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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Cornell Johnson: A Visit |
Sage Hall at the Johnson School I recently had the opportunity to visit the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University. A few elements in my visit really stand out, and I want to share them with you. Class visit I attended a Managing and Leading in Organizations class taught by Dr. Kathleen O’Connor. She led with wit and humor a lively case discussion on Lincoln Electric. The high level of engagement impressed me. I sat at the back of a theater style classroom so I had a great vantage point. No one was surfing the web, checking email, or visiting Facebook pages. All were focused on the discussion at hand, and the overwhelming majority seemed highly prepared to deal with the questions posed, whether they volunteered answers or were cold-called. I was also impressed with Dr. O’Connor’s practical approach. She mentioned early in the class that one outcome must be learning something from Lincoln Electric’s success that could be applied by the MBA students in future work. My sense was that her orientation is not unique to her or this particular case. I met with a first-year MBA student before the class, and he proudly told me that he has a summer internship lined up, and that it was exactly what he had hoped for. He seems very happy with his Cornell Johnson experience. After class, when I commented on the lack of electronics in the classroom, he explained that Johnson classrooms are electronics-free zones. Wise policy. Meeting I also met with Christine Sneva, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, and Ann Richards, Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid Latin America, East & Southeast Asia. Here are a few highlights of our discussion. Portfolio of programs We spoke about the portfolio of graduate business programs Cornell Johnson has developed over the last several years, focusing mostly on the MBA programs. It was clear from our discussion that the two-year program and the different one-year programs each fill different needs in the graduate management education marketplace. Ann and Christine spoke proudly of the May launch of Cornell Tech’s one-year MBA program in Manhattan and its digital focus. They acknowledged the broadening of the one-year Ithaca program from one geared to people with advanced degrees in science and technical fields to one for people with an expanded array of higher educational achievement including JD, CPA, and other masters and advanced degrees. Then of course there is the two-year Ithaca program geared towards those seeking a broader and more traditional MBA education. They also indicated that other options may be coming. Entrepreneurship A big buzz word and focus in top business schools now is entrepreneurship. While entrepreneurship is great, and I know my MBA was critical to my launching Accepted, I also know that it is still a path pursued upon graduation by less than 5% of new MBAs. I expressed a certain skepticism about the current entrepreneurial obsession and received two great responses: 1) Many MBAs start their own business further down the road so ultimately they will be business owners. 2) Entrepreneurship is state of mind, a willingness to take risks and start something new. This mindset is something that can be taught and is valuable for existing companies who want to grow and respond to a dynamic and fluid market place. Cornell, which has evinced its own entrepreneurial spirit with the growth of Cornell Tech and the expansion of its programs, is walking the walk and talking the talk. Ann and Christine also told me that Ithaca is growing as an entrepreneurial hub for a few reasons: 1. The University resources are right there. 2. Since the cost of living is low, it is more affordable to attempt a start-up. 3. New York State is giving major tax breaks to start-ups in Northern New York. 4. Quality of life is good. I’m glad I was able to visit Cornell even briefly. It’s in a gorgeous part of the country and housed in a magnificent facility. Enjoying the surroundings is a bonus, but the real value lies in seeing a school close-up, talking to members of its community, and being able to add greater context and insight to information found online, in brochures, and even gleaned from conversations. There is simply nothing like a visit when you want to learn about a school. By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsCornell Johnson, MBA Admissions |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions According to an Expert |
Who better to offer MBA admissions advice than an actual former MBA admissions director? Natalie Grinblatt Epstein has held positions of Director of MBA Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Michigan Ross and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Johnson School of Cornell University. She is currently a highly sought after admissions consultant at Accepted. Listen to the recording of our highly informative conversation with Natalie and benefit from her years of experience and great insight into the MBA admissions process. While she covered a lot of different topics, MBA interviews dominated. 00:04:10 – How a research paper converted a brand manager to an admissions officer. 00:07:25 – Three things applicants really need to know but they often just don’t get. (Take if from a former adcom member!) 00:12:17 – MBA essay word limits are shrinking: Don’t cram! Be strategic. 00:18:37 – Tips for preparing for your blind MBA interview. 00:21:28 – Non-blind interview tips. Tune in HBS & MIT applicants! 00:23:35 – The Team Based Discussion. 00:29:18 – ‘Go for it!’ and other advice for late round applicants. 00:34:17 – Addressing weaknesses in your application profile and what do if you don’t have any volunteering in your background. 00:37:25 – Applying for an MBA? Get to know yourself ASAP. Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss any segments! Stay in the admissions know. *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Relevant Links: • MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Great Tips • Upcoming Webinar: The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews • Natalie’s Bio Page • Natalie’s client feedback page • MBA Admissions 101 Related Shows: • How to Edit Your Application Essays • MBA Video Essays: A Conversation with Rotman’s Niki da Silva • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute • Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute https://blog.accepted.com/2013/03/07/admissions-straight-talk-interview-with-sheryle-dirks/ Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, podcast |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: When to Give Up Your Acceptance in Hopes for “Greener” Pastures |
Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth. Scenario: You get accepted to an excellent MBA program. You’re happy…but…you can’t help thinking that maybe you could’ve done “better.” Should you turn down your acceptance (whether it’s an early decision acceptance or regular) in hopes that the school that waitlisted you ends up accepting you, or in hopes that a school that rejected you this year accepts you next year? Here are two reasons why I think you should probably count your lucky stars and say “yes” (enthusiastically) to the program that accepted you: 1. As I’m sure you noticed, I put “greener” and “better” in quote marks above. You need to think about whether your alternate options are truly better for you than the amazing school that accepted you. Maybe HBS is a better school than, say, Yale SOM, according to most ranking reports, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best program for you. And in fact, if you’re thinking about heading into non-profit management, it may not be better than Yale. If the accepting top school supports your goals and provides an educational environment that suits you (and you shouldn’t have applied if it didn’t), then a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth. 2. Acceptance at one elite school does not at all imply that you’ll get accepted at another elite school. Acceptance decisions are independent events – Wharton doesn’t consult with Booth, which in turn couldn’t care less that you were accepted to Stanford. Be happy about the outstanding school that accepted you and attend! Legitimate Reasons for Deferring or Rejecting an Admissions Offer: There are some situations in which I’d recommend deferring or rejecting an admissions offer and reapplying next year: 1. Personal circumstances unrelated to education, like an illness in the family. (You may want to defer or reject your offer, depending on the circumstances.) 2. A geographical/relationship issue, like your significant other got into a one-year program across the country from the program that accepted you, and you don’t want to be apart for a year. (You should try to defer for a year in this case, obviously, and not reject the acceptance, if you plan on then pursuing your educational goals next year.) 3. Your post-MBA goals have changed since you applied, and the school that accepted you is no longer the best school for you. (This doesn’t happen very often.) Some of you may be thinking, “Can I ask for a deferral?” Schools are reluctant to give a deferral. It binds them, and doesn’t bind the applicants. Furthermore many applicants requesting the deferral use the additional year to reapply at other programs. This bit of shopping around and gamesmanship has given deferrals a bad name in admissions offices. And they frequently don’t want to play. Here’s a tip if you want to defer and are serious about attending the accepting school a year later: Offer to put down a large deposit that will be applied to your tuition when you matriculate and lost if you don’t matriculate. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Waitlist |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Accepted’s Selectivity Index: Are You Asleep When You Apply? |
I recently heard a story about a gentleman who was about to purchase a certain piece of land with the intention of building a school on that property. It was wartime, and the theater of war was rapidly approaching the region in which he and the property were located. A friend heard about his intended investment, and thought his friend had gone nuts. “How can you make this purchase now? Are you dreaming?” he asked incredulously. Replied the real estate investor, “I am dreaming, but I am not asleep.” Although I heard this story in a context far removed from graduate school admissions, I couldn’t help but think that some of you are “asleep” when you apply – at least the first time. Dreaming while asleep in admissions: • Applying exclusively to schools where you are not competitive based on the stats and available information. • Focusing on the one metric where you are either very strong or very weak. Focusing on the one number that either makes you feel great or makes you feel terrible is another form of “applying asleep.” In either case, you fail to choose schools realistically and consequently “invest” poorly in your overall application effort. • Ignoring weaknesses when applying so that you fail to address or mitigate them. Applying “awake” while still allowing for your dreams means that you assess your competitiveness at your target schools by comparing your test scores and grades as well as the non-quantitative factors in your profile to the known stats and stated criteria of the schools you want to attend. Armed with this information, you: • Apply to a few “dream” schools, but mostly to programs where you are competitive. • Assess your weaknesses or strengths in the context of your overall application so that you neither obsess over a weakness nor fail to provide positive reasons for acceptance. • You work to mitigate weaknesses before and during the actual application process while highlighting strengths and creating a strong case for acceptance beyond the stats in your application. A few of you may be thinking: “I know my chances aren’t great at my target schools. But I’m working and making good money. It doesn’t pay for me to apply to any but these schools.” There are some applicants in this situation. It’s true, but there are very few. If you’re one of them, you are applying rationally. If you aren’t one of them and you could achieve your goals at programs where you are competitive, then well, you may be dozing… Introducing the Selectivity Index® Accepted has developed a new tool, the Selectivity Index®, to help you apply realistically and effectively. The Selectivity Index takes the most recent US News rankings data and reflects the schools’ average GPA, test scores, and acceptance rates so that you can assess the relative difficulty of acceptance. You can also order the schools by average test score, GPA or acceptance rate. We focused on those key metrics not because they are solely determinative, because they are not, but they do mirror how difficult it is to gain acceptance to a school. They also suggest which schools may be focusing on a particular metric and which may not. Weaknesses in the Selectivity Index: 1. It doesn’t reflect non-quantitative information, which plays a significant role in holistic admissions and can allow those with non-quantitative strengths to get in when those “more qualified” per the stats are rejected. 2. In doesn’t reflect the schools’ desire for diversity in their classes and community. 3. It doesn’t reflect the importance of showing fit with an individual school’s strengths, mission, and values. I’m not sure if this is a strength or weakness, but the Selectivity Index does not measure or reflect ROI, educational quality, or career opportunity. Finally, while the Selectivity Index does reveal the relative level of competition at different programs, it doesn’t excuse you from making sure that the schools where you are competitive also will help you achieve your goals. It does you no good to get into a program that won’t that won’t help you achieve your goals and realize your dreams. Related Resources: • Linda Abraham’s Admissions Assortment • 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses • Should You Apply to a Safety School? Tags: Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post Accepted’s Selectivity Index: Are You Asleep When You Apply? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: FT’s Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship |
This year the Financial Times published a ranking that is a spin-off from their 2016 global MBA ranking and features the top 25 MBA programs for entrepreneurship (last year they published only the top 10). The rankings: 1. Stanford GSB 2. Babson Olin 3. UVA Darden 4. Dartmouth Tuck 5. UCLA Anderson 6. UC Berkeley Haas 7. UPenn Wharton 8. IE Business School 9. London Business School 10. IESE Business School 11. MIT Sloan 12. Oxford Saïd 13. Harvard Business School 14. Chicago Booth 15. Ipade Business School 16. Georgetown McDonough 17. Insead 18. Duke Fuqua 19. NYU Stern 20. USC Marshall 21. Birmingham Business School 22. Columbia Business School 23. HKUST Business School 24. Incae Business School 25. HEC Paris Here is some additional data from the rankings: • The data for the ranking was gathered during a larger ranking survey from students who graduated with MBAs in 2012. Schools were ranked based on the percentage of their MBA graduates who started a company, as well as how many of those companies were still trading at the end of 2015. • The ranking looked at how important the school and alumni were in getting the company off the ground. This included everything from motivating the entrepreneur to assisting in finding staff and funding. A size threshold (answers from at least 15 entrepreneurs at each ranked school) was also applied. • US schools took 15 of the 25 ranked spots, with Stanford being #1 for the second year in a row. • Dartmouth Tuck’s #2 ranking was powered by its phenomenal alumni network. On a scale of 1-10, Tuck has a 9.9 for the extent to which alumni helped secure financing. The next closest school, Stanford GSB, has an 8.6. • Schools from China, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Spain, and the UK were also included in the ranking. Spain’s IE School placed eighth, which is the highest ranking non-US school. • When considering all MBA programs, ranked or not, 19% of graduates from the class of 2012 started their own business. They gave similar answers when asked how much they were driven by their MBA program to go out on their own. • The amount of help received from their school and alumni network varied significantly between entrepreneurs of ranked and non-ranked programs. • Overall, 56% of entrepreneurs from the top 25 MBA programs rated their school and alumni network as extremely helpful. By comparison, only 44% of entrepreneurs from other MBA programs rated their school and alumni network at the same level. • Both groups consistently rated their alumni network as being more helpful than the business school. However, approximately 13% of entrepreneurs considered both their school and network as not helpful at all, and about 33% did not seek help from either. Understand more about how rankings work, how you should use them, and mistakes to avoid when you download your free copy of MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know now! Related Resources: • MBA & Entrepreneurship Resource Page • 2016 Financial Times Global MBA Rankings • U.S. News Ranks Best Business Schools in 2016 Tags: MBA Admissions The post FT’s Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Your Application Essay |
The Application Essay Do’s: 1. Unite your essay and give it direction with a theme or thesis. The thesis is the main point you want to communicate. 2. Before you begin writing, choose what you want to discuss and the order in which you want to discuss it. 3. Use concrete examples from your life experience to support your thesis and distinguish yourself from other applicants. 4. Write about what interests you, excites you. That’s what the admissions staff wants to read. 5. Start your essay with an attention-grabbing lead — an anecdote, quote, question, or engaging description of a scene. 6. End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead and restates your thesis. 7. Revise your essay at least three times. 8. In addition to your editing, ask someone else to critique your essay for you. 9. Proofread your essay by reading it out loud or recording it and playing it back. 10. Write clearly, succinctly. The Application Essay Don’ts: 1. Don’t include information that doesn’t support your thesis. 2. Don’t start your essay with “I was born in…,” or “My parents came from…” 3. Don’t write an autobiography, itinerary, or resume in prose. 4. Don’t try to be a clown (but gentle humor is OK). 5. Don’t be afraid to start over if the essay just isn’t working or doesn’t answer the essay question. 6. Don’t try to impress your reader with your vocabulary. 7. Don’t rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling and grammar. 8. Don’t provide a collection of generic statements and platitudes. 9. Don’t give mealy-mouthed, weak excuses for your GPA or test scores. 10. Don’t make things up. But wait. What if you are still not sure how to develop a unifying theme? Or perhaps you don’t know which experiences to focus on, or simply lack confidence in your writing skills, or have suddenly developed an acute case of blank-screen-it-is? Remember, you can have one-on-one, personalized assistance every step of the way. Accepted’s services will give you the guidance and direction necessary to draft a compelling story and the comprehensive editing needed to perfect it. Related Resources: • The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes • How to Stay Within Essay Word Limits by Reducing Verbal Verbosity • The 4 Must-Haves Of A Grad School Application Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Your Application Essay appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: 10 Tips and Tricks for Acing the IELTS |
The path to passing the IELTS is not a straight line, nor a short walk. You can think of it more as a long hike, challenging but rewarding. Now, if you go on a long hike, you’ll need to pack a bag of supplies. In the case of the “hike” to IELTS success, your supplies are a bag of tips and tricks. Below, let’s look at 10 tips & tricks for the IELTS. These can help you a lot on the road to your target score. 1. Practice with full-length IELTS Tests Don’t just practice for the IELTS a few questions at a time, or one section at a time. While shorter practice sessions can be useful, it’s very important to also use some full-length IELTS exams in your test prep. Why? Because–and maybe I’m stating the obvious–on test day, you’ll be taking a full-length IELTS! The best way to prepare for the real exam is to take practice tests that have the same length and the same sections. 2. Use official IELTS materials As I just told you, you want to use practice materials that are true to the real test day experience. So practice questions and tests from the official creators of the IELTS are a must-have! Only the makers of the actual IELTS offer test questions that are taken from real past IELTS exams. This kind of practice is very valuable. And you can supplement the official stuff with high quality unofficial questions from websites such as Magoosh IELTS. Magoosh also has a free guide on where to get good IELTS practice materials, including official practice. 3. Aim for a higher score than the one you need Let’s say your university or employer wants a 6.5 IELTS score. Do you aim for 6.5? You could, but that’s actually risky. Instead, you want to aim for at least a 7. That way, you have room for a few unexpected mistakes on test day. Always aim for at least 0.5 higher than the required score. 4. Understand how IELTS scores are calculated As the English-language expression says, “knowing is half the battle.” You should know how your Listening and Reading “raw scores” (your actual number of correct answers) will be converted to an official band score (band 6, band 6.5, band 7, etc.). You should also take a good long look at the scoring standards for IELTS Writing and Speaking. To learn all about your IELTS grading, check out this guide to IELTS scores. 5. Choose your IELTS test date wisely Choosing an IELTS test date can be the “tightrope walk” portion of your journey. It requires delicate balance to schedule your test at the right time. But it’s worth the effort. Take the time to choose wisely. If at all possible, set a date that both meets your deadlines and gives you enough time to prepare. Also try to set a date that gives you time for a retake, just in case you need one. For a guide to registering for an IELTS test date, choosing the right day, and more, see this article on IELTS test dates and registration. 6. Know exactly where your test center is… before test day Let me tell you one of the most preventable causes of low IELTS scores: showing up to the test center late… or showing up with no time to spare, tired and stressed-out from the trip. You can prevent this by visiting your test center in person before the test day. Learn exactly how to get to the building by actually going to the building. Know where the testing room itself is. And above all, make note of how long it takes you to get there. You want the end of your journey, the actual physical trip to the test site, to go as smoothly as possible. 7. Look at sample IELTS Writing essays The best writers read a lot. And to be a good IELTS writer, the most important thing to read is samples of top-scoring IELTS essays. For model IELTS essays and tons of other IELTS Writing tips and tricks, read through these comprehensive guides to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Task 2. 8. Get feedback on IELTS Writing and IELTS Speaking The first two sections of the IELTS, Listening and Reading, are graded with an answer key. But IELTS Writing and IELTS Speaking are both graded by a human team of scorers. So your practice with these sections should include the human touch. Find an actual person, whether it’s a teacher, a classmate, or a friend or family member with good English. Then have them give you feedback on your practice essays and your IELTS interview answers. Human feedback will help prepare you for the human scorers you’ll face when you sit for the exam. 9. Know what accents to expect IELTS Listening focuses on standard British English. But those aren’t the only accents you hear on the exam. You may encounter any “native English” accent in IELTS Listening, including Australian, New Zealander, Canadian, American, and Irish. Know the different styles of English speech, and pay attention to the range of accents you hear in IELTS Listening practice sets. 10. Build up a good range of vocabulary for IELTS Reading Written English is just “fancier” than spoken English. This means you can expect to see a pretty wide range of vocabulary in IELTS Reading. This is true both for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. So make sure you build your IELTS vocabulary well. Consider an official IELTS vocabulary workbook, such as Cambridge’s Vocabulary for IELTS. And when you go through practice IELTS reading passages, note and study any unfamiliar words you see. David Recine is a test prep expert at Magoosh. He has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has been teaching K-12, University, and adult education classes since 2007 and has worked with students from every continent. Currently, David lives in a small town in the American Upper Midwest. When he’s not teaching or writing, David studies Korean, plays with his son, and takes road trips to Minneapolis to get a taste of city life. Related Resources: • Different Dimensions of Diversity, a podcast episode • Affordable Online Test Prep, a podcast episode • English Language Skills & Your MBA Admissions Profile Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 10 Tips and Tricks for Acing the IELTS appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Encore: Bain & Company’s Keith Bevans Talks About Careers, Life at Bain [Episode 291] |
As this show airs, I’m really busy helping applicants with the end of the year application crunch. And you are probably also really busy, either with your own applications, year-end at work, or with holiday and family events and parties. Now is an excellent time for an encore show. Consequently, I decided to replay my interview with Bain & Company’s Keith Bevans, Partner and Global Head of Consulting Recruitment at Bain. It is definitely one of the most popular interview of 2018. Obviously if you are interested in a career in management consulting, this interview is for you. In addition, many of the qualities and skills that Bain values are also valued by other employers and by many graduate schools, especially in business, law and engineering. So pull up a chair… or at least put on your earbuds. In addition to introducing this week’s podcast, I want to take the opportunity to thank you for listening week in and week out, or whenever you find a show you like. I truly appreciate that you choose to spend time with Admissions Straight Talk’s guests and me. Thank you! I also want to wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, a year filled with the realization of your educational and professional dreams, and of course acceptances. For the complete show notes, please check out the original blog post. Related Links: • Bain Interview with Keith Bevans • Preparing for Bain’s Hiring Process • Fitting In and Standing Out, your free guide to the paradox at the heart of admissions • Meet David, Cornell Johnson MBA Student Headed to Bain • Accepted MBA Admissions Consulting Services Related Shows: • Haas, McCombs, and Case Interviews • Case Interview Secrets and More with Victor Cheng • How to Become a Management Consultant • Building Your Consulting Career, and a Look Back at a Tuck MBA Subscribe: Podcast Feed Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post Encore: Bain & Company’s Keith Bevans Talks About Careers, Life at Bain [Episode 291] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Reasons Not to Be Scared of the GMAT |
The more practice tests you finish, the better. The GMAT – shudder. The majority of business school hopefuls concur that sitting for the GMAT is one of the most dreaded components of the business school application process. If the mere thought of completing the GMAT (or re-taking the GMAT) torments you at night, read on. Much emphasis is placed on this exam, but it’s not as horrible as you may think. 1. The GMAT is not the be-all, end-all in business school admissions Yes, the GMAT may be one of the most discussed factors in business school admissions, but it is not the only item admissions committees consider. Business schools seek well-rounded classes, and this detail cannot be stressed enough. Business schools are interested in your work experience, your goals, your personality, and your community involvement. If your GMAT score is not as high as you’d like it to be, you can compensate with other parts of your application. Institutions are particularly interested in the GMAT in order to evaluate your quantitative abilities. Demonstrate these skills in other ways, perhaps through your essays or recommendation letters, or even by enrolling in a calculus course at a local community college. 2. You can train in order to achieve a higher GMAT score In all honesty, the GMAT will not tell admissions how well you’ll do in business school. It doesn’t measure your business acumen. It simply tests your ability to successfully complete standardized tests. This may not be fair, but you can use it to your advantage: with appropriate practice, you can improve your performance on the GMAT. You can strengthen both by reviewing the key concepts and acclimating to the test itself. The more practice tests you finish, the better. A wealth of information is available; you just need to develop a study plan to boost your score accordingly. 3. There are a limited number of concepts examined on the GMAT As difficult as some individuals find the GMAT to be, it does not test too wide a range of subjects. The Quantitative section, for instance, includes mainly arithmetic, algebra, and geometry – no trigonometry or calculus will be found here. Granted, the test is not simple, because it will combine several concepts in one problem. But if you can master the basic fundamentals of the mathematics, you are prepared to succeed. Similarly, the sentence correction questions usually test less than 10 grammar concepts. 4. You can sit for the GMAT more than once Few students find themselves satisfied with their score after taking the test the first time. You can, however, sit for it again. All marks within the past five years will be included in your official score report, but that shouldn’t deter you. Admissions committees will appreciate the determination required to continually strive for improvement. It may be wise to incorporate enough time into your business school plan to allow yourself to take the GMAT more than once. 5. The GMAT is not the only test that business schools acknowledge A number of institutions accept a GRE score in lieu of the GMAT. If you’ve already taken the GRE or you strongly suspect that you will perform better on this exam, you may want to consider submitting this score instead. Peruse the full list of universities that accept the GRE on ETS’ website. The GRE, while a different format than the GMAT, tests many of the same skillsets – critical reasoning, quantitative skills, and analytical writing. Yes, the GMAT can seem daunting at first, but perhaps you now understand why it’s not something that should frighten you! Maureen Spain is a professional GMAT tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and received her MBA from Duke University. Tags: GMAT, MBA Admissions, Varsity Tutors |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Does Harvard Business School Want? |
Wondering what applicants who were accepted to Harvard Business School have in common? For more resources to help you get into HBS, check out: • Harvard Business School 2014 MBA Essay Questions & Tips • HBS Post-Interview Reflections, a video • The Accepted Guide to Getting into Harvard Business School, a free webinar • What HBS is Looking for: Engaged Community Citizenship • What HBS is Looking for: The Habit of Leadership Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: Harvard Business School, leadership, MBA Admissions |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Should You Take the GMAT or GRE? |
Many b-schools now accept the GRE (including Stanford, HBS, Wharton, Booth, and MIT Sloan, among others), so MBA applicants will need to decide whether the GMAT or GRE will better increase their chances of acceptance. Here are some factors you should consider when making this decision: 1. GMAT: Take the GMAT if at least one of the b-schools you’re applying to doesn’t accept the GRE. 2. GMAT: If you plan on a post-MBA career in investment banking or management consulting, then you should take the GMAT since such recruiters sometimes use GMAT scores as a screening tool. 3. GMAT: If the wording on the school’s website indicates that the GRE is accepted but clearly a lower-class citizen, than take the GMAT. We’re seeing this less frequently. 4. GRE: If you’re fresh out of college and aren’t sure exactly what to do next, but feel prepared to take the GRE, then you may as well go ahead and take it – the scores remain usable for up to five years. Maybe you’ll use your scores for a future b-school application, or maybe for some other grad program. 5. GRE: If you score higher on practice GRE tests than on practice GMAT tests AND if your target schools accept the GRE, then you should definitely take the GRE. 6. GMAT: The same is true (as #4) if you score higher on the GMAT – in short, take whichever test you score higher on! 7. GRE: If you want to save money (about $100) and/or will have trouble getting to a GMAT testing center, then you should take the GRE (obviously provided that your target schools accept the GRE). The GRE is cheaper and there are more testing centers throughout the world. For top GMAT advice, please check out the following FREE Accepted.com resources: • Top 5 GMAT Test-Taking Strategies • 3 Tips to Reduce GMAT Test Anxiety • The GMAT in MBA Admissions: Fact and Fiction • Should You Retake the GMAT? Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: GMAT, GRE, MBA Admissions |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Applicant Blogger Interview with Sarah |
We’d like to introduce you to Sarah, an Irish b-school applicant (now living in London) applying to top b-schools in the U.S. and Europe. Sarah offers loads of advice on taking the GMAT, analyzing one’s b-school profile, and dealing with dyslexia here in our interview and on her blog, sarah’s mba journey. Thank you Sarah for sharing your story with us – we look forward to hearing great things from you! Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite movie? Sarah: I’m originally from Scotland and now live in London working for the public sector. I studied at Dundee University for my undergrad and York for my Masters. My favourite movie is Inception. Accepted: What is your current job? Do you plan on continuing in this industry after you receive your MBA or switching to something new? Sarah: I currently work in the UK public sector and lead research projects on public policy. I’m hoping that an MBA will allow me to move from research to a more active general management role within the same sector. Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school? Sarah: I have a three strand MBA strategy application just in case I don’t succeed in first strand. first strand was applying to Harvard and Duke in America. Second strand is applying for one or two European business schools, while the third strand is applying for a part time MBA in the UK. I haven’t finalised the schools for prong two and three, that’s my next task. Accepted: You’ve already submitted applications to HBS and Duke — how did it go? Which application essay approach did you prefer? Why? Sarah: I’m really pleased I was able to submit both my Duke and Harvard application on time as they were due the same day. I really liked the Harvard essay as it really allowed me to put across my best case, though having such an open ended question was really daunting at first. But the admissions director on his blog post on the 10th September 2013 gives some good advice; go with your gut. Accepted: What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of the application process so far, and how did you work (or are you working) to overcome those challenges? Sarah: Out of the whole application process, it was the GMAT I found most challenging for a couple of reasons. The main reasons is that this is the first time ever I’ve sat a standardised test and it’s a very different test format from what I’m use to. Secondly as someone who needs accommodations as I’m dyslexic, not sitting a similar test before puts me at a real disadvantage in being able to identify what accommodations are the right. Thirdly what I still find real difficult as my brain doesn’t think in the GMAT way and I’ve really struggled to get my good quantitative ability to be reflected in the GMAT score. So I’ve really struggled with my GMAT score and to be honest probably not really overcome the challenges. Accepted: How many times did you take your GMAT? Can you share a few GMAT tips with us? Sarah: I’ve sat the GMAT three times so far (I suspect I might need to take it a fourth time). I have no tips for the 700 plus crowd but I do have a couple of tips for those new to standardised testing. 1. Take the time to find out how the test works and the main three/four strategies needed to answer the different questions. This will be very beneficial later on when you are taking practice tests and trying to improve your score. 2. Work on the basics – adding, multiplication and handling percentages – until you can do these operations quickly and accurately. You don’t need to pay for expensive GMAT courses for the basics; get material suitable for young children it’s cheaper! There are also a couple of really good apps for your mobile phone that can help as well. 3. Figure out how you learn. Be honest with yourself. I would have saved a lot of time by ditching the books sooner and going onto an online GMAT course quicker as I’m an audio visual learner I don’t learn through just reading text books. Once you know how you learn find a GMAT course that suits. 4. Before you spend money on text books, do your research as not all GMAT text books are created equal and check out the second hand market to get them cheaper. Accepted: Can you talk about your Fulbright experience? Sarah: I submitted an application to Fulbright in November and will hear if I progress to an interview this month. The Fulbright process meant I had to identify early each schools I would apply for and why. It also forced me to think about why business school and put that down in a succinct way. Sarah sent us an update here: I got an update on my Fulbright application yesterday. I haven’t progressed to the interview stage. Disappointed but I also know I put my best case forwards. Accepted: I see on your blog you offer a nice, organized approach to analyzing your profile. Can you explain the steps you took and offer suggestions for our readers on how to break down the elements of their application profiles? Sarah: For my post on the strength of my profile I considered the following elements: academics, GMAT, work, and community involvement, each on a five point scale from Excellent to Weak. Here are a couple of suggestions to help your readers come up with their own assessment. 1. On the academic side consider your country or universities scoring system. How do you compare? Did you go to a top university in your country, a good one, or your local one? Then use those to form a judgment. In the UK context I assumed a 1st from Oxbridge would be ranked Excellent. For the GMAT I considered the GMAT average and then the score ranges for the schools I applied to and then how I compared. I would say rank 700+ as excellent and go from there. 2. For the work criteria it really comes down to your knowledge of your industry and firm. I work for a fairly flat organisation and I don’t get bonuses so I have to measure success in other ways. So be honest with yourself, how good is your CV? Are head hunters knocking down your door? 3. Community involvement is tough; it is not how much you do, but your impact as well. I think the simple stuff can count as well like being involved in your church or sports club. Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the experience? Sarah: My blog is about my MBA experience from applying to completing one. At first the blog was mainly a place where I could tell my story. Over time the remit has expanded a little to include my thoughts on the wider challenges I face in the work environment in relation to stress and dyslexia. One aspect of the blogging experience I have really appreciated is the readers’ comments. I can safely say my applications to business school are better due to the comments that have been made on my blog. My audience is anyone wanting to study for an MBA but I also hope there is some useful advice to those that are under pressure at work or have dyslexia and work in high performing organisations. Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, mba applicant blogger |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Tackling the GMAT: A B-School Applicant’s Tireless Journey |
We’d like to introduce you to Sarah, an Irish b-school applicant (now living in London) applying to top b-schools in the U.S. and Europe. Sarah offers loads of advice on taking the GMAT, analyzing one’s b-school profile, and dealing with dyslexia here in our interview and on her blog, sarah’s mba journey. Thank you Sarah for sharing your story with us – we look forward to hearing great things from you! Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite movie? Sarah: I’m originally from Scotland and now live in London working for the public sector. I studied at Dundee University for my undergrad and York for my Masters. My favourite movie is Inception. Accepted: What is your current job? Do you plan on continuing in this industry after you receive your MBA or switching to something new? Sarah: I currently work in the UK public sector and lead research projects on public policy. I’m hoping that an MBA will allow me to move from research to a more active general management role within the same sector. Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school? Sarah: I have a three strand MBA strategy application just in case I don’t succeed in first strand. first strand was applying to Harvard and Duke in America. Second strand is applying for one or two European business schools, while the third strand is applying for a part time MBA in the UK. I haven’t finalised the schools for prong two and three, that’s my next task. Accepted: You’ve already submitted applications to HBS and Duke — how did it go? Which application essay approach did you prefer? Why? Sarah: I’m really pleased I was able to submit both my Duke and Harvard application on time as they were due the same day. I really liked the Harvard essay as it really allowed me to put across my best case, though having such an open ended question was really daunting at first. But the admissions director on his blog post on the 10th September 2013 gives some good advice; go with your gut. Accepted: What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of the application process so far, and how did you work (or are you working) to overcome those challenges? Sarah: Out of the whole application process, it was the GMAT I found most challenging for a couple of reasons. The main reasons is that this is the first time ever I’ve sat a standardised test and it’s a very different test format from what I’m use to. Secondly as someone who needs accommodations as I’m dyslexic, not sitting a similar test before puts me at a real disadvantage in being able to identify what accommodations are the right. Thirdly what I still find real difficult as my brain doesn’t think in the GMAT way and I’ve really struggled to get my good quantitative ability to be reflected in the GMAT score. So I’ve really struggled with my GMAT score and to be honest probably not really overcome the challenges. Accepted: How many times did you take your GMAT? Can you share a few GMAT tips with us? Sarah: I’ve sat the GMAT three times so far (I suspect I might need to take it a fourth time). I have no tips for the 700 plus crowd but I do have a couple of tips for those new to standardised testing. 1. Take the time to find out how the test works and the main three/four strategies needed to answer the different questions. This will be very beneficial later on when you are taking practice tests and trying to improve your score. 2. Work on the basics – adding, multiplication and handling percentages – until you can do these operations quickly and accurately. You don’t need to pay for expensive GMAT courses for the basics; get material suitable for young children it’s cheaper! There are also a couple of really good apps for your mobile phone that can help as well. 3. Figure out how you learn. Be honest with yourself. I would have saved a lot of time by ditching the books sooner and going onto an online GMAT course quicker as I’m an audio visual learner I don’t learn through just reading text books. Once you know how you learn find a GMAT course that suits. 4. Before you spend money on text books, do your research as not all GMAT text books are created equal and check out the second hand market to get them cheaper. Accepted: Can you talk about your Fulbright experience? Sarah: I submitted an application to Fulbright in November and will hear if I progress to an interview this month. The Fulbright process meant I had to identify early each schools I would apply for and why. It also forced me to think about why business school and put that down in a succinct way. Sarah sent us an update here: I got an update on my Fulbright application yesterday. I haven’t progressed to the interview stage. Disappointed but I also know I put my best case forwards. Accepted: I see on your blog you offer a nice, organized approach to analyzing your profile. Can you explain the steps you took and offer suggestions for our readers on how to break down the elements of their application profiles? Sarah: For my post on the strength of my profile I considered the following elements: academics, GMAT, work, and community involvement, each on a five point scale from Excellent to Weak. Here are a couple of suggestions to help your readers come up with their own assessment. 1. On the academic side consider your country or universities scoring system. How do you compare? Did you go to a top university in your country, a good one, or your local one? Then use those to form a judgment. In the UK context I assumed a 1st from Oxbridge would be ranked Excellent. For the GMAT I considered the GMAT average and then the score ranges for the schools I applied to and then how I compared. I would say rank 700+ as excellent and go from there. 2. For the work criteria it really comes down to your knowledge of your industry and firm. I work for a fairly flat organisation and I don’t get bonuses so I have to measure success in other ways. So be honest with yourself, how good is your CV? Are head hunters knocking down your door? 3. Community involvement is tough; it is not how much you do, but your impact as well. I think the simple stuff can count as well like being involved in your church or sports club. Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the experience? Sarah: My blog is about my MBA experience from applying to completing one. At first the blog was mainly a place where I could tell my story. Over time the remit has expanded a little to include my thoughts on the wider challenges I face in the work environment in relation to stress and dyslexia. One aspect of the blogging experience I have really appreciated is the readers’ comments. I can safely say my applications to business school are better due to the comments that have been made on my blog. My audience is anyone wanting to study for an MBA but I also hope there is some useful advice to those that are under pressure at work or have dyslexia and work in high performing organisations. Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, mba applicant blogger |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Goal Setting as an Entrepreneur |
I always ask my clients to state their long and short-term goals for me on our first meeting. Eighty percent of the time I hear the response, “I want to be an entrepreneur.” So I begin to peel away at the onion. • What problem is your business going to solve? • Why is it different than a solution that exists today? • Is there a market for the goods or services you plan to sell? • How big is that market? • Who is your competition? • Can you patent your solution? • What will your margins be? • How will you finance this business? • What is your expected return on investment? • What is the exit strategy? You can’t just say, “I want to be an entrepreneur” and leave it at that. You also can’t just have an idea or concept. You need to have the skeleton of an actual business plan if you want to credibly declare yourself an entrepreneur in your MBA application. By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey. Tags: entrepreneurship, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA career goals |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Thou Shalt Not Forget Thursday’s Webinar! |
Spaces for Thurday’s webinar, The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews, are filling up! The webinar will take place Thursday (Feb. 20th) at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. Learn how to ace your MBA interview – sign up for The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews now! Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, webinar |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Do Your Part to Improve MBA Admissions – Win $500! |
Survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500 AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, is conducting a survey and would like YOUR participation! This is your chance to share your opinions of the MBA admissions experience with top MBA admissions committees. In May, AIGAC will hold its annual conference in New York City where they will present anonymous data about MBA applicants to the top MBA programs. That data will come from these surveys, so the more responses, the better. You can read more about the survey here. The survey closes at the end of February, so please respond ASAP! What about the $500? We saved the best part for last – survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500 (via PayPal). Your email address would be used only for prize notifications. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: AIGAC, MBA Admissions |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Prep for Your MBA Interviews |
If you have an MBA interview coming up, check out Linda’s video, MBA Interviews – Preparing for Behavioral and General Questions: If you have any questions, just leave us a question in the comment box below. Go ahead and rock those interviews! Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview |
FROM Accepted.com Blog: Personal Statement Fatal Flaw #1: Lack of Substance |
Writing about nothing tends to bore, like a trite sitcom or movie with no plot. They lack substance and so will your essay if it isn’t based on: • Substantive self-reflection. • Use of specifics, examples, and anecdotes. • Willingness to reveal your thought processes and feelings. So start your writing process with self-knowledge. You don’t have to search the internet or a large library. Start with your experiences and your dreams. Search your head and your heart. That is where the substance of a good personal statement is stored. Then use anecdotes, specifics, and examples to reveal what’s in your heart and show that your dreams are grounded in experience. Good examples can bring your essays to life and engage the reader. At the same time, recognize that essays with only examples and anecdotes don’t reveal your thought processes and consequently are also superficial. Make sure you balance your stories with insight and analysis. Avoid Fatal Flaw #1: Bring your essays to life with self-reflection and astute use of examples balanced by analysis. This tip is an excerpt from Five Fatal Flaws: Eliminate the 5 Most Common Flaws in your Application Essays and Personal Statements. To view the entire free special report, please click here. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, Medical School Admissions, personal statement, special report |
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