Advice for women applying for an MBA

I have a message for female applicants. Women this year, aim high. Go for it. Shoot for the moon. We undervalue ourselves all of the time. The most surprising thing I’ve seen doing this work is how men will come to me with very low stats, not much of a professional record and saying ‘I want top-5,’ with a straight face, serious, really believing in themselves. Nothing against that, but why aren’t we doing the same thing? I have women this year alone getting into Wharton, Columbia, and these were schools not even on their list. They were too shy to apply to them in the first place, and they’re now going on scholarship. I see this with even little things like a man getting laid off. Well, the firm was downsizing. Where for a woman, maybe the firm was downsizing, but that’s not the first thing she’s going to say. She’s going to place that blame on herself. This application is not a time for you to undervalue yourself. We do it all the time, and I want you to put that aside, watch your TED talks, do whatever you have to do to feel empowered through this process and shoot for the moon. Any time you have doubt, ask yourself, what would a man do? Go for it.