on making an impact while he’s completing his degree.

When David first became the inaugural fellow at SEO, he initially looked at the opportunity as a step back in his career. In fact, other consultants and MBA consulting businesses told David that his story was now in jeopardy and he wasn’t as competitive as an applicant by transitioning from finance to nonprofit.

But The Art of Applying didn’t see it that way. And neither did David.

“David spoke to other companies, and they discouraged him from doing what his heart wanted to do. That’s a major difference between The Art of Applying and other organizations. We are a heart-centered company,” says The Art of Applying CEO, Kaneisha Grayson.

“That doesn’t mean we don’t operate out of logic or strategy. But we don’t elevate strategy above a person’s holistic wellbeing. What’s the use of getting into a top school if you get there pretending to be someone you’re not? That’s an important value of The Art of Applying.”

Final Thoughts

David’s final piece of advice for students or working individuals who are thinking about business school?

“It’s never too early to jump into this process. Don’t hesitate if you feel like it’s something you want to pursue. It’s something I’ve always thought about even if half-heartedly at first. But I started early enough that I had time to study for GMAT. It’s never too early to start because at the very least, you’ll find out if this is for you or not. Seeking guidance is always the smart way to go.”

 

The post Changing Jobs While Applying to Business School: an interview with our client David V. appeared first on The Art of Applying.

5 Reasons You Need to Start the MBA Application Process Early

So you’ve decided to apply for grad school, but you’re not sure when to start. The sooner you start working on the application process, the better! Given the rise in applications and competition you’ll face when applying, its best to give yourself a significant amount of time to plan and reflect.

Here are just 5 reasons why starting at least a year before your deadlines (Round 1 for MBA applicants) is the best idea:

1. You need time to define your goals.

Before you even start looking at programs and universities, you need to have a clear idea of what your goals are academically, professionally, and personally. Much of the MBA application requires you to share aspects of your life with the admissions committee and show them that you are a good fit for their program. However, you can’t do that until you clearly define your goals and decide what it is you want to get out of your prospective MBA program.

At The Art of Applying, we often start by helping applicants with this part of the process. While some individuals have already taken the time to clearly define their goals and have their objectives and timelines planned out, others need a little help in the process. The sooner you start thinking about who you are and where you want to be, the better you will be able to clearly communicate this to admissions committees.

2. It takes time to research programs and universities.

One of the longest parts of the application process is researching programs and universities before narrowing down your top choices. Though you may have some universities in mind before you even start the MBA application process, it’s still important to research these programs to determine if they are the right fit for you.

After you have a list of programs that appeal to you, you will want to start narrowing down your choices to between 5 to 8 schools. Then, look at application deadlines and other requirements so that you can use this to adjust your admissions strategy and application timeline.

3. You may have to take the GMAT more than once.

One of the first steps in the MBA application process is registering for and preparing for the GMAT or GRE. Most students need to take anywhere from 3-6 months to adequately prepare for the exam if they want to be able to perform at their full potential. It’s best to take a diagnostic exam before studying to see what your strengths and weaknesses are so that you can develop a plan of attack for studying.

Many MBA applicants also choose to take a GMAT course or work with a private tutor to help them prepare for the exam. Not only should you give yourself time to study and prepare for the exam, but you should also give yourself enough time to take the exam more than once as many students are not satisfied with their initial score.

Here at The Art of Applying, we have an excellent and well loved in-house test prep tutor who works with our clients to identify their weaknesses, help them figure out which study materials are the best fit for their learning style, and how to best study with the materials they already have. We also give each client a customized minimum and target test score for which they should aim so that they know how close they are to meeting or exceeding their goal.

4. Your recommenders may take time writing their letters.

Choosing recommenders is an important part of the MBA application process. You want to reach out to potential recommenders early on to reinforce the relationships that you’ve built with them over time. You also want to make sure that the individuals you are asking for recommendations know you well and feel comfortable giving the strongest possible recommendation.

Once you’ve chosen your recommenders, you need to give them time to write their recommendation letters. The online recommendation forms can often be tedious. Not to mention, your recommenders are busy with their own careers and lives. Give them at least 4-6 weeks to complete their recommendations.

We teach our clients how to put together a strong recommender packet that includes everything their recommender will need in order to be well prepared to write them a strong letter of recommendation customized to their target schools.

5. You’ll have several drafts of your application materials.

Perhaps the most important reason to start the MBA application process early is that you are definitely going to have multiple drafts of your application materials. No matter how well you write, your first draft of your application essays won’t be as effective as a final draft that has received quality feedback and gone through many revisions.

You need to give yourself time to plan your essays and gather relevant examples before you start to write. Then, you’ll need to get feedback on your essays, and give yourself time to complete multiple revisions before you submit.

Starting Early: A Success Story from David V.

It’s easy enough to say that you want to start on the application process early, but it can be a little difficult to find the motivation to get started. That’s why we wanted to share a success story from one of our clients, David V.

David was proactive and reached out in September 2016 so that he could start working with The Art of Applying in January 2017. This gave him time to start studying for the GMAT early on in case he needed to take it more than once. But more than that, it gave him time to work with our team to decide on what he wanted from an MBA program and craft his story for admissions essays.

By setting his goals and working with our team early on, David was able to better focus and stay motivated during the application process. And his hard work paid off! By December 2017, he had received favorable admissions decisions from all three schools he applied to – Harvard Business School, Wharton with a full tuition scholarship, and Stanford Graduate School of Business with the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship.

On starting the process early, David shares this advice – “Start early! There is no better benefit than to start with a team who really understands the process early on. It will give you time to adjust your schedule and approach.”

Are you ready to get started with your MBA, JD, or policy graduate school applications? Schedule your FREE Breakthrough Call now to speak with one of our Enrollment Specialists about where you are in the process and how our team can help.

The post 5 Reasons You Need to Start the MBA Application Process Early appeared first on The Art of Applying.

How to Tailor Grad School Application Essays to the Specific University

Often, graduate school admissions essays for JD, MBA, and policy programs will ask applicants to discuss why they chose this school specifically or how this specific program will help them achieve their unique career goals. While it may be tempting to just turn in the same essay for every school, you’ll need to tailor your grad school admissions essays to the specific school if you want a chance at acceptance.

Here are a few tips on how to make your admissions essays more specific to the university:

1. Do your research.

Before you start writing your admissions essays, take some time to figure out what makes each school unique. This will help you identify ways in which this school is a good fit for you and how you might be able to contribute to the program as well. When doing your research, explore which areas of law, business, or policy the school is known for and which faculty specialize in areas that you’re interested in.

2. Be specific about why you chose the university.

Though it’s alright to use some of the same information in all of your admissions essays, the section about why you chose this specific university or how the school will help you achieve your career goals needs to be unique. Use specific details instead of vague phrasing. For instance, instead of saying that you chose a school for its “strong curriculum” or “renowned faculty,” mention a few specific courses you would like to take or faculty members you’d like to work with who can contribute to your growth as a student and professional.

3. Consider how the location might impact your experience.

In addition to mentioning specific courses or faculty, you should also consider how the location of the school will impact your experience there. Different cities offer different opportunities to network, attend certain events, or work for companies headquartered there. If you want to work in the market that your school is located in, it may help to mention how you will take advantage of this opportunity while attending grad school.

4. Discuss the university’s environment.

The environment on campus can have a significant impact on your experience there and what opportunities you are able to pursue while in law, business, or policy school. Do you want a smaller program that gives you more experience to connect with faculty and colleagues? Or are you looking for a larger program that offers a vast network and wealth of resources? The environment is often one of the key factors that impacts an applicant’s school of choice, so be sure to mention how the environment has played a role in your decision.

5. Connect with current students or alums.

Want to know what it’s really like to go to attend a specific law, business, or policy program? Connect with some current students or alums. Not only will they give you an idea of whether this school and program will be a good fit for you, but they will also give you some additional insight on how this specific program or school will help you get closer to your educational and professional goals.

Our clients that work with us in our signature program, Application Accelerator®, have access to a list of past clients who serve as client ambassadors. That way, they know they have people at all the top programs to whom they can reach out to and connect with.

While it can be tempting to just copy and paste content from one essay to the next, make sure you take the time to thoroughly research each school to which you are applying. That way, you can confidently explain why you’re drawn to each university.

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Harvard Business School’s “HBX,” provider of “HBX CORe” is now Harvard Business School Online

As many of you may already know, Harvard Business School Online is an online learning platform that provides engaging, immersive courses that can help MBA applicants get up to speed before applying to business school and professionals of all levels advance in their careers. Formerly HBX, Harvard Business School Online has recently rebranded as they continue to expand their course offering, providing more opportunities for those who want to learn and grow in business.

Recently, our fearless leader, Kaneisha Grayson sat down with Patrick Mullane, Executive Director of Harvard Business School Online to talk about this name change and what else is new for HBS Online. Below, we’ll cover what Mullane had to say about the rebrand and what the program offers as well some insight into how HBS Online can help pre-MBA students as they prepare to apply to a rigorous MBA program.

Watch the video interview between Kaneisha and Patrick Mullane below or continue reading to learn:

What’s in a Name? Harvard Business School Online Rebrands

HBX announced in January 2019 that it was rebranding to Harvard Business School Online as a way to raise awareness for how the program extends Harvard’s reach through online courses. According to Mullane, when the program was first launched as HBX in 2014, many online education providers at the time were including an “X” to indicate that they were online.

As the program grew, they wanted to differentiate Harvard’s online program from other massive open online courses (MOOCs). They also felt like it wasn’t clear that this program was a part of Harvard Business School.  They wanted to identify more closely with the institution, so they removed the X and renamed it – Harvard Business School Online.

With the name change, some MBA applicants and other Harvard Business School Online alum may be curious as to how they should list this on their resume. Though HBS Online will not be reissuing the paper certificates they send out upon completion, those who have completed CORe or any other HBS Online classes should refer to it as Harvard Business School Online in places like their resume or on LinkedIn.

Let’s Talk About Harvard Business School CORe (Credential of Readiness)

If you’re applying to business school, you may have heard Kaneisha talk about Harvard Business School CORe courses. These three courses – Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, Financial Accounting – are taught by HBS faculty through the HBS Online platform. These courses provide a solid foundation for pre-MBA students who want to know the basics before starting to apply to business school.

Though the CORe courses used to be offered only as a bundle, you can now take them unbundled. In addition to these three courses, HBS Online is also offering additional course options on a variety of other business topics like Sustainable Business Strategy and Negotiation Mastery. HBS Online plans to continue to expand their course offering as they find available faculty. They’ll also be working more with other schools to provide classes that span multiple disciplines.

Kaneisha offers this advice, “I recommend the entire [HBS CORe] bundle for your application. But if for some reason you just crushed one of those classes and you know you don’t need to retake it, it is available unbundled so you can take just one of the three courses.”

Patrick Mullane agrees, saying, “If you’re applying to [business] school, I think CORe is great. If you’ve already taken something like that or you’re a business undergrad, I don’t think it hurts to take some of the other disciplines. I always say when people ask me about applying to business school that showing an interest, aptitude, and motivation to take extra courses before you apply… I think can be very helpful.”

Though you should take any course that you will find helpful or that you’re interested in, Kaneisha warns applicants that there is a diminishing return. Taking all 11 courses does not necessarily give you an edge during the application process.

HBS Online vs. MOOCs

A question we often get from MBA applicants at The Art of Applying is why HBS Online? Why should I pay for HBS Online courses when I can take other course for free or a lesser price?

One major way that HBS Online differs from other MOOCs is in their learning platform. HBS Online designed their own software to create the online learning platform, which gives them better control over the student’s learning experience. Mullane says, “We hear from people all the time who have taken HBS Online courses and other MOOCs that HBS Online is much more seamless and integrated – a better learning experience.”

The difference between HBS Online and other MOOCs is about more than just technology. Harvard Business School is very much about the case method of study. The case method of study is learning effectively through storytelling. They present to you a real manager with a real problem with a real company. Then, they ask you to step into their shoes and contemplate what you would do in that situation.

At HBS, you follow this method of study with a community of online learners. The courses are not on-demand so you are taking them with a cohort who is working on the material alongside you. It’s not a lecture. The faculty is just a guide. The importance of this is that you come to the conclusion yourself. You’re not just absorbing information, but you’re thinking through the problem yourself. This sticks with students so much more than a lecture.

Harvard Business School Online provides the closest experience that you will get to taking case-based courses on the Harvard campus. Not only are you taking courses guided by tenured Harvard Business School professors, but you’re going through each course with a cohort, working on the same types of cases as HBS students.

HBS Online Celebrates Success

When Kaneisha asked Patrick Mullane what HBS Online was celebrating lately, student success was at the top of the list. Recently, HBS Online surveyed about 1,000 previous course participants, and the results are clear:

1 in 4 said that HBS Online courses helped them get a promotion.
1 in 3 said the courses helped them launch a new career.
About 50% of respondents got increased attention from recruiters after taking the courses.

What’s more is that over 90% of respondents said that the courses increased their confidence. HBS Online courses allow students and professionals to better to understand the language of business and be able to participate in the conversation while making positive impacts at their organization.

For more information on Harvard Business School Online, visit https://online.hbs.edu/.

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How to Organize Your Grad School Personal Statement and Application Essays

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Organizing ideas and life experiences into essays is one of the biggest concerns that our students have at The Art of Applying® — and for good reason. When you’re writing about your life, the order in which things happen and the significance of what you’ve experienced makes perfect sense to you.

A reader who doesn’t have your perspective needs an organized presentation in order to be able to follow your story — especially as you’ll typically have a strict word count in which to convey what’s important. Two types of sentences will help you put your ideas into boxes as you draft and revise your essays: The thesis statement and the topic sentence.

Thesis Statements convey your main argument.

The thesis statement is where you convey your main argument. It’s typically found at or toward the end of your intro paragraph, with the sentences above introducing your topic. You want to make sure that the thesis statement engages directly with the prompt you’ve been given. It’s the place in your essay where you most directly tell how what you’ve lived has helped to prepare you for the school of your choice.

It’s also useful in organizing your essay. If you include clauses in your thesis statement, for example, talking about a high school course, a college experience, and an internship in an essay seeking admission to a graduate school program, the reader will expect individual paragraphs covering each of those three life experiences.

Topic sentences organize your writing and tell the reader what to expect.

You’ll reinforce that by including a topic sentence at the start of each paragraph. The topic sentence establishes what you’ll cover in each body paragraph, and sets up the expectation that you’ll only cover that topic.

There’s typically so much you want to say when you’re writing an essay that you’re tempted to pull in additional experiences as you’re thinking about what might relate. Those additional experiences may, however, do more to confuse the reader than clarify the point you’re trying make.

If you’re writing about a high school class, for example, and you then jump back to an elementary school experience within that paragraph, it might not appear as relevant to your reader than it does to you. The topic sentence not only gives your reader a guide to what to expect in the essay, but reminds you what you’re trying to accomplish in each paragraph.

Thesis statements and topic sentences are helpful when revising your essays.

The thesis and topic sentences can also be important tools when you’re revising. You may have made a great point in your high school paragraph that really relates more to your internship paragraph; you would simply move that sentence in your editing to have it better meet your audience’s expectations.

You may also, in your editing, find that a topic sentence or even your thesis needs to be changed to accommodate everything you want to say in a paragraph. That’s totally normal! You just want the thesis and topic sentences to sync to what you’ve written in your body paragraphs.

When you work with The Art of Applying®, you’ll get insights about your essay’s organization and advice on how to better relate your experiences to the people reading your essay. In the process, you’ll learn more about how to improve your writing, so you can reach your audiences no matter who they may be in the future.

 

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Spotting Burnout While Applying to Grad School

You search online for the term “grad school burnout.” Up pops hundreds of articles about how to recognize, avoid, and recover from burnout while in graduate school. You look for the posts on how to avoid burnout if you aren’t even in grad school yet. Nothing—except for this post, of course!

Most articles online seem to take it for granted that getting admitted to grad school is the easy part and that surviving the experience is the most challenging part. However, I strongly disagree.

After having worked with over a thousand applicants to top business, policy, and law schools as well as having attended Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School myself, my opinion is this:

Your risk of burnout is equal to if not higher when applying to a top business, policy, or law school than it is while you are attending.

Why do I believe that burnout risk is high while applying to an Ivy League grad school?

Because when you’re actually attending a professional school (as opposed to say, an intensive research-focused PhD program), you are consistently part of a cohort.

At business schools like Harvard and Stanford, you have intentionally been placed within communities within communities. You may feel lonely and isolated at times, but the reality is that you have plenty of people—your professors, your learning team mates, your on-campus neighbors, and your classmates—who will see you on a regular basis.

The members of your communities within the community can recognize a decline in your physical, mental, and/or spiritual health and wellbeing. However, in programs where you might be locked away in the library or in a lab for most of the day for months at a time, it might be easy to fall through the cracks and to have your steady decline overlooked by your colleagues.

This is not to say that burnout is not a risk for students attending top business, policy, and law schools. In fact, I think burnout is extremely common among law school students in particular. I’m just saying that applicants to highly competitive grad schools are at a high risk of burnout, and somebody—me—needs to say it!

First, I’ll discuss some reasons why burnout is a risk while applying to grad school and then cover some signs of burnout when applying to grad school.

Why burnout risk is high while applying to grad school:
Secrecy

Many times, you can’t tell your supervisor and workmates that you are applying to grad school, lest you put your upcoming promotion at risk. Many applicants worry that they’ll stop being assigned to key projects if they tell their boss they are considering leaving for grad school soon. The stress of having to look your coworkers and bosses in the face every day and not tell them about one of the most challenging, exciting, nerve-wracking and potentially life-changing experiences of your life can wear on you.

Isolation

The application process can be long, stressful, and discouraging. If you’re going through the process all alone, then you don’t have consistent people with whom you can learn, commiserate, troubleshoot, and celebrate during the long process. Online forums can provide a sense of community, but I find that most people post anonymously and sporadically on forums. Thus, the community and network you create virtually disappears if you don’t stay active on that particular forum.

Programs like Forte MBA Launch, Management Leadership for Tomorrow MBA Prep, and The Art of Applying’s Application Accelerator provide applicants with expert advice, individualized coaching, and a supportive community of like-minded high-potential professionals with whom you can trudge, skip, crawl, and victory lap through the application process.

There is no reason to go through the arduous process of applying to graduate school alone, yet so many Ivy League hopefuls choose this lonely misery every day.

Information Overload

There are nearly endless sources of information on how to apply to graduate school. In addition to the information on the school websites and blogs, there are also the blogs of admissions consulting companies as well as many active destinations such as as Poets & Quants, Beat the GMAT, GMAT Club, and The Grad Cafe. In addition to that, there are the personal blogs of current applicants and current grad students.

It’s an overwhelming frenzy of information, advice, and anecdotes—not to mention the challenge of figuring out what, if any, of the information is directly relevant to your particular challenges.

I could go on forever on the reasons why burnout is a risk while applying to grad school, but now let’s cover some signs of burnout while applying to grad school.

photo credit: Nathan Dumlao

Signs of burnout while applying to grad school

I generated this list based on the hundreds of applicants my team and I speak to every year about their application process during our free Breakthrough Calls.

If you’re experiencing at least three or more of the characteristics below, you are currently circling the drain of burnout or already figuratively or literally slumped in an exhausted heap on your kitchen floor.

Procrastination

You engage in extreme procrastination. You torture yourself with researching, daydreaming, and thinking about going to grad school for years—but never actually do it. You consume a copious amount of information on the process of applying to graduate school rather than taking action toward the goal.

Love-Hate Relationship with the Application Process

You vacillate between talking incessantly about your application process (to the annoyance of your friends and loved ones) or refusing to engage in conversation about it. You have a love-hate relationship with even talking about applying to grad school.

Obsessive Researching

You get in obsessive researching loops and fall down internet rabbit holes related to grad school. You sit down to look up one quick question and look up dazed and confused an hour later, wondering where the time went. This happens multiple times a day, and gets worse on weekends and at night right before bed.

Social Avoidance

You are hesitant or outright refuse to make social plans, so you can be free to study for the GMAT, GRE, or LSAT or work on your essays. When it’s time to study or write, you don’t actually do it. You veg out on motivational YouTube videos, hoping they’ll give you the spark you need to get started.

Strained Relationships

You feel guilty that you don’t spend enough time with your friends and family, because you spend so much time working on your application, and you feel resentful of the time and attention they request of you.

Jealousy and Envy

You find yourself online stalking people you went to college with who have been admitted to graduate school. You compare yourself to them, judge them, and bitterly wonder how their dumb ass got admitted to a top grad school—when you haven’t even applied yet.

Fatigue and Exhaustion

You stay up late and wake up early to study, research, and write. You overschedule yourself between work commitments and application-related activities such as networking calls with alumni of your target schools. You are a shell of yourself on weekends, a lump of tired in the bed. Or conversely, you drive yourself to keep going, going, going on nights and weekends when you desperately want to rest and relax.

Always “On”

No matter what you get done in your application process, you still feel behind. You can’t stop thinking about, worrying about, or working on your application. You feel guilty whenever you are spending time doing anything that is not directly related to your application process. You know that it’s completely unreasonable to force yourself to focus that much on your application process, but you can’t stop yourself from feeling guilty. You feel like everyone else is “working hard, playing hard,” and that you have to “work hard, work harder” to keep up.

What to do if you are experiencing burnout while applying to graduate school

No personal or professional goal is worth risking your mental, emotional, or physical health. If you’re experiencing burnout, you deserve to feel better—now, not when you finally achieve your long sought after goal.

Recovering from applicant burnout may involve using a combination of resources such as therapy, traditional Western medicine, healing modalities such as massage and acupuncture, exercise, rest, and engaging in more mindful and nourishing eating and sleeping habits.

What we at The Art of Applying offer in our Application Accelerator is a proven system for applying to top business schools, policy schools, and law schools.

Each of our clients has clear, simple steps to take, tasks to check off when completed, and a strategic plan for achieving their goals.

They have one trusted place in the vast internet landscape where they can keep all of their application materials, ask all their questions, and pour out all their hopes and fears.

We have mindset coaches on staff (they are not therapists) who help keep our clients out of overwhelm and frustration and in a place of encouraged action-taking.

We also provide a fun, supportive community for our clients so that no one person feels isolated and alone in the process. By working toward a common goal together, our clients provide encouragement and accountability for one another. Many of our clients become online friends and stay in contact even after the application process. This helps our clients expand their Ivy League network—as they strive together toward being admitted to Ivy League schools!

If applying to grad school is burning you out, let’s talk.

If you’re experiencing burnout while applying to graduate school, I encourage you to book a Breakthrough Call with my team so we can discuss what’s not working, if we can help, and how we can help.

You deserve to have your dreams come true—and to feel good while striving toward your dreams.

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Affirmations for Applying to Graduate School

Here at The Art of Applying, we put a big focus on mindset—both among those who work for the company and in our work with clients. Not only do we have Mindset Coaches on staff for our clients in the Application Accelerator, we start every client call with celebrations. It’s one of my favorite aspects of our company culture, and I know it makes a real difference in keeping our clients in a high vibrational state that helps them maintain momentum as they apply to their dream schools.

I strongly believe in the power of affirmations, focusing on the positive, and putting my energy and attention where I most want results to occur in my life. The process of applying to graduate school—whether it’s business school, policy school, law school, or another degree—can be overwhelming, daunting, and discouraging.

I’ve written affirmations to help you stay encouraged, motivated, and on the path of moving toward your grad school dreams.

I suggest you make these affirmations an important part of your daily routine. You can write them down on notecards, and say them to yourself during your morning rituals. You can write the affirmations in various colors and put them on a vision board near where you complete most of your studying and work at home. Heck, get a neck tattoo of your favorite affirmation and be reminded every time you look in the mirror—or not.

Regardless of how you decide to keep these affirmations top of mind, I hope you find them helpful and encouraging.

photo credit: Sharon McCutcheon

Remember these affirmations as you apply to grad school:

I fully embrace my personal, professional, and academic desires.

Not having all the answers is no excuse to not get started; I can complete a long journey one step at a time.

I make choices based on what makes my heart sing versus what other people in my life think I should do or want.

Experiencing moments of doubt does not mean I should give up; it just means I need more clarity.

I am committed to focusing on what is working, and getting support to find solutions for what is not working.

My past accomplishments and failures matter, but they do not have to define me.

I know that big changes in my life start with big investments—of time, energy, and other resources.

If a system for success has worked for others, it can work for me.

I am willing to believe that making my own needs, wants, and goals a priority will put me in a position to give and serve more.

I will focus on consistently moving toward my goals rather than depending on sporadic bouts of motivation or inspiration.

I will reach out for help if I realize I am not making the progress I want to be making.

It’s okay to admit when I don’t know something; this is how we all learn.

I know that numbers matter, but I am more than my age, test score, GPA, or the ranking of my college.

I will focus on listening and following those who have what I want, and who have walked the personal, professional, and/or academic path I am looking to take.

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Visiting the University of Texas at Austin McCombs MBA Program

Written by Dylan DaCosta, Head of Enrollment for The Art of Applying ®

Earlier last month,  the full-time employees at The Art of Applying® had our second team retreat of the year in Austin, Texas. Our Founder and CEO Kaneisha Grayson treated us to fancy dinners (she finds it hilarious that I call the last meal of the day “supper” instead — maybe it’s a Canadian thing), arranged for team-building exercises and showed us around the city.

One of the final stops of our four-day retreat was The McCombs School of Business at UT Austin. Having just opened its new facility the Robert B. Rowling Hall about 10 months ago, it was a chance for us to see one of the city’s sparkling new buildings and a place where many of our clients are interested in applying to. The high glass walls, the amazing terrace patio and the massive suspended staircases all caught my eye.

My colleague Kyle (he’s the well-organized glue that holds the company together) and I got the chance to sit in on a second-year Behavioral Economics class taught by Professor Julie Irwin. While in the class, I was able to reflect on a few key takeaways.

Diversity of thought is crucial

Here at The Art of Applying® we attract clients from all over the world, each with their own unique story and skill set. Just like the incoming classes of elite business schools, we pride ourselves on having a diverse client base.

Very early into the Behavioral Economics class, I noticed the diversity of national origin. Among the 25 students, my Portuguese ears quickly picked out two people speaking my parents’ native language (although based on the accent, I’m pretty sure they were Brazilian). Throughout the school, MBA students conversed with one another in many different languages, and I enjoyed hearing quite a few y’alls, a word that I’ve grown fond of hearing from our Texas-based staff at The Art of Applying®.

In addition to the apparent cultural diversity, while visiting the class, I realized that diversity of thought is equally as important. Professor Irwin opened up with a few simple examples of behavioral game theory that students were asked to participate in. I’ll do my best to explain one of them.

Two students, working in a pair, each have two options: thumbs up, or thumbs down (I’m using this for ease of explanation).  At the same time, they reveal which of the two they’ve chosen. If both people do thumbs up, they each get four candies. If they both choose thumbs down, they each get 2 candies. If one does thumbs up and the other does down, the person with the thumbs up loses a candy, while the other person gains 3.

The above example isn’t exactly the same as what was used, and I’m not an economist so it’s possible that it does not entirely reflect the case used in the class I believe this particular experiment was called “the prisoner’s dilemma”. But what’s more important is the discussion that generated from this first example.

One of the male students in the class instantly went on the offensive, stating that the experiment was silly because there was no reason for the partners to do anything other than both give a thumbs up (as it gave them both 4 candies, the maximum reward). Even with more context from the professor, the student remained skeptical and even dismissive of the example. I saw more than one eye-rolling look shared between him and one of the women in the class.

It was really hard for me to not raise my hand and vehemently disagree with the student. I wanted to exclaim, “YOU DON’T GET IT!” Not only did I get the feeling he was being a bit rude (and as a fiery sports fan I’ve let one or two people know before when I felt that was the case) but I also was shocked at how wrong I felt he was and how nobody else chimed in to say so.

Again, this is all from the eyes of somebody who hasn’t attended business school. But my instant reaction was that he had misjudged what it meant to be human. He was entirely correct that a group of efficiency-driven, like-minded people would have no reason to stray from the path providing the highest output for the group. However, he was incorrect in assuming that all humans are like that.

The sheer possibility that the other person could not cooperate adds a different level of depth to the exercise. Yes, if they cooperated both people would benefit. But you’d each have to place trust in the other person to do so. If your partner did not cooperate and you tried to, the other person would benefit while you would be hurt (i.e. they’d gain three candies while you’d lose one). More than “maximum efficiency” comes into play in a situation like this; this simple exercise can also be an analysis of risk tolerance, trust and ethics (because one partner can purposely deceive the other person).

Regardless of whether my view that it’s important to take the complexity of human motivation into account is right or wrong (though I believe it’s right), the point is that people are different. If only “rational” students like the aforementioned two existed in the classroom, everybody would nod their heads and agree and congratulate each other for their mutual understanding. In order to have a thriving classroom, you need unique perspectives and individuals to generate real, meaningful discussion.

Our Enrollment Specialist – Jordan – soaking in valuable insight inside McCombs.

The MBA classroom isn’t all stats and functions

On a lighter note, I was surprised at how fun the MBA classroom can be. The entirety of this particular 90-minute Behavioral Economics class was dedicated to game theory. I could hardly believe it. We played games with candy. The entire class.

While the exercise was fun, it was also extremely engaging and imparted memorable lessons. The professor could easily have used a simple slide presentation to teach the theory. Instead, she used slides only as context to set up the students for live participation. Using candy and cooperation (or a lack thereof) students were able to put these theories into use.

My colleague Kyle and I were able to participate in a few of the games. One of the games in which we participated gave each member of our six-person group five candies each for a total of 30. Without knowing what the rest of the group was going to do, each person had to place any number of their candies into a middle pool. After all of them were in, the pool was doubled and then split evenly among everyone (regardless of how much each individual contributed). All of these instructions were given to us before making a decision.

For maximum efficiency, everybody would put all of their candies in. The 30 would double to 60, and would be redistributed with 10 per person. Everybody wins. Instead, while everyone else in my group put in 5, I put in zero (the lesson was titled “Game Theory” and as an ultra-competitive individual I may have taken the “game” part a bit too literally) and awaited the wrath of my group. The pool of 25 was doubled to 50, and everyone — myself included — got about 8 candies in return. While the rest of my group had 8 each, I had 13. It was clear that the rest of the group frowned upon my actions, but I felt I played my role in showcasing the purpose of the lesson.

As a disclaimer, my group (I believe wrongly) did the candy pool contribution one person at a time. So by the time it came to me, I was aware everybody else had put in five candies and the opportunity to “cheat” was easier to take.

Professor Irwin jokingly called me a freeloader and the general reaction of the other students in the class was disapproval. Despite their disapproval, I delighted in the most packs of the sugary, disc-shaped Rockets candies.  (It did even out later, when my group punished my previous actions by stealing candy from me — mimicking how the rule of law is there to penalize those who cheat the system.)

Regardless, I enjoyed not only the experiment but also the chance to play the villain. It was great to see that the MBA classroom can be fun, as well as enlightening — and can certainly show you who a person really is (my extreme competitiveness was hard to hide).

There is undoubtedly a heavy quantitative focus in an MBA program. But my experience showed me that learning doesn’t have to all be hard work. A disengaged student learns nothing, regardless of the quality or content of the material. By allowing students to see firsthand how game theory could unfold, it brought a reality to the situation that graphs and charts could not provide.

We’re changing lives at The Art of Applying®

For me, visiting McCombs was more than just enjoyable. Yes, I had fun learning about behavioral economics and cackling maniacally as I hoarded candy — but it also drove home just what we help our clients do here at The Art of Applying®: we help create opportunity.

To date, I have personally enrolled over 100 people into our signature coaching program, Application Accelerator®. Kaneisha proudly reminded me that I’ve enrolled enough people to make up an entire section at Harvard Business School. And the impact of the work our team does was clear at the UT campus.

My entire time there was highlighted by the sort of vibration in the air, the feeling you get, when elite minds are in the presence of one another. It’s not a feeling I can properly describe, because I’m not sure words have the ability to do so. But it was very, very evident. You can tell that these institutions mean something. That being there means something.

My colleagues and I have an opportunity to steer these potential applicants in the right direction, helping them realize their goals and dreams. It was rewarding to get a glimpse into exactly what that may look like.

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