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04 Jun 2024, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Yale SOM MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yale-SOM-MBA-1.png[/img] [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yale-SOM-MBA-1.png[/img][/url] Yale SOM MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile As all applicants must do when applying to the [url=https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions]Yale SOM[/url], you need to make the most of its single required essay, but you also need to take the time to [url=https://blog.accepted.com/short-and-sweet-tips-for-writing-mini-mba-essays-2/]make every box in the application a home run[/url]. Do not treat them as afterthoughts; your job descriptions and activity history are very important. Write and edit these portions carefully. Focus on achievements. Quantify when possible, and keep Yale’s commitment to “educating leaders for business and society” front and center in your responses. Ready to get to work on your Yale SOM application? Read on. [list] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#tips]Yale SOM application essay tips[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#deadlines]Yale SOM application deadlines[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#profile]Yale SOM class profile[/url][/*] [/list] Yale SOM application essay tips Last year’s three options were very well received by applicants, so Yale SOM is bringing them back again this year. The three prompts offer applicants the chance to write what truly matters to them, whether that is a particular personal or professional commitment, a community, or challenge. Take your time to ponder on what has been most important or impactful in your life and choose the prompt that best describes it. Yale SOM Essay option #1 Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it? This essay question is based not only on the premise that actions speak louder than words but also on the premise that [url=https://blog.accepted.com/4-ways-show-you-will-contribute-future/]past behavior predicts future behavior[/url]. So, in your essay, you want to show that you are a person who follows through on commitments. Think about times when you make a significant commitment and fulfilled it. Do you tend to make big commitments? What are the results? What impact have you had as a result of your most important or consequential commitment? What was the impact on you? An anecdotal response, in which you [url=https://blog.accepted.com/5-elements-telling-attention-grabbing-story/]tell the story[/url] of the commitment you made, could be very effective. What was the challenge or problem that triggered the commitment? How did you follow up? What was the outcome, and why is it meaningful to you? Did you successfully solve the initial problem or achieve your goal(s) in meeting the challenge? You can start with the moment of challenge or with the moment of triumph. If you choose the latter, be sure to go back, provide context, and recount your story of commitment, resolve, hurdles overcome, and challenges handled. If the impact has lasted – on you and others – succinctly include that part of the story, too. Yale SOM Essay option #2 Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community? If you choose to respond to this prompt, start by thinking about a community you either currently belong to or belonged to in the past, and choose the one in which and from which you believe you have learned the most, or to which you contributed the most. This could be related to a volunteer activity you regularly participate in, a network or community of like-minded people you belong to, or even a professional organization you are part of. If you choose to write about a community you belonged many years ago, be sure to discuss how that experience is still relevant today, how it impacted you to this day, and in what way. We recommend dedicating the first third of the essay to describing the community and the nature of your involvement. Then, spend the second third discussing what you have learned from your experiences in – and potentially from other members of – that community, focusing especially on the one or two most important ones. In the final third of the essay, highlight the most important contributions you have made to the community. Yale SOM Essay option #3 Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person? Using the SAR (Situation, Action, Results), STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result), or CAR (Context/Challenge, Action, Result) framework, describe for the admissions committee the most important challenge you have had to address in your life, either personal or professional. In the first part of the essay, clearly describe the issue and why it was or has been difficult for you. Then, discuss how you confronted the challenge, what you specifically did to deal with and overcome it. Finish with how the experience helped shape you into the person you are today. Explain for the adcom what you learned and how you grew as a result. A key part of this prompt are the words “most significant”. Don’t just talk about any challenge you have faced but it has to be the most significant you have had. It has to be something that has shaped you into the person you are today, how it has allowed you to grow, and why you are better because of it. Yale SOM application deadlines Application deadlineRound 1September 10, 2024Round 2January 7, 2025Round 3April 8, 2025 Source: [url=https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions]Yale SOM website[/url] ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with the Yale SOM directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Yale SOM class profile Here is a look at the Yale SOM Class of 2025 (data taken from the [url=https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions/class-profile]Yale SOM website[/url]): Total enrollment: 339 Women: 40% International passport holders (includes U.S. permanent residents and dual citizens): 50% LGBTQ+: 13% First-generation college students: 16% Joint-degree students: 6% Average years of work experience: 5.1 U.S. students of color (% of U.S. students who identify as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islander, Asian American, Black/African American, or Hispanic/Latinx): 48% U.S. underrepresented students of color (% of U.S. students who identify as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islander, Black/African American, or Hispanic/Latinx): 18% Median undergraduate GPA: 3.64 80% range of undergraduate GPA: 3.30-3.91 Median GMAT: 720 Middle 80% GMAT range: 680-760 Median GRE-V: 164 Middle 80% GRE-V range: 158-169 Median GRE-Q: 166 Middle 80% GRE-Q range: 158-170 Students with GRE scores: 37% Countries represented: 46 Citizenship by region (based on primary and secondary citizenship): [list] [*]North America: 61%[/*] [*]Asia Pacific: 27%[/*] [*]Caribbean and Latin America: 6%[/*] [*]Africa and Middle East: 3%[/*] [*]Europe: 3%[/*] [/list] Undergraduate majors: [list] [*]STEM: 35%[/*] [*]Humanities and Social Sciences: 25%[/*] [*]Business: 22%[/*] [*]Economics: 18%[/*] [/list] Pre-MBA industry: [list] [*]Financial services: 24%[/*] [*]Consulting: 18%[/*] [*]Nonprofit: 9%[/*] [*]Technology: 12%[/*] [*]Government: 11%[/*] [*]Healthcare (including products and services): 6%[/*] [*]Manufacturing: 5%[/*] [*]Energy: 2%[/*] [*]Media/Entertainment: 3%[/*] [*]Consumer packaged goods: 5%[/*] [*]Real estate: 2%[/*] [*]Retail: 1%[/*] [*]Transportation/Logistics: 1%[/*] [*]Hospitality 1%[/*] [*]Other: 1%[/*] [/list] Pre-MBA function: [list] [*]Consulting: 27%[/*] [*]Other: 20%[/*] [*]Finance/Accounting: 19%[/*] [*]General management: 15%[/*] [*]Marketing/Sales: 7%[/*] [*]Operations/Logistics: 7%[/*] [*]Information technology: 5%[/*] [/list] Pre-MBA sector: [list] [*]For-profit: 81%[/*] [*]Government: 11%[/*] [*]Nonprofit: 8%[/*] [/list] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Esmeralda_Cardenal_admissions-expert-headshot.jpg[/img] Former associate director of admissions at the Yale School of Management, director of MBA admissions at MSU Broad, and consultant at Cardiff Business School in the United Kingdom, Esmeralda Cardenal has guided Accepted clients to acceptance in various graduate programs since 2014, including MBA and master’s in finance, business analytics, data science, sustainability, and public policy. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/esmeralda-cardenal?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_esmeralda&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Esmeralda to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/how-to-get-into-yale-som-542/]How to Get Into Yale SOM[/url], podcast Episode 542[/*] [*][url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/selectivity-index]MBA Selectivity Index[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/which-mba-program-is-right-for-me-the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-an-mba-program/]Which MBA Program Is Right for Me? The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an MBA Program[/url][/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/yale-som-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/]Yale SOM MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
06 Jun 2024, 07:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Six Tips for MBA Applicants with a Criminal Record |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Six-Tips-for-MBA-Applicants-with-a-Criminal-Record-1.png[/img] [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Six-Tips-for-MBA-Applicants-with-a-Criminal-Record-1.png[/img][/url] Your MBA profile is nearly perfect. You’ve got great stats and [url=https://reports.accepted.com/resume_guide]an impressive resume[/url]. You’re friendly, personable, and a fantastic leader. There’s just one little glitch: your criminal record. Although a criminal record is a strike against you, it’s not necessarily an insurmountable problem. Whether you have a DUI or committed insider trading, having a criminal record can make getting into an MBA program more challenging. As an admissions director, I reviewed candidates who had criminal records every year. Some schools have a no-tolerance policy, but I have always believed in rehabilitation and second chances. Here are six tips for MBA applicants with a criminal record: 1. Be honest and up-front about your record. Don’t try to hide your record from the admissions committee. Most MBA programs conduct background checks, so they will find out eventually. Hiding your record will only make you look dishonest when your violation is ultimately discovered. [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Schedule-Free-Consultation-Banner-Button.png[/img][/url] 2. Explain the circumstances of your arrest or conviction. Admissions committees want to understand why you were arrested or convicted of a crime. Be honest and open about your story. Shoplifting when you were a naïve teenager will have less of a negative impact than a more egregious and/or recent event. 3. Highlight your accomplishments and strengths. Admissions committees want to know that you are more than your criminal record. Focus on communicating your academic achievements, work experience, and extracurricular activities. Demonstrate the positive impact you have had in your organization and/or on others. 4. Show that you have learned from your mistake(s). By completing a rehabilitation program, volunteering with a community organization, or starting a related business, you can demonstrate that you have learned from your mistakes. For example, one candidate taught finance courses in prison while serving her sentence. 5. Get letters of recommendation from people who can speak to your character. Letters of recommendation from people who know you well and can talk about your personality and what you have to offer can benefit your application. 6. Do your research. Identify schools that are known to be more understanding of applicants with criminal records. Several programs have policies in place to help such applicants. Explore your options to find schools that are a good fit for you. Don’t give up on your MBA dreams. Having a criminal record can make achieving your goals a little more challenging, but certainly not impossible. You can overcome your past and reach your full potential with hard work and determination. Are you applying to business school with a criminal record? Work one-on-one with an Accepted advisor to evaluate your profile, figure out where you should apply, and devise an admissions strategy that will help you present your story in the best light to improve your chances of acceptance. [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation]Schedule a free 30-minute consultation[/url] with an MBA admissions consultant to discuss your application. [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcSD_JvgOzlgNJjxzlCQWJJ3ROV-fAQvE3BUC4atsxhzC4OOuDYqkVG_7WcIqvXlEqHi7uDZYGeDI2QD6kVi1w8Wa-TXSljFgGmWFdhTkHN3sDfgnsatzBKCE0b8wNgEwt0EIspaiYSN1ZHzT5AYQQwTdbHDT7dYhnKB1bhKvs9LU7SSjoZxq0?key=0DXVCdrtCICrzq-t0gv0kg[/img] By Natalie Grinblatt, the former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed more than 70,000 applications, interviewed more than 2,500 candidates, and trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs, including those at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, Northwestern, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/natalie-grinblatt-epstein?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_natalie&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Natalie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*] [url=https://reports.accepted.com/MBA/Five-Fatal-Flaws]Five Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your MBA Application Essays[/url], a free guide[/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/resilience-in-admissions/]Resilience in the Face of Failure[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/admissions-directors-reveal-the-most-common-mistakes-applicants-make-episode-538/]Admissions Directors Reveal the Most Common Mistakes Applicants Make[/url], podcast Episode 538[/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/can-you-recover-from-your-criminal-record/]Six Tips for MBA Applicants with a Criminal Record[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
07 Jun 2024, 09:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Leadership-in-Admissions-5.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Leadership-in-Admissions-5.png[/img] Mike knew that an intern on his team was struggling with speaking up on client projects, so he mentored the individual throughout the summer and encouraged them to take on a key role on a final presentation. Amy worked part-time throughout college but still found ways to volunteer as a Big Sister, all while earning stellar grades all four years as an undergrad. During his deployment as an army captain, Jack worked closely with civilians and diplomats to ensure that his troops had buy-in from the community while working to accomplish his assigned tasks. As a social worker, Maria visualized a better, more efficient way for the agency she worked for to perform new client intakes, which would allow the clients to obtain services faster, and she convinced her manager to give her proposed system a try. What do these examples have in common? Mike, Amy, Jack, and Maria all demonstrated several traits of successful leaders, including exceptional communication skills, the ability to earn trust through empathy and honesty, a willingness to pitch in to help one’s team complete a difficult task, transparency and accountability, creative thinking and salesmanship, and empathetic listening. Whether they were leading groups or individuals, they showed their target programs that they had the raw material to grow into mature leaders. [url=https://www.accepted.com/free-admissions-consultation-all][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Law-School-Free-Consultation-Button.png[/img][/url] Whether you are applying to business school, law school, medical school, grad school, or college, admissions committees are looking for candidates who inspire trust – people who can lead. These leadership qualities are closely connected to the personal character traits that colleges and grad programs value. Leadership takes many forms, and you probably already have meaningful leadership experiences that you could write about in your application essays. But how do you go about conveying these experiences effectively? Breaking Leadership Down into Its Component Parts It can be challenging to show leadership in a highly specific and meaningful way. Too often, applicants write about their leadership generically, making themselves sound similar to other candidates rather than distinguishing themselves. Generic writing is uninteresting, and dull writing can hurt your admissions chances. Furthermore, admissions committees are all about diversity, which by definition is what makes you unique. Writing about very particular experiences and qualities that are the ingredients of outstanding leadership will ensure that your essays won’t sound like those of anyone else; they will sound like you. Keep these key leadership elements in mind to help you pinpoint your strongest, most distinct leadership qualities and experiences: [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Key-Leadership-Elements-874x1024.png[/img] When you present evidence in your essay of interwoven attributes such as these, you will distinguish yourself from your fellow applicants. Admissions committees will see you as an individual with distinct experiences and skills – someone they just might want as a member of their class. [b]You Have More Leadership Experience Than You Think [/b] Many applicants worry that they lack leadership experience. If you work in a flat organization, your title might not reflect the extent of your actual influence. If you work on the bottom rung of a hierarchical organization or on a team at a nonhierarchical organization, it might be more difficult to find opportunities for leadership, but there are many ways you can flesh out your leadership accomplishments in your essays, resume, and recommendations. And here’s the good news: you can still be a leader, even if nobody reports to you. You might also have leadership experience that is separate from your work experience. You lead when you inspire members of a team, club, or committee to take a course of action you have suggested. You lead when you propose a new policy to higher-ups, gather support for the policy, and convince your supervisors to accept your proposal. And yes, leadership often involves leading others, but this is not necessary for you to be able to show leadership. Don’t think of leadership in narrow terms, such as having a title or overseeing other employees. Admissions committee members recognize the many flavors and nuances of leadership. In fact, they know that titles can be flawed or inadvertently misleading indicators of leadership, responsibility, and character. Whether you have a title or not, your goal in your application is to demonstrate that your leadership flows from caliber, not status. Caliber is based on trustworthiness, integrity, and a focus on group goals; it reflects the change and impact you’ve had. [b]What Makes You a Leader?[/b] You have the ideal opportunity now to begin presenting yourself in your applications as someone who has accomplished – and will accomplish – much as a leader. Within your sphere of influence, you have demonstrated vision, boldness, commitment to a cause, excellent communication, empathy, and other elements of leadership. Sift through your inventory of significant achievements to select the strongest examples you can write about. As you do, ask yourself the following questions, which can help you frame answers of substance: [list] [*]What was the obstacle, challenge, or problem you solved or overcame? A tight client deadline? A complex merger transaction? A new product launch amid fierce competition?[/*] [*]What did you do to rise to the challenge you are writing about? Motivate your team to work overtime? Sell senior management on the deal’s long-term upside? Identify a marketing profile for your product or service that no competitor could match?[/*] [*]What facts demonstrate that your intervention created a positive outcome? Did your team submit the project deliverables three days early, despite being 20% understaffed? Did your client approve the $500 million merger, the largest ever in its industry? Did your new product reach 20% market share after only one year?[/*] [/list] When you discuss your leadership, look for opportunities to incorporate strong verbs that illustrate your strengths, such as the following: [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Strong-Leadership-Verbs.png[/img] Writing about your leadership skills and experiences takes time and thoughtfulness. It requires introspection about the qualities you possess, the challenges you have faced, and the people you have inspired and motivated. If you need help preparing and writing about leadership for your application essays, schedule [url=https://www.accepted.com/free-admissions-consultation-all]a free consultation[/url] with an Accepted admissions expert. [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kara-Keenan-Sweeney-1.webp[/img] Kara Keenan Sweeney has more than 15 years of experience in MBA admissions, having worked for some of the world’s top business school programs, including Columbia Business School, INSEAD, and The Lauder Institute’s joint degree MA/MBA program with The Wharton School and the MA/JD program with Penn Law at the University of Pennsylvania. Kara has guided, coached, and counseled thousands of MBA and EMBA applicants, reviewed innumerable applications, sat on admissions committees, and interviewed countless applicants, including while running Wharton’s Team Based Discussions both virtually and in person. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/kara-keenan-sweeney]Want Kara to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! [/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/showing-strengths-in-application-essays/]Four Ways to Highlight Your Strengths in Your Application Essays[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/how-to-project-professionalism-positivity-and-confidence-in-your-statement-of-purpose/]How to Project Professionalism, Positivity, and Confidence in Your Statement of Purpose[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/writing-the-diversity-essay/]The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay[/url][/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/leadership-in-admissions/]Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
13 Jun 2024, 13:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile |
 Wharton has not changed its application essay questions for several seasons now. This is usually a sign that the admissions committee is happy with the kind of essays applicants are providing in response. Wharton asks candidates to share what they plan to do with their MBA in the short and long term and to discuss what they can contribute to the school’s community. The school’s optional essay then lets applicants address any issues with their profile, if needed. Ready to get to work on your Wharton application? Read on.
Wharton application essay tips Wharton Essay #1 How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words) This question is specifically asking you to reflect on your aspirations, accomplishments, and essentially, “Why Wharton?” It is future focused and exclusively professional. What do you want to do professionally that you can’t do now and that a Wharton MBA will enable you to do? What “soft” and “hard” skills do you hope to acquire at Wharton? How will a Wharton MBA (the education, credential, and experience), combined with your past experience and education, help you achieve your dreams?  Wharton Director of Admissions Blair Mannix explains: “We want students to do self-reflection on why they want this degree. We want students to explore the pivot moment – when they decided they wanted to do this – and unpack the talent and treasure they can bring to the MBA. Spend the time and really think about the top three things you will get out of the program.” As with most MBA goals questions, Wharton wants to see how you plan to connect your MBA education to your future aspirations. Keep in mind that Wharton has an incredibly rich curriculum with a wide variety of majors and courses available, both at Wharton and across Penn. How will you take advantage of its unique offerings to achieve your career goals? To answer this question well, you need to have a sense of your next steps professionally and how you plan to use Wharton’s myriad resources to make it the perfect next stop on your professional journey. There are many ways you could structure your response. You might start with a pivotal experience that illustrates either what you seek to accomplish or how it shaped your short and long-term goals. Then explain why this experience – ideally, an accomplishment – is important to you and how it relates to the question. In doing so, make sure you specifically state how the Wharton experience is key to achieving your objectives. Wharton Essay #2 Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words) For this essay, start with the end in mind: How do you intend to contribute to the Wharton community? To answer that question, research the cocurricular opportunities and pedagogical approach at Wharton. How will you add to the program and its community? Based on your experience, what difference do you intend to make? How will you participate and contribute? Now decide on the aspects of your experience and background that have prepared you to have your intended impact. You can highlight achievements, challenges you’ve overcome, initiatives you’ve led, and teamwork situations, and that’s just for starters. Brainstorm ideas and jot them down. Talk with friends and family and ask them what they think your personal strengths are and how they have seen you make an impact in your student or professional communities. What unique value-add do they think you can bring to a student community of professionals? Remember to think about what is important to you, and not just your goals, but your values. Now you’re now ready to write. The MBA application process is nothing if not a journey of self-reflection! Start this essay with the impactful experience from your past and analyze the lesson you learned from that accomplishment. Then bring it forward and apply it to your intended role at Wharton. Alternatively, you can start with your intended impact at Wharton and then go back to your past experience. Regardless of how you structure your essay, you want Wharton to see you as a giver and contributor. Wharton Reapplicant Essay Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words) The name of the MBA reapplicant game is “Growth and Improvement.” Wharton is asking for reflection, and you need to provide it, while also showing how that reflection has led to action and advancement. Demonstrate to Wharton that you are a better candidate this time than last. Wharton Optional Essay Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words) “Addressing extenuating circumstances” means that you should describe the issues and situations in a straightforward way. Give the admissions committee context, and absolutely avoid giving excuses or deflecting blame. If possible, provide evidence that those circumstances were temporary and will not affect your performance. Use this essay strategically. Admissions officers are reading many, many applications, so do not use the optional essay to superfluously expand on something you have already touched on in your other essays. Any aspect of your application that you think might raise a question mark for the admissions committee should be addressed clearly and succinctly here. Don’t make them guess. Alternatively, if you have some crucial aspect of your profile that you feel you need to convey (and have not shared in another essay or on your resume), this is a good place to do so. The Wharton MBA Team-Based Discussion If you are invited to participate in a Wharton MBA Team-Based Discussion, be sure to listen to this advice: What Is Wharton’s Team-Based MBA Interview Like? Tips From Director of Admissions Blair Mannix. Wharton Application Deadlines Round 1September 4, 2024Round 2January 3, 2025Round 3April 2, 2025Deferred Admissions RoundApril 23, 2025 To be considered for a round, you must submit a completed application by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the deadline. Source: Wharton website ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Wharton directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Wharton Class Profile Here is a look at the Wharton MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the Wharton website): Applications: 6,194 Enrolled class: 874 Women: 50% LGBTQ+ students: 11% U.S. race/ethnicity (Federal guidelines reporting):
International students: 31% Countries represented: 70 Average GMAT score: 728 Average GRE Quant score: 162 Average GRE Verbal score: 162 Average GPA (from students who attended universities with a 4.0 grading system): 3.6 Undergraduate major:
Interdisciplinary and dual degree programs (students):
Average years of work experience: 5 Range of years of work experience: 1-21 Previous Industry Experience:
Is Wharton your target school? Get started with your b-school research:
Once you have decided that Wharton is the place for you, Accepted can help you make your application stand out from the rest.
 Kara Keenan Sweeney has more than 15 years of experience in MBA admissions, having worked for some of the world’s top business school programs, including Columbia Business School, INSEAD, and The Lauder Institute’s joint degree MA/MBA program with The Wharton School and the MA/JD program with Penn Law at the University of Pennsylvania. Kara has guided, coached, and counseled thousands of MBA and EMBA applicants, reviewed innumerable applications, sat on admissions committees, and interviewed countless applicants, including while running Wharton’s Team-Based Discussions both virtually and in person. Want Kara to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources
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17 Jun 2024, 14:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UVA Darden MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile |
 The University of Virginia’s Darden MBA program boasts the case-based method of learning, which puts students in the role of business leaders faced with challenging situations. Through this discussion-based approach, students are active participants as they learn to make decisions in real-world scenarios. Darden is one of the largest case publishers in North America, and because of the school’s commitment to the case study method, a Darden student will examine literally hundreds of business cases over the course of their two years of MBA studies. Darden’s essay questions this year are the same as last year’s, focusing primarily on getting to know you and how you will affect the school’s overall community. Ready to get to work on your Darden application? Read on. Darden application essay tips For the 2024-25 application cycle, we will again feature short essay questions, which provides a broader platform for applicants to highlight their experiences through multi-dimensional narratives. These questions are a great opportunity for you to help the Darden Admissions Committee understand who you are and who you will be at Darden. Darden Essay #1 Community of Belonging: What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words) Darden is one of the smaller MBA programs, with just 352 students in its Class of 2025. As a result, every single student needs to be congenial and contribute a unique perspective. With the brevity of this essay, the hardest part might well be identifying the best topic(s) to cover. I suggest just one or two topics; the key will be to dig in and provide an anecdote and enough detail to really make your submission come alive for the reader. A potential topic might be a relevant formative experience or relationship, or a nonwork activity or passion. Ground your essay in example and detail. To select the best subject matter, look at the application overall, including the other essays, and think about what would really add to and further animate this holistic picture. Darden Essay #2 Inclusive Impact: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words) First, note that the requested example can come from work or outside work. While it’s great to show that you promote an inclusive work environment, if you have a dynamic, impactful example from outside of your job, feel free to use that. Keep in mind that “inclusive” can extend beyond the obvious (e.g., ethnicity, geographic background, sexual orientation) to encompass less-obvious elements, such as political perspective and socioeconomic background. Devote most of your essay to narrating your story, showing how it promotes inclusivity. At the end, add a reflection with some specific detail about how this will enable you to help create an inclusive global community at Darden. Darden Essay #3 Careers With Purpose: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words) Darden’s prompt basically guides you through the requisite details the adcom wants you to provide. Even with the tight word limit, I suggest contextualizing the requested information in a couple of ways. First, start with just a phrase or sentence indicating how the goal arose. In other words, what is the “origin story”? Second, express what you hope to accomplish – what impact you’d like to have – by pursuing and achieving your stated goals. These two elements together constitute your motivation, and that is what will help the adcom feel engaged by (and ideally invested in) your goals. Darden application deadlines RoundApplication DeadlineEarly ActionSeptember 5, 20241October 2, 20242January 7, 20253April 2, 2025 Source: UVA Darden website ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with UVA Darden directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Darden class profile Here’s a look at the UVA Darden MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the UVA Darden website): Class size: 352 Countries represented: 33 International students: 41% Women: 37% U.S. minority: 14% LGBTQ+: 7% Consortium members: 27 Military service members: 14% First-generation college students: 21% Average GMAT score:716 Median GMAT: 710 GMAT middle 80% range: 680-750 Average GPA: 3.51 GPA middle 80% range: 3.08-3.88 Average GRE (combined): 321 Median GRE: 322 GRE middle 80% range: 309-333 Average years of work experience: 5.9 Median years of work experience: 5.3 Years of work experience, middle 80% range: 3.4-9.2 Industries represented: 33 Pre-MBA industries:
For expert guidance with your UVA Darden MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive assistance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you, too!  As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management. Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources:
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18 Jun 2024, 03:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Do You Have the Spike for Toronto Rotman MBA? [Episode 581] |
 Show Summary Mohammad Salhia, Managing Director of Recruitment, Admissions, and Business Development at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, discusses the distinctive features of the Rotman MBA program. Mohammad highlights the various MBA program options at Rotman, including full-time, morning/evening, and executive MBA programs. He emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the full-time MBA program, which includes academic study, elective courses, and a four-month internship. He also discusses the unique features of the program, such as the Self-Development Lab and the Leadership Development Lab, which focus on fostering communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Additionally, he shares his tips for how to determine and present a “spike factor.” Show Notes Welcome to the 581st episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. You’re invited to take the free six-question quiz, Map Your MBA Application, at accepted.com/mapmba and see how prepared you actually are to apply. You’ll also gain access to relevant other resources, both free and paid, that can help you develop your application strategy for acceptance. It gives me great pleasure to have, for the first time on Admissions Straight Talk, Mohammad Salhia, Managing Director, Recruitment, Admissions, and Business Development at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Mohammad earned his bachelor’s at the University of Toronto and his master’s in Adult Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and is working on his Ph.D. at the same institution. While he seems to live and breathe University of Toronto, he also has extensive experience working in healthcare administration and at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School, which he joined in 2022. Mohammad, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:20] Thank you for having me, Linda. Let’s start with my usual first question: can you give us an overview of the Rotman MBA program, focusing on its more distinctive features? [1:57] Sure. So I’ll start by saying that there’s an ecosystem of MBA programs here at the Rotman School. So we’ve got a total of nine graduate programs, eight of which are master’s degrees, five of which are iterations of the MBA program. So we’ve got our full-time MBA program, our morning evening MBA program, both of which are actually the same program, but the latter is extended over a longer period. And then our suite of executive MBA programs, one of which is more of a local program here in Toronto. And then two global executive MBAs, one of which is focused on healthcare and life sciences. So there’s a lot of program options here at the Rotman School.  The full-time MBA program, which we’re talking about today, is a 20-month program and is broken up into two components. There’s the 16 months of academic study focusing on your usual MBA course. So looking at teams, diversity, people, decision-making, leading people, financial accounting. So a lot of those MBA foundations that are happening in the first year. And then we have a suite of over 100 elective courses that students can choose from and really start to diversify, and to customize and focus on areas that are most prudent to them or in which they have a lot of interest in from a career perspective, and then a suite of emphases that help to focus that learning. So in things like marketing strategy, accounting, finance, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business design. So there’s a lot of really exciting program options in the full-time MBA at Rotman. And then that is also part and parcel of a four-month internship that happens. And that’s really where students get to apply the skills that they’ve learned through their coursework in industry, working in real jobs and applying all that great learning in real time, and then learning on the job as well, and integrating not just the great theory that they’ve learned and the things about business practice that they’ve learned, but also thinking about their own professional presence, and their leadership, and how their self-development impacts that leadership. And really it’s that opportunity to bring all of those different moving parts together. So the full-time MBA is I would say probably among the most comprehensive MBA programs around certainly in the Canadian ecosystem. And fitting that it’s at the University of Toronto, which of course is the country’s leading research university. In terms of some of the additional features of the program, I talked about leadership development, I talked about self-development. We have our Self-Development Lab, which is unique here at the Rotman School. And that really focuses on nurturing communication skills, collaboration skills, interpersonal skills through a series of different workshops, and really geared at helping people understand their own motivations and also the motivations of people around them. So it is really, I like to kind of talk about it as building almost that sixth sense. And as we think about the 21st century workplace, what are employers looking for? They’re looking for communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. And so the Self-Development Lab plays a critical part in helping to foster that kind of capacity. And then the Leadership Development Lab is another special feature here at the Rotman School, and that’s curricular in nature and part of the actual curricular program in the full-time MBA as well as the morning evening MBA, and really helps people to take that deep dive into self, and again, understand their own leadership, how they show up, and what that means for their work and the people around them. So we have a curriculum that’s jam-packed with the latest and greatest in terms of what’s happening in business and management education. We have a world-leading research faculty made up of researchers, practitioners, incredible instructors that bring that knowledge to the classroom, and then help students transform that knowledge from the classroom to an understanding of their own selves, and then to an understanding of how that impacts the way they engage in career and with the people around them that they’ll be coming into contact with throughout their career. And so the value add of our MBA really hits at multiple points. It’s multiple layers of capacity and understanding about yourself, about a body of knowledge, and about industry or sector, that I think really help our students and our graduates stand out differently from perhaps what other schools are graduating. It’s interesting that the Self-Development Lab, when you were describing it, is the self in relationship to the people around, and the Leadership Lab is also to a certain extent, though that’s broader. But what you described was entirely how the individual relates to those people around them: communications, presence, collaboration. It’s not just you yourself; it’s you in relationship to others. [6:43] Yes, exactly. And we have wonderful faculty here at the Rotman School to get at exactly that point. One that springs to mind immediately is Maja Djikic. She just launched a really fabulous book that’s right behind me, The Possible Self. And so that’s the other really exciting thing that comes out of the Rotman School is it’s not just the learning that happens in the classroom and it’s not research that’s just contained within our four walls. It’s research that’s making impact on society. It is practice and best practice that has an impact on the way businesses run, the way people run their businesses, manage people around them, innovate, create. And so we’ve got a lot of that thought leadership coming out of the school. And that sort of creates learning within our graduate program ecosystem, but also just for the business community at large. And that’s one of the things that we pride ourselves here at the Rotman School, is creating value for business and for society in doing that work. What’s new at Rotman? [8:17] There’s a lot that’s constantly coming out of here. Again, through research, through innovation. From a curricular perspective, for example, I talked a little bit about our emphases. We have two new emphases in health sector management and real estate, which is really, really exciting. And so for those that want to take a deeper dive into some of those, the functional areas or bodies of knowledge have an opportunity to do that more formally. And again, I go back to the great research and innovation that comes out of here at the Rotman School. And not only within our MBA program or our suite of graduate programs, but lots of great ways that we engage community around us as well, and therefore our alumni. So things like our book launches, things like our insights hub, and that’s sort of opportunity to lean into the work that our faculty are doing. And again, how that’s being brought to life in different ways. So our ecosystem is a lot more than just our graduate programs. It’s our alumni, it’s our business partners, or industry partners rather, and all the great things that they’re doing. And in turn, adding value for business and society as well. So as a research faculty at a research institution, there’s constant innovation that’s coming out of the school. One of the biggest new things I think that society is dealing with is machine learning, artificial intelligence. How is Rotman incorporating AI into its curriculum? It’s definitely going to be impacting business going forward. [9:40] Yeah, it absolutely is. And I think that in this day and age, with the speed that AI, generative AI in particular, is changing, I think is constantly a moving target. It’s hard to be ahead of that curve, I think. But the faculty here do a really good job at finding ways of integrating that into learning or thinking about how we talk about the use of data that informs some of these artificially intelligent technologies, the way that we contemplate teaching and learning. And that’s a constant churn and it’s a moving target. So I think every faculty has the unique opportunity to look at marketing, to look at strategy or operations and to integrate AI and to talk about AI in a way that is niche, in a way that is perhaps core specific, or perhaps sort of topical in nature. I think about our healthcare folks, for example, our folks in our operations and strategy area, accounting. I think all of these different specializations, if I can call them that, will tackle this problem a little bit differently. And so that’s really exciting about the MBA program is that we’re looking to graduate folks that are contemporary leaders and that are keeping on pulse with some of these changes in AI, and machine learning, and all the other things that sort of come part and parcel of that. And so that will too change as the technology changes and our courses evolve in response to that. So it’s emergent in many ways. It’s still emerging. It’s not yet there, really. You still see errors when you do something with AI or just nonsense. “Hallucinations” I think, is the technical term. [11:44] It’s still learning. And again, we’ve got great thought leadership in this area. And so the opportunity to engage in a program like the full-time MBA or some of the other programs in our ecosystem really allow our students to look at these problems in a contemporary way. AI is one of those things that is changing so rapidly. A lot of what you’re consuming about it is relatively new or very new. And so building on that, and trying to keep ahead of that, and seeing how research translates into our classrooms, and transforms the way business leaders are going out into the world I think is a super exciting time for a place like Rotman. Let’s turn to the application. The website says that Rotman is looking for four qualities: intellectual horsepower, experience and impact, communications and presence, and the “spike factor”. What is the spike factor? How would you describe it? [12:45] What is the spike factor? We like to joke, it’s spiky. Maybe I’ll take a step back and just address all the different components of the application and then kind focus in on the spike factor. The idea behind all of those different elements is really for us to make the most holistic assessment of any one candidate that is applying. And so we welcome all applications. We welcome all walks of life and all different kinds of experiences, and that really helps us in terms of the diversity of our class, the kind of thought diversity, experiential diversity, regional diversity that comes into our classrooms. There’s a lot of learning from each other, and with each other, and about each other, which I think is hugely important and something we value here at the Rotman School very much. And so the spike factor in turn is that opportunity for us to look at some of the parts of someone’s professional or extracurricular profile that might not necessarily overtly come out in other parts of the application. So we really are keen to know about people’s extracurricular profiles, the way that their different capacities and capabilities have been developed over time. So for example, if you were a professional athlete, and maybe you weren’t necessarily in industry in a conventional corporate job, but you’ve still developed very strong leadership capacity and very strong international perspective, because perhaps you’ve traveled, and great communication skills. Those are things that we value in the review of that person and help us to get a better gauge on things like communication, presence, which we can differentiate a little bit later, to round out the professional profile or the candidate profile. So again, it’s another factor that we consider that helps us get a little bit of a pulse on the different kind of perspectives, professional, extracurricular lived experience, that may prime someone for a really strong candidacy for the program that we may not otherwise get in other parts of the application. So the spike factor would be a strongly distinguishing element in somebody’s profile, whether it’s background or professional, or extracurricular or whatever? [15:24] Potentially. And I think that’s what’s exciting. Every application is different. And you’ve been in this business for a long time, and you know. So asking for the sum total of that experience is hugely important to us. And so of course it’s important for us to look at academic performance. It’s important for us to look at things like career progression, industry interests, etc. And then very, very important for us to look at all the other parts that make us people and that make us strong candidates. And again, that really helps us with the kind of diversity of thought and experience that we bring into our classrooms. What is the difference between communications and presence? [16:18] They’re very much interconnected. They’re not together by accident. They’re sort of part and parcel of the same thing. Communication is very much about how someone is relaying their ideas, either in a written format or in a verbal format, and how they’re able to piece their different ideas together into something cogent. And so it gives us a good assessment of the way folks will interact with each other, or communicate with each other, and with internships and that kind of thing. And then presence is very much, it’s that professional presence that we look for. The way people conduct themselves in an interview, perhaps with each other, the way that one is engaging in an interview situation. For example, are you making good eye contact? Are you looking away? Are you making notes? Are you not, are you keeping track of the conversation? So those are all the kinds of things that we’re assessing, because of course coming into a program like the MBA at Rotman, teamwork is hugely important. The teams that people get put into in various junctures, not just in a curricular environment, but in extracurricular environments like one of our 30 plus clubs, and student government and all those kinds of things. So we really are trying to assess through that the ways in which people will optimally team, and where there’s opportunity for us in our program to help them refine some of those skills as well. So it’s a good opportunity for us to gauge a baseline, and then again, how the program and the person are a good compliment for each other. It seems to me from your description that there’s tremendous emphasis on the interpersonal skills of an applicant at Rotman. [18:09] I think it’s hugely important. And certainly, when our recruiters are out on the circuit, when our admissions staff are doing those reviews, it is important. It’s not the most important thing. I would say we look at all of these things very, very critically and importantly, and yet it’s an important ingredient in the assessment that we’re making. It’s that well-roundedness in many ways. And again, people come to graduate school because they’re looking to build capacity and they’re looking to improve in a certain area of competence or professional capability. And so we balance that readiness and ability to engage in the program with what the program will be able to offer people in return for the investment in themselves that they’re making. Makes sense. I was just thinking as you were talking in terms of my question, what’s the difference between communication and presence? The classic image of the lonely writer in an attic or garret writing away, but there was nothing interpersonal about his communication skill. They could have been a fantastic writer, but it was done solely. And yet what you were talking about in terms of presence is all interpersonal communications, both body language and eye contact as you mentioned, collaboration and all that. Thank you for clarifying. [19:09] No worries. And again, I want to emphasize this is a place of learning, and so we welcome all applications. And I think we will talk a little bit later about a key message that I want to share with people. If you’re ready to invest in yourself, put yourself out there. We want to talk to you here at the Rotman School. We want to learn more about you. And we want to have an opportunity to discuss candidacy and what that could look like for you. So we put these things in place not to dissuade people from applying, but because we want to welcome that again, breadth of skill and experience. And not everyone is going to come with being 100% strong in all those different areas, which is why we have that mix of different things that we’re looking for. It’s also why they want to go to school. [20:41] Exactly. So it’s that holistic assessment that we’re really, really looking to do here. What changes are you anticipating to the 2024/2025 application? [20:45] I would say not much. I think in terms of what people can expect from an application perspective, no major changes. What I will say though is that we’re really keen to meet people, so we will be on the road per usual. And definitely across Canada, meeting more applicants, more prospects, hopefully more events that we can meet you at, sample classes and the like. And then also thinking about our international travel and where we can meet other international prospects, the world over, again, to bring in that richness of perspective, into really what is a global classroom with folks that have different perspectives from a Canadian vantage point and also from vantage points born in other parts of the world. Your international applicants, be they from the United States, or Europe, or Asia, do they tend to stay in Canada, or do they tend to return to their home countries? [21:44] There’s certainly a lot of interest in people coming to school here, and the benefit of doing a degree that is as long as ours is the three-year postgraduate work permits. So there’s definitely a lot of folks that take advantage of that and join the Canadian workforce, and so it’s a great way for people to explore that as well. Let’s get back to the application. You say it’s going to be pretty similar. So my questions are going to be based on last year’s application. Rotman’s application included, and correct me if it’s changing, a resume, a traditional essay, a required video interview with two questions, before in-person interview by invitation only. What do you learn from these different elements? [22:23] I think it’s not dissimilar from what I was talking about before. It sort of gives us a different way to assess someone’s candidacy and their overall profile. So certainly, I would say common across many of those things is how do you think, how do you put your ideas together, how do you convey those ideas? And also, there’s an opportunity for people to perhaps articulate what’s important to them and why they see themselves as being a good fit. So getting that lens is important for us. The written communication skills, obviously hugely important. We want strong writers, and we want people that are able to communicate in business and management settings, in leadership settings certainly. And then the video interviews, again, they help us to assess that verbal communication and that presence as well. And so those are some of the reasons why we diversify the ways in which people communicate. And to my commentary, not all folks are strong in all areas. So giving that diversity of format also allows us to get the most out of any one candidate in the application phase, so that we can have the best insight possible to make a decision on the other end. Rotman’s essay question is, “What are the things that you’ve done in your life that demonstrate passion, grit, resilience, innovation, drive, ambition and more? Do you have any tips for this essay question?” [24:06] I would say share an experience that you are comfortable sharing, that you think is going to be of value to our assessment. And for some people, it might be traveling the world over. For other people, it might be a very substantial life event. It could be death, it could be illness, it could be a great many deal of things. I would say this is where you bring in your person, and you bring in what’s important to you, and what you value, and gives us a little bit of that insight into you as an applicant. And so I would say be as honest as you feel is appropriate to give us that sort of window into yourself. And I think sometimes, people can forget that when they’re applying to grad school. It’s easy to get the feeling that, “I’m a number, I’m another applicant.” At Rotman, like I said a few times over, we want to meet you. We want to get to know you, because we want to invest in your future and make sure that we give you the best education possible to do the things that you want to do. And so in order for us to do that, the first step is to get to know you. And in doing so, that helps us determine program fit and helps us to help you. So be honest, be candid. Without sounding cheeky, don’t use ChatGPT to write this, right? You’re going to make the investment in time to go through an MBA. Make the investment in putting in an application that is reflective of you and what you want us to know about you, to help us make again, the best decision possible. There’s also an optional question, which frankly I was a little surprised is optional, but it’s: “Please upload one to three of your spikiest pictures, and use the essay to tell us why you have chosen those particular images or these particular images to illustrate your spike factor. Use up to 1,000 words.” [26:05] What is the saying, a picture is worth 1,000 words? So apropos, I guess they have up to 1,000 words to define. And maybe on that theme, I would say some images capture something special for people. And so again, this is just another opportunity for folks to be able to say, “Here’s a photo of me teaching in an international jurisdiction,” that’s perhaps under resourced, I’m making this scenario up. And I don’t know, “I was serving dinner at a shelter,” or something like this. And that insight into the way that experience perhaps impacted you, impacted the choices you’ve made in your career. That choice may be to go back to graduate school to focus on let’s say sustainability for example, which is one of our emphases or pathways here at the Rotman School. It is valuable information for us to have. And again, it is that additional window and another way for one to be able to articulate why they think they’re a good fit for graduate management education at Rotman. Thank you very much. That was a great answer. Let’s also ask about the video interview. That’s a mandatory part of the application. What is the purpose of the video interview? What can somebody anticipate? [27:43] I will say that it is a timed video, so it’s a 90-second timed video with a limited time to hear the prompt. And there’s a variety of prompts that are available, that are randomized as part of that. This is a way for us to assess how concise you can relay a really strong message. And it could be something very random like… This is not one of the prompts, but it could be, “Tell me why you think the sky is blue or why you like the fact that the sky is blue.” And it really is just an opportunity for one to share their thoughts. And so it’s articulation, it’s conciseness, it’s the strength of a message in a short period of time. And it’s not really dissimilar from thinking about what’s your pitch kind of deal, elevator pitch. And it’s analogous to that. We always talk about wanting something really crisp and really tight for those that teach that or talk about that. And this is a similar exercise. Give us something that’s pithy, that’s tight, that is concise, and that conveys your thought of whatever’s being asked of you in the best possible way. I guess it relates to communications and presence, which are some of the factors that you’re looking for. [29:19] There’s a theme here. What distinguishes applicants who get interview invitations from those who don’t, other than stats? [29:28] I’ll just emphasize again that we are looking at this holistically. And again, very important that we are thinking about some of the academic thresholds set by the university for all graduate studies. And again, this is an academic program at the end of the day as all MBAs are. And I balance that with, because we’re doing a holistic assessment, we do our very best to interview as many candidates as we think makes sense throughout this season. And so if there’s any opportunity for us to want to learn more about you, to unpack something more about your professional or extracurricular profile, your spike factor, there’s any conversations there that we’re interested in, or maybe to understand your academic background a little bit more. The interview is an important component of that. So it’s sort of hard for me to draw a line in the sand to say, “If this, then the interview.” Because the assessment is so holistic, can we really leave it up to our admissions staff to look at any given profile and say, “All right, you know what, Mohammad is strong in these areas and we really want to know more about this, and so let’s invite for an interview and let’s have a conversation.” Then we take it from there. What advice do you have for wait-listed applicants or re-applicants to Rotman? [31:00] Yeah, it’s a great question. I mean, the closer we get to the start of programming, there’s wait-list waiting of course. And of course, we want to be mindful of giving people enough trajectory, and time to prepare themselves, and to get to the point of programming. And certainly if one is in an international jurisdiction, there’s study permit wait times and processing times to be mindful of as we think about that. What advice would I give for re-applications? I think if one didn’t get into a program of choice, whether that’s Rotman or anywhere really, there’s an opportunity to kind of reflect and to go back and to think about what could I have done differently or how could I have strengthened my profile. Whether that’s academics, or that is a spike factor, or whatever the things are, to go back and to invest some time in beefing those things up. It could be as simple as work experience, for example, needing more time in industry before transitioning to a full-time MBA program like ours at Rotman. So reflecting I think is really important. I think that’s hard for people to do in this day and age when things are moving so quickly. And so take that feedback. And if one doesn’t get into programming, there’s always an opportunity for a conversation about what can be done differently in future if there’s continued interest. And we of course would hope for that. And then same for wait-listed candidates. We want to keep lines of communication open. So don’t assume that because you’re on a wait-list, that it’s a completely done deal. It’s very circumstantial, depends again on study permits versus not. So there’s a lot of things to consider in that vein, and keep the line of communication open with your admissions contact or your recruitment contact. And if not this year or any given year in which you’re applying, same advice as with those that are reapplying, to go back to the drawing board and think about “what can I do differently to improve my chances of being in MBA program/” We are glad to advise and to support on what that trajectory and what that development could look like. I think your point about reflection, it’s not something that’s commonly done. We’re all too plugged in most of the time to reflect, but that’s what you have to do, right? Figure out how to improve. [33:24] Sometimes it’s as simple as needing a little bit more time to build on some of those communication skills, for example. Or we talk about a minimum of two years of work experience, for example. If you’re right out of undergrad, we will not consider the application. But also if you don’t get in, then that’s something to go back to and to think about. What kind of work experience do I need to have for the next two to three years to ready myself for a program where I am going to be working with folks that have come away from industry to invest in an MBA program, and they’re coming with that perspective, and with that lived experience in the workforce? And so just really thinking about how you situate yourself in the application process and how you can put your best foot forward, considering all the different dimensions that we talked about today. We have a lot of applicants who are sitting down and are either starting to write or are planning to apply from the 2024/2025 application cycle. How would you recommend that they approach the process? [34:36] I would say reach out to us at the Rotman School. Start with our website rotman.utoronto.ca and that takes you to a home page, but also gives you a good sense of all the many things that we have to offer here. And you’ll see a listing of all the different programs that we have available. And check out our admissions criteria. Get a sense of what work you might have to do throughout the admission cycle. If you got to write a GMAT or a GRE, think about that. If you have any questions, if you want to make a connection with someone to do that, and/or try to get out to an event. If we’re traveling and we’re at a fair, or we’ve set up a sample class either virtually or in person, try to get out to that. You’re meeting like-minded individuals, other prospects that are interested, that might have similar experiences to you, that are going through the same thing as you are, as you contemplate an MBA program. And then an opportunity to talk to people in real time and to get those responses in real time versus through email, which is great. We encourage emails and we want you to reach out to us. But there are many, many different options that are available to you. And so I encourage you to try out any number of those things. Coffee chats, we welcome those, either in person or virtual. And so we try to make ourselves as available through these different forums as we can. One, to build that connection. Two, to give you a sense that you’re coming here for an event, for example, what it’s like to be at the Rotman School. It’s in downtown Toronto, in the heart of the University of Toronto. Again, that energy and that vibe of what it’s like to be around other like-minded individuals. And oftentimes, a lot of our larger events will also include people that have been through the application process. We have multiple deadlines of course throughout the year. So sometimes, people will have already accepted an offer and they might be at an open house, or it’s someone that’s right at the beginning of their journey, and they get to talk to each other and experience that. So it’s sort of bringing different people at different points in the process together as well, which is really, really exciting. And if you’re just starting, it gives you an opportunity to kind of talk to people that have been through the process with relative recency, or maybe even a student ambassador that’s going through the program as well. So we try to diversify. I keep on using that word, but it’s the best one that comes to mind, the ways in which we can touch point with you so that we can tell you about all the wonderful things that we have to offer here at Rotman in our full-time MBA and in other programs if you are interested. Let’s say you have somebody like the recent college grad or somebody who has a great opportunity this year and is planning to apply in 2025-2026 or later, so they’re really planning ahead. What advice would you give somebody like that? [37:46] Amazing. I think that’s great. Graduate school is a big step. It’s the same response actually. It’s good that you’re starting early. You really need that time to think about what it is that you need to do, and why you’re interested, and to get a sense and a flavor of what we have to offer. That’s a lot of time to engage with us in all the different ways that I’ve talked about. And we welcome that. And in fact, when you go onto our website and you ask for an employment report, or you ask for a brochure or view book, or an otherwise coffee chat, we will ask for what your program start interest or term interest is. And there are multiple options, including for later or subsequent years. And that gives us a good sense of where you’re at when we engage with you and talk to you about what the program has to offer. This has been absolutely wonderful. What would you have liked me to ask you? What did I miss? [39:16] Oh my goodness. I don’t know. I feel like I said a lot. I’m not sure if there is anything else, really other than to say please reach out. If you are interested, if you want to learn more about the Rotman School, about what we have to offer, full-time MBA or otherwise, we would love to have a conversation with you. And really, our tagline is here’s where it changes. And oftentimes, things change with a conversation. And so if you’re unsure or if you have questions, please reach out. There’s a world of opportunity in terms of our programming for all the reasons that I talked about. It is a hugely comprehensive program. Yes, indeed. It’s 20 months, including our internship of course. And with that comes an opportunity to really get depth and breadth of learning, and of opportunity, and exposure to different ideas, to hopefully get one to the point in their career or the entry into their next step career-wise that they’re hoping to make. And that is something we take very, very deep right here at the Rotman School. Yeah. I have said for decades at this point, the MBA is a means to an end. You have to know what the end is that you want. [40:39] You have to know what you want. And we’ve got great resources here that help you to do that. And as I’m talking out loud now, what I like to talk about, also say we’ve got great career outcomes here at the Rotman School. And a means to an end, oftentimes that’s a conversation that people are having or it’s information they want to know. And so we’ve got an exceptional career services team here at the Rotman School, access to one-on-one career coaching and mentorship, lots of career workshops, on-campus recruitment, a huge network of employers that we work with, an incredible number of job opportunities that come our way for our students every year. And so lots of great opportunity for people to not just learn from each other, with each, other about each other, and very importantly about themselves, but to also be able to have that pathway and those opportunities presented to them into the next phases of their career, which is ultimately why people want to come and do a professional program like an MBA. I’m very proud to say working at the Rotman School now for a couple of years, we have an incredible team that helps to facilitate that career discovery and making those industry connections with top-notch employers across the country. Great. Well, thank you for adding that. I guess the question would’ve been, “What are the career opportunities at Rotman?” And you just answered that. [42:17] I would be remiss not to have talked about it. If my boss is listening to this, he’d say I’m channeling my inner vice dean there for you. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about the University of Toronto Rotman’s MBA program? [42:47] Absolutely, it’s rotman.utoronto.ca. We’ve got individual program URLs, but if you go to that home page, you’ll see a l full comprehensive listing of all of our programs, our graduate programs, including our fabulous executive programs as well if you are so interested and opportunities for you to connect with us, either by way of events or by coffee chats with our recruitment admissions personnel.  Relevant Links: Relevant shows:
Subscribe:   Podcast Feed The post Do You Have the Spike for Toronto Rotman MBA? [Episode 581] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
25 Jun 2024, 07:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Columbia Business School MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CBS-Essay-Tips-2.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CBS-Essay-Tips-2.png[/img] Columbia Business School (CBS) essay prompts are out for 2024-2025 [url=https://academics.business.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/options-deadlines][b]January and August entry[/b][/url] applicants! Here is what is new this year: [list] [b]August entry – Short Answer Question #2:[/b] Asks for your post-first-year summer plans[/*] [b]Essay #2[/b]: Slightly narrower wording that will help you better select an example to share[/*] [b]Essay #3[/b]: A change to the prompt that emphasizes collaboration as part of your Columbia experience[/*] [/list] Ready to get to work on your CBS application? Read on. [list] Columbia Business School application essay tips[/*] Columbia Business School application deadlines[/*] Columbia Business School class profile[/*] [/list] Columbia Business School application essay tips Applicants must complete two short-answer questions and three essays. (Source: [url=https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/application-requirements#5]CBS website[/url]) Short Answer Question 1: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum) Examples of possible responses: [list] Work in business development for a media company[/*] Join a strategy consulting firm[/*] Launch a data-management start-up[/*] [/list] Note that this has a character (rather than word) limit. [url=https://blog.accepted.com/short-and-sweet-tips-for-writing-mini-mba-essays-2/]Your response must be significantly shorter than a tweet.[/url] What do you want to do professionally and in which industry immediately after earning your MBA? Warning: This question is not asking about your intended area of study while in business school or about a nonprofessional goal or even a long-term goal. Succinctly define your goal in terms of function (what you want to do) and the industry (or type of company) in which you want to do it. January Term Short Answer Question: Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum) Why should you apply for January entry? It’s an accelerated 16-month program that’s ideal for people who don’t need a summer internship. Consider [url=https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/options-deadlines/j-term]J-Term[/url] if you plan to return to the same industry, head into your family business, or focus on entrepreneurship. January applications are still reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning that they are evaluated as they come in, rather than as a big pool after a deadline. This means that the earlier you submit your application, the more spaces will still be available. Examples of possible responses: [list] Sponsored and plan to return to company[/*] [/list] [list] Plan to take over management of family business[/*] [/list] [list] Tapping into investor network to launch start-up[/*] [/list] August Term Short Answer Question: How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include target industry(ies) and/or function(s). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business. (50 characters maximum) With this question, CBS wants to know that you understand your target industry and that you’re familiar with summer options that can be a bridge to your first post-graduation job/venture. Research possible summer internship placements using the most recent [url=https://business.columbia.edu/recruiters/employment-report]CBS employment report[/url]. As the question clearly requests, spell out your target industry and function. You might not want to name a specific company, given that hiring trends can change between when you submit your application and recruiting season. Show, however, in the way that you phrase your goal that you have a strong grasp on what companies hire summer interns in your intended industry, and for what functions. If you intend to pursue an entrepreneurial venture, consider the CBS resources that can support you over the summer, such as [url=https://business.columbia.edu/lang/student-and-alumni-programming/launch/summer-startup-track]Summer Startup Track[/url] and the [url=https://business.columbia.edu/lang/student-and-alumni-programming/launch/summer-fellowship-program]Summer Fellowship Program[/url]. Columbia Business School Essay #1 Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words) Columbia’s adcom must really like the answers applicants have been providing to this question, because the prompt is back this year and has been a part of CBS’s application for the past several admissions seasons. CBS wants you to focus on your career goals for the medium and long term. That means don’t repeat “your professional path to date.” Instead, describe what you want to do three to five years after you graduate, which should build on what you have stated for your first post-MBA job. Make sure to answer the long-term question, and feel free to dream and aspire, but at the same time, reveal a feasible professional goal. This essay offers you the opportunity to show that you know your intended industry’s opportunities and challenges. If you’re making a two- or three-way career pivot, indicate that you’re aware that those pivots could come a few years after your first post-MBA job. Also, show flexibility. Given the economic, political, and environmental issues the world faces right now, the adcom wants to know that you are open to a Plan A, B, and C. Note that this question does not ask you how CBS will help you achieve your goals. You’ll have an opportunity in Essay #3 to discuss how you’ll make the most of CBS’s offerings. The adcom already has a strong grasp on the school’s curriculum and resources. You can briefly mention how CBS can help you reach your goals, but don’t include a laundry list of classes or professors. Use this essay’s real estate to talk about yourself and your future. Guide the CBS adcom to see that you have a purposeful and exciting direction in mind for your future – a future that will transform you into a graduate they will be proud of. Columbia Business School Essay #2 The [url=https://business.columbia.edu/ppil]Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL)[/url] is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment. Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words) So, what changed in the prompt from last year? Two key phrases: OLD: “…the goal is for students to explore and reflect … on the following five inclusive leadership skills” NEW: “…students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills.”[b] [/b] Great editing! PPIL is no longer a goal. It’s what you will do. OLD: “Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills…” NEW: “Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills.” You can now focus your essay on just one of the five skills, rather than on a combination of one or more. First, get to know the [url=https://groups.gsb.columbia.edu/ppil/home/]PPIL initiative[/url]. CBS describes the PPIL as “a one-of-a kind diversity, equity, and inclusion requirement.” You’ll need to attend four PPIL events over the course of the two-year program and submit four reflection forms on what you learned. Columbia has provided a [url=https://groups.gsb.columbia.edu/ppil/programmatic-guidelines/]handy guide[/url] that defines what the school means by each of the five PPIL leadership skills. Familiarize yourself with these definitions before you write your essay. Second, reflect on your personal experiences. You can write about a situation at work, during a volunteer stint, or in any other social situation where you acted with inclusive leadership that relates to one of the five skills defined in Columbia’s prompt. The best examples will demonstrate how you were inquisitive, reflective, and – if necessary – willing to create change within institutions or hierarchies for a more inclusive environment. Third, organize your thoughts into a narrative. It’s useful to use the SOAR, or SOAR + L, framework to tell your story: S = Situation. What was the situation you were presented with, and who were the people involved? O = Obstacle. What was the obstacle or problem you faced? A = Action. What considerations did you make, and how did you ultimately decide to act? R = Result. What were the results of your actions? L = Learning. If you have space, you can summarize what you learned about the importance of acting as a leader. Remember, don’t worry that the best essays will come from people who have started or joined formal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in their workplace. Individual, one-on-one experiences outside of an institutional framework can be just as powerful, or even more so. Columbia Business School Essay #3 We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership — academically, culturally, and professionally. How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words) What’s new? CBS appears to want to do away with navel-gazing. Rather than ask why CBS equals you, this year, the adcom wants to know how you will collaborate to make CBS your optimal MBA experience. That means CBS should be a good fit. But the adcom asks you to dig deeper. What talents, skills, or ideas will you bring to campus to make the most of your time there, and how will your peers be a part of that story? To write this essay, think about three to four things that you want out of CBS academically, professionally, and socially. Consider the challenges you foresee in your career. What don’t you know, and who can help you start iterating solutions? What do you like to do socially, and how do you best make friends? Then, research resources that Columbia offers where you can encounter people and create experiences that will help you reach those goals. Here are some ideas: You could talk about your cluster. What would you do to find opportunities to collaborate? Look through the [url=https://academics.business.columbia.edu/mba/student-life/student-organizations/clubs]clubs[/url] that are available at CBS, and come up with events you could organize. Mention the skill sets you could offer and what other people (and skill sets) you would seek out to cocreate this experience. Can you collaborate on a [url=https://business.columbia.edu/ppil/advisoryservices]PPIL[/url] event? Can you help organize an [url=https://business.columbia.edu/chazen/students/chazen-global-study-tours]international experience[/url]? Do you want to be involved in [url=https://students.business.columbia.edu/office-of-student-affairs/student-life-and-engagement/student-government-and-leadership-groups]student government[/url]? [url=https://business.columbia.edu/lang/]Entrepreneurial labs[/url]? The [url=https://students.business.columbia.edu/index.php/office-of-student-affairs/cbs-well]CBS/well[/url] initiative? How can you have with your peers? Now that you’ve done your research, give yourself loosely 75 words for each focus area. This means you can’t cram in everything you’ve discovered, so be selective. Choose aspects of the CBS program where you can have the most impact and where you will grow the most from interacting with people different from you. Columbia Business School optional essay If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words) The CBS optional essay is for you to add additional context or address areas of concern. That means you don’t have to write this essay. Believe me, unless you have a good reason, it will just annoy the adcom. However, if you had a dip in grades, a period of unemployment, or some other issue that you want to address, this is your opportunity to do so. You don’t want the adcom guessing as to why something is the way it is and coming to the wrong conclusion. And remember, be brief. Don’t even think about using this essay as a grand finale or wrap-up. And definitely don’t use it to rehash your reasons for wanting to attend CBS. Your required essays should make those reasons perfectly clear. Columbia Business School application deadlines January 2025 Entry Application Deadline [b]Round[/b] [b]Application Deadline[/b] [b]Interview Decisions Released[/b] [b]Final Decisions Released[/b] Round 1 By June 18, 2024 at 12:00pm (ET) Rolling Ongoing, and no later than August 15 Round 2 By August 15, 2024 at 12:00pm (ET) Rolling Ongoing, and no later than October 15 The August 2025 application is expected to be available in late June. Updated deadlines will be published in the coming weeks. [url=https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/programs/mba/admissions/options-deadlines]Source: CBS website[/url] ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with CBS directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Columbia Business School class profile Here’s a look at the CBS MBA class entering 2023 (January and August). Data taken from the [url=https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/programs/mba/admissions/class-profile]Columbia Business School[/url] website: Applications received: 5,895 Enrolled: 900, divided into 12 clusters [list] January entry class size: 219, divided into 3 clusters[/*] August entry class size: 681, divided into 9 clusters[/*] [/list] GMAT score (average): 730 GMAT scores (range): 610-790 GMAT scores (middle 80%): 700-760 Undergraduate GPA (average): 3.5 Undergraduate GPA (middle 80%): 3.2-3.9 Work experience (average): 5 years Work experience (middle 80%): 3-8 years At least one year of work experience: 100% Average age: 28 Age range: 22-40 Age range (middle 80%): 26-31 Women: 44% Minority of U.S. origin: 43% International citizens: 47% Undergraduate major: [list] Business: 35%[/*] Economics: 20%[/*] Engineering: 17%[/*] Social sciences: 11%[/*] Sciences: 8%[/*] Humanities: 6%[/*] Technology: 2%[/*] Other: 1%[/*] [/list] Previous industries: [list] Financial services: 29%[/*] Consulting: 21%[/*] Marketing/Media: 12%[/*] Technology: 11%[/*] Other: 6%[/*] Healthcare: 5%[/*] Military/Government: 5%[/*] Real estate: 5%[/*] Nonprofit 3%[/*] Energy: 2% [/*] [/list] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Michelle_Stockman_admissions-expert-headshot.jpg[/img] Michelle Stockman has more than 17 years of admissions consulting experience and has had clients admitted to M7 and top-20 MBA programs. She taps into her background as a former admissions staff member at Columbia Business School and as a video journalist to coach MBA candidates to acceptance. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/michelle-stockman?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_michelle&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Michelle to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [url=https://blog.accepted.com/listen-mba/]Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants[/url][/*] [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba-quiz]The MBA Admissions Calculator[/url][/*] [url=https://blog.accepted.com/can-artificial-intelligence-help-with-your-mba-applications/]Can Artificial Intelligence Help with Your MBA Applications?[/url][/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/columbia-business-school-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/]Columbia Business School MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
26 Jun 2024, 07:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Kellogg MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile |
 Kellogg values individuals; who you are as a person, what you’ve done, and how you will engage with the school’s greater community are all very important. Yes, academics and work experience are also key parts of your profile, but the school’s essay prompts seek to elicit more information about your personality, values, and goals so the admissions committee can determine your “fit” with its program. That is one of the reasons they also require video essays. Kellogg has three excellent videos on preparing its application, and I urge you to watch all of them so you’ll understand better what the school is looking for. In addition, Kellogg provides detailed explanations of its different MBA programs so you can find the one that is right for you. Each MBA program requires that you write these essays, and in some cases, you must provide an additional essay related to the specific dual degree being pursued (e.g., MBA/JD, MMM, MBAi). Ready to get to work on your Kellogg application? Read on. Kellogg application essay tips Question 1: Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (450 words) This essay seeks to elicit an honest answer from you as to why you want an MBA from Kellogg. It isn’t that different from the typical question “Why do you want an MBA?” but requires a more thoughtful and personal answer. I suspect that Kellogg has chosen this specific wording to weed out essays written by AI, which tend to be vague generalizations. Please don’t respond with canned responses like “I need to hone my business skills” or “an MBA from Kellogg will enable me to advance in my career.” That really says nothing! You can hone your business skills on YouTube; you can advance your career by having a mentor. Reflect on your real reasons for earning an MBA, and respond with specific examples. This could be an instance from your past when you realized you didn’t know how to manage your team well, or perhaps you’ve observed coworkers with MBAs and seen how they approach problem-solving strategically. For this essay, you need to think back on times when a lightbulb came on, and you thought, “Wow, if I had studied XXX, I could do this job faster and more efficiently.” This is true whether or not you have a business background or degree. And you need to be specific about your goals. “I intend to be a project manager with Amazon, Google, or Microsoft” is a poor answer, as is “I want to do strategic consulting.” Many of these companies have recently been laying off people, so if you don’t know about current trends in your area of interest, shame on you! These are also banal answers, because every computer engineer who applies answers the same way. Look at the job descriptions on your target company’s website. What positions is it hiring for, and what do applicants for that position have to know? Having this information will show the committee that you have done your research and that you have feasible goals. As for what you will contribute to the Kellogg community, find something in your background that sets you apart from other applicants. This doesn’t have to be a professional quality. If you say, for example, “I am a strong leader and good at managing my team,” how does that help you stand out from the pack? Don’t you think that other individuals applying to Kellogg also have this quality? Think about values you cherish, hobbies that might help bring a group together, ideas for a business to start discussions, or even research you’ve done on your own. And take a look at the class profile to see where your classmates have come from. Finally, if you are an international candidate, you can always discuss how things are done in your country, compared to how they are done in the United States. Question 2: Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (450 words) Again, this essay requires a specific example, not a hypothetical situation. They don’t expect you to discuss how you found a cure for cancer or peace in the Middle East. It can be something relatively small that still made an impact on the company, on you, or on someone else. For example, you realized that women were underrepresented in a specific department, so you brought that up with the department head and volunteered to help recruit more women and develop programming to keep them. The key here is to refer back to the values you hold that propelled you to take this action. Reapplicant Essay: Reapplicants will receive a prompt about their growth since their last application: How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be? (250 words) For this and any other reapplicant essay, you need to show what’s changed from your former application. It could be a new test score, it could be a promotion, or it might simply be a reevaluation of your goals and the realization that what you thought you wanted to do wasn’t really feasible. Keep your message short and to the point, and don’t reiterate anything you said in your previous application essays. Video essays: Things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:
The video essay doesn’t need to be a Hollywood-perfect documentary! Don’t over-rehearse or read from a script. You won’t know the questions until you’ve submitted your application, but the questions are usually about something you know, and you will have time to prepare for them. Practice speaking into a camera, and record yourself to be sure you are looking at the camera and not somewhere else. Also, speak slowly and clearly. If you rush, you’ll look nervous, and worse, your listeners might not be able to understand what you are saying. Have a neutral background with lighting in front of you. And lock the doors so no one can interrupt you while you are recording. If you want to discuss something personal that defines you, you could consider, for example, filming yourself in the outdoors hiking, in your studio creating art, or playing a musical instrument. Kellogg isn’t trying to trip you up with this video component; the admissions committee wants to find out who you are apart from your work, and they are looking for reasons to admit you, so breathe deeply, do a few practice runs before you begin (to be sure your equipment is working), and don’t forget to smile! For expert guidance with your Kellogg MBA application, schedule a free consultation with an Accepted MBA expert. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to Kellogg’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too! Kellogg application deadlines Application DeadlineDecision releasedRound 1September 11, 2024December 11, 2024Round 2January 8, 2025March 26, 2025Round 3April 2, 2025May 7, 2025 Source: Northwestern Kellogg website ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Kellogg directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Kellogg class profile Here is a look at the Kellogg MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the Kellogg website): Class size: 529 Female: 48% International: 39% U.S. students of color: 42% LGBTQ+: 9% Average GMAT score: 731 GMAT score range: 620-780 Median GRE Verbal: 163 GRE Verbal range: 148-170 Median GRE Quant: 163 GRE Quant range: 146-170 Average GPA: 3.7 GPA range: 2.8-4.0 Average years of work experience: 5 Undergraduate majors:
Industry background:
Getting into Kellogg, or any of the top-tier MBA programs, is very competitive. Schedulea free consultation and we’ll match you with an experienced admissions consultant who will work with you one-on-one to create an outstanding application and prepare you to ace your interview. So give yourself the edge, and get accepted!  Dr. Christie St-John has more than 25 years of higher ed and admissions experience, including ten years in admissions at Dartmouth Tuck. She was formerly the director of MBA recruiting and admissions, director of international relations, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Having also served on the board of directors of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance and the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Christie has a deep knowledge of MBA and other graduate admissions.Want Christie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources:
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26 Jun 2024, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: NYU Stern MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NYU-Stern-Essay-Tips-1.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NYU-Stern-Essay-Tips-.png[/img] In addition to its traditional two-year, full-time MBA, NYU Stern offers a menu of options in graduate management education, including a one-year Tech MBA and a one-year Fashion and Luxury MBA. Stern MBA students can select up to three specializations or choose not to specialize at all. Ready to get to work on your NYU Stern application? Here is some expert advice to help you get accepted: [list] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#essaytips]NYU Stern application essay tips[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#deadlines]NYU Stern application deadlines[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#profile]NYU Stern class profile[/url][/*] [/list] NYU Stern application essay tips NYU Stern Essay #1 Change: _____ it. (350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? Examples: [list] [*]Change: Dare it.[/*] [*]Change: Dream it.[/*] [*]Change: Drive it.[/*] [*]Change: Empower it.[/*] [*]Change: Manifest it.[/*] [*]Change: [Any word of your choice] it.[/*] [/list] As you approach this question, obviously you have to think about what change means to you. But what is more important than the specific verb you choose to fill in the blank is the rest of the adcom’s question. Why are you choosing it? Do you have one or two examples that show how you have effected change in your work or personal life? Finally, given your reasons and your verb choice, how will you embody this motto while at Stern? To answer the last part of the question, you must do your research. What are the curricular and extracurricular opportunities at NYU Stern that will allow you to live your tagline while you are a student there? Check out Admissions Straight Talk Episode 525, “[url=https://blog.accepted.com/how-to-get-accepted-to-nyu-stern-episode-525/]How to Get Accepted to NYU Stern[/url],” in which Executive Director for MBA Admissions Lindsay Loyd discusses Stern’s Change Studio (see 8:40). [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Schedule-Free-Consultation-Banner-Button.png[/img][/url] NYU Stern Essay #2 Personal Expression (a.k.a “Pick Six”) Introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements: [list] [*]A brief introduction or overview of your “Pick Six” (No more than 3 sentences).[/*] [*]Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective and/or personality.[/*] [*]A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.[/*] [/list] Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website. [url=http://blogs.stern.nyu.edu/full-time-mba/full-time-mba/picksix/?utm_source=sternmba&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=blog_posts&utm_content=pick_six&_ga=2.245517249.478933003.1686229556-148309305.1686229556]Nedjee Corriolan, the assistant director of MBA admissions at Stern[/url], shares her advice on tackling this essay: “From your first image to the very last image, you’re creating a visually dynamic story. It’s important to understand what the message behind each photo is so you can capture the narrative in your brief caption.” She states that the “why” means more than the “what.” As you are selecting your images, ask yourself these questions: Why is this important to me? And what does this show about who I am? Corriolan suggests that you show the images to a friend and ask them what the images convey about you. Does what they say match your idea for a caption? Maybe they have other ideas. Brainstorm and see what you can come up with. This is a fun essay, so you should have fun putting it together! It doesn’t have to be about your professional achievements – that is covered elsewhere in your application and resume. You are not your job. Think about who you are in your life outside of work and what is important to you. Although you have the option of including something professional or related to your goals, make sure that your images complement those goals. Let your individuality shine in this essay to differentiate you from other candidates. This can be a great place to reveal personal interests, hobbies, or community service commitments. Remember, each caption is only one sentence, so don’t pick an image that will require a complicated explanation. It might relate back to one of your essays, but really, it should showcase a new facet of your personality. NYU Stern Associate Dean of MBA Admissions and Program Innovation Isser Gallogly, explained to us at Accepted that today, images are used as much as words are for communications. He strongly feels that combining images with a few sentences and captions might be more comfortable for applicants accustomed to communicating on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. So let your visual talents shine. You can go deep into one special interest or let your six picks show different facets of you and your experience. You can use word clouds, graphs, infographics, charts, and of course pictures. Basically anything two-dimensional that will go into a PDF for uploading can work for Stern’s Pick Six essay. NYU Stern Essay #3 Additional information (optional) (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee and/or give context to your application. This may include important aspects if yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, including but not limited to: hardships you have encountered, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. Stern provides several suggestions regarding what to include in this essay. However, if you have something significant you would like the admissions committee to know and that topic isn’t mentioned in the school’s prompt, don’t worry. This prompt is open enough that you can still [url=https://blog.accepted.com/mba-optional-essay-not-really-optional/]write this optional essay[/url] to explain it. Just don’t duplicate information that’s found elsewhere in your application. For expert guidance with your NYU Stern MBA application, schedule a [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation]free 30 minute consultation[/url] with an Accepted expert. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to NYU Stern’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too! NYU Stern application deadlines First deadline:September 16, 2024Second deadline:October 16, 2024Third deadline:January 16, 2025Fourth deadline:April 16, 2025 Source: [url=https://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/mba-programs/admissions/deadlines]NYU Stern website[/url] ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with NYU Stern directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** NYU Stern Class Profile Here is a look at NYU Stern’s full-time, two-year MBA Class of 2025 (data taken from the [url=https://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/full-time-mba/community/class-profile]NYU Stern website[/url]). Note that NYU Stern has adopted the Graduate Management Education Admissions Reporting Standards. Applicants: 3,075 Admits: 966 Admission rate: 31% Number enrolled: 327 Women: 43% U.S. military veterans/active duty: 13% LGBTQ+: 13% Students with international citizenship: 48% Countries represented: 46 Average age: 28 Age range (100%): 21-37 Minorities: 47% Underrepresented minorities: 17% Race and ethnicity (multidimensional guidelines) [list] [*]White, Non-Hispanic: 57%[/*] [*]Asian American: 33%[/*] [*]African American, Black: 9%[/*] [*]Hispanic, Latino: 8%[/*] [*]Did not specify: 6%[/*] [*]American Indian, Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander: 1%[/*] [*]Multi-race: -%[/*] [/list] Average GPA: 3.61 GPA range (80%): 3.34-3.87 GPA range (100%): 2.96-4.00 GMAT average: 732 GMAT range (80%): 700-760 GMAT range (100%): 650-780 GRE Quant average: 163 GRE Quant range (80%): 157-170 GRE Quant range (100%): 155-170 GRE Verbal average: 163 GRE Verbal range (80%): 158-168 GRE Verbal range (100%): 155-169 Standardized test type: [list] [*]GMAT: 45%[/*] [*]GRE: 22%[/*] [*]EA: 14%[/*] [*]Test waiver: 9%[/*] [*]NYU test waiver: 6%[/*] [*]MCAT/LSAT/DAT: 4%[/*] [/list] Students with work experience: 99% Average years of work experience: 5.2 Range of years of work experience (100%): 0-14 Prior industries: [list] [*]Financial Services: 26%[/*] [*]Consulting: 12%[/*] [*]Technology: 10%[/*] [*]Military, Government: 8%[/*] [*]Entertainment, Media: 6% [/*] [*]Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals: 6%[/*] [*]Nonprofit, Arts, Education: 6%[/*] [*]Other: 6%[/*] [*]Consumer Products, Retail: 5%[/*] [*]Real Estate: 5%[/*] [*]Advertising, Public Relations: 3%[/*] [*]Engineering 2%[/*] [*]Law: 2%[/*] [*]Manufacturing, Import/Export, Trade: 2%[/*] [*]Energy: 1%[/*] [/list] [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcY7iV42xl6rfKQK-pv8-oRfPoJZa3cjcbQPclOxAVf_PLoFovjqj1X_NcWx9rLZLxU64ZbjMpmAkimaAITB6Q0SooawwK8G0jl2hYo_fIkhDp8lqRpE2rM65B5h-2bmphGO0UvcijrS5tdP2q_-fooXOobirTgkNVu6arTHyW6eGbRxTJQWSk?key=d5PcLHOz0pp3vRwT8jmqSg[/img] Dr. Christie St-John has more than 25 years of higher ed and admissions experience, including ten years in admissions at Dartmouth Tuck. She was formerly the director of MBA recruiting and admissions, director of international relations, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Having also served on the board of directors of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance and the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Christie has a deep knowledge of MBA and other graduate admissions. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/christie-st-john?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_christie&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Christie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/m7-mba-programs-everything-you-need-to-know/]M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 202[/url]4[/*] [*][url=https://www.accepted.com/mba-quiz]The MBA Admissions Calculator[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/how-to-get-accepted-to-nyu-stern-episode-525/]How to Get Accepted to NYU Stern[/url], podcast Episode 525[/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/nyu-stern-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/]NYU Stern MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025], Class Profile[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
28 Jun 2024, 16:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Stanford GSB MBA Application Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Stanford-GSB-1.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Stanford-GSB-1.png[/img] In this post, we provide guidance and information to support you in creating and submitting your application to the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB): [list] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#essaytips]Stanford GSB application essay tips[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#deadlines]Stanford GSB application deadlines[/url][/*] [*][url=http://blog.accepted.com/category/mba-admissions/feed#profile]Stanford GSB class profile[/url][/*] [/list] Stanford GSB application essay tips Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, please help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you. What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives? The Stanford GSB’s tried and true essay question “What matters most to you and why?” is one of the most challenging MBA application prompts to respond to (so start early). Unlike most MBA essays, Stanford’s is not about describing your accomplishments, even if “achievement” is what you value most. It is not about highlighting your career, even if “ambition” matters most to you. It is not about revealing your “humble beginnings,” even if your childhood is the stuff about which memoirs are written. The school’s primary essay is about what you value most and, more importantly, why it matters most to you. It requires a level of maturity and introspection that only such a question as this can demand. It gives Stanford insights into who you are and what you can bring to the GSB beyond your academics background, professional accomplishments, and personal attributes. So, where do you start? Start with the “what.” Ask yourself, “For what would I walk over hot coals?” Still stuck? Review lists of values that resonate with you. Is it peace, relationships, health, creativity, compassion, expression? The lists go on and on, and you should not worry about being cliché with your “what,” because your why will be unique to you and how you have lived your life. Moreover, you can choose something symbolic to help you tell your story. I often talk about a ring my mother gave me. The ring is precious to me because of what it represents and how it has motivated me to make the choices I have made. It is a symbol of an unbreakable mother-daughter bond. [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Law-School-Free-Consultation-Button.png[/img][/url] Where do you go after identifying your “what matters most”? Remember that your “why” is more important than your “what.” You need to explain why the values you highlight are essential to you. The best way to illustrate your “why” is by providing specific examples of how these values have shaped your life. Refrain from offering career examples, because you can state your achievements in the optional “impact” essays, resume, and application form. Your recommenders should be writing about your career achievements as well. If your values only motivate you for work, then these values are likely ones that don’t truly matter most to you, despite your spending 60-100 hours per week working. [list] [*]State the value that matters most to you.[/*] [*]Explain why this value is essential to you.[/*] [*]Provide specific examples (anecdotes) that illustrate how the value has shaped your life.[/*] [*]Discuss how your value has influenced your decisions and actions.[/*] [*]Explain why you are better off by having this value drive you.[/*] [/list] The essay requires a level of honesty and authenticity that few others demand. Be specific and concise. The admissions committee wants to get to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to share your personal stories and experiences. Essay B: Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. Why Stanford? Two words pack quite a punch: why Stanford, indeed? As you approach this essay, consider that Stanford values intellectually curious individuals who can solve problems, see beyond the obvious, and connect the dots. Therefore, I suggest you begin your essay with what you hope to achieve after you graduate from the Stanford GSB. Don’t think about a role as you might with other post-MBA goals essays. Instead, consider the problems you want to solve at the organizations for which you hope to work in the future. It does not matter whether you are considering an MBB consultancy, a Fortune 100 behemoth, a small start-up, a large private equity firm, a midsize family business, or a nonprofit organization. Focus on identifying the problems you can solve with your current skill set and the knowledge you will gain at Stanford. Next, address the crux of the essay: Why Stanford? Note that the question is not “Why the GSB?” It is “Why Stanford?” While you want most of your essay to be about how the GSB can help you achieve your aspirations, consider how other parts of Stanford can add value to your education. And please don’t state the obvious. Resist the temptation to lift your information directly from the school’s website. The admissions committee already knows that Stanford’s location is perfect for entrepreneurship, tech, and venture capital. They already know they are highly selective and, therefore, highly ranked. They already know the Stanford brand resonates worldwide — they communicated all this to you in their marketing materials. Instead, think about the resources, opportunities, and community Stanford can offer you that will enable you[b] [/b]to reach your[b] [/b]unique goals. Why does this program make sense for you? Finally, you will want to discuss how you will contribute to the Stanford GSB community. How will you make a difference at Stanford? What unique skills and experiences do you bring to the table? Why will your peers benefit from having you as a member of their class? With only 1,000 words to use for Essay A (What matters most?) and B (Why Stanford?) together, you need to understand yourself, your goals, what offers, and your unique value proposition to the Stanford community before tackling this essay. Stanford recommends dedicating up to 650 words for Essay A and 350 for Essay B. With this suggestion, the admissions committee is expressing their desire to see your introspection, but you don’t need to obsess over the suggested word count; just write fewer than 1,001 words for both essays combined. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, the school suggests that you use Essay B to discuss why you are interested in both. In your essay, you will want to clearly spell out your reasons for applying to both programs and explain how you believe each one will help you achieve your goals. Also, if you strongly prefer one program over the other, you should express this in your essay. Additional Context We know that each person is more than a list of facts or pre-defined categories. With this space, we provide you with an optional opportunity to elaborate on how your background or life experiences have helped shape your recent actions or choices. (1,200 characters) Some applicants overlook this question, because Stanford tucks it within the Personal Information section of the application. Reflect on all the drop-downs menus you clicked on, and consider this mini essay a kind of bookend to Essay A, in which you discussed what matters most and why your values are what they are. For this essay, you need to consider how your identity and the uniqueness you bring to the table motivate your actions. Consider cultural upbringing, education, abilities, and life experiences. How have these factors influenced how you view the world? How has your identity – that core of who you are, that core of most significant influences and experiences – expressed itself in your recent actions? This essay is about getting to know you and what motivates you. Given that you have only a meager 1,200 characters, select one factor that drives your decisions. Then, describe the action. Your action is the evidence you will use to support how and why that factor motivates you. For example, my life was heavily influenced by being the daughter of immigrants and a first-generation college student. It drove the overachiever in me. That background influences every action I take, from preparing clients for their GSB interview to advocating for the rights of disabled and infirm people. That identity is how I tell my story. Now, how will you tell yours? Optional Short-Answer Question Think about a time in the last few years when you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (1,200 characters) Why does Stanford have optional essays? The school offers these impact essays because too many applicants tried to squeeze their accomplishments into their “what matters most essay.” If you are tempted to write about your achievements in that essay, stop. Then, cut and paste that information here instead. Now you have a space where you can highlight activities and describe your impact on work, extracurriculars, community service, family, or anything else. The best approach to writing an impact essay is to use a CAR or STAR with an added Sig (significance) framework. Select each impact to show some variety in your life (in other words, don’t draw all three examples from your daily work). C = Challenge (What challenge did you face?) A = Action (How did you address the challenge? What specific steps did you take?) R = Result (What was the outcome? Quantify the outcome, if possible. Did you increase revenues? Did you decrease costs? Did you increase membership? Did you minimize the danger? If so, by how much?) Sig = Significance (Why was this important to you? What did it mean for others in your life?) or S = Situation (What background must you describe for the reader to understand your example?) T = Task (What was your goal?) A = Action (What steps did you take to achieve your goal?) R = Result (What was the outcome? Did you achieve the goal? Did you surpass the goal. If so, by how much?) Sig = Significance (Why was this important to you? What did it mean for others?) These frameworks will work for any behavioral question that an admissions committee or interviewers asks you. They will help you stay on point, so use them. Finally, be succinct, because the 1,200-character allotment includes spaces. Additional Information We are deliberate in the questions we ask. We believe that we get to know you well through all of the elements of your application. Complete this section only if you have critical information you could not convey elsewhere on your application (e.g., extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance). This section should not be used as an additional essay. (1,200 characters) Additional information “essays” exist so that you don’t have to make the admissions committee guess about any of the following scenarios: [list] [*]You had terrible grades your first year of university when your parent became ill, and you flew back and forth to care for your parent, or you worked 30 hours a week to make ends meet.[/*] [*]You received a subpar GMAT or GRE score because you are not a strong test-taker and can prove it with your inadequate ACT or SAT score and your 4.0 GPA or because you were initially premed and realized after volunteering at a hospital that medicine was not your thing.[/*] [*]You did not ask an immediate supervisor to recommend you because you have only been with the company for a short time, they do not know you well, or doing so could lead to losing your job.[/*] [/list] Stanford also suggests that you use this section to discuss any academic research, because they do not want to see it on your one-page resume. Additional information does not mean you should add an essay you wrote for another school. Feel free to bullet your reasons, making the section easier to read. If you have many bullets, you might have too many excuses, and many schools, including Stanford, could be a long shot for you. Finally, no matter what your aspirations are, the Stanford MBA program can help you achieve them. Stanford GSB application deadlines RoundApplication DeadlineDecisions Released1September 10, 2024December 5, 20242January 8, 2025April 3, 20253April 08, 2025May 29, 2025 Your completed application, including your and , is due at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the deadline date for the round in which you apply. [url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/admission/deadlines]Source: Stanford GSB website[/url] ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with the Stanford GSB to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Stanford GSB class profile Here’s a look at the Stanford GSB’s Class of 2025 (data taken from the [url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/admission/class-profile]Stanford GSB website[/url]): Applicants: 6,190 New students: 431 Women: 46% U.S. students of color: 50% International students: 36% Countries represented: 55 Languages spoken: 53 U.S. students & Permanent Residents (Federal Guidelines) [list] [*]White (including Middle Eastern): 47%[/*] [*]Asian (including Indian subcontinent and Philippines): 24%[/*] [*]Hispanic/Latino: 12%[/*] [*]Black or African American (including Africa and Caribbean): 8%[/*] [*]Multi-race: 7%[/*] [*]Declined to identify: 3%[/*] [*]American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islander: 0%[/*] [/list] Undergraduate Degrees [list] [*]Engineering: 26%[/*] [*]Economics: 21%[/*] [*]Business/Commerce: 20%[/*] [*]Math/Sciences: 15%[/*] [*]Social Sciences: 13%[/*] [*]Arts/Humanities: 5%[/*] [/list] Average GPA: 3.77 First-generation college graduate: 11% Hold advanced degrees: 17% U.S. institutions: 82 Non-U.S. institutions: 83 Average years of work experience: 5 Industries Represented [list] [*]Investment Management/Private Equity/Venture Capital: 19%[/*] [*]Consulting: 17%[/*] [*]Technology: 13%[/*] [*]Government/Education/Nonprofit: 10%[/*] [*]Consumer Products & Services: 9%[/*] [*]Healthcare: 7%[/*] [*]Financial Services: 5%[/*] [*]Military: 5%[/*] [*]Arts/Media/Entertainment: 4%[/*] [*]Cleantech/Energy/Environmental: 4%[/*] [*]Manufacturing: 3%[/*] [*]Other: 1%[/*] [/list] Organizations represented: 295 Average GMAT: 738 GMAT range: 630-790 Average GRE Verbal: 164 GRE Verbal range: 149-170 Average GRE Quantitative: 164 GRE Quantitative range: 150-170 Average TOEFL: 113 TOEFL range: 104-120 Our team of MBA admissions experts includes former admissions directors, published authors, and highly experienced business school admissions consultants. We are all primed and ready to help you secure a seat at your dream school, just as we have done for thousands of clients for the past 25 years. Schedule your [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation]free consultation[/url], and speak to an expert admissions expert! [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Natalie.jpg[/img] By Natalie Grinblatt, a former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed more than 70,000 applications, interviewed more than 2,500 candidates, and trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs, including those at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, Northwestern, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/natalie-grinblatt-epstein?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_natalie&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Natalie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/m7-mba-programs-everything-you-need-to-know/]M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 2024[/url][/*] [*][url=https://www.accepted.com/admissions-podcast]Admissions Straight Talk Podcast[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/five-tips-for-applying-for-stanfords-knight-hennessy-scholarship/]Five Tips for Applying for Stanford’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarship[/url][/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/stanford-gsb-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/]Stanford GSB MBA Application Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025], Class Profile[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
09 Jul 2024, 09:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Ace the New Michigan Ross MBA Essay Questions [Bonus Episode] |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AST-Episode-BONUS-Blog-Banner.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AST-Episode-BONUS-Blog-Banner.png[/img] Show Summary Andrea McHale, the Director of the Michigan Ross Full-time MBA and Global MBA Admissions, returns to Admissions Straight Talk to discuss the newly released essay prompts for the Michigan Ross MBA program. Andrea shares an overview of each of the four questions and gives an inside look at exactly what the admissions committee hopes to learn from applicants. Andrea emphasizes the importance of impact and motivation in the application process. She also discusses the potential use of AI in the admissions process. Show Notes Welcome to this bonus episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Before I introduce our guest, I want to introduce you to a free resource that can really help you with your MBA application essays: [url=https://reports.accepted.com/mba/guide/five-fatal-flaws]Five Fatal Flaws to Avoid in your MBA application Essays[/url]. It can help you eliminate mistakes, errors, and misguided responses to application questions. You can download your free copy at [url=https://reports.accepted.com/mba/guide/five-fatal-flaws]www.accepted.com/5FFMBA[/url]. It gives me great pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk, Andrea McHale, Director of the Michigan Ross Full-time MBA and Global MBA Admissions. Andrea was our guest just a few weeks ago, but at that point, the essay questions were not out for this year and she told me that Ross would be changing their essay prompts. However, at that point she couldn’t go into any details. So she has kindly agreed to come back on Admissions Straight Talk for a special bonus episode to discuss Michigan Ross’s new MBA essay questions. [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Law-School-Free-Consultation-Button.png[/img][/url] Andrea, welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. Thank you again for coming back so quickly for this bonus episode. [2:20] Linda, thank you so much for having me. I’m super excited to be here to share the refresh of our essay prompts. What are the new questions? [2:33] [b]Question 1:[/b] At Michigan Ross, we believe the best way to learn is by doing. In our Full-Time MBA Program, you will put your skills and knowledge to the test in real-world situations with real stakes. How will this learning environment benefit you, and how do you plan to contribute to the action-based learning experience? (300 words) [b]Question 2: [/b]Michigan Ross is proud to support a community of leaders and impact makers. As a future member of this community, we want to know more about who you are and what drives you. Please choose 1 of the following prompts to tell us more about what makes you stand out beyond your academic and work experience. List the prompt you are answering at the top of your response. (200 words) [list] [*]What makes you unique? [/*] [*]Can you provide a specific example of how you’ve overcome a personal challenge? [/*] [*]What makes you excited to get up each morning? [/*] [*]Describe a time when you made a difference in your community or with an individual. [/*] [/list] [b]Question 3:[/b] What is your short-term career goal, and how will Ross help you achieve it? (200 words) [b]Optional Essay: [/b]Is there something in your resume or application that needs a brief explanation? Appropriate uses of this essay would be the explanation of an employment gap, academic outliers, choice of recommender, completion of supplemental coursework, etc. You may use bullet points where appropriate. (250 words) Before we dive into the specific questions, what is the purpose of the change? [5:33] Really, it’s two points. One, we had our former essays for four consecutive cycles. So I think that impacts both our prospective student applicant base as well as our readers who are reading similar responses year-over-year. And then our program is evolving, so our prospective students, the market, that all evolves and our admissions process needs to evolve with it. So we created these new essay prompts really to gather more informative and insightful responses from the applicants. The updated prompts that we just shared are really to better understand you as an applicant, what your abilities are, your motivation, and then ultimately cultural fit within the Ross community. So those are really the two main drivers of why we chose to update our prompts. Let’s dive into the individual questions. Can you share more about the first one? [6:31] We’re interested in understanding from our applicants, how do you handle real world challenges within their past experience? How do you bring that forward into the action-based learning principles we have here at Ross. It’s to gauge your problem-solving skills, leadership experience, and how you’ve applied your knowledge previously in practical situations. So it assesses again that fit because ultimately every applicant we move to admit we want to make sure that there’s a mutual fit, that you’re going to thrive in the Ross environment, that we provide the right skillset development, the tools and the resources for you to be successful with your goals. But then also too, there are values and competencies that we’re looking for that we know allow you to succeed in this type of environment. Essay two really has two questions. One is the how will you make an impact at Michigan Ross, which is kind of similar to the second part of essay one. And then the actual prompt that they’re going to be responding to. Are you more interested in motivation or impact or both? [8:04] It is both, but we really look for impact. People who are willing to put themselves out there to make a difference. So we’re equally interested in both your motivation and your interest, but the prompts that we’ve provided are really to provide a choice on how you want to showcase you as an applicant, what drives you to have quantifiable impact in the actions that you’ve had within your communities. Understanding both the motivation drivers as well as the impact provides us as an admissions committee an understanding of the applicants to know how their actions have led to meaningful outcomes, because we want that same type of motivation leading to meaningful outcomes within our program. And you obviously want this question to be different. They should be complimentary. You don’t want repetition, otherwise the applicant is wasting their time and they’re wasting your time as well. [9:26] Yes. And this part two of the essay is really to understand the applicant a little bit more holistically on a more personal basis to really share based on their choice of the prompt, how you’ve made impact within a community or within an individual and how that has enhanced how you see kind of next steps or future. And really how that impact you’ve had within a community or individual drives you to be futurely motivated to pursue the next ambition or the next path. But it’s really ultimately emphasizing an applicant’s personal growth, resiliency. And once again, I mean I’ve probably used impact 10 times already, but impact that you’ve had with the community. I mean, that’s the title of the question. It makes sense. Do you anticipate that many applicants will use professional experience in responding to part one and a non-professional experience in responding to part two? Do you care? [10:37] I do care about the impact one. I really would like that to be outside of the professional experience. But ultimately in part one, it is up to you. These are each individualized and there will be a unique response for every applicant. But the action-based learning principles really does lend itself well in terms of impact you’ve had within a project or an experience and then the pedagogy or the curriculum structure of Ross, how you feel you would thrive in that type of environment. The second essay with the prompts, it’s really about your resiliency, your ambition, your motivation, supporting community members, whether it’s on an individualized basis or a community basis. Going to question three, it asks about short-term goals and how will Ross help you achieve them. I’m a little surprised you didn’t ask about long-term goals. [11:37] I know. You even pointed out in the video that we talk about that. It is important for us. While the essay does not explicitly ask about long-term goals, we really do want and encourage applicants to understand what are their short-term career goals, how that lends itself into their long-term trajectory. But ultimately, again, we’re looking for does this applicant fit within the culture and can they thrive in our environment because we want them to be successful with those short-term career goals. We also want them to be motivated to understand what that path may look like for them. You’re not tied to the short-term goal either as an applicant. You’re going to be exposed to so many different opportunities. You’re going to meet with alumni. You’re going to learn new careers and industries that you may not have heard of that are going to be really engaging and motivating for you. So your short-term career goal, your long-term career goal may shift as you grow as an individual, but having the foresight and the motivation to drive your own trajectory is really ultimately what we’re looking for. That really clarifies it. I mentioned that essay one is partially about what you are going to get and what are you going to give, but I also zoomed out a little bit and it seemed to me like one and three are more about how an applicant hopes to benefit from the Ross experience, and two is more about what they hope to contribute, impact. Impact at Ross and beyond. Is that a fair description? [13:03] It is interesting. I was part of this task force team that was looking at the essays, and we were really intentional about that. And that’s not an insight that we initially drew. It’s a very insightful observation, I would say. Let’s see, yes, probably possibly. And I think again, we want it to be able to have the applicant be as authentic as possible in these responses. But again, trying to get to those motivation factors of why Ross, why the short-term career goals and what do you want to achieve as an individual in these objectives? So just to focus on essay one, we wanted to understand as an applicant what your values are and then again, how you will thrive in the action-based learning environment. Going to that essay three prompt with your short-term career goals, we want to make sure you’re making an informed decision about why an MBA is going to help you achieve those short-term career goals and specifically why Ross MBA is going to help you. And then essay two, I might bring up impact again, but this centers on how you would contribute into Ross and you as an applicant get to highlight your unique attributes and again, the impact that you’ve been able to accomplish. Is the optional essay really optional? [15:03] Yes, it is truly optional. We give a guideline around parameters. So again, if there are gaps in your employment, if you have an anomaly in your GPA or your transcripts, I think anything that you can share to build your story rather than an evaluator from the admission side having to make assumptions or trying to understand what those gaps are, you fill in the blank. So my advice always to applicants, if you feel we did not capture who you are as an applicant within the criteria that we’ve asked for, share it in this optional essay. Do you have missing information that wasn’t covered? Definitely use it to share. Do you have that opportunity to tell more of your story as to why some of the application criteria may be the way that it is? Share. The more you share your story to an admissions officer, the more that they can advocate for you in admissions committee. So again, it’s not required, but we do find a lot of success with students that may have struggled the first year of their undergraduate degree to then have to recover in their GPA or you had a family emergency where you may have an employment gap. Explaining that in those optional essays really provides a lot of clarity and builds that authenticity. I shared earlier about we want resilient individuals in this program. Those moments build resiliency. So definitely would encourage you to share in the optional essay. By the way, I think you’re highlighting a really important point here. A lot of people are embarrassed to discuss times when grades dipped or they had a gap in employment or there was some difficulty in their lives. Well, everybody has difficulties and the real story is how you recovered from those difficulties. [16:46] 100%. We’re talking about an action-based learning principle in our curriculum, right? It’s our pedagogy. You are not able to do that effectively or optimally without failures. So having that growth mindset and being okay and overcoming that, that’s who thrives in our environment. I have one last question on the optional essay. From the text and from your comments, it seems like it really is for providing context to information already found in the application. What if there’s something that didn’t make it into the application but the applicant feels would be important for you to know about them? [17:32] Use that space. Anything that we did not capture within our application criteria that you feel is pertinent to your application and for us to get to know you as an applicant, use the word count to share. That’s why it exists as an optional essay. What about using AI in the application process? [18:25] Okay, so for us at Ross, so we’re not currently using AI or machine learning in our admissions process, but I might, okay, I’m going to get on my soapbox here because there is no official Ross policy yet or governance around how to use AI or machine learning, but I do believe from an admissions side, we will eventually be using AI and machine learning to drive decisions. I think there’s a lot of benefits to trying to be responsive to our prospective student base and making unbiased decisions when it is appropriate. So I don’t think the human element of the admission side will ever go away because we really do need to develop complex and personal relationships with each of our applicants. And so that admissions side, we’re hopefully going to at some point use AI and machine learning to elevate the experience that our applicants and our prospective students have. And then it’ll hopefully allow us to free up some time to be really intentional with the relationships that we develop within our prospective student base. Now, if you’re planning on using AI in your application as an applicant, we do require that you just disclose, currently, that you disclose that you used a generative AI or an AI tool to provide clarity and grammatical correction to your essays, for example. So we just want you to cite the usage of that. I don’t know if that will change because it’s not a formalized policy. It’s still new to us in higher education as well. So it’s here, it’s a disruptive technology and I don’t think it’s going away. So as it evolves, I think we will evolve along with the usage of AI and machine learning. I would caution applicants about using AI in writing their essays. That would be my perspective. I don’t think it’s there where it can write really, really good application essays. [20:29] No, I agree. I mean, your essays should be authentic. They should be you. They should be your words. Again, as a public institution, we’re trying to figure out, okay, if someone’s going to pay for a consultant to help them with the revisions, can an AI tool also help and create that accessibility? But ultimately those initial paragraphs, the content, it should all be yours. So we are trying to figure out what that balance is. But again, I look at it from my team’s perspective and some of the initiatives I want to drive in the near future. It is incorporating some of this AI and machine learning into the process. So I don’t think it’s going away. Do you see yourself using AI for initial reviews of applications? Is that some of the use that you’re thinking of? [21:27] No, I’m thinking more in terms of how we’re going to do some of the data analytics on that side. How we are going to, so from a tool and connecting and providing relevant real time feedback to applicant’s questions or what they’re looking to gain out of Ross, using it there. But the evaluation, again, that human connection to another human’s application is really important and I don’t anticipate that would ever go away. It’s why admissions officers, why we do what we do. We really enjoy that part of the process and getting to know applicants. So I don’t anticipate that, at least for Ross. I mean, it could be different. I think everyone, every institution is looking at it in a slightly different lens. What would you have liked me to ask you that I haven’t asked? [22:26] Well, we had just connected, so I’m excited to get all of our new updates out on the new Ross application cycle. We’re super excited for the fall cycle, so fall 2025. I can’t believe we’re already recruiting, but if you’re interested in the Ross MBA program, I definitely encourage you to look on our website. We have posted most of our events through November, so you can connect with us virtually, in person, either on campus or we’re traveling a lot starting in July, really through that October timeframe. [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AST-Listen-Now-Button-1024x256.png[/img] [b]Relevant Links:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/full-time-mba]Michigan Ross MBA[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/michigan-ross-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/]Michigan Ross MBA Essay Tips and Deadline[/url][/*] [*][url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/roi-calculator]MBA ROI Calculator[/url][/*] [*][url=https://reports.accepted.com/powerofnumbers?hsLang=en]38 Ways to Use the Power of Numbers in Your Admissions Resume[/url][/*] [/list] [b]Relevant shows:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/ross-mba-admissions-all-you-need-to-know-for-acceptance-episode-576/]Ross MBA Admissions: All You Need to Know for Acceptance[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/former-wharton-lauder-admissions-director-joins-accepted-welcome-kara-keenan-sweeney-episode-570/]Former Wharton/Lauder Admissions Director Joins Accepted [/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/advice-for-applicants-moving-from-2023-to-2024-episode-557/]Advice for Applicants: Moving from 2023 to 2024[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/roi-and-nyus-part-time-mba-episode-552/]ROI and NYU’s Part-time MBA [/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/wharton-mba-essay-tips-deadlines/#podcast]How to Get Into Wharton[/url][/*] [/list] [b]Subscribe[/b]: [url=https://www.accepted.com/stitcher][img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/admissions-straight-talk-stitcher.png[/img][/url] [url=http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=34489&refid=stpr][img]https://assets.blubrry.com/soa/BadgeLarge.png[/img][/url] [url=https://blog.accepted.com/feed/podcast/]Podcast Feed[/url] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/ace-the-new-michigan-ross-mba-essay-questions-bonus-episode/]Ace the New Michigan Ross MBA Essay Questions [Bonus Episode][/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
15 Jul 2024, 08:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Considering a STEM MBA? Some Benefits and Options |
  The U.S. Department of Education’s STEM classification includes college degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For an MBA program to earn a STEM designation, its curriculum must emphasize the quantitative and technical side of business management − areas such as business analytics, mathematics, data modeling, digital marketing, and technology. Historically, the MBA degree has not qualified for this designation. Traditional MBA programs focus on broad business skills, including management, marketing, finance, and human resources. Over the past five years, 15 of the top 25 business schools in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report ranking have achieved STEM designation for their full-time MBA programs. The balance of the programs offer a STEM option through one or more concentrations, majors, or pathways. This shift toward STEM designation was a strategic move to boost application volume when applications to full-time programs began declining. At the time, the designation provided an extension for Optional Practical Training (OPT), which was a clear benefit to international students, but less apparent was the benefit it provided for U.S. citizens and permanent residents as well. My experience at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business gave me a unique perspective on MBA programs. In the late 1940s, departing from the case study method that was the mainstay of graduate management education, the business school faculty at Carnegie Mellon pioneered “management science,” which the school describes on its website as “the first approach to integrate scientific methods into complex problem-solving.” Business schools around the world have since adopted this approach. Tepper continues to position itself as a b-school at the intersection of business and technology, where data-driven decision-making is the program’s approach to delivering the MBA. As the volume and speed of data generation increased, it was evident that the Tepper MBA was not just adapting but also leading the way in preparing students for the future of business. Fast-forward to today, and it’s clear that data are an integral part of our personal and professional lives. According to the 2023 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, data analysis is a critical skill – one of the most important for graduate management education (GME) graduates. The need for this and similar kinds of skills is not a passing trend but a fundamental shift in the business landscape. The demand for professionals who can lead in a tech-driven world is growing, and the time to adapt is now. The ability to understand and master data analysis is not just beneficial but crucial for future business success. Employer Interest in STEM MBAs The STEM MBA combines management skills and technical expertise as a broader skill set to meet growing employer demand. Employers have shared that these skills – along with data analysis and interpretation, communication, and strategy and innovation – are essential and will continue to be so for the next five years. Of the employers surveyed in the 2023 Corporate Recruiters Survey who view technology, software, and programming as important for GME grads, 80% specifically identify Web3 (aka Web 3.0), blockchain, and virtual reality as in-demand tech skills for U.S. and international students alike, while 75% indicate cloud-based technology, and 74% indicate AI and machine learning. The benefit for international students is a 24-month extension for OPT, which increases the time they can work in the United States to three years, with H1B sponsorship from their employer. The STEM MBA prepares students to use technology to make complex business decisions across industries such as finance, healthcare, marketing, and operations, and in such functions as management, strategy, and innovation. The following table highlights the STEM programs and features available at the top 25 business schools in 2024, according to U.S. News & World Report. Schools whose names appear in bold offer a full-time STEM-specific MBA degree. Top STEM MBA programs in the United States 2024 RankingSchoolSTEM Programs1StanfordFull-time MBA1UPenn WhartonNine majors within the full-time MBA: Business Analytics; Business Economics and Public Policy; Business, Energy, Environment and Sustainability; Environmental, Social and Governance Factors for Business; Finance, Operations; Information and Decisions; Quantitative Finance; Social Governance Factors for Business; and Statistics3Chicago BoothFull-time MBA3Northwestern KelloggFull-time MBA (one year and two year), MBAi, Future Leaders MBA, Executive MBA5MIT SloanFull-time MBA, Sloan Fellows MBA, Executive MBA6HarvardManagement Science track within full-Time MBA7Yale Concentration in management science within the MBA 7NYU SternFull-time MBA; Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA7Berkeley HaasFull-time MBA10Dartmouth TuckManagement Science and Quantitative Methods Option within the full-time MBA10UVA DardenSpecialization within full-time MBA: Management Science12Michigan RossSTEM-designated track within the full-time MBA 12ColumbiaFull-time MBA, Executive MBA12Duke FuquaFull-time MBA15Cornell JohnsonFull-time MBA, Johnson Cornell Tech MBA, 1+1 MBA 16Texas McCombsFourteen concentrations within full-time MBA: Information Management, Supply Chain and Operations Management, Business Analytics, Brand and Product Management, High Tech Marketing, Marketing Analytics and Consulting, General Finance, Corporate Accounting, Investment Management, Corporate Finance, Energy Finance, Clean Tech, Private Equity, and Real Estate Finance16CMU TepperFull-time MBA, Online Hybrid MBA18USC MarshallFull-time MBA (one year and two year), Part-time MBA18Emory GoizuetaFull-time MBA 20UCLA AndersonFull-time MBA, Fully employed MBA, Executive MBA20Indiana KelleyFive majors within the full-time MBA: Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Strategic Analysis of Accounting Information, Supply Chain and Operations20UNC Kenan-FlaglerFull-time MBA, Online MBA, Evening Executive MBA, Weekend Executive MBA, Charlotte Executive MBA20Vanderbilt OwenThree concentrations: Consumer Psychology and Marketing Analytics, Finance, Operations and Analytics24Georgetown McDonoughManagement Science major within the full-time and Flex MBA25Georgia Tech SchellerFull-time MBA, Evening MBA  As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management. Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources:
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17 Jul 2024, 09:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Should I Use AI for My MBA (Grad/College) Applications? |
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[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Should-I-Use-AI-for-My-MBA-GradCollege-Applications-.png[/img] [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Should-I-Use-AI-for-My-MBA-GradCollege-Applications-.png[/img] My answer to this question used to be a hard “No.” But now, it’s “Yes! Kind of.” We’ve gone through an admissions cycle during which applicants used AI tools such as [url=https://chatgpt.com/]ChatGPT[/url], [url=https://copilot.microsoft.com/]CoPilot,[/url] [url=https://gemini.google.com/]Gemini[/url], and others with both positive and negative outcomes. Some colleges, graduate schools, and MBA programs might even have essay prompts soon that “lean in” and ask you to use AI. Others may request that you cite where you used AI! Ultimately, you must use your human judgment as to when and when not to use AI. My mantra when it comes to mixing AI and admissions now is this: Don’t sacrifice your authenticity to save time with AI. Here’s my list of do’s and don’ts for using AI in your applications. 1. Do create an application organization plan. [list][/list] Prompt the AI with all the schools you are targeting, along with their questions and deadlines. Ask about potential overlap in essay topics so you can adapt certain essays for use with various schools. Ask the AI to create a schedule to keep you on track. 2. Do prepare a one-pager for your recommenders. [/list] Type in examples of professional impact that your recommender might have observed. Be careful about directly copying from your resume, because the recommender could use the same wording, and that might take away from the authenticity of their recommendation. If you do, prompt the AI to change the wording, and then edit the notes into five or six bullet points of three to four sentences each. Proofread, and then give the document to your recommender to reference. 3. Do draft updates for your social media profiles. [/list] Ask the AI to create job descriptions or professional blog posts. Make sure they accurately reflect your actual experience and expertise. 4. Do draft a resume. [/list] AI can create a resume very quickly. You can ask ChatGPT what good prompts are. Just make sure that you do not submit the resume until you or another human has proofread it. A resume for an MBA application is different from what you might use for a job search. 5. Do use AI as a “word calculator.” [/list] Ask the AI what a good structure for your essay might be. Then copy that structure, and paste it into a document that you write outside of AI. When you get writer’s block, ask AI to come up with alternative phrasing for what you are trying to say. Something could then shake loose! Using a text generator this way assists you with the writing process but gives you the reins to take over in your own voice so the essay remains authentic. 6. Do use AI as a word eliminator. [/list] Essays have strict word limits. Paste your personalized essay into AI, and ask the tool to cut down the word count. Review to make sure the meaning wasn’t changed. 7. Do not use AI to quickly produce a “canned” essay response. [/list] Getting from “Answer this essay question” to producing a strong, personalized essay takes deep reflection. You’re not going to stand out in a very competitive MBA field if you take the canned response AI comes up with. You can use a prompted structure as a base, but you must write using your personal examples and thoughts. 8. Do not memorize responses for in-person interviews [/list] This can be tempting, especially if English isn’t your first language, but resist. Memorization is almost always an automatic ding. Interviewers want to know whether you’d be an engaging classmate and how you think on the spot. 9. Do not use AI to quickly get a response to video interview prompts. [/list] MBA programs that require video interviews have to watch thousands. It’s safe to assume that they’ll start recognizing people who’ve quickly typed the prompt into AI and gotten a perfectly fine, but ultimately robotic, response. Video interviews are a chance for you to be spontaneous and show your personality.[b] [/b][b][/b] 10. Do not use what AI generates if it does not authentically represent your original thought. [/list] Finally, make sure that you submit essays that represent you. If you don’t, you will be found out. If you’re able to remain authentic through AI prompts and save time, then go for it! A word of caution: To make an AI-generated essay specific to yourself, you would have to keep iterating prompts that include your personal information, just as you would in the regular writing process. The only difference is that the AI bot does not have the judgment to know whether you’ve answered a school’s essay prompt persuasively. In my opinion, relying on tools such as ChatGPT to write an effective, personalized MBA essay will take the same amount of time as – or longer than – it would to work with an experienced editor or consultant. Here’s my AI essay … Let’s try to nail just the first paragraph of one of the most open-ended essay prompts (Stanford GSB) into really gripping, personalized writing. I’ll be the one applying. Here’s more about [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/michelle-stockman#open-form]my background.[/url] [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfGNUiKyIyBU1X3h4Qk5CfH4qxjAfFehAPcyvjP4ruFnhFNtAzYQWYaBbOpRcEcmuwf6TEDE0u8LqT8ZM08D0kETH_oO85ZEwMwYWa4jwLMCmQ07_Mf8OblegKkG_cYXOjeSV5YaOqBdTvONTIVA9vkujGeeQNrP1sAEJnp3rHoAoL6VFFZAzw?key=AvUO6Bd4YV_TTsQf7gJsVQ[/img] Offering up some great values there, ChatGPT! But I can tell you that any adcom member reading this would be bored to tears and suspicious that this was written by AI. It’s totally generic and could apply to nearly any thoughtful human. Here’s my second try. [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXckGXbGJqOaHEkbB8OE9yd6av28m81ngGNMSg-K06aWXQ36xmIG8g3mSW9CKKkVjkWfo72gf07OQ6teVOkfqv0xrENxw1oE1qTrgoyajEOk4YWDiXQl-Zq8m8GCZrV9TbHFFME9lphgf0K9AY7Cw4_CqkOm_MQpYGlXf2e2svO74dI0_JJX0w?key=AvUO6Bd4YV_TTsQf7gJsVQ[/img] After I pasted in the contents of my resume, here’s the result: [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd_F6jqyif5Ec8AJGsIEkAXeFERDXikPt6FlRDbuB_5lR5y_XTxxDZuWRCQzMest5tpx20EygHT2z8TKkO9M5zgnzF17UyQ9a1YZRa5QZzbzT-D_1PoO_qcCltqhripQAMmNJOpIud6VOADBrN99T1bxjZjgCZJVaZNCIl7OoLTzKCEek347rM?key=AvUO6Bd4YV_TTsQf7gJsVQ[/img] It definitely relates more to me and my personal experience. But does it capture my attention? Does it make the most of the word count I’ve been allotted? And most importantly, is it true? I tried again, after sitting at my computer, thinking for about 15 minutes about a moment from my reporting career that really stood out to me. [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdFcmjKPV-G6YmXecUCD3MUFkVLOZRVtTyXGj0StPS7ut2pVR_m8RuUZNGMSWftE3Yb6N9VxZ8xvo9VhAwHNcCz7gPS5KhlhITQMzj25FzbRxnbVdIxvNf7EQZ0vrT_c4vspTMtRHmo_wDxyxI8zwvDJj9fgzAv_ygomLMSbKuKXCfC_2HC8g4?key=AvUO6Bd4YV_TTsQf7gJsVQ[/img] This result is better but still not great. I think it’s a much more interesting opening, but ChatGPT used much of my own writing. It didn’t really save me that much time. If we drill down into the text, we can see that it’s repetitive: “transformative moment” versus “inciting moment,” for example. The anecdote also doesn’t really show how storytelling can inspire change, which is what I’ve said is most important to me. I’ll spare you the rest of the essay, which basically rehashed my resume in long form. Why to keep your essays in human hands instead As a professional editor, I would estimate that it would take me probably three or four more hours (including a period of deep reflection) to come up with the content needed to fundamentally change what is a generic essay into a masterful, heartfelt story that’s truly tailored to the Stanford MBA essay prompt. ChatGPT has helped me get some words down on paper, but there are fundamental problems in the essay’s structure and content. It will require transformative surgery, because it’s fundamentally not right (and not human). Stanford (like other MBA programs) is looking for people who have examined their experiences and chosen to act in an impactful way to address the change they want to see in the world. But I’m not a good writer… For those of you who believe that AI is a much better writer than you are, that’s like saying a cup, rather than the water in it, will quench your thirst. To keep going with this metaphor, AI is, for now, a shiny cup that you still have to fill with “water” (i.e., your personal experience) to make it work for you. Even if you take the time to prompt and re-prompt an AI tool, it still cannot tell you whether the resulting essay is any good, truly answers the school’s prompt, or is specific enough to the MBA program. I now believe that AI can assist you in your writing. But anyone can be a good writer when they have accessed their authentic voice. (This also applies to those of you for whom English is a second language!) Finding that voice takes deep reflection and assistance from an expert who can help you draw out transformative experiences. As an admissions consultant, I can help you organize your thoughts into a compelling, personalized story that will “wow” the admissions committee. You will save time by starting out on the right path, rather than doubting yourself and the story you tell. The future is full of wonder AI could eventually trigger a complete overhaul of the admissions process. Who knows? I recommend experimenting with AI to see how it can help you! When it comes to writing your essays, though, let your authentic self shine through. Working on your application essays? If you would like help with your application essay and strategy, book a [url=https://www.accepted.com/mba/free-admissions-consultation]free 30-minute consultation[/url] with a (human) Accepted MBA admissions expert. [img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Michelle_Stockman_admissions-expert-headshot.jpg[/img] Michelle Stockman has more than 17 years of admissions consulting experience and has had clients admitted to M7 and top 20 MBA programs. She taps into her background as a former admissions staff member at Columbia Business School and as a global journalist to coach MBA candidates to acceptance. [url=https://www.accepted.com/experts/michelle-stockman?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_medium=blog_bio_michelle&utm_source=blog#open-form]Want Michelle to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch![/url] [img]https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfrcvC6SE8leZItDFe8TNoXAhn2E5tEUb3QIA8JH5nRCu2QMFIPYcrL2AgAf3ypb84oPHYvwkDY1z0RioTGEt26kMPwAj76oO-eScSBuWMB8b8SI_-XBEpJvlRBtMiyWjCim7P-mWjPlhMicdWbPH7ziVhqbftotAH9vNTEGyIAh3jSwe_GiPQ?key=AvUO6Bd4YV_TTsQf7gJsVQ[/img] (“Portrait of a professional cat preparing an MBA application”) AI art created by Michelle Stockman, using [url=https://picsart.com/create]PicsArt[/url] [b]Related Resources:[/b] [list] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/writing-the-diversity-essay/]How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/display-teamwork-in-application-essays/]Four Tips for Displaying Teamwork in Your Application Essays[/url][/*] [*][url=https://blog.accepted.com/showing-strengths-in-application-essays/]Four Ways to Highlight Your Strengths in Your Application Essays[/url][/*] [/list] The post [url=https://blog.accepted.com/can-artificial-intelligence-help-with-your-mba-applications/]Should I Use AI for My MBA (Grad/College) Applications? [/url] appeared first on [url=https://blog.accepted.com]Accepted Admissions Blog[/url]. |
19 Jul 2024, 05:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Chicago Booth MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025] |
  Chicago Booth’s two required essay questions have 250-word minimums. While specifying a minimum length for an MBA essay is very unusual, it fits with Booth’s history of breaking the mold. At the same time, don’t infer that the absence of a maximum is a license to be verbose. As Booth says, “We trust that you will use your best judgment in determining how long your submission should be.” Do use your best judgement; otherwise, you will be showing a different kind of judgement. And you really don’t want to do that. Ready to get to work on your Chicago Booth application? Here is some expert advice to help you get accepted: Chicago Booth application essay tips Chicago Booth Essay #1 How will a Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.) To answer this question, you need to know three things:
In your essay, you can start by presenting a seminal experience, preferably an achievement that shaped your goals and aspirations. Tell a story about this experience and describe what you learned from it and how it has influenced you and your short- and long-term goals. Then, talk about Booth. Look at the school’s curriculum, strengths, career placement record, and extracurricular activities that support your ambitions. Alternatively, start with the achievement of your goal – you can try using a day-in-the-life approach – and then flash back and tell the story of that seminal experience and how it and Booth prepared you for the future day that started your essay. A few years ago, I attended the AIGAC conference, which was hosted for one morning by Chicago Booth. During the school’s information sessions, the admissions committee members made clear that they look for individuals who demonstrate self-awareness and direction. They want to read your application and see, based on what you’ve done, that you’re going to make a mark on the world. Write this essay so that it shows both self-awareness and your ability to make that mark. Chicago Booth Essay #2 An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are. (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.) This question was added a couple of years ago and is a real getting-to-know-you kind of question. What do you like to do in your spare time? Why does this activity appeal to you? Introduce yourself outside the office. And if you can show yourself in a growth mode, do so. You could approach this essay with a goal that you’re trying to achieve and the steps you’re taking to achieve it. The possibilities are endless: running a marathon, painting a certain painting, learning a musical instrument, acquiring fluency in a foreign language prior to international travel, contributing to a cause you believe in, and so on. You could approach this essay by starting with your motivation for assuming this challenge or simply you doing what you enjoy doing. Tell a story about the experience, and then explore why it’s significant to you. What does it say about you? Chicago Booth Optional Essay Is there any unclear information in your application that needs further explanation? (Maximum 300 words.) This is a restrictive optional question. Booth is really asking only for information that will clarify something that is unclear, such as a drop in grades one semester or a period of unemployment, or why your current supervisor is not writing your letter of recommendation. This question, unlike the required questions, does have a word limit. Respect it. Chicago Booth Reapplicant Essay Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (Maximum 300 words.) The answer to this question is critical for MBA reapplicants, and it’s different from most reapplication essays in that it’s more about your perspective than what you’ve done. Chicago wants to see growth and development. Let this brief essay show a maturation and evolution of your goals and of your reasons for wanting to attend Chicago Booth. Let it also reveal that you meet Chicago’s criteria better this year than last. You’ve just made a smart investment of time in reading this blog post. Now you’re one step closer to submitting the kind of application that can lead to acceptance at one of the most prestigious programs in the country. Why not make the next smart investment and consider one of our consulting packages? We have helped thousands of qualified applicants get to “yes” from the adcoms. Schedule a free consultation with an Accepted expert today! Chicago Booth application deadlines Submission DeadlineDecision Notification DateRound 1September 19, 2024 11:59 p.m. CSTDecember 5, 2024Round 2January 7, 2025 11:59 p.m. CSTMarch 27, 2025Round 3April 3, 2025 11:59 p.m. CSTMay 22, 2025Chicago Booth ScholarsApril 29, 2025 11:59 p.m. CSTJuly 1, 2025 Source: Chicago Booth website ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with Chicago Booth directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.*** Chicago Booth MBA class profile Here’s a look at the Chicago Booth Class of 2025 (data taken from the Chicago Booth website): Full-Time MBA Students: 637 Applications Submitted: 4,184 JD/MBA Accelerated Students: 20 Chicago Booth Global Footprint:
Countries Represented: 54 Students Born Outside of the United States: 49% First-Generation Students: 12% International: 36% Women: 42% Veterans: 11% LGBTQ+: 12% U.S. Race/Ethnicity (Federal guidelines reporting)
Average Age: 28 Average Years of Work Experience: 5 Pre-Booth Industries
Undergraduate Majors Represented
Undergraduate Institutions: 277 Average GPA: 3.6 GPA Range: 2.4-4 Hold Graduate-Level Degrees: 19% GMAT Average: 728 GMAT Median: 730 GMAT Range: 600-780 GRE Quantitative Average: 163 GRE Quantitative Range: 148-170 GRE Verbal Average: 162 GRE Verbal Range: 149-170 More resources for Chicago Booth applicants Are you considering applying to business school? We have the resources to help you navigate your options and make the right choice for you:
Do you need help gaining admission to Chicago Booth or any other top MBA program? That’s what we do! Schedule a free consultation with an experienced admissions adviser who will help you get accepted! The post Chicago Booth MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024 – 2025] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
