The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

“Deleting prepositional phrases and replacing “is” forms with active verbs energize your prose.” – Darren, Touch MBADarren edits an applicant’s essay using Professor Richard Latham’s Paramedic Method, an editing exercise to reduce your word count and energize your prose. Use the paramedic method to keep your essays action-oriented and concise.The Paramedic MethodCircle the prepositionsCircle the “is” formsFind the actionPut this action in a simple (not compound) active verbStart fast – no slow windupsRead the passage aloud with emphasis and feelingWrite out each sentence on a blank screen or sheet of paper and mark off its basic rhythmic units with a “/”Mark off sentence length with a “/”See examples from the podcast here:https://touchmba.com/paramedic-methodTopicsIntroducing the Paramedic Method (0:00)Example 1: Applying Paramedic Method to Introduction (5:40)Sentence 1 (7:40)Calculating the “Lard Factor” (11:00)Sentence 2 (11:35)Sentence 3 (14:10)Sentence 4 (15:20)Caveat to then Paramedic Method (20:00)Example 2: Applying Paramedic Method to Conclusion (22:45)Show NotesRevising Prose by Richard LanthamThe Paramedic Method: A Lesson in Writing ConciselyTouch MBA Episodes on How to Get & Keep AttentionResources for MBA Applicants⁠⁠Get free school selection help at Touch MBA⁠⁠⁠⁠Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs⁠⁠⁠⁠Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)⁠

Just about every top-ranked MBA program says they evaluate applicants “holistically” i.e. no single factor, whether GMAT score, GPA, work experience or background – can make or break an application. Top MBA programs almost like to brag about high GMAT scorers that didn’t get in to prove this.As a former MBA admissions director, I know “holistic” can be confusing and vague. That’s why I created a 15-point rubric to help you understand where and how you can improve your profile. My view is that top business schools evaluate applicants along 3 dimensions:Academic Aptitude – can you get through an intense, graduate level business program?Work Experience – can the program help you achieve your post-MBA career goals?Ambassadorial Potential – will your classmates, alumni, and professors be excited to have you as part of the tribe? Is the school confident that you’ll represent the program well with employers recruiting and as an alumni?Every school has unique admissions criteria, but I believe they usually fall in one or more of these 3 buckets. For example, showing a track record of leadership – whether at school, work or in the community – would give more evidence of your ambassadorial potential and value-add to the school.So, when you’re evaluating the competitiveness of your application, try using these big 3 buckets. Which ones are full of evidence that you can succeed and thrive? Which ones could use more support?TopicsWhat Does “Holistic” Mean? (0:00)How Can You Make Admissions Director’s Job Easier (5:22)Academic Aptitude (8:40)Employability (10:47)Ambassadorial Potential (14:35)Show NotesDownload Touch MBA’s 15-Point Admissions RubricPresident John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration Speech (1961)Resources for MBA Applicants⁠⁠Get free school selection help at Touch MBA⁠⁠⁠⁠Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs⁠⁠⁠Join our Admissions Edge Course & Community⁠⁠⁠Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)⁠

Capturing your reader's attention is the most important goal of your MBA application. You want the admissions officer to remember you after reading 20 applications that day. The longer you can keep his or her attention (in the right way!), the better your chances are of landing an interview.In this episode, we take the core principles from Oren Klaff's Pitch Anything, and discuss 4 ways you can get and keep attention in your application. The primal "croc brain" that hears a pitch is very different from the logical "neocortex" that designs a pitch. The "croc brain" is intrigued by pleasant novelty, movement, and suspense. Listen on for some very specific ways you can incorporate these elements into your MBA essays and resume.TopicsIntroduction (0:00)Be a Pleasant Novelty (3:35)Use Frames that Make You the Prize (6:47)Always Show Movement (12:08)Have Strong Alternatives (13:30)Show NotesPitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading and Winning the Deal by Oren KlaffGreat Applications for Business School by Paul BodineResources for MBA Applicants⁠⁠⁠Get free school selection help at Touch MBA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Admissions Edge Course & Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)⁠

"So I didn't write this book because I've accomplished something extraordinary. I wrote this book because I've achieved something quite ordinary, which doesn't happen to most kids who grow up like me." - J.D. Vance, Hillbilly ElegyJ.D. Vance's memoir - Hillbilly Elegy, written when he was 31 years old - launched him into the national spotlight and eventually the Vice Presidency of the United States.But in the book's first paragraph, Vance writes "... I'll be the first to admit that I've accomplished nothing great in my life, certainly nothing that would justify a complete stranger paying money to read about it."Yet Vance's memoir became a cultural touchstone to help understand why "hillbillies, rednecks and white trash" voted for Donald Trump in 2016, and later got made into a Netflix movie. His story launched him into national politics. Do you feel like your profile is ordinary for business school? Why not try the "J.D. Vance?" Instead of hunting for bigger achievements, why not share the distance you traveled to get where you are? Why not offer admissions readers more context in which to evaluate your performance?Listen on as Darren breaks down this counterintuitive positioning strategy for your MBA applications.TopicsWhy "Getting to Ordinary" Might Be Your Best Story (0:00)Reading the First Paragraphs of Hillbilly Elegy (2:55)What Obstacles Have You Overcome? (8:55)Uncovering Your Best Obstacle Stories (10:45)Show NotesHillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. VanceHidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam GrantResources for MBA Applicants⁠⁠Get free school selection help at Touch MBA⁠⁠⁠⁠Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs⁠⁠⁠Join our Admissions Edge Course & Community⁠⁠⁠Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)⁠

Almost two years ago, I heard 10-time Moth GrandSLAM winner and novelist Matthew Dicks share his storytelling secrets on the Knowledge Project Podcast with Shane Parrish. Then, I listened to entire the 2-hour podcast again, it was that good! I've now listened to this interview three times!I wanted to share 3 storytelling tips from the episode to help you craft compelling stories for your MBA applications.TopicsIntroduction (0:00)Story is Change over Time (3:00)The Architecture of Story: How to Structure your Stories (12:45)Beginnings: Give Them a Reason to Listen (15:10)How to Maintain Interest: Stakes, Suspense, Surprise (17:00)Summarizing Key Takeaways (22:30)Show NotesThe Knowledge Project Podcast: How to Become a Master Storyteller (and IMPOSSIBLE to Ignore)Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew DicksStories Sell: Storyworthy Strategies to Grow Your Business and Brand by Matthew Dicks#113 Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*tResources for MBA Applicants⁠Get free school selection help at Touch MBA⁠⁠Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs⁠Join our Admissions Edge Course & Community⁠Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)