Round 1 – September 16, 2013

Round 2 – January 6, 2014

Round 3 – April 7, 2014

Tell us in your own words who you are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and one of the three options for essay 3.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

- The best examples of Essay 1 reflect the process of self-examination that you have undertaken to write them.

- They give us a vivid and genuine image of who you are—and they also convey how you became the person you are.

- They do not focus merely on what you’ve done or accomplished. Instead, they share with us the values, experiences, and lessons that have shaped your perspectives.

- They are written from the heart and address not only a person, situation, or event, but also how that person, situation, or event has influenced your life.

Essay 2: What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford?

- Use this essay to explain your view of your future, not to repeat accomplishments from your past.

- You should address two distinct topics:

* your career aspirations
* and your rationale for earning your MBA at Stanford, in particular.

- The best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests, explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management, and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program.

Essay 3: Answer one of the three questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.

Option A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.

Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

Essay Length

Your answers for all of the essay questions cannot exceed 1,600 words.

You have your own story to tell, so please allocate the 1,600 words among all of the essays in the way that is most effective for you. We provide some guidelines below as a starting point, but you should feel comfortable to write as much or as little as you like on any essay question, as long as you do not exceed 1,600 words total.

Essay 1: 750 words
Essay 2: 450 words
Essay 3: 400 words

Formatting

- Use a 12-point font, double spaced
- Recommended fonts are Arial, Courier, and Times New Roman
- Indicate which essay question you are answering at the beginning of each essay (this does not count towards the 1,600 word limit).
- Number all pages
- Upload all three essays as one document
- Preview the uploaded document to ensure that the formatting is true to the original
- Save a copy of your essays

Additional Information

If there is any other information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, please include it. Examples of pertinent additional information include:

- Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
- Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of Reference from your current direct supervisor or peer
- Explanation of criminal conviction, criminal charges sustained against you in a juvenile proceeding, and/or court-supervised probation
- Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
- Any other information that you did not have sufficient space to complete in another section of the application (please begin the information in the appropriate section)
- Additional work experience that cannot fit into the space provided
- Additional information about your academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere

Round 1 – October 1, 2013

Round 2 – January 7, 2014

Round 3 – March 27, 2014

Other top schools which have already published their 2014 deadlines include HBS, Stanford, INSEAD, Michigan, Berkeley and Columbia. You can find a list of 2014 deadlines published so far here: http://www.aringo.com/Current_Deadlines.asp

The following are three main strategies for getting admitted to a top MBA program with a low GMAT score. Aringo specializes in helping prospects with low GMAT scores get into their top-choice programs.

Strategy 1: Frame your intellectual abilities with other objective measures
Use your main essays to highlight recent achievements which show your abilities. Examples include: being selected to train colleagues based on your mastery of a subject, obtaining a professional certification in your field, gaining acceptance to a competitive firm, excelling in other exams such as the Bar Exam, MCAT, LSAT or GRE, obtaining merit-based scholarships, receiving academic nominations or awards, IQ score and even high school rank.

Strategy 2: Frame your academic experience as more rigorous than that of your peer group
In your main essays, highlight (in a positive way) hardships or complexities that you experienced in your academic career that set you apart from your peers.
For example: above average extracurricular work, working 20+ hours a week while obtaining your degree, starting a business venture while in school, serving in the military during school or graduating early.
Make sure to highlight these experiences in a positive light, explaining how they helped you grow.

Strategy 3: Take action before submitting your application
There are several options for actions you can take to emphasize your intelligence before submitting your application:
1. Complete and excel in a business-related course, preferably one that requires quantitative skills, at a prestigious institution before applying.
2. Apply to schools which have few applicants with your background or which place less emphasis on GMAT scores.
3. Retake the GMAT, but only if you think you can either improve your score significantly (by 30-40 points), cross over the 700 mark, or achieve a higher test score well before applications are due so you won’t be distracted from the rest of the admissions process.

Watch this video to learn how to get into top MBA programs with a low GMAT score: http://www.aringo.com/low_gmat.htm

Accounting
1- Texas
2- Wharton
3- University of Illinois
4- Chicago Booth
5- Michigan Ross

Entrepreneurship
1- Babson
2- Stanford
3- MIT Sloan
4-5- Harvard, Wharton

Finance
1- Wharton
2- Chicago Booth
3- NYU Stern
4-5- Columbia, Stanford

Information Systems
1- MIT Sloan
2- CMU Tepper
3- Texas
4-5- Arizona Eller, Minnesota Carlson

International Management
1- Thunderbird
2- Wharton
3- South Carolina Moore
4- Michigan Ross
5- NYU Stern

General Management
1- Harvard
2- Stanford
3- Wharton
4- Darden
5- Kellogg

Marketing
1- Kellogg
2- Wharton
3- Stanford
4- Duke Fuqua
5- Harvard

Nonprofit
1- Yale
2- Stanford
3- Harvard
4- Berkeley Haas
5- Kellogg

For more information on these programs and admission tips per school, click here.

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MBA Application Assistance

Here are some post-submission tips from Aringo that can help you complete the application process successfully:

1. Thank your recommenders, who played an important role in your application.
2. Continue researching the MBA programs, especially the ones you have applied for, so you can decide between several offers and select the school where you fit best, or in order to apply for more schools in later rounds if you are rejected.
3. Work on support e-mails.
4. Once you have an interview invitation, you may start your interview preparation. Go over the common interview questions and brush up on your application, essays and resume.
5. If you happen to be in the area (or have the time/money to travel especially for this) – visit the campus. If you are lucky to meet and “click” with an admissions person or an influential student, that could help. In other cases, the visit may not help much. The lower the school is ranked, the more the visit (or any other way of showing commitment to the school) may help.
6. If after the application submission there is a positive development in your career (promotion, new job), in your grades (GMAT, GPA, etc.) or in your activities, you may send the Admission Committee an update letter.

Once you receive a decision letter:

1. Admitted? that’s fantastic! Consider negotiating scholarships (less effective in the top 5 schools, more so in the 5-25 range, and especially if you are really debating between two schools). In your communications with the school, include comments about the importance of the financial consideration is in your decision. You may even very gently ask whether they may be able to offer any help on this. Try finding other methods to finance your studies.
2. Waitlisted? Read our waitlist tips here.

Good luck!

The Aringo Team.

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MBA Application Assistance

Here is the Aringo’s briefing on support e-mails, based on past meetings with admission committee representatives:

1. The support e-mail is written in an informal “internal memo style” to the admission committee or, preferably, to a specific admissions officer that is responsible for your region. It could also be addressed to the head of admissions.

2. The support e-mail is written, among other reasons, because the writer is concerned that the school will have the best student body possible.

3. The support e-mail honestly describes the length and nature of the relationship. The “superlatives” should be in accordance with the nature and length of the acquaintance. The support e-mail should be “gentle” in nature.

4. Support e-mails are usually sent in the few weeks following the application submission date.

5. We recommend up to two supporters per school.

6. Do not feel discouraged if you have no e-mail supporters. Most candidates do not have any. Effective support e-mails could give you a small advantage in the admission process.

7. Extraordinarily strong support e-mails may significantly enhance your candidacy.
Ineffective support e-mails may hinder your candidacy (for example, lukewarm content, e-mails that “smell” from nepotism, e-mails that seem to originate from the candidate rather than from the supporter).

8. Support e-mails must feel and be authentic. Therefore, they should be different for each “supporter” and each candidate.

9. Harvard Business School seems to be exceptional among the b-schools in its approach towards support e-mails this season. HBS will probably be less influenced by such e-mails, at least during this season.

Hope this helps. Much much luck with the process,
The Aringo Team

Free MBA chances calculator (no registration required)

Admission tips and scholarship info per school

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Get an initial assessment

MBA Application Assistance

From Mid-January, there are about 40 deadlines (that are not last rounds deadlines!) for some of the world’s top MBA programs (Top 25 programs, including Columbia, INSEAD, and others). These deadlines are for school start dates in September 2013 or January 2014. The admission chances in these deadlines are similar to second-round chances. Please see these options here:
http://www.aringo.com/LowSeasonDeadlines.htm

For example – non-last round deadlines on Jan-Feb 2013:

January 2013

15 Olin – Babson College 2/3 (1-year program [May intake], 2/4 (2-year program [September intake]) (last deadline for international applicants)

15 Smith – Maryland 3/4

15 Stern – NYU 2/3

15 Marshall – U. of Southern California 2/3

16 Haas – Berkeley U. 3/4

18 Goizueta – Emory U. 3/4

21 IESE 3/6 (Spain)

23 McCombs – Texas-Austin U. 3/4 (Final deadline for all international applications)

30 Johnson – Cornell (2-year program) 3/4

February 2013

1 IMD 1/5 (Switzerland)

1 HEC Paris 7/12 (September 2013 intake) (France)

1 Queen’s U. 3/4 (May 2013 intake) (Canada)

4 U. Wisconsin-Madison 2/5

4 ESADE 18 months program 5/10 (September intake) (Spain)

15 Olin – Babson College 3/4 (2-year program [September intake]) (US citizens only)

15 Olin – Washington 4/5

25 Jones – Rice U. 3/4

25 IESE 4/6 (Spain)

25 Mendoza – Notre Dame U. (2-year program) 4/5 (Final One-Year Program Deadline)

28 LBS 3/4 (England)

28 Broad – Michigan State U. 3/4

Good luck!

The Aringo Team

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Admission tips and scholarship info per school

Plan your application content (free online tool)

Get an initial assessment

MBA Application Assistance

Here are some tips:

1. Take the GMAT again if you think there’s some chance you can improve your grade significantly.

2. Visit the campus and request, in advance, a (second) interview with an admissions officer.

3. Get a couple more support emails from students/professors/alumni. Email them to the admissions office.

4. Write a cover letter to the head of admissions detailing recent, significant, positive developments in your career / life (GMAT improvement, new job, promotion, distinctions) and restating your strong interest in the program.

5. If the school doesn’t object to additional recommendation letters, get an additional recommendation letter. If there was a significant development in your career (new employer, promotion, distinction) – you can get an additional recommendation letter covering this new development.

6. If the school allows additional essays, select a topic that adds information beyond your original application and write a new essay.

Good luck to all those waiting!

Free MBA chances calculator (no registration required)

Admission tips and scholarship info per school

Plan your application content (free online tool)

Get an initial assessment

MBA Application Assistance

Following the initial screening of applicants, most leading business schools invite candidates to the “second stage” of the admissions process – the admission interview. Approximately 30%-50% of applicants are usually invited to interviews. Usually, candidates can choose between on-campus or off-campus interviews. If the interview is conducted on campus, the interviewer may be a member of the admissions committee or a student. Off-campus interviews are usually conducted by alumni.

Dress Code
For on-campus interviews, business attire is recommended and often required. Business attire includes a suit, tie and black dress shoes (thin-soled, with black socks).
Business casual dress usually includes khaki pants, a button-down shirt and black shoes. In the winter, a sweater may be worn over the shirt. Some candidates prefer adding a tie and/or jacket.

Preparation
Good preparation is the key to success at admissions interviews. Discussion groups, students, alumni, books and admissions counselors can all be helpful in learning as much as possible about the school’s methods and approach towards interviews.
Aringo offers a professional interview preparation service, based on systematic collection of questions used in prior interviews, and on interview simulation practice. To start the process, please fill out the information request form.

The admissions committee allows interviewers significant leeway with regard to the style of interview and questions asked. Therefore, learning as much as possible about your interviewer in advance is recommended: what is his/her style? What is his/her background? Which questions has s/he asked in the past? Students, alumni, forums and admissions counselors can provide this information.

We strongly recommend preparing extensively for your interview. In our experience, those candidates who devote tens of hours to preparation are those who do the best on interviews. Preparation should focus on selecting and phrasing your key messages and expressing them orally, under pressure. Conduct as many mock (simulation) interviews as possible: with alumni who have experience interviewing, with friends and family, with professional advisors and with other candidates. Mock interviews will not only provide quality feedback and ideas for improvement, they will also help you feel comfortable and confident in an interview setting and practice your English in case it’s not your native language.

The interview – 8 Basic Tips
1. Obvious but important – be on time! If you are late, apologize.
2. Turn off your cell phone and any other mobile device before the interview.
3. A common mistake is giving long-winded answers to questions. Speak briefly and to the point.
4. Be positive. Try to avoid words such as “no”, “impossible”, “isn’t” etc. Almost any message can also be phrased in a positive manner.
5. Truth wins. The more honest you are, the stronger impression you will make – not only in what you say but in giving an impression of confidence and calm.
6. Strengthen your answers by offering specific examples.
7. Be prepared to answer the three basic questions: Why MBA? Why at our school? Why now?
8. On-campus interviews are sometimes preferable – it depends on your abilities and which school you applied to. Carefully consider the choice of on-campus vs. off-campus interview according to your situation.

After the interview
Send a brief email to your interviewer thanking him/her for devoting the time to your interview.

Your admissions interview will likely be just the first of a long series of interviews that you will have in your years at business school. Regardless of the result of your application, it is recommended to ask your interviewer for feedback after you receive a response from the school regarding your candidacy. Use this feedback to improve your performance on future interviews.

Good luck!

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