What to Do When You Hit a Wall in Your MBA Application
Applying for an MBA is a challenging task. At some point, every applicant—yes, every single one—hits a wall during the process. You’re not alone in this; feeling stuck doesn’t mean failing. It’s a shared experience, but how you handle it sets successful applicants apart. In this post, we’ll explore tips for overcoming the hurdles of an MBA application so you can regain control of your B-school journey.
It All Starts With Why
Begin by asking yourself: Why am I stuck? Then, keep asking yourself “why“ until you get to the root of the issue. For example, if you think your career goals essay is boring, you might initially feel it’s because your writing is weak. Perhaps you think your career goals sound superficial or uninteresting.
But by asking why repeatedly, you may realize that the real issue is you’re unsure about your career goals after business school. This uncertainty is legitimate and something many applicants wrestle with. By identifying this underlying issue, you can address it more effectively and move forward with greater clarity.
If you’re stuck on an MBA application essay, ask yourself why to explore the deeper reasons behind your frustration. For instance, you may realize you dislike everything you’ve written about your work experiences. By asking why several times, you might uncover that you’re insecure about your accomplishments not sounding impressive enough.
Ultimately, this could reveal a more profound fear that you don’t measure up to other applicants or are not as intelligent or accomplished as you think you need to be. This feeling of impostor syndrome is a common challenge that many MBA applicants face during the process.
If that happens to you, know that self-reflection is a powerful tool for overcoming obstacles. The more honest you are, the clearer the solution will become.
Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
Be Authentic, Bold, and Vulnerable in Your MBA Application
Above all, resist the urge to play it safe. It’s easy to fall into the trap of writing what you think admissions officers want to hear. Don’t do that. Instead, focus on what matters to you. After 20+ years of experience reviewing applications, we can confidently say that the most successful ones come from applicants who embrace who they are. Be bold, be vulnerable, and be yourself. Your unique qualities are what will make your application stand out.
Listen to B-Schooled Podcast Episode #169: What to Do When You Get Stuck (Part 1)
Remember, perfection doesn’t come with the first draft of your MBA application essay. Embrace the messiness of early drafts, knowing they are part of the process. Write your first essay outline, even if it’s vague or scattered. You can always revise, edit, and polish it. The goal here is to get something on paper that you can build on, not to write a masterpiece on your first try.
Switch It Up. Or Step Away and Recharge
If you’re stuck on one part of the application, switch to something else. Work on your resume, essays, or GMAT prep—the MBA application has plenty of moving parts. Sometimes, changing tasks refreshes your mind, allowing you to return to the tricky part with a clearer perspective.
Should that not work, perhaps you simply need a break. When burnout creeps in, turn off the computer and do something you enjoy. Recharging is essential, whether that means going for a run, watching a movie, or taking a day off. Remember, the MBA application process is a marathon, not a sprint. Rest, come back refreshed, and tackle the task with renewed energy.
Also, consider that the part of your application you hate working on most is likely the area where you can make the most significant improvement. Lean into it. If your GMAT score worries you, take a timed practice test and focus on the areas where you struggle.
If you’re having trouble articulating your career goals, revisit frameworks like our B-Schooled podcast episode on “Career Goal Mad Libs“ to help clarify your thinking. A career Mad Libs might look something like this:
My passion is all about ____. As you can see from my (experience A), (experience B), and (experience C), my ultimate career aspiration is to serve as (dream job title and function) at a group like (dream company or organization), so I can…. Here, you would describe the change you want to make in business or the world.
If you’re starting this process, fill out as many blanks as possible. Push yourself and challenge your thinking. Use the blanks you struggle to fill to indicate the areas you need to explore more. Ultimately, this statement will become the North Star for everything else you do in your application.
Start Over and Reconnect With Your Purpose
Sometimes, the problem isn’t just being stuck—you’re going down the wrong path. If an essay or an approach feels off, don’t be afraid to scrap it and start over. It’s hard to let go of something you’ve spent hours on, but a clean slate is often the only way to get back on track.
Occasionally, the problem isn’t so much the approach—it’s the idea itself. If you’ve been struggling with a particular essay topic, it might not be the best fit for you. Don’t be afraid to pivot to an entirely new direction. Authenticity and resonance with your true self will shine through much more clearly.
When you get bogged down in the details, it’s essential to step back and remember why you’re doing this in the first place. What are your life goals? Do you aspire to lead a company, have financial independence, or create social impact? Reconnecting with your ultimate purpose can reignite your motivation and give you the clarity to push forward.
Realize You Are Lucky to Apply
Finally, remember that the opportunity to apply for an MBA is a privilege. Reflect on how far you’ve come, and think about the generations before you who faced different struggles. This quote sums it up beautifully: “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.“ Whatever your background, you’re carrying forward the hopes and dreams of those who came before you. You’ve done hard things before, and you can do hard things again.
Glennon Doyle once said, “Being human is not hard because you’re doing it wrong. It’s hard because you’re doing it right.“ MBA applications are demanding, but hitting a wall doesn’t mean you’re failing. Often, it means you’re on the right path. So take a deep breath, refocus, and keep going.
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs. From our All-In Partnership to interview prep, essay editing, resume review, and much more, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
