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09 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Cornell’s Johnson School Unveils 2014-2015 Essays |
 Cornell’s Johnson School has announced the essay questions for the 2014-2015 MBA admissions season. Per Nichole Grossman, assistant director of admissions and financial aid at Johnson, the essay questions this year are as follows: Applicants for both the One-Year and Two-Year Ithaca based MBA programs: You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. In 800 characters or less please write the table of contents for the book in the space provided or upload it as an attachment. Note: approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity and authenticity. 1-Year Ithaca applicants only: How does your pre-MBA experience prepare you for the job that you envision post-MBA? (800 characters) 2-Year Ithaca applicants only: What is the job that you would like to have immediately upon graduating with your MBA? (800 characters) Johnson MBA at Cornell Tech: As the only MBA program not housed in a business school, we know our students will be different. Students will be part of an innovative environment where creativity, technical sophistication, and sharp business sense share seats at the table. We value expressions of who you are and what you add to this formula. There are three ways to demonstrate how you fit within this dynamic setting. You must select one of the following as part of your application, demonstrating your creativity, style and technical experience:
You may also be interested in: 2014-2015 MBA Deadlines at Cornell’s Johnson School Big Curriculum Changes at Cornell’s Johnson School |
10 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Kellogg School of Management 2014-2015 Deadlines |
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Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management has posted the 2014-2015 MBA application deadlines. Round 1 Deadline: September 24, 2014 Notification: December 17, 2014 Round 2 Deadline: January 7, 2015 Notification: March 25, 2015 Round 3 Deadline: April 1, 2015 Notification: May 13, 2015 For additional information, please visit the Kellogg admissions website. |
11 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Georgetown MBA 2014-2015 Deadlines, Essay Questions |
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The Georgetown MBA program at McDonough School of Business has announced the application essay questions and deadlines for the 2014-2015 admissions season. Round 1 Deadline: October 10, 2014 Notification: December 20, 2014 Round 2 Deadline: January 5, 2015 Notification: March 20, 2015 Round 3 Deadline: April 1, 2015 Notification: May 15, 2015 Essay Questions Please answer the following essay question in 750 words or less: “Why You?” (Hint: we are looking for an answer that cannot be found from research on our website) Optional essay one: If you are not currently employed full-time, use this essay to provide information about your current activities. (250 words or fewer) Optional essay two: Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included. (500 words or fewer) Re-Applicant Essay: (required only for re-applicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. (500 words or fewer) *** You may also be interested in: $10M Gift Funds Social Impact at Georgetown |
14 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Judge Business School 2014-2015 Deadlines, Essays |
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The University of Cambridge Judge Business School has posted the essay questions and the five rounds of deadlines for entry in September 2015. Round 1 September 19, 2014 Round 2 October 24, 2014 Round 3 January 9, 2015 Round 4 March 6, 2015 Round 5 May 1, 2015 Essay questions The following are the main essay questions on the Cambridge MBA application:
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14 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Overcome 3 MBA Application Challenges Facing Military Veterans |
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This post originally appeared on Stacy’s “Strictly Business” MBA Blog on U.S.News.com When it comes to some of the key qualities elite business school admissions officers are looking for in MBA applicants – demonstrated leadership and management skills, an ability to motivate and work well in a team and international and cultural awareness – military veterans typically display them in spades.  Benjamin Faw, HBS MBA ’14 Coming from the armed forces rather than a civilian career path prior to business school can give rise to certain difficulties when drafting an application, however. Let’s take a look at some common areas in the application where veterans face challenges and find out how to mitigate them. 1. Difficulty explaining experiences in civilian terms: Top MBA programs welcome military applicants and offer seats to veterans each year. So while it’s logical to assume the admissions committee is very familiar with the perspective of applicants with a military background, your application essays, resume and interviews need to make sense to a civilian reader. “Language and terms from the military are often hard to translate into civilian terms, making it hard to communicate what you accomplished and why it matters,” says Ben Faw, an Army combat veteran from West Point who received his MBA from Harvard Business School this spring. “With limited experience in telling their stories to the civilian world, sometimes a veteran will have trouble clearly and succinctly explaining their own personal story.” To counteract that, military veteran applicants should enlist trusted advisers outside of the military to proofread essays and help translate any military jargon in the MBA resume into plain English. Ask yourself if what you were writing would make sense to a civilian with no military experience. Weaving stories from the military into your MBA essays is expected and encouraged, particularly where they illustrate leadership accomplishments in a high stress environment, or how you persevered in the face of setbacks. But your essays should also highlight experiences outside of the armed forces, either during college or related to your extracurricular interests. Veteran applicants often worry about presenting a clear, concise career goal post-MBA, especially if they have little experience in business. This is not as critical as you might think, since many MBA students change industries entirely as they explore the myriad possibilities offered at business school. Begin by clearly articulating why you’re leaving the military, and why an MBA is necessary to achieve that goal. [Follow these steps to develop a personal brand as an MBA hopeful.] 2. Trouble handling recommenders and interviews: When trying to decide whom to approach for a letter of recommendation, think about people who have encouraged your development as an individual and leader, and, as you prepare to leave the service, ask if they would provide a supportive reference. I suggest all applicants create a recommender package, which contains instructions on the process, a reminder list of your strengths with on-the-job examples as well as a growth area you’re working on, and a summary of your career goals that the recommender can use as a reference. While military applicants may feel uncomfortable approaching a senior officer with this level of coaching, leaving matters to fate could result in a lackluster recommendation, especially if the officer doesn’t have a lot of experience writing letters of recommendation. In most cases, your recommenders will appreciate your assistance and thoroughness, and will produce a better recommendation on your behalf. If you’ve passed that first important hurdle and are invited to interview, congratulations! Interviewers will usually be very interested in learning about your military experiences, so capitalize on that enthusiasm. Organize your thoughts by jotting down all of your really cool stories. Then, for each one, write a brief summary of what you did, how it made a difference and what you learned from it. Practice mock interviews with family and friends until you feel at ease discussing your military experience in a way everyone will understand. And remember, it’s okay to talk about your successes in the first person rather than recounting everything as a team victory. This is how you differentiate yourself and reinforce your personal brand. 3. Not knowing how to maximize your resources: The single best resource for applicants coming from the armed forces is the MBA veterans club of the schools you’re considering. Those who have gone before you and succeeded are almost always willing to go above and beyond to share their advice on what has worked for them. From providing essay and resume tips to offering an authentic view of the veteran experience on campus, these groups are your go-to resource for insight into the school and guidance for your application. Many schools waive the application fee for U.S. military members and veterans who have served on active duty, and the federal agency Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support, known as DANTES, will reimburse the GMAT or GRE General fee for eligible military personnel. Also, pre-MBA candidates can take advantage of boot camps and paid fellowships through MBA Veterans during the summer before their first term. An MBA is a great next step for transitioning veterans no matter what branch of service they come from. When asked what advice he would offer future applicants, Faw says veterans should know, “There is something special about you, your experience in the military and what you want to do next. Make sure your application reflects those unique aspects that make you who you are. Authenticity is awesome.” |
15 Jul 2014, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: GMAT Guide Update Includes 6 Months Online Access |
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The Graduate Management Admission Council, in partnership with Wiley, is making studying for the GMAT exam easier and more convenient. The best-selling Official Guide for GMAT Review series is adding online content, videos and a study tool, allowing b-school applicants to access hundreds of real, retired GMAT questions both in book form and online to customize their own question sets. “The Official Guide for GMAT Review has been a consistently popular trade publication since the first edition was published in 1978,”says Ashok Sarathy, GMAC vice president, product management. “Now, we are making studying for the GMAT exam easier and more flexible, as people can both annotate the book and customize question sets with the new, online component.” Joan O’Neil, VP and managing director at Wiley, calls the partnership with GMAC ideal, adding “We are excited to see how the new online aspects and tools evolve so we can continue to bring the best content and value to our customers.” The 2015 series will contain the same content as the Official Guide for GMAT Review, 13th Edition, and the Official Guide for Quantitative Review, Second Edition, and the Official Guide for Verbal Review, Second Edition, along with access to exclusive online content including videos and a study tool that allows users to customize practice sets by question format and difficulty level. “We see our role as giving candidates the best opportunity to perform to the best of their ability on the GMAT exam. Publishing the Official Guide is part of that mission as the series offers more retired practice questions than any other product on the market. The online enhancements made to the 2015 edition are the first of many improvements, and we plan to update the Guides on an annual basis,” Sarathy says. The 2015 series is available at bookstores worldwide and at the mba.com/store. |
15 Jul 2014, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: New Application at Cornell’s Johnson School Adds LinkedIn Feature |
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The Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University recently announced the launch of a new admissions application for its one-year and two-year MBA programs, making it one of the most unique applications in the marketplace. Featuring a LinkedIn profile option and accessible on any device, the application allows b-school candidates to highlight their qualifications, career aspirations, networking capabilities, and portfolio work. Prospective students have the option to populate portions of their applications directly from LinkedIn. The LinkedIn platform combined with the power of Salesforce helps Johnson admissions officers have a better understanding of prospects’ experience and talents, and stay closely connected to them throughout the application process. “The LinkedIn feature gives an applicant the option to describe their experience and background as they would to someone they just met,” says Ann Richards, Johnson at Cornell Interim Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. “This modern platform gives our applicants the chance to provide a personal tagline and meaningful summary, point out skills, explain experience, differentiate from the crowd, and show how they build a network.” Johnson’s new application for its Ithaca-based programs was inspired by the unique application process for the Johnson Cornell Tech MBA program in New York City, which enrolled its first class in May 2014. The LinkedIn feature and others aspects were designed to solicit thought-provoking content that illustrated students’ originality and expertise. To date, Johnson Cornell Tech MBA applicants have provided Prezi presentations, videos, and mobile applications as submissions, says Christine Sneva, Director of Enrollment and Student Services at Cornell Tech. Sneva led development of the innovative application, which received glowing reviews from the tech-savvy millennials, who used it. “The application was innovative, especially the creative portion, allowing me to really show who I am and what I’ve done,” says Johnson Cornell Tech MBA student Kate Wright, MBA class of 2015. “Going to the Johnson Cornell Tech MBA campus to interview solidified that this was the program for me and got me excited about what Johnson is doing to disrupt higher education.” |
16 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Oxford Saïd to Launch Newly Redesigned MBA Program |
 University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School has announced a major redesign of the one-year Oxford MBA, launching in September 2014, that will provide future leaders with the skills, knowledge, and personal qualities needed to meet the world-scale challenges of the 21st century. In the redesigned program, learning in the core areas will be enhanced with extended pre-arrival preparation materials and ongoing support courses. A wider range of electives will be offered, including a selection of inter-disciplinary and jointly developed courses that bring in knowledge from the wider Oxford community. A review process of the MBA program began last year to ensure students were well-equipped for the career challenges that await. “The new Oxford MBA is now an even more powerful, rigorous and innovative programme with a range of exciting and valuable elements from which our students will benefit,” says Professor Peter Tufano, dean of Saïd Business School, who notes that program adjustments are ongoing in order to keep in step with changes in the external business environment. At the heart of the redesigned MBA are three cross-cutting themes related to the world-scale challenges shaping today’s business environment:
“We believe that future business leaders will be confronted with these complex global issues and firms will require people who have a wide range of skills and abilities to navigate the challenging landscape of global business. Knowledge in these areas is relevant whether you are working in finance or social enterprise, in a big firm or small firm, anywhere in the world,” says MBA Program Director Dana Brown. Another innovation of the program is the pairing of each student with an executive coach, matched to help them grow in the unique skill-set and career path they’ve chosen. Executive coaching is offered as part of a wider program of talent development initiated during the MBA Launch. Students have free rein to identify a topic for discussion with their coach that is important to them and that will be personally transformative. Dean Tufano calls this major review an effort to “future-proof” the Oxford MBA. “The business world is currently experiencing a period of unprecedented transformation…This environment needs individuals who can inspire and influence a wide range of stakeholders, and who can demonstrate responsible leadership in the face of complex and often conflicting interests. We wanted to be sure that our MBA will fulfill the needs of today’s students working in this environment.” You may also be interested in: Oxford MBA 2014-2015 Application Deadlines and Essay Questions |
16 Jul 2014, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: What TOEFL Score Do You Need? |
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If you’re an international student applying to business schools in the U.S., you’ve probably asked yourself this question: what TOEFL score do I need to get in? You might have heard that making it to the 100’s will guarantee you admission, but you’ve also had friends who reached that score and were turned down from schools. Confused yet? We’d be too! But before you give up hope, our friends at Magoosh TOEFL have good news for you! They’ve just released a new infographic that shows what TOEFL scores you’ll need to get into top graduate schools in the United States. It’s based off their research on the minimum scores required at top schools as well as what other students at those schools score on average. That means you now have a place to start and a goal to aim for when you decide to take the TOEFL. Cue sigh of relief!  |
16 Jul 2014, 15:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Yale SOM 2014-2015 Essay Question |
 The 2014-2015 full-time MBA application to Yale School of Management is now live, and here’s a preview of the essay question for the upcoming admissions season. “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.” (500 words maximum) Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions Bruce DelMonico explains that the change from two questions last year to a single prompt for the class entering Fall 2015 is an effort to focus on what really matters to the admissions team: finding out how applicants are making an impact in their professional and personal lives. You may also be interested in: Yale SOM Introduces Sliding Scale Application Fee Yale SOM 2014-2015 MBA Application Deadlines Yale SOM Deepens Commitment to Entrepreneurship |
16 Jul 2014, 15:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Yale SOM Introduces Sliding Scale Application Fee |
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In an effort to make applying to the Yale School of Management more accessible for lower-income applicants, the program announced it will implement a sliding scale for its MBA application fee. Most applicants will pay the standard fee of $225, explains Yale SOM Director of Admissions Bruce DelMonico, but applicants whose total annual compensation is under $20,000 per year will pay $175, and those earning less than $10,000 will pay $125. The fee will be based on the compensation information applicants report in their application, which Yale SOM will verify for those who are admitted and enroll, and the offer of admission will be contingent on successful verification. The move is in step with the SOM’s mission of globalizing business, and DelMonico says, “We see this change as a way of ensuring that the application fee doesn’t become a barrier for those working in lower-wage regions and industries, or who are still in school or very early in their careers.” You may also be interested in: Yale SOM MBA Application Deadlines Yale SOM 2014-2015 Essay Question |
17 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Smith School of Business Boosts Military Outreach |
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Active-duty and veteran students at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business now have a dedicated staff member to help them make a smooth transition to the classroom and ultimately end up in their desired careers, the school announced this week. “We created this role as a concierge service for our military students,” says Alexander Triantis, dean of the Smith School. “We love to have these students in the classroom, companies want them, and we just want to make it as easy for them as possible to navigate the military benefits process and assimilate into our strong community. We want to help them while they are here and help them be successful when they leave.” In an effort to better serve this steadily growing market, the Washington, D.C.-area school recently appointed Richard Campbell as director of military and veteran affairs. Campbell will work with admitted MBA students who are prior or current members of the U.S. Armed Services to welcome them to Smith’s strong military community and help them transition to business school and into the workplace. He will work as their personal agent in the corporate arena to help these students land the jobs they want, liaising with companies looking specifically to recruit MBA students with military experience. Campbell will also guide students through the military’s educational benefits process. As a disabled veteran and Smith MBA graduate himself, Campbell has firsthand experience with the complexities of benefits paperwork and will be able to help students make the best use of their available resources. He’ll also work with the school’s admissions team to identify outreach opportunities to bring military personnel to the Smith School. With campuses in Washington, D.C., College Park, Baltimore, and Rockville, Md., the Smith School is well situated to serve military students. Campbell’s priorities include running a school-wide club for military students to strengthen the tight-knit community and provide networking opportunities. He is already heading up a once-a-month meeting of active-duty and veteran students and alumni. “As a military person, you are really looking for that community and support that you know so well from your service,” he says. “The community aspect is really what students are interested in, and it’s one of the top reasons I landed at Smith as a student myself. My role will ensure that community only gets stronger and that military students achieve their goals while they are here.” You may also be interested in: Overcome 3 MBA Application Challenges Facing Military Veterans Veterans Prized at B-School, Says WSJ |
18 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Chicago Booth 2014-2015 Application Deadlines, Essays |
 The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has announced the deadlines and essay questions for the Fall 2015 application. Round 1 Deadline: September 25, 2014 Decision Notification: December 18, 2014 Round 2 Deadline: January 6, 2015 Decision Notification: March 26, 2015 Round 3 Deadline: April 7, 2015 Decision Notification: May 21, 2015 Your application must be submitted by 5 p.m. (CST/Chicago time) on the day of the deadline in order to be considered for a particular application round. Essays Presentation/Essay: Chicago Booth values adventurous inquiry, diverse perspectives, and a collaborative exchange of ideas. This is us. Who are you? Presentation/Essay Guidelines
The 2014-15 Chicago Booth MBA application will be available in early August 2014. |
22 Jul 2014, 09:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: 2014 Chicago Booth MBA Essay Tips |
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Chicago Booth is consistently rated in the top echelon of MBA programs in the United States and is known for a strong intellectual community. This application is designed to evaluate candidates on their ability to handle the Chicago curriculum, contribute to the community, and grow in their careers. This year Chicago has eliminated most of the essays in favor of the creative and popular PowerPoint presentation question. Academic ability will largely be communicated through your GPA/GMAT, transcripts and other fixed data points, though intellectual curiosity can be demonstrated in the essays and the interview. Chicago will be looking for demonstrated leadership, team building skills and community involvement, as well as your fit with Chicago Booth and the perspective you will share with your classmates. All MBA candidates are ultimately looking for a degree that will enhance their career. Chicago Booth wants to know about your track record of success, expectations for the MBA, and plans for the future. Chicago Booth’s open-ended creative presentation or essay confounds many candidates. Whether you choose to write an essay or prepare a presentation, take a step back from the unique format and think about the question strategically. The PowerPoint format simply gives you the freedom to express who you are in words, images, graphics or some combination. The best presentations will be simple, evocative and expressive. Remember, content is far more important than visual drama of presentation. Stacy Blackman Consulting has significant experience coaching applicants through the Chicago creative essay. Contact usto learn more about our strategic approach. Presentation/Essay: Chicago Booth values adventurous inquiry, diverse perspectives, and a collaborative exchange of ideas. This is us. Who are you? This creative essay offers you a blank slate to express yourself with any content you choose. When approaching the question focus first on content, and then on delivery. As your one opportunity to showcase why Chicago Booth is the right place for you to pursue an MBA, think about how you want to present aspects of leadership, teamwork and intellectual curiosity. Perhaps there is a formative work project you would like to highlight. If there wasn’t enough opportunity to outline your core career passions in your resume or through recommendations, this could be a place to illuminate that detail. This is also the ideal opportunity to bring in any aspect of your overall story that may feel personal. Keep in mind what Chicago Booth represents. Booth is a school with a tradition of intellectual rigor, non-conformity, and innovation. When you introduce yourself to Chicago Booth you can share anything from any context, from work to home to extracurricular activities. Think outside basic essay parameters to aspects like travel experiences or the unique relationships in your life. If you decide to write an essay response, you have enough space to tell a story that describes something new about yourself. If you decide to prepare a PowerPoint in response to this essay question, refine your story to its key elements. While this year Chicago Booth permits any length of essay or presentation, in prior years the limit has been four slides. To keep a presentation visual and interesting, consider how you will format. Can you use photos? Drawings? If you use words, keep them clear and focused. Take every point up a level, so you are communicating a vision rather than a thesis. Reapplicant Question: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words maximum) This reapplication essay question gives you the opportunity to focus on your thinking and development rather than any tangible changes you have made since you last applied. Of course, if you do have new accomplishments like a promotion or higher GMAT score that will be of significant value to your re-application. If you do not have any new, hard changes to your profile, this essay is an opportunity to show that you have done the work to evaluate your candidacy and have made changes this time around. The word reflection is explicit in the question, and the admissions committee will be looking for your thoughtful consideration of Chicago Booth, your future and your MBA plans. |
22 Jul 2014, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Kellogg MBA Program’s Fall 2015 Essay Questions |
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Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management has posted the MBA essay questions for the upcoming admissions season. For 2014-2015, the following two essays are required of all applicants:
You may also be interested in: Kellogg School of Management 2014-2015 Deadlines |
24 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Don’t Make These 4 Common Video Interview Mistakes |
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A skyrocketing number of business schools and employers have integrated a video interview platform such as Skype into their screening process, which means applicants need to adapt to make sure they present themselves with the same poise, charisma and class as during a traditional in-person interview. BusinessWeek published a really useful article with input from various MBA admissions directors offering do’s and dont’s for anyone preparing for a virtual interview. Here are four common mistakes they’ve encountered, and how to avoid them. Dressing Inappropriately—Most applicants have a clear grasp of the meaning of professional dress, but a number of admissions officers report that the standard seems to slide when the interview is conducted over Skype, particularly when it comes to the apparel below the desk. If you need to stand up for any reason during the interview and have nothing but boxers on, rest assured that is an impression the interviewer won’t soon forget. Losing Your Cool with Tech Glitches—Technological glitches such as dropped audio or a frozen feed are almost par for the course, but admissions staff say how you react to the situation is what really counts. Maintaining poise and keeping your frustration in check will leave a positive impression on your interviewer. Swearing at your speakers, on the other hand, will not. Being Careless About Your Background—Not your personal background, mind you, but that which literally appears behind you as you participate in the video chat. As with clothing choices, the backdrop you choose can make a negative impression if the interviewer is distracted by the messy bookcase or illuminated TV screen over your shoulder. Clean, clear, and well-lit is the way to go here. Not Practicing Beforehand—Video interviewing is both convenient and efficient, but takes some time to get used to in order to come across in a natural way. Some people are distracted by their appearance, others find themselves talking in a tone that’s altogether different from a face-to-face conversation. Make sure you conduct various practice chats and seek feedback on your performance until you’re satisfied that you’re conversing with ease. Randy Bitting, founder of InterviewStream, which sells interview preparation systems to schools including nearly two dozen top B-schools, says, “Business schools are finding that there’s an enormous gap between how students view themselves as prepared compared to how employers view them in interviews.” Keep these four aspects in mind and make sure you’re doing all that you can to close that gap. You may also be interested in: Get Ready for MBA Application Videos Kellogg Adds Video Essay Component |
24 Jul 2014, 06:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: B-School Researchers Find Link Between Reflection and Learning |
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Researchers from Harvard Business School, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and HEC Paris have found that developing a daily writing habit of just 15 minutes a day could pay off in spades when it comes to improving job performance and advancing your career. The study’s authors hypothesized that when individuals reflect on their task performance and share their insights with others, they perform better on subsequent tasks as compared to individuals who do not reflect, even when they have had more time to practice on the first task. Participants who were tasked with doing a daily written reflection did 22.8 percent better on an assessment than the control group. The physical act of writing things down is more beneficial than simply reflecting on the day’s events, says paper co-author Bradley Staats, an associate professor of operations at Kenan-Flagler, because the act of writing imposes a discipline to stay focused. These findings are a departure from previous work, which equates direct learning with learning-by-doing. Researchers found that “learning-by-thinking” makes experiences more productive. Interestingly, researchers did not find an additional boost in performance when individuals shared the insights from their reflection efforts with others. “I thought reflection might help a bit, but I didn’t expect it to make such a meaningful impact on performance,” Staats says. “These people weren’t spending extra time at work — they were spending 15 minutes less on training each day so they could reflect, however by reallocating their time in such a small way we see a significant, positive impact on performance.” Reflection is a powerful mechanism behind learning, and these researchers believe their findings give further weight to the statement made by American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer John Dewey: “We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.” The hurdle for many, though, will be summoning the discipline to maintain this daily writing habit—no small task in our hectic, over-crammed lives. For more details about this study, read [url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2414478##]Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance[/url]. |
25 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stacy Blackman’s B-School Buzz |
 Welcome to the latest edition of Stacy Blackman’s B-School Buzz, our periodic check-in with some of the MBA blogosphere’s applicant and student contributors. This week, MBA bloggers share their school selection criteria, reasons for applying, and tips for keep your recommenders on task. Advice for international students—Recent Tepper MBA grad CCatcher shares important advice for other international students considering an MBA in the United States. Some industries are more prone than others to facilitate work authorization after graduation, so she urges candidates to thoroughly research job placement before embarking on the arduous b-school journey. Funemployment, not all it’s cracked up to be—The summer before an MBA program is a hectic one, even if you’re not still slogging away at the office ’til August to save every last penny to finance the endeavor. Hamm0 points out that the long academic to-do list from Cornell’s Johnson School and myriad other pre-MBA tasks have encroached on his “funemployment.” Exploring the “Why’s”—TexasWannaBeCali shares a random list of reasons why she wants to pursue an MBA that goes beyond the customary goals of making more money or transitioning to another industry. Her personal story is compelling, and if she can firmly connect those dots with her future career goals, the admissions committee is sure to be wowed. Recommender reminders—MBA applicant Scott Duncan offers five reminders that prospective b-school candidates should keep in mind since the letters of recommendation are an aspect of the application over which you have so little control. The science of school selection—Seeing the data for each program on an Excel spreadsheet helps inform Pulling that MBA Trigger‘s school selection process, putting Yale SOM at the very top due to its brand prestige in India and what she calls a beautiful mix of the old and the new. Do you have an MBA-centric blog? Want it featured in an upcoming B-School Buzz post? If so, email me at buzz@StacyBlackman.com. |
30 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Northwestern Kellogg MBA Essay Tips |
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Kellogg’sclose-knit community values leadership and teamwork. At the same time, diversity in experience, background and thought is important to the Kellogg admissions committee. Do your research on the programs, activities, clubs, classes and professors at Kellogg as you approach your essays. While you are reading and conversing with students and alumni, keep in mind how you envision your own background adding to the community. Kellogg added a mandatory video essay to the application process last year and is continuing the practice this year. While it won’t replace the in-person interview for Kellogg, it is an opportunity for the admissions committee to see the person behind the accomplishments you will describe. Video interviews can be daunting, and Stacy Blackman Consulting has developed customized preparation to help you practice for this important component of the application and provide our expert feedback. Contact us to learn more about how we can prepare you for the entire Kellogg application. Essay 1 Resilience. Perseverance. Grit. Call it what you will…. Challenges can build character. Describe a challenging experience you’ve had. How were you tested? What did you learn? (450 words) This essay question is designed to evaluate your character and how you handle a challenge. The obstacle is not as important as the lesson, so consider moments in your life when you changed perspective or learned how to solve problems as a result of a difficult situation. A challenge does not need to be a dramatic difficulty. No one has a completely smooth road to success, and it is often the obstacles that clarify your true passions and lead to growth. Leaders are not always perfect when difficulties arise, so even if you made mistakes along the way it is likely you learned from them. The bulk of this short essay should focus on how you overcame the obstacle and what you learned that has prepared you to solve problems or handle challenges. To get to the heart of what you learned consider how you would approach a similar difficulty now and what you might advise a friend going through the same thing. Essay 2 Leadership requires an ability to collaborate with and motivate others. Describe a professional experience that required you to influence people. What did this experience teach you about working with others, and how will it make you a better leader? (450 words) This behavioral question requires a very specific example to work effectively. The intention for this question is to see an example of a past experience that indicates how you will behave in the future, potentially when you must lead at Kellogg and in your future career. Make sure you include details about exactly what you did and said in your leadership story. Collaborative leadership is an important value to the Kellogg MBA program and the situation you describe should demonstrate what people skills you bring to a team. When Kellogg asks about influencing others the question gets at whether you have the empathetic skills to understand other people, or if you believe you can persuade others through debate or force. Leaders have many differing styles and this question is meant to unearth yours. Showing the ability to persuade and influence in an honest and collaborative way will be a winning approach to this essay. Dual-degree applicants For applicants to the MMM or JD-MBA dual degree programs, please explain why that program is right for you. (250 words) Doing your research on Kellogg MBA’s academics and resources will help you answer the question about why you need a dual degree to achieve your goals. If you are applying to the MMM program, you’ll have to show how the MEM degree will prepare you more effectively for your career goals than the MBA alone. Be able to articulate what is different about the Kellogg MMM program as compared to the MBA and other joint degrees. Know the classes you want to take, the professors you hope to work for, and how the MMM experience will be an asset in your future career. Similarly, the JD-MBA at Kellogg is a highly competitive admissions process and will require a very clear explanation of what you will do with both degrees after school. Consider the unique attributes of the Kellogg JD-MBA program as compared to others, and also why you specifically need both a JD and an MBA. Re-Applicants Only Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 word limit) In answering this question make sure you provide tangible evidence that you have improved the overall package you are submitting this year. Improvements like GMAT score or new quantitative classes are especially tangible, but a promotion, increase in responsibility at work, a job change or even a change of goals and mission can apply. Additional Information (Optional) If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (no word count) If there are any areas of concern, this is the correct place to address them. Strike an upbeat tone here and avoid excuses. Explain your issue clearly and focus most of the essay on the correction for the issue. For example, if you had a disciplinary issue in college, spend most of the essay demonstrating that you learned from the experience and have been an ideal citizen ever since. Low GPA issues should be explained here, and if there is a grade of C or below on your transcript the admissions committee will want to know why and feel comfortable it is an outlier in your overall academic record. For academic questions make sure you emphasize your improved performance either later in your college career or in subsequent work or classes since college. |
30 Jul 2014, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: CMU Tepper 2014-2015 Deadlines, Essays |
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Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business has posted the following deadlines and essay questions for the upcoming MBA admissions season. Round 1 Deadline: October 5, 2014 Decision: December 15, 2014 Round 2 Deadline: January 4, 2015 Decision: March 25, 2015 Round 3 Deadline: March 15, 2015 Decision: May 15, 2015 Note to Full-Time Applicants: Following Round 3, Tepper will continue to accept applications on a rolling base. International students are encouraged to apply no later than Round 2 to ensure adequate time for the student visa process. Essay Questions Essay 1 (Maximum 300 words): Describe a defining moment in your life, and explain how it shaped you as a person. Essay 2 (Maximum 300 words): Based on your research and interactions with the Tepper community, please share why you are a good fit with the Tepper MBA program. *** You may also be interested in: Tepper School to Expand FlexMBA Carnegie Mellon Receives $67M Gift from David Tepper |
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