Today I’m asking you to take a leap and tap into your inner Goddess or Rock Star. Nothing less will do.   I’m asking you to dig deep and get to know yourself. Be with what you see.  It may be bright and shiny or dark and twisty but whatever you find, you need to know that who you are right now is amazing! You don’t need fixing. You just need some time to get quiet and uncover what’s already there. 

So the question is: are you ready? Are you ready to unleash, uncover and discover who you REALLY are?  Not the game face you display in the office each day, but the messy, crazed, bleary-eyed person who comes to the forefront when you get your genius on. You know the one, the one who dares to dream the crazy dreams. The one you fear because she sees you when you’re in your power.  She’s the one you hide from the world because you are afraid of her greatness. Yep, that one.  She holds the vision that you’re going to share with the world.  She’s been waiting for you to catch up and for the right time to share it with you. But she couldn’t do it before now because you weren’t ready to see it. So she waited, patiently. Until now…

Sooooo  if you’re ready, you need to know there’s no turning back. Once you start this journey, it’s for keeps and it’s to win. You can no longer pretend that you don’t know how freaking amazing you are and how you rock. If you’re honest, you’ll admit that you see glimmers of it when you close the door and rock out to your favorite tunes. You see glimmers of it when you’re in the zone working on your pet projects and awesome adventures, things you do just for you.  But now it’s time for you to release and share it so that you can shine brightly. No more glimmers. No more hiding. 

I know it’s scary.  But that’s what it takes.  

So if you dare. Be a Rock Star. Be a Goddess.  But most importantly, be uniquely you.

I recently finished reading rocker Patti Smith’s poignant memoir, Just Kids.  As I turned the last page, I realized that I didn’t want it to end. Her story was not only about her romance and friendship with famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe but also a primer in making your dreams come true. Patti’s tumultuous journey took her to NYC in pursuit of creating art and eventually took root via music and spoken word. She survived bouts of poverty and homelessness and became a rock star and poet who was eventually inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, crowned the Godmother of Punk Rock and won the National Book Award in 2010. Patti always knew she would be famous yet her career surpassed her wildest dreams.

What’s your dream — admission to a top business school?  You may not have time to pick up Patti’s book (although I highly recommend it), so I’m sharing what I’ve learned from her. These tips will come in handy as you begin your MBA admissions journey.

• Purpose:  Patti’s journey was not an easy one. She didn’t find instant fame via reality television or YouTube. They didn’t exist! She toiled for years before anyone knew her name. In her early years there was no proof that she was an artist yet she was driven to create. After a long work day, Patti didn’t sit on the sofa and zone out in front of the tv, she pulled out her materials and worked on her art. 

What is your purpose and how will you change the world? Not the one you tell your parents and friends to   impress them. Your REAL one!  And why do you need an MBA to do it? 

• Commitment:  On many days Patti wondered if she had talent. She did know she was committed and tried her hand at several forms of creative expression. 

Do you have an unwavering belief in yourself and what you’re here to do? Are you committed to spending months (not a weekend) on the MBA admissions process?

• Courage:  It would have been easy for Patti to quit but something inside of her stirred and ultimately raged.  Others who were following her path were not so lucky. Some returned home, other succumbed to the temptations of the streets while the rest simply faded to black. 

Do you have to the courage to ignore the naysayers, often family and friends, who think an MBA is a waste of time and money?

The pursuit of an MBA doesn’t amount to a handful of essays that are dashed off over a weekend.  If you are still learning about the process, hang out as we will delve deeper each week to prepare you to become a strong MBA candidate.

In Part 1 of our Guide to MBA Admissions series, we reviewed the admissions process overview and academic profile.  In Part 2 we discussed the GMAT and the role of work experience. Today we will address MBA application recommendations.

Recommendations of Relevance

Recommendations help the MBA Admissions Committee (Adcom) understand your role in the world from an independent source.  Think strategically about who you choose to be your recommenders because they pay attention. 

Many applicants run into trouble here because they don’t understand who should be chosen for this important task. Ideally you want a supervisor in your current role. This is easier for positions where you are expected to head off to b-school in a few years. If an immediate supervisor will not work as you don’t want to tip your hand about your plans, ask a former supervisor. Other ways to meet the recommender requirement include clients who know your work and mentors who can speak to your work experience. 

Here’s what you should avoid. The Adcom will frown upon recommendations from family members.  If you work in a family-run business, consult clients or suppliers to help you fulfill this requirement. Do not consider VIP recommenders unless they are familiar with your work. And resist the temptation to consult former professors unless they can speak to your career trajectory. Professors are more likely to speak to your past experience instead of your present. Remember, we need to understand who you are today. 

No matter what your recommender says, do not write your recommendation. The Adcom will spot it a mile away. However, I encourage you to coach your recommender so he/she can easily recall your contributions as well as better understand your reasons for pursuing an MBA. This is an important step to ensure a consistent story.

In Part 4 of this series, we’ll discuss MBA admissions essays and how to prepare for the interview.

Geanine Thompson is CEO of MBA Goddess, an MBA admissions consulting firm for over-achieving chicks, gutsy girls and non-traditional, non-business career applicants. For more must-have MBA admissions tips, visit www.MBAGoddess.com    

In Part I of our Guide to MBA Admissions series, we reviewed the admissions process overview and academic profile. Today we’ll move on to a discussion about the infamous GMAT and the role of work experience.

What about the GMAT?

No discussion about business school would be complete without a discussion about the GMAT. *Sigh* In fact, the first question posed by MBA applicants is usually, “How important is the GMAT?” Answer: It’s important but it isn’t the only factor. A good score may keep you in the running but that data point alone will not get you in.

You need to do your best on the GMAT so don’t wing. Learn as much as you can about the exam before sitting for it. There are a variety of ways to do this and there’s a methodology out there that will work for you including: self-study, tutoring and prep classes. No matter which one you choose, build in enough time so your scores will be available when you submit your application.

Incorporate studying for the exam into your admissions timeline so you don’t find yourself juggling a job, the GMAT and an admissions application. You’ll also want to prepare for the possibility that you may want to take the exam again. Note that schools will be looking for a balance between your verbal and quantitative scores. In short, the GMAT is important. Don’t blow it off. Study.

The Role of Work Experience

Work experience is important because it’s an indicator of what you’ve been doing in your professional life. Your work journey will help the Adcom understand what you will contribute to the community as well as your potential. Let’s face it, business schools are in the business of developing leaders and visionaries. They need to know that you have the stuff.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have tons of work experience. It’s temping to define experience as merely your title. What’s more important is what you’ve accomplished and how you have demonstrated leadership. What impact have you made in your world? If you’ve only worked for a few years it may be reflected via your initiatives or outside activities. Be confident that your aptitude for leadership can be shown in a variety of ways.

I suspect you have enough to digest for now. In Part III of this series, we’ll discuss MBA admissions essays and the role of recommendations. 

Geanine Thompson is CEO of MBA Goddess, an MBA admissions consulting firm for over-achieving chicks, gutsy girls and non-traditional, non-business career applicants. For more must-have MBA admissions tips, visit http://www.MBAGoddess.com

This post is long overdue but I think it’s worth the wait. I’ve been out and about talking and listening to MBA admissions officers from around the country. Whether you’re preparing for Rounds 2 or 3 or perhaps still considering whether to apply, you’ll want to read my roadmap of mission-critical strategies to consider as you begin your MBA admissions journey.

What the Heck Do They Want?

I know you’re extremely qualified yet you need to understand how all of the pieces of the MBA admission puzzle fit together to avoid missteps. The MBA Admissions Committee (Adcom) will draw their conclusions about your candidacy based on the following:  Academic Profile, GMAT score, Work Experience, Essays, Recommendations and Interviews. I’ll review each section so you will better understand what the Adcom is looking for and what you can do to take charge of the process and not  only meet but exceed their expectations.

MBA Admission Process Overview

Before you begin to write a word, determine why you want an MBA. That may sound basic but you’d be surprised to learn that many applicants fail to consider their motivation and find that when they voice their desire it sounds uninspiring and trite. If this happens to you, don’t panic. It’s simply time to get quiet and figure out what is driving you to apply. One of the easiest ways to get started is by pulling out a journal or opening a word document and write about YOUR  true desires, not the ones imparted to you by your friends, parents or society. 

The big questions you must ultimately be prepared to answer are: What is my story? What are my goals (short and long-term)? Why an MBA? Why now? Why an X (school name here) MBA?

Academic Profile

Your academic profile is important because it a strong indicator of how you learn. The MBA Adcom needs to be confident that you have the ability to succeed in the classroom.  Contrary to popular belief, they will not look at your overall GPA and give you a pass. They will look at your full transcript including the types of classes, your performance and grade trends. The MBA program requires you to enter with a requisite level of quantitative expertise so know they will be looking at your history with quantitative work. The good news is there isn’t an expectation or penalty for not having a “traditional” b-school major such as engineering, economics or undergraduate business.  MBA Admissions Officers desire and value a diversity of perspective in their programs. You may not realize this, but the role of the MBA student is to teach as well as learn so a variety of experiences sets the stage for a challenging environment.

That’s enough to digest for now. In Part II of this series, we’ll discuss the infamous GMAT, the role of Work Experience and the relevance of Recommendations.

Geanine Thompson is CEO of MBA Goddess, an MBA admissions consulting firm for over-achieving chicks, gutsy girls and non-traditional, non-business career applicants. For more must-have MBA admissions tips, visit www.MBAGoddess.com    

I recently attended the Forte Foundation MBA Fair and had an opportunity to chat with admissions officers and aspiring MBA applicants. Although the room was buzzing with excitement, I also felt something else in the room that I didn’t want to acknowledge. I’ve avoided this topic for couple of weeks but it keeps bubbling up. 

Confusion and fear were running rampant. Women were excited yet also afraid of applying to business school. I get it. And I’m here to tell you to feel the fear and apply anyway. The MBA admissions process brings up a lot of demons because we are being evaluated. Am I smart enough? Did I study enough? Are my GMATs high enough? Am I enough?  

While the applicants were attending a panel discussion, I squirreled away some time to chat with an MBA admissions officer about a woman who had been advised by an admissions consultant that she should not acknowledge being a mom with an infant but to share experiences that spoke more to her masculine traits.Leave that girl stuff behind. What?!?! That’s insane!

You may be saying, it’s easy for you to sit on the other side of the table. Your applicant days are behind  you. You don’t have anything to be afraid of.  Although I’m not applying to b-school, I continue to confront situations that challenge and frighten me.

I’m in the process of radically changing my life. I’m leaving my home in Manhattan to start anew in Durham, NC, home of the Duke’s Fuqua School of Business where I earned my MBA. I have a great life here in NYC. How could I possibly want to leave? I’m the over-achieving chick who’s supposed to long for the frenetic energy of Manhattan. But I’m choosing to trade in my neighborhood park and coveted river view for a porch and a yard. I don’t have family connections or a network of friends waiting for me but I’m taking a leap and doing it anyway. You can, too.

Even if you’re not a traditional applicant with a corporate business background, if destiny calls to you from a b-school application, don’t view it as a cruel fate. Business schools are looking for you. Know that you can do this and succeed. Fear is a normal part of any process where you are being called to up-level your life.

You don’t have to let fear win and paralyze you. Starting now, take action and identify MBA resources. Map out a plan to rock your MBA application and get into the school of your dreams.  Then build your empire and change the world!

Still not convinced, feel free to adopt my motto: “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”  ~ Georgia O’Keefe

There’s been a lot of MBA-bashing lately and I’d like to join the conversation to provide another point of view. If you’re looking to someone else to determine whether an MBA is a worthwhile investment, then you probably shouldn’t pursue this path. People who want an MBA can feel it in their bones and there isn’t anything anyone can say or do to stop them. Their mantra is, “MBA or die!” I know because I’ve been there. I was a long-shot liberal arts applicant whose destiny called from a b-school application.    

My b-school experience was transformative and remains one of the highlights of my life, yet I don’t advise everyone to take the MBA journey. There aren’t any one size fits all answers as each situation is unique. What matters is what you expect to garner from the experience. Start from the beginning and ask, “Why do I want an MBA?”   

Some things to consider:

• Apply and attend with a plan. Two years will fly by quickly. You won’t have the luxury of finding yourself in b-school because you’ll be too busy juggling coursework, extracurricular activities and recruiting events.  Besides, MBA programs are not structured to support this task. If you arrive lost, you will remain lost.
• Start a business with or without an MBA. Getting an MBA does not make you an instant entrepreneur. If you want to create or run a business you can do so right now. No MBA required.  (Sorry, but it’s true.)
• Dream your crazy dream. What’s your secret dream, the awesome idea you’re always thinking about?  Is an MBA required to get you there?

I don’t advocate using the MBA as an escape from your life. If you’re bored at work, unemployed or can’t think of anything better to do, an MBA is not for you. However, if you pursue an MBA program with a concrete understanding of what you will gain as well as how you can contribute, it will be worth the investment.

The Next Generation GMAT is scheduled to arrive in 2012 and will feature a new section on integrated reasoning. Check out this article in Bloomberg Businessweek for the details and a list of test prep companies. 

If b-school is in your future, you’ll want to consider whether you want to take the GMAT now or wait for the new version.