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05 May 2014, 06:00
| FROM Sarah's MBA Journey: cranfield MBA |
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I was never that interest in Cranfield MBA until I went to a121 event. At the event I heard about the schools focus on leadership and personal development, not just theory. After that I was keen to hear more. I went along to their open day in Sunny Bedfordshire to check out the reality. Overall I was really impressed. The full times course director lead the day, which was amazing. We got taught how to read a case study and get the most of it. We were also treated to a lecture in change management. For me it ticks the boxes They teach via case method, using papers from a variety of schools They enable equal access to careers development for both full time and part time MBA. They help you be a better leader, and know how to apply what you learnt. I have a couple of unanswered questions, but they may be application killers: Who would I study with? I think the Manchester part-time MBA cohort is more similar to me, in terms of age and experience. How often is the part-time option? I thought I had to attend campus one weekend was a month, but I heard at the open day I needed to attend campus twice a month and there are six one week blocks. Just not sure how doable that is for me. So before I put in any applications I’ve signed up to Cass Business school open day and I need to take another look at Manchester. Yes I’m having a goldlocks moment with MBA schools.  
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07 May 2014, 07:00
| FROM Defying Gravity - The MBA Journey: Why I didn't choose the GSB |
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I was chatting with someone who once described the GSB as a unicorn -- rare and kind of mythical. That analogy has stuck with me, because it just seems so apt. With an acceptance rate under 7% and a student body half of the size of that of HBS, the GSB truly is a unique place. After my acceptance, Derrick Bolton and the GSB staff, students, and alumni truly made me feel wanted. From phone calls to in-person meetings, I was blown away by the attention and support I was given. I could so easily picture myself blending in to the GSB and becoming part of that legendary community. In terms of the curriculum, the GSB offers more courses specifically geared towards my interests, as well as the flexibility to take those courses. I could get a joint degree in just two years! At HBS, the joint degree with the Kennedy school is a three year program; that means extra time and money. Therefore, I didn't even consider that option. And of course, I can't fail to mention that while both schools were relatively generous in their financial aid packages, there was a pretty substantial difference between the two offers. So given all of that, why am I not planning to move to California? Why aren't I hoping to get a room in Schwab? Why did I decline such an amazing program that is arguably a perfect "fit" for me? In the end, the choice came down to my head versus my heart. My head told me all of the reasons that I should go to the GSB. Everyone around me seemed to think it was an obvious choice. I could easily find my tribe, people who are similar to me, do-gooders who want to change lives, change organizations, and change the world. I wouldn't be in so much debt for the next 10 years. Everything would be simpler. However, my heart is what led me to HBS. When I initially started this crazy business school application journey, HBS was my absolute dream school. I figured my chances of getting in were slim, (I know amazing people with 770 GMAT scores who were rejected), but I figured it couldn't hurt to apply. And so, I submitted an application, hoped for the best, and expected the worst. When I actually obtained my dream, I knew that I would regret letting it go. Every other decision I have made throughout this process has been well thought out and logical. I made spreadsheets and took a very analytical approach. With the decision between HBS and GSB, I stopped being logical, I ignored my pros and cons lists, and I just went with my heart. I know the next two years will be insane. I'll be forced out of my comfort zone; I'll be mentally exhausted; and I'll of course be freakin' cold in Boston. But I'm okay with that, because I'll be living my dream. |
14 May 2014, 11:00
| FROM Sarah's MBA Journey: I’m feeling dizzy… |
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I’m feeling a bit dizzy! Every time I think I know what I’m going to do, I find something and go what about this? The latest one is EDHEC, after speaking to this nice French business school, yes it helped the admissions person was Scottish. Not only am I tempted to apply for a full time programme but also resist the GMAT. And then if I resit the GMAT, HEC ( the other French business school I was considering is now back on the table!) See, I’m getting dizzy from all these options. But I think calm has been restored, mainly through my experience of studying for the CISI certifcate in corporate finance. After my head aching from a 1.5 day training course on the financial regulation I think I’ve realised that Cranfield course might not be for me. If it’s really 2.5 days of non stop lectures, by brain is going to burst. I just don’t think I can handle it. I would rather control the pace of my studying more, and I think that means Manchester. Plus, I think work will be a bit more supportive.  
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18 May 2014, 05:00
| FROM Sarah's MBA Journey: Cass business school |
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I begrudgingly went along to Cass’s open day on Saturday. I had a really good feeling when I left the open day…but it rapidly changed as I started to write the blog post. Here’s how my thoughts changed. Initial thoughts before I wrote this blog post I really liked it. It would be Easy to get to Cass from both home and work. It has an excellent vibe and great facilities. I would get to play with both Bloomberg and Reuters and get trained up on both. Excellent! It is really easy to access campus when I would need/ want to and I think I’ve underestimated the benefit that is. What really sold it was the people who attended the open day. They were bright, friendly and people similar to me. Much preferred this cohort to Cranfield. Admittedly it wasn’t the most slick operation I’ve ever seen. They will definitely need to work on that aspect before they jump to the big leagues. Here the stuff that bugged me:
But now having moaned about the lectures. What about the good stuff. The lectures were engaging, had good class debate and a good class atmosphere. I learnt! They also focus on careers and for the part-time MBA that is mostly done at the weekend. Which means you can get good access, but potentially the MBA will consume your life. But oddly enough I struggled with the finance class; why, because it wasn’t technical enough. The lecturer explained complex issues in a very easily understood way. However as soon as he added the technical aspects he didn’t fully explain it. That annoyed me! I know this technical stuff. For instance he talked about the central limit theorem…the idea that a population tends to the mean…but this key principle only works if the sample size is big enough! He used that fact in the example by having a hundred observations the minimum needed to make the theory work.) but didn’t explain this fact to the class. Yes, I know it was an introductory class, but if you use the theory, you should also be able to explain when it can be used. (Now, my masters in economics has paid off with this rant alone.) Thoughts after I wrote blog post Good MBA course, but not ready for the big leagues….bit half assed! Could do with making better case studies and engaging more with industry. This would mean not only hiring academics, but also academics that work with firms. Didn’t get the feel they engaged much with industry. Think Cass is a would be a good comprise MBA but I think it shows in the finer details. Cass has great students, excellent location, it really needs to work on the small stuff to really shine. However I’m not certain they really recognise that aspect. They are spending money on getting bigger hitters in terms of lecturers. But I wonder how much effort they are putting into the softer aspects that make a big difference. I’m not convinced its worth the £42,000 fees.  
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18 May 2014, 10:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: The First Post |
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Who am I? I am young corporate (Fortune 50) finance guy that is a graduate of a leadership rotation program. I have always dreamed of going to a top MBA program and have structured my life to support that journey (making plenty of mistakes along the way). After graduating from a college in California and working for two years, I found a job transfer to the East Coast so I could visit schools and complete my research. In fact, I actually applied to one school (Tuck at Dartmouth College) and waswaitlisted (for 5 months). The process totally caught me off guard, and going into it left me dazed and confused. Now that the practice round is over, I feel confident and ready to take on the challenge that is the BAP (B-School Application Process or Bloody Awful Process)! Why am blogging? Accountability. For one, I know that sharing my experience will keep me accountable. I will be less likely to make those “less smart” decisions of slacking off and more likely to make those “great” decisions of networking, researching, writing, studying, and pondering. I view this blog like a less interesting Game of Thrones (hopefully with fewer characters getting killed off), and want to make sure that I make this “season” interesting (AKA get into a great school AND/OR get my seat on the Iron Throne). Benefit. I am hoping that this blog will provide a lot of benefit for not only myself, but others as well. I don’t write creatively for work, and I definitely need the practice. Also, a blog will allow me to put my thoughts on “paper” and iron out my strategy. By providing insight on the process, I hope readers will be able to quickly find the help they need to get into their dream school. There are A LOT of great (free) resources out there, and I am hoping to provide an organized one-stop shop as well as touch on some paid resources that are indispensable. Catharsis. The B-School Application process can be VERY stressful (especially being on the waitlist for 5 months). Sharing my thoughts will provide relief (at least that’s what my blog heroes MBA Over 30, Boots to Suits, and Domotron tell me). So what do I hope to do? Get in to a top MBA program and help others do the same. Period.  
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19 May 2014, 08:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: How I got a 710 on my first try |
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The GMAT journey is a hard one; but I believe I did a decent job of prepping for my first try (most likely will be taking it again for a ~750). So where ever you are at in your GMAT journey (whether you are thinking about it, just signed up, already studying, or planning on retaking) I hope this guide helps you conquer this ridiculous test.  Investment
 
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20 May 2014, 09:01
| FROM Grant Me Admission: Did I mention that I already applied to B-School?…. |
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As opposed to a lot of my other MBA bloggers out there, I have actually applied to B-School before. I applied to Tuck’s EA Round for the Class of 2016 and was waitlisted in December. In fact, as of 5/20/14, I am still on their “reduced waitlist” (very doubtful that I will get off, as they are at capacity). However, I learned A LOT from the process and feel 100% ready to take on the challenge of applying to 5-6 top ten b-schools this year. Below is a quick history of my application process, that I plan on detailing out in later posts.  The Decision to Apply – June 2013 Around June 2013, I decided that this was the year that I wanted to go to an elite B-School. I actually had decided a LONG time ago that B-School was in my future, but I wasn’t sure exactly what year I would apply. For two years I had perused Poets & Quants, checked out rankings, visited websites, and made sure that I got a good feel for the individual cultures. I decided that I would apply to Tuck’s EA Round, and if I didn’t get in, I would apply to a combination of East Coast schools and West Coast schools. (I really wanted to go to school on the East Coast though–I actually moved from the West Coast to the East Coast so that it would be easier to visit schools and network). The GMAT – July to September As I created my to-do list, I quickly realized how far behind I was in the process. At the beginning of July, I realized that I would BARELY have enough time to study and take the GMAT before Tuck’s EA round in October. I immediately signed up for Magoosh (which I highly recommend as a starting point) and started executing my GMAT plan (my guide can be found here). Studying for the GMAT, working 60 hours a week, and researching applications and tours was not that fun. Thankfully it paid off with a 710, which leads to my first lesson . . . Lesson One: Take the GMAT as early as possible The Visits – September One of the reasons I moved to the East Coast was so that it would be easier to visit prospective schools. I drove to Hanover, NH (Tuck), New Haven (Yale), and Boston (Harvard & MIT). While on the West Coast, I already visited UCLA, Berkeley and Stanford, and I was very familiar with the feel/culture off those schools. Looking back, I wish I had a guide of when you could visit schools (there are a lot of stipulations if you would like a tour/class visit and in Tuck’s case an open interview). Also some of the schools discourage and/or won’t allow Fall visits due to it being disruptive to the First Years. Which leads to my next lesson learned . . . Lesson Two: If possible, visit Schools in the Spring The Application – September & October I created a great schedule to keep me on track. Recommendations, transcripts, and application form were all tackled early (recommendations and transcripts can take awhile, so make sure you start early). However, what I didn’t foresee is how difficult it would be for me to write my essays. After not writing creatively for ~4 years, it was REALLY challenging. I only started getting traction when I just wrote everything out (as opposed to continually stop at each sentence and rewrite) and then revised and shortened. This process took way to long in my opinion which leads to my third lesson . . . Lesson Three: Finish the essays as soon as you can, and then revise, revise, revise. The Admission Decision – December After applying in October, I found it very hard to stay focused on my applications and essays. I then got a new project and promotion, forcing me to rethink my application strategy. My plan of applying to one school EA, waiting for a decision, and then applying to the others in R2 in January started to not make as much sense to me. What I should have been doing is to quickly decide not to apply to the other schools (I still have plenty of time since I am 26) and started to study for the GMAT again to improve my 710. When I received my waitlist decision in December, I realized that I had just “wasted” two months of going back and forth instead of creating a more valuable profile. Leading to my last lesson learned . . . Lesson Four: Keep yourself busy, proactively create value, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. What I would have done differently – 2014!
 
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20 May 2014, 15:00
| FROM Sarah's MBA Journey: nominee for Best MBA blog of 2013-14 |
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Wow! look, I’ve been nominated for a blogging award. (In the best way…I found out after readingMBA the non-profit way’s blog.) What a Year! I started this blog to prove to myself I could write, as I had started to believe my bosses who said I couldn’t. One year later, 80 posts, and a readership beyond my friends and family. Amazing, people want to read what I write. Thank to you everyone for dropping by and reading my blog whether it was that one post reviewing the Economist prep software or as a regular reader. Voting To win…the readers need to vote for their three favourites. Of course, I would love you to vote for me.  To vote follow this link. Voting closes on the 28th May. Fellow nominees I read all the nominees blogs…..so hard to pick a favourite. Timbob ; Fellow Londoner who got into HBS. MBAMyWay; is willing to combine here love of animal and welfare with business. Go girl! CoffeeBeansandTeaLeaves; Is like me struggled with the GMAT but still willing to beat the odds. Two Years at HBS; Successful HBS applicant who gives the low-down on what its really like to study at HBS. Domotron; loves Tuck, loves movies (always interesting movie/tv clips with his posts. MBA Over 30; studying at Wharton, plays rugby. Boots to Suits; posted his admission story in funny detail. MBAGirlJourney posted thoughtful blogs and resources….which I have used or considered. Good luck everyone and thank you for sharing your stories.  
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21 May 2014, 09:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: Rankings & Deadlines |
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One of the main goals of this blog is to provide a great “one-stop shop” of all the great resources and references out there. Today I wanted to introduce two new pages on the blog that will be kept up-to-date (with links to the sources): Application Deadlines and Latest Rankings. Many schools have just ended their 2013-2014 application season and handed out R3 decisions, so we should start to see the deadlines page populate in the next two months. In fact, certain schools such as Stanford, Wharton and Tuck have already published their deadlines, while other schools such as Harvard have made public statements on the first round. In regards to rankings, while I do not believe they are the end-all be-all for all application decisions, I do believe they play an important part in the application process. Introducing a ranking system affects future employers’ decisions and also generally affects the number of applicants per school. I’ve referenced and linked the current rankings, and HIGHLY recommend that you check out Poets and Quants analysis on the rankings and how they developed their own composite ranking. Each news organizations adopts a unique approach, and may affect your perspective on MBA rankings. Tools that I am currently working on and should be coming up soon? A deadline schedule example (with key milestones), links to essay questions as they are published, differences in the interview process between schools, and a list of resources available to help you on your journey. I hope these tools help you on your journey!  
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21 May 2014, 10:00
| FROM Hamm0's Blog: Best of Blogging Voting! |
It is that time of year again – time for Clear Admit’s annual Best of Blogging voting. Dating way back to the 2004-2005 application season, the Best of Blogging has been awarded to outstanding writers that contribute to the business school blogosphere. While I don’t think I’ll ever be on the red capret for a Grammy, Oscar, ESPY, VMA, Tony, Golden Globe, or Emmy awards ceremony, I’m thrilled to be nominated for Clear Admit’s BoB 2013-2014. Truth be told, I wasn’t planning on updating the blog until I got some experience at this whole MBA thing, but this nomination has drawn me out of my hiding b school preparations. Look forward to that “I’m no longer an applicant, but rather a crazy, tired, excited, nervous MBA student” post soon. For my loyal readers (Do I have any left??), You may remember that last year I was nominated as well. I was in complete shock, because my blog was only a few months old, and had very little going on. Not only that, but I was up against legends such as Cheetarah, MBAover30, and TheSenator. At the time I had just under 2,000 views, and had just began looking at writing essays. Today I’m closing in on 40,000 views, and am trying to fill out health history forms so I can go to Johnson in the fall. The difference a year makes. Last year, I noted that it was a strange feeling for me, as many of the nominees are those that inspired me to start my blog. Now it comes full circle, as I got a note last week that someone else was starting their blog, and listed me as an inspiration! Head over to GrantMeAdmission to follow his journey as he gears up for his application season. Good luck!  Now, back to the task at hand – BoB Awards. Clear Admit sent me a handy-dandy write up on how the process works, which I’ve included below: Clear Admit Best of Blogging 2013-2014 Below you will find the nominees for this year’s Best of Blogging competition. Congratulations on being recognized for your outstanding contributions to the business school blogosphere! To vote, simply list your top three choices and omit the remainder of nominees. Ballots must be returned to bob@clearadmit.com by May 28th. (Not for readers, oops). You can also share this link with your friends and readers: Best of Blogging 2013-14, which will allow them to support you and other favorites. Please refrain from ‘ballot stuffing’ and only vote once. Please also let us know any thoughts you may have on the funniest blog and best single post, and to point us to the blogs that you feel feature the best advice in categories such as GMAT preparation, school selection, application essays, admissions and recruiting interviews, as well as the best representation of academics and student life in business school. Good luck to all of the nominees! TimBob MBAMyWay MBAReApplicant Sarah Two Years at HBS Ellie Domotron MBA Over 30 Boots to Suits [b]MBAGirlJourney[/b] Ok so there you have it. Go vote. Vote early and vote often. Vote once. Here is the link again: Best of Blogging 2013-14. Congrats to everyone else that was nominated, and good luck with whatever phase of the process you’re on! I know MBAMyWay and I will be having fun at Johnson Filed under: About Me, Ramblings Tagged: Blogs, Johnson, Off Topic        
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21 May 2014, 14:00
| FROM Domotron's Blog: Nominated for Clear Admit Best of Blogging 2013-2014 |
 I was saw from my fellow bloggers hamm0, MBAMyWay, and SarahMBAJourney that I had been nominated for the prestigious Clear Admit Best of Blogging 2013-2014. My first reaction was of course shock. Looking at the list of nominees, the quality of my other nominees’ blogs are all extremely high (frankly far better than mine!). I definitely did not expect to be in with a shot of winning a BoB when I started my blog to document my MBA application journey. So thanks all of my readers for all your support! Voting can be done by following this link, or by tweeting your top three favorites – along with the hashtag #ClearAdmitBoB – to @clearadmit. Voting will conclude on Wednesday, May 28th. And now, with no further delay, the nominees for the 2013-2014 Best of Blogging Awards: Timbob MBAMyWay MBAReApplicant SarahMBAJourney Two Years at HBS CoffeeBeansandTeaLeaves Domotron MBA Over 30 Boots to Suits MBAGirlJourney Just wanted to add you all are not getting rid of me that easily. This is not the end of my blogging days oh no. Hopefully, I will have a few more fun things to update about like financial aid, visas, health forms and more before the mayhem of Fall A begins. Joking aside, it’s been surprisingly busy making sure I am all set for my move to Hanover in August. Which leads me nicely onto the last thing. I CANNOT believe that essay promptsand deadlineshave already been released for future Class of 2017 Tuckies. Has it really been a whole year since I started stressing about writing essays and meeting deadlines? Good luck to all the applicants this fall, especially GrantMeAdmissiona brand new blogger charting his way to successful applications this fall!  
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21 May 2014, 14:00
| FROM The MBA Journey of an African Doctor: Getting ready for the Interview with London Business School |
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I had to postpone my interview for the London Business School (LBS) Executive MBA by 30 days. Sometimes I wonder what the outcome would have been if I had gone for the interview last month because by now I would have known my fate. Well, I will know the outcome in a few weeks from now. All I need to do now is continue to prepare. After a few weeks in the US with virtually little time to prepare – to be honest I probably did 85% of my preparation in the air through Abuja-Mallorca-London-New York-Seattle-New York-London-Abuja – I actually thought I had wasted a lot of time. A few days ago when I put pen to paper to draft my strategy for the presentation, that was when it dawned on me that I had actually prepared mentally and I already had a good strategy in place. It was right there in my subconscious; while my conscious mind was not aware, my subconscious mind had actually taken over the show. My interview is next week in Dubai, so I am getting ready for another few hours in the air this weekend. I need all the luck in the world right now. It has been a really tough battle up to this point. And, by the way, INSEAD called a few people off the wait list. But somehow, they probably forgot to call me. I will forgive them if all goes well at LBS… Yeah, with benefit of hindsight, now I know that I was even lucky to have received an interview invite to INSEAD in the first place. So there’s nothing to forgive really. I am grateful they even glanced my way…  
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22 May 2014, 09:00
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FROM Coffee Beans And Tea Leaves: BoB Awards – who me?
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Well nothing like a nomination to let go of procrastination and come back to the beloved blog, isn’t it? I was pleasantly surprised to see my blog up there with Sarah’s, Domotron’s and Hamm‘s as a ClearAdmit Best of Blogging Awards for 2013-14 nominee. Please do show your love to all the nominees and hey, if […]
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22 May 2014, 15:00
| FROM The MBA Journey of an African Doctor: Logistical Nightmare Getting a UAE Visa |
 
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22 May 2014, 16:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: The Method Behind the Madness: How I Selected Schools |
Applying for schools is INSANELY expensive; at $250 an app, I’ve seen some of my peers, on average, pay over $1,000 on average JUST for applications…
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27 May 2014, 04:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: 8 Questions Every MBA Applicant Should Answer Before Applying |
I really wish I had spent more time thinking through these questions last year. The journey of an MBA applicant is a tough, but answering…
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28 May 2014, 04:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: What are my chances? (Part 1 of 2) |
What are my chances? Probably the most asked question in the MBA application game. In this post, we will examine my profile to understand how I…
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28 May 2014, 14:00
| FROM Grant Me Admission: What are my chances? (Part 1 of 2) |
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What are my chances? Probably the most asked question in the MBA application game. In this post, we will examine my profile to understand how I…
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29 May 2014, 07:01
| FROM Grant Me Admission: 1000 Views in 10 Days?!?! |
GrantMeAdmission got 1,000 views in 10 days?!?! I am completely astonished by the amount of support, interest and views that my blog has attracted. I would absolutely like…
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29 May 2014, 13:00
| FROM The adventures of a (provisional) MBA student: Forgetting I’m Doing an MBA |
I’ve been really quiet on here over the last two months, mainly because I’ve been off getting married/honeymooning. (Thanks very much dear reader, it was wonderful day!). I’ve had some time to gather my thoughts and relax a little, but now I’m back and getting ready now needs to begin in earnest. I’m taking inspiration from this new friend I got a photo of in the jungle – a picture of calm with chaos around him… My new inspiration and mascot, the Monkey of Calm Now I’ve had some time to get things moving, in the background most of the seemingly endless paperwork seems now to be completed. I have an appointment at the US Embassy in two weeks for a Visa interview, and I’m starting to think about packing up my entire life. I can’t quite believe how much ‘stuff’ I have accumulated over the last few years, and getting rid of it is proving harder than I imagined. If it sounds as though everything is going smoothly though, don’t be fooled. With practicalities well under way, my biggest concern now is finding somewhere to live I have no real intention of visiting before starting my studies. Harvard University operates a lottery system for it’s student accommodation, organised into a series of rounds. While we were away, we found out that I had the worst possible lottery ‘pick’, in the very final round. It now looks highly unlikely (with a little over a week to go) any housing will be left. This means going private. In a city I don’t know. And can’t visit. With no real history or knowledge of the system as I’ll be an international student that has never lived in the US. My wife and I are starting work on ‘plan B’ and getting our first experience of how different the US is from the UK in some respects, with the very different ways the two housing markets operate. I’m sure it won’t be the last such experience.  
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Hi Generic [Bot],
Here are updates for you:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 11:30am NY / 3:30pm London / 9pm Mumbai Watch earlier episodes of DI series below EP1: 6 Hardest Two-Part Analysis Questions EP2: 5 Hardest Graphical Interpretation Questions  ➡️ Sayali narrates her experience of succeeding on the GMAT after 4 attempts & 2 years of preparations with 32 percentile improvement on GMAT verbal.
Tuck at Dartmouth
AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
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