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09 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Forbes Top 10 International MBA Programs |
Top 1-Year International MBA Programs: Top 2-Year International MBA Programs: 1. London Business School – London, UK 2. IESE – Barcelona, Spain 3. HEC Paris – Paris, France 4. CEIBS – Shanghai, China 5. Hong Kong UST – Hong Kong, China 6. Manchester – Manchester, UK 7. NUS Business School – Singapore 8. IPADE – Mexico City, Mexico 9. York Schulich – Toronto, Canada 10. ESADE – Barcelona, Spain Let’s compare some stats from the two rankings (from the one-year international lead article): • Graduates from the top international one-year MBA programs had a median 5-year gain of $125,500. This is compared to graduates of top international two-year programs, who had a median gain of $64,000. In comparison, graduates of two-year MBA programs in the U.S. saw a median gain of only $42,500. • It took one-year MBA international grads 2.4 years to pay off their program. Two-year international grads took 3.4 years, and U.S. two-year grads took 4 years to pay back their investment. • Graduates from INSEAD, the top one-year international MBA program, had a 5-year gain of $171,200. It took these grads an average of 2.4 years to pay off their investment. Graduates from Stanford, the top two-year U.S. MBA program, had a 5-year gain of $89,100 and it took them 4.2 years to pay back the investment. See our Forbes top U.S. MBA programs article for a word on methodology.   Related Resources: • How to Pay For Your MBA Abroad [on-demand webinar] • MBA Rankings: Why Should I Care? [short video] • B-School Zones for Top MBA Programs Tags: Cambridge Judge, CEIBS, esad, HEC, HKUST, IE, IESE, IMD, INSEAD, London Business School, MBA Admissions, NUS, Oxford Said, Rankings The post Forbes Top 10 International MBA Programs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
09 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Insights into MIT Sloan MBA Admissions with Dawna Levenson [Episode 132] |
 Ho-hum and dry theory isn’t for you. You’re looking for an elite MBA program firmly grounded in practice but capable of soaringly creative innovation. Then you need to learn more about MIT Sloan. In today’s episode, meet Dawna Levenson, MIT Sloan’s Director of Admissions. Introduction to Dawna Levenson: (1:30) Her background and the professional experiences that brought her to MIT. What makes MIT Sloan distinctive? (1:14) Dawna gives us an overview of some of the unique features of MIT Sloan’s curriculum: three customizable tracks (in finance, entrepreneurship, and enterprise management) and two certificate programs (in sustainability and healthcare). Students can do both a track and a certificate. Content-delivery includes traditional lectures, case method, and action learning/project based courses. Students also have the opportunity to take courses elsewhere at MIT. The cohort/team system is carefully planned out: you take your first semester core with a cohort of 60-70 students, and work together with a team of 6-7 students, who are brought together to balance experiences and strengths. Sloan’s “lab” courses (6:04) Experiential courses based around real-world problems. She gives the example of G-Lab (Global Entrepreneurship Lab), where students spend the fall semester working on solving a problem for a real business and then, in January, travel to where the sponsor company is located. Students have traveled globally, including to countries in Africa and Latin America. “China Lab” is a separate program in the spring. The result: hands-on experience working for a real company solving real problems. Dawna highlights other strengths of MIT Sloan (10:27) The integral connection with MIT (though this does not mean Sloan is only for engineers!); the very strong finance faculty; the exciting joint degree programs (including a joint MBA/Master’s in Engineering @ MIT and a joint MBA/MPP with Harvard’s Kennedy School). A few exciting (and diverse!) projects launched by recent grads (13:32) A product that allows you to detect the level of gluten in your food; “Spoiler Alert,” dedicated to addressing food waste; and a brewery. GMAT vs GRE (15:36) Is there a difference or preference between the GRE and GMAT? Dawna gives a firm NO. IR Update (17:00) With regard to the GMAT: any updates on how MIT Sloan is considering the IR section? Since this is a new section and all applicants don’t have IR scores, it’s not weighed as heavily as quant or verbal scores. Insights on the application process (17:33) Your application will be read fully by 1-2 readers. In addition, if you’re invited to interview, your interviewer will review your application carefully. The essays (19:04) 1 required essay (describing a recent success), 1 optional essay, and a second required essay for candidates invited for an interview. The first essay is meant to get to know applicants and assess competencies. The second required essay (for interview candidates) is about fit—to ask applicants to reflect on their goals and their fit with MIT Sloan’s values before the interview. The optional essay provides a chance to supply any other information you want the committee to know. Around 50% of applicants submit the optional essay. Interview advice (22:20) The interview is an extension of the application—the point is to get to know the applicant, identify skills and fit. It’s a conversation. Expect behavioral questions, and be prepared to ask questions. If your interview is on campus, you’ll have the opportunity to meet current students, visit classes, etc. All interviews are conducted by admissions staff who have reviewed your full app. What to do if you’re waitlisted (24:12) If you’re waitlisted Round 1, your app will be carried over and reconsidered Round 2, so definitely send (significant) updates. Your waitlist letter will let you know where to direct this information. Demonstrate interest in the school. Newly added Round 3 (25:00) Why? By popular demand. What makes an applicant stand out in a good way, and in a bad way? (25:39) People whose goals align with the school’s mission and who are familiar with and excited by the program stand out. People who come across as overconfident, or who don’t show interest/knowledge about the school, stand out for the wrong reasons. It’s bad to ask questions that are already answered on the webpage! Advice for applicants (28:20) Be yourself- your best self. Tell your story in a professional way.  Relevant Links: • MIT Sloan School Of Management Admissions Website• Accepted’s MIT Sloan 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines• Accepted’s 2016 MIT Executive MBA Application Essay Tips• MIT SloanZone • Top Dog Takes MIT Sloan by Storm Relevant shows: • Sustainability, Ross MBA & The Erb Institute• Tuck Talk: IV With The Dean Of Admissions• How To Earn A Spot On Team Fuqua• It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are? Subscribe:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, MIT Sloan, podcast The post Insights into MIT Sloan MBA Admissions with Dawna Levenson [Episode 132] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
09 Dec 2015, 21:08
10 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Prepare for Interviews with Positive Imagery |
 In the conference room, I imagined myself standing on a tennis court: I tossed the ball into the air then smashed an ace serve right past my opponent. Back in real life, I smiled to myself when the assistant came to tell me the McKinsey partner was ready to meet with me. With confident steps, I followed her down the hall to one of my final-round interviews with the strategy consulting firm. So why was I thinking about tennis when I could have been recalling business frameworks and other concepts frantically to prepare for a likely-grueling case interview? For one, last-minute cramming—and anything done frantically—rarely adds value. More importantly, I was using positive imagery to boost my confidence for the interview. Imagining myself doing something in which I had proficiency—tennis, in this case, which I played for my high school team—endowed me with a greater sense of capability as I approached a less familiar and typically anxiety-provoking situation. Much research has documented the effectiveness of positive imagery, and it’s used for a variety of purposes: excelling in sports, quitting bad habits such as smoking, even experiencing a less painful childbirth process. Many studies have demonstrated the ability of positive imagery, or “guided imagery,” to help patients deal with medical conditions ranging from allergies to heart disease. So how can you use imagery to prepare for your interview, whether it’s for college, graduate school, or a job? First, you should practice the technique before you really need to use it. Start by finding a quiet space in your day, clearing your mind, and using one of the techniques below. The more you practice, the more easily you’ll be able to summon imagery when needed. Then, ideally starting a day or two before the interview, practice using imagery to relax yourself and boost your confidence. There are several specific ways to use positive imagery: 1. Visualize yourself doing something you excel at: This is the version I used as I prepared for my consulting interviews. Think of something you’re really good at, whether a sport, an academic subject, cooking, or whatever, then visualize yourself doing it. Use very specific details: imagine the setting, the equipment you’re using, the result, even the positive reactions of others. 2. Visualize yourself excelling in the interview itself: If you’ve been through successful interviews, use your memory of those to help create positive imagery about the upcoming interview. Imagine yourself shaking hands with the interviewer and providing poised and compelling answers to their questions. Imagine the interviewer nodding in response and giving you positive feedback at the end. Focus more on what this will look like than the content of the questions and answers. 3. Use positive affirmations: People have mixed feelings about saying positive things to themselves—it can feel forced, corny, or ridiculous to talk to yourself in this way (thanks in no small part to Al Franken’s Stuart Smalley character on the TV show Saturday Night Live!). But you may find it helpful to say things to yourself (out loud or in your head) like, “I’m going to do well today” or “I deserve a place in this class.” And again there’s strong evidence that it works: in controlled experiments, people using positive affirmations were able to lift more weight or break boards more easily than those who weren’t. Hopefully you won’t have to break boards as part of your interview, but consider experimenting with positive affirmations, with or without any imagery. Positive imagery helped me get the McKinsey job, and it can help you excel in your interviews. *Image Designed by Freepik  Related Resources: • Interview Tip: Prepare Questions • The Art Of Interviewing—Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”? • Weakness, What Weakness? Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Interview, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, Medical School Admissions, Medical School Interview The post Prepare for Interviews with Positive Imagery appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Dec 2015, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay |
 Show that you are uniquely qualified to be a member of their next EMBA class! You’ve been busy these last few years. Very busy. How will you ever fit all of your classes, extracurricular activities, awards, and job experience in your EMBA application essays? The simple answer is that you won’t, and you shouldn’t even attempt to. Trying to include all of your past experiences will create an essay that is too long and confused. You should focus on two or three ideas or experiences and discuss them in depth, describing how they make you the best executive b-school candidate out there. Follow these three simple tips to write your winning essay: 1. The ideas or experiences you will write about in your essay will fall into one of the following two categories: • Points that you want to make because they’re very striking and separate you from the rest of the applicants. • Themes that you must write about because the essay question requires them. You should try to include as much information from the first category in the second as possible. This will help you be efficient in answering the question, while assuring that you get to tell as much of your story as possible. 2. Make sure your essays complement each other (and compliment you!). Be sure that all the elements in each of your essays are connected in some way, painting a complete picture of you. Each of your essays should stand on its own, while providing balance for the other. If the theme of one is leadership, the other should be on a different one of your exceptional qualifications. They should complement, not duplicate each other. 3. Use recent material first. Be sure to use recent experiences to portray a clear, powerful image of your current position at work. Once you’ve done that, if you have more to say, it’s useful to employ older experiences as well. These will give you an opportunity to show your development and progress. It’s perfectly acceptable to focus only on new or contemporary experiences. However, DO NOT use only past events. This may give the impression to the adcom readers that you peaked early in your career, and have nothing further to offer. Your essay needs to leave the impression that your best is yet to come. Following these tips will help the adcom readers learn about who you are, and what makes you uniquely qualified to be a member of their next EMBA class. For more valuable tips, check out our EMBA 101 resource page. Related Resources: • Ace The EMBA: Expert Advice for the Rising Executive • Executive MBA Pros & Cons • Global EMBA 2016 Essay Tips Tags: EMBA, MBA Admissions The post 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
11 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Fuqua Forever: Enrique’s Continued Journey |
 This interview is the latest in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. And now for a chat with Enrique Toubes, a graduate of Duke Fuqua. (We first met Enrique last year – you can read our first interview with him here.) Accepted: Last we spoke, you were finishing up your first year at Duke Fuqua. How was your second year? How did year 2 differ from year 1? Enrique: Second year was very different from the first one. First of all, I kept thinking that the countdown for the end of the MBA had already started, which was very sad! I was one of those who did not want to graduate and was hoping to get a third year at Fuqua! I kept thinking about all the things I should be doing before the MBA was over. Recruiting was also different. I got my full-time offer with Deloitte and had more time to give back to the school, helping second and first years preparing behavioral and case interviews. I was also involved in several clubs and organizations. It is true what they say– that a different MBA starts once you get your job offer! Accepted: Where did you intern in between years 1 and 2? Enrique: I did my summer internship at Deloitte Consulting, out of the Atlanta office. I got my offer in their technology practice and spent my summer working at an M&A engagement. It was a very successful summer and led to my full-time offer! Accepted: Where are you currently working? What role did Duke play in helping you secure that position? Enrique: I decided to accept the Deloitte offer and started working in their technology practice in July, out of the Atlanta office. I am aligned with the technology strategy service line. Duke played a key role during the recruiting process, as I was able to talk with many management consultants during their campus visits at Fuqua. Alumni are super involved during the recruiting process at Duke and everyone was super helpful Accepted: Congrats on the new baby! Can you share some advice on juggling parenting and working full-time? Enrique: A baby changes your life completely. I was afraid that I would not see my daughter much and that I would not be at home often. However, Deloitte goes the extra mile to help their consultants have a good work-life balance. I was staffed at an internal project, which allows me to work from home and not having to travel as much. I will be in this project for five months and will then transition back to a client facing role. Accepted: Do you ever go back and visit Fuqua? Enrique: I go back to Fuqua every time I have a chance! I have been at Duke three times already and will be going back again in early December! I am part of the recruiting team at Fuqua and am very involved on campus. For instance, one of my tasks is to organize and conduct office hours, which is an opportunity for the students to meet 1-on-1 with recruiters and ask all their questions about recruiting for a particular company, type of projects that are involved, and so on. I love helping students and enjoy giving them guidance during the recruiting process. At the same time I am learning a lot about what it takes to be successful during interviews or informational chats. Being “on the other side” really lets you identify what works and what does not when recruiting for a job. Accepted: Do you have any advice for our readers on making the most of b-school? Is there anything you wish you would’ve known before starting school to make the transition easier and to make the most of the experience? Enrique: My only advice to make the most out of b-school is to go out of your comfort zone, meet as many people as you can, explore classes and get involved in activities that are new to you. This is the only way you will really learn and grow as a person and as a professional. As for the second part of the question, I would recommend doing some self reflection to identify the top roles you would like as a career both for the summer and full-time. This will help you be more focused and successful on the recruiting process. You can read more about Enrique’s b-school journey by checking out his blog, Reaching the Thirties and connecting with him on LinkedIn. Thank you Enrique for sharing your story with us! Related Resources: • The Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • How To Earn A Spot On Team Fuqua • Duke Fuqua 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines Tags: Duke Fuqua, MBA Admissions, MBA Student Interviews The post Fuqua Forever: Enrique’s Continued Journey appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
13 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 3 Ways to Beat the Rejection Blues |
 For some ’tis the season for hearing good admissions news; but for others, this holiday season may be more grim. If you’ve received a rejection letter from your target school (or – sigh – from all your target schools), then you may be feeling more Grinch and less glee this season. It’s hard to get into grad school – harder now than ever before, with more applicants vying for those top spots than in recent years. The blow can be particularly brutal if you scored interviews or made it to the waitlist – if you came this close to getting in – and then received that fateful letter after your hopes had been so high. Time for a reality check! It’s okay to be bummed, but let’s try not to make bad news worse than it has to be. Your career goals have not been demolished. No one has told you that you’ll never be a (fill in the blank – doctor/lawyer/teacher/consultant/engineer). This rejection may very well delay or modify a career dream, but the only way it can derail you completely is if you let it do that. Don’t. Instead, vent as much as you need to and then start moving on. Here are three ways you can do that: [b]1. Revise your plans. [/b] Was going to grad school really the only path to achieving your dreams? Did grad school need to happen now? If grad school truly wasn’t an option any more, what would you do? Long-term plans are important, but it’s important to grow every day, in some way, and to avoid staking your entire future on one major event (i.e., getting into graduate school). What are short-term goals you want to achieve at work and in your personal life – job-related, fitness, family, friends, hobbies, spirituality? Don’t just give lip service to these things; think them through, in part because they may be crucial to the next strategy. [b]2. Reapply to top-choice and other programs.[/b] More and more applicants these days are reapplicants – people who didn’t give up. And guess what? Reapplicants are more likely to get in than those in the general pool. Why? Usually because reapplicants represent a more dedicated, focused, “serious” group. They know they want to get into a particular school, they know why, and they (usually) know what it takes and have worked hard to achieve it. So start thinking about which programs you really want to focus on next time, and start building an application that will turn a disappointing “no” into a triumphant “yes.” Also, be willing to cast a wider net if you didn’t get at least some positive results (e.g., interviews) overall. [b]3. Keep things in perspective.[/b] Getting rejected from grad school is the pits. But we promise, it is NOT the worst thing in the world! Through this experience, you’ll learn loads about yourself: you’ll re-prioritize your goals, adjust your timeline, gain more experience on the job, take additional classes, network with more people, and overall, enrich your life so that when you apply next year or when you decide to head out on a different career path, you’ll be more prepared and more successful. I hope these tips help you keep perspective, even when the news you get isn’t the news you want. And if reapplication is your answer, then make sure you get in touch – we’re here to help you learn from your mistakes and create a Take 2 application that will get you IN. Related Resources: • Got Dinged? You Can Handle It! • Help! I’ve Been Waitlisted! • Will Facebook Destroy Your Admissions Chances? Tags: Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions, rejection The post 3 Ways to Beat the Rejection Blues appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: I Was Accepted…But Can I Do Better? |
 Yes! You got in…but…maybe…. If you relate to any of the following scenarios, then this article is for you: “I was accepted Early Decision at Columbia, but am considering losing my deposit and applying to Harvard next year because ED admissions at Columbia probably means I can get into HBS.” Or… “I have been accepted to NYU Stern, but am thinking about rejecting NYU and applying to Wharton next year – I had been waitlisted and then rejected from Wharton this year.” Or… “I have been accepted to MIT, but prefer Stanford because of the brand.” Here are my thoughts on the above situations: 1. If the top school that accepted you supports your career goals and provides an educational environment that you’re comfortable with (and it should, otherwise why would you have applied there in the first place?), then I say, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. You should be thrilled with your acceptance at Columbia, NYU, or MIT, and attend! 2. Don’t assume that you’ll get accepted to an elite school (H/S/W) simply because you received an offer from a top school — even an Early Decision acceptance at Columbia. The adcoms won’t be checking with the other schools to see where you were admitted; admissions decisions are independent events, so don’t draw conclusions from unrelated circumstances. 3. Now, taking 1 and 2 into account, there is something to be said for not giving up hope on your dream school. NYU Stern is truly a fantastic school, and it may even be fantastic for you. But if your heart is set on Wharton and you can’t get that nagging “What if?” question out of your mind, then you may decide to reject your NYU offer and try again for Wharton next year. I personally wouldn’t do it, but they’re YOUR dreams. At the same time realize there is no guarantee you will be accepted to NYU the second time around. Here are some other reasons why you may decide to request a deferral or reject an offer from a top b-school: • Personal circumstances: There’s a major illness in your family or you have an elderly parent who needs you close by, for example. • A relationship: Your significant other will be attending a one-year program in your hometown, so you will defer for a year so you can stay together. • A change in your goals: Since you applied, you’ve done some serious soul searching and/or have had new developments on the career front that changed the right school choices then to wrong school choices now. This is not so common, but if you find yourself in this scenario, then you should reject your offer and start from scratch next round or next year with a fresh list of programs. Deferral tip: Schools really hate to give deferrals. If you wish to defer and are serious about attending the program the following year, offer to pay a large deposit that will go towards your tuition upon matriculation and be lost if you decide not to attend. Related Resources: • Top MBA Programs that Defer • Choosing From Multiple Business School Acceptances • Show Me The Money Tags: MBA Admissions The post I Was Accepted…But Can I Do Better? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Dec 2015, 15:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wednesday’s MBA Essay Editing Webinar Details Below |
 This is your last reminder! 3 Hacks to Transform Your MBA Application will air on Wednesday the 16th at 10:00 AM Pacific Time/1:00 PM Eastern Time. If you haven’t registered yet, please make sure that you do NOW or you’ll miss the boat on this important webinar that will help you get accepted to your dream schools!  Tags: MBA Admissions, webinar The post Wednesday’s MBA Essay Editing Webinar Details Below appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
15 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Visits, Fairs, Receptions: 5 Simple Steps to Make Them Productive |
 Have a couple of thoughtful questions about the program for each school you visit. Applying to MBA programs in the Fall? Then you’re probably planning to meet with MBA admission committee members at various types of events – school visits, MBA fairs, school receptions, etc. – as part of that process. Adcom members are preparing for you as well. In their interactions with prospective applicants, they look to get an early read of your “social intelligence.” Here are some tips to make a positive first impression while also getting the most out of the visits for your own informational and decision-making needs. 1. Polish up your resume to bring with you. You can always refine or modify it later if need be. Sometimes you may have a chance to show it to an adcom member or a current student willing to give feedback on your competitiveness for the program. 2. Have your overall “goals story” on the tip of your tongue. Most visiting applicants will have a simple sentence prepared (like “My goal is to become an IT manager in finance and eventually CIO), but ideally, you’d have something more substantial to share. The goals story includes another sentence that shows why you have these goals (your motivation) and your vision for what you want to achieve (often these two elements are interrelated). This story will enable you to engage more meaningfully with adcoms or students – people will care about your goals when they know why you want to do it! 3. Have a couple of thoughtful questions ready about the program. For each school you visit, prepare questions related to your learning and career needs. It never hurts to show ‘em the love. Moreover, your ability and willingness to identify your specific developmental needs reflects maturity. 4. Request contact info to facilitate follow-up when meeting students from your target schools. There are all kinds of opportunities to learn more about the program from students (for example, one student may connect you to a classmate who leads a club of interest to you) – gaining unique and fresh insights that can greatly enhance your essays. 5. Learn how to create an elevator pitch and prepare one. In response to questions I was getting from clients, I wrote a post about creating an elevator pitch for visiting schools – it’s advice I still endorse. The preparation sketched above will yield rich rewards: good impressions on adcoms, fruitful contacts with students, and deeper knowledge of the programs to fuel your decision making and propel your essay writing. Need help getting your resume in tip-top shape? We can help you with that!   By Cindy Tokumitsu, author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her last thirteen years with Accepted. She can help you assess your strengths and weaknesses and develop a winning MBA admissions strategy. Related Resources: • Navigate the MBA Admissions Maze [Free Guide] • Choosing And Visiting Business Schools • How Many B-Schools Should You Apply To? Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA fair, school visits The post MBA Visits, Fairs, Receptions: 5 Simple Steps to Make Them Productive appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
16 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UCLA Anderson: Cool, Chic, and Tech [Episode 133] |
 This week: an inside look at UCLA Anderson, with Associate Director of Admissions Jessica Chung. If you’re especially interested in careers in entrepreneurship, entertainment, or media, or you’re just interested in learning more about Anderson, this is the show for you! Jessica Chung provides an overview of Anderson’s FT MBA program (1:59) It’s practical and customizable. You can customize the sequence of your first year core classes (finance, marketing, consulting). And there are 13 specializations to choose from, so you can tailor your experience. (A specialization is not required.) The benefits of Anderson’s location in LA: good weather, outdoor activities, a diverse metropolitan environment with a lot of industries—LA has a lot to offer! Balancing a broad management education with specialization (5:15) You can take the core courses your first year and electives your second or vice versa, which can be particularly helpful to career-changers wanting to get a foundation in preparation for a critical internship in their new field. Anderson is well known for its collaborative culture. (8:05) Chung discusses what that means in real terms: how it goes beyond supportive teamwork to an encompassing attitude where classmates are truly invested in each other’s success. She gives some examples: students helping each other in class, students sharing recruiting info. There’s a friendly atmosphere on campus. Anderson may be best known for its strengths in entrepreneurship and entertainment/media related fields, but it has a lot of other strengths. (12:41) Chung highlights the program’s strength in tech (and the development of Silicon Beach). She also highlights Anderson’s career services, which provides great mentoring to students. Chung mentions a recent exciting project launched by an Anderson grad. (16:53) Vow To Be Chic, which offers designer bridal party dresses for rental. Some advice on the application process! GRE vs GMAT? (20:09) The adcom sees them no differently- so take whichever one you’re more comfortable with and will do better on. (They still see more GMAT scores overall.) With regard to the GMAT’s new IR section—she says they’re waiting for more data, since they’re still receiving applications from people who took the exam before that section was added. So it’s weighed less heavily right now than the verbal and quantitative sections. (Don’t blow it off, though.) Is it true that applicants who plan to go into certain fields (eg finance, consulting) should take the GMAT rather than the GRE? (22:33) This doesn’t affect admissions—but it is true that some companies ask for GMAT scores during the recruiting process. So it makes sense for some people to take the GMAT in anticipation of that process. What happens when you hit “submit” on your UCLA Anderson application? (23:38) First, every piece of the completed application is read, carefully, by members of the adcom. Then the committee decides whether to extend an invitation to interview. Interviews are held either on campus or by skype (they’re weighted the same). The interviewer will see your resume, but not the full application. In the interview, expect behavioral questions, questions about your experience and goals, why Anderson. After the interview, the committee reviews the interview report. Decisions are posted by the decision date. The waitlist process. (28:58) Being waitlisted is an indication that your application is strong. If you’re waitlisted Round 1, you’ll be updated each successive round. Waitlisted candidates can and should submit updates with significant accomplishments/new info. What gets her excited about an applicant, in a positive way? (33:36) Applicants who make a real effort to put their best foot forward, and who show genuine interest and enthusiasm for Anderson. A discussion of the challenge of gender equity in faculty hiring, and how to make the b-school environment inclusive. (37:43) Anderson recently received a $100 million gift from Marion Anderson. (42:37) A short discussion of some of the exciting areas this money could go towards, including faculty research, student programming, funding/outreach resources, and building projects. Advice for applicants: be yourself! (44:08) Don’t try to imagine what the adcom wants to read. Think about what you want the adcom to know about you, and think about what Anderson is. Speak to current students, do research. Relevant Links: • Anderson MBA Admissions• UCLA Anderson 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines• Anderson MBA zone• UCLA Anderson Bags $100 Million Gift• Indian In IT Finds Her Fit At Anderson• Vow to be Chichttps://blog.accepted.com/2015/05/22/from-mumbai-to-ucla-anderson-to-amazon-intern/ Relevant shows: • Entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson• Sustainability, Ross MBA & The Erb Institute• Tuck Talk: IV With The Dean Of Admissions• How To Earn A Spot On Team Fuqua• It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are? Subscribe:  Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, podcast, UCLA Anderson The post UCLA Anderson: Cool, Chic, and Tech [Episode 133] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
17 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Prepare for Interviews with Positive Imagery |
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Imagine yourself standing on a tennis court: Picture yourself tossing the ball into the air and then smashed an ace serve right past your opponent. Then, walk into your interview and nail that too. Why should you think about tennis when you could be spending your last pre-interview moments recalling formative leadership experiences and key elements from your resume? For one, last-minute cramming – and anything done frantically – rarely adds value. More importantly, thinking about tennis (which is simply an example of using positive imagery) will boost your confidence, making it a much more important pre-interview exercise than a last-minute skills cram. Much research has documented the effectiveness of positive imagery, and it’s used for a variety of purposes: excelling in sports, quitting bad habits such as smoking, even experiencing a less painful childbirth process. Many studies have demonstrated the ability of positive imagery, or “guided imagery,” to help patients deal with medical conditions ranging from allergies to heart disease. So how can you use imagery to prepare for your interview, whether it’s for college, graduate school, or a job? 1. Visualize yourself doing something you excel at: Think of something you’re really good at, whether a sport, an academic subject, cooking, or whatever, then visualize yourself doing it. Use very specific details: imagine the setting, the equipment you’re using, the result, even the positive reactions of others. 2. Visualize yourself excelling in the interview itself: If you’ve been through successful interviews, use your memory of those to help create positive imagery about the upcoming interview. Imagine yourself shaking hands with the interviewer and providing poised and compelling answers to their questions. Imagine the interviewer nodding in response and giving you positive feedback at the end. Focus more on what this will look like than the content of the questions and answers. 3. Use positive affirmations: People have mixed feelings about saying positive things to themselves – it can feel forced, corny, or ridiculous to talk to yourself in this way. But you may find it helpful to say things to yourself (out loud or in your head) like, “I’m going to do well today” or “I deserve a place in this class.” There’s strong evidence that it works: in controlled experiments, people using positive affirmations were able to lift more weight or break boards more easily than those who weren’t. Hopefully you won’t have to break boards as part of your interview, but consider experimenting with positive affirmations, with or without any imagery. Imagining yourself doing something in which you are proficient (tennis or anything else), will endow you with a greater sense of capability as you approach a less familiar and typically anxiety-provoking situation (yes, like an interview). But make sure you practice the technique before you really need to use it! Start by finding a quiet space in your day, clearing your mind, and using one of the above techniques. The more you practice, the more easily you’ll be able to summon imagery when needed. Then, ideally starting a day or two before the interview, practice using imagery to relax yourself and boost your confidence. When interview day comes, you’ll be ready to smash that ace! *Image Designed by Freepik Related Resources: • Interview Tip: Prepare Questions • The Art Of Interviewing—Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”? • Weakness, What Weakness? Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Interview, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, Medical School Admissions, Medical School Interview The post Prepare for Interviews with Positive Imagery appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
18 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Detailed Instructions for Getting into Chicago Booth! |
Are you looking for an experienced mentor to guide you through the Chicago Booth application process? Do you need advice on how to approach Booth’s questions efficiently and intelligently? Do you need help taking on the Chicago Booth challenge? Check out the video recording of our popular webinar, Get Accepted to Chicago Booth, in which Linda Abraham, Accepted’s CEO and founder, teaches the 4 keys to a Booth acceptance. Linda has helped thousands of applicants gain acceptance to Booth and other top b-schools around the world – watch the webinar and join the club!  Tags: Chicago Booth, MBA Admissions, webinar The post Detailed Instructions for Getting into Chicago Booth! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
20 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The GMAT and the Law of Diminishing Returns |
 At what point does studying do more harm than good? There is a time in every applicant’s life where they need to look long and hard at their GMAT score and ask: Is my GMAT score high enough to get me into my schools of choice, or should I retake the GMAT? You should take the GMAT to achieve your highest possible score, but beware of the following: the law of diminishing returns applies to the GMAT. Why Too Much Effort Doesn’t Always Pay Off The classic economic theory of diminishing returns implies that if you continue to put forth effort into the GMAT, you will reach a point where the effort you put into the test will have negative consequences (diminished returns). You may in fact, continue to raise your score, but there is a point at which the number of times you take the GMAT, could negatively impact your application. So How Many Attempts is Too Many Attempts? How many times should you retake the exam? At what point do you become a serial test taker? When I was an admissions dean and director, I liked to see candidates take the test 2-3 times to try to raise their score. If they did, that was certainly in their favor – and if they didn’t, we simply used the highest score. However, taking the test six, seven, or eight times did negatively impact that way I looked at the candidate. The GMAT isn’t Everything! While one can argue that a director should reward the student’s persistence, I would argue that the candidate was putting too much emphasis on only one aspect of the application. While the GMAT, along with the academic record, offers schools a strong correlation to a student’s academic performance in the core, it does not give the admissions board an indication of leadership, impact, business skills, or fit. Bottom Line You need to show that you are a well-rounded applicant and if after taking the GMAT two or three times, you still don’t achieve the score you want, cast your school net a bit wider.   By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey. Get Accepted To Top B-Schools With Low Stats [Free on-demand webinar] • Should You Retake The GMAT? [Short Video] • Should You Retake the GMAT Exam? Tags: GMAT, low stats, MBA Admissions The post The GMAT and the Law of Diminishing Returns appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Secrets to a Successful MBA Interview |
 Congratulations! You’ve been invited to interview at your top choice MBA program. You want to be sure to ace the interview the same way that you aced your application and essay. You need to prepare for your interview. No matter how solid your interview experience is, and how sure you are that you can invent dazzling answers under pressure, it’s still recommended that you invest some time in interview prep. These tips are appropriate not just for the pre-interview stage, while preparing at home before the actual interview day, but can be used to keep calm and confident at your b-school interview, and can be used for job interviews as well. It’s time to get to know yourself a little better… [b]1. Know your qualifications: [/b]Your interview will probably include a section about your strengths and weaknesses. You should decide which assets and difficulties you want to focus on and which ones to keep away from. You can guide the interview in a way that focuses on your strong points, with anecdotes to support them. Be sure that when you discuss a weakness you can talk about ways that you overcame, or are working on overcoming, it. Support your assertions with stories. [b]2. Know your experiences. [/b]Be sure that you know all of the information on your resume cold. Your interviewer will have reviewed your resume, and will have it at hand. You need to know dates, positions, responsibilities, awards, etc. and how to expand on them. Again, use stories to emphasize important moments in your life and how those experiences furthered your goals and your decision to apply to this MBA program (and attend if accepted). [b]3. Know your goals. [/b]Your interviewer doesn’t want to hear your laundry list of short and long-term goals. They want to know how you decided on your goals and exactly how you plan on achieving them. You should be able to explain how your college or extracurricular activities and/or current job responsibilities contributed to your goals, and how an MBA will help your attain these goals. Give a lot of consideration to the answers to these questions. Your interviewer will want to see that you’re a person with a plan, who is also logical and thorough. [b]4. Know your program, [/b]Research the b-school’s curriculum, faculty, student life, extracurricular activities, etc., before your interview. This will give you the tools to articulate your special fit and what you will contribute to your target school. Take the time to visit the school’s website, communicate with alumni and students, and visit the campus. These steps will go a long way in helping you know where and how you’ll fit into the program. [b]5. Know what you’re looking for. [/b]One of the jobs of the interviewer is to decide if you are a good fit for the target program. Be prepared to answer the following questions: Why is this the perfect b-school for you? What attracted you to this particular program? What special things will you bring to the next b-school class? [b]6. Know how to stay calm during your interview. [/b]Practice positive visualization techniques. Picture yourself answering all of the interview questions in an impressive manner. Imagine yourself entering this b-school full of confidence and sure of the part you will play in the class. This skill will help you keep your wits about you not only during your interview, but in other stressful circumstances as well. You want to keep these ideas – your qualifications, experiences, goals and ideas – at the front of your mind and on the tip of your tongue. These are the secret ingredients to interview success and what will bring you one step closer to acceptance at your target b-school.  Related Resources: • The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews [on-demand webinar] • The Art Of Interviewing—Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”? • MBA Admissions Interviews: Behavioral AND Qualitative Questions [short video] Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview The post 5 Secrets to a Successful MBA Interview appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Columbia 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
 These essay questions focus mostly on the present and future, so don’t expect to richly portray your personal and/or professional development. Go with the flow and give them what they ask for, in aggregate: a vivid sense of engagement; real, focused career plans; self-knowledge and knowledge of the program. Considering the lack of opportunity to discuss past achievements and relevant experience, your resume carries all the more weight in the Columbia EMBA application – attend to it accordingly. Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum) A factual phrase or bullet will suffice; don’t worry about responding with a whole sentence. Essays: 1. Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals going forward, and how will the Columbia MBA help you achieve them? (Maximum 500 words) You may want to start by discussing your current career situation to set the context, and clarify how the MBA education will enable you to achieve your immediate goals. You can then naturally move on to your future goals sequentially. Give more detail in the roles you plan immediately post-MBA and the several years following; this time frame should comprise the bulk of your goals discussion. Longer-term goals need less detail, but they still should present a clear direction. In describing your goals at any given point, indicate why you are taking that step. In discussing how the program will benefit you, be specific: identify what skills and knowledge you need, and how the program meets those needs. Refer to specific aspects of the curriculum, structure and/or special features of the program, detailing how they will support you and your goals. 2. Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (Maximum 250 words) Discuss the accommodations you will make at work, such as delegating more, adjusting travel schedules, etc. You don’t have to tell them every single thing you can think of – focus on the most significant two or three adjustments. Also address your personal responsibilities and how you will meet them with this additional demand on your time and energy; even acknowledging that you’ll have less time at the playground with your toddler or mentioning the support of your significant other will show that you’re facing this issue squarely. If you’ve already successfully balanced school and working full time, by all means mention it. 3. CBS Matters, a key element of the School’s culture, allows the people in your Cluster to learn more about you on a personal level. What will your Clustermates be pleasantly surprised to learn about you? (Maximum 250 words) The key to answering this short essay effectively is to understand the phrase “pleasantly surprised.” Let’s break it down: 1. First, don’t repeat a resume point – “surprised” means something not obvious from the available information. 2. “Pleasantly” means something that will generate positive interest. It doesn’t have to be directly applicable or “useful” to your clustermates. It can be something from work or outside work. If it’s far in the past, it should be something of continuing relevance. DON’T present a boring explanation. DO root your response in actual experience. Most important: DO select a topic that will add something to your profile, something that lets the adcom know you better as a person. If your answer puts a smile on the reader’s face, or even better elicits a happy, surprised laugh, high five! Optional Essay. An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays. This question invites you to present new material that will enhance your application, as well as to explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender if not using a direct supervisor, etc.). As far as non-necessary points, since you are making the adcom read more than is required, there should be a clear value to the information you’re sharing. Finally, keep it short. Deadlines:    By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, Ace the EMBA. Cindy has helped MBA applicants get accepted to top EMBA programs around the world. She is delighted to help you too! Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • Executive MBA Pros & Cons • 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay Tags: 2016 EMBA application, Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions The post Columbia 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Dec 2015, 14:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 6 Secrets to a Successful MBA Interview |
 Congratulations! You’ve been invited to interview at your top choice MBA program. You want to be sure to ace the interview the same way that you aced your application and essay. You need to prepare for your interview. No matter how solid your interview experience is, and how sure you are that you can invent dazzling answers under pressure, it’s still recommended that you invest some time in interview prep. These tips are appropriate not just for the pre-interview stage, while preparing at home before the actual interview day, but can be used to keep calm and confident at your b-school interview, and can be used for job interviews as well. It’s time to get to know yourself a little better… [b]1. Know your qualifications: [/b]Your interview will probably include a section about your strengths and weaknesses. You should decide which assets and difficulties you want to focus on and which ones to keep away from. You can guide the interview in a way that focuses on your strong points, with anecdotes to support them. Be sure that when you discuss a weakness you can talk about ways that you overcame, or are working on overcoming, it. Support your assertions with stories. [b]2. Know your experiences. [/b]Be sure that you know all of the information on your resume cold. Your interviewer will have reviewed your resume, and will have it at hand. You need to know dates, positions, responsibilities, awards, etc. and how to expand on them. Again, use stories to emphasize important moments in your life and how those experiences furthered your goals and your decision to apply to this MBA program (and attend if accepted). [b]3. Know your goals. [/b]Your interviewer doesn’t want to hear your laundry list of short and long-term goals. They want to know how you decided on your goals and exactly how you plan on achieving them. You should be able to explain how your college or extracurricular activities and/or current job responsibilities contributed to your goals, and how an MBA will help your attain these goals. Give a lot of consideration to the answers to these questions. Your interviewer will want to see that you’re a person with a plan, who is also logical and thorough. [b]4. Know your program, [/b]Research the b-school’s curriculum, faculty, student life, extracurricular activities, etc., before your interview. This will give you the tools to articulate your special fit and what you will contribute to your target school. Take the time to visit the school’s website, communicate with alumni and students, and visit the campus. These steps will go a long way in helping you know where and how you’ll fit into the program. [b]5. Know what you’re looking for. [/b]One of the jobs of the interviewer is to decide if you are a good fit for the target program. Be prepared to answer the following questions: Why is this the perfect b-school for you? What attracted you to this particular program? What special things will you bring to the next b-school class? [b]6. Know how to stay calm during your interview. [/b]Practice positive visualization techniques. Picture yourself answering all of the interview questions in an impressive manner. Imagine yourself entering this b-school full of confidence and sure of the part you will play in the class. This skill will help you keep your wits about you not only during your interview, but in other stressful circumstances as well. You want to keep these ideas – your qualifications, experiences, goals and ideas – at the front of your mind and on the tip of your tongue. These are the secret ingredients to interview success and what will bring you one step closer to acceptance at your target b-school. Related Resources: • The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews [on-demand webinar] • The Art Of Interviewing—Are You A “Can” Or A “Cannot”? • MBA Admissions Interviews: Behavioral AND Qualitative Questions [short video] Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview The post 6 Secrets to a Successful MBA Interview appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Dec 2015, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Columbia 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
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These essay questions focus mostly on the present and future, so don’t expect to richly portray your personal and/or professional development. Go with the flow and give them what they ask for, in aggregate: a vivid sense of engagement; real, focused career plans; self-knowledge and knowledge of the program. Considering the lack of opportunity to discuss past achievements and relevant experience, your resume carries all the more weight in the Columbia EMBA application – attend to it accordingly. Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum) A factual phrase or bullet will suffice; don’t worry about responding with a whole sentence. Essays: 1. Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals going forward, and how will the Columbia MBA help you achieve them? (Maximum 500 words) You may want to start by discussing your current career situation to set the context, and clarify how the MBA education will enable you to achieve your immediate goals. You can then naturally move on to your future goals sequentially. Give more detail in the roles you plan immediately post-MBA and the several years following; this time frame should comprise the bulk of your goals discussion. Longer-term goals need less detail, but they still should present a clear direction. In describing your goals at any given point, indicate why you are taking that step. In discussing how the program will benefit you, be specific: identify what skills and knowledge you need, and how the program meets those needs. Refer to specific aspects of the curriculum, structure and/or special features of the program, detailing how they will support you and your goals. 2. Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (Maximum 250 words) Discuss the accommodations you will make at work, such as delegating more, adjusting travel schedules, etc. You don’t have to tell them every single thing you can think of – focus on the most significant two or three adjustments. Also address your personal responsibilities and how you will meet them with this additional demand on your time and energy; even acknowledging that you’ll have less time at the playground with your toddler or mentioning the support of your significant other will show that you’re facing this issue squarely. If you’ve already successfully balanced school and working full time, by all means mention it. 3. CBS Matters, a key element of the School’s culture, allows the people in your Cluster to learn more about you on a personal level. What will your Clustermates be pleasantly surprised to learn about you? (Maximum 250 words) The key to answering this short essay effectively is to understand the phrase “pleasantly surprised.” Let’s break it down: 1. First, don’t repeat a resume point – “surprised” means something not obvious from the available information. 2. “Pleasantly” means something that will generate positive interest. It doesn’t have to be directly applicable or “useful” to your clustermates. It can be something from work or outside work. If it’s far in the past, it should be something of continuing relevance. DON’T present a boring explanation. DO root your response in actual experience. Most important: DO select a topic that will add something to your profile, something that lets the adcom know you better as a person. If your answer puts a smile on the reader’s face, or even better elicits a happy, surprised laugh, high five! Optional Essay. An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays. This question invites you to present new material that will enhance your application, as well as to explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender if not using a direct supervisor, etc.). As far as non-necessary points, since you are making the adcom read more than is required, there should be a clear value to the information you’re sharing. Finally, keep it short. Deadlines: By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, Ace the EMBA. Cindy has helped MBA applicants get accepted to top EMBA programs around the world. She is delighted to help you too! Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • Executive MBA Pros & Cons • 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay Tags: 2016 EMBA application, Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions The post Columbia 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
23 Dec 2015, 12:01
23 Dec 2015, 14:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Accepted’s Holiday Hours |
 Yes we’re open – but order early to avoid disappointment! We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season, enjoying time with family and friends. That’s how most members of Accepted’s staff will spend December 24, 25, 31, and Jan 1. However, we also know that deadlines are looming for many of you. Over the holiday weekends we will periodically check our email for new orders and inquiries. We also have a few consultants willing to work over the holidays. Our best suggestion is to purchase as early as possible to reserve a consultant’s time. However, if things get too busy and despite your best intentions you find yourself needing our assistance over the holidays, purchase the service that best suits your needs. (If you want 1-business-day turnaround or need someone to work on the dates listed above, you need to pay rush rates.) We look forward to helping you get accepted!  Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Accepted’s Holiday Hours appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
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