Megan M.’s Handy Dandy, Completely Unauthorized Guide to a Spectacular Alternative MBA Application

Today I started to work through my Alternative MBA application (you saw all my notes!) and I started thinking: Huh. I bet lots of people would like help with their Alternative MBA applications. Maybe my ideas are good, and maybe they’ll be useful to someone other than me. Hey! It could totally happen. I’d better post a disclaimer, though:

I have absolutely NO idea what criteria Seth uses to review applications, other than the information he’s given freely already. These are my opinions on what would make a remarkable !MBA application, but I could be completely wrong. I suggest that you take my advice with a grain (or a bucket) of salt and go with your gut—it’ll steer you true.

Please let my ideas serve as inspiration for your own, and create your own process (don’t just use mine). If you do everything exactly the way I’m doing it, chances are it won’t work nearly as well. Go with something that really represents your individual flair and personality. I’ll do my best to give vague, variety-encouraging instructions, but I’m going to show you exactly what I’m working on, so keep in mind that you’re YOU (and I’m ME) and we’re both better off that way.

And seriously, guys: I might make mistakes! I am a flawed human being, and I will probably make mistakes. Don’t just take my word for things—look them up yourself and make your own judgment on them. I can botch an application with the best of them (and this one isn’t like most). ;}

Have a little fun, would you? Stick to Seth’s guidelines, but put some happy juice into the process. “Application” can be a stodgy, preconceptions-kinda-word, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. You’re trying to do something amazing—so make your experience amazing right now.

Later or tomorrow (depending on today’s tasklist) I’ll post my first batch of notes in their entirety. I’m sure they’ll be a complete pain to decipher, but I’ll try to explain my process and you can take from it what you will.

So read through Seth’s post and the !MBA lens one more time (or maybe three) and start thinking about the questions he’s asking. What do you want to say about yourself? What really means something to you? And take a few notes—you’ll need ‘em!

PS. As you already may have guessed, I’m using !MBA as shorthand for “Alternative MBA”, or “not MBA”. I think Mike made this up, but someone please correct me if I’m wrong. (Can’t hurt to give him a free link just in case, right?)

Tagged as: Alternative MBA, applications, business, business school, MBA, meganpreneurship, Seth Godin, triiibes