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You are here: Home / Snarchives for the admissions consulting industry

($) Going beyond the numbers: Why is it so much harder to get into Kellogg than it is Haas, given their admit rates?

January 14, 2021 by EssaySnark - Discusses Berkeley Haas, Kellogg Leave a Comment

This post was prompted by a very legit question asked by a BSer planning a Round 2 strategy a few weeks ago: Given that the Haas admit rate is actually lower than Kellogg, why would EssaySnark claim that it’s easier to get in? Many years ago we published our own “rankings” on which schools were […]

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Filed Under: selecting schools, the admissions consulting industry Tagged With: rankings Bschools: Berkeley Haas, Kellogg

($) When a 740 GMAT isn’t really a 740 GMAT

December 30, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Clickbaity title, yes, that’s valid. But there are so many misconceptions out there on GMAT scores. The importance and impact of standardized test scores in MBA admissions is being called into question this year based on the policy changes some top schools have implemented (though some schools seem stuck), and there’s even more confusion out […]

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Filed Under: GMAT/GRE, the admissions consulting industry

Some schools are being hard-asses about standardized testing and test scores (and a rant)

December 7, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Columbia, Berkeley Haas, Darden, Michigan Ross, Dartmouth Tuck, MIT Sloan Leave a Comment

A number of schools seem to be trying to play the status-quo game: They’re maintaining their pre-covid policies and not really making many accommodations to their processes and policies. In a “normal” year we would not even call any attention to this. It’s what schools do. With the exception of changing their essay questions and […]

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Filed Under: GMAT/GRE, school reviews & insights, the admissions consulting industry Tagged With: rankings, rant Bschools: Columbia, Berkeley Haas, Darden, Michigan Ross, Dartmouth Tuck, MIT Sloan

($) A Stanford applicant case study: Avoidable mistakes

October 30, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Stanford GSB, Duke Fuqua

Reblahgging from the past, because based on some profiles and BSers we’ve seen lately, this info may be useful again!!   We got an essay submitted for a freebie review last November and we spent a day reviewing it for everyone right before Round 2 (Stanford “What matters most and why?”) (tl;dr: getting rejected from...


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Filed Under: planning your strategy, profile assessments, the admissions consulting industry Tagged With: safety schools Bschools: Stanford GSB, Duke Fuqua

($) Do “legacies” have an admit advantage?

October 26, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

So much has changed in such a short time. If you’d asked us this about five years ago, the answer would’ve been an unequivocal “Yes!” “Legacies” are candidates whose parents went to the school that they’re applying to. Sometimes other relatives like aunts or uncles, or grandparents, are included in the “legacy” equation. Premium content […]

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Filed Under: app dataset, the admissions consulting industry Tagged With: diversity

A quick primer on types of schools and MBA programs

October 15, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

This is in the category of, maybe you already know it, but maybe you’ve gone through life wondering what this stuff means and how everyone else knows it but you. None of this really matters that much in the process of applying for an MBA. You can go through the entire cycle and get accepted […]

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Filed Under: the admissions consulting industry

($) Are we seeing stronger applicants this year?

October 13, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Yesterday we went reminiscing about what last year’s admissions season was looking like in mid-October of 2019. You may have read that and thought, “Who cares!??” If you did, thank you for humoring us anyway. Yesterday’s post sets up today’s: What are the trends and expectations that we are perceiving NOW, for the CURRENT admissions […]

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Filed Under: the admissions consulting industry, the world

($) What we were seeing at this point in the season last year

October 12, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Not that last year’s trends relate to this year. This year is different in so, so many ways. But still. Since we’re now in that quasi-lull where the frenzy of Round 1 is mostly behind you (with the exception of some final scrambles for schools like NYU or Duke), and you’re in the Waiting Game […]

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Filed Under: the admissions consulting industry

What is this “holistic review” thing?

October 7, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Darden Leave a Comment

It’s been an exciting week for many of you already! Thank you to Michigan Ross for issuing interview invitations before Harvard. Talk about a well-deserved boost of confidence for many! You could already be in interview-prep mode based on news that’s come out for some Round 1 apps to date, or you’re in wait-and-see mode, […]

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Filed Under: the admissions consulting industry Bschools: Darden

Which school will do it first?

July 20, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Some of you may be too young to remember the details, but about 12 years ago, we had that big financial crisis involving mortgages and Wall Street and fancy-dancy securities called collateral debt obligations and all that jazz. The part you probably do remember is that it made the housing market melt down, and people […]

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Filed Under: the admissions consulting industry Tagged With: diversity, rankings, rant

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UPCOMING MBA APP DEADLINES

  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 0 weeks, 4 days, 16 hours
  • (expected) HBS Class of 2024 app requirements released
    in 2 weeks, 3 days, 17 hours
  • Columbia Class of 2023 final deadline - EXTENDED!!!!
    in 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 21 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 3
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 1 day, 16 hours
  • (expected) Columbia J-Term/ED app to open
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 1 day, 17 hours
   
From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


Feb 11, 2021
by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on EssaySnark
Great Starting Point

I thought getting over the GRE/GMAT hurdle was fairly straightforward--disciplined study then test execution... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on Single Shot Express MBA Essay Review
Worth Every Penny

I used the Single Shot Express to decimate essay #1 at my first-choice school. Paired with the school... Read more






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What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: This is why tuition at top schools shouldn't be reduced
  • 2019: The secret to how to get into HBS
  • 2019: ($) Canceling your GMAT score is a bad idea (plus, how many schools should you apply to?)
  • 2018: ($) Deciding between the U.S. and a good school at home
  • 2018: Our quasi-annual predictions on the coming MBA application season
  • 2017: International student headed to the US for school? DO NOT BREAK THE LAW.
  • 2017: ($) The reality of GMAT scores and top schools. Featuring Darden.
  • 2016: The other likely driver of increased MBA app volumes
  • 2016: Really, Columbia?
  • 2014: Apparently we’re giving free services to assholes.
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