Good morning!
In one of the greatest films ever made, The Shawshank Redemption (spoilers ahead), a wrongfully imprisoned man, Andy Dufresne, spends 19 years in jail and then suddenly⌠disappears. Turns out he had been slowly digging a tunnel in his cell for 19 years. He was hiding the tunnel behind a big poster on the wall.
His friend Red (Morgan Freeman) tells us that Andy could do the unimaginable because he understood the magic of pressure and time.
Here is the exact quote -
I remember thinking it would take a man six hundred years to tunnel through the wall with it. Old Andy did it in less than twenty. Oh, Andy loved geology. I imagine it appealed to his meticulous nature. An ice age here, million years of mountain building there. Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes really, pressure, and time. That, and a big goddamn poster.
Hmmm. So we are going to stretch this metaphor a bit and say that to do something great you need 3 things:
Time
Pressure
A poster (?)
Time is time. We understand that. Pressure is effort. Got it. In the film, the poster is the sleight of hand that is required to conceal the effort. In our context, we can suggest that the poster is the profile - the brands you have worked with along with the impact you have had through your work experience.
Time + Effort + Profile = MBA offers?
In a nutshell? Yes. This is mostly it. Of course there are complexities within each step and nuances of profile and this and that but at its most basic level, these 3 things are the biggest predictors of success- more so than college, GPA, GMAT score etc.
Letâs dive in đ¤ż
Notable upcoming deadlines
MBA Interviews- how to crack them đď¸
The entire last month was interview season. Tensions were running high. A lot of the people we work with feel (understandably) nervous and unsure about this stage of the application process. They are under pressure to âsay the right thingsâ and come across as competent and likeable.Â
While this is natural, interviews arenât anything to be afraid of. Itâs just a way for schools to get a sense of what kind of person you are, and if youâll be a good fit for the cohort. Even if youâre not a natural speaker, or feel like you donât come across well, there are definitive ways to hack the process and improve your outcomes.Â
Ok, letâs get into it.Â
Know what to expect: The biggest tip is to do your due diligence. Figure out the length of the interview, the format, if itâs ad-com led or alumni led, and what kinds of skills theyâre looking for. For instance, Ross has a team-based interview, Yale has a video component, and HBS asks for a post-interview reflection. Itâs best to know what to expect â get on Reddit, reach out to alums and donât hesitate to shoot the ad-com an email if you have any doubts. Removing the element of surprise ensures that you can be prepped and calm now that you know what to expect.Â
Prep, prep, prep: I cannot overstate the importance of taking time to prepare yourself for interviews â both technically and emotionally. This is the single best way to build your confidence and ensure you come off as informative, natural and confident. Questions about why youâre pursuing an MBA degree, what your career goals are, and why youâre interested in this particular school should all be on the tip of your fingers.Â
First, jot your thoughts down on paper. Then practice by yourself, perhaps even using Zoom to record. How do you come across? Ideally, set up a couple of mocks with a friend or colleague, and ask them to give you feedback as well.ÂExpect the Unexpected: Despite all your prep, you could get a question that you didnât anticipate. Maybe youâre asked about an area of weakness, a failure, or why you left a certain position or industry. The key is to respond with honesty and humility. Present yourself in a positive light by focusing on your growth, lessons and ability to reflect. A good tip if you do slip up is to maintain your composure and then ask the interviewer if you can clarify your answer at the end of the interview.Â
Ask your Questions: A curveball at the end of interviews is, âDo you have any questions for us?â If youâre not prepared, this could present an awkward moment. At the very least, youâve missed out on an opportunity to prove to the interviewer that youâre well researched and excited about the school by asking an insightful question. You can consider asking questions specific to the strengths of the school community, or logistical questions about support for partners and families.
Use your advantages: Many schools are still allowing virtual interviews, and this is a huge advantage if you play it well. Youâre at home, comfortable and calm. You can be half-dressed (business on top, pyjamas on the bottom). A big advantage is that you have the opportunity to place things outside your interviewerâs field of vision, such as sticky notes with key words or cues. This can be a great way to feel more confident, even if you donât end up using it.Â
Above all, remember that this is a way for schools to get to know you a little better. Most schools are not looking to trip you up or make you uncomfortable. If youâve got an interview call, know youâve made it further than most already. Itâs your time to shine!
So⌠Who actually gets into a tier 1 program? đŻ
Circling back to our intro formula:
Time + Pressure + Profile = MBA offers
Letâs take an example. Ayushi started working with us earlier this year with a clear goal- get into Europe and UKâs best MBA programs. She didnât have a great GMAT score but her profile was fantastic and she was willing to put in a lot of work into the process over several months.
So what happened? Here is what she had to say about the entire process:
I first heard about Karan and Summit while speaking to alumni from my target schools. By this time, I had already connected with several consultants, and almost every one of them told me to take another attempt at the GMAT, stating that a 700 for an Indian applicant was not ideal for the schools I was targeting. I was contemplating another attempt when I spoke to Karan. After an initial analysis of my profile, Karan was the first person who told me with conviction that my score wouldnât be a hindrance, and we could do it. What I really liked about that initial interaction was that he was super honest in pointing out the shortcomings in my resume and that it would need a lot of work. I can speak from firsthand experience that making the decision to opt for a consultant is very overwhelming and I had spent over a month to take this call, but Karanâs detailed analysis and willingness to understand a holistic view of my profile and not just academics gave me the gut feeling to go ahead with Summit.
I began the process with them having a very vague idea about my long-term goals. The foundational questions helped me introspect and articulate my post-MBA goals. I was a little restrictive about a few schools in the beginning, but Karan helped me see that my goals were not exactly in alignment with the strengths of a few of those schools. With his support, I was not only able to identify the schools that I was aiming for but also the schools that would want me, and knowing this gave me a lot of confidence. Karan and Tanvi were consistently available to guide me whenever confusion arose in this process. They never dismissed my ideas but, at the same time, were very vocal whenever any of my essay responses were weak and could be made better. I think it is crucial to have someone look at your story objectively in this whole process because, as an applicant, it is easy to get attached to your own story that you spend days drafting, and not be able to see the weaknesses. This is where I think Tanviâs support and analysis of each response for all the four schools that I applied to were a game-changer. There were times when she would give me the go-ahead for an application, and after a few days, I would still be under-confident about a particular response. She was always very considerate of my satisfaction and followed up with me on any changes that I wanted to make, even if they were last minute. This really helped me bring my authentic self out in my responses. Her consistent editorial assistance was invaluable throughout my application journey, and I deeply appreciate the accessibility and responsiveness of Karan and Tanvi.
I applied to four schools, all in the EU - HEC Paris, Cambridge Judge, IESE, and ESADE and received offers from all except HEC Paris. I cannot thank Summit enough. Because of their support, I was able to make it to one of my dream schools, IESE Business School, and also received the Forteâ Scholarship!
What are we reading at Base Camp?
The Tao of Charlie Munger - A short, easy to read book about the wisest things Charlie Munger has said over the years.âThere is no better teacher than history in determining the future... There are answers worth billions of dollars in 30$ history book.â
The Netflix Effect - A year ago Netflix was dying. Today itâs stronger than ever. Whatâs going on?
Who controls OpenAI? - The Sam Altman firing scandal is over. Altman is back. There is a new board. But the question remains- who really controls OpenAI?
Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter- Base Camp.
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If you are targeting Tier 1 MBA/Masters programs and need some advice, feel free to schedule a call đ
See you next month!