Expartus
the best business schools’
admission secrets
By Chioma Isiadinso, M.Ed.
Many applicants believe that they have to have near perfect profiles to gain admission to top business schools. The reality is far from this!
There are many successful MBA applicants who have gaps and obstacles standing between them and their admissions ambitions, whether it is:
- Lower than average GMAT or GRE scores
- Mediocre grades in College
- Work experience that lacks leadership
- Gaps in employment
- And much more…
Yet despite these challenges these applicants have applied and managed to secure admissions into a top MBA program.
What do successful MBA applicants know that you need to know? They have figured out the admissions secrets of leading business schools—secrets uncovered in The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets.
This book lays out how admissions decisions are made.
- You learn the secret weapon of successful candidates—personal branding
- How admissions boards evaluate candidates
- Step by step guide to writing winning essays, choosing the right recommenders, and acing the admissions interview
- As well as key admissions decisions that candidates make and how to avoid them
★★★★★ “A must read before you submit your MBA application”
I reluctantly read this book at the urging of a friend and I am glad that I did. This book provides excellent insight to the admission process and covers everything from writing memorable essays, to how to select the right person to write your recommendation letter, to navigating the interview process. I hired Expartus, the author’s admission consulting company, for additional help and was pleased. I highly recommend that this book be read and the tools applied before submitting an MBA admission packet. Anonymous MBA Seeker
★★★★★ “Must-Have Book for Bschool Applications!!”
I have “The Best Business Schools Admissions Secrets” and successfully used its concepts religiously through the application process last year.
The book’s author Chioma helps one really identify and define one’s ‘brand’ so that there is a consistent thread throughout one’s application. The author helps you craft a great application from stories made up of choices you’ve made, extracurriculars you’ve taken a critical role in, relationships you build, to interesting situations you’ve experienced. She debunks myths and provides insight into the mysterious admissions office and what they are looking for (helping applicants identify strong personal stories of impact vs. stories that are unimpressive). Additionally, Chioma covers all aspects important to the process including resume, interviews, and recommenders which are crucial to supporting your candidacy.
I got into 3 out of 4 of the schools I applied to and will be attending HBS next year. Thus, I highly recommend the book! T. Shih
★★★★★ “One of the best if not the best MBA admissions book”
Wow, this book is one of the best business school admissions book I’ve ever read. And I’ve read many including Montauk, Bodine, Cordon, etc.I will put it at the same level as Montauk’s book if not better. The author goes straight to the point and doesn’t bore you with unnecessary info. I love her idea of asking the prospective applicant to think about personal branding during the entire admissions process…I would recommend any Bschool applicant to at least go through the book before making his or her pitch to the admissions boards. M.L. Dabo
★★★★★ “A MUST READ!”
I think everyone who is seriously aspiring to apply to business school should read it. It is really insightful and helps a lot when preparing your application. It is worth every dime! Luboego
★★★★★ “Essential book”
I purchased this book to prepare for the interview and was amazed at how thorough it was! Of course, I wished I had purchased it before I submitted my application! Even though the essays have changed at Harvard, Chioma’s advice is still relevant and excellent. Her experience on the Harvard Business School Admissions Board is invaluable, and really provides great insight into the entire process. The book is intelligent and easy to read, with examples and stories of successes/failures. Definitely a great purchase.
*Follow up* I also called Chioma to ask her a question, and she called me back the same afternoon, from another country! She was extremely knowledgeable and friendly : A+ thanks! Dave, D.
Chioma is passionate about the impact of personal branding on the admissions process because she has seen first-hand how more compelling an application is when it tells the story of an applicant, when it engages the board member in such a way that he/she is excited about getting to know the candidate. She knows all of this because she has over 15 years of admissions experience, including previously serving on Harvard Business School’s admissions board and also as a former admissions director at Carnegie Mellon University School of Public Policy and Management.
Today, she is the CEO of EXPARTUS, an top business school admissions consulting and personal branding company with clients from over 40 countries.
In addition to her leadership responsibilities at EXPARTUS, she is an international speaker on the subject of education and admissions and has presented to organizations like the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), JP Morgan, and Bank of America. As well as being the author of The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets, she provides interviews to the Financial Times, the New York Times, CSNBC, and BusinessWeek.com.