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23 Jan 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The Toronto Rotman MBA Program: Where Application Volume is Soaring |
  Today for the first time we welcome Jamie Young, Director of Recruitment & Admissions for the Full-Time MBA Program at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Jamie graduated from McMaster University in 2008 and has worked in Canadian higher ed since then. He came to Rotman in January 2016 to assume the role of Director of Recruitment & Admissions. He also serves on the ETS Business School Advisory Council and Forte Foundation’s School Advisory Council. Can you give an overview of the Toronto Rotman FT MBA program with a focus on its more distinctive elements? [1:44] Our program combines 16 months of academic study with a 4-month internship opportunity. We offer 15 diverse majors, so candidates can choose to specialize in their second year, and there is something for everyone. You can choose everything from health sector management to brand management to investment banking to real estate management. It’s really up to you. So while we are renowned for our strengths in strategy and finance, we have a number of strengths. Some of the things that are more distinctive are the Creative Destruction Lab, a course in the second year of our program that infuses a lot of things from across the university. It is a seed-stage program for massively scalable science-based companies, and at Rotman we have the largest concentration of AI companies of any program here on earth. Our Self Development Lab runs alongside curricula, with workshops designed to help students express themselves more effectively, understand their own motivations and of those around them, and work toward achieving their goals in complex and high stakes environments. What’s new at Rotman? [3:56] We are really proud of the flexible internship program, an innovation we announced just over a year ago. Students coming into the MBA program have the opportunity to complete their internship in one of three periods, our traditional which is the summer, but also the winter or fall. Right away there is this increased opportunity for flexibility, with students able to tailor their experience towards exactly what they are looking for. It also adds a lot of opportunities for students – there are organizations and companies that can offer really rich projects. We have seen incredible growth in postings, and it is an innovation we are really proud of. We have also added an applied management placement course. We have some faculty and executives in residence guiding students through their internship experience, which is incredible to watch. So we see somebody with great experience of their own, and mentoring students to really reflect on their own larger goals. The execs connect formally with students and do exercises with them. One example is for the student to find individuals within the internship organizations who have experienced success, and then working back to figure out what the elements of that culture are that could help set the students up to be successful. It’s all about connecting and applying, making sure you are working toward achieving your larger goals. Sometimes students want to complete more than one internship but that’s not a possibility. I will say that with the Creative Destruction Lab there are sometimes more opportunities, as sometimes students take on a CFO or COO role for some of these seed-stage startups, and it becomes more of an applied-learning internship. At the AIGAC conference you were the only happy face on a panel discussing the changing views on immigration in the U.S. and the U.K. and their impact on MBA application volume. Why were you smiling? [10:03] It was a nervous smile in the sense that I know it’s been a difficult time for my peers being on the other side of this. It is a difficult situation for a lot of people, yet we’ve been through a cycle and seen the increase in our applications. There has been a spotlight shown on Canada, and people like what they see. We have an inclusive society, and Toronto is the most multi-cultural city in the world. There’s a wonderful opportunity for Canada and the city of Toronto and our full-time MBA program. We doubled apps from 2012-2017, and have seen a 40% increase in applications just for round 1 this year again. This is a continued trend, so we don’t attribute it necessarily to what’s going on geopolitically, but the way I’ve reconciled it with myself and my team is that people are more open to opportunities and casting a wider net. One of Rotman’s unique calling cards is its focus on business design with the “3 Gears of Business Design – empathy and need finding, prototyping and experimentation, and business strategy.” How does that infuse the experience at Rotman? [14:21] Our teaching pedagogy anchored around model-based problem solving and business design is a creative problem solving methodology with students solving for something that is new. It delivers on the promise of a new way to think, which is what Rotman students are known for. Using Creative Destruction Lab as an example, it is unlike most MBA courses in that there will not be as much clarity at the beginning of the course. There are these massively scalable science- and tech-based, AI, machine learning, and quantum machine learning companies, and our students are driving the equity value at that seed stage. It is pretty unclear about how to move forward, so it’s about looking at these disruptive technologies and trying to solve for a new way. Our students working in the CDL are creating a new business that isn’t following a path already created. The destruction piece is all about destructing prototypes, questioning norms, failing forward, and going back to strategy as you do that. Essentially strategy as the “true north.” Let’s turn to the application. Your site says that you are looking for 4 qualities: 1. Intellectual Horsepower 2. Experience and Impact 3. Communication and Presence 4. Spike Factor. Can you unwrap each of them? I’m especially interested in the “Spike Factor”? [18:02] For intellectual horsepower, our faculty are third in the world for research, so the people who fit in that type of environment are intellectually curious and nimble, so we look for that with GPA, GMAT/GRE (which is waived for a CFA level 3 charterholder), or additional coursework being done, like professional certifications or MOOCs. For experience and impact, we are a post-experience program, and recommend at least two years of experience, though that is not a hard rule, there are always exceptions. Our average is about four years but regardless of experience the focus is on impact. So in looking at the CV, we are trying to understand much more than what you are/were doing, but impact and influence to this point, which translates to possibilities for impact in the future as an alum. With communication and presence, we were the first business school to introduce video interviews, and I am so grateful it is part of the process. I can’t imagine through this growth in applications how we would be able to get to know applicants well without those videos. It is great to see other schools moving that way as well. It provides a three dimensional view of each candidate – the first thing we do is look at a candidate’s resume alongside the videos. The self-reflection questions and a timed response in addition to a traditional essay give us a cohesive understanding of communication style and ability from a candidate before we would even invite them for the interview. The “spike factor” for us is about how passion, perseverance, resilience, and determination show up in your life, and how you build that narrative throughout your MBA application. So we’ve had Olympians, professional athletes, professional poker players, or individuals who have traveled to more than 40 countries or speak 10 languages by the time they are 25 – the spike factor for those types of applicants is probably easy to understand just from mentioning those backgrounds. As we look for the spike factor, we want to see applicants knowing themselves, knowing what their own spike factor is, and knowing how to articulate it – reflecting on and understanding who I am and what I’m looking to do and how the MBA fits into that larger picture. Spike factors are often buried, and no two spike factors are the same. We pulled this idea from best practices in corporate recruiting, and it becomes that ultimate differentiator. What distinguishes applicants who get interview invitations from those who don’t other than stats? The spike factor? [29:30] Absolutely. That’s one element. Given the application volume we still pride ourselves on getting to know our applicants really well. Since we have a high touch admissions process, we want to develop as rich a picture of candidates as possible before we make a decision. We inherently believe that having more information is going to help us make our best decisions. How do you do that when applications continues to grow at an accelerated rate? The videos give us a really good sense of how a candidate is going to perform in an interview, and are critical to getting that interview. The other element as you mentioned is the spike factor. We have one of the most diverse classes of anywhere in North America and that adds an additional layer of diversity. Beyond the stats the videos and spike factor are the things that make the difference. What can those invited to interview expect? [32:04] You will be interviewing with one of the assistant directors of admissions, so it is not a blind interview. That person will have gone through a complete review of every element of the application to that point. Going into the interview it is important to know that since we want to make the most of the time together. Interviews take 30-45 minutes, and interviewers will begin where the application left off. We’ll probe deeper on items in the essays, or from references, looking for impact within the organization. We’ll also ask several behavioral questions. What advice would you give to someone thinking ahead to a 2018-19 application? [33:59] First, congratulations! When time is in your favor you’ve probably already gotten some great advice to get to that stage. The earlier you start to look, the more natural advantages you have. With regard to fit, the more time you have on your side the better. My best advice is to connect with the schools themselves. It may be overused advice, but it is so important. If you are early on in the process and are thinking about what programs might be a good fit for you, visiting can really accelerate the process. Here, we connect you with people in our community that can help you understand opportunities. Have conversations, sit in on classes, and with technology we can connect and network well from different parts of the planet. Finally, schools aren’t going to radically change their applications year over year, so if you are thinking of applying to Rotman, looking at our application for this intake gives a good sense of what to expect. Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like me to have asked? [36:22] Well, I’d like to mention what’s going on in Toronto right now. Our soccer team just won a championship and our Canadian Football League team just won a championship. Toronto is the fastest growing tech market in North America, the second largest financial center in North America, and the world’s most multicultural city. I’m not from here, but l love living here and calling it home. It is an incredible time to be in Toronto – it really seems to be a very special moment right now.  Related Links: • Toronto Rotman MBA program • Toronto Rotman MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • DesignWorks and Business Design at Rotman • Accepted MBA Admissions Services Related Shows: • MBA Video Essays: A Conversation With Rotman’s Niki da Silva • What’s Really Important in MBA Admissions? Interview With Rotman’s Niki da Silva • Do You Fit With Cornell Johnson? • Admissions Tips for Vanderbilt’s MBA Program Subscribe:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions The post The Toronto Rotman MBA Program: Where Application Volume is Soaring [Episode 243] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
23 Jan 2018, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Applying to INSEAD? Read This! |
 INSEAD’s intense, international MBA is one of the top ranked programs in the world. Do you have what it takes to get accepted? The first step to crafting an effective application strategy is understanding what your application is intended to accomplish – and what the admissions committee is looking for as they read and evaluate. How can you show them you’re a perfect fit? Join us for a special free webinar, Get Accepted to INSEAD. Accepted’s founder, Linda Abraham, will guide you through the INSEAD application and share practical strategies to help you strengthen each piece of your application package. You’ll learn how to strengthen your profile, how to mitigate weaknesses, and how to put it all together. All of this in just one hour – and all of it is free! REGISTER NOW:  Tags: MBA Admissions The post Applying to INSEAD? Read This! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
24 Jan 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What to Expect at Your In-Person MBA Interview with an Adcom Member |
  This post is part of a series exploring the different forms MBA interviews take and how you can ace them all! Some MBA adcoms choose to interview candidates individually, themselves, and do not delegate this task to alumni or students. Why adcoms use this method It’s a resource-intensive process, but adcoms get as much as they invest. Moreover, they narrow down the field first, so only those under serious consideration are invited. • Especially for competitive schools, each seat is precious, and nothing substitutes for the adcom member’s own ears and eyes in ascertaining who should have it. • Admissions professionals are trained experts in evaluating candidates, and in this interview method they can exercise that expertise in an optimal setting. • They can see firsthand not just the “real you” but the “whole you”: your interpersonal finesse + the content of your answers + your physical presence. They evaluate what you say, and also your social skills, speaking (and English-speaking) ability, and demeanor as you interact with them directly. For these reasons, this type of interview has real weight in the admissions decision. Some schools that use this method Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan. Process In this interview approach, you meet with an adcom member, either on campus or in a city where the adcom is visiting. The interview is a one-on-one conversation with the adcom member, during which he will ask you questions, often a mix of application-specific questions and other questions he’s prepared. Expect any area of ambiguity to be questioned. This is a probing, in-depth interview. If you are socially adept, you will not just answer questions but may also facilitate conversation. Blind or not blind Usually adcom interviews are not blind, i.e., the interviewer will have read your application before the interview and will likely have some questions about it. Benefits and pitfalls for applicants • Benefit: can showcase your strong interpersonal and communication skills to a high-value decision-maker. • Benefit: the fact that some discussion will be based on your application opens the door for more of a dialogue, less of an “interrogation” feel. • Benefit OR pitfall: the adcom is already invested in you to an extent, which can make you more motivated, inspired, and focused – or more nervous, depending on your temperament. • Pitfall: to ace the interview you must find a way to connect with the interviewer even if the natural chemistry isn’t great. • Pitfall: a bad interview with an adcom member could seriously impair your chances. How to make this type of interview work for you (In addition to all the common sense advice for good MBA interviews) • Review your application closely for areas of potential weakness or things that could raise questions, and be prepared to discuss. • Discuss/use examples and stories that are not in your application. • Arm yourself with detailed info about the program and new points about how it will benefit you and how you will contribute. • Put your ego aside and do whatever is needed to connect with the interviewer. • Be yourself – this type of trained, professional interviewer has a radar for inauthenticity. The best way to ensure that you are prepared for your MBA interviews is to practice with a pro! Check out our Mock Interview Services and learn what you can do to ace those interviews and get accepted to business school!   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: • Perfect Answers to MBA Interview Questions, a free guide • The Art Of Interviewing – Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”? • Ask Away at Your Admissions Interview Tags: MBA Admissions The post What to Expect at Your In-Person MBA Interview with an Adcom Member appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
25 Jan 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: INSEAD MBA Criterion #2: International Motivation |
  This is the second post in a 4-part series that examines INSEAD MBA’s 4 admission criteria. Sure, international experience is a big plus for an INSEAD applicant. But the website says that they seek candidates with international motivation which, in their eyes, means having “perceptive insights into the complexities of business in an international setting.” It also involves “adaptability and flexibility in multicultural environments” – which you can hardly achieve without some insight, so these elements naturally interconnect. The final component of international motivation is goals that have a global dimension. So, meeting this criterion involves more than working in multiple countries, continents, or galaxies. “International” should be an element of focus, reflection, and growth. What if you don’t have international experience? You can still possess international motivation if you’ve had global exposure (an example might be leading or serving on a virtual global team). It can even be in non-work form. (If you’ve had neither global experience nor global exposure, INSEAD might not be the school for you…) To summarize, the three key elements sought by the adcom – whether you have global experience, global exposure, or both – under this criterion are: • “Perceptive insights” about international business • Adaptability across cultures • Global goals What does that mean for you? Global experience and/or global exposure is simply a qualifying point. To make yourself shine among INSEAD applicants, go further. Offer vivid, thoughtful, sharp insights from your experiences. Those insights don’t have to be cosmic in scale. They do have to address “complexities of business in an international setting” in some way, shape, or form. Your insights should show that you are thoughtful, synthesize your experience and distill meaning from it, and are open to learning as you grow professionally. Also, through example and anecdote, demonstrate your ability to adapt across cultures – and beware the pitfall of using stereotypes when doing so (the Japanese are indirect, the Israelis are blunt, the Indians are culturally conservative) – hint: stop when you find yourself saying “the French,” “the Chinese,” “the Saudis.” Very likely a simplistic stereotype is about to burst forth. Here are some specific ways to incorporate this criterion into your application: • If you DO have international work experience, present anecdotes and examples from it in your essays, make sure to portray your cultural adaptability and flexibility, and include insight you gained from this experience. • If you DO NOT have international work experience, make certain to detail your international exposure, include insights gained, and show how this exposure involved your cultural flexibility. • In the goals discussion, of course mention the global aspect, but go one step further, e.g., not just “become CIO of global pharma company” but add details about what that global aspect really entails for pharma, what are the specific global-related challenges and/or opportunities in the future, etc. Show awareness of global trends for your target industry, function, etc. • Make sure your resume maximizes global-related experience. • Go into the interview with (a) a good grasp of current economic and geopolitical realities to add context for anecdotes and discussion points when possible, (b) a fresh recollection of your global experiences (professional and personal), and (c) thorough understanding of INSEAD’s global culture and how you fit into it. • INSEAD includes its language requirements within its discussion of international motivation, so when you describe actual cross-cultural interactions (in essays and/or interview), if relevant include language component. I am always thrilled when I get an “I’m in at INSEAD!” email. I welcome the chance to help you show you belong at INSEAD and receive such an email from you in the future. Looking for more INSEAD info? Register for our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to INSEAD, airing live on February 7, 2018. For personalized assistance that will help you get accepted to INSEAD, check out our MBA Application Packages.  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: • Get Into INSEAD, the International Business School [Podcast Episode] • INSEAD September 2017 Intake MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • Financing Your INSEAD MBA Tags: MBA Admissions The post INSEAD MBA Criterion #2: International Motivation appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
26 Jan 2018, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Stand Out in Your MBA Applications! |
 You’ve heard the stories about a friend of a friend with a 780 GMAT who wasn’t accepted to Harvard, or a family member with stellar work experience at Goldman Sachs who wasn’t accepted at Stanford, and you’ve wondered how that could be. An acceptance to a top MBA program doesn’t have to do with just a great GMAT score or a great job – there is a lot more that goes into it, and as an applicant you need to nail every single element. Get your free copy of The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Competitive MBA Applicant, and learn best practices for all aspects of your application in order to give you the strongest chance for admission. Get Your Guide: Tags: MBA Admissions The post Stand Out in Your MBA Applications! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
28 Jan 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Putting Together Your Initial List of B-Schools to Apply To |
  In our Choosing the Best MBA Program for You series, you’ll learn how to create a list of business schools that are the best fit for your educational, social, and professional preferences and how creating this list will boost your chances of getting accepted. In the last seven posts in this series, we’ve gotten our school selection process down to a science, and creating your actual list of schools may seem like a formality by now. As you have gone through the previous steps in this process, a group of feasible and appealing programs most likely has evolved almost organically. It’s time to firm it up in preparation for the hands-on application process. Establish your desired balance among the three categories: reach, on-par, and safety, remembering that these categories have variations within them. Whether you are applying to ten programs or two, you should be clear about where each falls on this continuum vis-à-vis your profile. Out of the total number of programs you’ll apply to, how many do you want in each category, and why? Answer this question based on your previous evaluations, and make your list accordingly. This allocation should be deliberate and informed, not accidental. Now take the list of schools that meet your needs and, ideally, fulfill your important wants, and that also are viable targets (meaning, they are not out of reach), and sort these schools by reach, on-par, and safety. If your research yielded more programs than you want to apply to, you’ll need to further whittle down the list. Which programs in a given category meet the most of your wants and/or best meet your needs? You can also factor in where you have the better chance of admission, since the programs within a category will vary in competitiveness. What if this process results in an imbalance? You wanted two reaches, three on-pars, and one safety. You ended up with no safeties, one on-par, and an overabundance of reaches. It’s not uncommon. Remember, competitiveness will vary within category. So some reaches might be close enough to on-par to almost fit in that category or straddle the two. If not, you have some hard choices to make: • You can proceed with this less than ideal balance, fully aware of the situation and doing your best. • You can research more programs: Look again at some you previously rejected and/or broaden your scope; maybe consider other geographic regions or part-time programs. Especially if you are applying to numerous programs, consider balance within categories as well, and try to widen your scope of programs. Say you’re a consultant. The majority of consultants will gravitate to the known consulting programs (e.g., Kellogg); but you’ll stand out more in programs renowned for other areas (e.g., Chicago Booth). This balance within categories is especially helpful because the vicissitudes of the upcoming admissions season are still unknown. If a flood of consultants apply, your breadth of programs will be all the more important. Now you should have your list of MBA programs. Or, I should say, your preliminary list. Since you continue to learn as you go through the application process, it’s quite possible that you will modify this list. This list should be firm but not rigid; you shouldn’t veer from it on a whim (otherwise no point doing it in the first place), but you should be open to change for a solid reason that engages your initial assumptions or preferences. You can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted by applying to the programs that are the best fit for your unique qualifications, goals, and preferences. Our MBA admissions consulting services will provide you with the one-on-one guidance you need to submit the best MBA applications to the best MBA programs for YOU!  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: • MBA Admissions A-Z, a free guide • Admissions Advice From the Mouths of MBA Adcom Members • 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools Are a Good Fit for You Tags: MBA Admissions The post Putting Together Your Initial List of B-Schools to Apply To appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
29 Jan 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: INSEAD MBA Criterion #3: Academic Capacity |
  This is the third post in a 4-part series that examines INSEAD MBA’s 4 admission criteria. The operative word in this criterion is capacity. This word conveys the adcom’s perspective on the academic component of the application: it’s dynamic, focusing on how you can grow and perform and achieve academically going forward. The only way for the adcom to determine this is to draw conclusions based on your existing academic record. (Professional accomplishment does not indicate academic capacity, sorry to say.) There are two core components of that academic record: • Undergraduate record • Standardized test The adcom is quite specific about its preference for standardized test: the GMAT is required; the GRE is not an option except in 2 specific cases (dual degree applicants and where the GMAT is not offered). Unlike many programs, INSEAD recommends minimums for test scores: GMAT verbal and quant 70-75% each. That’s that. The case of the undergraduate record is a bit more nuanced. The adcom looks at both the performance (grades, GPA) and competitiveness of the school. So, a 3.5 isn’t just a 3.5; it’s 3.5 relative to the rigor of the undergrad school and program. There are additional considerations in evaluating your undergrad record that are relevant for academic capacity, including: • How did your GPA trend? Even if it’s great, if it drops a lot in the last year or semester, it’s not a great signal for academic capacity – and vice versa, a rising trend over 4 years even if the overall GPA is so-so, is helpful. • How did you do in your quant courses? Those grades should be solid at least. There should be no doubt about academic capacity in quant. • Did you work during school? (If so, make sure the adcom knows it.) The ability to perform well (or even pretty well) while working indicates academic capacity. • Did you earn a graduate degree? The rigors of graduate work plus the tenacity graduate level study requires show academic capacity, even though a grad degree is not required. • How competitive and challenging was your undergrad program and school? And how does your GPA relate to that? With these factors in mind, evaluate your own academic capacity, trying to see it from the adcom’s view: • First, evaluate the GMAT score and how it breaks down. What story or impression will the adcom see behind the numbers and percentiles? • Second, evaluate your undergrad record thoroughly. Again, what will the adcom see behind the grades and the course names? Does it see broad or narrow interests? A global perspective? Growth? Curiosity? What’s the story and the academic personality that emerge? • Third, combine the insights from these two evaluations. What’s the holistic academic picture that develops and what does it tell the adcom about your academic capacity? This evaluation process may simply clarify that everything is fine on the academic front and you can focus your application efforts into other topics and considerations. Or, it may reveal that, while you are qualified for INSEAD academically, there is room to strengthen the impression of academic capacity. In that case, look for opportunities in the essays, resume, and (fingers-crossed) interview to fill in that gap through the examples, anecdotes, and details you include. I am always thrilled when I get an “I’m in at INSEAD!” email. I welcome the chance to help you show you belong at INSEAD and receive such an email from you in the future. Looking for more INSEAD info? Register for our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to INSEAD, airing live on February 7, 2018. For personalized assistance that will help you get accepted to INSEAD, check out our MBA Application Packages. 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: • How to Get Accepted to Top B-Schools with Low Stats, a free webinar • INSEAD MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • 5 A’s for Your Low GPA, a podcast episode Tags: MBA Admissions The post INSEAD MBA Criterion #3: Academic Capacity appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
03 Feb 2018, 15:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Round 3 vs Next Year: Your Roadmap |
  If you missed our webinar Round 3 vs Next Year: When Should You Apply?, or if you attended but want to hear the advice again, you’re in luck: it’s now available free on-demand! Guided by Accepted’s founder, Linda Abraham, you’ll learn what distinguishes Round 3 from earlier rounds, how to assess your profile critically from an admissions standpoint, and how to decide when is the best time for you to apply.  Tags: MBA Admissions The post Round 3 vs Next Year: Your Roadmap appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
03 Feb 2018, 15:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Rejected by Business Schools? 5 Steps to Change the Outcome |
  You didn’t get into any of the programs you applied to. Understandably, you are pretty upset about it, and wondering a few things: Should I reapply? If so, which programs should I reapply to, and when? Should I apply to some different schools? The decision to deny an applicant is usually a combination of factors, but these are some of the things you should do to objectively assess your candidacy, and help you decide whether an MBA reapplication is the right decision for you. 1. Analyze your profile. Were you really qualified for the programs that you applied to? Were your test scores really high enough? Did you have enough work experience or extracurricular activities to showcase? You’ve got to call a spade a spade sometimes (or always, really). If you had weak test scores, low grades, or inadequate work experience either quantitatively or qualitatively, then you’re just not going to measure up at top schools. In essence, if you fail to convince the school that you can handle the work or represent the school well to recruiters… you’re toast. Tip: Assuming you were rejected in R1, apply R2/R3 to different, less competitive programs OR reapply next year to the same schools after you’ve strengthened your profile (improved test scores, earned A’s in additional coursework, assumed leadership roles, initiated something of consequence, increased professional responsibilities, strengthened extracurriculars, etc.). 2. Evaluate your application. This is easier said than done; it’s hard to objectively judge something that you’ve put your heart and soul into. But it needs to be done. Did you present your qualifications in the best light? Were your application essays well written and persuasive? Did you interview well? If these aspects of your application were okay, then what went wrong? If you’re lucky enough to receive application feedback from the school(s) that dinged you, then you should carefully review, evaluate, and act based on that feedback. If you plan on reapplying, this information is crucial. B-schools seek applicants with multiple talents, and you need to demonstrate that you’ve got them. Competitive stats are frequently necessary for admission, but not sufficient on their own. For example, if you have the stats but didn’t show the soft skills, didn’t show fit, didn’t explain why you need the degree from this particular program, or failed to present your achievements in an authentic, thoughtful, and compelling way, then the answer could easily still be DECLINE. The admissions committee may ding you for lacking such qualifications, even though you may have them, because you failed to present them effectively. Tip: Use a combination of anecdotes and analysis to present your unique story and perspective while demonstrating fit and revealing the character traits top MBA programs seek. Show a history of contribution so that evaluators can easily see that you will be a contributor when you arrive on their campus. Make sure all written components are articulate and compelling to demonstrate your communications skills. Introduce yourself as a real human being that they will want to meet in person at an interview. Use this tip to apply R2/R3, or reapply next year with a stronger application that clearly highlights your qualifications, fit, and goals. 3. Examine your school choices. Did you apply to programs based on your post-MBA goals and qualifications? Did you aim too high? Or is it possible that you were qualified for these programs but that you didn’t properly portray fit? Did you focus too heavily on rankings and brand instead of showing that given your goals and qualifications and the school’s strengths and culture, you and your target school are a match made in heaven? Every once in a while we hear from prospective clients who approach the idea of an MBA degree from a very narrow viewpoint. “If I don’t get into Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton, there is no point in me getting an MBA.” In 99% of the cases, the applicants, blinded by these eminent schools’ dazzling brands and reputations, miss opportunities at other programs. Furthermore, with that kind of thought process, those applicants have a miserable time showing fit. Just how deeply do you think an applicant like this can express why a particular school is “right” for them? It is very easy for admissions committee members to see through the shallowness of reputation as the sole reason for wanting to attend. If you didn’t take the time to either visit the campus or speak to current students or alumni, you wouldn’t have had much to say about your fit with the program. Tip: When you reapply, make sure you have logical and credible reasons for needing to attend your target school. Make sure your school choice and career goals are a strong match. Visit campus, if possible, and see the program in action. 4. Did you apply early in your target schools’ application process? For most programs “early” translates into an application submitted during or prior to the January deadlines. Round 1 (and at the latest round 2) is the ideal time to apply if your profile is well-represented, either demographically (Indian IT male, for example), or professionally (consultant). By the time round 3 rolls around, the incoming class profile has taken shape to a certain extent, and at that point the admissions committee is more interested in bringing in outliers. Tip: Analyze your profile as it relates to others in the applicant pool, and apply as early as possible in the next application cycle without compromising your application’s quality. 5. Decide What You’re Going to Do Differently There is one approach you should NOT take: The same one you took last time. What are you going to change about your strategy in approaching the process? How are you going to execute better? Tip: Using the tips above, put together an action plan to change and submit a stronger application than you did the first time around. And let’s face it, it’s hard to be objective about your application. If you’re unsure why you were rejected or what you can do to change the outcome next time around, contact us for an MBA Application Review. An objective, knowledgeable MBA admissions expert will evaluate your qualifications and your dinged application and it will cost you a lot less money (and time) than another bunch of rejected applications.  Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide • Take 2: How to Reapply Right to Business School, a free webinar • How to Reapply Successfully to Top MBA Programs, a short video Tags: MBA Admissions The post Rejected by Business Schools? 5 Steps to Change the Outcome appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
04 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Selecting Which B-Schools to Apply to: Two Examples |
  In our Choosing the Best MBA Program for You series, you’ll learn how to create a list of business schools that are the best fit for your educational, social, and professional preferences and how creating this list will boost your chances of getting accepted. In the last eight posts in the series, we discussed various tips and techniques for choosing the right business schools based on your various needs, interests, and preferences. But how can this information be practically applied? Here are two examples that illustrate how this school selection process works. Example 1: A 25-year-old American male of Korean ethnic background in finance has two years as an investment banking analyst followed by one year in private equity. His career track record of impact and accomplishment is solid but not exceptional; similarly, he demonstrates clear but not outstanding leadership. He has a combined GMAT score of 710 and a GPA (from a strong but not elite college) of 3.45. His extracurricular activities are consistent but do not elicit a “wow.” His post-MBA goal is to return to his present employment at a higher level. MBA brand is important to him, but he accepts that he may not be competitive at Wharton or Columbia. Given his age, he would rather reapply (at least he knows where he can improve if need be – leadership, impact, and GMAT) than attend a program that does not excite him or that represents a steep compromise, and since no safety schools excite him, he selects only reaches and on-pars. Still, he’d love to get in this year, so he decides to apply to eight programs over Rounds 1 and Round 2 to widen his chances. During his research he was surprised to find a few on-pars that interested him, and he put all three on his list: Georgetown (when he visited, he was unexpectedly thrilled by the extensive campus resources and the high caliber of students), USC Marshall (a lot more intense than he’d believed, and he was invigorated by the Asia focus), and Cornell (where his private equity experience will be a slight differentiating factor, and Cornell actually straddles reach-level). The five reaches vary in competitiveness: Columbia, Wharton, Chicago, NYU, and LBS. Example 2: A 30-year-old female is a junior manager in manufacturing operations, with a record of solid advancement and leadership. Her GMAT score is 680 and she has an undergrad GPA of 3.3 from a second-tier state school and a graduate (supply chain and IT) GPA of 3.65 from the same school. Her extracurricular activities include significant leadership in her church. This applicant’s post-MBA goal is to acquire a mid-level management position in global operations at a top-tier manufacturer that will lead to senior management within several years. She needs to get in this year because of her age, since she knows that chances of acceptance become increasingly difficult for each year after the age of 30. Her work experience is a strength, in part because women in operations are relatively few, but also because core manufacturing related experience isn’t highly represented in many programs. She doesn’t have the time, the resources, or in fact, the desire to apply to more than six schools, and she feels she should be able to gain acceptance to an exciting program if she approaches her list thoughtfully. She targets two reaches (Michigan and MIT – women are even a smaller percentage at MIT than at most US b-schools), two on-pars (Kelley and Tepper), and two safeties (Schulich in Canada and Krannert at Purdue University). For both of the above hypothetical applicants, objective assessment of their profiles, thoughtful examination of their needs and wants, extensive school research, and consideration of the number of schools to apply to yield promising lists of targeted MBA programs. You can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted by applying to the programs that are the best fit for your unique qualifications, goals, and preferences. Our MBA admissions consulting services will provide you with the one-on-one guidance you need to submit the best MBA applications to the best MBA programs for YOU! 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: • Focus on Fit, a podcast episode • 6 Tips for Visiting Business Schools • How Many B-Schools Should I Apply To? Tags: MBA Admissions The post Selecting Which B-Schools to Apply to: Two Examples appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
05 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Last Chance to Register: Get Accepted to INSEAD! |
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Attention applicants: time is running out to register for our free webinar on how to Get Accepted toINSEAD! This is your chance to get expert admissions guidance – all for free. Accepted’s founder, Linda Abraham, will share strategies you can put straight to work in your application. She’ll guide you through each section of the INSEAD app towards an INSEAD acceptance! All free, all in just one hour. Don’t miss it! Register Now: Tags: MBA Admissions The post Last Chance to Register: Get Accepted to INSEAD! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
06 Feb 2018, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Meet Duke Fuqua’s New MBA Admissions Director, Shari Hubert |
  It gives me great pleasure to welcome back to AST Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Shari earned her BA at Dartmouth and her MBA at Harvard. She worked at several elite companies, and in 2009 became Director of Recruitment for the Peace Corps. In 2012 she returned to the MBA world when she became the Associate Dean of MBA Admissions for Georgetown McDonough, and she joined Duke Fuqua as Associate Dean of Admissions in October. Can you give an overview of the Duke Fuqua FT MBA program for those listeners who aren’t that familiar with it, perhaps focusing on its more distinctive elements? [1:32] All of our programs excel at creating a certain type of leader – one who collaborates well with others. We call it Team Fuqua, which we define as a special way of working that brings out the strengths in others to work toward a common goal. You are required to work in teams for much of the program. The teams are intentionally diverse in order to learn from each other – not just gender and race diversity but functional background and industry as well. Team Fuqua is not just a student concept but it follows into your career as well. Tim Cook is arguably our most famous alum, and he talks about how he developed his own collaborative style from Fuqua. The program taught him how to learn, collaborate, and think. From an academic perspective, our faculty are developing new courses for the ever complex world we live in. We were one of the first business schools to offer courses in block chain (cryptocurrency). Cam Harvey, a faculty member, is one of the experts. Last month we started a new course, CEO Activism, which is about the decision-making process in complex situations that leaders have to go through to decide whether to speak out about a political or social issue or not. Finally, one thing I’ve been impressed with is the student-led culture. Students are constantly organizing events and conferences with high level people, and they manage the campus visit program. Students are always finding ways to learn from each other. One example is from a student who was in the military who founded Operation Blue Devil which gives students a firsthand perspective about what it’s like to serve. Another example is Fuqua Talks and Fuqua Listens – initiatives that help develop a more inclusive culture. With Fuqua Talks anyone can get up and talk about what they feel is important. With Fuqua Listens there is a topic of discussion – the most recent one was about professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem. What does it mean to be a consequential leader? [6:21] Team Fuqua embodies what it means to be a consequential leader, and is synonymous with demonstrating collaborative leadership, which is the ability to pull out the strengths of others to make the best team. This is the key to innovation – it’s not just a nice concept but a winning strategy to harness the best team. One great example of this type of leadership is when a research firm interviewed recruiters about the value of our graduates. One recruiter mentioned an exercise where MBA students from several schools came in to solve a problem in the same room. Not surprisingly, most students approached the situation by highlighting their own strengths, hoping to land that job offer. The recruiter said that Fuqua students were generally different. Instead of discussing their own strengths they worked to understand the other team members’ strengths, and built relationships to solve the problem collectively. This is such a great demonstration of being a collaborative leader of consequence and the value of Team Fuqua. What’s an example of something entrepreneurial and really cool that a Fuqua student or alum is doing? [9:58] Anne Steptoe is a recent alum with a passion for healthcare as a tool to improve communities. She felt strongly that if more med students were exposed to the power of primary care in their communities they would choose that route. She herself was a medical student who decided to get her MBA. She started MedServe, which is kind of like Teach For America for med students. The non-profit sends med students to underserved communities to work in primary care. The program has been highly successful and she credits many of her successes to Fuqua. We have a number of resources for those with an entrepreneurial mindset, to support their ventures in business school. The Bullpen is our Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, which is an incubator. They also partner with American Underground which is another well-known incubator and accelerator in the downtown Durham area. We also have P for E (Program for Entrepreneurs), which is a series of activities, and 25% of the course credit is given to students for working on their own startups. We also have Duke Gen which provides students, staff, and faculty resources to start up their own business, and we have the Duke StartUp Challenge which provides $100K in cash prizes for teams with the strongest startup ideas. We have a number of alumni mentors who’ve started their own businesses who mentor our MBAs. We also have the Legal Clinic with Duke law students, which focuses on issues associated with starting businesses. The Career Center also has resources to connect with startups for internships and full-time jobs. Durham and Research Triangle Park is a haven for entrepreneurship and startups, and Durham also has a rich history of supporting black-owned businesses and diverse entrepreneurs as well. How does Fuqua’s location on the Duke campus and in the heart of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, but far from the business centers of NYC, Boston, or Silicon Valley provide opportunity to Fuqua students? [13:41] Fuqua’s location is a huge bonus for us. Durham is a wonderful place with great food, an eclectic community, arts and culture, and a hipster vibe similar to Brooklyn or Austin. As a result, students tend to stay in Durham on weekends and bond rather than disperse. In 2016, the Northeast was the number one destination for graduates, and the West Coast was number one for interns in 2017. The South was number three in employment. The majority of students do want to venture out, and we organize structured travel over fall and winter breaks to visit companies in fields of interest outside of the area. In the most recent employer report, the median pay for the Class of 2017 was $145K with 96% employment three months out. Applicants should not be concerned about achieving their career aspirations wherever they may be. Recruiting is changing. There are more recruiters, and more opportunities, but the hiring path is more diverse and splintered than it was ten years ago. How is Fuqua adapting to those changes? [16:52] Our approach is twofold. One is to offer multiple channels that meet company hiring needs, and the other is to teach students about the skills needed for the job search so they can tap into channels that are more network focused. For instance, even within what might be considered traditional campus recruiting we offer lunch and learns – so more informal events. We offer video sessions and interviews for those who don’t want to travel to campus. We support Just In Time recruiting needs by actively posting jobs – those types accounted for 15% of internships last year. We host spring events outside of the normal fall recruiting timeframe in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, and we partner with the Duke Center for Entrepreneurship for students who want to work with startups in particular. In terms of educating students about job search skills, one requirement is for students to set up an informational interview with someone outside of the traditional recruiting construct. The purpose of this is to help them become more familiar with the real world process and think beyond companies that come on campus. Essentially we are equipping our students for the worst case scenario, regardless of their interests, to hit the ground running, network, and do the research they need to find unique opportunities. Essentially we are preparing them for the post-post MBA job search. Duke Fuqua accepted slightly less than 1 out of every 4 applicants. Who gets interview invitations? From those invited to interview, who gets accepted? How do you winnow it down? [20:29] Every application is reviewed and discussed by the adcom, and we want to talk to as many people as possible, so much so that we offer an open interview schedule in September to take away the uncertainty. This allows us to hear everyone’s story who would like to tell it to us. The rest is by invitation only. Every application is read a second time and discussed a second time after the interview, and we look to admit people who are most likely to attend but also have the most positive impact on the community while here. As an aside, people believe we don’t admit anyone in Round 3, but we do admit in every stage of the process, so submit whenever you have the strongest application. It’s never too late to think about applying. One caveat to that is from an international applicant perspective, we do encourage them to apply in Round 2 for visa reasons. One of the Fuqua essays is to share 25 unique things about yourself. We are told members of the adcom need to share the same thing. What are some of the things you shared? [24:17] I am named after Shari Lewis of the Shari Lewis and Lambchop show. My favorite female actor is Meryl Streep and male actor is Robert DeNiro. I enjoy karaoke but am tone deaf. I love Brussels sprouts and eat them whenever I can. I grew up with a single mom in Indianapolis, IN, and she put me through college which I am forever grateful for. I am an avid spinner. I am deathly afraid of horror movies and rollercoasters – if you get me on a rollercoaster I will cry. I am the worst travel partner because I fall asleep in any moving object even if I just drank a cup of coffee. In theory I could become a vegetarian, but in practice I’m held back because I love pork even more. I am in the best place because in North Carolina there is a pork restaurant on every corner. What advice do you have for applicants putting together answers to Fuqua’s essay questions? [26:36] Our questions are really designed to get to know you. When people try to fake their way through the 25 random questions or tell us what we think they want us to hear it is easy to see through that. Stay away from simple things like “My favorite team is…” or “I was born in…” We get it that it’s hard to come up with 25, but we encourage people to share context and how it will make you a better or more unique MBA candidate, or insights behind random facts you are sharing, like how these facts shape who you are today. We take the essays and interviews very seriously, paying particular attention to the quality of the content in the essays. We look for people who will change the world for the better and with humility lead and bring out the best in others. What can those invited to interview expect? [30:24] A very warm and welcoming experience. In the US we require that you come to campus, unless you live on or close to the west coast because we believe it is critical to come here and see our culture in person. If you are on the west coast we have interview hubs. For those who come to campus they can expect to be interviewed by one of our many second year students who are trained (admissions fellows). Interviews off campus are by our alums. Outside of the US we have international hubs as well in geographically dispersed areas with the nearest alum. If people are really remote we set up a Skype with a second year student. In terms of the interview format, they are 30-45 minutes and behavioral-based, nothing tricky, and all the interviews are in English. Although we will be getting to know you and assessing fit, this is also the opportunity for applicants to ask us questions as well. If you come to campus it includes a class visit, or a student or alum panel if on Super Saturdays. During open interviews there are classes as well to attend. If invited to interview outside the open interview period, you will see a list of activities available that day in and around your interview. We also provide weekend interview dates in case you can’t get off work. For listeners living in China, interviews will be earlier than in the past – just before the Spring Festival. The interviews are blind (nothing other than the resume), and the location of the interview does not influence outcome at all. What advice would you give to someone thinking ahead to a Fall 2018 application? [33:40] Give yourself plenty of time. There is lots of soul searching in the application process, and you don’t want to feel rushed. You want to be able to think through why you want an MBA and how it accomplishes your goals. Make sure you build in time to visit schools on your short list if you can, as it makes a difference for your own perspective. You learn so much from being on campus interacting with students and staff. Take advantage of open interview periods. We begin traveling in June for events so check our calendar and meet us on the road. Reach out to alums in your network. We offer unique and cool diversity weekends for veterans, women, LGBT, and an underrepresented diversity workshop as well. What do you see coming down the pike for the MBA program at Fuqua? MBA education in general? [35:09] Dean Boulding is really focused on making sure this education remains relevant. We will continue to watch what’s happening in industry and adapt our program accordingly. For example with data analytics there is now a focus on key insights; this was a direct result from hearing about this gap from industry that students were very tech savvy but unable to gain insights. We will also adapt curriculum to focus on challenges that business leaders face, like the CEO Activism course I mentioned earlier. Professor Aaron Chatterji is one of few studying this and how it’s been shifting. One thing we are already working on is the new certificate in data analytics (Management Science and Technology Management) which requires completion of eight electives. Faculty approved it really quickly and it allows us to shape data analytics in all areas of business. We also have our one year Master of Quantitative Management which is new as of last year. Our Master of Quantitative Management in Health Analytics online will launch this fall. Faculty have taken really great care to make it authentic to our on-campus programs. It will have about 40 students assigned in teams of five, with synchronous and asynchronous content, so with flexibility built in, and an in person orientation and capstone at the end. Changes in our EMBA program address accessibility and diversity, now with one single Global Executive MBA program to be more diverse in ages and stages. With the Weekend MBA it now meets once a month instead of every other week to provide more flexibility for those outside of the Durham area and for working parents. What would you have liked me to ask you? [40:10] One thing I’ve been really encouraged by is our resources for international students. We have a genuine commitment to diversity. We offer so much help to them. We have increased the no cosigner international student loan borrowing eligibility from 80% to 90%. We also have visa services, an international house to help with driver’s licenses and other paperwork, and we introduce international families to each other, teach students how to approach companies that sponsor, etc. Related Links: • Duke Fuqua Admissions • Shari’s blog post – “25 Random Things About Yourself” • Shari’s blog post – “How Fuqua Welcomes and Supports Our International Students” • CEO Activism Class and the Professor Teaching It • Accepted’s Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • MBA Admissions Consulting Services Related Shows: • 16 Grad School Application Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make • Different Dimensions of Diversity • Focus on Fit Subscribe: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions The post Meet Duke Fuqua’s New MBA Admissions Director, Shari Hubert [Episode 245] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
07 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Essays That Earn an Automatic Rejection |
  You could have a perfect GMAT score, a 4.0 from Yale, and a list of extracurriculars a mile long, and yet you could still end up being rejected for doing any of these things in your essays: 1. Lying This should be obvious, but lying on your application is literally one of the dumbest things you can do – it’s akin to shooting yourself in the foot. And when I say lying, I mean large scale hoaxes all the way down to the smallest, whitest lie, or even an exaggeration. Stick to the facts. Play it safe. If you worked at a job for six months, don’t say you were there for nine. If your job was assistant manager, don’t say you were manager. If you raised $5,000 for a fundraiser, don’t say it was $10,000. If you have a criminal record – no matter how big or small – own up to it; not mentioning it doesn’t make it disappear from your record. Fact-checking has become a regular part of an admissions reader’s job. Don’t exaggerate or lie. It’s unethical, unwise, and will only come back to bite you. 2. Revealing arrogance Nobody likes a showoff, so when you’re applying to b-school, ditch your know-it-all, arrogant attitude at the door. Saying things like, “I’m the only one who…” when you couldn’t possibly know if you are the only one, or “Thanks to my efforts, my team succeeded…” when more likely your team succeeded due to team collaboration, shows that you think you deserve all the credit. That’s not a great attitude, and while schools do want high achievers, movers and shakers, they also want nice, modest people who work well with others. If your essays reflect an attitude of, “You’ll be lucky to have me because I’m just so great,” or, “I deserve to be accepted,” you’ll be dinged. 3. Being Sloppy A single typo won’t look good, but it won’t give you the automatic axe. When I say sloppiness, I’m talking about seriously messy writing, like writing Harvard when you mean Booth, and littering your essay with grammatical errors, extra words that don’t belong, and misspellings. Forgetting to submit a section of the application is another obvious no-no, as is just writing very generically or superficially – this shows that not much thought or attention went into the application, and could easily be interpreted as lack of seriousness regarding the particular school. 4. Including private, intimate details about your life You want to provide a personal account that highlights your character, experiences, and achievements, but there’s a fine line you don’t want to cross – too much information will be deemed inappropriate. Topics to steer clear of: sex, divorce, gross medical details, childbirth, bathroom humor, heavy partying, etc. Hopefully you’re thinking, “Why on earth would anyone include that in an application?” If, however, you’re thinking, “Wow, I never thought to avoid these subjects – this is good to know,” then I’m glad you’re reading this! The only time when it may be acceptable to discuss any of the above is in an optional essay as context for poor performance in the past, and even then, less is more. Focus on how you have dealt with the issue, overcame it, and moved on. 5. Writing broad declarative statements unsubstantiated by specific examples You probably learned this rule in elementary school, but let’s review it – each topic sentence you write must be followed by supporting sentences. So if you claim that you are a team leader, you can’t just leave it at that. You need to follow that statement up with a few examples: What have you done to show your leadership abilities? How many people were on your team? How did you motivate your team members? Did you encounter any obstacles? If so, how did you overcome them? What did you gain from the experience overall? This is particularly important when talking about work accomplishments. Saying that you developed a new product or organized a huge event requires substantiation. Don’t leave the reader to guess about the details. So there you have it: five places you don’t want to go in your MBA essays – at least if you do want to go to b-school. To make sure that you haven’t fallen into any of these traps, contact us and we’ll connect you with an admissions pro to review your essays!  Related Resources: • Top MBA Essay Questions: How to Answer Them Right!, a free guide • From Example To Exemplary, a free guide • Three MBA Application Poisons and Their Antidotes, a short video Tags: MBA Admissions The post MBA Essays That Earn an Automatic Rejection appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
07 Feb 2018, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UCLA Anderson Dean Judy Olian Leaves to Become Quinnipiac University President |
  Judy Olian, who has served as UCLA’s Anderson School of Management’s dean since 2006, will leave her position at the end of the academic year to become Quinnipiac’s first female president. During Olian’s 12 years as dean, Anderson started research centers and degree programs such as the business analytics program that began this past fall. She also helped start the Anderson Venture Accelerator, which aids students in starting their own businesses. She additionally initiated courses including both online and in-class studies. Olian helped increase the gender diversity of both Anderson’s faculty and students, and fundraised almost $400 million for the school. While serving as dean, she also wrote a weekly syndicated newspaper column and hosted a monthly TV program on current business topics. Prior to joining UCLA Anderson, Olian was dean and professor of management at Penn State, as well as senior associate dean at the University of Maryland. The fight for gender diversity was one of the biggest of her career at Anderson. Through her hard work, Olian says: “We have the highest number of female students and are right in the middle of the mix of faculty gender diversity around 23%. We have come a long way. Our culture is much more attuned and sensitive. We handled it with a lot of self-reflection. This is a journey that is ubiquitous, and I am proud that we took the steps and maybe helped others learn from us.” Olian says that she is very excited about her move to Quinnipiac. “I’m attracted to the purpose and mission of Quinnipiac, and its comfort in leading change. I’ve seen a remarkable trajectory of growth in this university. I am eager to partner across the community in building on that.” Olian will replace John Lahey, who will be retiring at the end of June. The nationwide search for a new president took nine months. According to William Weldon, the chairman of Quinnipiac’s Board of Trustees, “We are confident she will build on the university’s current momentum and strong foundation and will lead Quinnipiac to further impact and national recognition.”  Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs, a Guide to Selecting the Right One • UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions According to Dean Alex Lawrence, a podcast episode • UCLA Anderson MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines Tags: MBA Admissions The post UCLA Anderson Dean Judy Olian Leaves to Become Quinnipiac University President appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
08 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Interview Formats: Team-Based Discussion Interviews |
  This post is part of a series exploring the different forms MBA interviews take and how you can ace them all! Wharton and Ross have initiated and adopted theteam-based discussion (TBD) MBA interview format. This type of interview brings a group of applicants together in person to work through a problem together as an organizational team does. This team activity is followed by a short one-to-one talk with an adcom representative (either a second-year student or an adcom member). It is Wharton’s regular mode for interviews. At Ross, it’s optional, and they use traditional methods for their evaluative interviews. Why adcoms use this method: • Some adcoms have found traditional interview modes increasingly ineffective as they feel that candidates over-prepare and over-strategize for interviews, thus undercutting authenticity. • The adcoms want to see the candidates in team action, since students’ success in the program (and in their future career) will rest in part on their teamwork and interpersonal skills. • This approach gives the adcom insight into the applicants that no other application component provides – how they actually respond to people and situations in real time. • The post-activity discussion shows your ability to self-reflect and analyze your own role and performance – qualities the adcom values. Process: Wharton – When you receive an invitation to interview, you’ll receive instructions also for your approximately 35-minute TBD with 4-5 fellow applicants. At the interview, your team will be given a prompt, and you’ll work together to develop an outcome. After the TBD, you will meet with an adcom member individually. Ross – Ross offers you the option to participate in a team-building activity (in addition to an interview) on campus and at a few other locations when you come to interview. Participation is “highly recommended” and is offered to everyone invited to interview. Benefits and pitfalls for applicants: • Benefit: You can showcase your interpersonal, team, and leadership skills more vividly than any essay or individual interview could portray. • Benefit: You can get a real flavor of the program’s teamwork dynamic. • Benefit: You can enjoy meeting peers and potential classmates. • Drawback: You have less control, as you assess and respond to the group dynamics instantly; there is no margin for error. • Drawback: Unlike most real-life team interactions, you may be focusing on both your observed performance AND the actual project simultaneously. • Drawback: While the adcoms think it gives them a lens on you as a team player, in “real life” you usually have some time to adapt to a new team, and your true teamwork abilities will emerge over time as a project progresses. Whereas here there’s no time to grow and adapt with the team, so it’s a somewhat artificial setup. How to make this type of interview work for you (this is in addition to all the common sense advice for good MBA interviews): • Review Accepted.com’s tips for this interview format. • Think about your inclinations, behaviors, feelings, and approaches when working in a team or group setting, and also ask a colleague or two for some objective feedback. You shouldn’t change your natural approach, but you can certainly play to your strengths and minimize negative tendencies. • Read online about other applicants’ experiences with the group interview. • Make your goal the team’s success and ability to complete the assigned task, not its adoption of your idea. The best way to ensure that you are prepared for your MBA interviews is to practice with a pro! Check out our Mock Interview Services and learn what you can do to ace those interviews and get accepted to business school! 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: • Perfect Answers to MBA Interview Questions, a free guide • How to Ace Your Team Based Interview [4 Tips for the Big Day] • 4 Tips For Team Interviews Tags: MBA Admissions The post MBA Interview Formats: Team-Based Discussion Interviews appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
08 Feb 2018, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: You Can Get Accepted Off the Waitlist! Here’s How |
  The application process is not over for waitlisted applicants. You’ve still got a chance of getting into your dream school, so now’s not the time to slack off, and it’s certainly not the time to give up. Continue fighting for that acceptance! Your waitlist updates (you write those) and letters of support (other people write these) should focus on three areas: your growing list of qualifications, steps you’ve taken to ameliorate shortcomings, and how you are the perfect fit with the school. Your Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Waitlist Update 1. Begin your letter by briefly thanking the school for considering your application. Don’t talk about your disappointment; instead focus on how the school’s philosophy and approach fit your educational goals. 2. Discuss your recent accomplishments. Choose achievements that you did not address in your application and try and tie them back to key themes in your essays. These could include a recent promotion, freshly minted A’s, a new leadership role in a project or organization, a recent volunteer experience, initiatives you’ve taken in your department, business, or club, additional work responsibilities, etc. What is new and improved since you submitted your application? You want to prove to the adcom that while you were a responsible, accomplished, impressive candidate before, now you are even more so. 3. Talk about the measures you’ve taken to ameliorate your weaknesses or shortcomings. Focus on the specific actions you’ve taken rather than on the actual shortcoming. For example, if you have/had weak communication skills, discuss how you enrolled in Toastmasters and how the experience has influenced and inspired you. Examine, identify, and address weaknesses in your education, career, and community life. 4. If you are sure that upon acceptance you would attend, inform the school of your commitment. The message you want to get across is this: You were born to attend this school and this school was created just for you. Your fit is as perfect as a cozy glove on a cold hand. Stay positive as your letter will reflect your attitude. Adcoms do not want to read a bitter and angry letter, nor will they want that writer in their classrooms. Waitlisters: Beware! A few things to look out for: 1. Before you start writing, be sure that your target school is open to receiving waitlist letters. If the school states explicitly that it doesn’t want to hear from you, then do not contact them – doing so will only hurt your case. 2. When you’re at the brainstorming stage of the letter, and then again once you’re done writing, check and then double check that you haven’t repeated material already in your application – you don’t want to waste anyone’s time! Where do you go from here? Accepted’s admissions experts are ready to help you get off the waitlist and into the school of your dreams! We’ll help you identify areas you can highlight in your waitlist letter, assist with strategy, and help you edit your letter so that you can be sure it makes the best possible case for your admission. Check out our waitlist services, and contact us to get started.   Related Resources: • Fitting In & Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide • Help! I’ve Been Waitlisted!, a podcast episode • What is an Accomplishment? Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post You Can Get Accepted Off the Waitlist! Here’s How appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
09 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: When is the Best Time to Take the GMAT? |
  I remember when I was young and would ask my dad a question, more often than not he would respond, “Would you like the short answer or the long answer?” It didn’t matter which option I chose, because at some point he would inevitably launch into the long answer. And while I hated it at the time, looking back, there were always some great nuggets of wisdom in the nuances of his long answer. So in the spirit of my dad’s sage example, I present to you the short answer – and the long answer! – to the question, “When should I take the GMAT?” The Short Answer You should take the GMAT any time that you have 2-3 months, or approximately 80-100 hours, to adequately prepare for it. Remember that your GMAT score is good for five years, so you can take the GMAT whenever you’re ready – even if you don’t plan on applying to business school for another year or two. Why not get it out of the way early? Now, why do I say that you’ll want to devote 80-100 hours studying for the GMAT? Because statistically, that’s how many hours students study to score above average on the GMAT. You can read my full article about how long you should expect to study for the GMAT. The Long Answer Telling you to take the GMAT whenever you want, which is essentially what I’ve done in my short answer, may seem like a bit of a cop-out to you. At the very least, it’s still pretty vague. So let me dive deeper and give you three additional guiding principles for when you should consider taking the GMAT. 1. In what application round are you applying? It’s a good idea to have a sense of when you’ll be applying to business school. Pretty basic, right? Once you know when the application deadline is for the round you’ll be applying in, you can work backwards from there. For example, Round 1 deadlines for many MBA programs are at the end of September for matriculation the following Fall. If you’ll be applying Round 1, then, you should start studying for the GMAT in May or June and plan to take it toward the end of August. For Round 2 deadlines, you’ll usually want to take the GMAT in late November or early December, and for Round 3 deadlines, mid- to late- February is a good time to take the GMAT for most schools. 2. Leave time to retake the GMAT if necessary As confident as I am that you’ll get the GMAT score you’re looking for on the very first try (especially if you’ve taken one of our GMAT prep courses!), the reality is that many students end up needing to take the GMAT a second (or even third) time. The GMAC makes you wait a minimum of 31 days before retaking the GMAT, so take that into consideration and plan accordingly. For example, if the Round 3 application deadline for your target school is April 1st, then plan to take the GMAT before March 1st to give yourself that 31-day buffer. While technically a school will need your official GMAT results before granting you admission (official scores can take up to 20 days to arrive), often admissions offices will work with you and grant you provisional acceptance based on the unofficial score you receive immediately after finishing the GMAT, pending that final score report. When in doubt, call the admissions offices of your target schools and ask them what the absolute latest is that they’ll accept a GMAT score from you. They want to work with you, so don’t be afraid to ask. 3. Don’t drag it out One of my favorite teaching points when I’m training my team on the importance of taking action goes as follows: “Five birds are sitting on a wire. Three decide to fly off. How many are left?” Answer: All five. Why? Because deciding to do something isn’t the same as actually doing it! The same goes for the GMAT. I can’t tell you how many times I have students sign up for one of my courses and despite having completed all of the course material and taken all of the practice tests, they drag out the process of actually signing up for the real thing. The truth is, you’ll probably never feel 100% ready for the GMAT. You’ll always feel like there’s one more thing to learn or one more practice problem to solve. But really, it’s fear that’s holding you back. And the best antidote to fear is action. So my advice is to pick a date based on the guidelines I described above and lock it in stone by actually submitting your registration. That way you’ll have a fixed target on your calendar that you can start working toward! Getting ready to apply to your dream MBA program? Our expert admissions consultants can work with you to craft an effective admissions strategy that will help you get ACCEPTED! Check out our MBA Admissions Consulting services for more information.   Brett Ethridge is the founder of Dominate the GMAT, a leading provider of GMAT courses online and topic-specific GMAT video lessons. He has taught the GMAT for 10+ years and loves working with students to help them achieve their highest potential. Brett is an entrepreneur, a triathlete, and an avid Duke basketball fan. Related Resources: • The GMAT: Low Scores, Retaking & Strategies for Success, a free webinar • Preparing for the GMAT: Video Tips to Live By, a short video • The GMAT and Your MBA Admissions Profile Tags: GMAT, MBA Admissions The post When is the Best Time to Take the GMAT? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
09 Feb 2018, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles Knows About MBA Applications |
  I often talk about the fact that MBA programs are essentially sifting through the applicant pool to find people whom post-MBA employers will want to hire. Employers love leaders who take risks, learn from and then brush off failures, and persevere with team spirit and camaraderie. Those people are the ones who time and again lead companies for long-term success. That’s why athletes and even regular folks who play sports often do well in the corporate world. Nick Foles’ post-Super-Bowl comments demonstrate this spirit beautifully. For those of you who don’t know Foles’ background, he has a lifelong record of perseverance: transferring from Michigan State to University of Arizona, doing well initially with the Eagles but then completing less than 60 percent of his passes and throwing nearly as many interceptions as touchdown passes in 2014. He was traded to St. Louis and benched, traded to Kansas City and played little before being released and then returned to the Eagles as backup to starter Carson Wentz. Anyone lacking perseverance might have decided he didn’t have what it takes to make it in this sport, but Foles’ grit paid off: when Wentz tore his ACL, Foles was thrust into the starting position and brought the Eagles the rest of the way to the Super Bowl, where he became the first player to both throw and catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. When Super Bowl MVP Foles was interviewed for NBC Sports about this history of setbacks, his comments were exactly what MBA programs like to hear, “I think the big thing is don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of life. It’s a part of building character and growing. Without failure, who would you be? I wouldn’t be up here if I hadn’t fallen thousands of times. Made mistakes.” He continued, “I think when you look at a struggle in your life, just know that’s just an opportunity for your character to grow. And that’s just been the message. Simple. If something’s going on in your life and you’re struggling? Embrace it. Because you’re growing.” So this Philly girl is proud of her Eagles for their win this weekend and especially impressed by Nick Foles. I hope every aspiring MBA applicant reads these words and understands why MBA programs ask about failures now: because they want to see that you embrace the struggle and are growing, that you can persevere in the face of the many obstacles you will face in your lifelong career.   Jennifer Bloom has been a consultant with Accepted for 19 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 application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget. Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here! Related Resources: • 9 Secrets to Standing Out in Your MBA Application, a free guide • Flaws Make You Real • 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses Tags: MBA Admissions The post What Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles Knows About MBA Applications appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
11 Feb 2018, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Adapting Your List of B-Schools to Apply to as the Season Progresses |
  In our Choosing the Best MBA Program for You series, you’ll learn how to create a list of business schools that are the best fit for your educational, social, and professional preferences and how creating this list will boost your chances of getting accepted. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts in this series, your initial school list isn’t set in stone. It is a firm starting point that allows you to plan and to proceed efficiently and systematically through the often unwieldy application process. As you progress through your applications, continuously assess and respond to any new developments that might warrant revising your list. For example: • You receive evidence that your initial assessment of reaches, on-pars, and safeties was off. For example, if you applied to reaches and on-pars with competitive interviewing and you don’t receive interview invites even from schools you considered on-pars, it’s a sign that you may have miscalculated your competitiveness. On the other hand, if you receive an interview invite from a high reach that you really didn’t expect, a re-assessment might reveal the advisability of adding another reach or two in the second or third round. In either of these cases, revisit your list. Changing it may involve replacing some programs, or simply adding some. • Your plans or needs change. As the applications progress, life goes on. Personal needs change: geography, partner and family issues, personal interests. Professional needs and goals change – perhaps you lost your job; perhaps a new healthcare project intrigued you and you now want to consult in this area. Revisit your list, see what works and what doesn’t, and adapt it accordingly. • You encounter a program that appeals to you that you didn’t initially consider (like in the NYU Stern example in an earlier post in this series). Look at your list: Would this program replace another one on your list? Or would you want to add it? Either option is fine, depending on your needs and resources. Good luck in the upcoming MBA season! By following the steps in this blog series you will create a list of MBA programs that meet your needs and will yield admission to desirable programs. This systematic approach will also help you keep sane during the application process. You can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted by applying to the programs that are the best fit for your unique qualifications, goals, and preferences. Our MBA admissions consulting services will provide you with the one-on-one guidance you need to submit the best MBA applications to the best MBA programs for YOU! 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: • Navigate the MBA Maze: 9 Tips to Acceptance, a free guide • Which B-School is the Best for You? • 15 Reasons MBA Applicants are Rejected Tags: MBA Admissions The post Adapting Your List of B-Schools to Apply to as the Season Progresses appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
12 Feb 2018, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Ace Your Team Based Interview [4 Tips for the Big Day] |
  We recently shared our tips for preparing for Team Based Interviews. Now we’re going to move forward and offer four tips for acing the interview itself: 1. Don’t be confrontational. This is not a debate in which you’re trying to score points. It’s not a verbal battle. It’s a simulation of what you may encounter in a business school classroom or group project, and so it’s that vibe and model that you’ll want to emulate. Interviewees should build on one another’s points, contributing to the conversation; they shouldn’t cut each other down with rude or judgmental remarks. Of course you’re allowed to disagree, and you should be persuasive and enthusiastic about your positions, but do so with respect and grace. 2. Think quality, not quantity. Participants are judged on the quality – and not the quantity – of their comments. You should add to the conversation, but certainly not dominate it. Refrain from speaking for the sake of being heard. Thoughtful and succinct comments are appreciated; chatter is not. Don’t let this tip backfire on you! Qualitative comments are a must, so don’t hold back from speaking because you’re worried that your contributions won’t hit the mark. You need to find a balance – don’t blab on incessantly, but don’t be too shy to open your mouth, either. You’re there to contribute; make sure you do! 3. Keep it real. While many of the topics or prompts given may lead you to a world of theoretical thought, you need to work to push through the theory to arrive at concrete points that are supported with evidence from your own firsthand experiences. Business schools are interested in students who are able to draw deep understanding and practical conclusions from their life experiences. 4. Keep notes to a minimum. Just as a treatise of pre-interview notes will distract you from the interview action (as we mentioned in our previous article), so will scribbling notes furiously during the interview. You definitely want to have a pen and clipboard or a tablet available if you need to quickly jot something down, but remember – this is a group discussion and you want to keep the flow of the conversation natural. Taking notes and then reading your monologue will certainly disrupt that flow. Team-based interviews are totally different from your typical interview experience, which means you need to prepare for them in a completely different way. Check out Accepted’s Mock TBD Interview Services to learn how we can help you prep for your group interview.  Related Resources: • MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interviews, a free guide • Do I Really Need a Mock Admissions Interview?, a short video • 4 Tips For Team Interviews Tags: MBA Admissions The post How to Ace Your Team Based Interview [4 Tips for the Big Day] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
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