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Accepted MBA Updates

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Multiple Acceptances: How to Deal With a Win-Win Situation [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   12 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Multiple Acceptances: How to Deal With a Win-Win Situation


Which offer should you accept?

Congratulations! You’ve been accepted to two (or more!) solid colleges or graduate schools. Or maybe you’ve been accepted to one of your safety schools with a huge scholarship and your top-choice program with no funding. Or, you’ve been accepted to a top-tier program but you had really had your heart set on going to Harvard, which did not accept you. At least not yet.

First, stop biting your nails and take a moment to bask in your mammoth accomplishment: You applied successfully and got in!

Now, practically speaking: How do you choose which program to attend? What factors should you consider when making this big decision?

1. Your Goals and Future Career Path

Certain schools cater to specific goals and careers. The point of your degree is to secure your future and it simply would not make sense if you chose a program that did not support or assist you in achieving those goals. Regarding financial aid, you need to do a little math: If the better program – the one that didn’t offer you funding – will eventually increase your earning power by more than the amount of the scholarship offered by the just-okay school, then it may be financially and academically worth it for you to choose the superior program.

2. Educational Approach

Do you prefer seminars? Or large lectures? Do you prefer a more hands-on approach to learning? Or more theory-based? Become familiar with not just WHAT each program teaches, but HOW each one teaches it.

3. Location, Location, Location

Would you go crazy in a small college town? Are you more of a city person? How will the urban or rural environment influence your studies? Other factors that could influence your decision include religious versus secular or liberal versus conservative. Remember, you’ll be living here for 2+ years (depending on your program) – you’ll want to be comfortable in the school and in the area surrounding it.

Have you been graced with the dilemma of multiple acceptances? Not sure what to do?Sounds like you could use some professional guidance! Speak with one of our experts today when you purchase our MBA consulting services.





Related Resources:

• Goal Setting, Job Searching, and Sweet Careers, podcast

• 4 To-Do’s for Accepted Grad School Applicants, short video

• When & Why to Pass on a B-School Acceptance Offer

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

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MBA Admissions: Where Should Jack Apply? [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   13 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions: Where Should Jack Apply?


Is HBS indeed within reach?

Next up in our MBA Profile Series, we’ll introduce you to Jack, examine his profile, and determine the best MBA programs for him to apply to. See the first post in our series here.

Who is Jack?

Here are some things you should know about our boy Jack…

1. Jack wants to go into R/E development/finance and grow his family business. His family and his business are located on the East Coast, so Jack would prefer a b-school on the East Coast, close to home – though he would consider going west for the right program, or even overseas, given his long-term aim to expand globally.

2. He’s considering the following schools: Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Haas, Kellogg, Duke, Cornell, Rochester, Georgetown, UNC, UCLA, USC, LBS.

Each of these schools will both give him the strong overall management foundation he seeks and offer him some other relevant value. For example, some, such as Columbia, offer exceptional real estate development specializations; others, such as Kellogg, have strong resources for family businesses; yet others such as Harvard and NYU, provide stellar entrepreneurship programs.

3. Qualifications:

• GMAT: 730, balanced

• GPA: 2.9 from Georgetown, class of 2012 (immature freshman year; illness sophomore year; upward trend in last two years; dean’s list as a senior)

• Transcript: Majored in math; minored in Asian history; passed all three levels of CFA; took a few business classes (accounting, stats for business, finance) online and got straight A’s

• Work experience: Attended a financial analyst program for two years, and then joined family property management business (outside NYC) for two years; handled two eight-figure property acquisitions

• Extracurricular activities: Has coached his neighborhood Little League team for 7 years; started a monthly book club for at-risk sixth graders

• B-school timeline: Wants to apply in 2016, matriculate in 2017, and graduate as the class of 2019

Where should Jack apply?

Jack had to accept some harsh realities in whittling his list of possible schools down. First, his low GPA (even with upward trend) plus solid – even admirable – but less than scintillating professional profile makes HBS and Stanford essentially out of reach; it’s not really worth the effort to apply. He knows that some of the other schools on the list will still be stretches – but with a great application, reasonable ones, not beyond reach.

He will apply Round 1 to Columbia, NYU Stern, Wharton, and Duke – all except Duke (closer to on-par, though he’ll still have to explain his GPA) will be stretches, but his real estate experience and goals will give him something distinctive to the table for each – how he works this into “fit” will vary depending on the school.

Also, all these schools will satisfy his desire to stay on the East Coast. If he’s not accepted to any of these places, he’ll widen his circle and try for Chicago, UNC, UCLA, and Georgetown in Round 2. Chicago would still be a stretch, but he can make the case that his finance background prepares him for the analytic rigor, while he would benefit from its Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship. The others would be on-pars or close to it – as even with a strong career and GMAT, he can never consider a competitive MBA program “on par” with a < 3.0 GPA.

He may substitute LBS for one of the last four – while it’s nowhere close to home, he’s attracted to the school’s wide array of electives that happen to be a bull’s eye for his interests: “The Family Business, a Guide for Owners, Managers, and Advisors,” “Real Estate Finance” and “Managing the Growing Business,” just to name a few. Moreover, his company’s global expansion plans will benefit from the truly global network he will gain by attending a truly global program.

Ask questions. Get answers. And then map out the route to the best MBA program for you. Grab your copy of Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One for more details.







By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.

Related Resources:

• What Are My MBA Admissions Chances Series

• Business School Zones

• Get Accepted to Harvard Business School, webinar

Tags: MBA Admissions

The post MBA Admissions: Where Should Jack Apply? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
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3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year: UVA MS in Global Commerce [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   13 Apr 2016, 11:00
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year: UVA MS in Global Commerce


Three continents. Two master’s degrees. One amazing year. That’s the program we’re going to explore today!

[0:45] Meet Dean Cyndy Huddleston, Associate Dean, Graduate Admissions &amp; Corporate Relations at the McIntire School of Commerce at UVA. Dean Huddleston is an alumna of the College of William and Mary where she earned her bachelor’s degree as well as a Master’s in Education with a focus on Counseling and Higher Ed Administration. She worked in career services and other administrative capacities at several top schools in the DC area before arriving at UVA in 1999. Currently Dean Huddleston serves as the Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions and Corporate Relations. Welcome!

What is the MS in Global Commerce? [1:26]

It’s a new program launching in fall 2016. It is a deeply immersive one year global MS for recent business grads. Students will study at three schools (on three continents!): McIntire, ESADE in Barcelona, and Lingnan College (at Sun Yat-sen University) in Guangzhou, China. The student body will be international, too – 50-60 students drawn from the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Students will earn two master’s degrees: a degree in Global Commerce from McIntire, an MS in Global Strategic Management from ESADE, and a certificate in International Management from Lingnan.

How the program came into being [4:00]

McIntire has been integrating global concepts in other programs – for example, its MS in Commerce includes a 1-month global immersion. This international orientation was attractive for recruiters – it’s increasingly critical for employees to be able to work across cultures. They wanted to provide this deep training by creating partnerships.

For whom is the MS in Global Commerce? [5:30]

The program is targeted at students who have undergrad training in business/management

What will students learn? [5:55]

At McIntire: global strategy, cross cultural management and communication. At Lingan, finance and operations. At ESADE, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and entrepreneurship. At each university, there’s also a focus on “doing business in X” (China, EU, US).

What are they looking for in applicants? [8:55]

Strong academics, leadership skills. Also, students who will thrive in an international/cross cultural environment: people who are resilient, adaptable, and open to working with people from different backgrounds.

They want applicants with under two years of work experience [9:37]

The application process [9:50]

All three schools are recruiting students. US students can apply through McIntire – students from outside the US can apply to one of the other campuses if they prefer. The required application materials are: test scores (GMAT/GRE, plus TOEFL/IELTS for non-native English speakers); academic transcripts; essays; letters of rec. If invited, an interview is the next step. The adcom members at McIntire are faculty; they review completed applications and make admissions recommendations. Counterparts at ESADE and Lingan also meet and make recommendations.

What does McIntire’s holistic admissions approach mean? [12:10]

They want to understand applicants’ story – not just the GPA. For example, they read transcripts to understand the context behind the numbers – trends, courses, etc. And that prompts interview questions that give applicants a chance to fill in the blanks. Ultimately, they want applicants to be successful and gain from the program – so they’re looking for people who are a good fit.

How has the first year process been? [14:30]

They’re about halfway through the application process, and already have a lot of inquiries from current juniors who are interested in the program.

Any opportunities for travel during the program? [15:25]

Yes! During the portion of the program in VA, there will be planned trips to DC. And in each location, there are locational visits to companies. Students will be in Lingnan during Chinese New Year, and we expect students will have the chance to visit with their Chinese classmates during the holiday.

The posted 4th round deadline is April 15, with a rolling deadline after that. Will applications be accepted after April 15? [16:45]

They’ll accept apps through May 15, and probably keep that as the final deadline going forward.

The first deadline for next year is Sept 15. Will it be a similar application process? [17:40]

Yes. The essay questions may change slightly – the new application will be posted in mid-July to give people a chance to prepare.

How did they choose the partner schools? [18:38]

McIntire has a track record of innovation (modular courses, team teaching, etc). So they were looking for a similar spirit of innovation in their partners – a commitment to excellence and innovation/collaboration.

Is there placement assistance? [20:40]

They’re working on ways to make sure students have easy access to counselors at all three schools. And time will be built into the calendar for travel to career fairs and interviews. They’ll also have access to the alumni networks.

What types of careers will graduates pursue? [22:50]

Leadership development, consulting, finance. Some students already have job offers and are taking a year before starting their jobs to do the course.

Is there a language requirement? Or is language instruction part of the curriculum? [23:55]

The language of instruction is English. But most admitted students are fluent in another language.

Advice to applicants [25:15]

Recruiters at McIntire are happy to talk to candidates and can provide advice and assistance – they’re a great resource.



Relevant Links:

• M.S. in Global Commerce• Three Tips for Making Your M.S. in Commerce Application More Competitive

Related shows:

• The Wharton Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World• The Schwarzman Scholars Program: Leaders of the Future Unite• Financial Aid & Health Insurance for International Students •Making International Student Loans a Prime Investment

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Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, Harvard HBS, MBA Admissions

The post UVA MS in Global Commerce: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year [Episode 149] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
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How to Write Waitlist Update Letters [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   14 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Write Waitlist Update Letters


The application process is not over for waitlisted applicants. You’ve still got a chance of getting into your dream school, so now’s not the time to slack off, and it’s certainly not the time to give up. Continue fighting for that acceptance!

Your waitlist updates (you write those) and letters of support (other people write these) should focus on three areas: your growing list of qualifications, steps you’ve taken to ameliorate shortcomings, and how you are the perfect fit with the school.

Your Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Waitlist Update

1. Begin your letter by briefly thanking the school for considering your application.

Don’t talk about your disappointment; instead focus on how the school’s philosophy and approach fit your educational goals.

2. Discuss your recent accomplishments.

Choose achievements that you did not address in your application and try and tie them back to key themes in your essays. These could include a recent promotion, freshly minted A’s, a new leadership role in a project or organization, a recent volunteer experience, initiatives you’ve taken in your department, business, or club, additional work responsibilities, etc.

You want to prove to the adcom that while you were a responsible, accomplished, impressive candidate before, now you are even more so.

3. Talk about the measures you’ve taken to ameliorate your weaknesses or shortcomings.

Focus on the specific actions you’ve taken rather than on the actual shortcoming. For example, if you have/had weak communication skills, discuss how you enrolled in Toastmasters and how the experience has influenced and inspired you. Examine, identify, and address weaknesses in your education, career, and community life.

4. If you are sure that upon acceptance you would attend, inform the school of your commitment.

The message you want to get across is this: You were born to attend this school and this school was created just for you. Your fit is as perfect as a cozy glove on a cold hand.

Stay positive as your letter will reflect your attitude. Adcoms do not want to read a bitter and angry letter, nor will they want that writer in their classrooms.

Waitlisters: Beware!

A few things to look out for:

1. Before you start writing, be sure that your target school is open to receiving waitlist letters. If the school states explicitly that it doesn’t want to hear from you, then do not contact them – doing so will only hurt your case.

2. When you’re at the brainstorming stage of the letter, and then again once you’re done writing, check and then double check that you haven’t repeated material already in your application – you don’t want to waste anyone’s time!





Related Resources:

• Help! I’ve Been Waitlisted!, podcast

• Three Topics to Discuss in Waitlist Letters, short video

• What Should You Do When You’re Waitlisted Without Feedback?

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

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MBA Admissions: Where Should Ajay Apply [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   15 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions: Where Should Ajay Apply


How does being part of an over-represented demographic affect his chances?

Next up in our MBA Profile Series we’ll introduce you to Ajay, examine his profile, and determine the best MBA programs for him to apply to. See the second post in our series here.

Who is Ajay?

Let’s learn about our friend Ajay…

1. Ajay has high-tech product ideas and wants to start his own business, if not immediately after his MBA, then within five years after graduating. He is attracted to design thinking.

2. There are many things Ajay looks for in an MBA program: entrepreneurship, application of innovation, technology management, strategic and market planning, leadership, and global enterprise, as well as classmates who share a zeal for questioning and pushing boundaries.

Of course MIT, Stanford, and CMU Tepper are no-brainers for his wish list. They offer all of the above and more. He’s also considering Haas, UT Austin, UCLA, USC Marshall, Duke, Ross, Cornell Johnson, UNC, Babson, Darden, and Rotman.

3. Qualifications

• GMAT: 700 GMAT (51 quant; struggles with verbal), after scoring 660 and 680 on previous tries. He doesn’t want to retake the exam again.

• CGPA: 7.2/10

• Transcript: Holds a B. Tech from IIT Madras, class of 2011

• Work experience: Has been working for Tata Consulting on software consulting projects for last 3 years in the UK and Europe; previously worked for Infosys as a programmer for two years in India; can show increasing responsibility at work

• Extracurricular activities: Was active in college, but hasn’t done much outside of work since then; likes to play guitar and cricket

[b]• B-school timeline[/b]: Wants to apply in 2016, matriculate in 2017, and graduate as the class of 2019

Where should Ajay apply?

Reality hits. His qualifications plus his membership in the highly over-represented Indian-IT demographic make the dream schools unrealistic. And schools that would be on-par for many other applicants with similar stats and career become stretches for Ajay for that reason.

Ajay will apply Round 1 to Darden, UCLA, UT Austin, and Duke – these are all reasonable stretch schools for him. Darden’s case study focus and close-knit environment will give him an immersive and transformative experience while providing ideal curriculum through the Technology specialty area and the Entrepreneurship concentration. UT Austin with its tech excellence, UCLA’s entrepreneurship depth, and Duke’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation concentration plus its renowned collaborative environment all excite him.

If he needs to apply Round 2, then he’ll aim for UNC Kenan-Flagler, USC Marshall, Babson, and Rotman – the appeal of these programs is that they all offer some depth in at least a couple of key learning areas for him, while also each offering a lively, diverse network of classmates with some shared interests.

He’s also considering Ross’ MS in Entrepreneurship for its emphasis on building a business based on scientific/technical innovation.

Ask questions. Get answers. And then map out the route to the best MBA program for you. Grab your copy of Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One for more details.




By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com.

Related Resources:

• Overrepresented MBA Applicants and Business School Diversity, Resource Page

• What to Do if You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group

• An Indian MBA Applicant Story: Accepted to Top 3 Choices with $$$

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Stanford GSB Announces 2016-2017 Application Deadlines [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   18 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Stanford GSB Announces 2016-2017 Application Deadlines


Stanford is the first top MBA program to announce its application deadlines for the 2016-17 application cycle. This year’s deadlines are essentially the same as last year’s. the decision notification dates and reply/deposit due dates still need to be announced.

And you know what all this means… Stanford’s application questions and other schools’ decision dates and questions will be released before you know it. Stay tuned – we’ll keep you posted.





Should You Apply R1, R2, or R3?

Stanford strongly encourages applicants to apply as soon as their application is ready and they provide several great reasons to encourage you to do so:

• It used to be that the later rounds were less competitive, but in recent years, more and more people are applying R2 and R3, making later rounds extremely competitive as well.

• By applying early, you increase your chances of receiving a need-based financial aid award from the Financial Aid Office.

• If you’re accepted R1, you’ll get more time to complete recommended quantitative and/or English language coursework before you arrive on campus.

• You’ll get earlier access to the on-campus housing lottery and other choice housing options.

• If relevant, international R1 admittees will have more time to complete the visa application process.

• R1 and R2 accepted students will be able to attend an Admit Weekend (not available for R3 students).

For our take on timing and when you should apply, keep in mind Linda’s Rule: Apply in the earliest round possible PROVIDED you don’t compromise the quality of your application.

For more on application timing, please see When to Apply?





Related Resources:

• Get Accepted to Stanford Graduate School of Business, on-demand webinar

• Stanford GSB 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

• What Stanford is Looking for: Demonstrated Leadership Potential

Tags: MBA Admissions

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MBA Admissions Profile: Where Should Jane Apply? [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   19 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions Profile: Where Should Jane Apply?


Will Jane’s b-school allow her the digital marketing dream?

Next up in our MBA Profile Series we’ll introduce you to Jane, examine her profile, and determine the best MBA programs for him to apply to. See the third post in our series here.

Who is Jane?

Want to get to know Jane? Let’s find out what she’s all about…

1. Jane wants to go into marketing with a focus on digital marketing and then maybe start her own company. She prefers to live in the Southeastern region of the US.

2. Her list of prospective schools include schools in her desired region that meet her core learning needs, and schools outside that region that offer some special depth relevant to her goals, i.e. in marketing and/or IT (given her interest in digital marketing) and/or entrepreneurship.  Therefore, she’s considering applying to the following schools: Kellogg, Cornell, Haas, Duke, UNC, Ross, UCLA, Emory, UT McCombs, MIT, CMU Tepper

3. Qualifications

• GMAT: 680 with 65% on Quant, her highest score after 3 attempts

• GPA: 3.4 from public Ivy, class of 2010

• Transcript: Majored in econ and history; currently taking MBAMath and several quant classes at a local college to boost her math skills, counteract her low quant score, and prepare for the quant demands of b-school

• Work experience: Works as law firm manager in 20-lawyer office; has been in charge of publicity and social media for firm which has seen tremendous growth from that channel; started as a clerk after college and worked her way up

• Personal details: Married and has one child; husband can work from anywhere

• Extracurricular activities: Active in church and alumni association; runs 5K and 10K races; in college was officer in sorority

• B-school timeline: Wants to apply in 2016, matriculate in 2017, and graduate as the class of 2019

Where should Jane apply?

Jane will apply Round 1 to Duke, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Darden, and Kellogg. Kellogg is a stretch, but she really likes its strength in marketing and collegial culture, so she’ll include this as a stretch. Duke and Darden are still stretches, given her okay but not impressive GMAT and GPA, but she brings something distinctive by developing a successful digital marketing program for a law firm.  All of these well-rounded programs will give her what she needs and more, of course in different ways.  If not accepted R1, then she’ll apply to UT McCombs and Emory Goizueta Round 2.  McCombs will give her the business foundation she needs while offering particular depth in digital; and she’s excited by Emory’s breadth of relevant concentrations and electives.

Ask questions. Get answers. And then map out the route to the best MBA program for you. Grab your copy of Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One for more details.




By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.

Related Resources:

• What Are My MBA Admissions Chances Series

• Business School Zones

• 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools are a Good Fit for You

Tags: MBA Admissions

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From Tuck MBA to Stand-Up Comic and Author [Episode 150] [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   20 Apr 2016, 11:00
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: From Tuck MBA to Stand-Up Comic and Author [Episode 150]


A funny thing happened on the way to the open mic. Paul Ollinger got a Tuck MBA, had a career in Silicon Valley, grabbed a gig at a little start-up called Facebook, and then wrote a book on MBA admissions. Let’s hear his story.

Meet Paul Ollinger [0:50]

He’s a Tuck MBA who discovered a passion for stand-up comedy – while in business school. We’ll learn about his subsequent career in Silicon Valley (including stints at Yahoo and Facebook). Welcome!

Why he chose to pursue an MBA [1:51]

He wanted to accelerate his career. He’d assumed he would go into a corporate job, and had never thought about comedy. At Tuck, he co-hosted a talent show and realized performing and comedy were important to him.

What he values most from his MBA experience [4:05]

The people and relationships. Tuck has the reputation of being a cozy, collegial environment, and it really is: he made lifelong friendships there, along with relationships that are still benefiting his career.

How did Tuck help his career? [5:20]

The standards he observed people setting for themselves showed him a model for business success – and also how to work extremely hard without burning out.

His career path and how he broke into standup comedy [7:40]

After working at Launch and then Yahoo, he moved to LA to do stand up full time. After that, he joined Facebook as a startup. After leaving Facebook 4.5 years ago, he started a blog and found that he enjoyed writing. He briefly went back to work for a small software company, but realized what he’d always been passionate about was writing and comedy. So he decided to write a funny book about business.

Writing You Should Totally Get an MBA [10:10]

He set out to write a funny business book, and realized it was becoming something of a b-school guide book. The title is tongue-in-cheek, but also kind of a sincere look at who should get an MBA.

What niche does the book fill? [11:20]

Hopefully the funny one! He thought he would write a snarky one, but you can’t really sustain snark for a whole book. He knew he’d had a great time in b-school, and it was great for his career. Humor is a tool for people to get through the book – a way to help people think about things.

He went through the application process 20 years ago and reviewed it for the book. He learned how much has changed in 20 years! Including changes in the classroom, changes in the application process, how we present ourselves online. Advice: be your authentic self in presenting who you are through the application process.

The book emphasizes knowing what you want to get out of the MBA – why? [15:30]

The things that will make you successful are your drive and ambition, and your clarity in knowing where you want to go. Knowing how the school fits into your plans will help you achieve your objectives – both in the application process and during the MBA itself.

His future plans [17:55]

He wants to continue using humor in business to help people with their careers and work lives – ie through standup, writing, speaking engagements. He’s planning a second book.

He writes about how applicants should not talk about money as a reason for the degree – why? [18:40]

The best moves in his career were not based on money: they were based on passion. If you’re lucky, you’ll find out it really isn’t about the money.

Linda adds: Another important reason not to mention money in your application is that it doesn’t answer the school’s question about your goals. There are lots of different ways to make money; why are you choosing this one.

Is there an irony in the fact that the book emphasizes the need for goals/direction, but he’s changed direction in his career? [20:40]

His greatest luxury is the choice to pursue his passion. He had great experiences and opportunities at Launch, Yahoo, and Facebook.

His next book [22:58]

He’s planning to write about finding your purpose. As well as his personal observations as a guy who grew up middle class and made money.

His thoughts on passion and business [24:00]

What’s your orientation to your laptop when you open it first thing in the morning? Are you eager to work on something new, or are you dreading opening it? If you’re dreading your work, it might be a red flag for your career.



Related Links:

• You Should Totally Get an MBA: A Comedian’s Guide to Top U.S. Business Schools by Paul Ollinger

• Paul Ollinger’s Linked In page• An MBA Totally Matters in Tech by Paul Ollinger

• Tuck MBA Zone• Tuck Essay Tips• Talking with a Military Tuckie

Related podcasts:

• Tuck Talk: IV With The Dean Of Admissionshttps://www.accepted.com/chat/transcripts/2011/mba02092011_tuck• The Tuck School of Business and the Global Insight Requirement• Saving Money on Your Student Loan Debt: The CommonBond Story• It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are?

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Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

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Should You Take the GMAT or the GRE? [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   21 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Should You Take the GMAT or the GRE?
Most b-schools now accept the GRE (you can see the full list here), which means you can weigh your options and decide whether the GRE or GMAT will increase your chances of acceptance. Here are a few factors to consider when making this decision:



For most applicants, it’ll come down to where you get higher scores on practice tests.If you repeatedly do better on the GMAT practice tests than on the GRE, then that’s the exam you should take, hands down. Of course, if it’s impossible for you to get to a GMAT testing location, then the decision again becomes quite obvious, and you should opt for the GRE. Weigh your options, see what makes most sense for you…and good luck!





Related Resources:

• Your 3-Part Game Plan to Dominate the GMAT – On-Demand webinar

•  – podcast

• How to Study for the GRE 

Tags: Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions

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Columbia Business School 2017 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   21 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Columbia Business School 2017 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

Columbia Business School tweaked last year’s questions for this year. The changes in wording are minor, and I discuss below.

The most significant change is that CBS is bucking the bschool trend of the last five years and allowing you a little more room to tell your story and respond to their prompts. They are also providing word ranges instead of word limits so the more succinct among you don’t feel compelled to fill space and get close to stated word limits.

My tips are in blue below.

Columbia Business School MBA applicants must complete one short answer question and three essays.

Columbia MBA Short Answer Question:

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (51 characters maximum)

CBS gives you one more character this year. 


Note, it is a character (not word) limit. Your response must be less than a tweet. Actually it must be just about one third of a tweet. What do you want to do professionally and in which industry immediately after earning your MBA?  Here are CBS’ examples of possible responses:

“Work in business development for a media company.”

“Join a strategy consulting firm.”

“Launch a data-management start-up.”

Warning: This question is not asking about intended area of study while in business school or a non-professional goal or even a long-term goal. And the subject in your response is assumed to be you. No need to waste characters by including “I.”

Columbia MBA Essays:

Essay 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? (100-750 words)

Last year this question had a 500-word maximum. As noted above, this year you have a guideline that lets you be more succinct or go longer. I never recommend “hogging air time” for the sake of hogging it. However for most of you, you should be able to use in a meaningful and informative way those additional 250 words that you are now allowed.

Now let’s look at the actual question, which is unchanged from last year.

They already know what’s in your resume. Don’t repeat “your career path to date” here. That’s a waste of essay real estate and means you’re not telling them anything new or answering their question.

Do tell them what you want to do after your MBA as well as a few years into the future. Then discuss the aspects of the Columbia MBA experience that will prepare you to reach these goals. Keep in mind that the MBA is a bridge between your past and desired future. Show Columbia why its program is the right bridge for you and now is the right time for you to traverse this bridge.

To answer this question well,  you will need to really know the Columbia program thoroughly along with how a CBS MBA will move your closer to your goals. The essay that shines will do a great job of showing both fit and self-awareness.

Essay 2:

Columbia Business School’s students participate in industry focused New York immersion seminars; in project based Master Classes; and in school year internships. Most importantly, our students are taught by a combination of distinguished research faculty and accomplished practitioners. How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? (100-500 words)

Please watch this video before attempting to answer the question and then keep it in mind as you write.

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This is the same question as last year and the maximum word count did not change. Last year there was a 250-word maximum. This year CBS requests 100-250 words.

Make sure you understand Columbia’s Cluster System.  And if you have any lingering doubts whether this question is about professional achievement, watch the video again. It’s not.

You can use this essay to bring out something fun that you like to do. Would you try to get your cluster to train for a marathon? Set up a karaoke night? Plan a ski trip? Explore New York’s museums? Or you can reveal something non-professional that is important to you.  How have you contributed to social groups or causes in the past? Relate your plans to a past successful initiative, and you will enhance your answer to this question.

Or you could take a more serious approach to this question and discuss a challenge overcome. Show that you are a survivor, not a victim and far stronger as a result of this experience. If you take this approach, be careful to avoid TMI (too much information). You will have barely met these people.

Optional Essay:

An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays.

Clearly you can use this optional essay question to address a weakness in your profile or qualifications, but in my mind, this question is also open-ended enough to allow you to discuss a diversity element in your personal background or simply some unique area of interest. Also, tucking a weakness explanation somewhere else would allow you to end the application with a strength and not a flaw.

Don’t use this essay as a grand finale or wrap up. And definitely don’t use it to rehash your reasons for wanting to attend Columbia; those reasons should be perfectly clear from the required essays. If you decide to respond to this essay, use it to educate the reader about another talent, interest, or commitment of yours. As always try to show leadership and impact. In short, give them more reasons to admit you.

If you would like professional guidance with your Columbia Business School MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our  MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the CBS MBA application.

Columbia Business School 2016 Application Deadlines:




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

Related Resources:

• Podcast Interview With the Columbia Business School Admissions Team

• Columbia Business School Zone

• The Applicants That Stand Out At Columbia Business School

Tags: MBA Admissions

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How Many B-Schools Should You Apply To? [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   22 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: How Many B-Schools Should You Apply To?


Yep – this question gets one of those frustrating “it depends” answers.

How many schools should you apply to? How do you strike the balance between too many and too few? And how do you know the exact right number for you?

It Depends

Yep – this question gets one of those frustrating “it depends” answers. It depends on your qualifications, the schools you are aiming for, whether you are willing to tolerate the possibility of reapplication if rejected, your goals, and the people you ask. Some experts recommend applying to 3-4 schools, period – with no exceptions. I am a little less doctrinaire, but offer the following guidelines.

4 Tips for Choosing the Right Number of Schools

1. If you have 2-3 schools that support your goals, have acceptance rates north of 30% and where you are strongly competitive, then applying to 2-3 schools total is totally reasonable.

2. If you can find only 2-3 schools that support your goals and meet your needs, and no others do –  which happens rarely but it does happen! – then it would make sense to apply to those 2-3 programs and no others.

3. If you have target schools that you are dying to attend but either competition is extremely intense (acceptance rates under 15%) and/or your qualifications are not competitive, then you need to apply to perhaps 1-2 of these and 3-6 where you are more likely to gain admission.

4. If you are applying to schools with acceptance rates in the 15-30% range and you are competitive but certainly not a shoo-in (and most people aren’t), then it would be wise to apply to 3-6 in this range and 1-2 in the range where you are likely to be accepted.

Assessing Your Goals & Qualifications

Your goals and your qualifications relative to your competition are paramount. If you are from a group that is overrepresented in the applicant pool, like Indian IT males, you may want to apply at the higher end of the ranges provided above. Please keep in mind that you don’t need to apply to all schools first round. You can split the schools between first and second round deadlines. And there are benefits to applying to safety schools, if they are chosen wisely.

Bottom Line

Some will argue that 6-8 schools spreads the net too wide, is expensive, time-consuming, and will dilute your ability to pursue excellence in your applications. If you try to apply to so many schools within a month, I agree with those critics. If, however, you want to maximize your chances of acceptance and can spread your applications out over two rounds, then it is a reasonable option. Not a requirement. An option. Like I said, it all depends.




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

• MBA Applicants: Start Your Engines!

• 7 Ways to Distinguish Between Similar MBA Programs

Tags: MBA Admissions

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5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   25 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story


How do you tell a good story?

Ready to write your personal statement? Then it’s time to conjure your inner storyteller. The best way to distinguish yourself from other applicants is to tell the admissions board a good story, a tale of your greatest achievements, dreams, and challenges.

How do you tell a good story?

It’s not about lifting plots from Harry Potter or hoping you suddenly gain magic storytelling powers. It’s about tying together the following five key elements:

Storytelling element #1: Creating a killer opening

To get the admissions reader to keep reading – and even better, to keep reading enthusiastically – start with something attention-grabbing. Usually it’s something in the middle of the action. If you started an essay with One day I decided to watch TV, then your readers probably wouldn’t really care what happened next. It may be that you were watching TV when you found a worrisome lump, but your bored readers likely won’t get to that point because of the snooze-inducing opener. On the other hand, an opening like The moment I found the lump, I suspected my life was about to change – in a big way will do a much better job of drawing in your readers.

Storytelling element #2: Setting context

It was mid-May 2011. I was a busy consultant in McKinsey’s Chicago office, the proud father of a boy about to turn one, and a generally happy guy in his mid-20s.

This part immediately places the killer opening in context. Context (person, place, time) is important because readers want to understand the story’s circumstances; it helps them relate to the story, even if they’ve never been in that situation.

Storytelling element #3: Introducing the stakes

The above line also shows the reader what’s at stake. Stakes further help the reader relate to a story – if there’s little for the main character to lose, then the reader won’t care much about what happens next. Luke Skywalker had to destroy the Death Star to prevent Darth Vader from taking over the universe, which would have meant a lot of suffering for everyone. If Dorothy couldn’t navigate Oz’s Yellow Brick Road past the Wicked Witch, she never would have gotten back home to Kansas. If you had never figured out the source of the lump and treated it (if needed), then you wouldn’t have been able to continue your life as a busy consultant, proud father, and generally happy guy. You don’t need gargantuan stakes for people to relate to your story; but effective stakes are something most of us would fight for, like health, a job, our community’s welfare, and the like.

Storytelling element #4 & #5: Outlining the obstacles & Demonstrating strength of character

It was tempting to wish the lump would just go away, and for a few days that was my strategy. I didn’t even tell my wife. But soon I recognized that knowledge is power, and made an appointment with my doctor. Within a week I had a diagnosis: cancer.

This keeps the reader interested because it brings in two new elements: an obstacle (cancer) and character (your personality traits).

By this point in the story, your readers will know that you are the main character – you’re the consultant, father, etc. But the text above shows your reader what kind of character you are: one who is human (tempted to wish something bad away) but also one who takes action in adverse circumstances (going to the doctor).

Character isn’t only about positive traits though. Many essay questions ask you to discuss a time you failed or made a mistake. For those, you need to highlight negative traits upfront (e.g., Luke Skywalker’s lack of faith in himself and the Force), but in the context of how you gained insights and ultimately more positive attributes from dealing with their consequences.

Do you need help writing your attention-grabbing story? Check out our 1-on-1 services for more information on how we can help you use story elements to write effective essays.





Related Resources:

• 3 Essential Components of a Personal Statement

• 4 Application Strategy Tips: Stand Out AND Fit In

• 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays

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

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MBA Admissions Profile: Where Should Joe Apply? [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   27 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions Profile: Where Should Joe Apply?


A high academic profile puts your application above the rest.

Next up in our MBA Profile Series we’ll introduce you to Joe, examine his profile, and determine the best MBA programs for him to apply to. See the fourth post in our series here.

Who is Joe?

It’s time to learn about Joe…

1. Joe wants to go into management strategy consulting at an elite consulting firm.

2. He’s considering applying to the following schools: HBS, Stanford, Kellogg, Tuck, Darden, Chicago, Wharton, MIT, Columbia, Haas, NYU Stern, and Ross – all great for consulting in their own ways, and many especially welcoming to qualified applicants from the armed services.

3. Qualifications

• GMAT: 740

• GPA: 3.7 from Princeton, class of 2012; he was in the ROTC

• Transcript: Majored in econ

• Work/Military experience: Interned for boutique consulting firm in college; after college accepted a post-ROTC Army officer commission and served for 5 years at various posts in the Middle East and Asia

• Extracurricular activities: ROTC precluded doing a lot of other activities; he did some intramural lacrosse and volunteered with the school theater to build sets and do lighting

• B-school timeline: Wants to apply in 2016, matriculate in 2017, and graduate as the class of 2019

Where should Joe apply?

Joe has a highly competitive profile with his strong academic background and impressive, high-impact leadership from the military service. He will apply to HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, and Tuck for Round 1, as they are all excellent consulting schools and attract the most competitive and qualified applicants – something he appreciates and would like to duplicate after Princeton.

He will apply to Darden, Haas, and Ross R2 if not accepted anywhere R1. They are schools with distinctive personalities/cultures and passionate students, which attracts him, along with the requisite consulting pipelines.

Ask questions. Get answers. And then map out the route to the best MBA program for you. Grab your copy of Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One for more details.






By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.

Related Resources:

• What Are My MBA Admissions Chances Series

• Business School Zones

• U.S. News Ranks Best Business Schools in 2016

Tags: MBA Admissions

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4 More Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   28 Apr 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 4 More Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story


If written right, this ending will be the start of your future.

In the last post, we illustrated 5 key story elements with these opening application essay line:

The moment I found the lump, I suspected my life was about to change – in a big way. It was mid-May 2011. I was a busy consultant in McKinsey’s Chicago office, the proud father of a boy about to turn one, and a generally happy guy in his mid-20s.

It was tempting to wish the lump would just go away, and for a few days that was my strategy. I didn’t even tell my wife. But soon I recognized that knowledge is power, and made an appointment with my doctor. Within a week I had a diagnosis: cancer.

These seven lines contain important story elements including a killer opening (more literally than usual, in this case), context (mid-20s consultant, Chicago, 2011), stakes (life and death), obstacles (cancer), and character (fear and determination). You should include these key elements in all your story-based essays. Note that this does not mean your stories need to be as life changing as the one in our example; we’re talking about structure and storytelling technique here.

Storytelling element #6: Adding a twist

So what happens next in our tale? (Incidentally, a well-told story uses these elements to make readers ask that question again and again, pulling them through the story.)

Once I got past the initial shock, I discovered an unexpected challenge: choosing among major surgery, two rounds of chemotherapy, and “surveillance” (i.e., regular testing to see if the cancer was spreading). The options had the exact same survival rate (very high), but very different side-effect profiles. For example, the surgery was associated with potential nerve damage, while the chemo could have resulted in lower lung capacity.

This part of our story includes a twist and further obstacles. Twists, or surprise turns in stories – in this case, the challenge of choosing treatment – are not essential for grad school essays, but they can certainly make them more engaging: a teammate with a secret, a client’s abrupt shift in expectations, etc. In this story, the unexpected challenge also represented an obstacle, in that our courageous subject had to choose from three very different treatments with similar levels of effectiveness.

Storytelling element #7: Detailing the process

It was time for some deep research: with my wife’s help and inputs from my oncologist and other doctors, I pored over journal articles and other materials to understand my treatment options and their risks. For example, we learned that the surveillance course could take over five years before one could consider themselves cancer-free.

Here we have more evidence of character (how our guy took a methodical approach, rather than just picking a treatment impulsively or based on one doctor’s opinion), along with process, or the exact steps he took to approach the obstacle. Too many applicants leave out their process, skipping from “My team faced several major hurdles” to “The client loved our solution, and I got a raise.” You need to tell the adcom what you did, how you did it, and ideally how you engaged others to overcome the challenge as well. Even our cancer story here includes a team element (the wife and doctors).

Storytelling element #8 & #9: Sharing the outcome & Talking about lessons learned

After weeks of research and deliberation, I opted for two rounds of outpatient chemotherapy. I said goodbye to my hair and hello to needles and nausea. The first week went well. But as I neared the second, my doctor called: the chemo had pushed my white blood cell count too low, compromising my immune system. I would have to wait. For two weeks I avoided raw fruit and vegetables and stayed inside as much as possible. My white blood cell count rose, and I completed the second week of chemo.

Now, over eight years later, I’m considered cured, a survivor. The only physical residue of my treatment is slightly wavier hair. But the experience reinforced the importance of a proactive approach (I found out most men wait over six months to get lumps checked), of careful due diligence in health and other matters, and of never giving up. I carry those lessons into everything I do. So I was right: the lump changed my life in a big way; but I never could have guessed how positive those changes would be.

The last part of our story brings more process (how our survivor made a decision) and another twist (his low white blood cell count), along with the outcome and lessons learned. These last two elements typically tie together: the outcome (surviving cancer) reinforced multiple lessons, as noted above. It’s easy to spend too little (i.e., none) or too much (i.e., paragraphs) time on lessons learned; generally 1-3 lines gets the job done.

It’s also always recommended to wrap up your story by returning to your opening, to end with a killer ending with a broader theme or key realization or glimpse of the future.

Our story is just over 400 words, but it has all the important elements.

Do you need help writing your attention-grabbing story? Check out our 1-on-1 services for more information on how we can help you use story elements to write effective essays.





Related Resources:

• 5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story

• 3 Essential Components of a Personal Statement

• How Personal is Too Personal?

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

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5 Ways to Cut Stress After an Admission Test [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   28 Apr 2016, 11:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Ways to Cut Stress After an Admission Test


Don’t stress – it doesn’t help!

The months, weeks, and days leading up to a major admission test can be a major source of stress for students. Unfortunately, that stress doesn’t necessarily go away once the test is over. In this post, we cover some of the best ways to manage stress after handing in your test.

1. Breathe deeply

As soon as you turn in your test, take a deep breath! All those months of studying will have finally paid off. As you exhale, let go of any tension left in your body. Practicing deep breathing (for about three to five minutes daily) can calm your mind and balance out any emotions you have about the test.

2. Don’t compare yourself to other people

After the test, remember to keep the focus on your own test performance, not anyone else’s. How your best friend, neighbor, classmate, or study buddy feels they did on the test really doesn’t matter. Stay away from Internet forums, which are a popular place for people to gather and discuss how the test went online. Remember, no one will have their score back yet, so there’s no point speculating about your scores.

3. Keep your mind off the test

There’s no use spending time or energy on the test anymore when you can’t go back to change your answers. We know it can be tempting to worry over potential missed questions, but it won’t be worth the stress. If someone asks how you did, just say you’d rather not talk about it and change the subject. Looking for other ways to take the test off your mind? Try picking up a new hobby, spending time with friends, or reading a good book.

4. Stay productive with your applications

Just because the test is over, doesn’t mean the application process is. Put your energy toward your personal statements, essay supplements, resume, and interview prep, and you really won’t have time to stress out about your test score. Follow up with your professors about the status of your letters of recommendation; ask your school’s registrar about when they’ll be sending your transcript. Once you get your test score back, you want to be ready to submit your applications (particularly so if the programs you’re interested in practice rolling admissions).

5. Celebrate!

Test prep is a stressful time for most students. Once your test is over, give yourself the recognition you deserve. Take a few days off to have some fun – whether that means going on a shopping spree, taking a weekend trip, or going out to a fancy dinner, there’s no shortage of ways that you can treat yourself.




Catherine writes for the Magoosh Blog to support future grad school students by unlocking tricks of the test prep and application trade. Catherine spends her free time checking out local farmer’s markets, reading food and lifestyle blogs, and watching Bravo. She is forever in search of the best Mexican and Italian food in any given city.

Related Resources:

• Linda Abraham’s Admissions Assortment – podcast

• 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays

• How to Study Like the Highest-Scoring GMAT Test Takers

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

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Tips for Applying to Part-Time MBA Programs [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   01 May 2016, 10:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Tips for Applying to Part-Time MBA Programs


The school and work balance will be tough. Prove that you can handle it!

The extensive available advice about applying to MBA programs was largely created with applicants to full-time MBA programs in mind. If you are applying to part-time MBA programs, most of this advice will be pertinent for you as well. But there are some nuances to applying to part-time programs that warrant attention. Here are a few things that set the part-timer apart from the crowd:

[b]1. You have unique work/study balance issues[/b]

The fact that you’ll be working while you are studying is one of the major differences between full-time and part-time programs, and this fact significantly affects the application. The nitty-gritty of your daily work is a resource you will bring directly to class discussions and group projects. You can share the reality of your work world in real time with your classmates. The adcoms view this factor as a core benefit of part-time programs and integral to their unique learning process. Hence, in your resume, essays, and the application form, put thought into how you present your current work scenario; look at it from the eyes of prospective classmates.

[b]2. Recruitment policies vary for part-timers[/b]

Moreover, since you are continuing to work, your goals won’t necessarily start at the magic moment you graduate. So, in a goals essay (depending on how the question is worded) discuss specific goals that you want to achieve in your current role, while you’re in the program – doing so allows you to further illuminate your work. Part-time MBA programs are usually not for career-changers, at least in the short-term, and they may not open recruiting to them. Review the program’s policies about recruiting for part-time students before you say that you’ll be using it for post-MBA employment.

[b]3. Showing your preparedness is a challenge[/b]

Attending grad school while working is grueling, period. Hence, adcoms look for evidence that you are prepared for it. The last thing they want is students dropping out. Sometimes an essay question directly addresses this issue. If not, it can never hurt to briefly convey awareness of the challenge and mention plans for handling it. If you’ve previously successfully studied while working full-time, note that fact.

[b]4. Part-timers have local concerns[/b]

Finally, for the bulk of part-time programs that target local applicants, their applicant pool may contain high concentrations from strong local industries, such as pharma and finance in New York. Consider and address this factor in differentiating yourself.

Good luck with your applications!




By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com.

Related Resources:

• Exploring the Part-Time MBA Options at NYU Stern

• MBA Admissions Decisions: Should You Go Full-Time Or Part-Time?

• From Example to Exemplary: How to Use Sample Essays to Make Your Essays Outstanding

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   04 May 2016, 12:00
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152]


With Mother’s Day coming up, this week’s show features a mother, MBA student, and entrepreneur.

Meet Divinity Matovu, founder of MBA Mama [1:04]

Divinity grew up in Wisconsin, attended USC (where she majored in Political Science and African American Studies), and got bit by the social impact and start-up bug. She’s now studying at Wharton as a member of the class of 2017. Her writing has appeared on Forté Foundation’s Business 360 Blog, Fortune Online, the Wharton Journal, and of course the MBA Mama blog. Welcome!

What did she do in between USC and Wharton, and what was her path to b-school? [1:55]

She moved to Africa! While an undergrad, she studied in Kenya – her first time living abroad. When she graduated, she moved to Uganda, planning to work for a youth foundation there and ultimately look for jobs in Kenya. As it turned out, she stayed in Uganda, co-founded a youth development organization, met and married her now ex-husband, and ran a non-profit with him. Her experience leading the non-profit there is what ultimately made her decide to pursue b-school: she realized she needed to develop her skills. She returned to the US (pregnant with her daughter), worked for a while, and then started the process of applying to b-school. She started MBA Mama during her application process.

What is MBA Mama? [5:47]

It’s an online platform to empower women to navigate family and career strategy. They provide tools and resources to help women be successful in the workplace and at home.

Why did she start MBA Mama? [7:50]

She did a couple of pre-MBA programs: the Forte Foundation’s MBA Launch Program and the MLT MBA Prep Program. In the MLT program, a male colleague commented that he felt inspired by watching her go through the process as a single mother. She realized that there isn’t a lot of visibility: you don’t often see mothers on campus. So she bought the MBA Mama domain name, envisioning it (originally) as a blog. She met her cofounder (now an MBA student at Duke) and they’ve been continuing to work on the site and the business model.

What products are they planning? [10:40]

Some ideas are partnerships, such as test prep and loan financing. But they’re also designing an innovative childcare solution – it will be tech enabled, taking advantage of the sharing economy. And they’re working on a paid coaching platform matching senior women with younger women (around career and family issues). They also want a coaching platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. They hope to launch these over the next 18 months.

What did she hope to get out of her MBA? [13:00]

She wanted to develop her finance knowledge. Also: boost her emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The hardest part of the application process? [15:10]

The GMAT. She took it 3 times. Partly this was because she was going through a difficult time – going through a divorce – and it was difficult to find time to study.

Wharton’s TBD- her experience [16:45]

She found it hard to prepare, because she wasn’t sure what to expect, but the interview itself was smooth sailing. Who you are comes out.

The most difficult aspect of the interview process? [17:35]

In her personal interview, she had a hard time reading the interviewer.

She balances a lot of roles: leader of multiple student groups (African Student Association, Wharton Impact Investing Partners), leader of a business, student, single mother. How does she do it? [20:00]

She relies on so many people throughout each day: her nanny, friends, classmates, professors. Her classmates have been supportive. Her daughter sometimes sits in on group meetings. Her professors are very supportive and helpful.

What’s she enjoying most about Wharton? [22:10]

Her classes- particularly her courses on entrepreneurship. Students are really supportive of each other and she’s learning valuable skills – and putting them straight to work on MBA Mama.

Her summer plans [24:30]

Internship in private wealth management

Her post-MBA plans [25:00]

She plans a career in finance. MBA Mama is not in conflict with that in any way. She hopes to build up MBA Mama over the next couple of years, and sees potential for it to grow into an asset that major players in the childcare space may want to acquire.

Integrating social impact and finance [26:10]

She wants to do work that aligns with both – she wants a foot in the social impact space whatever her career function.

Her biggest challenge [27:40]

Last April 25, her mother passed away. She thought about deferring – moving cross country seemed daunting, and a lot of the money she’d saved for the move had gone to funeral expenses. But a Wharton alum reached out and inspired her to continue on the path her mom would have wanted.

Her advice to women/mothers considering an MBA [31:20]

1. See yourself as a value-add to any b-school you would go to. Being a woman who has responsibilities to children/family is a strength.

2. You need to have a plan and be tenacious.

3. Once you get in, speak up! Be confident and make sure your voice is heard. And MBA Mama is happy to help chart the path.



Related Links:

• MBA Mama• Divinity Matovu’s websitehttps://www.divinitymatovu.com/• Divinity’s interview on Fortune Magazinehttps://fortune.com/2015/05/09/single-mom-mba/• Divinity discusses Forté MBALaunchhttps://business360.fortefoundation.org/2984/roi-on-forte-mbalaunch-has-exponential-benefits• Get Accepted to Wharton, a webinar.

• Interview with MBA Mama Founders

Related Shows:

• An HBS Entrepreneur Promoting Career Flexibility• The Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World• From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke• Stanford GSB Alum Transforming Online Dating for the Ambitious• M.D., Mom, Wife, and Juggler

Subscribe:


            



Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

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Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   04 May 2016, 13:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152]


With Mother’s Day coming up, this week’s show features a mother, MBA student, and entrepreneur.

Meet Divinity Matovu, founder of MBA Mama [1:04]

Divinity grew up in Wisconsin, attended USC (where she majored in Political Science and African American Studies), and got bit by the social impact and start-up bug. She’s now studying at Wharton as a member of the class of 2017. Her writing has appeared on Forté Foundation’s Business 360 Blog, Fortune Online, the Wharton Journal, and of course the MBA Mama blog. Welcome!

What did she do in between USC and Wharton, and what was her path to b-school? [1:55]

She moved to Africa! While an undergrad, she studied in Kenya – her first time living abroad. When she graduated, she moved to Uganda, planning to work for a youth foundation there and ultimately look for jobs in Kenya. As it turned out, she stayed in Uganda, co-founded a youth development organization, met and married her now ex-husband, and ran a non-profit with him. Her experience leading the non-profit there is what ultimately made her decide to pursue b-school: she realized she needed to develop her skills. She returned to the US (pregnant with her daughter), worked for a while, and then started the process of applying to b-school. She started MBA Mama during her application process.

What is MBA Mama? [5:47]

It’s an online platform to empower women to navigate family and career strategy. They provide tools and resources to help women be successful in the workplace and at home.

Why did she start MBA Mama? [7:50]

She did a couple of pre-MBA programs: the Forte Foundation’s MBA Launch Program and the MLT MBA Prep Program. In the MLT program, a male colleague commented that he felt inspired by watching her go through the process as a single mother. She realized that there isn’t a lot of visibility: you don’t often see mothers on campus. So she bought the MBA Mama domain name, envisioning it (originally) as a blog. She met her cofounder (now an MBA student at Duke) and they’ve been continuing to work on the site and the business model.

What products are they planning? [10:40]

Some ideas are partnerships, such as test prep and loan financing. But they’re also designing an innovative childcare solution – it will be tech enabled, taking advantage of the sharing economy. And they’re working on a paid coaching platform matching senior women with younger women (around career and family issues). They also want a coaching platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. They hope to launch these over the next 18 months.

What did she hope to get out of her MBA? [13:00]

She wanted to develop her finance knowledge. Also: boost her emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The hardest part of the application process? [15:10]

The GMAT. She took it 3 times. Partly this was because she was going through a difficult time – going through a divorce – and it was difficult to find time to study.

Wharton’s TBD- her experience [16:45]

She found it hard to prepare, because she wasn’t sure what to expect, but the interview itself was smooth sailing. Who you are comes out.

The most difficult aspect of the interview process? [17:35]

In her personal interview, she had a hard time reading the interviewer.

She balances a lot of roles: leader of multiple student groups (African Student Association, Wharton Impact Investing Partners), leader of a business, student, single mother. How does she do it? [20:00]

She relies on so many people throughout each day: her nanny, friends, classmates, professors. Her classmates have been supportive. Her daughter sometimes sits in on group meetings. Her professors are very supportive and helpful.

What’s she enjoying most about Wharton? [22:10]

Her classes- particularly her courses on entrepreneurship. Students are really supportive of each other and she’s learning valuable skills – and putting them straight to work on MBA Mama.

Her summer plans [24:30]

Internship in private wealth management

Her post-MBA plans [25:00]

She plans a career in finance. MBA Mama is not in conflict with that in any way. She hopes to build up MBA Mama over the next couple of years, and sees potential for it to grow into an asset that major players in the childcare space may want to acquire.

Integrating social impact and finance [26:10]

She wants to do work that aligns with both – she wants a foot in the social impact space whatever her career function.

Her biggest challenge [27:40]

Last April 25, her mother passed away. She thought about deferring – moving cross country seemed daunting, and a lot of the money she’d saved for the move had gone to funeral expenses. But a Wharton alum reached out and inspired her to continue on the path her mom would have wanted.

Her advice to women/mothers considering an MBA [31:20]

1. See yourself as a value-add to any b-school you would go to. Being a woman who has responsibilities to children/family is a strength.

2. You need to have a plan and be tenacious.

3. Once you get in, speak up! Be confident and make sure your voice is heard. And MBA Mama is happy to help chart the path.



Related Links:

• MBA Mama• Divinity Matovu’s websitehttps://www.divinitymatovu.com/• Divinity’s interview on Fortune Magazinehttps://fortune.com/2015/05/09/single-mom-mba/• Divinity discusses Forté MBALaunchhttps://business360.fortefoundation.org/2984/roi-on-forte-mbalaunch-has-exponential-benefits• Get Accepted to Wharton, a webinar.

• Interview with MBA Mama Founders

Related Shows:

• An HBS Entrepreneur Promoting Career Flexibility• The Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World• From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke• Stanford GSB Alum Transforming Online Dating for the Ambitious• M.D., Mom, Wife, and Juggler

Subscribe:


            



Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

The post Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
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Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   04 May 2016, 14:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152]


With Mother’s Day coming up, this week’s show features a mother, MBA student, and entrepreneur.

Meet Divinity Matovu, founder of MBA Mama [1:04]

Divinity grew up in Wisconsin, attended USC (where she majored in Political Science and African American Studies), and got bit by the social impact and start-up bug. She’s now studying at Wharton as a member of the class of 2017. Her writing has appeared on Forté Foundation’s Business 360 Blog, Fortune Online, the Wharton Journal, and of course the MBA Mama blog. Welcome!

What did she do in between USC and Wharton, and what was her path to b-school? [1:55]

She moved to Africa! While an undergrad, she studied in Kenya – her first time living abroad. When she graduated, she moved to Uganda, planning to work for a youth foundation there and ultimately look for jobs in Kenya. As it turned out, she stayed in Uganda, co-founded a youth development organization, met and married her now ex-husband, and ran a non-profit with him. Her experience leading the non-profit there is what ultimately made her decide to pursue b-school: she realized she needed to develop her skills. She returned to the US (pregnant with her daughter), worked for a while, and then started the process of applying to b-school. She started MBA Mama during her application process.

What is MBA Mama? [5:47]

It’s an online platform to empower women to navigate family and career strategy. They provide tools and resources to help women be successful in the workplace and at home.

Why did she start MBA Mama? [7:50]

She did a couple of pre-MBA programs: the Forte Foundation’s MBA Launch Program and the MLT MBA Prep Program. In the MLT program, a male colleague commented that he felt inspired by watching her go through the process as a single mother. She realized that there isn’t a lot of visibility: you don’t often see mothers on campus. So she bought the MBA Mama domain name, envisioning it (originally) as a blog. She met her cofounder (now an MBA student at Duke) and they’ve been continuing to work on the site and the business model.

What products are they planning? [10:40]

Some ideas are partnerships, such as test prep and loan financing. But they’re also designing an innovative childcare solution – it will be tech enabled, taking advantage of the sharing economy. And they’re working on a paid coaching platform matching senior women with younger women (around career and family issues). They also want a coaching platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. They hope to launch these over the next 18 months.

What did she hope to get out of her MBA? [13:00]

She wanted to develop her finance knowledge. Also: boost her emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The hardest part of the application process? [15:10]

The GMAT. She took it 3 times. Partly this was because she was going through a difficult time – going through a divorce – and it was difficult to find time to study.

Wharton’s TBD- her experience [16:45]

She found it hard to prepare, because she wasn’t sure what to expect, but the interview itself was smooth sailing. Who you are comes out.

The most difficult aspect of the interview process? [17:35]

In her personal interview, she had a hard time reading the interviewer.

She balances a lot of roles: leader of multiple student groups (African Student Association, Wharton Impact Investing Partners), leader of a business, student, single mother. How does she do it? [20:00]

She relies on so many people throughout each day: her nanny, friends, classmates, professors. Her classmates have been supportive. Her daughter sometimes sits in on group meetings. Her professors are very supportive and helpful.

What’s she enjoying most about Wharton? [22:10]

Her classes- particularly her courses on entrepreneurship. Students are really supportive of each other and she’s learning valuable skills – and putting them straight to work on MBA Mama.

Her summer plans [24:30]

Internship in private wealth management

Her post-MBA plans [25:00]

She plans a career in finance. MBA Mama is not in conflict with that in any way. She hopes to build up MBA Mama over the next couple of years, and sees potential for it to grow into an asset that major players in the childcare space may want to acquire.

Integrating social impact and finance [26:10]

She wants to do work that aligns with both – she wants a foot in the social impact space whatever her career function.

Her biggest challenge [27:40]

Last April 25, her mother passed away. She thought about deferring – moving cross country seemed daunting, and a lot of the money she’d saved for the move had gone to funeral expenses. But a Wharton alum reached out and inspired her to continue on the path her mom would have wanted.

Her advice to women/mothers considering an MBA [31:20]

1. See yourself as a value-add to any b-school you would go to. Being a woman who has responsibilities to children/family is a strength.

2. You need to have a plan and be tenacious.

3. Once you get in, speak up! Be confident and make sure your voice is heard. And MBA Mama is happy to help chart the path.



Related Links:

• MBA Mama• Divinity Matovu’s websitehttps://www.divinitymatovu.com/• Divinity’s interview on Fortune Magazinehttps://fortune.com/2015/05/09/single-mom-mba/• Divinity discusses Forté MBALaunchhttps://business360.fortefoundation.org/2984/roi-on-forte-mbalaunch-has-exponential-benefits• Get Accepted to Wharton, a webinar.

• Interview with MBA Mama Founders

Related Shows:

• An HBS Entrepreneur Promoting Career Flexibility• The Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World• From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke• Stanford GSB Alum Transforming Online Dating for the Ambitious• M.D., Mom, Wife, and Juggler

Subscribe:


            



Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

The post Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
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Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] [#permalink] Accepted MBA Updates   04 May 2016, 18:01
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152]


With Mother’s Day coming up, this week’s show features a mother, MBA student, and entrepreneur.

Meet Divinity Matovu, founder of MBA Mama [1:04]

Divinity grew up in Wisconsin, attended USC (where she majored in Political Science and African American Studies), and got bit by the social impact and start-up bug. She’s now studying at Wharton as a member of the class of 2017. Her writing has appeared on Forté Foundation’s Business 360 Blog, Fortune Online, the Wharton Journal, and of course the MBA Mama blog. Welcome!

What did she do in between USC and Wharton, and what was her path to b-school? [1:55]

She moved to Africa! While an undergrad, she studied in Kenya – her first time living abroad. When she graduated, she moved to Uganda, planning to work for a youth foundation there and ultimately look for jobs in Kenya. As it turned out, she stayed in Uganda, co-founded a youth development organization, met and married her now ex-husband, and ran a non-profit with him. Her experience leading the non-profit there is what ultimately made her decide to pursue b-school: she realized she needed to develop her skills. She returned to the US (pregnant with her daughter), worked for a while, and then started the process of applying to b-school. She started MBA Mama during her application process.

What is MBA Mama? [5:47]

It’s an online platform to empower women to navigate family and career strategy. They provide tools and resources to help women be successful in the workplace and at home.

Why did she start MBA Mama? [7:50]

She did a couple of pre-MBA programs: the Forte Foundation’s MBA Launch Program and the MLT MBA Prep Program. In the MLT program, a male colleague commented that he felt inspired by watching her go through the process as a single mother. She realized that there isn’t a lot of visibility: you don’t often see mothers on campus. So she bought the MBA Mama domain name, envisioning it (originally) as a blog. She met her cofounder (now an MBA student at Duke) and they’ve been continuing to work on the site and the business model.

What products are they planning? [10:40]

Some ideas are partnerships, such as test prep and loan financing. But they’re also designing an innovative childcare solution – it will be tech enabled, taking advantage of the sharing economy. And they’re working on a paid coaching platform matching senior women with younger women (around career and family issues). They also want a coaching platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. They hope to launch these over the next 18 months.

What did she hope to get out of her MBA? [13:00]

She wanted to develop her finance knowledge. Also: boost her emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The hardest part of the application process? [15:10]

The GMAT. She took it 3 times. Partly this was because she was going through a difficult time – going through a divorce – and it was difficult to find time to study.

Wharton’s TBD- her experience [16:45]

She found it hard to prepare, because she wasn’t sure what to expect, but the interview itself was smooth sailing. Who you are comes out.

The most difficult aspect of the interview process? [17:35]

In her personal interview, she had a hard time reading the interviewer.

She balances a lot of roles: leader of multiple student groups (African Student Association, Wharton Impact Investing Partners), leader of a business, student, single mother. How does she do it? [20:00]

She relies on so many people throughout each day: her nanny, friends, classmates, professors. Her classmates have been supportive. Her daughter sometimes sits in on group meetings. Her professors are very supportive and helpful.

What’s she enjoying most about Wharton? [22:10]

Her classes- particularly her courses on entrepreneurship. Students are really supportive of each other and she’s learning valuable skills – and putting them straight to work on MBA Mama.

Her summer plans [24:30]

Internship in private wealth management

Her post-MBA plans [25:00]

She plans a career in finance. MBA Mama is not in conflict with that in any way. She hopes to build up MBA Mama over the next couple of years, and sees potential for it to grow into an asset that major players in the childcare space may want to acquire.

Integrating social impact and finance [26:10]

She wants to do work that aligns with both – she wants a foot in the social impact space whatever her career function.

Her biggest challenge [27:40]

Last April 25, her mother passed away. She thought about deferring – moving cross country seemed daunting, and a lot of the money she’d saved for the move had gone to funeral expenses. But a Wharton alum reached out and inspired her to continue on the path her mom would have wanted.

Her advice to women/mothers considering an MBA [31:20]

1. See yourself as a value-add to any b-school you would go to. Being a woman who has responsibilities to children/family is a strength.

2. You need to have a plan and be tenacious.

3. Once you get in, speak up! Be confident and make sure your voice is heard. And MBA Mama is happy to help chart the path.



Related Links:

• MBA Mama• Divinity Matovu’s websitehttps://www.divinitymatovu.com/• Divinity’s interview on Fortune Magazinehttps://fortune.com/2015/05/09/single-mom-mba/• Divinity discusses Forté MBALaunchhttps://business360.fortefoundation.org/2984/roi-on-forte-mbalaunch-has-exponential-benefits• Get Accepted to Wharton, a webinar.

• Interview with MBA Mama Founders

Related Shows:

• An HBS Entrepreneur Promoting Career Flexibility• The Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World• From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke• Stanford GSB Alum Transforming Online Dating for the Ambitious• M.D., Mom, Wife, and Juggler

Subscribe:


            



Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

The post Wharton MBA Student, Single Mom, Entrepreneur [Episode 152] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
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