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Accepted MBA Updates 12 Feb 2017, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 8 Things MBA Applicants Should do After Submitting Their Applications



Within twelve hours I heard the same question from three clients, so I suppose this question may be on the minds of more than three, “now that I’ve submitted my applications, what should I do?” The following are a list of suggestions of what you can do until those interview invitations come pouring in:

1. Continue to learn about each school by speaking with faculty, alumni and students. The more information you have the better. Be conscious of their limited time, so be thoughtful with the questions you ask. In addition, you may wind up with an unsolicited endorsement of your candidacy

2. Conduct more research on your intended goal in anticipation of an MBA interview invitation. If, for instance, your intended goal is consulting, read The McKinsey Way or BCG on Strategy. If you are an up and coming entrepreneur, Back of the Napkin or anything by Peter Drucker or Guy Kawasaki. If you are transitioning into marketing, check out Communities Dominate Brands or Marketing Strategy: A Decision-Focused Approach.

3. Attend any events the school may be having (including virtual events). Stay involved. Show your interest.

4. Make up for any gaps you may have in your application (quantitative skills, volunteer work).

5. Create new opportunities to add revenue, decrease costs, increase efficiency, increase market share, increase shareholder value, increase safety, increase satisfaction (customer or employee) at work.

6. Use your leadership skills with any opportunity you can imagine.

7. If you haven’t been doing so yet, begin reading business press. You need to understand the jargon, the acumen, and what drives business today.

8. Now sit back and relax. Schools receive the largest number of apps in the second round and if they use student readers, the students are on vacation until sometime in January leaving a big bottleneck in the review process. Learn to be patient. A must-have in this process.

If you have additional questions or concerns about applications, please contact Accepted. My colleagues and I are available to consult with you.


By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey. Want Natalie help you get accepted to business school? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• How to Ace Your Interviews – Download your free guide!

• Help! I’ve Been Waitlisted!

• How to Answer Common MBA Interview Questions

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Did You Forget to Register for Wednesday’s INSEAD Webinar?



You’re running out of time to boost your INSEAD IQ and position yourself for a successful 2017 application season. Our webinar, Get Accepted to INSEAD, will be starting in just a few days, and we hope to see YOU there!

If you’re applying to INSEAD or another top international MBA program, then you won’t want to miss this.

Register ASAP and we’ll see you soon!



(The webinar airs live at 10am PT/1pm ET on Wednesday, February 15th.)



Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Announcing NYU Stern’s “Advancing Women in Business” Scholarship for Full-Time MBA Students



Beginning with the class of 2019, full-time MBA students at NYU Stern will have a new merit-based scholarship opportunity, the Advancing Women in Business Scholarship. The scholarship, which will be awarded to students who demonstrate a deep and enduring commitment to advancing women in business, will cover the first year of tuition and mandatory fees. Stern anticipates awarding $1 million in Advancing Women in Business scholarships to the class of 2019. The scholarship will not be renewable for the second year of MBA studies.

The Advancing Women in Business scholarship will be awarded for the first time to students starting the program in fall 2017, with Stern expecting to continue awarding the scholarship in future years as well. There is no special application for the scholarship. As merit-based scholarships, male and female applicants will be awarded The Advancing Women in Business scholarship based on the adcom’s evaluation of the MBA application.

Stern Women in Business (SWIB), NYU Stern’s popular and dynamic MBA student club, reinforces the vision behind the scholarship. The club includes four men on its leadership board and creates a supportive community to tackle topics important to women in business and provides opportunities for diverse experiences, perspectives, and resources to be shared. Stern is also a member of The Forte Foundation, a group of top business schools and companies dedicated to directing talented women toward leadership roles in business.

The Advancing Women in Business scholarship is funded in part by alumni and members of the Stern School’s Board of Overseers.

Learn more by reading the Stern press release here. For tips on getting into NYU Stern, check out Accepted’s NYU Stern B-School Zone.



 



Related Resources:

• NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

• Get an NYU Stern MBA: Interview with Admissions Dean Isser Gallogly

• MBA Scholarships: How do I Apply and What Should I Emphasize?

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Steps to Becoming Your Target B-School’s Valentine



Looking for swoon-worthy MBA application tips that will help you capture the hearts of even the stoniest admissions committee members? Read on!

1. Demonstrate your natural ability to succeed in the b-school classroom.

Present an outstanding undergrad transcript and competitive test scores. Don’t have the stats you should? Prove your abilities by getting A’s in business-related classes or by earning certificates like the CPA. Retake the test where your score doesn’t score.

2. Express your intentions.

The admissions board may not be the father of the bride, but the members do want to make sure that you’ve got your head on straight and that you’re heading into this “relationship” with honorable intentions. If asked, make sure you can answer the following questions: What are your short-term goals? What are your long-term goals? How have your past experiences (personal, educational, and career) led you to this point in your life? If not asked, be prepared to answer during interviews.

3. Show that you share common values.

What better way to win the hearts of the adcom than by showing that you’re all on the same page. Demonstrate that you have the leadership skills they seek, the capacity for intellectual growth they demand, and the same commitment to community and global advancement that they embrace. In other words, check out the school’s mission, and, without parroting it back, demonstrate that you have similar ideals.

4. Prove that you’ll make them proud.

You don’t want to be the lover who never meets the friends or family. You want to earn the status of an out-in-the-open committed relationship. You want your target school to say, “Look here world, we love this guy and we’re proud to have him at our school and as an alum!” Earn that status by showing the contributions you’ve made and the commitments you’ve had in the past – that you have a history, and thereby a habit, of getting the job done, getting it done well, and earning the respect and praise of those around you. You’ve stood out in the past for being an amazing leader/innovator/collaborator/something else, so there’s a good chance you’ll stand out in this next phase of your life as well.

5. Show that you’re not just a pretty face, but that you’ve got personality to boot.

Make sure that your essay supplements all the stats and data in the rest of your b-school application by illustrating some of your brilliant and likeable personality traits. A straight-A report card can’t possibly prove your integrity; but a vignette about how you caught a glitch in an invoice that favored a client and reported it despite pressure to cover it up – that shows integrity. (Letters of recommendation are another good place to display these non-measurable traits, skills, and talents.)

Here’s to winning the love you deserve!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Accepted!





Related Resources:

• Leadership in Admissions, a free guide

• Get Accepted to B-School with Low Stats, on-demand webinar

• Demonstrating Passion in Your Essays

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: NUS MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines



National University of Singapore offers a 17-month MBA program offering specializations in 4 distinct areas (Finance, Marketing, Healthcare Management, or Strategy & Organization). If you are looking for an Asian-focused program with strong placement in the Consulting (21%), Finance (23%), or Technology (29%) industries in Singapore (50%), China (13%) or other Asia-Pacific countries, then NUS may be a great program for you. This is a small program of less than 100 students, but 93% of those students hail from over 30 countries outside of Singapore. My tips for completing the NUS MBA application are below in blue.

NUS has some short questions in its application form, including a 500-character question “Why is it important for you to embark on your MBA now?”

Five hundred characters are only around 5 lines of text, so this is not a long essay. However, this space is a great opportunity to add some immediacy to your MBA needs. You can talk about what is happening in your industry that requires greater business or leadership insight, or you may find it helpful to share aspects of your personal life that make now the right time to pursue your MBA.

Essays:

1. Tell us about your intermediate (5 yrs) post-MBA career goal, describing your industry, function and country of choice and a plan on how you would achieve this goal. (300 words)

All MBA programs want their students to be pleased with the employment they find and the career trajectory ahead of them after graduation. Applicants must demonstrate in this essay that they know what they can expect to achieve within 5 years of graduating so that the Admissions office will believe you are realistically driven.

LinkedIn searches for NUS alumni can be very useful to see what a wide range of MBA alumni have succeeded in doing within around 5 years of graduating. Go to NUS’s LinkedIn page and then use the Search Alumni button, and you can restrict your search to graduates around 2010-2012 to get a sense of their 5-year progress. This isn’t foolproof: you must check that you are looking at MBA graduates (and not undergraduate degree holders or exchange students), but this will offer you wider insight than your own small circle of acquaintances. Go ahead and reach out to alumni through LinkedIn and through your personal network to discuss how they reached the advancement that they did to add depth to your own plans for this essay.

2. Optional Essay: If there is anything else you would like to share with the Admissions Committee that was not covered in your application, please include here (eg. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). (150 words)

I personally find the placement of this question second a bit awkward, since at this point in the application you still have essay space to “cover” things about yourself. I recommend writing the remaining two essay questions first and then examining what areas of your background you may not have explained completely.

This optional space may certainly be used to explain poor academic performance, but if possible I highly recommend shining the spotlight on an area of strength in the process: poor grades do not have to stand on their own when you can demonstrate that you spent your undergraduate education in significant extracurricular leadership roles, for example.

3. Please answer ONE of the following short essay prompts. (300 words)

1. I am passionate about…

2. My greatest challenge has been…

3. My biggest failure was….

All three of these questions are opportunities to share an interesting experience from your life. Passion comes through with differentiating details (did you compete in 10Ks every weekend? Did you turn $500 in high school summer earnings into an investment portfolio worth thousands?). Challengesare overcome with drive, tenacity, and commitment. Failures are learning experiences and launch pads for subsequent successes. Share an example here that will help the Admission committee see your exceptionality come alive.

4. Please introduce yourself to your NUS MBA classmates. (300 words)

This essay can be about anything in your background. The easiest way to tackle a question like this is to identify 3 attributes that describe you and spend around 100 words sharing an example of each. Keep in mind that NUS is seeking students from diverse professional and national backgrounds with evidence of strong leadership abilities and positive impact on business and society. Essays emphasizing and sharing evidence of these attributes will demonstrate fit with NUS well.

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

If you would like professional guidance with your NUS MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA essay editing and consulting or our MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, and interview coaching for the NUS application.  

Full-Time NUS MBA Application Dates:

The application window is from October 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.

Admissions is rolling: applicants will be notified of their admissions decision within between 6 and 10 weeks of submitting the completed application.

Scholarships are only available for applicants who submit by January 31st, 2017.




Jennifer Bloom has been a consultant with Accepted for 17 years and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She is an expert at crafting application materials that truly differentiate you from the rest of the driven applicant pool. If you would like help with your Foster application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget. Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here!

Related Resources:

• Why MBA?, free guide

• Stand Out! A Critical Goal for Your Application [Episode 181]

• How to Stay Within Essay Word Limits by Reducing Verbal Verbosity

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Different Dimensions of Diversity



In reviewing our stats for last year, I noticed that one of our most visited pages is an article on writing about diversity. That’s not shocking since Accepted’s consultants are frequently asked by stressed, panicked clients from well-represented groups in the applicant pool, “How can I answer this diversity question?!?!” Given the high interest in the topic, not to mention the anxiety associated with it and the confusion surrounding it, I decided to discuss it today and go into more depth than we can in a blog post.

So here are the questions I’ll answer on today’s show:

1. Why is diversity important?

2. How can you approach diversity?

3. How can you write about diversity?

I’m covering a lot in the show. To help guide you, we’ve created a Dimensions of Diversity Checklist for you to download.

1. Why is diversity important?

Two primary reasons:

• The more diverse perspectives in a class room, the richer the discussions in class, in study groups, and the more creative the teams on projects. The more exposure all members of a class or team have to varied approaches and perspectives, the more prepared they will be for working in a multi-cultural society and world. Admissions offices believe that diversity in the classroom improves the educational experience of all students.

• American society, and indeed many societies, are increasingly heterogeneous. The world is more global and multi-cultural. Many professions and employers want a diverse work force. Medicine recognizes that a heterogeneous work force benefits people from cultures heretofore under-represented in medicine. Businesses realize that they will market more effectively if they can speak to different audiences and markets. Schools simply want to prepare graduates for the twenty first century job market.

2. How can you approach diversity?

I’m so glad you asked! There are so many ways! Really an infinite number of ways. But I’ve broken them down into three primary categories, and I’ll provide a bunch of examples for each one.

First the three-part framework:

1. Identity: who you are

2. Deeds: what you’ve done

3. Ideas:  how you think

As we go through these categories, you’ll quickly realize that there is overlap in the framework. The three topics are not mutually exclusive, and you may argue with how I classified some of my suggestions. That’s fine, and the framework isn’t the point. The purpose of the framework is just to get you thinking more broadly about diversity and how you can show it.

I. Your Identity.

This is the most common way that people think of diversity, and it certainly is a valid one in admissions. The under-represented minority applying to many top graduate schools almost by definition is showing diversity, but again let’s think more broadly about identity and showing diversity. Here are several ideas:

• Under-represented minority. In a U.S. context: African American, Hispanic American, and Native American.

• Ethnicity. This includes applicants coming from a country or culture not well represented. Not just under-represented minorities.

• Religious commitment. For example, the Buddhist monk at ISB.

• Non-traditional educational background. Here, think of the music major applying to medical school, or the bio major going for a masters in management, or the engineer deciding to go for a PsyD. Please note that the diversity element doesn’t relieve you of the need to meet academic requirements and fulfill prerequisites!

• Non-traditional work experience. The MSW or software engineer who wants to become a physician. The premed who decides entrepreneurship is her calling and applies to b-school. The actor who decides to go into law.

• Disability. Living with/overcoming disability is difficult. How has it strengthened you?

• Multi-cultural background. Perhaps your parents, like mine, came from two different countries and their native languages were different, such that English was the language in your home and when relatives came to visit it was hard to find a language that everyone could understand. Or maybe you grew up interpreting for members of your family.

• Gender or sexual orientation. Are you a woman in engineering? A male in a traditionally female occupation?

• First member of family to attend college. You parents, like mine who did not attend college, may have been very supportive of your attending college, but not as familiar with the system as parents who had been through it. There are also parents who didn’t attend college and perhaps can’t afford to support their offspring’s efforts or simply don’t value education because they’ve been productive without college. Again, a different experience and perspective.

II. Your Deeds.

• Accomplishments. This is a great way to distinguish yourself, but if you are applying to highly competitive programs, it may also be the most difficult way because everyone is accomplished and achievements in your field and in academics are more a ticket of entry than a diversity point. However, accomplishments outside the field you’re aiming for (and in addition to those in your field), those are gold.

• Overcoming challenges. Challenges come in many forms and we all deal with them, but there are little challenges and big ones. I’m talking about the big ones. The life derailing ones that really throw you for a loop. What happened? How did you deal? How did you grow? What did you learn? How will these lessons guide you in the future?

• Leadership experiences. Leadership with impact is absolute gold in admissions. Now in some fields it is more common so you may say it is not diversity factor, but if your leadership experience is unusual, then it still may qualify.

• Community service. There are so many ways to contribute to your community and so many ways to define community that your specific experience has to be unique. Focus on the singular aspects of that experience and how you changed and your perspective changed as a result of this experience.

• Military leadership. This implies significant responsibility frequently in dangerous situations where lives, assets, and relationships are at stake. The military also teaches team work and logistics. Write about your military experience in terms of the values and lessons that translate to civilian life.

• Professional or internship experience. Increasingly important for all professional schools (relevant research for research-oriented programs). Above average promotions and growth in responsibilities is what admissions offices want to see. They also want to see that you made a difference and contributed to your office, group, team, or lab.

• Other distinguishers include unique hobbies, research, athletics/sports, teamwork skills, travel, or even the fact that you worked your way through college.

III. Your Ideas.

Are you an innovator? An ideas person? Do you tend to approach things differently and creatively? A problem solver? Or perhaps you are driven by a particular philosophy or theology? All these are examples of the way you think and how your approach to situations, problems, opportunities… or life will be distinctive and could provide diversity to a school, community, or class discussion. Here are a few examples of how your ideas could contribute to diversity:

• Background in big data.

• Ability to look at details and see a bigger picture.

• Specific philosophy or perspective.

• Qualitative analysis.

• Off the wall ideas that on closer examination look feasible and maybe even great.

• Problem solver.

• The person who finds the element of humor that dissolves tension in group settings.

• The person who finds common ground in contentious situations. A bridge builder.

• Perhaps an approach that blends the liberal arts and the sciences – narrative medicine, musical engineers, etc.

I realize I’ve given you a lot of possibilities here. At the same time I also know this list isn’t exhaustive. Yes, Virginia, there are still other ways to show diversity that I haven’t mentioned, but the ones I’ve mentioned are a good starting point. We’ve also created a checklist, which will make it easy for you to review the suggestions I’ve made and of course add your own. Click here to get your checklist.

So once you download the checklist you’ll have 30+ different ways to think about diversity to jump-start your creative engines. Let’s turn now to writing about diversity.

3. How to Write About Diversity

Some schools may ask you to discuss how you think of diversity. Others may ask how you will bring or add to the diversity of their school, your community, or your chosen profession. Whatever is asked, make sure that you answer the question, and that your response highlights the distinctive hue that you will add to the class mosaic every admissions committee is creating.

A possible approach to a diversity question: Define diversity in the way that will be easiest for you to address the topic and answer the specific prompt. Then provide 1-3 examples, specifics, or anecdotes that show how you represent that form of diversity.

I’ve emphasized the importance of specifics, but as important as examples are, they are insufficient for a great diversity essay. You also need analysis.

Balance the anecdote with analysis that ties your experience to the program you are applying to, its values, and its mission and perhaps your goals or simply your best answer to the question posed. The analysis can consist of lessons learned, changes in your thoughts on diversity, an evolution in your approach to similar challenges, or some other way to show growth. It will frequently go in the conclusion of your essay.

I hope you find these thoughts helpful in writing your diversity essay. Remember to download the free checklist so that you can have the diversity ideas in front of you when you sit down to write your diversity essay.



Related Links:

• Dimensions of Diversity Checklist

• Approaching The Diversity Essay Question

• Overrepresented MBA Applicants and Business School Diversity

• Med School Admissions Advice for Nontraditional Applicants: The Experts Speak

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Personal Statement 

Related Shows:

• Focus on Fit [Episode 162]

• Stand Out! A Critical Goal for Your Application [Episode 181]

• D.O.s for Diversity: Ashley’s Osteopathic Med School Journey

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Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Write About Overcoming Challenges Without Sounding Like a Whiner



It’s a classic MBA essay question: Write about a time when you overcame a challenge. How did you handle it? What did you learn from the experience?

Let’s start by easing one worry you may have. Not everyone has faced a significant challenge at work by the time they apply for an MBA. If that is your situation, think of another significant challenge you have faced in another realm: a community or volunteer organization, the military, or perhaps even a difficult personal situation. It’s important that the challenge be something in the recent past – preferably within the last two or three years. If the challenge you write about is farther back than that, it will need to have that much greater impact or significance.

What makes a good “challenge” for the purpose of this essay? The possibilities are almost limitless, but here are a few strong examples:

•  “Joe’s” boss informed him he was going to fire “Freddy,” a new-hire Joe had been mentoring, for poor performance. Joe believed in Freddy’s technical skills, and felt Freddy’s shyness and lack of English fluency had hurt him. Joe took it upon himself to try to help save Freddy’s job. He convinced his boss to give Freddy another chance, and coached him after-hours, directed him to a language fluency program, and engaged in role playing to help Freddy gain confidence. Freddy began to thrive, kept his job, and became the go-to guy in his department for certain technical knowledge.

At no time did Joe complain about his boss or call him unreasonable or insensitive. At no time did Joe play the martyr, patting himself on the back about the extra steps he was taking to work with Freddy. He just stated the facts about what he did, which spoke for themselves.

•  Here’s another example. “Lori” joined a community service organization whose membership was plummeting. Lori believed in the organization’s goals, volunteered to spearhead a membership drive, which was successful, and then ran for president of the organization and won. Then, she worked to create more dynamic programming, a social media presence, and added appealing incentives for people joining or renewing membership.

Joe made a huge impact on one man, and by extension, an impact on his organization. Lori also was able to show direct and tangible impact on her group. Neither Joe nor Lori made themselves out to be heroes by describing their exhaustion because of long hours spent on their respective “projects.” They didn’t pat themselves on the back for the contributions they made. They simply stated the circumstances, why they believed in their mission, and related what they did to fix what was wrong around them. Presenting their stories in a “just the facts, Ma’m” manner make Lori and Joe sound like exciting management material: filled with vision, creativity, incentive, and energy. And it is succinct.

•  Let’s look at one final example. “Gary” had written a marketing plan to boost awareness and fundraising at the non-profit where he worked. His CEO at first approved his plan, then suddenly nixed it, replacing it with his own plan. Gary was sure the CEO’s plan was not viable. It lacked a marketing budget yet had lofty target goals for fundraising. The CEO gave Gary six months to achieve these goals.

Now that’s a challenge.

When Gary couldn’t get the CEO to reconsider, he appealed to others in the organization who had the CEO’s ear. Fortunately, they were willing to speak to the CEO, who then agreed to Gary’s original plan. Now, based on the first few examples we’ve seen, you will already have guessed that in this case, Gary did not complain about the CEO, call him short-sighted or stingy. He did offer some explanations for why the CEO might have seen the situation as he did, but nothing pejorative was written.

Gary’s workaround to his challenging situation showed boldness, initiative, and perseverance. At no time did he complain about the added workload of having to unravel this situation, or make himself sound like he had saved the day.

Let’s recap: A strong “challenge” example will allow you to show direct impact on either your organization or another individual. Ideally, it will be something that happened in the last two or three years, unless it was a monumental achievement. Finally, do not cast blame on others who may have helped create the problem/challenge in the first place, and do not sound like a martyr in describing the efforts (no matter how great) you made to get the job done. Simple, direct writing about the challenge will make it abundantly clear that you have the initiative, problem solving, communications, and organizational skills a good MBA program looks for.




By Judy Gruen, MBA admissions consultant since 1996 and author (with Linda Abraham) of MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools. Want Judy to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes

• Writing About Overcoming Obstacles in Your Application Essays

• 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Quick GMAT Study Tips for the Fulltime Employee


Working full time and preparing for the GMAT? You may wonder how much time your studies will take. This depends a lot on how many weeks you have to study, and your current GMAT abilities. Magoosh GMAT’s article “How Long Should I Study for the GMAT?” helps you look at possible daily time commitments.

As you can see in that article, GMAT study typically requires a couple of hours of study each weekday, and longer study hours on the weekends. If you’ve already got a demanding fulltime job, it can be a challenge to take on this extra study time. But there are ways to balance GMAT studies with your work. Here are several quick GMAT study tips for those of you who work 40 hours (or more!) per week.

Tip #1: Find Your Natural Daily Rhythm

Usually, fulltime workers get in their daily GMAT prep in the morning or evening. But these outside-of-work time slots shouldn’t be selected at random.

Schedule your workday studies at times when you’re most alert. If you’re the freshest when you first wake up, do GMAT prep with your morning coffee. If you’re more of a night owl, study in the evening after work. Not sure what will work best for you? Experiment a little. But make sure you settle into a regular schedule, one that’s good for you, as soon as possible.

Tip #2: Let Some of Your Spare Time Activities Double as GMAT Prep

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” as the saying goes. And whether or not your name is actually Jack, doing nothing but work and GMAT study isn’t healthy. You’ll need mental breaks to keep your mind rested and sharp. But spare time can still lend itself to GMAT skills-building.

Do you post to sites like Facebook? Start writing your posts more seriously, carefully constructing arguments and analyzing the arguments of others. Write more earnestly in your spare time, and you’ll improve your writing skills for GMAT AWA.

And do you ever get stuck in slow traffic, or get bored as you walk or ride to work? Use that time to practice GMAT skills in your head. Build your reading and vocabulary skills by reading, or by listening to audio books and speeches. (If you drive your own car, do listening only, of course.) Build GMAT Quant skills by mentally calculating your budget, your average travel speed, and other relevant numbers.

Tip # 3: Study With a Partner if You Can

When you work full time, it’s easier to lose your motivation to study for the GMAT. You’ll be tired, and you’ll face a lot of distractions. Working with a GMAT study buddy can help you keep your eyes on the prize. Do you have any other co-workers who are also prepping for the GMAT? If so, study with them. If not, you can network with other GMAT hopefuls on web-based GMAT forums. (See Magoosh’s guide to using GMAT forums.)

Tip #4: Be Flexible!

When you work full time, you face a lot of unexpected schedule constraints. You may be asked to work overtime at the last minute. You may get stuck in an unusually long traffic jam. You may have an unusually tough day that leaves you too tired for the day’s studies. You may need to rearrange your schedule or even postpone your test date. And that’s OK!

Your work and your GMAT prep are both important. Balance them well, and you’ll succeed at both, even if you have a setback here or there.




David Recine is a test prep expert at Magoosh. He has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has been teaching K-12, University, and adult education classes since 2007 and has worked with students from every continent.

Related Resources:

• The GMAT: Low Scores, Retaking & Strategies for Success

• How Does Your GMAT Score Fit into the Holistic MBA Application Puzzle?

• 5 GMAT Myths Busted

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Leadership Immersion at Cornell Johnson



This interview is the latest in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. And now for a chat with Mitch Brummer, second year MBA student at Cornell Johnson…

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad?

Mitch: I was born in Columbus, Ohio but grew up outside of Cleveland (2016 was a big year for Cleveland!). For my undergrad studies, I went to Colgate University in Central, NY. While there, I focused on International Relations which led me to Washington, D.C. right after graduating in 2009.

Accepted: Where are you currently attending b-school? What year?

Mitch: I am currently in my second year at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, graduating in May 2017.

Accepted: What is your favorite thing about that program?

Mitch: One of my favorite parts about Johnson is the immersion learning program. This program is completed in the 2nd semester of year one. I went through the Strategic Marketing Immersion, which combined a semester-long client project with lectures, cases, simulation, and a trek to marketing-focused companies in New York City. By completing the core and immersion in year one, I felt extremely prepared going into my internship in a new functional area. Many of the topics we learned in detail during the immersion came up immediately over the summer and I was ready and able to contribute in week one.

Accepted: Looking back at the application process, what would you say was your greatest challenge? How would you advise other applicants who may be experiencing similar challenges?

Mitch:  My greatest challenge was that I applied to a few too many schools which became a bit overwhelming near the deadlines. While I applied to six schools, it was pretty obvious that I was only interested in four and I would have done myself a favor by only applying to those four.

My advice to other applicants is to try and let go of the feeling that applying should be a “numbers game.” Instead of applying to the one or two extra schools that you aren’t super excited about, spend that time getting to know your core targets and refining those applications as much as you can. Make sure to visit and talk to current students as that can really help you add the extra refinement and personalization to your essays.

Accepted: You’re a Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow at Cornell. How did you learn about this program? How has this program helped shape your MBA experience at Cornell thus far?

Mitch: I learned about the Park Leadership Program initially through the Johnson website and then in more detail when visiting the school and speaking with current students. This program has been integral to my experience and one of the primary reasons has been the opportunity to work with a great group of peers who have all bought in to a 2-year long leadership program. It is one thing to go to lecture sessions and quite another to go to workshops where everyone is open and willing to speak up and advance the dialogue. With the breadth of backgrounds we have in the program, I’ve had the chance to learn from diverse perspectives, from non-profit to military. Additionally, this has been an amazing opportunity to assess my own leadership strengths and weaknesses and practice new styles / techniques without worrying how it might affect a looming year-end performance review.

Accepted: You’ve worked in Consulting prior to starting your MBA. Do you plan on staying in that field after graduation?

Mitch: I do plan on going back to Consulting and will be returning to Deloitte Consulting. I truly enjoyed my work before coming to Johnson and one of my big drivers for going to school was to round out my liberal arts experience with a formal business education in order to bolster my ability to work on strategy projects. During my time at Cornell, I’ve focused my studies and internship on developing a marketing knowledge-base and toolset. Going back to Deloitte, I would like to start focusing my career on marketing-focused strategy projects.

Accepted: Lastly, can you share your top three tips for success for those just starting out their MBA journey?

Mitch:

1. Take “fit” seriously. I applied to a few schools out of convenience that I knew wouldn’t be a great fit. You could tell right away that I was going through the motions and didn’t have the commitment to those applications. Visit the schools you are interested in and talk with current students, you’ll quickly get a feel for your fit there. You are going to be spending 2 years with your new peers so spend the time to get to know current students and your fellow applicants to help pick the schools that best fit with your goals and personality.

2. Have an idea about how you’d like your two years to go (but don’t be afraid to change everything). By going through the application process, you’ll have at least an initial idea of what you would like to do at school and what type of activities and subjects you’d like to take on. It’s great to have this plan coming in, but don’t let having a plan keep you from exploring and making big changes based on what you find once you’ve actually started school. Take a risk with off-campus recruiting if that is where your dream job or company recruits, just make sure to have a solid back-up plan in place.

3. Focus on balance. Going through b-school is busy but likely in a different way from your last job. Recruiting, clubs and activities, coursework, and social life all compete for your time and everyone will have a different opinion on how you should prioritize them. This should be a personal decision, so take the time to step back and figure out what is most important for you and then don’t bite off more than you can chew.

You can connect with Mitch via LinkedIn. Thank you Mitch for sharing your story with us – we wish you continued success!

[b]For one-on-one guidance with your b-school application, check out our MBA Application Packages.[/b]

Do you want to be featured in Accepted’s blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at [email protected].





Related Resources:

• How to Choose the Right MBA Program, a free guide

• Cornell Johnson Straight Out of College: A Young Entrepreneur’s Story [Episode 144]

• 7 Ways to Distinguish Between Similar MBA Programs

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Application Timing



“Application Timing” is the first post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze.

Should You Apply Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3?

Do not try to win the admissions game through timing. Quality—not timing—trumps all. Submit your application when it is at its best.

When in doubt, listen to Linda’s rule:

“Apply in the earliest round possible PROVIDED you don’t compromise the quality of your application.”

The R1 vs. R2 Dilemma:

“Lisa,” who has been struggling with her GMAT, wants to attend a top 15 program. She is unlikely to be admitted with her current score and she wants to apply Round 1. She is better off raising her GMAT and postponing her application to Round 2.

Or take a look at John’s profile: “John” has good scores, grades, and work experience, but is in a common applicant sub-group and wants to apply Round 2 because he believes competition will be less intense. Big mistake. Competition is intense both rounds. Instead of focusing on this timing question, he should be working to improve his profile, differentiate himself, learn about the schools, and start on his essays so that he can submit Round 1 when there are more spots available.

Is there an advantage to applying early in a round, especially Round 1? I don’t think so. More importantly, there is an advantage to holding onto a completed first application and submitting it closer to the deadline. (Any school, CBS for example, with rolling admissions could be an exception to this.) As you work on subsequent applications, you will improve your essays and relate experiences and goals with greater clarity. If you just put that first completed application away while you work on applications 2, 3, and N, then you can go back to application 1 before that school’s R1 deadline and tweak it before you submit. That first application will then benefit from your recent writing experience and greater clarity.

Don’t, however, wait until the 11th hour to upload your app and press SUBMIT. Servers are often overloaded on deadline day. You don’t want to miss a deadline on an application that was completed weeks earlier because you waited too long.

Should You Apply R3?

If you belong to the following groups, I advise you not to apply Round 3:

• You do not have a clear post-MBA goal and competitive stats, work experience, and community  service. In other words, you’re not really ready.

• Your target schools are not reapplicant friendly.

• You are not a US permanent resident and you anticipate visa issues or problems if accepted by the later notification dates.

• You are a card-carrying member of an over-represented group.

However, you should apply during the third or later rounds if…

• You just missed the Round 2 deadlines due to circumstances beyond your control, but have your GMAT and a clear idea of where you want to apply and why you want an MBA.

• You are a non-traditional applicant or member of an under-represented group or have diversity elements in your profile.

• You prefer to have a slight chance of acceptance over no chance, which is what you will have if you don’t apply.

A third round application has the following advantages over waiting until Round 1 next fall:

• You have a chance of acceptance this year, even if it isn’t as good as it would be earlier in the application cycle.

• Some programs give feedback so that you will be better prepared for Round 1 in next year’s application. Don’t apply just to obtain feedback, but the opportunity to receive feedback could make applying educational and worthwhile, even if you are rejected.

The main disadvantage: The cost and time required to apply.





Related Resources:

• Round 3 or Next Year: When to Apply to Business School

• An Open Letter to 2018 MBA Applicants

• Application Timing: When Should You Submit?

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Should I Write About? Making a Difference



In my non-admissions life, I once went to a lecture given by a biographer whose work I admire. In the course of his talk he mentioned that while writing about genius has merit, writing about typical folks and their extraordinary achievements is more valuable. The compelling story — the inspiration, and attention grabber — resides in the tales of “ordinary people who made a difference.”

Bingo! That’s relevant to applicants. One of the most commonly asked personal statement questions I get is “What should I write about?”

You need to write about when YOU made a difference.

So if you are a Michelangelo, Einstein, Gates, or Buffett, you may be able to write about your incredible talents and how they propelled you to achieve, although you may appear arrogant if you take this approach. In any case, you geniuses can stop reading this post.

For the rest of you, please continue. Think about those times when your participation in a project, organization, business, team, or club made a difference.

• What was the situation? the problem? the challenge?

• What was your role in meeting that challenge? What did you do?

• What was the result?

You may or may not want to tie this story explicitly to your educational and professional goals. That decision will depend on many factors, but one evergreen topic for your personal statements and application essays remains: times when you made a difference.




By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsLeadership in Admissions

• How to Write About Your Social Enterprise Goals

• The Importance of Obstacles in Your Application Essays

Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay



You’ve been busy these last few years. Very busy. How will you ever fit all of your classes, extracurricular activities, awards, and job experience in your EMBA application essays?

The simple answer is that you won’t, and you shouldn’t even attempt to.

Trying to include all of your past experiences will create an essay that is too long and confused. You should focus on two or three ideas or experiences and discuss them in depth, describing how they make you the best executive b-school candidate out there.

Follow these three simple tips to write your winning essay and ace the EMBA:

1. Write what you WANT to say and what you NEED to include in your essay.

The ideas or experiences you will write about in your essay will fall into one of the following two categories:

• Points that you want to make because they’re very striking and separate you from the rest of the applicants.

• Themes that you must write about because the essay question requires them.

You should try to include as much information as possible from the first category in the second category. This will help you be efficient in answering the question, while assuring that you get to tell as much of your story as possible.

2. Make sure your essays complement each other (and compliment you!). 

Be sure that all the elements in each of your essays are connected in some way, painting a complete picture of you. Each of your essays should stand on its own, while providing balance for the other. If the theme of one is leadership, the other should be on a different one of your exceptional qualifications. They should complement, not duplicate each other.

3. Use recent material first.

Be sure to use recent experiences to portray a clear, powerful image of your current position at work. Once you’ve done that, if you have more to say, it’s useful to include older experiences as well. These will give you an opportunity to show your development and progress. It’s perfectly acceptable to focus only on new or contemporary experiences. However, DO NOT use only past events. This may give the impression to the adcom readers that you peaked early in your career, and have nothing further to offer. Your essay needs to leave the impression that your best is yet to come.

Following these tips will help the adcom readers learn about who you are, and what makes you uniquely qualified to be a member of their next EMBA class.

For more valuable tips, check out our EMBA 101 resource page, or get in touch with an admissions consultant.





Related Resources:

• Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice, a podcast episode

• School-Specific EMBA Application Essay Tips

• 5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: “What Next….” Is Graduate School For You?



I was grading midterm exams in my office one frigid day in March when I was surprised to see Marco, a former student, standing in my doorway. He had that all too familiar “deer in headlights” look on his face. I invited him to step in and asked how I could help. He proceeded to look up at the ceiling (almost as if he was seeking divine intervention) and mumbled, “I don’t know where I am and what I should do.” Since I knew that he would earn his bachelor’s degree in May, I sensed that he was probably experiencing some of the usual emotions associated with college graduation. Most college students can’t wait to “get out” until the reality of the “getting out” hits them. That’s when they begin to question — what next? Marco confirmed my assumption when he said that he needed to make some plans, and he didn’t know where or how to start.

All of his questions, concerns, and fears for the future came flying out in machine gun-like fashion. He finally took a deep breath and said that “getting it all out there” was actually a relief and that he was now ready to ask, “How do I decide if graduate school is the right path for me?” From my experience leading graduate school workshops I was sure that I could successfully guide Marco through this process. I told him that in order to find the answers he was seeking, he would need to ask himself the right questions. I promised to develop a problem-solving plan for him and we scheduled a follow-up meeting.

I decided to “borrow” some of the critical thinking and problem solving techniques I use in the interpersonal communications classes that I teach at the undergraduate level. I was planning to use the “Three E’s,” as I have coined them, involved in the brainstorming process.

At our next meeting I told Marco that I had developed a 3 “E” (explore, examine, evaluate) brainstorming strategy that he would need to apply to four graduate school-related questions in order to find his answers. He would, by answering all four questions utilizing this strategy, be in the best position to successfully make an informed decision about his future. Here’s how we did it:

QUESTION #1: What are your short and long-term goals/objectives?

• Explore: Make a list of what you believe are your short and long-term goals as well as your educational and professional objectives. Try not to over-think this question. In other words, list everything that comes to mind.

• Examine: Once you have listed everything and anything you can think of, you will be ready to carefully examine your list. Did you omit anything? Did you include items that may not really belong in this category? Would you like to revise a list item?

• Evaluate: You are now ready to evaluate and prioritize all of the items in order of importance to you. You may well be surprised by how much you learn about yourself.

This three step process is even more important for those who have been out of school for a few years, hate what they are currently doing, and have no idea of what they want to do. For this group an additional list of what they do well and enjoy doing will help to facilitate their decision-making process.

QUESTION #2: Will graduate school help you to reach your goals?

• Explore: Conduct some field research. Gather information from current and/or former professors, attend a graduate open house or info session, participate in content-specific breakout sessions, request feedback from graduate students in a variety of programs, make contact with people who are currently employed in your area of interest and, of course, seek additional assistance from graduate admissions consultants who are experts in the field.

• Examine: Compile an all-inclusive breakdown of all of your findings. Read the results and look for patterns in the responses from different sources. Once you note any patterns or lack thereof, you will be ready to evaluate.

• Evaluate: Place some sort of weight or value by priority next to each of the responses you received. Take the reliability/ credibility factor into consideration in each case. Whose opinion do you trust? Is she or he a credible source of information? And last, but not least, what really “grabbed” your interest. Have some fun with this—use emoticons (happy faces, winky faces, angry faces, fist pumps, hearts, etc.) – whatever works for you and helps you to evaluate the information you have collected.

QUESTION #3: Is now the right time?

• Explore: The answer for this question is somewhat dependent on the field you think you may want to pursue. You will need to explore the admissions’ criteria as this may vary from program to program. For example some MBA programs require 2-3 years of business experience in order to apply, while other MBA programs welcome applications from students who have just earned their bachelor’s degrees. An Executive MBA program will require that applicants present with 5-7 years of higher level management experience. Another example might be Ph.D. programs that will only consider those who will earn a master’s degree enroute to the Ph.D. Other programs will consider both categories in making admission decisions. Clearly, you need to explore all of the options that may be available to you as well as their requirements.

• Examine: Compile all of your research on the timing of graduate studies in terms of field of study and personal needs. Create a balance sheet listing the timing based on field of study on the left and your personal needs on the right. This will help you to compare/contrast, organize and visualize, so that you can move on to the assessment/evaluation step.

• Evaluate: At this time you should weigh each of your needs and plans in order to assess, under what circumstances, the timing and your needs intersect or appear to be oppositional. This is not quite as easy as it sounds since there are so many variables to consider. For example, what do you do if you need to start right now, need to cut costs and stay in your home city but all of the programs in your city require 2 or more years of experience. Something has to give. As a result, you may need to be open to all possible options in order to decide the best course of action for you.

QUESTION #4: What are the benefits/costs of pursuing an advanced degree?

• Explore: Since costs and benefits vary from person to person, you will, once again, need to explore the personal benefits and costs based on your expectations. For some the costs will be strictly financial, while, for others, the costs may include time to degree, lost earnings, energy, and impact on interpersonal relationships. Just as with costs, the benefits are also subjective. Some will perceive the value of an advanced degree strictly in terms of salary levels while others will view it in terms of how the advanced degree will expand them intellectually. I suggest that you fold a sheet of paper in half and list what you consider the benefits on one side and the costs on the other side. You are now ready to examine the information that you have compiled.

• Examine: Once you have listed all costs/benefits that came to mind, you are ready to carefully examine the items on both sides of the page. Did you miss something? Are all of the items relevant to the question? Is there something you wish to eliminate or change in some way?

• Evaluate: Now you will need to weigh the level of importance of each cost and benefit. In fact, I suggest you use “Interpersonal Exchange Theory.” This theory is based on a very simple equation (Benefits-Costs= + or – gain.) If we deduct the costs we pay from the benefits we receive we can come up with either a positive or negative outcome. Clearly if the benefits outweigh the costs then will have a positive gain. Keep in mind that this is not strictly a “numbers” game. The weight of each benefit and cost must also be carefully considered. You may have many more benefits but the costs, though few, may carry a greater weight. Even though this equation may seem somewhat simplistic, it can be one more helpful technique in the decision making process.

Marco couldn’t wait to get started and thanked me for the help. About 4 weeks later he once again appeared at my office door. This time the “deer in the headlights” look was replaced by a huge smile. He said he had decided to pursue a master’s degree and wondered if I had a plan that would help him identify graduate schools that would be a good fit for him. I smiled and said, give me some time to develop a strategy for you. His answer, “You got it!”



 


By Carol Drummer, Former Hofstra University Dean of Graduate Admissions, who for 10 years reviewed and signed off on over 4500 admissions decisions per year and has taught communications and rhetoric since 1991. Want Carol's help to get you accepted? Click here to get in touch!
 

Related Resources:

• Graduate School Admissions Consulting and Editing Services

• Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for Grad School Applicants

• Which Graduate Schools Should You Apply To?, a podcast episode

Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: What’s Life Like as a Darden MBA and Entrepreneur?



Our guests today are both 2nd year MBA students at Darden who founded their start-up at the beginning of their MBA program. We’ll learn more in a minute, but a little background first. Maximilian Huc graduated from Princeton in 2013 with a BA in sociology. Outside of class, he started his first start-up called My Grade Zone Points, and has basically been a serial entrepreneur. Sam Boochever graduated from Cornell in 2011 with a bachelors in applied economics and management. He worked for Allscripts for several years and then started his own company in March 2015. In Oct. 2015, shortly after starting at Darden, Max and Sam co-founded 1Degree. Welcome, Max and Sam!

What is 1Degree App? [1:40]

It allows people to connect one-on-one with celebrities, athletes, etc – we call them “influencers” – that influence their lives. This doesn’t exist in the market today, where most celebrity-fan interaction is one-sided (such as Instagram, etc). We’re trying to take it a step further and allow people to connect with their favorite influencer.

The way it works is that people follow the influencer. The influencer offers the option of bidding on a two-minute, face-to-face video chat. People bid on the conversation. The celebrities can either keep the money or donate it to their favorite charity. Afterward, the celeb has the option to follow up with the auction winner after the chat.

What’s the backstory? [3:55]

We were paired as roommates when we got to Darden. We ran across the story about an individual who paid the rapper Meek Mill $2000 to take a selfie with him. We thought it was amazing how much people were willing to go out of their way to access the people who influence their lives, and the idea was born.

How’s it going? Are the influencers volunteering/participating? [5:00]

It’s going well! We’ve had influencers reach out to us even before the app was in the app store. We’re getting interest from various industries – entrepreneurship, fashion, sports. And it’s international.

Can you give an example of someone who’s participated? [6:40]

Robby Hayes, the runner up on the Bachelorette last year, offered a conversation. Our Darden classmates were bidding and were really excited – it was cool to see people who’d watched the show together every week having fun with it.

Are people doing it for fun, connections, star worship, advice… ? [7:45]

All the above! It cuts across demographics and industries.

What about the motivations of the influencers? Are they mainly looking to build their social media presence, raise money for charity, reach out to fans, or are there other reasons? [8:25]

Again, all of the above. It depends on their industry. Some people use it to humanize the fan relationship.

We’re hosting a pitch event at SXSW where people can use the platform to pitch, so it really depends on the influencer.

Did you know you wanted to start a business when you arrived at Darden? [10:30]

Sam: I applied to business school wanting to do healthcare consulting, but I realized I wanted to work for myself, and when I met Max and we developed the idea for this company, it took off.

Max: I always had an entrepreneurial itch. I knew I wanted to be part of a startup eventually. I came to Darden to see what the corporate world had to offer – but when we had this idea it clicked. I wouldn’t say I went to b-school to create a startup. Putting two entrepreneurial minds in close proximity, we kicked ideas around.

You wrote an article in Forbes about the pros and cons of starting a business during b-school. What are the pros and cons? [14:40]

Sam: We realized we were having a different experience in b-school than our classmates – forgoing the recruiting and a lot of social and extracurricular events in favor of working on the startup. The cons are: the time needed to work on the business. MBA recruiting starts the minute you step on campus, and forgoing that process takes a leap of faith. There’s a trade-off – choosing what to do with your time.

Max: And the pros are: the network. We got a ton of intros from our professors to potential investors, customers, etc. And we got extensive feedback on our business plan from very smart people.

Another pro is having the freedom to work a business plan – we could travel on weekends. The school schedule gave more flexibility. It helped us get to where we’re at.

Are you glad you started the company during b-school? [18:51]

Absolutely, and it’s our full-time plan on graduation.

And are you glad you’re getting the MBA? [19:20]

Absolutely. I’ve made lifelong friends, created a network, and met my business partner.

Has Darden met your expectations? [20:15]

Sam: I came to Darden specifically because of the case method. It’s absolutely met my expectations. The teachers go so far out of their way to help.

The thing that surprised me is the community. I know everyone’s name, everyone offers to help.

Max: I’ve had a very similar experience. Our classmates really champion each other. Even during recruiting, when people are competing, you see people want the best for each other.

What could be improved? [22:55]

Sam: Darden really listens to its students when we come to them with suggestions for improvement. We went to them and asked to get entrepreneurship started earlier in the MBA process. Now they’re working on programs to get entrepreneurial programs started before the curriculum starts – as soon as students arrive on campus.

What is the impact of Darden’s location? [24:40]

Max: It’s a very tight-knit community. You don’t get lost in the hustle and bustle of a big city. And that also lets you bond with your classmates. You get to know everyone, which is not necessarily the case at bigger programs in bigger cities.

Sam: Charlottesville is a growing hub of investment, but since it’s smaller, we could get meetings with everyone. And it’s beautiful!

What will you miss? [27:15]

Sam: My classmates.

Max: The same. And our professors, who we’ve built good relationships with.

Looking back to when you applied, what was the hardest part of the application process? [28:55]

Sam: The essays. A lot of them are pretty similar – writing about yourself – but writing introspectively is challenging. I interviewed my friends about who they thought I was, and that was helpful – it’s a tip I would recommend.

Max: It’s difficult to summarize yourself in a 500 word essay – your motivations, accomplishments, faults – and to set yourself apart from other students. I went through a ton of iterations!

Sam: Start early! It’s not something you can do a week before the application is due. Consultants are great, they can give you an outside look.

What was the most memorable interview question you were asked? [32:30]

Sam: “What would you do if you don’t get into b-school?”

I was so in the zone of answering questions about my b-school goals that it put me on my heels.

Max: It wasn’t in my Darden interview, but I was asked “What is your biggest fault?” They wanted me to show introspection.

What are your tips for MBA applicants, especially those considering an entrepreneurial career? [35:30]

Sam:

1. Go to classes. It’s the best way to understand the personality of a school, and you’ll be shocked how quickly you decide whether you like the school.

2. Talk to people. Students are candid. They’re not on the payroll and they’ll tell you about their experience.

Max: If your goal is to start a business at b-school, then do a lot of thinking beforehand about why you want to do that, as opposed to just starting the company and then going to b-school later (or just forgoing it altogether). The reason I say that is the opportunity cost of not taking advantage of all b-school can offer (recruiting, activities) – it doesn’t always make sense. In our case, it happened to work. So I would say, give it a lot of thought.

Any last insights? [38:00]

Max: It’s really hard to create a business while getting an MBA. I wouldn’t take it back.

Sam: I agree. It’s difficult and emotionally challenging. Everyone knows us as the 1Degree guys – both when things are going well and when they’re going badly. It wouldn’t be possible to do this on my own.



Related Links:

• UVA Darden 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

• UVA Darden Business School Zone Page

• 1Degree

• The Pros and Cons of Starting a Business in Business School

Related Shows:

• Building Your Consulting Career, and a Look Back at a Tuck MBA

• Individual Mobile Test Prep and the MIT Sloan MBA Who Created It

• Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur

• Haas, McCombs, and Case Interviews

• Cornell Johnson Straight Out of College: A Young Entrepreneur’s Story

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Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: ¿Cuál MBA es el Mejor Para Tí?



El MBA es hoy en día, y desde hace más de 50 años, el título de post-grado más popular y más rentables del mundo; es por eso que cada año cientos de miles de personas solicitan admisión a programas de MBA. Cada vez existen más opciones de cómo sacarlo, desde el tradicional (de uno o dos años y tiempo completo), al de medio tiempo, el nocturno, el de sólo los fines de semana, el de una vez al mes, por internet, y muchos más.

Con tanta variedad en el mercado, ¿cuál MBA es el mejor para tí?

Una vez que hayas decidido que quieres un MBA, es importante que pienses para qué lo quieres. ¿Cuál es tu meta? ¿Dónde te gustaría trabajar después de tu MBA? ¿Piensas cambiar de sector o industria, o quedarte donde estás pero subir de rango? ¿Establecer tu propio negocio, o trabajar como consultor?  Entre más clara tengas tu meta, más fácil te será escoger el tipo de programa que más te conviene.

Conjuntamente con la evaluación del programa viene la evaluación de tu perfil. De nada sirve soñar con un programa específico si tu perfil no llena los requisitos de ese programa. Tu perfil lo conforman el conjunto de calificaciones, características y elementos que conforman tu aplicación para el MBA.

Los elementos de tu perfil son:

1. Tus notas en la universidad. A pesar que hayan pasado varios años desde que te graduaste, esos cuatro, cinco, o seis años de universidad cuentan mucho para tu aplicación. Tus notas serán evaluadas cuidadosamente, particularmente tu desempeño en las clases más rigurosas. Cualquier anomalía o reprobado deberá ser explicado en la aplicación.

2. Tus resultados en el GMAT o GRE. Estos exámenes son cruciales para tu admisión, tanto la sección verbal como la cuantitativa. Investiga si el programa para el que quieres solicitar admisión los requiere, y de ser así, empieza a prepararte lo antes posible.

3. Tu experiencia laboral. La mayoría de los programas requieren un mínimo de dos años de experiencia laboral después de tu carrera universitaria. Sin embargo, algunos programas no son tan estrictos, y hay unos pocos que le abren las puertas a solicitantes recién graduados.

4. Actividades extracurriculares. Además de tu trabajo y la parte académica, muchos programas le dan preferencia a candidatos que estén involucrados en actividades interesantes fuera del trabajo, especialmente si resultan en un beneficio a la comunidad. Estas actividades pueden ser tan sencillas como jugar fútbol los sábados con tus amigos hasta servir de voluntario para la Cruz Roja o incluso iniciar un proyecto de beneficiencia. No es un requisito, pero hacer esto definitivamente te dará una ventaja.

5. Manejo del idioma. Finalmente, si el programa que buscas es en inglés, es importante que te prepares muy bien para alguno de los exámenes requeridos por el programa, ya sea el TOEFL, IELTS, PCE, o cualquier otro que acepten.

Nadie es perfecto y la mayoría de los candidatos a MBA son fuertes en algunos elementos pero les falta un poco en otros. Por eso es importante que analices detenidamente cada uno de estos puntos y desarrolles un plan para subsanar tus puntos débiles y potenciar tus fortalezas.

En los artículos siguientes iré explorando qué hacer para mejorar o fortalecer cada una de estas áreas, aun las que aparentan no tener solución (como por ejemplo el bajo rendimiento académico), y te darás cuenta que con dedicación, disciplina, y compromiso lograrás entrar al programa de MBA más adecuado para ti de acuerdo a tu perfil y tus metas profesionales.

Si te gustaría tener una guía professional que te ayude con tus aplicaciones para el MBA, considera los servicios MBA essay editing o MBA Application Packages. Ambos incluyen asesoramiento general, revisión de los ensayos, entrenamiento para las entrevistas, y revisión de tu hoja de vida (Curriculum Vitae).




Por Esmeralda Cardenal, ex Directora Asociada de Admisiones de la Escuela de Negocios de Yale, ex Directora de Admisiones de MBA de Michigan State University, y consultora para Cardiff Business School en el Reino Unido. A Esmeralda le encantaría ayudarte a preparar tu solicitud de admisión al MBA de la mejor manera posible y contestar tus preguntas. Si quieres que Esmeralda te ayude a que te admitan a un programa de MBA, haz click aquí para ponerte en contacto con ella.

Related Resources:

• Why MBA?, free guide

• Different Dimensions of Diversity [Episode 193]

• How to Fund Your International MBA in the U.S., a free webinar

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Free Webinar on Getting Accepted to INSEAD



Calling all INSEAD applicants (including those just thinking about it)! We had an amazing turnout at our Get Accepted to INSEAD webinar, and would now like to share that webinar with you.

If you’re looking for advice on:

• Deciding if INSEAD is the right program for you

• Understanding INSEAD’s mission and goals

• Answering the INSEAD application questions

…then you’ll want to watch Get Accepted to INSEAD. Expert advice on how to get into one of the world’s best MBA programs – right here, right now.



VIEW THE WEBINAR NOW!



Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Why Do You Need an MBA? [MBA Interview Questions Series]



This blog post is part of a series of articles analyzing some of the most popular MBA interview questions and how to best respond to them. In this post, we’ll address “Why do you need an MBA?“:

Reason for asking the question: The interviewer wants to make sure your reasons for getting an MBA match up with what the MBA degree will provide you.

How to prepare: This is hopefully one of the easiest questions for you to answer. Coming from almost any function, the likely answer is that you have a significant amount of depth in a particular field (marketing, finance, IT, engineering), but in order to break free of being labeled as simply a subject matter expert, you need more breadth.

Most people look to get an MBA in order to move into a management role or to change fields. To succeed in management, you need to have understanding of all functional areas of business, from finance to operations to technology and more. An MBA degree provides the toolbox you need to succeed in management in the shortest amount of time.

For career-switchers, a full-time MBA program provides one of the best opportunities to make that switch. It gives you everything from critical coursework to training in “soft skills” and leadership to the all-important summer internship.

Important things to remember: This is not meant to be a “gotcha” question, and you should in no way feel threatened by it. The interviewer simply wants to ensure that your expectations for the MBA are in line with what the program delivers. They want to know you are realistic.

Additional things to consider: There is no doubt that adding an MBA degree to your resume will bolster credibility and prestige. You want to make sure you don’t come across as only going after an MBA degree because of the pedigree. That is a big turn off.




Jen Weld worked as an admissions consultant and Former Asst. Dir. of Admissions at Cornell’s EMBA program (4 years) prior to joining Accepted. She has an additional 10 years of experience in higher ed and corporate marketing. Want Jen to help you get Accepted to business school? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interview, a free guide

• Perfect Answers to MBA Interview Questions, a free guidehttps://www.google.com/url?q=https://blog.accepted.com/2014/12/08/mba-interview-questions-why-this-mba-program/&sa=U&ei=8tkPVdqsFcnIPM-OgPgI&ved=0CA4QFjAE&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGumyL6kvgWq3D-TWFIOneoCwrtLA• 4 Steps to Preparing for MBA Interviews

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Choosing And Visiting Business Schools [Navigating the MBA Maze]



“Choosing and Visiting Business Schools” is the latest post in our series, Navigate the MBA Maze.

In deciding whether to apply to specific MBA programs, you need to understand how the schools differ. What are their relative strengths and weaknesses? And it isn’t easy to get a real sense of what makes a school unique: They all claim top faculties, great student bodies, and networks that will sizzle when you graduate. How can you tell the differences between them?

Here are a few points that will help you determine differences between schools:

• The employment profile. See where graduates find jobs. Which schools send the most grads to the companies, industries, and locations you are most interested in?

• The class profile. Do you want a large class or a small, close-knit class? Do you want an urban or rural setting? Do you really want to be in a class that draws over 70% of its students from engineering, business, and technical fields? Or would you prefer to be in a class where 46% came from the social sciences and humanities? Both MIT and Stanford provide outstanding MBA educations, but their class make-up is very different. You may prefer one or the other.

• The curriculum. Would Harvard’s rigid first year curriculum, where everyone takes the same classes, chafe?  Or would you be lost with all the options at Chicago, which prides itself on its flexibility? Is the ability to pass out of prerequisites important to you? Do you want a lot of teacher cooperation and integration of business functions, as is provided by Tuck or Yale?

• Methodology. Do you prefer a mix of methodologies? Check out Wharton. Do you seek an emphasis on projects and hands-on learning as at Ross? Do you want strict case method? Take a closer look at HBS and Darden.

• Clubs and extra-curriculars. Many schools have imitated MIT Sloan’s business plan competition. But not everyone has a social enterprise competition (HBS does). If you are interested in social enterprise, that competition may be particularly appealing.

What are some of the unusual clubs at the different schools that you might be interested in? For example almost every school will have a Marketing Club, but only some, like Columbia, will have a Luxury Goods Marketing Club. Again, if this is your interest, the existence and health of that club may be an important attraction for you.

•  Professor research. If there is a prof or two researching the niche that appeals to you, he may be the magnet pulling you to that program. Are there independent study opportunities? Does he teach MBA students? What classes?

• “Fit.” Then there is that almost indefinable quality called “fit.” Visit the schools you are considering to determine fit. If visiting isn’t feasible, talk to current students, read MBA student blogs, and follow the student newspapers.

Grasping these points of difference will enable you to make more intelligent application and acceptance decisions.

Finally, here are some visiting-day tips to maximize your school visits:

1.  If possible, visit when class is in session. Then, take a tour, meet with students, and attend the info sessions. In short, take advantage of whatever is offered.

2.  Prepare for your visit by going through the school’s website thoroughly. It isn’t great when you ask a question that is answered three times on the school’s site.

3.  As you go through the school website, write down any questions that you may have and take them with you.

4.  If you can’t visit the school, prepare questions to ask at receptions or info sessions that will be held in your city.





Related Resources:

• 7 Steps to MBA Acceptance in 2018, live webinar

• Business School Selectivity Index, find out where you are a competitive applicant

• Top 6 Tips for Visiting Business Schools

 

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Oxford Said MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines



Oxford Said expects its graduates to address the world’s great challenges, such as energy and food and water security. Whether such challenges are one’s actual focus, the work of a business professional will inevitably overlap with such issues. This reality leads the adcom to seek individuals who understand integrity, who value the program’s effort to “burst the business bubble” and bring in non-business perspectives and disciplines, and who are ready to become dynamic leaders into a precarious and uncertain future.

Showing awareness in your essays of these concerns and interests will help you portray fit with the program while highlighting your distinctive attributes.

The questions, taken together, form an interesting and perhaps challenging opportunity to make your case. While there is no specific goals question, it would be a good idea to discuss goals in one of the essays, considering how future-focused the adcom is in its website introduction to the program. You could technically address goals in either essay, but I suggest the first essay as the better – more intuitive – place to do so.

Essays:

1. How do you fit with Oxford Saïd’s mission? (500 words maximum)

Past predicts future, so this essay should include some specific examples of your experience that align with the stated mission – it’s important to show that you are already in sync with it, not just that you will be; this gives credibility to your case. (You need not address all those mission points, by the way.)

Then, present your goals and clarify how they align with this mission. Flowing from that, it is natural to discuss some specific aspects of the program of special value or interest to you.

An intuitive and efficient structure for this essay is to start with previous experiences, then discuss goals and fit with Said. With only 500 words, don’t get fancy with themes or structure – if something brilliant emerges, great, but regardless, prioritize substance – concrete experience, insights gained, future plans.

2. Is there anything not covered in the application form which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you? (Maximum 250 words)

This sounds like an optional essay, but it’s not. Theoretically, you could have a one-word reply: “No.” I don’t suggest it…

The prompt clearly implies that the adcom wants to get to know you as a person. So, take a holistic review of your application – resume, online form, and above essay – and then consider what other aspects of your life and/or experience would be worth sharing in this essay to further illuminate your candidacy. Your application form will likely include brief encapsulations of things like hobbies, community involvements, etc.  You can still write about such things here in more depth – after all the motivation and the details are not covered in the application. Another possible type of experience to address would be a pivotal/formative professional or personal relationship, which shows you to be resourceful (and appreciative). Keep the essay concrete – but DO present insight and DO reflect a bit.  You need to show that you have something to say, to bring to the table.

If you would like professional guidance with your Oxford Said 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 Oxford Said MBA application.

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Deadlines:






Cindy Tokumitsu  has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
 

Related Resources:

• Why MBA?, free guide

• 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

• “I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in your Essays

Tags: MBA Admissions

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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 6 Steps to Better Self Knowledge & a Successful MBA Interview

 



Congratulations! You’ve been invited to interview at your top choice MBA program. You want to be sure to ace the interview the same way that you aced your application and essay.

You need to prepare for your interview. No matter how solid your past interview experiences have been, and how sure you are that you can invent dazzling answers under pressure, it’s still recommended that you invest some time in interview prep. These tips are appropriate not just for the pre-interview stage, while preparing at home before the actual interview day, but can be used to keep calm and confident at your b-school interview, and can be used for job interviews as well.

It’s time to get to know yourself a little better…

[b]1. Know your qualifications: [/b]Your interview will probably include a section about your strengths and weaknesses. You should decide which assets and difficulties you want to focus on and which ones to keep away from. You can guide the interview in a way that focuses on your strong points, using anecdotes to support them. Be sure that when you discuss a weakness you can talk about ways that you overcame or are working on overcoming it. Support your assertions with stories.

[b]2. Know your experiences. [/b]Be sure that you know all of the information on your resume cold. Your interviewer will have reviewed your resume and will have it at hand. You need to know dates, positions, responsibilities, awards, etc. and how to expand on them. Again, use stories to emphasize important moments in your life and how those experiences furthered your goals and your decision to apply to this MBA program (and attend if accepted).

[b]3. Know your goals. [/b]Your interviewer doesn’t want to hear your laundry list of short and long-term goals. They want to know how you decided on your goals and exactly how you plan on achieving them. You should be able to explain how your college or extracurricular activities and/or current job responsibilities contributed to your goals and how an MBA will help your attain these goals. Give a lot of consideration to the answers to these questions. Your interviewer will want to see that you’re a person with a plan who is also logical and thorough.

[b]4. Know your program. [/b]Research the b-school’s curriculum, faculty, student life, extracurricular activities, etc., before your interview. This will give you the tools to articulate your special fit and what you will contribute to your target school. Take the time to visit the school’s website, communicate with alumni and students, and visit the campus. These steps will go a long way in helping you know where and how you’ll fit into the program.

[b]5. Know what you’re looking for. [/b]One of the jobs of the interviewer is to decide if you are a good fit for the target program. Be prepared to answer the following questions: Why is this the perfect b-school for you? What attracted you to this particular program? What special things will you bring to the next b-school class?

[b]6. Know how to stay calm during your interview. [/b]Practice positive visualization techniques. Picture yourself answering all of the interview questions in an impressive manner. Imagine yourself entering this b-school full of confidence and sure of the part you will play in the class. This skill will help you keep your wits about you not only during your interview, but in other stressful circumstances as well.

You want to keep these ideas – your qualifications, experiences, goals, and ideas – at the front of your mind and on the tip of your tongue. These are the secret ingredients to interview success and what will bring you one step closer to acceptance at your target b-school.





Related Resources:

• MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interview [Free Guide]

• The Art Of Interviewing—Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”?

• 4 Steps to Preparing for MBA Interviews

Tags: MBA Admissions

The post 6 Steps to Better Self Knowledge & a Successful MBA Interview appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.
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