Are you a team leader? Are you committed to sustainable enterprise? Are you seeking resources and intellectual capital needed to shape both business and government? Are you a motivated, goal-oriented, innovative individual? UNC Kenan-Flagler adcoms are interested in seeing your multidimensional personality traits and capabilities. Your challenge: Prove that your goals mesh with the school’s goals and that your talents will contribute to the program’s collaborative nature.

My tips are in blue below.

We have three required essays and two optional essays. The essays for the 2013-2014 application season are:

Essays:

1. What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

Rather than list Strength 1, Strength 2, and Strength 3, I recommend you start with one brief story that illustrates 2-3 of your strengths and shows you as a contributor and doer. Then analyze how those traits have contributed to your career success. Remember to describe your accomplishment in terms of impact and to quantify as much as possible.

Weave into your essay the response to the second questions — a trait that you would like to take advantage of in the future — into your conclusion.

2. Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how: your professional experience has shaped these goals; why this career option appeals to you; and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum)

What do you see yourself doing immediately upon graduation and what would you like to do ten years from now? Describe why this path attracts you. What experiences have convinced you to pursue it? Why do you need an MBA, especially one with UNC’s approach to business education, to proceed down your chosen path. For more tips on writing about post-MBA goals, please see MBA Goals 101.

3. What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

Everyone has a story. What’s yours? What makes you tick? What would you like the admissions committee to know about you — you the human being, the individual? What hobbies and experiences will differentiate you from the IT guy, consultant, real estate developer, or banker that the adcom just read about? How will your perspective contribute to the classroom and community at Kenan-Flagler?

4. (Optional) If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

This is pretty straightforward. Just answer it. You may also want to highlight professional preparation that you have already had in quantitative areas.

Essay Five (Optional)

Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum)

My favorite: The optional essay. A gift allowing you to give the adcom one more reason to admit you.

UNC Kenan-Flagler 2014 Application Deadlines

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Question 1: What are your career goals? As you contemplate applying to MBA programs, the very first step in your self-evaluation process is to consider where you want to be in your career. Ask yourself what you would do if you didn’t need to work for money and what your core values are.

If your career goals are not immediately revealed, ask your friends and family what they see you doing. This process should reveal good ideas and a spark of passion for your career path.

If you are in a field where MBAs are not traditionally required, you may still benefit if your career goals include rising to senior management within your company or starting your own company. As a first step, look around at the people you most admire and want to be like within your target company or industry. Read their bios to see their skill set and educational background.

Talking to people who are pursuing your target career, at any level, is also a great way to understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals.

Question 2: Why do you want an MBA? While an MBA is a great experience, ultimately it’s a tool to advance your professional aims. The degree is highly focused on practical business applications, not intellectual curiosity.

Preferably when you answer the question of your career goals it will be clear why an MBA is the right degree for you. If your career path doesn’t immediately reveal the need for an MBA, yet you know you want one, you may want to delve into your motivations.

Consider your expectations for the degree and critically evaluate whether your hopes match the reality of an MBA program. If you know current MBA students or alumni, sounding them out first is a great way to start your research and make sure you are committed to the MBA application process.

Question 3: Is an MBA the right degree for you? Evaluating your professional goals might reveal that a different type of graduate degree would be useful.

Those interested in finance might also consider a master’s in finance, which typically prepares students more specifically for a career in corporate finance, financial analysis or investment management. That degree may prepare you to be the chief financial officer of a company, but may not be the ideal degree for a general manager or CEO.

If you’re interested in public policy work or managing in the nonprofit sector, you might look into a law degree, a master’s in public policy or master’s in public administration. On top of those options, you could pursue a joint J.D./MBA or a joint M.P.P./MBA or M.P.A./MBA.

While any one of these degrees can help you achieve your goals, you may want to consider the environment of each school, the academic focus, the time you will spend pursuing the degree and what works best for you personally.

Question 4: Are you competitive in the MBA applicant pool? As you think about entering an MBA program, you should be aware of the competitive pool of candidates who apply every year. Evaluate yourself against successful candidates to the schools you are considering.

The easiest first step is to see what the mean GMAT and GPA is for a successful applicant to your target programs.

If your “numbers” are much lower than the mean at your dream schools, you may want to consider taking classes to build an alternative transcript or retaking the GMAT. While no candidate is perfect, minimizing any red flags in your application will ensure that you have a strong chance at admission.

This post originally appeared on Stacy’s “Strictly Business” MBA blog on U.S.News.com
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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

1. What’s done is done.

“Don’t dwell on what you could have done better, how you should have included that alternate essay, second guess other offers you may have rejected, or agonize over getting into ‘the one’,” says Zisis. Keep your eyes on what matters most – choosing a school where you will  have a great experience (even if it wasn’t your first choice) and jump-start your future career, she adds. The goal is to focus on what you want your career and life to look like, not just for the next two years, but for the next ten years and beyond, she says.

2. Take care of business.

“Start thinking about how you will break the news to your employer and what strategies you will employ to do that gracefully,” Zisis counsels. She also recommends applicants begin researching the cities where their top business schools are located, and suggests applicants start putting away funds for those expenses. “Most importantly, analyze what you need to take care of at home before your transition begins,” she advises.

3. Cultivate your network.

“You’ve probably met a lot of people while on this MBA journey and that’s a good thing,” Zisis says. “No matter where you and your new acquaintances end up, this is the start of a network filled with like-minded people. Having access to people you met in the MBA search process will yield great friends, partners to exchange ideas with, or potential business colleagues for your entire career.”

4. Dream on.

“No matter what happens, life will go on – and so should you. Keep doing the things you love to do, whether it’s running on the track or developing mobile apps.  Start planning your summer as you would normally and make sure to allow time for travel, friends and family,” Zisis urges. “After all, preparing for business school is almost like a second job – you deserve a break!”

Time will soon tell whether the future for R3 applicants will include b-school in the fall, or another year in the workforce. The key now is to try to find satisfaction in having managed the application process and all it entails, and focus on the many opportunities to get to know yourself better that this journey has provided.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Forbes contributor Eric Jackson recently posted list of the ten most under-rated reasons why you should get an MBA. Jackson writes that these are things you’re probably not even thinking about if you’re in b-school today, but will mean something several years from now.

I’ll bullet-point it for you here, but click on over to read the entire article if you like where he’s going with these often-glossed-over aspects.

B-School offers…

1. …the chance to stop and reflect on some big business issues.

2. …the chance to make some lifelong friends who will accomplish great things over their careers in business.

3. …the chance to realize how little you understand about the world.

4. …the chance to learn about how to get a bunch of high-strung, Type-A personalities to work together as a team.

5. …the chance to think about the global economy and not just your little world where you used to work.

6. …the chance to interact with Professors who will really challenge you.

7. …the chance to go listen to many accomplished executives when they come to talk at your school.

8. …the chance to refocus yourself.

9. …the chance to learn about managing people.

10. …the chance to learn how to get up and string a few sentences together.  

As you can see, an MBA is so much more than just the knowledge acquired in the classroom. The MBA degree is an investment in yourself, as well as a passport to new opportunities. The relationships you’ll forge and the experiences you’ll have are what will truly make the greatest long-term impact on your life and career.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Could the leaves changing color be any prettier?   Even though it’s not that cool yet in Los Angeles, my sweaters and fireplace are beckoning me.

At this time of year, I always find that I want to hunker down and really focus on my work. Despite the distractions of holiday parties and travel, I love the feeling of productivity.

Congratulations to any of you who have already turned in your applications!  Most of you are still tinkering, which is great. You’re right on track and completely on schedule.

But some of you are stuck.

You’re emailing and tweet’ing one very consistent question: How do you make yourself stand out when, on paper, you don’t sound that different than the rest of the applicant pool?  Like fingerprints, no two applicants are the same.

We greatly undervalue our uniqueness.  We shy away from what makes us stand out.

So how do you know what to include in your essays that will make you seem more interesting and more unique?

Tell your story.

How can you peel back the layers of your life so that a Dean of Admissions, reading hundreds of applications, will feel like he or she got to know you through your writing?

Rapper and music-mogul Jay-Z said it best, “Nobody built like you. You design yourself.”

Just reading that quote makes me feel inspired!

So make sure every word on your application is there to show the reader how you designed yourself.

For more on this and my Three Tips to help you set yourself apart on your business school applications, check out this month’s video.

Until Next Time,

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

The role of the interview varies by program, so if possible, reach out to your network of current or former students at the school for an insider perspective. Most MBA programs will offer the option to interview on campus or with a local alumni volunteer. You should make your decision based on your personal needs, rather than on the basis of how it may look to the admissions committee.

If you have the time and resources to visit the school, you’ll have a great opportunity to meet current students and attend classes. However, if an on-campus interview coincides with a big quarterly meeting at your job, the additional stress would likely make the experience far less beneficial, so it’s probably better to interview with a local volunteer. No matter which option you choose, the admissions committee uses the same metrics to evaluate your performance.

The first step in preparing for your interview is to review your applications. A few weeks have probably passed since you hit the submit button, so you’ll need to return to the MBA applicant mindset by reviewing your overall application strategy. If your interview is “blind”—meaning the interviewer hasn’t seen any of your application materials—this review will help you remember what aspects of your background you want to highlight.

At some MBA programs, such as Harvard Business School, the interviewer will have already reviewed your application and will tailor his or her questions specifically to help the admissions committee learn more about you.

The second step in your interview prep is to review some typical questions. Many candidates post their experiences online in boards, forums, and blog posts.

Once you have a list of likely questions in hand, you can use those questions to practice. Being concise, focused, and enthusiastic is your goal, and knowing what talking points you want and need to share will help. Write out short bullet points to outline what you would say in response to your practice questions.

When I was at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University meeting on-campus recruiters for a summer internship, I learned about an interview technique called the STAR method. I consider it one of the most useful frameworks for effectively answering interview questions.

For those unfamiliar with this technique, STAR stands for situation, task, action, and result. The STAR technique can be applied when asked “situational” questions, such as: “Tell me about a time you failed;” “Tell me about a time you came up with an innovative solution;” “Tell me about a time you managed a difficult project;” and “Tell me about a time you led a team.”

The power of the STAR method is that it allows you to formulate a very complete answer, but it keeps your answer organized and prevents you from rambling on and on—a common occurrence in interviews.

Here’s one example of how you can organize your notes:

Situation: “Product A was losing market share to a new competitor.”

Task: “I needed to create a plan to regain our lost share.”

Action: “I led a team to implement tactics A, B, and C.”

Result: “We regained lost share, plus 10 percent.”

And then you stop.

Often, the interviewer will probe further, asking for very specific details related to your story. You need to be prepared to elaborate, but just start with the basic elements of your story. STAR will help you get there.

Once you know what you need to say, the only thing left to do is to practice. Enlist the help of family and friends, and ask them to provide constructive feedback. After you have undergone several mock interviews, you will feel more relaxed and be able to focus on connecting with your interviewer and demonstrating your enthusiasm for the school.

If time permits, think of a few interesting questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the conversation. Alumni interviewers will enjoy reminiscing about their experiences, and will especially like any questions about clubs or activities they were part of. Current students can provide a great perspective on what they wish they had known, or the most interesting aspect of their MBA experience.

Now that you have done your interview homework, the final step is simply to relax and enjoy the process.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

If you’re one of thousands scrambling to put the finishing details on your application this week, congratulations! You’re almost over a critical hurdle and can soon rightly take at least four or five hours to relax and revel in your accomplishment.

Meanwhile, here are some last-minute tips to help you check off your To Do List or jump-start the next phase of the process: interview prep.

1. Applying in Round One, if you’re ready with your best application, may actually be a safer bet than waiting until Round Two. Sara Neher, assistant dean of MBA admissions at UV Darden, recommends applying in the first round because “Every seat in the class and every scholarship dollar is available in Round 1.” In recent years, says Neher, R2 has become bigger and more competitive.

2. Submit clear, evocative essays that adhere to the stated word limits. Admissions committees want to see focused essays, and holding to the word limit guidance demonstrates you can follow directions. After months of writing drafts, seeking feedback from friends and family, and changing everything about your essays, don’t just “accept all changes” and upload your essay documents. Make sure you have cut and paste your essays into an entirely new document that was not used for drafting.

3. “Don’t underestimate the importance of your resume,” counsels UM Ross School of Business MBA admissions director Soojin Kwon. As we shared in a post on this topic last week, Kwon urges applicants to submit resumes that are clear, concise, and scrubbed of all industry jargon. She likens the resume to a “movie trailer” for your life, so make sure you’re putting the most compelling, demonstrative details forward.

4. Forget all about trying to be the traditional or “ideal” business school applicant. Avoid all attempts to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Simply by allowing your individual personality to shine through, you’ll be able to differentiate yourself from the rest of the applicant pool.

5. If you’re invited to interview at the b-school of your dreams, prep and practice will help ease any interview performance concerns you may have. Start by reviewing your applications. It’s been a few weeks since you submitted, and you will want to return to the MBA applicant mindset by reviewing your overall application strategy.

The second step in your interview process is to review some typical questions, which is fairly easy to do since many candidates post their experiences online. Write out some bullet points to outline what you would say in response to your practice questions. Finally, practice, practice, practice! Enlist the help of family and friends, and ask them to provide constructive feedback.

The most important bit of advice we can offer is to have fun and try not to get too stressed out by the process. While MBA applications are exhausting, time-consuming, and a heck of a lot of work, in the end, it will all be worth it.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

While some candidates may feel deflated after reading her remarks, fearing they might have to switch strategies mid-stream, Leopold’s tips benefit anyone applying to Harvard and other case method-based MBA programs.

Tip #1

“Try to resist the urge to make “standing out” your primary goal in the admissions process. If you have made traditional choices all along (college, extra-curriculars, major field of study, jobs), own it. You’ll look silly if you try to portray yourself as a rogue daredevil. There are plenty of people at HBS who come from traditional backgrounds.”

I would add that excellence comes in many different packages, and sometimes small examples can brilliantly illustrate your distinctive contributions. Avoid any attempt to manufacture a memorable impression and instead focus on relaying with enthusiasm your own unique accomplishments and interests. You’re not being asked to talk about yourself for any other reason than to help a school learn why you made the choices you did. What those choices were is hardly relevant.

Tip #2

“Do your homework about the case method. It’s our signature pedagogy and it is nothing like traditional academia. Watch Inside the Case Method on our website and ask yourself if you find this method of learning intriguing and exciting. If it’s not for you, choose another school now vs. later.”

The Case Method approach is a proven winner because it brings the subject to life, brings business back to reality, and allows you to benefit from the professional experiences of a diverse group of classmates. However, this method may not be for everyone.  Other top programs, such as Chicago Booth School of Business, Kellogg School of Management, Yale School of Management and more rely on a broader mix of teaching methods.

Tip #3

“Stay curious. It’s so easy to stay “heads down” during the application process and become so introspective that you lose sight of the larger world. Keep reading. Keep listening. We’re looking for people who can dig into a case about a company they have never heard of, in an industry they don’t think they care about – and be 100% engaged.”

I like to remind applicants to stay connected to the bigger picture – remember what this process is all about.  Ultimately it is not about submitting a set of essays.  It is not even about getting in to X school.  It is about your future, your career, creating opportunities for yourself.  Tap into all the things in life that inspire you; this will help you to make things happen.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Although some candidates may be tempted to submit a lengthy resume to counterbalance the recently reduced number of essays in the Harvard Business School application, Leopold cautions that a one-page resume is still a good guideline. Also, do not submit anything extra with your application. Period.

Don’t forget to manage the recommender process! Applicants must input their recommenders’ names and contact information before the application deadline, the director stresses, since that’s the only way they will be able to access the recommender form.

We all know business school is expensive, so if you are interested in applying for financial aid, sit tight for now because all need-based financial aid information goes out only to admitted students.

The online scheduler for first-year class visits have opened and the slots are filling up fast, so head on over to set up your appointment to visit a class and learn more about the HBS case method.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Essay 1
Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.

The first thing to ask yourself is what you would want to know about your future classmates as potential teammates and friends? That is the information you should communicate here. If you have worked on your application strategy and thought about your personal branding, this question is just one part of the whole. You will be discussing career goals and other professional aspects of yourself in the next few essays, so this is your opportunity to tell your future classmates something about you as a person. Do you have a unique background you will be able to share with your classmates? What about hobbies and personal accomplishments? Think about this question as the “elevator pitch” to adcomm, and one that should be more personal than professional.

Essay 2
Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? (300 word maximum)

To keep this career goals essay concise and focused think about the high points that will provide the relevant context to your goals. When did you face a turning point or make a big decision about your career? What were some of your proudest accomplishments?

When you describe your goals it will be important that they are both aspirational and credible. Because you are investing in an MBA from Michigan, you will want to show how your career goals warrant the time and money you will spend. A promotion to the next level is not enough of a reason to spend two years at the Michigan MBA program, but perhaps your goal to run the company one day is. Think about the goal that will represent the pinnacle of your career in the next 10-20 years, and then describe any other sub-goals that will help you get there. Ross is an important part of the equation, and some portion of the essay should focus on coursework, clubs and people who may help you achieve your goals while at Ross.

Essay 3
Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What advice would you give to a colleague who was dealing with a similar situation? (500 word maximum)

Behavioral questions like this one are meant to illustrate how you have acted in situations in the past, as a predictor of future behavior. Your answer should be concise but detailed, and clearly lay out both the situation and what you did and thought as you navigated the outcome.

Often a tough experience is an excellent learning opportunity and contributes to your growth and development. Don’t be afraid to admit that you have faced frustration and disappointment, because you are only human. The important part of this story is how you reacted and what you learned. Think about the type of person who will be successful in a Michigan MBA program and as a manager and a leader. What skills do you share with a strong leader, and were any formed during a challenging interpersonal situation like this?

The second part of the question asks what you would advise a colleague in a similar situation, which is just another way to ask you what you learned. Think about the lessons you have taken from this challenge and may have applied since. Perspective and clarity about the frustration or disappointment will demonstrate maturity and self-awareness.

Essay 4
What are you most passionate about and why? How will this passion positively impact Ross (300 word maximum)

Since you have only 300 words to discuss both your passion and how you will bring your passions to Ross, you may want to focus on one aspect of your personal, professional or extracurricular life that really excites you.

If the open ended prompt is intimidating you can try brainstorming over a period of a few days. Ask friends and family what most excites you when you go about your day to day life. Keep a notebook by your bed so you can record your first thoughts upon waking up, or dreams that might help you understand your passions.

Having done your research on Michigan MBA’s academics and resources will help you answer the question about how you will positively impact Ross with your passion. Think about clubs and conferences that are unique to the Michigan MBA and might be in your area of interest. This question seeks to understand your unique value as a member of the community. Can you share your career expertise? Your network? Personal hobbies or skills? Think again about what you would want from a future classmate and apply that filter to your specific passion.

Optional Essay
Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (500 word maximum)

If there are any areas of concern, this is the correct place to address them. Strike an upbeat tone here and avoid excuses. Explain your issue clearly and focus most of the essay on the correction for the issue. For example, if you had a disciplinary issue in college, spend most of the issue demonstrating that you learned from the experience and have been an ideal citizen ever since.

If you do not have a weakness to address here, it’s an ideal opportunity to provide any information that you were unable to work into the other three essays. If you have an unusual background, hobby or extracurricular experience, this may be an opportunity to provide that information to the adcomm.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.