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Don't Second Guess Yourself After Submitting Your MBA Applications



Business school applications require A LOT of hard work – after all, it’s not easy to distill who you are and what you aspire to do in a compelling way within a few sheets of paper. Therefore, I am never surprised when candidates begin to revisit their applications again and again after they have already hit the submit button. Often, there is second guessing with respect to what they have chosen to write about or concerns that they may have missed a typo and/or grammatical error.


When this starts to happen, I tell applicants to hit the pause button – it’s important to put things in perspective as I outline below.

You have given your MBA applications your best shot

If you’ve put in a sincere effort towards crafting your story and each aspect of your applications, then you should feel good about what you have submitted, regardless of the outcome. You’ve given your applications your best shot, so there really is no need to second guess yourself! Often times, we are our own worst enemies. My advice after you’ve submitted your applications is to take some time to decompress and engage in the activities that you enjoy in order to recharge your batteries.


Your applications are out of your hands

Once you have submitted your applications, they are literally out of your hands. Business schools and Admissions Committees won’t let you re-submit any materials, so there is truly not much you can do. If it makes you feel better, I have seen candidates receiving invitations to interview and being admitted to the schools of their choice despite a typo and/or grammatical error in their applications (you should definitely proofread your materials before submitting, but if a typo or grammatical error is inadvertently missed, don’t assume all doom and gloom)! Keep in mind that Admissions Committees evaluate the entire candidate – if your candidacy is compelling, Admissions Committees won’t penalize you for a tiny typo or grammatical mistake.


Worrying is an unproductive use of your time

If you’re worrying and second guessing yourself, remember the quote “worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” Don’t get stuck on something that you can’t change. As mentioned earlier, feel proud of what you have submitted; look ahead and stay positive! Focus your time on productive endeavors to help keep your mind off of what you think you could have or should have done differently on your applications.


In short, be confident about what you have set forth in your applications!


About Ivy Groupe:

Ivy Groupe is a boutique MBA admissions consulting company founded by Shaifali Aggarwal, who has been recognized as a top MBA admissions consultant by Business Insider and Poets & Quants. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School and undergraduate degree from Princeton University. Shaifali’s philosophy focuses on authenticity and storytelling to help clients craft compelling and differentiated applications that stand out. With this approach, Shaifali’s clients have gained admission to top-tier MBA programs such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Columbia, Booth, Tuck, and Yale, among others.

Click on the links to learn more about our company and how you can work with us to maximize your chances of gaining admission to the MBA programs of your choice.


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