In this two-part series we are going to talk about fear.

Fear--and admitting you are afraid--has gotten a bit of a bad rep in our world, especially in the world of MBA applications. However facing your fears fears can offer you a very real opportunity to learn about yourself and dramatically improve your MBA applications.

In this episode our host Chandler unpack three of the most frequent MBA application fears that clients and other applicants have shared with him over the years. We will unpack each of these and examine:

• What these fears might REALLY be telling you about yourself,
• How you can lean into these fears, and
• What you can learn about yourself – and, therefore, make your application stronger – from this process.

Chandler also shares a number of other useful podcasts about related topics that you might want to check out, including:

• Episode 125 – Where we share 5 things applicants are often scared to talk about (and why you really should), including:
  • A low GMAT/GRE score
  • A mistake you made or something you regret (such as a DUI or an honor code violation)
  • The need to *stand out* from the crowd (especially if you come from an overrepresented demographic)
• Episode 126 – Where we continue the discussion and talk about:
  • Failing grades or low GPA
  • Being a candidate that is significantly “older” or “younger” than other applicants
  • A sneaking suspicion that your school selection is way out of reach
• Episodes 137 – Where we talk about five specific ways to combat self-doubt during the MBA admissions process, including:
  • Facing your doubts head on
  • Developing a plan to address each of your doubts
  • Role-playing “worse case” interview questions
  • Clearing your mind
  • Asking yourself, what can I learn from this doubt?
• Episode 138 – Where we talk about five more tips and suggestions for dealing with self-doubt, including:
  • Don’t compare yourself to other people
  • Develop a realistic post-MBA plan
  • Identify a “career path exemplar”
  • Find an MBA mentor
  • Ignore your inner saboteur

NOTE: We apologize for the lesser audio quality of this episode related to a one-time recording complication.

If there’s one question nearly every school asks somewhere in the application process, it’s a version of “What are your short- and long-term career goals?”

Not only is this question essential to nail, but tackling it in the right way can provide a “north star” for your entire application—linking together who you are, what you’ve done, where you want to go, and how an MBA will help you get there.

In this replay, host Chandler Arnold sits down with MBA admissions expert Christina Fu to dive into what works and what doesn’t when thinking about short- and long-term career goals. This episode is especially helpful for those who:

1. Already have a clear idea of their post-MBA goals and want to articulate them in the most powerful way,
2. Are still deciding between two possible career paths, or
3. Have no idea what they want to do after B-school (this group is larger than you’d think, so if this is you, you’re not alone!)

This week our host sits down with Emma from the SBC team. Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. She’s also worked with BCG, Teach For American and so many other amazing groups. Emma and Chandler sit down to talk about a critical—but often overlooked—element of the application process: how to have meaningful interactions with the Admissions Committee during your application and journey.

Emma shares a number of incredible pieces of advice, including:

• Two important things to be sure to do or keep in mind when interacting with the admissions office,
• Two important things to be sure to AVOID during your interactions with the admissions team,
• A great suggestion about keeping a positive attitude during the admissions process, and
• A special behind-the-scenes advice for our listeners based on her time as an admissions officer.