Brooke knows exactly what a compelling MBA profile looks like:
As a former Associate Director of Admissions for the Berkeley Haas Full-Time MBA Program, then as an MBA tech recruiter for Apple and LinkedIn, Brooke screened thousands of MBA applications, evaluating their profiles and matching the right applicant to the right opportunity.
Now, as an MBA admissions coach, she draws on this expertise to “approach things from the other direction”: she’ll help you zero-in on your strengths, craft a persuasive argument for your candidacy, and showcase your potential in a way that makes you stand out among other applicants.
During her three-year tenure on the AdCom at Berkeley Haas, Brooke read some 3,000 applications, carefully considering how each student might fit into the incoming class.
And while many applicants think of AdCom members as “gatekeepers”, Brooke says she felt more like an advocate than a critic.
“My job was to look for profiles that matched the program’s values and culture, and then I’d take these profiles and present them at committee meetings. These meetings were my favorite part of working at Haas—I felt like a lawyer for each student, giving evidence that they would thrive in our community. That’s where my love of coaching comes from: a desire to fight for applicants I believe in.”
That’s also why Brooke places the reader—or the AdCom member—above all else in her approach to application strategy.
“When we’re done with your application, we’ll have a document that helps forge a genuine connection with the Admissions Committee reader reviewing your file. I want your application to be so compelling that it gets passed around to other committee members. I want them to say ‘You’ve got to read this essay!’”
After her time at Haas, Brooke began recruiting for Apple and LinkedIn, where she specialized in hiring recent MBA graduates.
Specifically, Brooke was the MBA intern hiring lead at LinkedIn, where she helped to fill a small number of coveted internship slots. Brooke continued the work at Apple, where she helped hiring managers fill internship positions across an array of Apple’s business units, including their Internet Software and Services to Ad Platforms.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional in the tech world or you’re looking to break into the field, Brooke can help you gain a realistic understanding of your future in the industry, especially during and post-MBA.
“Top tech companies are looking for stellar MBA talent at the intern and post-MBA level. It can be extremely competitive to land a post-MBA position at a top tech company, but there are definitely strategies that you can use to position yourself profitably…even if you don’t yet have tech in your background.”
Brooke understands that many applicants have concerns about weaknesses in their backgrounds, or about facts that might be perceived as weaknesses.
“But you should know, as a previous Admissions Committee member, some of the best applications I ever read were from someone with a ‘weakness.’ Remember that the people who read your application are real people, not robots (for now) who also have shortcomings, whether through our own school experiences or our careers. Furthermore, no profile is perfect, and writing an MBA application is always a matter of finding the right balance between pride in your accomplishments and honesty in your self-reflection.”
With Brooke’s guidance, no dimension of your story is too difficult to overcome—she’ll help you determine whether a “weakness” needs to be addressed, and by the end of the process, she’ll help you present a comprehensive application that tells your story in a way that no one else could.
Jarrett Brandon Early, M.B.A. 
