How to Approach Yale SOM's Main Essay 2025-2026

Yale SOM released its essays and application deadlines today. The program decided to maintain the same prompts it has used over the past few years, and I understand why. The three options provide for the main essay, regardless of which one you end up choosing, gives the admissions committee great insight into WHO YOU ARE. With the emergence of AI tools and the impact of politics on universities, MBA admissions offices are placing a greater value on applicants’ authentic perspectives, original ideas and viewpoints, genuine experiences, and passion-driven, empathetic leadership. Yale SOM is no different, and they’re sticking with essays that directly tap into this approach. Below, I will walk you through how I think you should approach the school’s main essay.

First, here are the deadlines:

·       Round 1 Deadline: September 10, 2025
·       Round 2 Deadline: January 6, 2026
·       Round 3 Deadline: April 14, 2026                     

Now, let’s dive into the main Yale SOM essay, starting with the full prompt and instructions:

 
We want to know what matters to you, and our essay question is designed to help us gain insight into your background, passions, motivations, responsibilities, ideals, identities, challenges, or aspirations, depending on where you take your response. To ensure that you’re able to write about something important to you, we offer you three essay prompts from which to choose:


1) Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?


2) Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?


3) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?


Choose the prompt that speaks most strongly to you and about which you have the most enthusiasm. In answering the prompt – whichever one it is – you should think about the life experiences that have been most meaningful to you and that you most want to communicate to the committee, and pick the question that will best allow you to express that aspect of yourself. We find that the most compelling essays are the ones that are truly important to you, so make sure that’s your guide in choosing what to write about; don’t try to guess what we’re looking for or what you think we want to hear. Importantly, regardless of which prompt you choose, you’ll want to support your essay with concrete examples.

The word limit (though not necessarily the goal) is 500 words.
 
The additional instructions here are clear. Pick the option that resonates with you. Note: A few years ago, Yale only had one option – the “biggest commitment” prompt – so, all things being equal, I do feel like this connects into Yale’s commitment to social enterprise. By showing how your commitment (to an idea, community, cause, career vision, etc) is part of your MISSION, you’re able to show WHO YOU ARE.
That said, regardless of which option you choose, you should attack this essay in the same way. So, how should you attack this question?
For starters, let’s take stock in some of the important Yale elements from the past.  In prior years, the admissions office asked questions that explicitly drove at the following ideas:

   

  • Leadership

  • Intellectual curiosity

  • Interdisciplinary learning

  • Impact on others

  • Global reach

  • Yale commitment (student and alum)

Can you incorporate these ideas into an introspective, reflective essay?  Not only do I believe that the answer is “yes,” but I believe that harkening back to these Yale elements can provide some solid structure for finding the right topic. 

 
Ingredients I believe you should use:

 
1. Contribution to SOM.  I’m starting with the end here, but I think this is how you should conclude your essay. You will be telling a reflective story from the past, but I suggest ending by applying how the lessons learned from that experience will dictate future experiences … mainly your time at Yale and how you will further the SOM tradition as a student and then as an alum.  NOTE: a smooth and natural conclusion to an impact essay is to finish with a forward-looking statement of contribution (“I want to take the lessons learned through this experience and apply them to situation X”), so the end of the essay is the perfect place to make this play. 

 
2. Impact on others.  Look, let me be clear: if there is a topic just screaming out for you to write about and that will engage a reader and blow her/his mind, go that direction.  But absent that, I would find an instance where your commitment had a positive impact on other people.  It’s a pillar of the school, it creates a generosity of spirit in your essay, and it naturally steers you away from myopic subjects. 

 
3A. Thirst for knowledge.  I am sort of combining pure intellectual curiosity here with Yale’s love of interdisciplinary learning.  Yale SOM really tapes into the entire university in a way that is both smart (its Yale, after all), somewhat unique among b-schools (I would say only Booth and MIT feature as much cross-department engagement), and where the future of grad school education is headed.  They are proud and they should be.  And if you want to go to Yale, I have to assume this is a big draw for you.  (It honestly should be.)  You obviously won’t be able to write an essay that is reflective and powerful and talk about “interdisciplinary learning” or you will sound like a fraud.  But truly wanting to experience something new, learn from others, explore a new path, take a risk - all are human ways of hitting on something similar and tapping into something that is key to SOM. 

 
3B. Other cultures.  If the above doesn’t work, another good option is to center your story on engaging with other cultures, tapping into the global world we all live in and that Yale values. 

 
Overall, if you have at least two of these – but ideally three – you will be turning a rather vague question (with enormous potential for navel gazing) into something specific and powerful and, most of all, directed at your audience. 

Next, how do we weave these elements together?  Like this:

 
Intro/Situation – Thesis statement (of course), followed by the setup information.  Get the pieces on the chessboard and make sure the reader knows what you are talking about.  Give the proper names and the necessary details so they can follow along.  In case it needs to be stated, let's do so: you are telling one specific story here. This is the biggest commitment you have ever made/community that is the most meaningful to you/most significant challenge you have faced. Biggest/Most is in the eye of the beholder. This is about what shaped you or defines you.  For example, if we’re focusing on your “biggest commitment,” don’t be boxed into thinking “picking my college” or “proposing to my wife” or “buying a house” or these concrete ideas (unless there is a defining story there).  It could have been choosing to invest in a co-worker that everyone else was giving up – and only in hindsight did you realize why this was the “biggest.” 

 
Complications – This is where you raise the stakes in any “impact essay” and you do it by explaining what made the Situation (described above) an exceptional one.  Working off the above thoughts, stakes can come from a lot of places, but are usually best when they are internal – meaning the pressure you felt or the opportunity that awaited you or the chance to truly understand yourself, etc.  External stakes tend to fall flat in most cases.  Per the above “ingredients,” the stakes for you here would ideally involve some chance to explore a burning curiosity or to connect with people unlike yourself.

 
Actions and Results – Actions should be pretty self-explanatory, but make sure they are clearly defined.  Most people want to write an entire essay on actions, but those typically are boring and a bit worthless, because there is no context to tell us why the actions are important.  Be confident enough to display just the necessary amount of action, while sandwiching with proper setup, stakes, and results.  (To use my favorite sandwich analogy, would you rather have three slices of turkey on a delicious sandwich, or 10 slices of turkey that you eat in a giant gob?  Yes, actions are the turkey here.)  For results, to make this Yale SOM, the ideal essay would have an impact element to it.  Whatever driver pushed you to take these steps, let them lead you to commitment and then to impact. 

 
Lessons Learned (and application of them, aka contribution to SOM) – Like an email with a long subject line, I kind of already said everything in the header, but you want to share what you learned from that experience and then how you will bring that with you to Yale SOM. 

This information should provide a solid foundation for you to begin your Yale SOM application. If you’re interested in discussing your Yale SOM application and/or reviewing sample Yale SOM essays from successful past clients, please reach out to schedule an initial MBA admissions consultation: https://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact


You can also email me directly at dhoff@amerasiaconsulting.com

Why Now May Be a Golden Moment for International MBA Applicants

Why Now May Be a Golden Moment for International MBA Applicants

As political tension rattles the U.S. visa system and high-profile schools like Harvard face international admissions delays, panic is setting in among global MBA applicants. But with 15 years in the field, I see this moment differently: not as a crisis, but as a strategic window. The fear is thinning out competitive applicant pools, creating rare opportunities for those willing to act decisively.

Columbia MBA Essays and Deadlines: Why CBS Changed Its Inclusion Essay and What It Still Wants from Applicants

Columbia MBA Essays and Deadlines: Why CBS Changed Its Inclusion Essay and What It Still Wants from Applicants

Columbia Business School has revised its 2025 MBA Essay 2 prompt, removing direct references to DEI and inclusive leadership frameworks. While the language is now broader, focusing on collaboration, inclusion, and community, the underlying goal remains the same: Columbia wants applicants who can lead with empathy and build effective teams across differences. Here’s why the change likely happened and how to approach the new essay with strategy and authenticity.

OWNING YOUR CAREER GOALS IN FIVE STEPS

Let's talk about Career Goals for a minute. I want to present a crystal clear five-step process for how to handle the Career Goals aspect of your MBA pursuit.

STEP 1 - HAVE GOALS. Remember, this is not a degree designed for 22-year old applicants, nor does it punt away the responsibility of asking the question (yes, Law School, we are talking to you). The MBA is a career-focused degree and in almost every instance, the schools ask you what your goals are. To embark on such a life-altering process (to say nothing of expensive and time-consuming) without possessing goals would be bizarre. Now, maybe your goals need some refining - particularly in presentation - but if you can't at least decide for yourself what you want to do with your life and why you want to spend $150-200k and two years to get there, you should not be applying to top 10 MBA programs.

STEP 2 - REFINE YOUR SHORT-TERM GOAL TO MAKE SURE IT CAN BE ACHIEVED. We know that just as important as setting goals is the idea of setting realistic goals. If you want to get in shape and you set a goal of running a marathon, great, you are on your way. However, if you set the goal of winning Olympic gold in the marathon, you are probably setting yourself up for failure. Therefore, it's not a good goal. This is especially true when someone else shares in the responsibility for whether you achieve it. Schools share the responsibility for helping you achieve your short-term goal. Nobody bears any responsibility for the achievement of a long-term goal. Nobody is tracking, measuring, or even checking. Too much life is going to happen between now and 10-20 years from now. So when you hear about making goals realistic or having them “make sense,” it’s almost always about the short-term goal, because that is what shows up on an employment report, what impacts career services, and generally has enough immediacy that everyone feels responsible for outcomes. Some ways to check your short-term goal:

  • Look at the employment reports of the school to see if they place people into the role and firm of your choice

  • Consider whether your previous experiences (and resulting transferable skills) put you in position - with an added MBA - to impress recruiters for this job

  • Contact someone in career services (usually at your alma mater) to quickly check your path

  • Ask me to give you a reality check on your goals (important point: don’t try to “brainstorm” your goals and certainly never ask anyone to “give you” goals - you should have goals in place that I can look at and either approve or poke holes in)

    The main thing is you want to be sure that the following equation checks out:

    YOU (and what you have done so far) + MBA (at this school) = ST GOAL.

If it does not, you will get dinged basically every time.

STEP 3 - SELL YOUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THE SHORT-TERM GOAL. Normally I would talk next about long-term goals, but we are going to stick with short- term goals for a minute. Just because you figure out a short-term goal that can work does not mean your job is done. Here is a quick case study of a client who received an interview at a top-10 school despite aiming for a difficult transition. He was a task- oriented professional with little outside experience and little by way of management responsibilities (this describes a lot of people, so I am not worried about “outing” this person). This presents a limited platform from which to work, but that doesn’t mean his only short-term goal had to be something connected to his trade. Indeed, if he were to pick a short-term goal in that area, he might fail the “why do you even need an MBA?” part of this whole test. Remember, it’s not just whether the MBA is enough to get you to your goal, it’s also whether the goal is enough to warrant investing in an MBA (rather than just walking down the street for an interview). For this individual, his long-term goals were entrepreneurial, so in the short term, he needed more exposure to business practices and frameworks. He needed to take his upcoming MBA experience and expand on it, in order to continue broadening out and to see what works and what does not in new situations. To gain those 360-degree skills that would enable him to be a successful large-scale entrepreneur down the road, two paths made the most sense: management consulting and brand management. The former would expose him to lots and lots of scenarios in different industries, different geographies, and on different scales. The latter would give him experience with all aspects of bringing something to market. Either would allow him to broaden out the MBA experience of expanding frameworks, widening knowledge basis, and building up his network and pedigree. All good things, to quote the old Martha Stewart Saturday Night Live sketches. So, his work was done, right? Of course not! Just because he thought this was a good idea (or that we, collectively, thought it was a good idea), does not mean a recruiter or - by proxy - an admissions officer will see it the same way. He had to:

  • First, explain the connection. He had to say everything I just wrote above, about continuing to acquire experiences and skills so that he will be in the best position to achieve his eventual goals.

  • Second, highlight the transferable skills that make him a desirable candidate. I wrote an entire blog post about this once and can send you additional details with my Goals Memo (email me at dhoff@amerasiaconsulting.com for the guide), but one of the most common mistakes I see among applicants is that they don’t fill in the missing link and explain the skill set that will allow them to 1) get the job, and 2) thrive once they get it. You can't assume the reader will know what someone in your exact job does and see the connection between projects within your trade and being a consultant or a brand manager or whatever the case may be. You have to identify the skills critical to the ST job and then show that you have them. It’s very simple, yet we would wager to guess that 75% of applicants don't do this. They never say “here is what I will need to be a good brand manager and here is how and when I developed those skills in my current job, through examples A, B, and C.” You MUST do this, whether you are young or old, American or International, a banker or a beekeeper. You can’t assume that the reader will do this extracting and matching for you.

STEP 4 - PUT "YOU" INTO YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS. Unlike with short-term goals, the challenge with long-term goals is not to map out a perfect plan that everyone can achieve collectively. Here, you want to dream big and put as much of you - your passions, your inspirations, and what you care about - into the answer as possible. Think about goals the way Stanford GSB asks you to think about them: “What do you REALLY want to do?” If you say that your ST goal is consulting, you are creating the foundation for just about any long-term goal. You might think it wise to say, “I want to then climb the ranks to become a managing partner” and feel like that is a smart, safe play. Well, it's boring. Worse, it is impersonal. Literally anyone on earth could write that. What do you want to do? Really? If the real answer is to rise through the ranks and become a managing partner, well, why is that? There must be some greater good you want to serve or some burning desire that drives that aim, right? If it is just financial security, is there something in your past that makes that paramount, above all else? There is always a way to make your LT goals about you and that is what you have to do. You do not have to make your long-term goals 100% achievable. You do not have to make your long-term goals about connecting back to previous areas of expertise. You just have to pick goals that are personal and that require this MBA path you are on, at least on some level. There is an incredible amount of freedom in shaping your long-term goals, so be yourself, be interesting, and pick a path that you can truly own.

STEP 5 - OWN THE GOALS. This is the part where perhaps we have come to assume too much over the years and where our case study client seemed to run into trouble. Once he had a path that made sense, ensured that he had achievable short-term goals (complete with highlighted transferable skill sets), had a long-term goal that was interesting and personal, and all of that was wrapped up with a bow in his essays, the mission had been accomplished. When he received an interview invite at a top-10 school, we prepped him for the interview and showed him how to bring that goal narrative through to the interview setting. However, here is where it fell apart. How and why? As best as I can tell, he got unlucky with his alumni interviewer. Instead of hosting a friendly interview, this person demeaned the applicant and tried to poke holes in his resume and aspirations. This is a tough break, for sure, but something that future applicants can deal with. First, if this happens, call the school and ask for another interview. The schools know that there is some risk inherent with a heavy reliance on alumni interviewers, so they won't be surprised nor will they likely refuse your request. Second though, you have to ditch that experience and approach the new opportunity with the same level of confidence you had before. This is where our case study client failed. He got rattled by the first interview and lost confidence in his whole narrative. Now, this is partly because he had bad luck but in equal part because he never truly owned his goals. He was too reliant on me to formulate a plan and he was never strong in what he wanted from an MBA and his life. When you don't own your story (the first piece of advice I give for interview prep, by the way), you can too easily be bowled over by the first raised eyebrow or harsh word. And if you start scrambling to explain yourself or start getting wishy-washy with your goals, it is game over. After all, if you can't sit there proud and strong and say “this is what I want” with conviction, what can you stand strong for? So this is Step 5: own your goals. It's your story, not the interviewer's. It's your life, not anyone else's. If you can't get comfortable with the goals in the essay, rethink your goals until you do.

If you follow the above five steps, you will never fall victim to the pitfalls that have taken down thousands before you. You won't be rejected for asking too much (or not enough) of the school in the short term, you won't lose the reader's interest with impersonal long- term goals, and you won't blow your interview by losing conviction in your own path. Remember that if everything makes sense and follows these steps, nobody can tell you what to think about your life and path.

At Amerasia Consulting, we specialize in turning real-world leadership into authentic, powerful MBA essays.
If you have questions or are interested in learning more about the MBA admissions process, please feel free to set up a free consultation today by contacting us at dhoff@amerasiaconsulting.com or visiting
👉 www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact

How to Showcase Leadership in your MBA Essays (Using Stephen Covey’s Framework)

How to Showcase Leadership in your MBA Essays (Using Stephen Covey’s Framework)

Learn how to define leadership for your MBA leadership essay using Stephen Covey’s principles. Stand out by writing compelling, values-driven stories.

So You’re Applying for an MBA in 2025-2026? Here’s What You Should Be Doing Now

If you’re planning to apply for an MBA in Fall 2025 or Early 2026, congratulations! You’re already ahead of most applicants, who will wake up in August 2025, open a blank Word document, and wonder why their personal statement sounds like a LinkedIn post gone wrong. To ensure that isn’t you, here’s what you should be doing now to set yourself up for success.

Step 1: Clarify Your Goals & Research Schools (Now – Spring/Summer 2025)

  • Figure Out Your Why. “I want to pursue consulting” is a popular answer, but admissions officers will want more than that. Be able to articulate why you need an MBA and how it fits into your long-term goals.

  • Find Your Best-Fit Schools. Think beyond rankings and look at class profiles, career outcomes, and school culture. Would you thrive in a tight-knit community or a massive global network? Would you rather be in a city or a place where “going out” means hiking?

  • Attend Events & Network. Sign up for school webinars, visit campuses if possible, and connect with students or alumni to get the inside scoop.

  • Take a Hard Look at Your Profile. Are your academics strong? Do you have leadership experience? Any glaring weaknesses you need to address before applying? Better to fix them now than panic later.

Step 2: GMAT/GRE—The Fun (Just Kidding) Standardized Test (Now – Summer 2025)

  • Take a Diagnostic Test. It might be painful, but it’ll tell you where you stand and whether the GMAT or GRE is a better fit.

  • Make a Study Plan. Most people need 2-4 months of dedicated prep. If you know you’re not great at self-studying, consider a tutor or course before you spiral into YouTube loopholes on “how to hack the GMAT.” If you want a few recommendations, please reach out.

  • Take the Test Early. Because life happens. Let’s be honest, nobody wants to be juggling essay writing and a retake in August.

Step 3: Strengthen Your Resume & Professional Impact

  • Take on More Responsibility. You don’t need a C-suite title, but showing leadership—whether through managing a project, mentoring colleagues, or driving impact—is key.

  • Position Yourself for a Promotion. Nothing screams “future business leader” like getting a well-timed step up before applying.

  • Do Something Outside of Work. Schools love well-rounded candidates. Volunteer, start a side project, or at least develop a hobby (ideally one that connects to your long-term vision).

Step 4: Cultivate Strong Recommenders

  • Identify Your Champions. Your direct supervisor is ideal, but if that’s not an option, choose someone who can speak specifically about your strengths. “Alex is great” is not the kind of recommendation you want.

  • Nurture the Relationship. Keep them updated on your work and goals so when the time comes, they’ll write something glowing instead of something generic.

Step 5: Start Thinking About Essays (Summer 2024)

  • Develop Your Story. Schools aren’t just looking for impressive résumés; they want compelling, authentic applicants. Think about what makes your journey unique.

  • Brainstorm Early. Even though prompts won’t be out until mid-2025, reflecting on your experiences and values now will make writing easier later.

Step 6: Consider School Visits (If Possible)

  • Visiting a campus can help you gauge culture and fit—plus, it gives you great material to mention in essays and interviews (beyond “I love this school because it’s ranked highly”).

If you’re interested in speaking about your MBA candidacy with a skilled and experienced admissions consultant, please fill out the linked form (https://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact) or email drewhoff@gmail.com.

How to Approach the HBS Interview

HOW TO APPROACH THE HBS INTERVIEW

The past couple of weeks on the calendar tend to stop everyone in their tracks and dominates the headlines. It’s all about the final HBS interview notification deadline. Interview or ding? Rather, interview or ding or deferral? Seeming as that appears to be a popular option too. Let’s make sense of things and offer some advice on how to respond from here.

Let’s discuss the HBS interview process:

THE HBS INTERVIEW

Congratulations, you got the interview! HBS loves to test confidence and dare people to panic. So here’s how you want to approach this part of the admission process:

  1. Don’t change your plans

An HBS interview is obviously not an admission. Even if you are amazing in interviews and exude the charisma and confidence of George Clooney, don’t change a thing about what you are doing. Stick to whatever plan you laid out for yourself at the beginning.

2. Bunch your preparation

Set your interview date and then set up your preparation to take place within a window fairly near that date. You want to set up your prep work about 7-10 days before the real thing. It helps you to keep the preparation work fresh, but far enough so that you can incorporate any feedback.

3. Own your goals, and get to know HBS

Due to the open-ended nature of the HBS essays, you might not exactly know why you want to go to HBS. If you walk into an HBS interview and don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life (and why). And if you don’t have a really deep and detailed understanding of HBS and what makes it special, you are at a severe disadvantage. If you did not build up to this point with a good consultant, you are starting from scratch.

4. Start thinking about the post-interview writing assignment

You don’t want this to be too polished, but you do want it to be well thought out. Brainstorm about what you might want to voice in the interview. What you have said so far in your HBS application? Consider what might be left for you to say? Think about talking points you want to bring with you to the HBS interview. When the interview is over, you will be able to see which points are left out. You can build upon something unsaid to bring real depth and meaning to a tricky assignment.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR AN EXTENSIVE BREAKDOWN OF THE HBS INTERVIEW, CHECK OUT AMERASIA CEO PAUL LANZILLOTTI’S DETAILED GMAT CLUB YOUTUBE DISCUSSION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAd5sI4OiMA

IF YOU’D LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MBA CANDIDACY AND/OR INTERVIEW PREPARATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SET UP AN INITIAL CONSULTATION WITH ONE OF AMERASIA’S TALENTED MBA CONSULTANTS AND COACHES.

How to Approach the HBS Interview

How to Approach the HBS Interview

On Monday, May 1, Chicago Booth stated that businessman and philanthropist Ross Stevens, Ph.D. '96, had given the school's Ph.D. program $100 million to help push the boundaries of academic business research.  The program will be called the Stevens Doctoral Program to honor Stevens.

To Build a Successful GSB Essay #1 You Have to Dig

Over the last few years, my GSB clients have achieved remarkable success (with over a 50% success rate) and the key has been to create real, honest, and authentic essays. To do this YOU HAVE TO DIG... and DIG DEEP!

The DIGGING PROCESS goes like this:

• Take the thesis (“I care about sustainability”) and ask WHY. A lot of people don't care about sustainability, some pay it lip service, but few people truly care and want to devote their lives to it. So why are you different? You can’t just say that you care more than others or observe more closely or are more in tune. There has to be an underlying reason that set the stage. We are starting to dig…

• Next layer down, we ask questions to see if there was a “moment of influence” that directly connects to the topic at hand:
o Did someone teach you to value this?
o Did you go on a trip that showed you we have to care about this stuff?
o Did you read a book or watch a movie that made the lightbulb go on?

• It’s possible that you will solve this in the above series of questions, but it’s also possible that nothing jumps out from the above and you find yourself going "I don't know, it's weird, I guess I'm just inclined to see the big-picture and not getting dragged down by short-sighting thinking, and that just leads me to sustainability, naturally," then consider this:
o WHY are you inclined to be the sort of person who thinks big-picture and avoids the "sha, la, la, la, live for today" traps of most of your peers? And we dive back into our questions:
 Did anything early in life teach you to think big picture and consider the long view?
 Did you ever have an analogous experience that taught you this lesson (committing to fitness, finishing a novel, etc., something that took a long time and required maintaining sight of a far-off goal)?
 Were you ever rewarded for thinking this way?
 Or, conversely, did you ever double down on this point of view because someone tried to shame or chastise it?

See where this kind of thinking takes you. I coach all of my clients to peel back several layers - or many more feet down in the dirt, to use the digging example - to get at some of these rich, interesting WHY elements. The “why” behind what matters most to you is almost never the first thing that pops into your head. Sometimes it can be a person or experience that informs your value (and that is fine, by the way – some of the best essays I’ve ever seen landed here; sometimes you hit paydirt earlier in the digging process), but other times you have to figure out why you are the kind of person who might have grown to care about what you do – and that takes even more digging. So get your shovel ready.

For more in-depth insights into the GBS essays and application process, as well as other MBA programs, I invite you to reach out and schedule a free initial consultation at
https://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact. You can also contact me directly at drewhoff@gmail.com.

I am here to assist you and provide guidance throughout your application journey.

Changes to the Columbia Business School Application

This year, CBS made a significant change to its MBA application essays. In previous years, applicants were asked to respond to a prompt that required them to discuss their favorite book, movie, or song and explain why it resonated with them. However, this year, CBS decided to replace that essay with an optional essay from two years ago, which focuses on the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL).

The decision to jettison the previous essay prompt indicates that CBS was not obtaining the desired insights from MBA candidates with the "fun" prompt. It seems that many applicants were overly focused on the book, movie, or song itself, rather than emphasizing the applicant's perspective and transferable skills, such as leadership, teamwork, and innovation. While we coached our clients to successfully connect their favorite cultural work to a pivotal personal moment that demonstrated leadership and community impact, it is clear that a significant number missed the mark.

This year, CBS is taking a more explicit approach and explicitly stating that they want applicants to share an experience that exemplifies the mission of the PPIL program, highlighting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). To craft a compelling essay, it is essential to reflect on a defining moment in your life that relates to DEI and showcases your leadership abilities. Describe the situation you encountered, the challenges or complications you faced, the actions you took to overcome those obstacles, and the outcomes you achieved. The outcomes should encompass both the practical results and your personal growth and development.

By following this simple approach, you can create an essay that resonates with the new prompt and effectively highlights your leadership and community impact. For more in-depth insights into the CBS essays and application process, as well as other MBA programs, I invite you to reach out and schedule a free initial consultation at
https://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact. You can also contact me directly at drewhoff@gmail.com.

I am here to assist you and provide guidance throughout your application journey.

Are You MBA-Ready? Here Are 5 Indicators You Are

Are You MBA-Ready? Here Are 5 Indicators You Are

People often decide to pursue an MBA without giving it much thought, but that's not a good idea. Before you start getting ready to apply, you should really think about why you want to get the degree and make sure it's the right choice for you. Here are five indicators that can help you decide if you're ready to apply to business school or not.

How to Prepare for Important Career Moments

How to Prepare for Important Career Moments

Have you ever woken up from a recurring nightmare in which you had to take an exam for which you hadn't studied? No one likes the feeling of not being prepared. And this worry takes over many parts of our professional lives. No one wants to be caught off guard in front of an MBA admissions committee, a current client or boss, or even a networking event. The answer is to be confident in all of these conversations and presentations. How? Preparedness. In this blog post, we'll talk about what you should do to get ready for a variety of common career scenarios.

5 Ways To Becoming an Effective Manager

5 Ways To Becoming an Effective Manager

Becoming a great manager is essential for becoming a great leader. Good managers not only extract great output from their employees, but they also relieve the executive team of most of the day-to-day operations, allowing them to focus on more tactical challenges. Leaders develop a vision, while managers develop goals and guide their teams toward shared goals connected to that vision. This blog post will go over five strategies to becoming a successful manager.

Women And Equality at the Leadership Table

Women And Equality at the Leadership Table

Imposter syndrome for women is real, according to Kris Mercuri, director of MBA admissions, recruiting, and outreach at Yale, and women must acknowledge it as one of the things they can manage. Women are required in all areas as thought leaders and decision-makers but how do women can actually get there? In this blog post, we discuss the obstacles of gender parity and how to overcome them.

Georgetown McDonough: What’s New in 2023?

Georgetown McDonough: What’s New in 2023?

The McDonough School is founded on the idea that students should take action to protect the vulnerable, address societal problems, and promote the greater good. This goal has evolved into one of longevity for McDonough. Creating practices that safeguard natural resources while also balancing economic development with fair treatment for all. As a result, the school has made sustainability one of the pillars of its MBA curriculum this year.

D'Amore-McKim: What's new in 2023?

D'Amore-McKim: What's new in 2023?

It is time to reimagine a new MBA program for the future - not just update or refresh an existing one. Therefore, D’Amore-McKim launched the new online MBA program in October last year, with another cohort starting in April 2023. An example of flexibility in online education is that students now have the ability to take live or taped classes when enrolled in the new program. According to a professor who helped design this program, this program is designed for students with a fair share of business experience already.

Harvard: What's New in 2023?

Harvard: What's New in 2023?

Currently, the school gives approximately $42,000 in annual support to MBA students, with half of each cohort getting some type of financial assistance. HBS allocates $45 million per year to pay MBA fellowship funding. While financial aid does not cover yearly living costs (approximately $31,000), it does bring in a diverse group of students and enhances the learning process.

Northwestern's MBAi Program

Northwestern's MBAi Program

This MBAi program is designed for students who have previous undergraduate STEM expertise and/or job experience in the technology industry. It will be a fast-paced five-quarter program. The program will include the full Kellogg MBA core curriculum as well as specialized classes in machine learning, artificial intelligence, data handling, robotics, and computational reasoning for business.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence and MBAs

The Future of Artificial Intelligence and MBAs

Artificial intelligence advancements have pushed scholarly and tech crowd discussions to new heights. Prospective MBAs are leaning in to profit on a future with AI's amazing wins and vast unknowns. The ways in which technology is changing the world of work is a popular topic for business leaders across industries. As a result building the right skillset for a tech-driven future is becoming an important part of MBA education.

The New GMAT Focus Edition

The New GMAT Focus Edition

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has revised its exam, the most significant change since it was converted from paper to computer in 1997. The GMAT test will be cut by nearly an hour, with no writing required and all questions being multiple choice.