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31 May 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Webinar Available For On-Demand Viewing: How To Fund Your MBA |
 Missed last week’s webinar, How to Pay for Your MBA? Still worried those b-school price tags will get the best of you? No problem. Get the facts you need to finance your business degree when you view How to Pay for Your MBA online now. The webinar, which was presented by guest Julianna Young from CommonBond, was a huge success – loads of tips and suggestions on how YOU can secure the funds needed to pay for b-school. Don’t let tuition bills stand in your way. Get the MBA you need and deserve and learn how to pay for it with How to Pay for Your MBA. And as always, please be in touch if you have any questions – about paying for your MBA or about any other stage of the admissions process!   Tags: Financial Aid, MBA Admissions, webinar The post Webinar Available For On-Demand Viewing: How To Fund Your MBA appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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01 Jun 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Choosing Topics For The B-School Essay |
 First and foremost, answer the question being asked. Choosing Topics For The B-School Essay” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. In your applications, the schools are attempting to get to know you through your essays. So what should you write about? Write about what is most important to you and distinctive about you. The admissions readers seek to uncover how you will contribute to their class, their program, and the diversity of their schools. By telling your story – not what you think they want to hear and not what you share with 50% of other applicants—you will reveal how you can uniquely add to their class. For applications asking you to respond to specific questions and requesting statements of purpose, you have to first and foremost answer the question being asked. Frequently when reviewing application essays and personal statements, I read the essay first and then the question. If I can answer the question based on the essay I just read, it passes the first check. If the question asks you to discuss a failure, somewhere in that essay you must discuss a time when you really blew it. And then explore what you learned, and if appropriate, a nice dose of how you successfully handled a similar subsequent situation. But the starting point has to be an answer to the question posed. If the question asks why you want to attend a given program, you need to provide specifics about that program that relate to your interests and goals. Don’t respond with an answer that could apply to all programs in your field. That is a non-answer, non-starter, and probable ding. Don’t tell them why you are more qualified than anyone else to attend their program. Just answer the question. What if it’s an open-ended question with just general instructions? Then follow the general instructions and enjoy the luxury of writing about what interests you and best presents your qualifications. When applying to business school, perform the following check before you submit your essays to an admissions committee reader: • Make sure your essay answers the question. • Make sure it answers the question as well as you can. • Make sure it is a coherent, articulate demonstration of your writing ability.  Related Resources: • Avoid These 5 Fatal Flaws in Your Application Essay • Rosy Outlook For MBA Grads • 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA essay, Navigate The MBA Maze The post Choosing Topics For The B-School Essay appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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03 Jun 2015, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Top Ranked Part-Time MBAs |
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The U.S. News has released its list of the top-ranked part time MBA programs. Here are the top 10:  1. UC Berkeley (Haas) 2. U Chicago (Booth) 3. Northwestern (Kellogg) 4. NYU (Stern) 5. UCLA (Anderson) 6. U Michigan (Ross) 7 (tie). Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) 7 (tie). U Texas- Austin (McCombs) 9. Ohio State (Fisher) 10 (tie). U Minnesota- Twin Cities (Carlson) 10 (tie). USC (Marshall) For the full list and details of the ranking methodology, visit the rankings. We offer comprehensive consulting services for both full- and part-time MBA applicants!  Related Resources: • Ace the EMBA • Tips for Applying to Part-time MBA Programs • The MBA Family: A Roundup and Overview Tags: MBA Admissions, Part time MBA, Rankings The post Top Ranked Part-Time MBAs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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04 Jun 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Letters Of Recommendation |
 Offer to walk the dog to make time in your recommenders’ schedule to write the letter. Selecting your recommenders takes a strategy. I like to begin with the basics: Who, When, What, Where, and How. I also like to suggest that you waive your right to access it. The waiver makes the recommendation more credible to the admissions committee. Who: Who are the best people to address the questions the schools are asking? Who are the best people to affirm what you say and also add information that you don’t have the chance to include in your essay? Many schools ask for supervisor. While it is best to ask your supervisor for the letter of recommendation (and ask if (s)he can write you a strong letter of recommendation), there are times when you just can’t ask a supervisor for a letter. If you find yourself in that situation, you’ll need an explanation. For example, “I asked my mentor to write my recommendation because she knows my leadership, drive and work ethic better than anyone else I know.” Or, “I’ve asked a former supervisor to write my recommendation letter because asking my current supervisor would jeopardize my current project/promotion.” Or, “I’ve asked a supplier to write my recommendation because my supervisor has only been on board for one month and I’ve known my supplier for three years.” Regardless, develop a strong relationship with your recommender prior to “the ask.” When: It’s best to ask your recommender to write the letter at least 6 weeks prior to your anticipated date of submission. Everyone will face delays, so make allow for them. Six weeks should give your recommender enough time to 1. Review your preparation materials (see what). 2. Meet with the recommender for the request (in person if possible). 3. Meet again to give the packet of information that you will provide. 4. Meet again to answer any questions the recommender has for you. What: Many schools ask similar questions, but it is best to use the unique e-form each school provides the recommender and answer the questions the school asks. You will add the recommenders’ information on your application, and the school will send your recommender a link. Many of these documents can be written in word and uploaded as a .doc, .docx or pdf. Regardless of how the letter is delivered, you need to give your recommender a packet of information to use to help him or her answer the questions. Often the questions will ask about your leadership in relation to your peers or when did your recommender offer you criticism and how did you receive the criticism? This latter question has been problematic for many recommenders. I suggest that the recommender think about the question in a different way. Rather than thinking about a weakness, think about a time the recommender “offered the candidate advice and how did the candidate act on that advice.” A letter of recommendation is not your annual review; it’s your recommendation. Your recommender may even ask you to write the letter and (s)he’ll sign the letter. You need to stand your ground and say, “the school really wants your honest perspective, and I would be so grateful to you for your original work.” However, you can coach your recommender by providing a list of the schools to which you are applying and why, a copy of your resume, your goals statement, and items you would like to your recommender to cover like your achievements or items that you can’t cover in your essays, but your recommender can elaborate on your affinity for paragliding or your talent with the cello (this is your packet). You can also ask your recommender to highlight achievements that may counteract a negative – like your communications skills if you have a low verbal score or a quantitative achievement if you have a low quant score. I know when I write letters for my former students, having this information will remind me of the great things that the student did for the school or for me. It gives me the launching point to tell a story and all the statements a recommender makes should be backed up with evidence (a story) to make it more interesting and hammer home the point of the recommendation. Many recommendations also offer grids. Your recommender should be honest, but I must say that if my candidates fell below the top two categories, it sent up a red flag. Where: If your recommender says (s)he doesn’t have the time to write the recommendation, I’ve suggested my clients book a one hour appointment (after they give the packet of materials needed to write the recommendation) and then call the recommender and say, okay, I’d like you to use this hour to write my recommendation. You can also offer to do things like pick up dry cleaning or groceries, walk the dog, or drive carpool to make time in your recommenders’ schedule to write the letter. Regardless, they need at least one hour of quiet time to get this right. How: If your recommender says that (s)he can’t write a strong letter for you, you need to find another recommender. If they enthusiastically say “yes!” make the task easy for the recommender by giving the recommender the packet to which I referred in the “what” section. Please contact us if you have other questions regarding your recommendations and good luck.   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. Related Resources: • MBA Letters of Recommendation that Rock – an ebook • Recommenders And Recommendations • Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes Tags: Letters of Recommendation, MBA Admissions The post MBA Letters Of Recommendation appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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05 Jun 2015, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Is Columbia Business School Calling Your Name? |
The webinar aired live last week and was a huge success, so if you missed it or if you attended and would like to review, then you’ll want to tune in to the online recording for not-to-be-missed advice on how to snag that Columbia acceptance. Don’t you want to make sure you’re approaching Columbia’s application properly? View Get Accepted to Columbia Business School for free now!  Tags: Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions, webinar The post Is Columbia Business School Calling Your Name? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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07 Jun 2015, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Books To Read Before You Begin Your MBA Application |
 I’m certain everyone knows that before you apply to business schools, it’s a good idea to read The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Economist and Bloomberg-BusinessWeek to familiarize yourself with the jargon and the stories you will be discussing while in school. I also believe its a good idea to read about MBA programs and the strategies experts suggest before applying to said programs. For the latest in Bschool gossip and the best admissions tips, subscribe to this blog and keep an eye on Poets and Quants. While I’ve seen a lot of books out there on the MBA admissions process including our very own MBA Admissions for Smarties by Linda Abraham and Judy Gruen, I think it’s important before you apply to schools to find inspiration outside the narrow walls of “MBA admissions.” I’m hoping these books will get you thinking and tickle the left side of your brain when so many MBA applicants are right-brained thinkers. Leadership: The Five Levels of Leadership – John Maxwell Talent is Overrated – Geoff Colvin Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson Businesses: Great by Choice – Jim Collins and Morten Hansen Inside Apple – Adam Lishinsky The McKinsey Way – Ethan Raisiel Creative Thinking: Jumping the Curve – Nicholas Imparato and Oren Harari The Art of Possibility – Rosamund and Benjamin Zander (catch Ben’s TED talks too) The Singularity is Near – Ray Kurzweil Creative Confidence – Tom Kelley And if you can’t get away from your right brain try: The Art of Persuasion – Bob Burg Competitive Advantage – Michael Porter The Essays of Warren Buffet – Warren Buffet and Lawrence Cunningham Regardless of what you read, it’s important to read before putting pen to paper or finger to key. Using books as your muse for your business school essays will enable you to dream bigger and engage your own reader…the admissions committee.  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.Navigate the MBA Maze • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • MBA Admissions According to an Expert Tags: MBA Admissions The post Books To Read Before You Begin Your MBA Application appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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08 Jun 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Yale SOM 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
 Yale has retained its one essay from last year with no change. As Bruce DelMonico explained in a blog post, “this question really gets to the core of what Yale SOM is about and embodies our founding mission of educating leaders for business and society. So we decided that we would keep this essay question in place for another year.” As you did last year, you need to make the most of that single essay, but you also need to take the time to make every box in the application a home run. They are not after-thoughts. Your job descriptions and activity history are very important. Write and edit them carefully. Focus on achievements. Quantify when possible and keep in mind Yale’s commitment to “educating leaders for business and society.” My tips are in blue. Essay Question: The Yale School of Management educates individuals who will have deep and lasting impact on the organizations they lead. Describe how you have positively influenced an organization as an employee, a member, or an outside constituent. This essay would do really well with an anecdotal response telling the story of how you positively affected your department, team, club, company, client or any entity that benefited from your contribution. You can start with a moment of challenge or triumph. Then go back, provide context, and tell your story of contribution, hurdles overcome, and complexity handled. If your impact has lasted, say so. Video Questions: As part of your application, you will be asked to answer three video questions. These questions are intended to give you another opportunity to tell us about yourself. These questions are not meant to be difficult and should not require extensive preparation or special knowledge to answer. After hearing each video question, you will have 20 seconds to formulate a response, followed by up to 60 seconds to respond. After August 15th, you will see a link in your applicant status page checklist that will allow you to complete the video questions once you have submitted your application and fee. To answer the questions, you simply need an internet connection and a webcam. These questions will take roughly 15 minutes to complete, and you will have the opportunity to test your connection and respond to a sample question before answering the questions. Once you have completed the questions, your responses will be added to your application and we will begin the review process. To prepare for your webcam session, you need to practice for the experience of talking to a video camera with no responses from another human being. It is a weird experience. For tips on how to prepare and behave during the webcam session, please see: Tips for Video MBA Essay Questionsand listen to this interview with Yale’s Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at Yale SOM. Optional Information: If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation (unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, promotions or recognitions, etc.), please provide a brief description here. (200 words maximum) You can use the optional essay to explain or provide context as Yale SOM suggests, or you can use your optional essay to highlight something in your experiences, background, personal or professional life that didn’t fit into the required essay and that you want the admissions committee to know about. Consider relating a diversity element, a unique area of interest, or an accomplishment that you don’t feel is adequately described elsewhere. Don’t use this optional essay as a grand summary of your application or reasons for wanting to attend Yale. Make sure the optional adds value. Required for Reapplicants Only: Since your last application, please discuss any updates to your candidacy, including changes in your personal or professional life, additional coursework, or extracurricular/volunteer activities. (200 words maximum) This is the key question that every re-applicant has to answer. Why should Yale SOM admit you this time around? What’s changed? What’s improved? If you would like professional guidance with your Yale SOM MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Yale MBA application.  Yale SOM 2015 Deadlines: Application Deadline Decision Release Round 1 September 16, 2015 December 7, 2015 Round 2 January 7, 2016 March 25, 2016 Round 3 April 21, 2016 May 20, 2016  By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsYale SOM Zone Page • Bruce DelMonico on The Yale School of Management • Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions Tags: 2016 MBA Application, MBA Admissions, Yale SOM The post Yale SOM 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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08 Jun 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Writing The MBA Application Essay |
 “Writing the MBA Application Essay” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. You’ve decided which schools to apply to, and you even know what you want to write about, but you’re staring at a blank screen…What now? Follow these three steps to write your winning essay. Step 1: Introspection – You are the first topic you need to know. After all, the essay will be about you. What do you want to do after your MBA? Why do you want to attend this program? When have you demonstrated the qualities this school appreciates, the qualities that show you belong here? Before you introduce yourself to the adcom, you must make sure that you know yourself well. Step 2: Write Killer Openings – Don’t get lulled into writing a generic opening. It’s easy, but lethal. Instead, think through the story you wish to tell and grab the reader’s attention by opening with a moment at the height of the action. Step 3: Be Positive – You want to emphasize the positive: Where are you going? What do you want to accomplish? What do you like? What attracts you to business? If you are asked to write about a failure or mistake, briefly and honestly describe that experience, but spend the bulk of the essay focusing on what you learned from it and how in a similar later situation you behaved differently as a result of those lessons. Think and write positive. Related Resources: • From Example to Exemplary – A Free Guide • How to Write about Overcoming Challenges without Sounding like a Whiner • 6 Tips for Getting Started on Your Application Essays Tags: MBA Admissions, Navigate The MBA Maze The post Writing The MBA Application Essay appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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08 Jun 2015, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Applying To Harvard Business School – A How-To Guide |
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If you’re applying to Harvard Business School, then you’ll want to attend Accepted’s upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Harvard Business School. During the webinar, Linda Abraham, Accepted’s CEO and founder, will discuss important application tips that apply specifically to Harvard’s application, including 4 key steps for HBS acceptance!  Mark your calendars! The webinar will air live on Wednesday, June 24th at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM EST.  Reserve your spot for Get Accepted to Harvard Business School today and get one step closer to securing your seat in the Harvard HBS class of 2018! Tags: Harvard Business School, MBA Admissions, webinar The post Applying To Harvard Business School – A How-To Guide appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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09 Jun 2015, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Tips To Beat The GRE- This Thursday! |
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Our free webinar with Magoosh GRE expert Chris Lele will air this Thursday, June 11 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET. Don’t miss this chance to learn vital tips you need to master the GRE—register now!   Tags: Grad School Admissions, GRE, Magoosh, MBA Admissions, webinar The post 5 Tips To Beat The GRE- This Thursday! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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10 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: How To Study For The GRE (Part II) |
 As you start to improve, it will get harder to improve. But don’t give up! Click here to read “How To Study For the GRE (Part I)“ Think like the test writers You may have noticed the wording that accompanies many questions: “choose the best answer.” That phrase points to the somewhat subjective nature of the test, and yes, I’m talking primarily about the verbal section. (Don’t worry, number sense doesn’t become subjective on the GRE.) Many interpret this phrasing as arbitrary and unfair. Often, we find an answer that sort of works and feel cheated that it is not credited as being the correct answer. It is best, though, not to become upset or resigned; rather, try to understand why the test writers consider one answer the best. On the flip side, figure out what made your seemingly logical answer turn out to not be the best according to the test writers’ thinking. There is a certain logic to the way the test writers construct the “best answer,” and conversely a certain logic to the way the wrong answers are written. Wrapping your head around this notion and thinking like the test writers is one of the most effective strategies to improving on the test. That is not to say that this is the magic bullet. After all, you’ll still have to deal with dense, convoluted questions where wrapping your head around the question is half the battle. But overall, understanding why the right answer is right and the wrong is answer wrong will go a long way toward helping you on test day. Use official material as much as possible Writing test answers—both math and verbal ones—is something of an art form. Constructing an answer so that it is sort of right but just wrong enough so that it is not unassailably correct, as well as writing an answer that is unassailably correct, is tough. Nobody does it better than the test writers themselves (the reason for this is not that the test writers are the Michelangelos of test prep—they use sophisticated statistics to determine answer validity). For this reason, you’ll want to stick to official material as much as possible. In this case, you’ll want to stick with ETS, the creators of the test. The downside is ETS hasn’t released too much material: it has a few practice tests and about 100 practice questions scattered throughout its few books. That doesn’t mean that you should eschew other sources altogether; there are still decent sources out there. You just have to be careful, since poorly constructed questions will disrupt the logic you’ll have been fine-tuning by studying the official material. Stay positive Prepping for the GRE and even taking a practice test is in large part mental. There is quite a bit of stress (and boredom) attending both practices. But instead of just telling you to stay positive—a cliché wrapped in bromide and served on a platitudinous platter—here are a few tips to help make GRE prep interesting, rewarding, and (most importantly!) effective. 1. Getting better is a struggle As you start to improve, it will get harder to improve. It is important to keep this in mind, since you’ll likely hit a plateau after an initial score increase. Though you might start to wonder if you can improve any more, don’t become dispirited. The better you do, the more difficult the material will become, since the test section is adaptive. To keep things in perspective, it’s also helpful to remember that others are also struggling to improve. 2. You’re not learning Swahili This is my way of saying that what you’re learning on the GRE is something that is relevant to what you’ll be doing in grad school. (I’m assuming you don’t have any plans to visit the southern half of Africa soon!) Essentially, you’ll be fine-tuning your ability to use logic, sift through dense texts, and, in some cases, work with numbers and number logic. 3. Take a break Sometimes what you’ve learned takes time to incubate. Take a break from studying for a couple of days to let things sink in. Often, it is during this supposed “downtime” that your brain makes little connections regarding what you’ve recently learned.   This post was written by Chris Lele, resident test prep expert at Magoosh and a leader in GRE prep. For more advice on taking the GRE, check out Magoosh’s GRE blog. Related Resources: • MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Great Tips • To GRE Or Not To GRE? That Is The Question • Making Friends with the GRE: How To Overcome Test Anxiety and Perform at Your Best Tags: Grad School Admissions, GRE, Magoosh, MBA Admissions The post How To Study For The GRE (Part II) appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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10 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are? |
 Is it phony to start volunteering three months before applying to business school? What can I do to prepare to hit the ground running when my target programs release their applications? What is the worst thing to ask a school rep when I come to visit? Get the adcom perspective on these questions and more in our enlightening conversation with Esmeralda Cardenal, former admissions director and current Accepted admissions consultant. 00:00:37 – Featured Applicant Question: I have a low GMAT quant score and few extracurriculars, but want to attend Stanford/Harvard/Wharton. Am I aiming too high? 00:08:59 – How Esmeralda got involved in MBA admissions. 00:10:14 – Applicants who sell themselves short and why they do it. 00:13:21 – What b-school applicants would be so much better off knowing. 00:15:54 – An overview of how an application is reviewed. 00:17:31 – Differences between U.S. and U.K. schools and admissions. 00:19:35 – Advice for Latin American applicants to United States b-schools. 00:21:52 – Get to work before applications are live! 00:27:10 – What to look for when visiting schools. 00:29:24 – Questions to ask (and not to ask) when you visit and interview. 00:31:20 – The best way to prepare for a blind interview. 00:32:25 – Important advice for business school reapplicants. 00:35:50 – Final words of wisdom. Pay heed.  *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com Related links: • Esmeralda Cardenal’s Bio Page• Selling Yourself Short?• Get Accepted to Columbia Business School• Get Accepted to Harvard Business School• MBA Admission for Smarties Related shows: • The Admissions Team at the Very Center of Business• Exploring the Part-Time MBA Options at NYU Stern• Bruce DelMonico on The Yale School of Management• At the Nexus of Business & Law: Penn/Wharton’s JD/MBA• Honing in On the Cornell Johnson MBA• The Tuck School of Business and the Global Insight Requirement    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, podcast The post It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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11 Jun 2015, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Harvard Business School: The Habit Of Leadership |
 Thank you, Harvard Business School. IMHO, that’s what applicants should think when they visit the program’s website and find “habit of leadership” on its “Who are we looking for?” admissions page. It’s common knowledge that HBS values leadership, but with this phrase, the adcom succinctly expresses how they view leadership – dynamic, deep, intrinsic, long-term. It’s something you possess and bring to your experiences, not something that happens to describe your involvement in a few isolated incidents (i.e., the proverbial “leadership experience”). Not just HBS applicants, but all b-school applicants can benefit from reflecting on the phrase – and then determining how they embody it in their actions. There are a gazillion excellent articles and treatises on the meaning of leadership. And most of them are valid. I’m focusing on the other word. The key to this message is habit. First, it’s active. It’s something done. It’s not something bestowed upon you (like the title Team Lead) and it’s not something ascended to (advanced to Project Manager). Whether good or bad, habits are something you do. Second, a habit is reflexive, a part of you. You may think about it objectively in your mind, but it’s also behavior. Yet that doesn’t automatically mean it’s innate – a habit may be learned (you probably know someone who trained herself to become more patient or more decisive or less defensive). Therefore, if you aren’t a “born leader,” you can still develop the habit of leadership. A habit knows no boundaries. You exercise the habit of leadership in school, in your family, with friends, at work, in your community. It means that when something needs doing or when you perceive an opportunity for positive impact, you shift into gear to make it happen – even if it’s hard, even if it’s not your designated role, even if you’re not sure exactly how you’ll do it. Simply, it’s what you do. Because it’s action oriented, not title or ego oriented, the habit of leadership, ironically, may sometimes seem invisible, a hidden force. Routine and regular. Example: your friends, tired after a long day of canoeing on the Delaware River, squabble about where to go for dinner. You gently draw the group’s focus to the two most feasible options, proposed by two different members of the group; everyone starts to feel enthusiastic again. They may not consciously recognize your leadership; in fact, the person who proposed the “winning” idea might feel like the leader! (More irony: real leadership often allows others to feel like the top dog.) Of course, the opposite is also true sometimes: your leadership habit may require you to visibly assert an opposing vision or emphatically convince people to join you in taking a risk. While this quality is something HBS explicitly seeks, any b-school adcom will value it – after all, someone with “leadership experience” isn’t necessarily a leader fundamentally, but someone with the “habit of leadership” is. All b-schools want leaders. Having the habit of leadership is great, but it’s only helpful to the application if you express it effectively. That means – you’ve heard it from us ad infinitum – use example and anecdote. Look for opportunities to weave in the message of your habit of leadership, even in essays on other topics. Also, try to bring it out in your resume and your interviews. Ask your recommenders to highlight it. It can only enhance your application and your candidacy.   By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com. Related Resources: • Harvard Business School 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • Life as an HBS MBA Student • What Does Harvard Business School Want? Tags: Harvard Business School, leadership, MBA Admissions The post Harvard Business School: The Habit Of Leadership appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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12 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: New Sustainability Center With Eco Leader At Helm For NYU Stern |
 With concerns about sustainability and environmental/human impact gaining more currency in the business community, NYU Stern has announced the establishment of a new Center for Sustainable Business, launching in January 2016. The new center will be led by Tensie Whelan, President of the Rainforest Alliance and an experienced leader in the field. In addition to research and teaching, the Center will bring together companies from different sectors and parts of the world with stakeholders and experts for an annual conference exploring solutions for a particular environmental and developmental challenge. Whelan holds a master’s degree in international communication from American University’s School of International Service and a bachelor’s degree in political science from New York University. She has been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics” by Ethisphere for several years. As president of the Rainforest Alliance, Whelan built the organization from a $4.5 million budget to $50 million, transforming the engagement of business with sustainability and recruiting 5,000 companies in more than 60 countries to work with the organization. She partnered closely with sustainability leaders from multinational corporationss, CEOs from around the globe, key NGO and United Nations leaders, as well as donors. During her 25 year career in environmental leadership, she has also served as vice president of conservation information at the National Audubon Society and executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “More and more, society and consumers expect companies to address social and environmental issues in their business models. Corporations, in turn, are seeking new employees who come ready to innovate and contribute. As educators, we have a responsibility to help our students develop their perspectives and skills to meet this new reality,” said NYU Stern Professor Bruce Buchanan in a statement. The new Center is aimed at doing just that. Learn more at: Center for Sustainable Business  Related Resources: • Navigate the MBA Maze • The MBA Family: A Roundup and Overview • 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future Tags: MBA Admissions, NYU Stern The post New Sustainability Center With Eco Leader At Helm For NYU Stern appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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14 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: I’m About to Make Your Day… |
 Does your opening line catch the reader’s attention? …by giving my essay a catchy opening line that doesn’t turn you away or bore you to tears. See, I could have started this tip post with “Today I am going to tell you how to create a compelling essay opening,” but you probably would have skipped over something as drab as that. How about these? It is the art of philosophical car washing that got me thinking about pursuing an MBA. or There are numerous ways to make a banana split cry. …now THOSE are essays or personal statements I’d like to read! Yes, you want an engaging opening for your admissions essay or personal statement, but you also want to make sure to avoid anything obvious or chock full of clichés. A good essay opening is one that: • …sets the tone. A serious essay should be introduced by a serious opening line. If an intro sentence makes you chuckle, on the other hand, then you can assume the essay itself it humorous as well. • …raises intrigue. Your essay’s opening line should encourage questioning or engender curiosity. Like for our first example above, “What is philosophical car washing?” or “What is the art form of this activity like?” or, as per our second example above, “Huh?” And that’s okay too! • …surprising, shocking, or suspenseful. Causing your reader to flinch, raise an eyebrow in surprise, jump with shock, or furrow her forehead from suspense is a good thing. That reader will want to read on. Grab your readers’ attention so they will read your essay because they want to and not because they have to. NOTE: If you can’t think of a catchy opening, but know what you plan on writing, feel free to write your essay first and add a catchy hook at the beginning of the essay once you’re done, or sometime along the way.  Related Resources: • 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application • From Example to Exemplary – A Free Guide • Writing The MBA Application Essay Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions, personal statement The post I’m About to Make Your Day… appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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14 Jun 2015, 13:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Michigan Ross 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
 Michigan Ross essentially condensed last year’s two required questions into one and added a goals essay question. Review Ross’ Evaluation Criteria and Admissions Director Soojin Kwon’s excellent blog post on the new questions before you sit down to write the essays. Most importantly remember: your essays should reveal the qualities Ross seeks — not just mouth them. Show that you walk the walk, not just talk the talk. My comments are in blue below. Essays: 1. What are you most proud of and why? How does it shape who you are today? (up to 400 words) The first part of the question is fairly straightforward. What are you truly proud of? The reasons for your pride and the influence of this experience require thought and soul-searching. And of course, you only have 400 words. Possible examples: Contributed significantly to your team, department, company, or club. Raised money for a favorite charity. Organized a political event. Engaged in interfaith dialogue that broke down communications barriers. Led a sports team to victory. Or perhaps, overcoming a significant personal challenge. If possible, quantify this part of your answer. Numbers are a great way to show both contribution and impact. However, if your #1 achievement is qualitative or difficult to quantify, don’t let lack of numbers stop you from using it. Your response to “why?” is extremely important. As Soojin Kwon writes on her blog “We want to understand what makes something important to you. It gives us a glimpse into how you think about and process things, and what your priorities and values are.” Choose the reasons that genuinely reflect who you are and also show fit with Ross and its values. For the third part of the question (how did it shape who you are today?), think and then focus. Choose one or two lessons from this accomplishment that changed how you think or behave and describe those changes. You don’t have room for many lessons learned, so select the most important. Please don’t write that you learned you can do anything you put your mind to. That response is cliched and not really true. There are limits to what you can do. A good response will show how this crucial experience has molded you. 2. What is your desired career path and why? (up to 400 words) What do you want to do after you earn your MBA? This question doesn’t limit itself to your first job. It ask for the “path” and is asking how would you like to see your career progress. Why is this path appealing to you? You can point to 1-3 experiences (don’t focus on the same one used in your response to #1) that convinced you that the desired one is right for you. Analyze the impact of these events. Highlight 1-3 aspects of these experiences that you enjoyed that will also be part of your desired future direction. Right genuinely about your future career, but realize as Soojin Kwon says that Ross uses the answers to see if business school makes sense. Ross doesn’t want to admit you if its MBA won’t help you go where you want to go professionally. Show that a Ross MBA in the missing link between what you have done in the past and what you want to do in the future. If you would like professional guidance with your Michigan Ross MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Michigan Ross application. Michigan Ross 2016 MBA Application Deadlines: Round 1 Applications due Oct. 5, 2015 at 11:59 PM (EST) Decisions posted Dec. 18, 2015 at 12:00 PM (EST) Round 2 Applications due Jan. 4, 2016 at 11:59 PM (EST) Decisions posted March 21, 2016 at 12:00 PM (EST) Round 3 Applications due March 21, 2016 at 11:59 PM (EST) Decisions posted May 13, 2016 at 12:00 PM (EST)  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 SchoolsSchool-Specific Application Essay Tips • Michigan Ross Business School Zone • 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your MBA Application Essays Tags: 2016 MBA Application, MBA Admissions, Michigan Ross The post Michigan Ross 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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15 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Aligning Your Resume With Your Application Essays |
 Everything you write should directly or indirectly relate to your goals – including the resume. “Aligning Your Resume With Your Application Essays” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze. MBA and other graduate school applicants frequently submit a resume with their applications. Many schools require it, and some schools, such as Columbia Business School, even specify a given format. The resume not only will present a valuable context for your other materials, but it also will give the adcom readers an easy point of reference as they read your essays. To use the resume strategically in the application, you must align it with your essays. First, follow the basic rules of good resume writing for your MBA application resume. Beyond that, there are several points to consider in preparing your resume for your graduate school applications: • The resume can free up space in your essays. By summarizing your experience, responsibilities, and achievements in the resume, you don’t have to worry about cramming every noteworthy item into your essays or sketching out your career path. Rather, you can be very selective and detailed in the experiences you do elaborate on in the essays. These two components, the essays and the resume, should complement each other rather than being redundant. When they harmonize, they sharpen your message and give both depth and breadth to your application. • Be consistent in your resume and essays: refer to companies, job titles, departments, technologies, and other items in the same way in both pieces. Not only does this practice prevent confusion, it also heightens the unity and coherence of the overall application. • Review your essays and determine whether there are particular skills, abilities, talents, or experiences that you should reinforce. Then use your resume to do so. For example, if your verbal score was low, presumably you demonstrated your verbal skills in your essays. Use the resume to further strengthen the impression of strong verbal skills. • Your goals anchor your application essays and statements of purpose; everything you write should directly or indirectly relate to them. So should the resume. In selecting the experiences and accomplishments to highlight, give the resume a slant that reflects your goals. Related Resources: • The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes • 4 Tips for Demonstrating Professional Growth in a Flat Organization • Hone Your MBA Goals, a short video Tags: MBA Admissions, Navigate The MBA Maze, resume The post Aligning Your Resume With Your Application Essays appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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15 Jun 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Harvard Business School: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite |
 So HBS wants “analytical aptitude and appetite.” What is there to add? I mean, it’s pretty obvious. We didn’t really need HBS to say it. Yet they did say it. Maybe it’s not as obvious as it sounds. Let’s take a look. Analytical: This concept encompasses a range of things – quantitative methods, various tools and processes such as decision trees and FMEA, mental objectivity, an exacting attitude. Parsing the relationship between a whole and its parts. Pursuing root causes. Aptitude: Ability, innate and/or learned. Appetite: This is the really interesting word, because it’s open to interpretation. We can read it as meaning to enjoy, to savor, to be open to, to relish, to hunger for, to have capacity for. Here are some of its practical implications and nuances (in question form): • Do you use objective analysis in understanding past events, planning future actions and strategies, and making decisions? • Do you respect results and outcomes determined by analysis when they don’t jive with your preconceptions, ideologies, or preferences? • Does your analytic mindset allow you to be comfortable with – even relish – ambiguity and uncertainty? • Do you help your teammates understand and use analytic approaches and thinking? • Perhaps most important, do you use language effectively as an analytic tool, e.g., when the team is facing a muddle, are you the one who can verbally separate the threads, clarify them, and guide the team to understand their relative weight and importance? As the HBS website indicates, for HBS, analytical aptitude is not a solitary feast (regardless of how hearty the analytic appetite). You’ve got to bring your analytical chops to the table, i.e., to classroom debates and case studies, projects, etc. Therefore, you must be able not only to read and play the analytic score – but also to improvise, on the spot and with other virtuosos. The adcom will grasp your analytic aptitude from your transcript(s), test score, and resume. But if you feel these elements don’t properly show this dimension, use other parts of the application (essay, short answers, additional info, recommendations) to amplify it. As for showing analytical appetite: • Your resume may reflect this quality, depending on your work. • Invite your recommenders to discuss this quality and to provide examples. • In your essay(s) use a story or two that demonstrates analytical appetite. And be assured, it won’t hurt to let other programs you apply to appreciate your analytic aptitude and appetite! By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBAand Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com, including many successful applicants to HBS. Related Resources: • What Does Harvard Business School Want? • Harvard Business School: The Habit of Leadership • Harvard Business School 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines Tags: Harvard Business School, MBA Admissions The post Harvard Business School: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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16 Jun 2015, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: An Interview With Our Own: Natalie Grinblatt Epstein |
 Curious about the life and times of our spectacular admissions consultants? Please enjoy our newest blog series in which we interview the fabulous people who make up the Accepted.com staff. Next up is…Natalie Grinblatt Epstein. Accepted: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Do you hold any graduate degrees? Where do you currently live? Natalie: I’m a first generation immigrant who grew up in suburban Detroit surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins (we have a large family) that didn’t speak English, so I picked up Yiddish, French, and a little Hebrew along the way. My parents felt travel and community service were both extremely important to our upbringing and by the time I was 18, I put in over 1000 hours of community service for organizations ranging from the American Cancer Association to UNICEF. We also traveled to 20 different countries before I began university (that count is closer to 80 now). I attended the University of Michigan and my closest friends and I lived in the same dorm, so we created our own sorority without having to go through pledging. We are best friends to this day. I waived out of a lot of courses through AP and university testing, so I actually started as a sophomore, but decided to use that to explore the sciences, the arts and a lot of literature. I was active in theater groups, political action groups and I was lucky enough to be assigned on a research project that changed my world. I studied the Elizabethan period in depth and dropped pre-med having fallen in love with Shakespeare instead of Jonas Salk. Theater enabled me to be fearless, but it didn’t lead to post-BA careers, so after spending two years in retail, I returned to Ann Arbor for my MBA. Accepted: Can you walk us through the jobs and experiences that led you to become an admissions consultant for Accepted? Natalie: I initially pursued the MBA for a career in CPG, but again, a research project turned my world upside down and my marketing professor/mentor suggested I implement my research at Michigan. I thought I would stay for a year, I stayed for 11. Understanding that I needed to diversify my resume, I was offered and accepted the role of Admissions Director at Cornell. My first day was memorable: I walked in from orientation and 75% of my staff had resigned (I hadn’t even started yet), I negotiated to move Financial Aid under my charge, I discovered 10,000 “inquiries” that were still being hand entered and then automated the system. That year we broke all prior records despite being short staffed, and I created a team that I knew could navigate the most rigorous rapids. I worked my way up at Michigan from Assistant Director, to Associate Director and finally Director managing not only admissions, but also students services, student affairs, events, marketing (now each of those has separate departments, but I was a one woman shop under the guidance of amazing mentors). I created my own roles at both Michigan and Cornell. They trusted me to make the school better, and I used intra and inter university relationships to do so. I created recruiting teams out of multiple schools to share costs and also data. It worked well for all schools who are now solidly placed in the top 15. Moreover, I volunteered for GMAC (the Graduate Management Admissions Council) for 9 years in order to strengthen those relationships. At Cornell, no one thought it possible to work together with the Fundraising offices at other schools to pipeline students. I institutionalized this at Cornell and again, it works well for all parties involved. I loved Michigan and Cornell, but on a snowy day in Ithaca, I received a call from Arizona State University. My best friend lived in Phoenix, and I was missing the sunshine. I accomplished a lot at Cornell and felt like it was time for a move. So I did. Soon after moving to Phoenix, I met the man who became my husband. He sent me a business plan before our first official date. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to date me or hire me. He did both. We launched a business together and then tied the knot. I became a mother instantly to two wonderful boys (my stepsons) and a technology venture. We sold the business two years later, and I missed higher education, so I called Linda Abraham and asked her if she needed another consultant. I knew Linda because she was running chats for us that benefitted Cornell and Accepted.com, and I really enjoyed working with her. I knew she was sharp and I always want to surround myself with brilliant and positive people and Linda certainly fits that definition. I’ve been with Accepted.com ever since that phone call in 2008 and I enjoy being on the other side of the table helping clients understand the inner workings of admissions. Transparency helps everyone, and my knowledge has been a powerful tool for my clients. I also brought on two of my former admissions colleagues and have been conducting some business development for Accepted.com when I have time. Accepted: What is your favorite book? Natalie: My favorite readings are Shakespeare’s cannon. I still love to read the history plays. Currently, I’m reading The Swerve, by Stephen Greenblatt (no relation), but this Harvard professor writes eloquently and I’m learning a lot about how once lost classical literature was found again and created the entire Renaissance movement. Accepted: What’s your favorite thing about consulting? Natalie: My favorite thing about consulting is helping others make their dreams come true. I find it so gratifying to hear, “I’ve been accepted and I couldn’t have done it without you.” It’s a great boost to my ego, but more importantly, I love to see my clients blossom and grow. Education is vital to growth and if I can help clients gain the education they deserve, I feel I’ve accomplished my vision for the future. In terms of the nuts and bolts, I love brainstorming ideas with my clients and preparing them for interviews. I believe I have the greatest impact in helping my clients shape their stories both in their application and in person. Accepted: What sorts of applicants do you mostly work with? Natalie: Given my business school background, I work mostly with MBAs and EMBAs, but I also work with high school students (because I did work with undergraduates at Michigan), PhDs (because I did work with the PhDs at Cornell), MF or MFEs (because I had experience reviewing those candidates files as well) and MPH or EMPH because they are similar to MBA candidates and I have a personal interest and read a lot about healthcare. I also work with a variety of dual degree candidates because I’ve had that experience as well. Accepted: What are your top 3 admissions tips? Natalie: 1. Keep it simple (many clients want to cram everything into an essay and it doesn’t work). 2. Show your multi-dimensionality. For example, I love Columbia Business School’s question, “What would your cluster be surprised to learn about you?” Surprise them. Many clients think this is business only, but as an admissions director, I loved reading about other things that motivated my candidates: athletics, cooking, unique travel; musical instruments; standup comedy (Twitter’s CEO, a fellow Michigan graduate, spent many years as a standup comic). Don’t be a one trick pony. 3. Use relationships you have to put in a good word for you (not too many or that becomes desperate, but a shout out coming from a faculty member, student or alum will gain the attention of the admissions director). 4. I know you asked for three, but I have 5 suggestions: Seek the help you need (consulting, tutoring, editing, proof-reading, resume-writing, interview rehearsals). 5. Finally, don’t wait until the last minute. Applying to school takes time, introspection, and a realistic outlook. Cast the net widely and you will land softly and in the right place for you. Learn more about Natalie and how she can help you get accepted!  Related Resources: • MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interviews [Free Guide] • MBA Admissions Consulting and Editing Services • MBA Admissions According to an Expert [Podcast] Tags: Accepted Admissions Consultant Interview, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post An Interview With Our Own: Natalie Grinblatt Epstein appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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16 Jun 2015, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The Importance Of Extracurriculars And Community Service |
 Start now! A little bit of community service is better than no community service at all. While business schools deeply value your academic background, work experience, and career progression, they also ascribe significant weight to your extracurricular and community service activities. Why? Because they want to see that you are an individual who is not just focused on work, that you have other passions, and that you are well rounded. Whether it be practicing sports, singing in your church’s choir, or helping at soup kitchens, community service and extracurricular activities are extremely important for you as an applicant beyond their feel-good value. What does being involved in this type of activity show b-schools? 1. It gives them a more holistic picture of you. You are not just the two-dimensional person going to work every day and taking it easy on the weekends. It shows them that you have other interests, and that you’re not afraid to take (mostly unpaid) responsibilities outside of your job. 2. It shows traits that would probably not come up on the rest of the application: your leadership, initiative, passion, and interpersonal skills. People that are used to acting to the benefit of others make for better team players, whether in the community or the corporate world. Those traits are indispensable in order to succeed at b-school and later on in your career. 3. Individuals who have a track record of community service, once they are in b-school, have no trouble getting involved in clubs, school initiatives and later, as alumni. What if you haven’t volunteered and you are planning to apply to business school this fall? Start today. You may think that adcoms will notice that the sudden rise in your extracurriculars and community service coincided with the time when you started preparing your applications, and you would be right. They’ll notice that, but they won’t hold it against you. If anything, it will help you. As the saying goes, better late than never. A little bit of community service is better than no community service at all. Why start right now? If you plan on applying to Round 1 deadlines, that would give you three months of service. By the time the schools invite you to interview, you’d have around six months under your belt. Those are six months of experience and anecdotes that can bring color to your interview. By your enrollment date, you would have done over a year of community work, an invaluable experience that would give you an advantage when you meet recruiters and start interviewing for internships. What if you don’t get admitted this time around? What if you have to re-apply? No one knows what the future holds and in spite of your hard work and dedication, there’s the chance that you will get waitlisted or, heaven forbid, denied admission. In this scenario, you would have 15 months of community service by the time you hit your application submit button next year, and that might make the difference the second time around. So, go and do service. You’ll become a better applicant, and most importantly, a better person for it.   By Esmeralda Cardenal, previously the Associate Director of Admissions at Yale SOM, Director of MBA Admissions at MSU Broad, and consultant at Cardiff Business School in the UK. She is happy to help you showcase your achievements in your MBA application. Related Resources: • Why Extracurricular Activities Make a Difference • It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are? [Podcast] • Selling Yourself Short? Tags: MBA Admissions The post The Importance Of Extracurriculars And Community Service appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. 
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