A perfect GMAT score is no guarantee at HBS (but it doesn’t hurt).
Why do HBS applicants with perfect GMAT scores occasionally get “dinged”? Which MBA programs offer the best value? What’s drawing business school graduates to Silicon Valley? Keep reading to get the answers to these questions and more.
HBS wants more than a GMAT score
Harvard Business School is one of America’s premier MBA programs, so it’s always interesting to see who does and doesn’t gain admission, especially when the applicant seems like a shoe-in. While many of the school’s candidates have stellar GMAT scores, HBS will “ding” you for other reasons—for example, a poorly written personal statement or an interviewee who can’t coherently explain why they want to attend. Word to the wise: Put together the strongest application possible, paying attention to all the pieces. No doubt a perfect GMAT score will grab their attention, but business schools are looking for the total package. (CNBC)
Down under and to the east
Are you a Catherine Zeta-Jones fan? Or are you fanatical admirer of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy? If so, and if you have an MBA, New Zealand may be calling your name. A just released report from QS Top MBA Jobs and Salaries finds that while no part of the world is hiring more MBAs than North America, no country better pays their MBAs than New Zealand. According to the study, Kiwi MBAs earn an average salary of $145K, with bonuses of $10K, on average. “We’ve always found that the MBA is quite resilient during tougher times for a lot of the world,” says the author of the report. “It’s had it’s problems, of course, but it remains quite tough.” (Poets & Quants)
Silicon Valley calling
The increasingly tech-driven economy is making Silicon Valley an attractive place for today’s MBAs. Google, Facebook, and a number of exciting startups are all located in the Bay Area, as is top-ranked business school Stanford GSB. While startups may seem like unusuals object of MBAs’ affections, considering that they spent so much time and money getting into and succeeding in an elite management program, they have their appeal. “There is no question that the rate of MBA students seeking internships in start-ups is increasing,” explains Ted Zoller, director for the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. As Lara Berkowitz, executive director for the Career Centre at London Business School, says, start-ups offer business school graduates the chance to acquire responsibilities quicker than at larger companies. “It gives you more impact [and] better access to leadership.” (BusinessBecause)
Best-value MBA programs
As you know, business school can be an incredibly valuable experience, but as in all things, there’s a cost. You need to make sure you get what you are paying for. GraduatePrograms.com, an online graduate schools guide, is out with their “Best Values,” list based on interviews with over 13,000 MBA students and alumni about which schools gave them the best bang for the buck. Key question: Were they satisfied with their program and would they make the same decision again. Topping the list are Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and BYU’s Marriott School. (BusinessInsider)
The “optional” essay
Some business schools have what they call an “optional essay” as part of the admissions process—but is it it really optional? Don’t all “serious” applicants actually include it in their application? Harvard Business School recently eliminated its optional essay because every applicant ended up submitting one. Now, it’s mandatory at HBS, but it still begs the question when applying to other schools: “When should you actually submit an optional essay?” One MBA admissions expert has these two pieces of advices: 1) Complete all other pieces of the application before focusing on the optional essay. 2) Write the optional essay only if you have something meaningful to share. This could mean, for example, explaining academic weaknesses or explaining major employment gaps. (U.S. News & World Report)
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