This episode will motivate you to get going on your Round 1 MBA materials, and will cover what makes the most sense for you to be working on right now before applications are released.

Memorial Day weekend in the United States represents the unofficial kickoff of the 2025-26 business-school application year! What's the number one thing you should be doing right now if you plan to apply?

This replay episode covers 5 MBA applicant pitfalls – as in, traits, attitudes or approaches that some MBA applicants take that can ultimately derail their chances of success.

Have you bounced around in your career a bit? If so, you’ll need to be strategic in how you communicate your career story — and future career goals — to MBA admissions committees. This replay episode discusses what to do if your career moves don’t look exactly logical “on paper.”

We’ll also cover how to write about being laid off or being fired, as well as what to do in your applications if you’ve worked somewhere for less than a year.

After working so hard on your MBA materials for months on end, it can be shocking and devastating if you're not accepted anywhere.

What should you do now?

This episode discusses 5 paths forward for MBA hopefuls who were dinged.

Many interviewers report that they make up a big percentage of their mind about applicants during the first few minutes of an interview. This episode replay shares a number of very specific suggestions and tips to make yourself stand out during these first interactions, now that we're in the thick of Round 2 interview season.

Our host Chandler shares his suggestions for something he calls a “personal MBA soundbite” – including how you can create this soundbite, how you can incorporate it into the beginning of your first question, and how you can use this language to provide a framework for your entire interview.

While each is different, the main goals of a personal MBA soundbite are to:

1. summarize who you are in an interesting/memorable/dynamic/compelling way at the start of your interview,
2. create a framework for the first part of your conversation so that the interviewer understands your life and work experiences in the appropriate context given your future goals, and
3. develop a short *elevator pitch* that can not only be useful as you prep for your interviews… but also in terms of other elements of your admissions journey–from speaking to current students, to alums, to admissions officers, etc.

This episode is perfect for anyone wanting to start off on the right foot for that all-important MBA admission interview.

After you've celebrated the huge achievement of getting into an MBA program, you have to figure out how you're going to pay for it!

This episode replay focuses on the details of paying for your MBA with your own money, with "free" money, or with loaned money. It also includes what the FAFSA is used for and what your program's financial aid office can assist with.

It can be devastating to receive a ding after months of hard work on your MBA applications. This episode replay focuses on what a ding from any given program may or may not mean, and also gives advice on how you might choose to move forward.