SBC Quant Jock Guide

THE QUANT JOCK GUIDE
TO MBA ADMISSIONS
A GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS
FROM A FINANCE BACKGROUND
STACY B L AC K MA N CO N S U LTI NG D E MOG RAP HI C S E RI ES - QUAN T J OCK G UI DE
Copyright © 2013 by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Inc, Los Angeles, California, USA. www.StacyBlackman.com
Cover design by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Inc
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without
written permission from the publisher. Contact Stacy Blackman Consulting at ebook@StacyBlackman.com.
ISBN-10: 1-61755-923-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-61755-923-5
Visit www.StacyBlackman.com/store for the latest Stacy Blackman Consulting ebooks.
DISCLAIMER:
This guide is designed to assist in your MBA Admissions application, but does not guarantee admission to an MBA program.
© 201 3 STACY B L ACKM AN CO NS ULT I N G I NC. w ww.Sta cy Bla c kman.com A LL RIG HTS RES ERV ED. 2
TA BLE O F CON T EN TS
Introduction Tip 1 – Find the “I” in team 18
The SBC Quant Jock Guide 5 Tip 2 – Pull from college or extracurricular team projects 19
Challenge #5 – Demonstrating “Why MBA” 19
Chapter 1: Working It – Allowing Your Strengths to Shine 6 Tip 1 – Clearly define your career goals 20
Strength #1 – Quantitative abilities 7 Tip 2 – Be specific about what an MBA will do for you 21
Strength #2 – Analytical skills 7 Tip 3 – Discuss the “softer” side of your
Tip – Outline your skill set in detail in essays, desired MBA experience 22
resume and recommendations Challenge #6 – Leadership without authority 22
Strength #3 – Work ethic 9 Tip 1 – Highlight even small accomplishments 23
Tip – Demonstrate your persistence by telling stories of Tip 2 – Demonstrate your influence as part of a team 23
overcoming challenges at work and beyond. Tip 3 – Leverage recommendations to
Strength #4 – Communication skills 9 emphasize leadership outside of work 24
Challenge #7 – Your 80 hour work week did not allow time for
Chapter 2: Acknowledging Challenges and Thriving Despite Them extra-curriculars 24
Challenge #1 – Standing out from the competition 12 Tip 1 – Demonstrate community involvement through
Tip 1 – Leverage interests from outside work 12 company activities 25
Tip 2 – Use your recommenders 13 Tip 2 – Find volunteer opportunities that are flexible 25
Tip 3 – Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm 14
Tip 4 – Let your personality shine through 14 Chapter 3 – Selecting and Appealing to Target Schools 27
Tip 5 – Network into strong school specific ties 15 A Perspective on School Selection 27
Challenge #2 – Admissions familiarity with your role 16 Recommendations 27
Tip 1 – Choose work experience examples Interview 28
focused on your future career goals 16 Resume 30
Tip 2 – Shift the emphasis to highlight areas Essays 33
where you do excel 16 GMAT 35
Challenge #3 – Conveying the meaning behind career goals 17 Conclusion 36
Challenge #4 – Entry level finance roles
can be less collaborative 18 About Stacy Blackman Consulting 37

APPLYING TO BUSINESS SCHOOL: A Guide for Finance Applicants

Introduction
If you’re reading this guide you may already know that students with finance backgrounds comprise the largest percentage
of the incoming class at many top business schools. Because many firms require an MBA for senior level careers, finance
industries feed heavily into the most competitive MBA programs. The programs most prized by finance candidates are also
among the most competitive overall. Admissions rates can be as low as 8% for schools in the top 20 MBA programs. If you
come from a popular demographic such as finance, the competition becomes even stiffer.
As an applicant, you’re no doubt wondering how to stand out from your equally impressive peers. No matter how remarkable
your pedigree, the truth is that no business school wants an entire class filled with individuals of the same profile. While
this information may be sobering and have you wondering how in the world you can ever earn an acceptance letter, keep
in mind that MBA programs welcome candidates with your background. Every year the classes at top MBA programs are
filled with former finance professionals. In 2010, 42% of Wharton’s entering class came from the finance industry. The
majority of the first year students have a background in private equity and venture capital (16%) and almost as many hail
from investment banking (14%). In Harvard’s class of 2013, 25% of the students have a finance background, down from 32%
the previous year. 26% of Stanford’s class of 2012 had a career in investment management prior to entering the MBA
program.
Here’s a breakdown of some top schools and the percentages hailing from finance:
MBA Admitted Students

Program from Finance Background
Stanford Graduate School of Business 26%
Harvard Business School 32%
UPenn Wharton 37%
Chicago Booth 35%
Columbia Business School 28%
NYU Stern 26%
Dartmouth Tuck 28%
The SBC Quant Jock Guide
At Stacy Blackman Consulting, we have helped hundreds of clients in your situation successfully gain admission to schools
like Stanford, Harvard, Wharton and Columbia, despite the intense competition for a slot. In this guide, we will share many
of the insights gained from working with these clients as well as from conversing with members of the admissions
committees at top programs. We will show you how to best highlight your finance related strengths and most effectively
manage your finance related challenges. Because finance applicants are highly represented in MBA classes, and over-
represented in the admissions pool, your goal is to stand out as much as possible from peers with similar backgrounds. This
guide will help you with advice to address your concerns and suit your goals, maximizing your chances for success in the
application process.
We’ll start by laying out your strategic advantages and disadvantages in the pool of MBA candidates. From there we cover
school selection and offer some thoughts on selection criteria. Once you have your school selection established, it’s time
to put that application together. This guide will discuss every step of your MBA process:
1) Developing an effective overall strategy.
2) Putting together a resume tailored for MBA applications.
3) Carefully selecting recommenders and coaching them to put together strong letters.
4) Prepping effectively for your interviews.
5) Developing the most compelling essays possible. This guide provides a complement to our school specific essay
guides by focusing on common themes and providing advice specific to finance candidates.
6) Examining the GMAT within the framework of your overall profile.
Applying to highly competitive MBA programs is a challenge, and this guide will provide the road map to save time and
stress in this process. In the following pages you’ll find detailed guidance on all aspects of your MBA application, from
resume to recs to essays.
CHAPTER ONE: Working It – Allowing Your Strengths to Shine

There’s a reason a third of any MBA class is filled with students who have a background in finance. Your quantitative skills
are beyond reproach, you have a strong and proven work ethic, and your skills will be an asset in any industry you decide
to pursue after your MBA. As you craft your MBA plan, it’s crucial to highlight the skills that make you a huge asset to any
classroom.
1) Quantitative Abilities
2) Analytical Skills
3) Work Ethic
4) Communication
STRENGTH #1 - Quantitative Abilities
Every MBA admissions officer wants to select students who will be able to handle the challenging MBA coursework. While
many applicants will have to work hard to demonstrate that they can handle the classes such as finance, accounting and
statistics, if you hail from finance, this box is almost always checked without question. It is not uncommon for applicants
to receive conditional admits from a top school such as Wharton. In this case, the applicant must take a course such as
Calculus and earn a B or higher before being allowed to attend. All of this is to ensure that a student who does not have a
quantitative background can handle the rigor of an MBA curriculum. However, when evaluating the file of a finance
professional, the admissions committee is quite confident that the individual can excel in the core classes. Consider it one
less thing you have to worry about!
This is your opportunity to shine. As a finance professional you are expected to have quantitative skills. However, in the
overall application pool your quantitative skills are a massive strength that will help you stand out. On your resume it is
not necessary to list out all of your skills for a fairly standard job that the admissions committee has seen many times.
However, be sure to make them aware of any special skills you have acquired on the job, especially ones that show you going
above and beyond basic responsibilities. When you can, highlight your quantitative skills, either by describing work you have
done to analyze a deal or your strengths in modeling out financial impact of an investment.
STRENGTH #2 - Analytical Abilities
Another potential benefit of intensive quantitative training is the development of analytical skills. These skills are broader
than developing financial models and apply to bigger business situations and overall decision making.
Highlight concrete professional stories to demonstrate how you leverage your analytical skills to think through issues and
come up with creative solutions to challenges that you face. While quantitative skills are a fairly obvious set of common
skills possessed by most finance professionals, you can differentiate yourself further through stories that highlight your
analytical expertise.
Tip: Outline your skill set in detail in essays, your resume and recommendations.
There are several areas where you can showcase your analytical aptitude. First, use an essay or part of an essay to
demonstrate how you think and use data to make decisions. Second, your resume can highlight particular projects. Third,
your recommenders should take every opportunity to show that you have the intelligence to see the big picture and to
thoroughly examine every business problem you encounter.
Essays
Melissa wanted to use her MIT Sloan essay to show off her strong work experience and analysis skills. The essay question
was: “Please describe a time when you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed.” This sort
of behavioral question is ideal for demonstrating how you think and behave, and Melissa decided to use it to describe a
tough client engagement when she wasn’t sure the data going into her model was accurate. She had to make a
recommendation to her management despite a less than ideal client situation.
In Melissa’s first draft she focused mainly on the modeling she did. While her Excel skills are impressive, we also wanted to
showcase that she could think strategically and make big picture analytical decisions. Therefore, we pushed Melissa to
focus on the thought process behind her modeling decisions in this draft:
It was my second year as an analyst at Acme Bank, and I was working on a deal to sell a family owned real estate
developer to a pool of potential buyers. Before we could present the opportunity to our contacts, I needed to create
an operating model to show potential buyers. The firm was successful with proven cash flow over twenty years, but
the records were highly unorganized. I worked with the CFO to find the data I needed to create a reasonable
valuation, but I was still missing all of the information to create the right model. Because we were working on a
deadline, I spoke with my boss and we decided to estimate several inputs into the model.
I first looked through models from similar clients with whom I had worked in the past several years. I found a
comparable developer who also built apartment buildings in mid market cities in the central U.S. Unfortunately we
worked with this developer in 2008, and the data was sadly out of date since the commercial real estate market had
changed significantly since then. I reviewed market data to adjust the numbers for the regional market declines, and
ended up with a set of revenue projections and cost estimates that seemed realistic. From there I worked with my
boss and we examined the current strategy of the firm to make sure we were comparing appropriately to the past
client. Finally, we reviewed the data with our client’s CFO and with his approval we were able to move forward and
present the opportunity.
This experience was rewarding when we ultimately brokered a successful sale and helped the company founders
retire with the knowledge that their family business would endure.
Resume
Luckily for you, the MBA admissions committee members will be quite familiar with your background. You won’t need to
do the same level of translation into laymen’s terms that a non-traditional applicant would need, but you will need to
translate your resume into clear accomplishments. Analytical skills should be simple to tease from your work experience
and you can highlight them in descriptive bullets that show how you added value to each project.
This was Tim’s first draft of the part of his resume that focused on his most recent position as an Investment Analyst:
Investment Analyst – Initial Draft
• Researched oil and gas industry acquisition targets, and used financial modeling techniques to select key targets
• Put together pitch books for key clients
• Trained summer interns teaching key analysis skills and transferring industry knowledge
It’s clear that Tim’s resume was too vague to satisfy either a recruiter or an MBA admissions committee member. To revise
his resume into something that showcased his analytical skills we needed to provide a lot more details. First, we needed
Tim to focus on results and accomplishments, not just tasks. If he put together pitch books for clients, how many did he
assemble, how did he leverage other team members, and what were the results? After delving into these questions we
revised the resume section to be more specific and quantifiable.
Investment Analyst – Revised Draft
• Researched 30 oil and gas industry firms to select attractive acquisition targets. Performed analysis on operating
margins, and cash flow to determine opportunities for restructuring. Analysis resulted in 3 companies indentified
for further due diligence by Private Equity client
• Compiled pitch books with input from the entire team. Conducted SWOT analysis for three pitch books, and
analyzed comparable companies to perform valuations
• Trained summer interns through teaching key analysis skills and transferring industry knowledge
Tim took this new approach and revised his entire resume to showcase his exceptional contributions to his team and the
results he had enabled for the group.
Letters of Recommendation
The recommendation is an excellent place to highlight your analytical skills because your references can provide an
independent assessment of your work. As an applicant with a finance background, it will be assumed that you have the
quantitative and analytical skills required for your work. To provide strong evidence of other abilities, ask your references
to use specific examples highlighting your analytical thinking.
Though you want to provide examples of your quantitative skills, don’t fall into the trap of describing Excel models or other
routine work. Your goal is to show that you can work with numbers, and you understand the strategic framework. Think
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about examples that show you can solve problems and think about the big picture in any analysis.
STRENGTH #3 - Work Ethic
As an applicant with a finance background, your work experience shows you had the persistence to land a position in a
competitive field. Your continued progression in finance demonstrates you can juggle the long hours and demanding
colleagues. This demonstrated work ethic is a key quality that every MBA program is seeking. Persistence and dedication
towards accomplishing goals predicts success in school, and success in your future career. These are key qualities to
showcase in your MBA applications for every school.
Tip: Demonstrate your persistence by telling stories of overcoming challenges at work and beyond.
Our client Jacob was struggling with a Dartmouth Tuck essay that asked about a challenging experience. The question
was “Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a
result and what did you learn from this experience?” Like many people, Jacob preferred to focus on his successes and was
concerned he would inadvertently reveal a key weakness in his answer to this question. Taking a different perspective, we
thought Jacob could use this question to showcase his hard work at his job in private equity and particularly his persistence
in dealing with a difficult client situation. After revising several times to make sure Jacob was striking the right tone of
optimism and persistence, he ended up with an essay that showed he could persist through difficulty.
In my first year at Associate Partners I worked on a challenging due diligence assignment on a potential investment
in an alternative energy company. Because the company was dependent upon a new fuel technology, we had limited
comparable data to use in our valuation models. I was having a hard time convincing the CEO and CTO of the
company, Pat, to assist me with the data I needed to build a compelling case for investment. Pat didn’t want me to
talk to the sales team or the operations group in order to gather accurate data on revenue and costs, instead he
wanted to funnel all of the requests himself. This proved to cause delays and frustration, as Pat also had the day to
day duties of running the company. After several days of calling Pat multiple times to seek more information on the
technology and potential market, I decided to step back from my focus on the numbers and understand his
motivations a bit better. Because I had always worked with larger companies in my prior role, I had little exposure
to founders of small companies. I spoke with one of my peers, Joan, and she told me that she had encountered this
issue with control when the company founder was afraid of scaring his employees regarding a PE transaction. Once
I had that perspective, I was able to call Pat and try to understand where he was coming from. Through a
conversation about next steps I ascertained that a few of the key executives knew we were performing due diligence
on the company. Once I had the names of the executives in the know, I was able to convince Pat I could go to them
directly for the data I needed.
After gaining Pat’s trust, working directly with the VP of sales and the VP of operations to gather my revenue
numbers and cost estimates, I was able to put together a strong model for our team. In the end we decided to
proceed with the transaction, largely because I was able to illuminate some of the uncertain aspects of the
company’s numbers.
STRENGTH #4 - Communication Skills
You have experience presenting to top executives at major companies. This executive presence will help you in the recruiting
process and throughout your career. To highlight your abilities, tell stories about communicating with your teams, and
presenting to senior executives.
Our client, Rashad, used both a recommendation and an essay to demonstrate his ability to present to C-suite management
and to persuade within his team. Rashad’s manager had worked with him on an acquisition project that required buy in from
the acquiring company’s CFO to approve the valuations. Rashad was tasked to lead the presentation strategy, and was able
to present his analysis of the target company’s valuation. When his manager was working on his HBS recommendation,
Rashad asked him to showcase his communication skills in that particular project as part of the reference. Rashad’s
manager wrote this section to highlight these key communication skills:
Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe
would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250 words)
Rashad’s potential to inspire and lead others is limitless. Personally I am impressed with his poise and ability to
translate complex ideas into clear executive communication. For example, Rashad was tasked to present to the CFO
of a company that was interested in acquiring a smaller company in the industry. He had successfully presented to
the strategy group, and now needed to convince the conservative CFO that we were presenting a viable acquisition
target. Rashad assisted with the valuation analysis, and also wrote a draft of the executive summary. When we met
with the CFO I took him through our thinking, and then turned the presentation over to Rashad. He took the CFO
through his analysis at a high level, and anticipated several strategic inquiries the CFO presented. His ability to
speak the language of senior executives and to answer questions with poise was impressive to me. I think Rashad’s
presentation style inspires tremendous confidence, and the CFO noticed that confidence and decided to pursue the
acquisition.
Rashad further emphasized his communication skills by using one of the HBS three accomplishment sections to provide
his view of his experience working with the CFO:
One of my most significant accomplishments was presenting to the CFO of Acme Company and convincing him to
pursue an acquisition of a small competitor in the real estate industry. I had performed the valuation analysis and
my manager asked me to present my work during this final presentation to the CFO. I knew the presentation well,
because I had provided input into the executive summary and worked on several other parts of the analysis.
Therefore, when the CFO started to ask me detailed questions about our presentation during my section, I was able
to remain calm and consider the right responses. I told him that our analysis clearly demonstrated a strong
acquisition opportunity, and while no investment was risk-free, this would be a great strategic move for the company.
When they ultimately decided to pursue the acquisition I felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
CHAPTER 2 – Acknowledging Challenges and Thriving Despite Them

As you saw in the previous section, you have tremendous advantages in the application pool because you can clearly
demonstrate analytical skills, executive communication and persistence. However, coming from a finance career also
presents a list of potential challenges. If we can identify these challenges, we can also do our best to mitigate them. Having
a cohesive strategy to manage your strengths and challenges in the MBA application process will help you put together your
action plan and persuade the admissions committee to admit you to the newest class.
Challenges:
1) Standing out from the competition
2) Admissions familiarity with your role
3) Conveying the meaning behind career goals
4) Entry level finance roles can be less collaborative
5) Demonstrating “Why MBA”
6) Leadership without authority
7) Your 80 hour work week didn’t allow time for extra-curriculars
CHALLENGE #1 – Standing out from the competition
Many of your peers are also working hard to gain admission, and thousands of applications later, your work experience may
start to seem similar to all the others in the pile. You need to work hard to stand out. In fact, standing out with your highly
typical career background is going to be your largest hurdle to admission. As you saw in the introduction to this guide, the
majority of candidates for top MBA programs are your peers within your industry, and in some cases, within your firm.
You will need to think broadly in order to differentiate yourself. Don’t limit yourself to the five ideas we outline here; think
of additional ideas as you evaluate your background, personality, and unique talents:
1) Tip - Leverage interests from outside of work
2) Tip - Use your recommenders
3) Tip - Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm
4) Tip - Let your personality shine through
5) Tip - Network into strong school specific ties
Tip 1: Leverage your interests outside of work.
You will want to reveal a bit more about your personality and what sets you apart. While most of your peers will have
similar work examples, you are the only one with your particular hobbies, interests, friends and family in your life. What
are your passions outside of work? Your personal pursuits can add another dimension to your MBA application.
When we started brainstorming ideas for Yasmine’s Duke application she had trouble thinking of extracurricular activities
that she could highlight in Essay 2, which asks: “How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the
experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua’s diverse culture?” Yasmine spent most of her time at
work, and in her limited free time she volunteered with an Armenian senior center with which her grandmother was highly
involved. Yasmine had “adopted” some of the other seniors at the center and visited them on a regular basis, occasionally
doing errands or helping with social activities.
Yasmine didn’t think this experience was “essay worthy” but when we delved into her reasons for being involved with the
center it was clear that family and heritage was a key personal value for Yasmine, and that she enjoyed the perspective of
older members of her community. This was definitely a unique attribute that we were able to weave into part of her essay
for Duke:
I started volunteering for the Laventine Senior Center when my grandmother retired and started attending a day
program there to maintain her social contacts. After several visits to exercise and painting classes I started
volunteering to help some of the other women with errands and got to know a group of people with amazing
personal histories. One of my favorite experiences at the Laventine center was getting to know Stella, who had
children my age now living across the country. Stella was a straight talker who gave me advice on everything from
relationships to career. Spending time with Stella, my grandmother and the other members of the senior center has
given me perspective on my life and my goals. I realize how lucky I am to have the options available to me, and I
treasure my relationships and opportunities. I want to share this perspective with my Duke Fuqua classmates
through encouraging my classmates to volunteer with their communities and adding my unique perspective as an
Armenian American.
Yasmine’s essay section on her experience with the senior center was a great way to showcase her values and family
background, while also showing that her heritage as a second-generation Armenian-American can add diversity to the
class.
When you reflect on your own life, think about those differences that can help you stand out. It can be anything from
education to family to activities and interests. What do you spend your free time and money on? What values have you
inherited from your family? Take those differences and create a nugget of a story to include in relevant essays to reveal
more about you than your GPA or work history.
Tip 2: Make sure your recommenders concretely demonstrate that you are exceptional among your peers, and
provide information that shows how you are different.
As an evaluation from an independent observer, the recommendation will corroborate any statements in your essays and
resume. Your recommendations are another secret weapon for your application success. Because many of your peers are
also applying to the same schools, you will want a recommendation that shows definitively that you are a top performer,
and illustrates how you are different. Your recommenders will be asked to evaluate you against your peers, and may even
be writing letters for your peers, so you need to ensure that your recommenders consider you the top ranked employee in
their area.
While it is poor form for you to write that you are “better” than your peers, or to even compare yourself to them in any
way, your recommenders have license to compare at will and state that you are more ethical, more creative, more
personable and more!
Most MBA programs will ask for a current supervisor, and even if your supervisor is not your biggest fan, you have the
opportunity to seek at least one other recommendation. For the additional recommendation, choose a higher level person
in your professional life who thinks extremely highly of you. Ask boosters and mentors who think your work is excellent and
your prospects are bright. Prestige is a nice-to-have, but believing in and knowing you is a must-have.
Proof of your exceptional status will be crucial in this competitive set. Make sure your recommenders are providing specific
examples of your excellent work. To help them out, you may want to provide a bulleted list of projects you worked on
together, especially if you were praised for the results. Sometimes a performance review or meeting can be a useful source
for specific compliments if you are unsure how to steer your recommenders.
Our client Nadia had to change recommenders when she realized one of her references was also writing letters for two of
her colleagues for applications to most of her target schools. He shared the letter with Nadia, who was particularly
concerned about one area:
How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)
Nadia is a competent analyst who performs at a high level. All of the analysts at Acme Bank are selected for their
exceptional academic history and drive. Nadia is no exception and she frequently puts in long days to accomplish
our goals as a team. I’m often impressed at how organized Nadia is, and she communicates clearly and concisely.
For example, Nadia led a presentation to a large institutional client last year, and she precisely laid out the situation
analysis with no errors. Overall, Nadia is highly skilled.
While her recommender complimented her work, he undermined Nadia’s position by failing to position her as a top analyst
compared to her peers. By saying that all of them were accomplished he did little to help Nadia stand out.
We advised Nadia to seek a new recommender, who was a mentor from a different team. Because this new reference
strongly believed in Nadia’s potential and wanted to see her succeed in her field, the recommendation had a stronger
positive message:
How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)
I have worked with Nadia on two recent transactions. Both projects highlighted Nadia’s ability to see the strategic
context. While many of her peers remain narrowly focused, her proactive desire to contribute as much as possible
to her team, and her ability to relate to others, both within the team and our clients, exceptionally smoothly. In an
analyst class of amazing overachievers, Nadia is one of the best I have worked with in my five years as a Vice
President. In preparing for a recent presentation to a large institutional investor who was traditionally aggressive
in seeking growth, Nadia suggested that coming up with some safer investments might be useful, in light of the
constant change facing the client’s industry. At the meeting it was clear that our client did want to take a safer
approach. Without Nadia’s foresight we would not have been prepared for the client’s change of heart. Nadia’s
presence on the team is always a tremendous value add.
Finally, encourage your recommender to not only focus on professional skills, but also on personal attributes. A third party
can easily comment on your sense of humor, ease when communicating with higher ups, strong ethics and more. Delving
into your personality is key to showcasing how you are different from others who spend their days in nearly identical roles.
Tip 3: Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm.
As you survey your peers, think about what you do at work that is outside your typical deal or investment focused work
(and theirs). Instead of talking about the analysis you conducted or the due diligence you performed, think about the time
you trained the interns or organized a community service event for your colleagues. Maybe you created a new process or
led recruiting efforts. Any of these “extra-curricular” work activities can be an asset to your application and help you stand
out.
Henry wanted to showcase his leadership activities at his firm by using a few key examples in his Kellogg leadership essay.
As one example in the essay, he described putting together guidelines for the firm that were shared in new employee
training, along with his non-profit board leadership:
Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA
experiences (600 word limit)
I have a strong ability to lead through influence, which is especially helpful in situations where I have little formal
authority. As a board member of the Feline Rescue Organization, I often need to lead consensus in a group with
extremely disparate backgrounds and experiences. At work I do not manage people, yet I take the opportunity to
lead informally across processes and initiatives. At Kellogg I plan to develop my formal leadership skills in
anticipation of my future career path in general management.
While working at SellCorp Associates I am part of a small team, where it is customary to pitch in where needed. After
a tough period for our industry, specifically an anti-banking political climate, our leadership decided to integrate
ethics training into the new analyst training program. I volunteered to take on the creation of the materials because
I strongly believe that healthy companies create jobs and value, and we must always have the highest ethical
standards as we evaluate any transaction. While a deal may be profitable for our firm, we have to keep in mind the
management team of a portfolio company and the other employees. I researched the ethical module by talking to
several prominent professors, including Kellogg professor David Messick, about how best to teach ethical practices
to new hires. As a result, I designed a role-playing class that allowed interaction between the analysts and trainer.
The class has been highly successful and is now an integrated part of the training process.
Tip 4: Let your personality shine through.
An MBA application is a hybrid between a business communication and a personal essay. While it’s important to keep the
focus and precision of a business writing exercise, you don’t need to sacrifice the color of a personal essay. Don’t be afraid
to be yourself, even if that means injecting humor, fear or humility. You are not expected to be a perfect robot; truly that
is not an appealing quality for an MBA student. Using your emotions effectively will help your essays come alive. With more
memorable essays you can show that you are more than a list of your accomplishments.
This is especially important to answer some of the creative essay questions such as the ones at Chicago Booth and NYU
Stern, which allow you to communicate outside the written word. Often it’s easier to communicate humor and passion
through images than through words, and that may be your opportunity to showcase who you are outside of your
accomplishments and accolades.
In his essay for Columbia, our client, Raheem, decided to take a risk by revealing some of the complex emotions he felt
watching his parents make sacrifices to ensure a better life for his sister and himself.
Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than
what you have achieved professionally.
Migrating from Pakistan to Fresno in 2002 was one of the defining moments of my life. My father was a dentist in
Pakistan and when he and my mother decided to move to California to raise me and my sister, Sahar, he did not have
the financial resources to retrain in dentistry. Instead, he worked in his cousin’s dry cleaning business while he saved
to send us to private school and for his own dental schooling.
These years were tough on the family, and I felt responsible as the oldest son. Sahar was young enough to adapt
easily, while I had emotional difficulties and missed our extended family in Pakistan deeply. To make matters worse,
I felt exceptionally guilty that we had uprooted simply to give Sahar and me an advantage. I knew that I needed to
perform in school, gain admission to college, and make my parent’s sacrifice worth it. Those years were hard for me,
but also built my character and ability to persist through difficulty.
Adapting to the culture of a suburban city like Fresno was challenging, but when I discovered skateboarding, I gained
a built-in group of friends to explore the city with. Learning how to bridge gaps through shared activity was a lesson
I apply now as I make new friends at work and in my volunteer activities for a Pakistani educational fund.
My father and mother provided constant motivation to achieve in school. While many of my friends focused only
on the fun of high school parties, I felt responsible for keeping the family’s spirits high. I knew that my mother was
never happier than when she was seeing me achieve high grades and awards, and it became a tangible way to
inspire joy in her. At the same time, I learned the value of creative thinking and was encouraged by my teachers to
take my unique perspective and express it.
When I gained admission to Cornell for college, my father started his retraining. The moment he obtained his CA
dental license in 2008 was a moment for celebration. It was the first time I felt content about the sacrifices my
parents made to ensure a strong foundation for Sahar and I.
Tip 5: Network into strong school specific ties.
It may feel like everyone around you is also applying to MBA programs this year. The positive aspect of this is that some
of the people you know from work, from college (maybe even your sister’s cousin-in-law), are now students or alumni at
your target schools. Reach deeply into your network and talk to everyone you can about your goal. Having personal touch
points at your target schools will allow you to put together compelling essays about each school and at some schools you
may be able to benefit from supplemental letters if a friend or contact is especially supportive of your candidacy. At a
minimum, current students and alumni are more than happy to talk about their experiences and share advice.
An MBA program is a highly social experience, and it’s useful to get started on the networking now. Here are some questions
you can ask your contact over coffee or lunch as thought-starters:
1) How did you choose this school? What other programs did you apply to?
2) What do you wish you had known about the application process?
3) What is your favorite aspect of the MBA program? What is your least favorite aspect?
4) What has been your experience with recruiting?
5) Who are the best professors? What classes have you most enjoyed?
6) What is the best way for me to prepare before first year?
If you don’t have a strong network at your target school, try attending info sessions. The schools typically bring alumni to
talk about their experiences, and you can chat one-on-one after the panel. Another way to build your school network is to
reach out to clubs. Depending on your interest, you may want to contact the presidents of the finance, private equity,
venture capital or hedge fund clubs on campus and discuss how the school can help you leverage your background and/or
reach your goals.
CHALLENGE #2 – Admissions familiarity with your role
If you come from a standard finance industry role, the admissions committee knows exactly where you work and what you
do day-to-day. That can save time explaining your job, but makes it tough to hide any performance that is less than stellar.
They can easily benchmark you against others who have been promoted more rapidly or taken on extra responsibilities.
1) Tip - choose work experience examples focused on your future career goals
2) Tip - shift the emphasis to highlight areas where you do excel
Tip 1: Choose work experience examples focused on your future career goals.
Another challenge is that the admissions committee is extremely familiar with your industry. This knowledge helps you
explain your work experience in detail without needing to provide generic responsibilities or activities. Everyone in the
admissions committee knows what an investment banking, hedge fund or private equity analyst actually does all day. This
familiarity makes it easy for you to explain your job and why it’s a great fit for the MBA program. However, the knowledge
of your industry in MBA admissions circles can be a double-edged sword. You have a tremendous pressure to be at the top
of the heap at work in order to gain admission to the most prestigious MBA programs. The admissions committee may
know exactly where you work, with whom, and how impressive your work experience is overall in the context of your firm.
If you are the most accomplished analyst in your class, you have little to worry about. However if you don’t think you are
clearly excelling in your current job you may have to think deeper about how to showcase your potential.
Our client Jennifer never had a passion for her analyst position in investment banking, and she was pursuing an MBA to
change careers into brand management. This focus led her to choose work examples that demonstrated potential in terms
of working on a cross-functional team, managing projects, and thinking strategically. She focused less on the areas where
her peers could demonstrate a stronger proficiency or passion.
In her application to the UC Berkeley Haas program, Jennifer used one of these examples to respond to the following
question:
Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization. How did your actions
create positive change?
While compiling a management presentation for a key media client, I convinced our client to consider a new strategic
growth avenue. As an analyst, my assigned task was to compile the company data and review it with my counterparts
at the client. We were going through several iterations of the deck and I noticed that the filmed entertainment
group underperformed the television group in terms of intellectual property that was subsequently licensed for
products. I mentioned it to my associate, who thought it was an interesting angle and looked into the area a bit
deeper.
Simultaneously, I talked to my client counterpart and asked her a few questions about the discrepancy. Her answers
indicated that the difference was largely cultural and that the television group was tied more closely with overall
company performance, while filmed entertainment was largely judged on box office.
By asking these two questions strategically, both my associate and client counterpart became interested in the
issue. As they posed the question to their managers, it slowly became an area of focus for the client.
Several months later I was told that the CEO of our client firm actually set a specific goal to increase product
revenue across business segments, specifically filmed entertainment. This experience showed me that regardless
of my official function I can influence strategy through subtly questioning an established practice.
Tip 2: Shift the emphasis to highlight areas where you do excel.
One way to demonstrate how you work and why you deserve a spot in the class next year is to describe your work in
enough detail to show that you approach your tasks with qualities that are of high value to MBA programs. For example,
most programs value innovative thinking or entrepreneurial attitude. These aren’t necessarily qualities that are of utmost
importance to your boss, and may not have led to top rankings at work. Mine your work experience to see if you have
demonstrated qualities that are appealing for a future senior manager that you can describe in your essays, whether these
experiences led to praise from your leadership or not.
Here’s an example of how to approach this re-framing of your work experience using a Wharton essay question:
“Innovation is central to our culture at Wharton. It is a mentality that must encompass every aspect of the School
– whether faculty research, teaching or alumni outreach.” – Thomas S. Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School.
Keeping this component of our culture in mind, discuss a time when you have been innovative in your personal or
professional life.
While working for Acme Bank I found that most of my work was repetitive tasks in Excel. It was important to be highly
detail oriented because a small error in modeling could result in bad decision making by the team. I decided to
teach myself how to write programs to automate the reporting and check the work to make sure it was accurate.
After learning how to create the macros for my models I saved significant time. This allowed me to spend more
time learning from my associate and VP and contribute to higher level programs. I am highly motivated to improve
efficiency in my work and team, and I always look for ways to incorporate more efficient processes into our tasks.
This experience of taking an innovative approach and learning simple programming also increased my interest in
seeking my MBA and pursuing a career in technology management.
While it was a simple innovation, this applicant showed that he is constantly seeking to improve processes and workflow –
attributes that will be useful as he pursues a career switch to operations management in a technology business.
CHALLENGE #3 – Conveying the meaning behind career goals
Whether you are staying on your current career path or switching to something completely different, it’s important not to
assume that the MBA admissions committee will understand why you are pursuing your specific career goals. Your task is
to explain that you have consciously selected your future career plans through research, evaluation of your own strengths
and weaknesses, and other intangible factors. In short, your career goals have to have meaning to you, and you will need
to communicate that meaning through your application materials.
Even if you are pursuing a career path with inherent altruistic aspects, don’t assume the admissions committee will
understand its meaning without further detail on your path. For example, our client Abhishek wanted to switch careers from
investment banking to microfinance, with an eventual goal to improve the educational system in India to emphasize the skills
needed for global impact.
In his first draft of Stanford’s second essay question, “What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford?” Abhishek
failed to explain the personal meaning behind his career goals:
I have worked for three years in the infrastructure investing department of Mega Bank. This experience has given
me exposure across corporate and governmental interests. Assisting on deals like an investment in a bridge in
Alaska showed me the importance of detailed due diligence and exposed me to senior executives and politicians. I
have been a top performer in my department, and I believe that my modeling and strategic skills will come together
with a Stanford MBA to ensure I can pursue my goal to start a microfinance fund in India. Education is one of the
biggest challenges facing India, and it’s important to leverage the population outside the cities that has less access
to global ideas and stellar teachers. I plan to meet people at Stanford who can teach me more about the business
of education as I pursue this goal. With a network and coursework in microfinance, I will be prepared to launch this
next step in my career.
In his second draft Abhishek took some of the material he had brainstormed for Essay 1 (“What matters most to you, and
why”) and was able to demonstrate how his career goals and his personal history came together into a path with real
meaning:
I have worked for three years in the infrastructure investing department of Mega Bank. This experience has given
me exposure across corporate and governmental interests. Assisting on deals like an investment in a bridge in
Alaska have shown me that politics and people can determine the success of an endeavor as much as pricing and
strategy. I want to take my technical skills and apply them to help young people in my home country, India, to
develop the skills to compete in the global market for talent. I believe that education is the cornerstone of any
successful career and life, and I want to reform rural education in India to allow every intelligent child the opportunity
to succeed. This goal has deep personal meaning for me, because I was lucky enough to come from a family that
valued education and sought the most opportunity for me, despite the financial costs. I now want to give back and
ensure that through microfinance investing I can deliver a future to thousands of children that will be coming of age
in a multi-national world.
Not every candidate is planning to save the world after pursuing an MBA, but even if your career goals are not inherently
altruistic it’s important to show that they have deep meaning for you personally. Our client Michael was interested in moving
from PE into a strategic role, potentially M&A, in an entertainment company. Ultimately his goal was to build value for legacy
entertainment companies by harnessing the creativity smaller companies were able to incubate. There is nothing inherently
noble about such a goal, but Michael was able to demonstrate the passion and meaning his career plans had for him:
I grew up in Hollywood and several members of my family were crew members on Hollywood films and broadcast
television shows. My uncle has been designing sets for decades, and most recently invited me to a viewing of Dancing
with the Stars. While many people have a starry view of Hollywood, I see vast business potential in taking the
established companies and helping to expand their opportunity into new areas like gaming and Internet video. I
have learned from my family that Hollywood is a byzantine business and I know it is fueled as much by relationships
as logic. I am familiar with the structure of the industry and I think that my background turning around companies
like Go Pizza as part of GBN Private Equity, will allow me to make an immediate impact on a strategic planning or
M&A group.
CHALLENGE 4 – Entry level finance roles can be less collaborative
How do you demonstrate teamwork when you are sitting solo in front of a computer screen all day? What if you work
largely on your own projects for your associate, and very little with other analysts? Overall, it’s sometimes tough to feel
like you are part of a team when you are always performing tasks for senior level meetings and pitches. That’s the dilemma
facing many of you as you answer questions that ask for your ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.
1) Tip - Find the “I” in Team
2) Tip - Pull from college or extracurricular team projects
Tip 1: Find the “I” in Team.
The truth is that a team is made up of individuals, and the most successful teams take the strengths of each person to
counteract any weaknesses of others. As you enter your MBA program you will bring specific skills that can be an asset to
any project. You know how to quickly research companies and industries. You can accurately read financial statements
and interpret what the financials might say about a company’s strategy. Your attention to detail is an asset in any situation.
Taking these key strengths and applying them to your business school environment can be a great way to showcase how
much you will contribute to your learning team, your cluster or cohort, and any club leadership position.
Here is an example of how to answer a direct question like this for UVA Darden’s application:
At Darden, a core part of your academic experience is your participation in and contributions to your learning team.
What will you contribute to your team?
I am excited to be part of the case study curriculum at Darden, where I will hone my strategic analysis skills. As an
investment banking analyst at Acme Bank I have extensive experience running valuations across industries and
companies. I will be able to share this knowledge with my learning team, to provide a financial viewpoint for any case
study projects we prepare. My experience drawing insight from financial statements will be invaluable as we study
companies for group projects, and I look forward to teaching my learning team how to perform valuations for our
finance classes, research for strategy cases, and contribute my presentation skills to any group projects. In my
analyst role, I supported many types of personalities. I look forward to taking the lead on some aspects of a project
and lending support where I can on others.
At the same time, I am excited to learn from my team. I want to attend Darden to gain a diverse range of experiences,
and I hope to learn about areas like Marketing, Accounting and International business from my learning teammates.
Tip 2: Pull from college or extracurricular team projects.
Work never has to be the only source of great leadership and teamwork stories. If your day-to-day in the office is not
providing compelling stories, then you should absolutely turn to your extracurricular projects and college experiences.
If you are less than four years out of college and you have a compelling leadership story that demonstrates key teamwork
and collaboration qualities it is acceptable to tell those stories for most applications. Some schools, like MIT, specifically ask
for more recent examples and it’s best to confirm each school’s essay policy directly on the application.
Our client, Steven, was running short on impressive leadership stories to convey in his “three accomplishments” essay for
HBS. He discussed one big deal transaction that resulted in recognition from his management, and the opportunity to work
on higher profile clients. Another career focused accomplishment centered around an entrepreneurial venture he started.
For his third accomplishment, we needed to showcase his exceptional leadership skills and ability to collaborate within a
team while still leading the group.
Steven had two significant activities in college. He was the captain of the LaCrosse team at his small liberal arts college,
and he started an organization that prepped students for finance careers. We ultimately focused on his second
accomplishment because it was a great way to show how Steven could rally a group behind a cause from scratch.
Tell us about three of your accomplishments.
As a student at Morgan College I became interested in the investment banking industry through my economics
coursework and investing hobby. I wanted to start my career at a large NYC bank, but our small liberal arts college
did not have a recruiting pipeline. By partnering with the college career services office and several students with a
similar interest I started the Finance Club, focused specifically on learning about careers in banking and helping each
other in the recruiting process.
In our first year we set up visits to four of the top banks in NYC, and brought in alumni to talk about their experiences
in the industry. We also set up seminars to teach students the basics of Excel and PowerPoint to prepare them for
the work required of analysts. Because internships are an important part of the recruiting process, we conducted
mock interviews and preparation. As a result, 75% of our members landed internships, and all of those interns were
offered full time positions. This accomplishment was an exercise in persistence and networking that has set the
stage for my subsequent career accomplishments.
CHALLENGE #5 – Demonstrating “Why MBA”
Many firms expect analysts or other junior bankers to leave for an MBA at approximately the two year mark. Other possible
options for you are to join a PE firm or hedge fund, or find a job in industry. If you’re at this crossroads in your career and
now is the expected time to apply to MBA programs, you will need to actively counteract any impression that your MBA is
simply to “check a box” before the next level in your career.
Of course, if you want to transition from finance into another function, the value of an MBA is fairly clear, and this is not a
potential challenge. If that’s the case, feel free to skip this section!
1) Tip - Clearly define your career goals.
2) Tip - Be specific about what an MBA will do for you.
3) Tip – Discuss the “softer” side of your desired MBA experience.
Tip 1: Clearly define your career goals.
In our experience guiding our clients on the career essay, we have found that it is helpful for them to first develop a career
vision and then to work backward to figure out the short-term and long-term career path that will get them there.
Once you know where you are headed, it is easier to explain to the admissions committee how an MBA fits into your career
game plan.
Unless you have already undergone an intensive period of deep reflection, it is unlikely that a career vision statement will
be on the tip of your tongue. Rather, you should view this essay question as an opportunity to learn about yourself – to step
out of the rat race for a moment and to decide what you truly value and what is important to you. If approached correctly,
this can be a fun and enlightening experience.
It’s time to step back from your practical brain and access your creative side to create your ideal career vision statement.
A vision statement outlines what you want to be in the future. It is a source of inspiration. It serves as a polestar or guiding
light that you can look to at critical points in your career to help you make career decisions and formulate career goals that
bring you a step closer to your desired destination.
Career management consultant Leigh Nagy Frasher offers the following advice about fashioning your career goals:
The easiest way is to think about what you liked/disliked about your last jobs. Your favorite projects you worked on,
favorite skills you used, etc. Then boil that down into your favorite skills/experiences that you’d like to use in the
future. Think also about what you are passionate about industry-wise: Do you love the markets? Are you interested
in technology, passionate about emerging markets? Then brainstorm about what jobs might combine your interests
and skills that you like to use.
Sample career vision from our client Vijay:
I want to lead a firm that invests in emerging technology that helps people in underserved markets have access to
the global economy. My family comes from a small village in India that was never wired for landline telephones.
Instead, they became connected to the world through cell phone technology. This is the type of innovation that
drives my investment choices.
When you search for your career vision, you may find that after much effort it suddenly comes to you in a flash. Emotionally
you know that you have found the answer – a career aspiration that is connected to what is central to your being. If you
have that feeling, it will be a simple step to convince the admissions committee to understand why.
The hope is that you will arrive on your MBA campus with a burning desire to make the world a better place. Passion and
vision are critical to MBA admissions committee evaluation because they are both essential elements of effective leadership.
Grand achievements are rarely the work of a single individual; therefore, leaders must harness the energy and talents of
others to make a lasting impact. Your spirit and desire to achieve something meaningful will be critical to activating and
motivating your team and someday, an entire organization.
Here are some examples of effective vision statements. Remember that your career vision is more expansive than your job
title and industry. Your career vision includes the type of organization you imagine leading. As a future leader, you will not
just participate in an industry; you will shape it.
If your career vision is more traditional, ask yourself: How could I make a game changing, innovative impact in my desired
field? For example, if you want to be an investment banker, perhaps you have a credible plan to change the banking industry
in a way that will ensure that future financial crises are averted. If you want to be a corporate turnaround specialist, explain
how you might also use those same skills in your off hours to turn around a social crisis that concerns you.
There’s no shame in telling the admissions committee that you aspire to be a general manager or a CEO; you are applying
to business school, after all. Still, your essay will be more powerful and inspiring if your ambitions go beyond clawing your
way to the top of the corporate mountain.
Career vision Sample 1:
If it weren’t for Helping Homes, my mother, little sister, and I would have been just another statistic in the
government’s tally of homeless people; I probably would have never finished high school; it’s even more doubtful I
would have gone on to Yale; and I wouldn’t be writing this career vision essay today. Sadly, the organization closed
its doors in 2008 because of lack of funding and charitable support. My career vision is to reopen those doors and
the door that families like mine and children like me can walk into every day – the place they call home.
Career vision Sample 2:
Today my father and uncles are working to create a venture capital fund and technology incubator in Africa in order
to discover and commercialize innovative solutions to some of Africa’s most perplexing environmental and social
challenges. I aspire to join them in order to reconnect to my African heritage and lift up those with whom I share
it. By joining my family, I will be able to serve as a generational, financial, and cultural bridge. I will provide the
formal business training and technological fluency that will complement my father and uncles’ practical experience
and local knowledge.
Tip 2: Be specific about what an MBA will do for you.
You have amazing skills – yet there is no doubt an MBA will add to your overall skill set. Once you have focused on your
career goals you have the parameters to decide what you actually need to learn in your MBA program.
Our client Vijay, whose career vision statement is shown in the prior tip, wants to harness the power of technology to serve
the underserved. Now he has three years of bulge bracket investment banking experience, and one year as an analyst at
a small VC firm. This is exceptionally useful experience to assist in his goals. Next Vijay wants to accelerate his growth by
attending Stanford and Haas. He is specifically interested in these schools because of their proximity to Silicon Valley. This
is important to him for the networking opportunities and ability to be close to cutting edge technology. Vijay’s work
experience has been entirely US focused, and he wants to gain international exposure through his MBA and short-term
career goal to work for a global VC firm.
Once you know what your unique career vision is, you can evaluate how to go from point A (today) to point C (living your
dream). Preferably an MBA is the natural point B, the bridge.
As you describe your MBA plans in your career vision or “why MBA” essays, make sure you are tremendously specific. You
will want to know the exact classes and professors you need to learn from. The clubs you will be part of, and how you plan
to give and take of those resources. Think about the campus location, alumni, and executives in residence as additional
factors in your rationale.
An effective leader understands his or her development needs and has an ability to formulate clear plans for self-
improvement. The career essay is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate this kind of self-awareness. Many applicants are
loath to reveal any gaps or opportunities for growth, but this is a mistake because if you already possess all the skills and
knowledge you require to succeed in your future career, then it prompts the question “why apply to an MBA program in
the first place?”
At each phase of your career action plan, you should specify your professional-development goals. Generally speaking, each
phase of your career will provide additional skills and experiences you need to advance to the next step in your plan.
You don’t have to go into great detail, but revealing the motives and rationale behind your short-term career goals will
demonstrate maturity and self-awareness.
Once you have defined all of the steps you need to take to reach your career vision, you can easily condense your goal
immediately post-MBA into the 200 characters required by the question.
In the essay sample below, the applicant interested in venture capital indicates that he plans on spending a few years in
the heart of venture capital investing after completing the MBA. He could have certainly elaborated further, but his path
is fairly straightforward. Supplying short-term career goals demonstrates to the reader that a career action plan is both
focused and sound.
During my MBA I plan to concentrate in finance and economics to build the fundamental skills that I will need in order
to pursue a rigorous investment banking career immediately after completing my MBA in order to gain fluency in
valuations modeling. In the medium-term, I intend to spend two to three years in the Silicon Valley learning about
the investment evaluation process unique to a leading VC firm. Working in the VC field will also provide real-world
experience in the execution of financial deals that I will need in order to make a meaningful contribution when it is
time to return to Africa and join my father and uncles. As we evaluate potential participants in the incubator and
decide where to invest our capital, my primary responsibilities will be to provide corporate structure, shape strategic
direction, and raise capital from American investors.
Tip 3: Discuss the “softer” side of your desired MBA experience.
Think broadly, beyond finance, when you consider what you can gain from an MBA. If you plan to go from a finance role,
to an MBA, to another finance role, it is highly possible that learning more finance is not on your list of objectives. However,
it is very reasonable to aim to develop stronger management and leadership skills, and to learn other functions that are
essential to running your own firm some day. You may state that you want to network with others, learn from new
perspectives, and develop and mature as a human being and business person. These are some of the “softer” but equally
essential elements of the MBA experience.
The process you go through to define your career vision requires you to look back at the moments in your career when you
felt most fulfilled and engaged in “following your bliss.” You will also look forward and try to imagine a career that you will
find exciting and rewarding. As you undergo the process of imagining that future career, think about the people who will
enable you to accomplish your goals, the friends who will support you in the future, and the ways you plan to give back to
your MBA program after you graduate.
As you discuss your desire to develop soft skills, avoid implying that soft skills are a deficiency in your overall application.
Focus on areas that you can expand upon, rather than stating that you need training in leadership or management because
you don’t currently have those skills. The emphasis should be enhancing essential skills.
This excerpt from Vijay’s career goals essay shows how he positioned his desire to increase his professional network, get
involved with clubs and activities, and take on leadership responsibilities in his MBA studies:
My current experience leading an organization that mentors high school students to provide opportunities to take
their start up ideas to market has been tremendously rewarding to me. I look forward to giving back to the MBA
program through volunteering with the start up lab on campus, and building strong friendships with my fellow
volunteers. I have found that a shared passion for technology and innovation can bring together ideas and people,
and I look forward to developing my relationships with classmates and discussing our ideas. In pursuing an MBA I
want to continue to build on my management experiences and learn the ideal organizational structure of my future
firm. I see those opportunities both in the classroom as I learn theory, and as a leader of the technology club working
directly with my peers to enhance our opportunities. At the end of my two years I want to have a group of friends
and colleagues that I can learn from my entire career, and partner with in the future.
CHALLENGE #6 – Leadership without Authority

As the most junior person on your team at work, how do you demonstrate leadership in your MBA application? If you have
managed anyone officially, whether an analyst more junior than you, or an intern, you have an opportunity to highlight that
experience on your resume and in essays. If you were an officer in an organization in college or extracurricular activities,
that’s amazing experience to highlight as well.
If you have no leadership experience at all, it’s time to get more creative. Make sure you are defining leadership broadly.
It’s more about how you approach accomplishing your goals with other people rather than an official title or position of
responsibility. You have been leading your whole life, perhaps at home, school or within a team, and now you just need to
identify those key stories that will highlight that experience.
1) Tip - Highlight even small accomplishments.
2) Tip - Demonstrate your influence as part of a team.
3) Tip – Leverage recommendations to emphasize leadership outside of work.
Tip 1: Highlight even small accomplishments.
MBA admissions committees know you are junior in your career and may have limited ability to lead officially at work.
Therefore, demonstrating leadership in other ways is welcome. Even accomplishments you may consider smaller scale can
show how you lead, which is the most important aspect MBA programs are looking for in applicants.
Our client Jeff wrote the essay below as one of his HBS three accomplishments to showcase how he was able to lead.
The excerpt below from one client’s essay show how he used the accomplishments essay to create a textured, multi-
dimensional picture of his attributes and achievements.
Today, Fordham is a recruiting destination for the UBS management training program, but that was not the case
when I was accepted into the program in 2002. I applied to UBS by connecting with their human resources
department and persisting until I was granted an interview. My first week in the training program, I discovered that
every other new hire was recruited on campus. I vowed to make Fordham a stop on the bank’s future recruiting
tours. I contacted the dean of Fordham’s business school to explain my goal. She was excited by the prospect of a
relationship with UBS. The VP of the bank’s human resources department was less enthusiastic. UBS had
relationships with prominent schools and a fixed recruiting budget. Nevertheless, I continued to press my case.
Three months of emails and meetings with human resources led to a pilot program. Twenty Fordham seniors were
interviewed and three were hired.
Now, Fordham is a staple on UBS’s recruiting schedule. I feel strongly about this accomplishment because I played
a part in helping UBS recognize the quality of Fordham graduates. This accomplishment is particularly meaningful
because I was able to give something back to a community that had given so much to me.
Tip 2: Demonstrate your influence as part of a team.
While you are unlikely to be leading a team, you are inevitably part of one. Every team allows an opportunity to lead through
influence or persuasion. In fact, leading because you have a great idea is often more effective than leading through authority.
Think about the times that you have come up with an idea or initiative that you did not have the authority to implement.
How did you go about convincing your boss or senior management to implement your idea? If you have ever successfully
influenced those senior to you at work, you are demonstrating leadership and the qualities every MBA admissions
committee is interested in seeing.
Jeff used this example from work as one of his HBS three accomplishments, and it clearly positions him as a respected
member of his team at work and someone who can influence to accomplish his goals.
Fidco sells fixed income and credit research to institutional investors. When I joined, the firm’s sales were flat, and
the managing director of sales asked me to investigate the reasons why. After twelve interviews with sales
representatives and clients, I concluded that the problem was that Fidco’s sales process was product focused, not
customer focused. Sales representatives sold the same products to clients regardless of their size, investment style,
or risk appetite. Fidco needed to develop a solutions-based strategy.
My first step was to segment our customers according to their investment goals. My research identified unique
client needs and I matched those needs with Fidco’s products. When I presented the new sales strategy to my MD,
he was reluctant to make changes. I persuaded him by highlighting a similar program I had implemented at UBS
which resulted in substantial revenue growth. Once he was on board, the two of us worked together for two months
to formulate our action plan and then presented the final strategy to over 100 sales professionals.
I joined Fidco to learn how to develop strategy and how businesses translate strategy into action. Those skills are
essential to becoming an effective general manager in financial services. Bringing this strategy to fruition represents
a step forward toward my goal of becoming a leader in financial services.
Another one of our clients, who had been working for less than a year when he submitted his applications, wrote the
following essay that demonstrated his ability to make an impact, even as the most junior employee:
Immediately after joining JH Stern, I was introduced to the Daily Report, a market summary prepared by new hires
and sent to clients. I was confronted with a tedious task: a poorly formatted document with often irrelevant content,
unreliable sources, and a completely outdated distribution list. Because I believed the Daily was ineffectual in
maintaining client contact and an inefficient use of resources, I volunteered to lead an effort to revamp it.
I first enlisted the support of my team by demonstrating the benefits of the proposed changes and incorporating
any feedback. I explained that with several modifications, the report could both add value and bolster client
relationships. For example, since most clients focused on the U.S. economy, I recommended replacing sections on
British and Israeli markets with an overview of the U.S. treasury market. Initially, it was challenging to gain the
support of others, but eventually we cooperated to transform the Daily Report into a weekly two hour task. Finally,
I reached out to the head of the group with a final plan, and he approved the changes.
After two weeks, the improved report was sent to an updated distribution list of 50 clients, asking for their feedback.
Streamlining the report and broadening its distribution enhanced client relationships, saved time, and increased
internal communication.
My efforts highlighted that even as a junior employee, I had the ability to make a significant impact on my
organization – on my team, our work product, and our corporate relationships. In a larger organization where there
is often resistance to change, I was able to gain support for my idea and lead others to help execute. This helped
me to gain the respect of my peers and senior management for future projects and also earn their appreciation for
implementing these simple improvements.
Tip 3: Leverage recommendations to emphasize leadership outside of work.
If you have held a leadership position outside of work, whether currently or in college, you can highlight your leadership
qualities through that position. One of the best ways to demonstrate that you are a strong leader without arrogance is to
ask a recommender to talk about your impact on their organization.
HBS and Stanford both have room for a third recommendation, and this is the ideal opportunity to use a recommender who
is not a supervisor or professional contact. Stanford’s third letter should be from a peer, so think about another member
of your leadership team, or someone you have volunteered with in the past.
Jennifer was the president of her business fraternity in college and was able to use one of the VPs as her peer
recommendation for Stanford. She asked her peer recommender to highlight the initiatives they led together to improve
career education for the fraternity. This experience showed that Jennifer was a strong leader who encouraged collaboration
with her leadership team:
I have known Jennifer for 6 years, since we joined our college business fraternity in the same year. When we were
seniors I became the VP of recruiting and Jennifer was elected President. Together with the rest of the officers, we
saw a clear opportunity to teach members more about future careers in business as most students only knew about
consulting and banking as possible business careers. Jennifer wanted to set up a series of seminars that would bring
in alumni of the fraternity to talk about their career paths. We discussed the best way to implement this as a team,
and I worked closely with our VP of Alumni to identify key alums with interesting career paths. Jennifer supported
us by writing a letter to each professional asking for their support. She led us in following up with phone calls to
ensure strong participation. Finally, Jennifer challenged us to market the events with specific branding and build
excitement among the fraternity. As a result, our “Is there life after consulting?” career series brought in record
participation of the membership and has continued as a yearly event on campus.
CHALLENGE #7 – Your 80 hour work week didn’t allow time for extra-curriculars
Throughout this guide we have discussed how your accomplishments and activities outside of work can be used to set you
apart and highlight your unique skills. If you have a track record of volunteering and community service this advice is going
to help you put together a much stronger application. However, the reality for finance professionals is that a demanding
work schedule rarely allows time for meaningful extracurriculars. What can you do if your work really is your life?
1) Tip - Demonstrate community involvement through company activities.
2) Tip - Find volunteer opportunities that are flexible.
Tip 1: Demonstrate community involvement through company activities.
Not every extracurricular has to be literally outside of work. Investigate the opportunities to volunteer outside your core
job responsibilities at work. Is there a recruiting committee? Affinity groups? Volunteering clubs that allow you to give
back as part of team building? Take some time to look inside your building for those leadership opportunities that may have
nothing to do with your day-to-day work.
Our client Natalie had zero time to pursue her interests in enhancing the opportunities for disadvantaged women as an
analyst at a large investment bank. She spent most of her time in the office, and was concerned that she would not be able
to demonstrate leadership in her MBA applications. When we first spoke with her a few years before she was preparing to
apply, we suggested getting involved at work. There was a Women’s Affinity Group in her firm and she decided to get
involved.
In response to the HBS accomplishments essay question, Natalie was able to use her experience to highlight strong
leadership skills:
Two years ago I become involved in the Mega Bank Women’s Affinity Group, an eight-person team responsible for
responding to the needs of female employees at the company and making the program more appealing to women.
Our first project was to create a library of career tips that were especially relevant for women at the company. The
tips highlighted useful information, including interviewing, negotiating, and career paths in the company. The guide
was a huge hit amongst our colleagues.
Once we had compiled all this useful information, we created a website and an online discussion group to better
share and disseminate information in our community. I decided that we should expand the online forum to serve as
a knowledge base for experiences and tips as well. We catalogued each of the articles written by team members and
published them online. We also allowed women from across the program to contribute articles and advice,
significantly increasing the depth and breadth of our content. The website we built is still in use today and serves
as the central communication hub for women at the company.
Tip 2: Find volunteer opportunities that are flexible.
Not all volunteering requires a commitment of time every week. With your schedule you’ll need to be creative to find
opportunities to contribute that are flexible. Look for activities that are not face time based, and rather focus on impact
or a small amount of time on weekends.
For example, you could use your professional network to organize a one time fundraiser for an organization you believe in,
making more impact through your ability to raise money than you would through your manual labor a few hours a week.
If you are involved in your college alumni association see if you can participate in fundraising calls. Again, it’s a
tremendously valuable community service that requires only a few hours annually.
If you have more time on your hands, consider contributing your professional abilities to an organization like Taproot that
provides consulting services to non-profits. Most teams work remotely and have limited in person requirements, while
providing invaluable skills to organizations that have little access to high cost professional services.
Our client Jim was able to become involved with his college alumni association and put together one weekend of career
networking for current students and alumni on campus. This event required only a few hours of finding great alumni on
LinkedIn and reaching out to them. The campus career services office handled the rest of the career weekend logistics.
While his time commitment was low, Jim was thrilled at the impact his work had:
One of my most meaningful accomplishments was organizing a career weekend at my undergraduate college. As a
graduate of a small liberal arts college I had limited guidance to pursue my career in equities investing, and largely
lucked into my career path. I wanted to give back to current students and alumni by exposing them to all of the
career opportunities in our alumni network.
I presented my idea to the college career services office that was thrilled to have my help contacting successful
alumni. I reached out to friends and fellow classmates through LinkedIn and phone calls, and was able to ask for their
help in recruiting others. In the end we successfully brought over 25 mid career alumni back to campus to speak
with current students about the business of getting a job.
The impact was immediate. Alumni started posting jobs on the campus career website, students were invigorated,
and I have started spearheading the committee to set up an annual event.
CHAPTER 3 Selecting and Appealing to Target Schools

A Perspective on School Selection
It’s essential that you conduct diligent research in order to find schools that appeal to you. As you review rankings, browse
websites and visit campuses, you might consider size, location, reputation, teaching methods and many other criteria.
Many applicants with finance backgrounds hail from work environments where certain MBA programs are heavily favored.
It is important to listen to influencers and decision makers in your industry; if you want to land another finance job, you
will certainly want to take into account the perspectives of a potential employer. However, we also encourage you to listen
to your internal compass and identify programs that are a good fit for you personally - places and communities that you
can happily call home for many years to come.
It’s always a smart idea to balance out research on where you want to go with research on what programs might be more
likely to accept you. There is the standard analysis of average GMAT scores and GPAs and years of work experience – you
can see where you fall and this will help you to find programs that are a fit with your qualifications. However, there is also
a more strategic aspect to this process. Consider this example: Kellogg is a terrific general management program with a
phenomenal finance department. The faculty is top notch and the list of companies that recruits at Kellogg reflects that.
However, their current reputation hinges more on management and marketing. Hard core quant jocks may be less likely to
apply. This is exactly why you may want to consider applying – you simply have less competition from your peers during
the admissions process. Added benefit: one year later you will have less competition for your dream job. There are many
variations to this type of thinking. The basic idea is to reflect upon what you want, and also consider what your group of
target schools wants. Make a point of applying to schools that are more likely to want someone like you.
Note that publicly available recruiting information might be slightly misleading. You can use this data in your research to
make sure you are attending the right school for your goals, but do so with care. You may become fixated on a particular
program because they place 40% of their class in your target industry. However, you do not know what numbers of students
were competing behind the scenes. If you knew that 70% of the class was jockeying for that same set of jobs, the picture
does not look quite as rosy.
Once you have selected a set of target schools, (we recommend 4-6 schools of varying levels of competitiveness) you can
begin marketing yourself through every means available. We have separate guides that dive into the mechanics of branding,
resumes, recommendations, essays and interviews more deeply. The next section covers some of the specific details you
should be aware of as a finance professional as you market yourself to your dream schools.
Recommendations
Recommendations are an important aspect of the application process because they present an opportunity for a third
party perspective on your work and potential. As an applicant coming from an industry that hires a large number of MBAs,
you likely have access to recommenders who are familiar with the programs, may be alumni, and know how to write a
compelling letter.
When you decide whom to choose for your recommenders, make sure you prioritize your personal relationship with the
recommender. You will want letters written for you that demonstrate a strong belief in your potential and knowledge of your
development. Many finance professionals have an opportunity to secure a recommendation from a very prestigious person
within their firm, who is often an alumnus of a top business school. If you have a recommender who is both prestigious
and influential AND knows you well, that is the best of both worlds.
Sample
This recommendation demonstrates how knowledge of the applicant and the school can help you stand out.
I would strongly recommend Genevieve for any MBA program, anywhere in the world. Her strong quantitative skills
have made her indispensable to me and my department, and her pleasant personality has made her one of my
favorite hires in fifteen years at Thompson Brothers Funds. She will succeed anywhere, but as an INSEAD alumnus,
I particularly believe she will be a valuable presence in the INSEAD MBA program. In our firm, we work with clients
scattered across the globe, from many different cultures and business outlooks. Genevieve always comes prepared
with information that goes beyond our presentation and into the client details - what greetings to use, how to
communicate our disposition most effectively, and so on. I imagine that she will join INSEAD's diverse working
groups and feel comfortable contributing immediately. In addition, due to staffing changes, Genevieve's training at
Thompson was necessarily brief and compressed. Despite this, she showed thorough mastery of her responsibilities
almost immediately, and I accelerated her on-boarding of responsibilities accordingly. I can only imagine INSEAD's
rapid pace of learning will suit her perfectly.
Sometimes an alumni connection is best used for an extra letter or side letter. These are personal recommendations that
can be delivered as part of an official process of the school, or unofficially to someone your recommender knows personally.
For example, our client Jim had a powerful mentor who was the CEO of a Fortune 100 company. This individual had personal
relationships at UCLA and HBS because he was a graduate of one school and had been an executive speaker at the other.
When Jim was applying to business school, the CEO offered to make a call on his behalf to his contacts at each school. This
was a great opportunity to show that Jim had impressed his mentor through the years and had high level executive
sponsorship.
However, you need to strike the right balance with side letters to ensure they are actually adding substantial information
to your application. If you have already covered the material previously, it may not be worth submitting extra
communications.
Interview
Your interview is an opportunity to make a personal connection with an admissions officer, current student or alumni of
your dream school. Because you are coming from a finance background this person may have a preconceived idea about
who you are. As we discussed in the beginning of this guide, finance stereotypes can be both pros and cons in the application
process. As you develop your strategy and branding based on the strengths and weaknesses outlined in Chapters 1 and 2,
consider how you will present yourself in the interview accordingly.
For example, some interviewers may be personally skeptical of the “Wall Street” money-obsessed image of the finance
world. You will want to develop a nice back and forth conversation with your interviewer, build rapport and put your most
personable foot forward. Look for areas of common ground and keep the interview as conversational as possible (as is
appropriate for the interview structure).
Conversely, your interviewer may believe you are a master of analytical thinking and be bored by extensive evidence of
35those skills. In general, finance applicants can focus less on the mechanics of the work and more on personal qualities
and soft skills. Think of examples that showcase how you have worked effectively with others and managed up, and avoid
the stories about Excel spreadsheets and pitch books.
If given a choice of interviewer, you may get to choose someone in finance who will be familiar with your work and naturally
interested in your background. This may be helpful to help build a strong personal connection. Consider what will make you
most comfortable as you select interviewers.
The interview is an ideal place to both build relationships and showcase the relationship you have developed with your
target schools. Below are a few ideas about how to answer some common interview questions while showcasing the school
research you have conducted:
Question: “Tell me about how you plan to contribute to the Darden community?”
Answer: “As a leader in my undergraduate fraternity I know how to engage with my peers towards common goals,
and I’ve been heavily involved in affinity clubs at JBC. I’m excited to be part of the Black Business Student Forum
and the Private Equity Club to bring all of these elements together to serve the Darden community.”
Question: “Why do you want to attend Columbia Business School?”
Answer: “I’m excited about the Engene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at Columbia and the connections I can make
there with alumni entrepreneurs and fellow students to achieve my professional goals. The internship opportunities
in New York City are also an attractive element for me, and I’m excited about classes in the Marketing department
like Entrepreneurial Selling.”
Question: “Do you have any questions for me?”
Answer: “It would be great to hear about your own experiences at Kellogg – how do you find the social life and club
activities? Did you decide to take a trip with your fellow first years before school started?”
Resume
As we covered in Chapter 1, one advantage of applying to an MBA program with a finance background is that the admissions
committee is familiar with your firm and your work functions. However, that does not mean that you can use the same
resume you would use professionally for your MBA application.
A resume is ultimately a marketing document, and you should consider the audience for any version. Consider some of the
skills that are attractive to MBA programs – leadership, management potential, persuasive ability – and focus on highlighting
those skills on your resume.
This sample resume highlights several finance MBA applicant DON’Ts:
1) Lists of deals with no context
2) Defines what the firm and position does unnecessarily
3) Too much jargon
JESSICA APPLICANT
STREET ST. | NEW YORK, NY | (212) XXXX XXXX | JESSICA_APPLICANT@GMAIL.COM
WORK EXPERIENCE
Mega Bank New York, NY
Associate 2009- Current
Analyst
• Mega Bank handles transactions for multinational corporations and advises on

investment mergers and acquisitions.
• Participated in the valuation of all energy sector clients and completed LBO modeling
across target buyout firms in the sector in Middle Eastern region.
• Mezzanine and equity investment opportunities in real estate and energy sector.
Provided custom financings backed by long-dated cash flowing assets.
• Sample deals:
o Generated $50 million of Senior Secured Financing to energy plant

project in Dubai
o Pitched $12 billion LBO to London environmental energy equity group
o Acquired $360 million portfolio of equity loans on a secondary basis

from distressed Dubai bank
o Executed model for sale of Tech Company to Investment Group
o Working with Associate in buyout of Ecological Energy firm in a

transaction worth $120 million
o Performed due diligence on an interest investment and rights offering

of Smith Corporation resulting in income of $350 million
• Performed models including integrated merger plans, discounted cash flow, analysis
at various prices, deal comparisons, share repurchase models and leveraged buyout
models
EDUCATION
State University
Bachelor of Arts, Economics
GPA: 3.4/4.0
• Activities: President of Gamma Delta Sorority, VP of membership African-American

Student Union
• Research fellow in economics during senior year
PERSONAL
• Hobbies include: Basketball league, tennis and yoga
It’s important to tell the admissions committee why each transaction and project you describe is relevant to your MBA
plans. Including information about your personal activities, any volunteer work, and your leadership outside of work rounds
out your profile and helps you stand out from similar applicants.
This sample resume showcases the DO’s of a finance applicant resume:
1) Showcases transferrable skills
2) Highlights accomplishments outside of work
3) Clearly shows progression at work as much as possible
4) Highlights team experiences
JESSICA APPLICANT
STREET ST. | NEW YORK, NY | (212) XXXX XXXX | JESSICA_APPLICANT@GMAIL.COM
WORK EXPERIENCE
Mega Bank New York, NY
Associate 2011- Current
• Promoted to post-MBA associate level as one of only three pre-MBA associates.
• Led the leveraged buyout analysis for a target in middle-eastern region. Presented
results to senior management and assisted clients in assessing opportunity.
• Developed expertise in opportunities across real estate and energy in Europe and the
Middle East. Recognized as resource to assist team across deals in the region and
industry.
• Strategized and presented a pitch for a leveraged buyout of a London environmental

group to client.
• Sourced and advised team to make an investment in distressed debt from competitor
bank.
Analyst 2009-2011
• Supported the team with analysis and research across financial investments and deals.
• Analyzed the buyout of Ecological Energy firm. Worked with team to determine the right
price, and assisted in the final transaction worth $120 million.
• Assisted the team with due diligence on an interest investment and rights offering of
Smith Corporation. The team moved forward resulting in income of $350 million.
EDUCATION
State University
Bachelor of Arts, Economics
GPA: 3.4/4.0
• Led Gamma Delta Sorority, as President during senior year. Increased volunteering
opportunities by 60 and money raised for charity by $3K.
• VP of membership African-American Student Union. Drove membership to a 15

increase through outreach and social events.
• Research fellow in economics during senior year. Assisted professor with behavioral
economics research and advised freshmen students in year-long project.
LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING
• Coach basketball league for inner city youth (2009-present)
• Regular volunteer for homeless shelter and led team-building event at the shelter in Fall 2010
Essays
As a finance professional you may be tempted to focus on professional achievements in your essays. You know that your
work experience is impressive and a key selling point for your candidacy. As we covered in Chapter 2, it’s also important
to make sure you highlight any extra-curricular activities, hobbies, or interesting personal stories in your essays. Another
important non-work topic to cover is your love for the programs you are applying to. You want to show a deep personal
connection to the programs to really highlight fit.
Taking our advice, you’ve visited programs, met with students and alumni, and decided why you want to attend your top
choice MBA programs. As helpful as this research is to you personally as you make your choices, it’s ultimately one more
tool to help you gain admission to a competitive program. As this quote from a student admissions volunteer illustrates,
it’s important to do your research and provide clear, concrete reasons for your decision to apply:
“The one thing that stands out the most to me is how applicants fail to mention why our program is of particular
interest to them. As an applicant I often wondered just how much I needed to tailor my application essays to each
school. Now I’m seeing things from the other side and realize it’s rather important. Just a modest bit of research
(in the form of reaching out to current students, visiting campus, etc.) can go a long way toward making an
application shine a lot more than it otherwise would.”
You must build a compelling case for applying to each program. You will want to provide logical justifications for applying
to the program, but don’t neglect to express your understanding of and enthusiasm for the school’s unique culture and spirit
as well. The admissions committee, especially student members, wants to admit candidates who are as much in love with
the program as they are — candidates who feel a connection to the school that goes deeper than logical career planning
alone. Furthermore, they want students who will grow into passionate alumni and stay connected to the program and their
classmates long after graduation.
Admissions officers are impressed by applicants who have done their homework and can speak about specifics – rather than
just the activities, professors, and clubs listed on the website.
Sample 1: The Canadian Analyst
An MBA from Stanford GSB would be the ideal way to connect my skills and background in finance with the dynamic
world of technology startups. I knew from the trip from SFO to campus that the Bay Area is where I want to be-
seeing billboards and overhearing conversations about exciting new companies only strengthened my conviction
that this was the place to make my leap from my employment with an investment firm, where I have worked
extensively with venture capitalists focusing on small tech firms, to starting a technology business myself.
When I sat in on Interpersonal Dynamics during my campus visit, I realized that Stanford's program would help
perfectly complement my skills to reach this goal. While my analyst work has helped me hone my quantitative skills
and I feel secure in my understanding of markets and finance, I feel ready to cultivate my leadership development
in classes like these.
Walking through the Schwab Center courtyard after class, I ran into a group of students headed toward their Latin
America club meeting. Having spent several summers volunteering in Chile, I asked to join them and was welcomed.
Listening to these active, globally-conscious minds at work, I envisioned how the global, creative focus of Stanford
GSB will help me transform my background in finance into the rounded skill set to establish small market offices in
Latin America.
Your essays are an opportunity to show that a program is perfect for you, but they also are an opportunity to show the
reverse: that you are a perfect fit for a program. Admissions officers are building a class of people, not simply batches of
tests scores or resumes, and it's important for them to know the people they put together will have pleasant personalities
and communications skills.
Unlike many job applications, your essays should reflect your accomplishments but do so with a touch of humility that
speaks to how well you will fit into the community they want to build. Amongst the stereotypes you are fighting as a finance
applicant: that you are arrogant or entitled. You need to actively manage your image by demonstrating that you are able
to work effectively with others and that you value the inputs of those who are different from yourself.
MBA admissions committee members are familiar with the mechanics of your work in finance, but that doesn’t mean they
understand the details of a pitch book or Excel model. In fact, they care less about the details of your day-to-day than HOW
you accomplish your tasks. Are you good at navigating relationships? Do you manage up effectively? Do you mentor?
Some of those soft skills along with crucial analytical and quant ability are important to demonstrate. Your manager may
appreciate the tiny details you have mastered, but keep in mind you are writing for a different audience that is looking for
more general leadership skill above completing any specific task. Here is a before-and-after excerpt that shows the tone
and level of detail you should work to incorporate into your essays:
Sample 2: Before
When I joined Stern and Mahler's equities division as a new employee, I was told that it would be at least a year
before I was given a “desk” of my own to effect trades. However, there was a vacancy at the new created Southeast
Asia desk, and my manager, recognizing the quality of my undergraduate work and top performance in my training
class, immediately put me in charge. I found a mess waiting for me - a haphazard tracking system, contacts that were
neglected, even bad record-keeping. I would not allow this to reflect on me. In the next month, I reorganized the area
by enacting a ten-point plan. I would spend 6 am to 8 am Eastern Time contacting clients in Asia that were wrapping
up their day due to the time difference. From 8 am to 11 am, I reorganized and updated old records. The system had
never been modernized, so I tapped into one of my hobbies and wrote several new pieces of software that were
added to the Stern and Mahler codebase to help me do this. Because of the obviously large and important job I was
carrying out, my manager assigned two junior interns to my desk for the remainder of the year. The first intern I
tasked with sorting trading opportunities at the start of each day by region, industry and profit potential, and asked
for a detailed spreadsheet to be e-mailed to me by 10 am Eastern, which I would cross-reference against a company-
wide morning report...
As you can see, this applicant has an interesting story to relate, but is getting bogged down in unnecessary detail almost
from the start. In addition, the tone of the writing is arrogant and delves into some details simply to turn them into boasts.
Remember that you want to be proud of your accomplishments and describe them enough to be impressive, but let others
brag about your large and important job (in the recommendations, for example). Here's the same essay rewritten with
greater humility, attention to larger themes, and appeal:
Sample 2: After
It was hard to even know where to begin. I was standing at Stern and Mahler's Southeast Asia trading desk, fresh
from three months of intense yet invigorating training, and here I was, given a trading responsibility all to myself
out of company necessity. My manager Jill had lost several veteran traders to three new simultaneous company
initiatives, and had in exchange gotten me. I felt well-prepared, but the task was huge - the desk was relatively new
and understaffed previously, and even the physical workspace was overwhelmed by records left in haste to keep up
with new business. It was all in my hands.
I worked out a schedule that prioritized the biggest tasks first. I spent extra time after hours researching new market
opportunities, because I knew if I could keep this area growing, we could stabilize the established business and get
more hands on deck. Learning a new market with relatively few established contacts and “best practices” in place
was daunting, but I reached out to my peers over drinks to establish mentoring relationships that helped me master
the tasks. Slowly, as the desk turned around, I felt I had not only saved a small part of Stern and Mahler but created
some new practices that could be implemented elsewhere. Jill confirmed this for me when she assigned several
interns to me to continue the expansion, and one of her peers stopped by one day to ask what I had done to
customize an older piece of software we used extensively.
Notice that our applicant changed the tone of this essay significantly by expressing his fear of taking over a large
responsibility and describing in detail how he leveraged his own work ethic and the help of others to master it. This time
he was able to show how he approaches a difficult situation and ultimately creates success – this is the ideal approach for
an MBA application essay.
The GMAT
The GMAT can be a tough part of the application process because it is where your experience and skills get boiled down to
a number. The good news: that number is important, but not as important as you might think. The GMAT is important to
admissions because it serves as a clear data point for comparison across a large and diverse application pool with a wide
variety of backgrounds. That said, as an applicant from a finance background, your GMAT score may not carry as much
decision weight as it does for candidates from other backgrounds. The reason is simple: your quantitative skills should be
amply demonstrated through your work experience and resume. You've already done the type of quantitative work required
by an MBA program, whereas candidates coming from other fields will need a higher GMAT score to demonstrate their
ability to handle the work.
So what kind of GMAT score do you need? While top schools will require high scores (at publication most of the top ten
programs have mean scores hovering between 720 and 730), many programs publish information on scores broken down
into percentiles. Take a look at these scores for your target schools and make sure you're in the right range. If you're well
into the top half, you're in good shape. If you're in the lower end, you may want to retake the test to aim for a higher score.
Be aware of how the rest of your academic profile lines up with the typical admit. For example, if your GPA is a little low
for your preferred program, you may want to prioritize improving your GMAT score to make up for this academic weakness.
If you're right where you need to be, congrats - and keep working on the other aspects of your application. Don't worry too
much about getting ten more points if that won't change where you stand in the overall applicant pool.
If you do decide to retake the GMAT to improve a lower score, you may be wondering how to improve the GMAT given your
busy schedule. Even with long work hours, you should be able to carve out some time for self-study. If a guided approach
works better for you but you don't have a schedule that matches with in-person classes, there are many online courses
available that you can work on at your own pace. An improved GMAT score, when needed, shows the admissions committee
that you know how to recognize and address your own weaknesses and have a knack for prioritizing and balancing your
schedule.
CONCLUSION
Every applicant is unique, and that is the beauty of the MBA application process. While many applicants have similar
credentials, the MBA admissions process gives applicants an opportunity to go beyond numbers and statistics, and present
a clear snapshot of who they really are. In this guide we have presented benefits and challenges that applicants from a
specific demographic are likely to encounter. We have provided tips on how to navigate those issues. However, ultimately,
your story and approach must be personal. Use this guide to help devise your strategy, to help decide how you will address
roadblocks and leverage strengths. Then go about devising a strategy that reflects more than your resume and speaks from
your soul. It is only by speaking in your true voice that you can stir the admissions committee to understand why you
deserve a spot in their class.
Enjoy this journey, embrace the struggles, grow from the challenges, discover yourself and your voice and…GOOD LUCK!
ABOUT STACY BLACKMAN CONSULTING

Stacy Blackman Consulting's mission is to help our clients achieve their most ambitious educational and professional goals
by making the MBA application process less stressful and more successful.
Since 2001, we have helped hundreds of candidates with their applications to top business schools; our clients have been
admitted to every top MBA program worldwide.
Stacy Blackman Consulting offers Comprehensive, Hourly and Editing services. Services may include:
• School selection
• Strategy development
• Assistance with essay writing: coaching, review and feedback
• Interview coaching
• Planning for school visits
• Reference selection, preparation and editing
• Developing resumes
• Review of data forms
• Wait list and deferral strategy
• Assistance with extracurricular involvements
• Coordinating school communications
In addition to our consulting services and our online essay, interview and application basics guides, we have published a
book on the MBA admissions process entitled The MBA Application Roadmap.
To learn more about our services and resources, or to schedule a free consultation, visit our website:
www.StacyBlackman.com

SBC Quant Jock Guide

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SBC Quant Jock Guide

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THE QUANT JOCK GUIDE

Copyright © 2013 by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Stacy Blackman Consulting, Inc

Visit www.StacyBlackman.com/store for the latest Stacy Blackman Consulting ebooks.

Challenge #5 – Demonstrating “Why MBA” 19

Strength #2 – Analytical skills 7 Tip 3 – Discuss the “softer” side of your

resume and recommendations Challenge #6 – Leadership without authority 22

Strength #3 – Work ethic 9 Tip 1 – Highlight even small accomplishments 23

overcoming challenges at work and beyond. Tip 3 – Leverage recommendations to

Strength #4 – Communication skills 9 emphasize leadership outside of work 24

Chapter 2: Acknowledging Challenges and Thriving Despite Them extra-curriculars 24

Tip 1 – Leverage interests from outside work 12 company activities 25

Tip 3 – Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm 14

Challenge #2 – Admissions familiarity with your role 16 Recommendations 27

Tip 1 – Choose work experience examples Interview 28

focused on your future career goals 16 Resume 30

Tip 2 – Shift the emphasis to highlight areas Essays 33

where you do excel 16 GMAT 35

Challenge #3 – Conveying the meaning behind career goals 17 Conclusion 36

Challenge #4 – Entry level finance roles

can be less collaborative 18 About Stacy Blackman Consulting 37

APPLYING TO BUSINESS SCHOOL: A Guide for Finance Applicants

MBA Admitted Students

Stanford Graduate School of Business 26%

Harvard Business School 32%

UPenn Wharton 37%

Chicago Booth 35%

Columbia Business School 28%

NYU Stern 26%

Dartmouth Tuck 28%

The SBC Quant Jock Guide

1) Developing an effective overall strategy.

2) Putting together a resume tailored for MBA applications.

4) Prepping effectively for your interviews.

6) Examining the GMAT within the framework of your overall profile.

CHAPTER ONE: Working It – Allowing Your Strengths to Shine

STRENGTH #1 - Quantitative Abilities

STRENGTH #2 - Analytical Abilities

Investment Analyst – Initial Draft

• Put together pitch books for key clients

Investment Analyst – Revised Draft

© 201 32 STACY B LLACK

STRENGTH #3 - Work Ethic

STRENGTH #4 - Communication Skills

CHAPTER 2 – Acknowledging Challenges and Thriving Despite Them

1) Standing out from the competition

2) Admissions familiarity with your role

3) Conveying the meaning behind career goals

4) Entry level finance roles can be less collaborative

5) Demonstrating “Why MBA”

6) Leadership without authority

7) Your 80 hour work week didn’t allow time for extra-curriculars

CHALLENGE #1 – Standing out from the competition

1) Tip - Leverage interests from outside of work

2) Tip - Use your recommenders

3) Tip - Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm

4) Tip - Let your personality shine through

5) Tip - Network into strong school specific ties

Tip 1: Leverage your interests outside of work.

Tip 3: Highlight work accomplishments outside the norm.

Tip 4: Let your personality shine through.

Tip 5: Network into strong school specific ties.

4) What has been your experience with recruiting?