• Monday, December 14, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT Randall Sawyer, Director of Admissions at Cornell’s Johnson School of Business, along with other staff members will answer your questions. Our earlier Cornell Chat was standing room only, so make sure to use this outstanding opportunity to learn about Cornell’s close-knit student life, admission policies and programs. Join us on December 14th!
• Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT, Dawna Clarke, Director of Admissions at Dartmouth Tuck, will participate in an online admissions chat with Accepted.com. Discover Dartmouth’s vibrant, intellectual environment, as well as its exceptionally close-knit community. Learn how the Tuck MBA has been providing a world-class business education since 1900 and how you can be part of this legacy of business excellence.

Mark your calendars and then join us in Accepted’s chat room.

Also, this past week we posted two excellent transcripts from earlier Consortium and London Business School chats.

Here is a taste of the Consortium chat which had representatives from Cornell, Darden, McCombs, Ross, Simon, Stern, and Wisconsin answering questions about their programs as well as Consortium policies (The excerpt is a little longer than usual, but really good):

ES (Dec 1, 2009 7:31:15 PM)
Can I send the Consortium applications with my current score and then retake my GMAT and send the new scores? If the answer is yes, can I do that after Jan 5th or it has to be done before that?

ErinNicklesburgWISCONSIN (Dec 1, 2009 7:32:14 PM)
ES – There are limitations to how far beyond the deadline a school may be willing to accept a new GMAT score. Again, I encourage you to reach out to those individual schools to determine their time-line.

Linda Abraham (Dec 1, 2009 7:49:49 PM)
To the entire panel, what are the most common mistakes you see in MBA essays? In Consortium essays?

ChrisGaetaNYU (Dec 1, 2009 7:51:27 PM)
Hi Linda – A common mistake is a poorly written essay. A good career essay will be specific in terms of short-term goals. The applicant really needs to show that they have done their research and they have a solid and logical reason for attending business school.

TonyGreenROCHESTER (Dec 1, 2009 7:52:17 PM)
Regarding essay mistakes, one mistake is lack of thought and research into a decision for an MBA. This is shown by a lack of connection between prior experience and career goals.

AnnRichardsCORNELL (Dec 1, 2009 7:52:49 PM)
Linda – We are always concerned when we see a sloppy application – misspellings, wrong titles or programs. It’s an indication to us that the candidate doesn’t pay attention to detail – if they display this in their application to us, they may be as careless when recruiters.

Linda Abraham (Dec 1, 2009 7:52:52 PM)
I frequently find that candidates confuse areas of interest with career goals.

TonyGreenROCHESTER (Dec 1, 2009 7:52:59 PM)
Great applicant essays clearly state personal skills, and how an MBA will enhance these skills to obtain future career plans.

JonFullerMICHIGAN (Dec 1, 2009 7:53:22 PM)
Linda, one common mistake I see is that the applicant answers a question that s/he *wishes* the school asked instead of actually thoroughly answering the question that was posed. Make sure you answer the question! One good way to check – give your essays to a friend/family member *without* providing the question. Ask them to tell you what was being asked after they’ve read it. If they get the question completely wrong, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

GettingThere (Dec 1, 2009 7:54:06 PM)
Similarly, what are the most common mistakes you see in the interviews (once you receive feedback)?

Michelle (Dec 1, 2009 7:54:36 PM)
Chris: In terms of being specific in the essays, does it weigh favorably to name the company or organization for which you would like to work? Or should the goal(s) remain broad enough to encompass only an industry or position?

ChrisGaetaNYU (Dec 1, 2009 7:54:47 PM)
Hi Michelle-The more research you can do the better. Industry and specific function are most important. However, if you know some target companies and you want to mention them that is usually a sign that you are on the right track!

JonFullerMICHIGAN (Dec 1, 2009 7:54:51 PM)
GettingThere, make sure you’re prepared and take it very seriously – like you would a job interview. But don’t come across as being cocky or arrogant. You need to show you can play well with others.

KellieSaulsVIRGINIA (Dec 1, 2009 7:54:52 PM)
GT: Interviews where the interviewee asks for feedback on the spot are not okay.

ChrisGaetaNYU (Dec 1, 2009 7:55:14 PM)
Regarding interviews, it is always evident which students have not prepared. Answers should be succinct and on point. A 10 minute answer is usually an interview hazard!

AnnRichardsCORNELL (Dec 1, 2009 7:55:17 PM)
Getting There – I like to see confidence in candidates during the interview, so be prepared and be yourself.

KellieSaulsVIRGINIA (Dec 1, 2009 7:55:20 PM)
Yes, have confidence in yourself.

And last but defintely not least: excerpts from the transcript of Monday’s London Business School chat.

Niranjan (Dec 7, 2009 12:10:30 PM)
Hi Oliver & team, I would like to know about the opportunities for entrepreneurial studies and entrepreneurship at London Business School. Specifically: 1) Networking Opportunities (in terms of industrial networking) 2) Help provided by the school post-MBA in start-up 3) Success stories of past from the school.

ErikWilterdingLONDON (Dec 7, 2009 12:13:57 PM)
Niranjan: In addition to Oli’s response, you also have one core course geared towards entrepreneurship, Discovering Entrepreneurial Opportunities. Although I’m looking to pursue a career in Strategy after LBS, this was one of my favorite courses and was principally about how to identify the needs of a given market

OliverAshbyLONDON (Dec 7, 2009 12:16:08 PM)
Hi Niranjan: Entrepreneurship is an extremely important element of the London Business School experience. We have a Centre for Entrepreneurship, bringing top faculty to School. Our alumni network consists of a huge range of entrepreneurs like Tony Wheeler, the founder of the Lonely Planet, who recently gave a multi-million pound donation to the School for a dedicated Entrepreneurship Chair. The School hosts frequent entrepreneurial competitions on campus including the recent Global Security Challenge for Start-ups in the military arena.

MaryFerreiraLONDON (Dec 7, 2009 12:23:28 PM)
Niranjan: I know that Oliver and Eric have outlined some of our entrepreneurial opportunities which run through student and alumni life from things such as student involvement in the Global Social Venture Competition (London Business School is one of the organisers) through to work carried out by Sussex Place Ventures which helps provide seed capital and access to development finance. We have a helpful link on our website which outlines just some of the entrepreneurial activity across London Business School.

Mihir (Dec 7, 2009 12:27:26 PM)
Hannah: How is the CleanTech activity at LBS – activity clubs, internships & recruitment, etc?

MaryFerreiraLONDON (Dec 7, 2009 12:40:31 PM)
Mihir: In connection to CleanTech, I suggest having a look at some of the activity linked to the student organised Responsible Business Club . There is a great elective that our degree programme students can sign up for too. This is called Sustainability – Implications of Environmental and Demographic Change and will be taught by members of our Strategy and Economics group. In addition, just today I heard from two MBA alumni, one (Ishani), whose start-up business, Arctic Holdings, was featured in the papers this weekend. Another, (Gabrielle Weybrecht) has recently written a book that stemmed out of a project she undertook whilst an MBA student at London Business School. Her book is called “The Sustainable MBA: The Manager’s Guide to Green Business”.

By Linda Abraham, President and Founder of Accepted.com.

• MBA November special ends on Monday November 30. You can save $100 on any order of $2000 or more. Start now to be ready for those January deadlines. (Coupon code MBA100.) But hurry. The coupon code expires on Monday at midnight Eastern Time (GMT -5:00).
• MBA Letters of Recommendation that Rock, November’s featured ebook, is 20% off through November 30. That’s this Monday. It’s back to full price on Tuesday.
• New MBA Interview Reports. Check them out. We have recent interview reports from Harvard, Stanford, and many others. And don’t forget to share your interview experience. Doing so will automatically enroll you in our It’s a 10! contest, making you eligible to win an Amazon gift certificate.
• Consortium Chat. On Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 5:00 PM PT/8:00 PM ET/1:00 AM GMT, Accepted.com will host an online chat for those interested in applying through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Rebecca Dockery, the Consortium’s Recruiting Manager, and representatives of different Consortium schools will be available to answer your questions from application preparation to fellowships and everything in between.
• Stanford video released next week. I was interviewed extensively for this MBA Podcaster TV video on Stanford and the Stanford MBA application. Stay tuned.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com.

• UCLA Anderson. Tomorrow, Monday, November 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT, Mae Jennifer Shores, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions & Financial Aid, as well as other members of the UCLA Anderson community will participate in an Anderson admissions chat at Accepted.com. Bring your questions and get answers.
• Consortium. On Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 11:00 AM PT/2:00 PM ET/7:00 PM GMT, Accepted.com will host an online chat for those interested in applying through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Rebecca Dockery, the Consortium’s Recruiting Manager, and current members of the Consortium will be available to answer your questions

Please set your alarms and join us in the Accepted chat room.

• November Special: Save $100 on orders over $2000 with code MBA100.
• MBA Letters of Recommendation that Rock is our featured ebook this month and 20% off. Check it out. Learn how to help your recommenders to help you.
• MBA Interview Feedback Database: Prepare for your critical MBA interview and then share your experience after you interview. Plus, providing an interview report will automatically enroll you in Accepted’s It’s a 10! contest.
• FREE MBA Interview Prep Mini Course. Enroll as soon as you get the interview invitation.
• November Telethon: Save November 23, 2009. We will host our last telethon of 2009. Details to follow.
• London Business School Masters in Management Chat. Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT. Please join Jamie Wright, Masters in Management Client Services Manager, and two students in the program who will be available to answer your questions. Are you a recent college graduate with less than one year of work experience and ready to embark on a management-oriented career? If so, join us on Wednesday to find out more about London Business School’s Masters in Management program.
• Review the Kellogg Chat Transcript. We just posted the transcript from last week’s chat with Kellogg’s Assistant Dean and Admissions Director, Beth Flye, and two current Kellogg MBA students.. A few excerpts:

GoMBA (Nov 5, 2009 12:02:48 PM)
Jenny: I would like to know about prospects for entrepreneurs at Kellogg. I am an entrepreneur and want to do an MBA.

JennyRowlandKELLOGG (Nov 5, 2009 12:03:25 PM)
GoMBA-Kellogg has a great entrepreneurship & innovation program that continues to get more and more robust every year (from my understanding!). The “core” entrepreneurship class allows students to create real business plans and go to market strategies — many of these business ideas have gone on to win case competitions and to be tried out in the real world. The entrepreneurship program is also currently offering a two day boot camp/crash course for students interested in the basics in business plan writing, funding, pitching, and tec.

Patty (Nov 5, 2009 12:04:20 PM)
Beth: I know that Kellogg has announced that it will start to release decisions as they get made. Does that apply to all 3 outcomes (admit/waitlist/deny)?

BethFlyeKELLOGG (Nov 5, 2009 12:05:30 PM)
Hi Patty, and thanks for your question. We will release a batch of admit decisions first and then we will continue with all 3 decisions through out the deadline period.

GoMBA (Nov 5, 2009 12:17:11 PM)
Beth – So does it happen that a great application is denied because the interview doesn’t go exceptionally well?

BethFlyeKELLOGG (Nov 5, 2009 12:17:36 PM)
Hi GoMBA. That is good question. It is possible that could be the outcome if there were major concerns as a result of the interview. Again, it really depends on all of the criteria together.

GoMBA (Nov 5, 2009 12:27:38 PM)
Beth – Could you please elaborate on ‘major concerns’ during the interview.

BethFlyeKELLOGG (Nov 5, 2009 12:34:23 PM)
GoMBA, for me, an example of a major concern from an interview would be the impression that the candidate does not have a clear case for why he/she wants an MBA.

The chat will take place in the Accepted chat room.

During Accepted’s most recent MBA admissions chat, we hosted a busy event with the Consortium. Here are a few excerpts from the transcript.

Linda Abraham (Oct 20, 2009 7:05:14 PM)
To all the school reps, does the applicant ranking influence the evaluation of the application?

WendyHuberUVA (Oct 20, 2009 7:06:22 PM)
Linda, applicants should apply as if the schools do not see the ranking. Rankings are only looked at when we are deciding fellowships, they are not used in the admission decision.

JacquelynnDayROCHESTER (Oct 20, 2009 7:09:08 PM)
Linda: While we do consider an individual’s rankings, we look at the application as a whole, therefore we encourage students to focus on submitting an overall competitive application

RTorres (Oct 20, 2009 7:05:50 PM)
What happens with applicants that apply to the Consortium and to the specific MBA programs at schools when they are not accepted into the fellowship? How are their MBA applications handled? Are they still considered by the schools?

ErinNicklesburgWISCONSIN (Oct 20, 2009 7:07:59 PM)
RTorres: Each applicant is evaluated independently by each school in terms of both admission and Fellowship decision. An offer of admission does not indicate a guaranteed Fellowship offer, as they are separate. The admission offer will stand regardless of the Fellowship offer. If a Fellowship offer is not given, the applicant will go into the general merit-based aid pool.

AmyPR (Oct 20, 2009 7:12:34 PM)
What is the difference between the November application date and the January application date? Do chances of acceptance increase one date vs. the other?

LaurieShunneyCORNELL (Oct 20, 2009 7:15:21 PM)
AmyPR- Competitiveness for admission and scholarship may increase in later rounds. In general, we recommend submitting the strongest application possible. If you are prepared to apply during the November round, it may help.

By Linda Abraham, founder and president of Accepted.com.

• Cornell Chatter, an Accepted.com online Q&A session, on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT when Randall Sawyer, Director of Admissions, along with other staff members will answer your important questions. Use this outstanding opportunity to ask questions about Cornell’s close-knit student life, admission policies, and programs. Join us on October 12th!
• NYU Stern Admissions Directors’ Online Chat On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM GMT, Stern’s impressive adcom team, including Anika Pratt, Assistant Dean, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid; Isser Gallogly, Executive Director, MBA Admissions; and Paula Goldfarb, Senior Director, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid will be available to answer your questions. From NYU’s flexible core curriculum, to its exclusive NYC connections, this is your opportunity to find out everything you wanted to know about the NYU Stern MBA.

Both chats will take place in Accepted’s chat room.

We also posted last week’s Columbia Admissions Q&A with Linda Meehan, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Columbia Business School. Here is an excerpt:

jonathan (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:16 PM)
Is there any chance Columbia will have a no co-signer loan program for Fall 2010? And is this affecting the volume of non-U.S. applicants?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:56 PM)
Columbia continues to explore opportunities for an international non-cosigned loan. Our applications last year increased 15% overall, with an increase both domestically and internationally. Columbia Business School continues to be among the top most international schools, both in terms of its educational offerings and its international diversity. No, this is not affecting the volume of non-U.S applicants. Given that our acceptance rate is exceptionally low, making it one of the most selective schools in the world, we are unable to admit everyone whom we’d like to welcome to our program.

GS (Oct 1, 2009 12:26:02 PM)
Linda: If you are switching careers, then how do you convince the admission committee that you are a strong candidate for MBA? Since you have no relevant experience, and your current field is no where near the business field. What exactly does the Columbia admission committee look for in an application?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:27:47 PM)
GS, most students will probably switch careers. In the evaluation process, we are evaluating how well you know yourself and how your skills and talents will apply to your future goals. Also, we look to determine how Columbia Business School will help you to achieve them. We are evaluating how well you know yourself and how realistic you are about what may be achievable. Also, your job is not to ‘convince’ us, your job is to ‘inform’ us.

If you are interested in Columbia, take a few minutes to review the transcript.

We also have posted the transcript from the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Q&A with Brian Lohr, Director of MBA Admissions, and other members of the Notre Dame staff:

Ghouse (Sep 24, 2009 12:09:30 PM)
John: Hello – I am looking to specialize in Entrepreneurship and VC. What prospects or career lines do student, with these concentrations, get into after graduations? Do you know off-hand any companies that visited campus looking for these concentrations?

JohnRooneyNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:13:34 PM)
Ghouse – Entrepreneurship students go into three main areas: 1)Companies that value entrepreneurship (P&G, J&J, IBM are a few that come to campus. 2) They start their own ventures/businesses. 3) They work with start-ups (this is the smallest segment since start-ups look for more functional support vs. MBA graduates. The Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship is the center of this activity and the recently opened ND Innovation Park is an area of growth–be sure to check out the Gigot Center and ND Innovation Park on the web.

phoenix27 (Sep 24, 2009 12:15:48 PM)
Brian: Has your school had an increase in applications or decrease of applications since the recession?

BrianLohrNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:16:31 PM)
Phoenix, we had a 33% increase in our domestic applications last year.

You can review the full Notre Dame Mendoza Q&A transcript by clicking on the link.

A few items to keep in mind:

• Columbia’s Linda Meehan, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid for Columbia’s MBA program, will be available to answer your questions tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 1 at 10AM PT/1PM ET/5PM GMT during our Columbia MBA admissions chat.  She will be joined by Nandeeta Seth, a current CBS MBA student. The chat will take place in Accepted’s chat room. I invite you to join us, share your questions, and benefit from our guests’ answers.
  
• Columbia’s Early Decision Deadline is one of those that’s fast approaching. It is Wednesday October 7. Please, before you submit, review the tips I posted last week .
• The MBA Interview Feedback Database has interview feedback from recent Columbia MBA admissions interviews including 2010 ED applicants. If you want to prepare for your interview, check out this resource. Then please share your interview experience so the database can continue to grow.

• Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Chat: Join Accepted.com for a chance to get insights into Notre Dame’s dynamic MBA program, on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT. Brian Lohr, Notre Dame’s Director of Admissions and other members of the Notre Dame community, will participate in this chat devoted to Notre Dame’s program, admissions policies and student life. The chat will take place in the Accepted chat room.
• Chat transcript from the London Business School Chat. Here’s an excerpt:
  

Aspirant (Sep 16, 2009 12:06:25 PM)
Phillipa, the LBS website mentions that the program is targeted at people who are at a relatively early stage in their career. Can you please elaborate on this? What would typically be viewed as “early”?

PhillipaHainLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:09:00 PM)
Hi Aspirant, typically MBA students have between 2-14 years work experience and on average 5.6 years. By early, we mean that students will typically be in their first leadership role or looking to move onto a leadership role post MBA. But we do offer programs which are tailored to business professionals who are already in those leadership roles.

vivek (Sep 16, 2009 12:26:54 PM)
Vlad: Can you please elaborate on how LBS helps students who are interested in Entrepreneurship?

DavidMorrisLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:27:32 PM)
Vivek: The school has a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and very strong faculty working in this area. From a career services perspective, we work with a lot of entrepreneurship companies and the VCs behind them. Our faculty also runs a summer entrepreneurship school assisting students who are looking to launch or develop their own enterprise. We also have a very strong entrepreneurship club who run a range of events from their annual conference through to networking sessions.

Linda Abraham (Sep 16, 2009 12:31:04 PM)
David, Louise, and Hannah: Does Career Services play a role in application evaluation? If yes, what is it?

LouiseWeirLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:33:57 PM) Hi
Linda – Career Services is indeed involved as early as the application process and we work closely with the program office throughout the student’s time at the School – members of our team sit on the application committee to ensure that student career aspirations are appropriate to the support that we offer, ultimately enabling us to offer a fantastic service to the new class of students.

• GMAC releases a report on MBA application volume trends.The report showed that 66% of full-time MBA programs reported an increase in applications for the class entering in 2009, compared to 77% in 2008. One-year full-time MBA programs had the sharpest application growth of any MBA program type in the survey, with 69 percent reporting an increase in 2009 and 70% in 2008. In contrast EMBA programs suffered a drop in MBA application volume: Only 37% reported in an increase in application volume in 2009 as opposed to 60% in 2008.
• “Steering a New Course” (The Economist). The Economist presents a thoughtful article on the counter balancing forces pressing on business schools to modify their curricula in light of the credit melt-down last year. On one hand, there are definitely lessons to be learned. On the other, they don’t want to make changes they will regret in calmer times. Having observed the silliness that accompanied the dot-com boom in the late-90’s and some other academic fads in my years as an admissions consultant, I think a little caution is in order.
• WSJ Rankings of “Accelerated” MBA Programs. More important than the rankings is the discussion of the pros and cons of the different less-than-fifteen-month programs. I also recommend ” Schools Expand ‘Pre-Experience’ Offerings” if you are a college senior who wants to study business.
• MBA Interview Feedback Database. We have started receiving reports from 2009 MBA interviews, including Columbia. When you want to prepare for your MBA interviews, please check them out. Also, get tips for preparing for you interviews with the FREE MBA Interview Prep Mini Course .
• MBA Expectations and Realities. On the AIGAC blog Maxx Duffy explores the gaps and intersections between applicant expectations and b-school realities.

My comments are in red.

The Admissions Committee will consider carefully your answers to the following questions.  Please complete all of the essay questions beginning your answer below each question and giving word counts for each answer.  Once complete, please attach this document to your online application following the instructions given on the web form.

Question 1 (600 words)
In what role do you see yourself working immediately after graduation?  Why?  How will your past and present experiences help you achieve this?  How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal? Why is this the right time for you to pursue an MBA?

This is a classic goals question with the focus on your short-term goals — what you want to do immediately after you receive your MBA. How did you develop this goal? Why does it appeal to you? How did your experiences shape your goal and how do they reveal the appropriateness of your goal. (If you are a couch-potato or klutz, don’t say you want to be a professional athlete–which wouldn’t be a match for b-school anyway.)  Finally, how will LBS help you achieve your goal?

Question 2 (200 words)
Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?

Here come the long-term goals. London Business School splits the goals question in two. That doesn’t mean the short-term and long-term goals are unrelated. Far from it. Although a separate short question, your long-term goals should flow naturally from your short-term goals and previous experiences, including your hoped-for stint at London Business School.

Question 3 (500 words)
Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life.  Include any specific challenges you have faced. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your first year study group?

First of all learn about the role of student life at LBS, in particular the role of study groups. Also, reflect on your experience in teams. If you have been involved in teams outside of work and your other essays focused on work, then this essay presents an opportunity to discuss another facet of your life. Have you been able to both lead and occasionally take a back seat when others with skills or qualifications you lack are better prepared to lead your team? After thinking about your team experience and the role of study groups at LBS show how your past experience will help you contribute to your study group.

Question 4 (400 words)
Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community event s will you be involved with and why? How will you contribute?

Again, you need to research student life at LBS before you can answer this question. The best answers will directly respond to all elements in the question by showing that you have been involved in similar college, community, or professional organizations in the past. And you will be able to illustrate your abilities to contribute at LBS by discussing your earlier contributions.

Question 5 (150 words)
Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country. What did you gain from these?

This question reflects the importance of international and cross-cultural experiences for London Business School. Note the tiny word limit here. Short and sweet. What were the most 1-2 significant experiences you have had outside your home country and what did you learn from them.

Question 6 (300 words) (This question is optional)
Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

Please see “The Optional Question: To Be or Not to Be “

Question 7 (300 words)(This question is for re-applicants only)
How has your candidacy for the London Business School MBA improved since your last application?

This is THE key question for all reapplicants. London just asks it explicitly. Please see:

• Application Advice for MBA Reapplicants
• Create a Better Sequel: How to Reapply Right to Business School
• Take 2: MBA Reapplicant Webinar

Question 8
Please provide a CV/Resume. This CV must only be one page in length. If you have any significant gaps in your employment history, please tell us why on a separate sheet.

Go beyond mere job description to highlight achievement. If your title is “consultant.” Saying that you “consulted on projects” is uninformative at best. If you are a financial analyst boasting that you did financial analysis states the obvious. Writing that you “Led a 6-member team working on a biotech outsourcing project to Slovakia with a budget of $X. It came in on time and under budget” conveys infinitely more.

If you would like help with your London Business School MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or an LBS Comprehensive Package, which offers soup-to-nuts advising and editing for the LBS MBA application.

Reminder- Don’t miss out on our upcoming London Business School Chat this Wednesday- September 16th! London’s put together an impressive team to answer your question- so mark the date and bring all your outstanding London Business School questions!

London Business School 2010 MBA Deadlines

We operate a four stage admissions process. This means that places are awarded at the end of each of the stages. You can apply for the MBA beginning August 2010 at any time between now and 21 April 2010. We encourage candidates to apply as early as possible.

The admission dates for the MBA beginning August 2010 are as follows. All application deadlines are 17.00 UK time. Stage One references may be submitted up to one week after the 07 October application deadline: by 17.00 on 14 October 2009.

On deck: London Business School on September 16.

Turning to chats past, we already posted the transcript form last week’s Yale School of Management chat with:

• Bruce Delmonico, Director of Admissions
• Michelle Vitali, Associate Director of Admissions

It was a very informative chat and will teach you a lot about Yale’s MBA program, but you can judge for yourself. Here is an excerpt:

Tconigl1 (Sep 2, 2009 12:10:27 PM)
Do members of your career services sit on the admissions committee?

MichelleVitaliYALE (Sep 2, 2009 12:11:35 PM)
Tconigl1, we do have career services folks who sit on the admissions policy committee.

MichelleVitaliYALE (Sep 2, 2009 12:18:25 PM)
This year about 4% of our class is from Europe, although we would love to increase that number. About 5-7% of our students pursue international jobs post MBA, but that number will likely increase. We just hired a relationship manager in the career development office who is focused on international positions.

aspirant (Sep 2, 2009 12:18:35 PM)
Michelle: How will you convert the average grade 7.0 (out of 10) to the GPA? Is it equivalent to 3.0? Do you have minimum requirement for the GPA?

MichelleVitaliYALE (Sep 2, 2009 12:19:29 PM)
Aspirant, You don’t need to convert your GPA. Just enter it into the application as 7/10.

Linda Abraham (Sep 2, 2009 12:19:54 PM)
Bruce, are you looking at the raw GRE score or the percentile? If the latter, what would you like to see, while acknowledging that the score is just one element in the application and is not viewed in a vacuum?

BruceDelMonicoYALE (Sep 2, 2009 12:22:06 PM)
Linda, the same raw score on each test may indicate something different. We look more at the percentile to get a sense of the applicant than the raw score. One advantage of the GRE (other than it’s cheaper) is that it’s more widely used across graduate programs so it has broader applicability. Conversely, it doesn’t have universally acceptance among business schools, so that’s a drawback. And certainly for applicants who have taken the GRE, we want to make sure they’re serious about business school and aren’t just throwing their hat in the ring lightly.

For more great insight into the Yale MBA Admissions process, please click on the link.