The Post-Ph.D. Job Market (Yikes!)
“Academia is a killing field…” On my first day of graduate school, a fellow Ph.D. student who was a few years ahead of me provided this sobering bit of advice. Though I would eventually get...
Twenty Tips for a Powerful Personal Statement
I used to teach a summer seminar to aspiring MBA, law school, and college students about how to write a powerful personal statement. While transitioning my material to a new laptop, I recently discovered my...
How to Write About Blemishes in Your Personal Statement
At Gurufi, we help applicants of all backgrounds write powerful and compelling personal statements, but if I had to pick our specialty, it would be helping people with blemishes on their record. Maybe you had...
Should You Go to Grad School?
Graduate school can be deeply fulfilling, put you on a path to a career you love, and allow you to study things that you’re passionate about under the mentorship of people who are genuine experts....
Is My Personal Statement Too Long?
When it comes to personal statements, less is often more. Though most schools and programs have set word limits, many do not. This uncapped essay creates a temptation to over-write. This is a trap! Keep...
A Happy Problem! How Do You Choose Between MBA Offers?
When I checked my email this morning, I remembered why this is my favorite time of year! Two of my favorite clients got into their dream schools, and my back-and-forth emails with a client who...
You Can Get Into Your Dream School Despite a Few Blemishes
We all mistakes because we're all human. In my 16 years of working with clients and helping them get into top business schools, one of the most common things I've witnessed is accomplished and smart...
Use the ‘Hemingway Rules’ to Build a Powerful Personal Statement
Writing a powerful personal statement can be a genuine challenge for inexperienced writers. They often pile on unnecessary complexity, use fancier-than-needed words, and try too hard to *dazzle* their reader. Don’t do that. The best...
How to Turn Your Accomplishments Into a Powerful Story
Writing a personal statement is hard! Transforming a lifetime of experiences into 500 or 750 meaningful and impactful words can feel stressful and even impossible. In Part 1 of this two part presentation, I walk...
How to Write About Blemishes, Setbacks, and Failures in Your Personal Statements
After collaborating with hundreds of business school applicants over the past 15 years, one thing that I have learned is that there are many paths to an MBA. Often, these paths are bumpy, circuitous, or...
