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MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
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MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
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Send PM
MBA Admissions Consultant
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Location: Los Angeles CA
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The MBA Career Search and Life as a Chicago Booth MBA [Episode 158] [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: The MBA Career Search and Life as a Chicago Booth MBA [Episode 158]


The MBA career search and life as a Chicago Booth MBA – today on Admissions Straight Talk.

We are joined today by the co-founders of Transparent MBA: Mitch Kirby, Alyssa Jaffee, and Kevin Marvinac who are also all students at Chicago Booth. [0:35]

Mitch graduated from Princeton with a degree in molecular biology and then worked in the Health Practice at Booz. Alyssa went to the U of Wisconsin, studying Marketing and Spanish and then worked for the Advisory Board in marketing and sales for about 5 years. And Kevin, after earning his bachelors in Finance and Latin American Studies at Notre Dame, pursued his love of wine and worked for the Gallo Winery. They all met at Chicago Booth, and we’re going to hear the rest of their story from them. Welcome!

What is Transparent MBA? [1:25]

It’s a way for MBA students to anonymously share compensation and satisfaction information for firms that recruit MBAs.

Their roles [1:52]

Mitch– product developer/coder

Alyssa– works with the corporations

Kevin– user side

How did Transparent MBA come into being? [2:40]

Mitch: I wanted to understand career options better, and felt there was a lack of MBA-specific data in the space. The data from the school’s career services wasn’t specific enough (by company), and other options (like glassdoor) aren’t MBA-specific.

What need does Transparent MBA fill that other services don’t? [4:20]

It’s specific to the needs of MBAs and allows more specific company-based searches than school information, which often doesn’t provide details on bonuses, etc.

When did they launch, how have they grown [5:23]

Transparent MBA launched in 2015 with just a few students. By Feb of 2016, they were outside Booth, with 35 schools and thousands of participants.

Is there any danger that with small sample sizes, people are retrieving more anecdotal evidence than data? [7:00]

They’re actually trying to combat a reliance on anecdotal info by giving people the opportunity to get more information from another source, rather than just relying on something they heard.

You can log in and compare industries. Later there will be more filters and tools so you can filter by school, grad year, etc. [8:30]

Is the site useful to pre-MBAs? Or is it more for MBA grads? [10:25]

Pre-MBAs can use it now through the prospective user portal. It can be helpful to see what their future options will be. In the future, it could potentially be a tool to help compare schools.

Role Booth played in helping develop Transparent MBA? [11:25]

Mitch took a course in coding and building web applications, which gave him the skills to develop the project. He also met his cofounders at Booth. And they’re participating in the New Venture Challenge, which is helping them think through challenges.

The New Venture Competition- how does it work? [12:30]

There are 30 teams, of which 10 will make the finals and 1 will win. They pitch their venture to investors. It makes them think harder about everything they’re doing.

The next stage is the Acceptance Pitch on June 2, to see if they make the finals. They’re competing for $70K in funding.

[Update: Since the recording of this podcast, the Transparent MBA team won a $90K prize by winning first place in Booth’s New Venture Challenge Competition!]

Any investors yet? [13:40]

They’re self-funded, but talking to investors.

Plans to monetize? [14:00]

Right now they’re focusing on developing the user experience, but there are corporations that are interested in the job search community.

Mitch and Alyssa are graduating this spring, while Kevin is finishing his first year. How has Booth met their expectations? [15:20]

Kevin: The flexibility. He decided to decelerate, and change to part-time student status in order to work on Transparent MBA – Booth gives him this option. He found the meaty classes during his first year really rewarding.

Alyssa: The amazing professors and network. Booth teaches you to dream bigger and think beyond what you thought you could accomplish.

Mitch:  It’s an open community where you have the opportunity to pursue whatever you’re thinking about, and you have the support to do it.

Did they intend to pursue entrepreneurship when they came to Booth? [18:10]

They had a bit of the bug coming in!

Plans for next year? [19:00]

Kevin will take classes part time and work fulltime for Transparent MBA. Mitch and Alyssa are evaluating based on how the competition goes. Alyssa may transition to the venture capital side.

Anything they’d change about Booth? [20:10]

More time! There are so many opportunities to take advantage of and so many people to meet.

Have their professors been helpful in getting Transparent MBA off the ground? [20:50]

Yes! They have profs who meet with them on a weekly basis and provide advice on pitching, introductions to their own networks, etc. They treat them as mentees.

Was there any time they thought it wouldn’t work? [21:50]

While Mitch was coding Transparent MBA, he wasn’t sure, but once it launched, it took off!

What will they miss about b-school? 23:00

Constantly being surrounded by smart, driven, fun people.

Advice for Booth applicants: [23:20]

Kevin: Have a plan, think about what you want, and don’t be swayed by the herd mentality.

Mitch:  Every decision you make is personal, and you know what’s best – understand your motivations.

Alyssa:  Dream bigger: you can do anything you set your mind to.

Their vision for Transparent MBA [25:40]

They want to create a map of every career – where people go after their first positions, how their careers develop, etc. In other words, a long-term career decision-making tool.



Related Links:

Transparentmba.com

These Boothies Created a Glassdoor for MBAs

Startup Spotlight: TransparentMBA

MBA recruiting is frustrating. So we created this to fix it.

Chicago Booth MBA tips

8 Full-Tuition Scholarships for Civic Scholars at Chicago Booth

Interview with a Techie at Chicago Booth

Get Accepted to Chicago Booth, an on-demand webinar

Chicago Booth Zone

Related Shows:

PayScale: How Much Can You Earn, and How to Earn It?

Haas, McCombs, and Case Interviews

Picking a Career, Interviewing Right and More Job Talk

How to Become a Corporate Executive 

An HBS Entrepreneur Promoting Career Flexibility

• Entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson

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Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions

The post The MBA Career Search and Life as a Chicago Booth MBA [Episode 158] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog.
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Is a Harvard MBA in Your Future? [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Is a Harvard MBA in Your Future?



If you want to answer that question with a resounding “yes,” you need to tune in to our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Harvard Business School. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 22nd at 10am PT/1pm ET and at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

Join us live for the hottest MBA admissions event of the year and get step-by-step directions for securing a HBS acceptance!



Reserve your spot for Get Accepted to Harvard Business School now!



Tags: MBA Admissions

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Harvard Business School: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Harvard Business School: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite


Do you have what it takes?

So HBS wants “analytical aptitude and appetite.” What is there to add? I mean, it’s pretty obvious. We didn’t really need HBS to say it. Yet they did say it.

Maybe it’s not as obvious as it sounds. Let’s take a look.

Analytical: This concept encompasses a range of things – quantitative methods, various tools and processes such as decision trees and FMEA, mental objectivity, an exacting attitude. Parsing the relationship between a whole and its parts. Pursuing root causes.

Aptitude: Ability, innate and/or learned.

Appetite: This is the really interesting word, because it’s open to interpretation. We can read it as meaning to enjoy, to savor, to be open to, to relish, to hunger for, to have capacity for. Here are some of its practical implications and nuances (in question form):

• Do you use objective analysis in understanding past events, planning future actions and strategies, and making decisions?

• Do you respect results and outcomes determined by analysis when they don’t jive with your preconceptions, ideologies, or preferences?

• Does your analytic mindset allow you to be comfortable with – even relish – ambiguity and uncertainty?

• Do you help your teammates understand and use analytic approaches and thinking?

• Perhaps most important, do you use language effectively as an analytic tool, e.g., when the team is facing a muddle, are you the one who can verbally separate the threads, clarify them, and guide the team to understand their relative weight and importance?

As the HBS website indicates, for HBS, analytical aptitude is not a solitary feast (regardless of how hearty the analytic appetite). You’ve got to bring your analytical chops to the table, i.e., to classroom debates and case studies, projects, etc. Therefore, you must be able not only to read and play the analytic score – but also to improvise, on the spot and with other virtuosos.

The adcom will grasp your analytic aptitude from your transcript(s), test score, and resume. But if you feel these elements don’t properly show this dimension, use other parts of the application (essay, short answers, additional info, recommendations) to amplify it.

As for showing analytical appetite:

• Your resume may reflect this quality, depending on your work.

• Invite your recommenders to discuss this quality and to provide examples.

• In your essay(s) use a story or two that demonstrates analytical appetite.

And be assured, it won’t hurt to let other programs you apply to appreciate your analytic aptitude and appetite!




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, including many successful applicants to HBS.

Related Resources:

• What Does Harvard Business School Want?

Harvard Business School: The Habit of Leadership

• Harvard Business School 2017 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Wharton 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Wharton 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines


Last year, Wharton didn’t change its essays after years of shrinking its application.

This year it reversed course. It modified slightly the first required question and added a second required question in response to student feedback. According to an interview on Poets and Quants with Wharton Deputy Vice Dean of Admissions Maryellen Reilly, Wharton students felt that the old requirements and restrictions did not give them adequate opportunity to introduce themselves. Wharton listened, and now there are two required questions.

While requiring the second essay this year, Wharton has not changed the total word limits. Last year the required question had a 500-word maximum and the optional a 400-word limit. This year the first question again has a 500-word maximum and the second question has a 400-word maximum. The total word count remains 900 words, but the required amount of writing has increased. This change allows and encourages you to present a more complete picture of yourself, but does not give you license to write at length. You still need to write succinctly.

One other admissions change that Wharton announced, which is not directly related to the essays but still worth noting if you attended a non-English speaking undergrad institution: Wharton will now accept the Pearson’s PTE exam in addition to the TOEFL.

My tips for completing the Wharton application essays are in blue below.

Essays:

Essay 1.

What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words maximum)

Last year’s question included “professionally and personally.” This year, it’s exclusively “professionally.” What do you want to do professionally that you can’t do now and that a Wharton MBA will help you do? What “soft” and “hard’ skills do you hope to acquire at Wharton? How will a Wharton MBA – the education, the credential, and the experience – help you achieve your dreams?

As with most MBA goals questions, Wharton wants to see how you plan to connect your Wharton education to your future. Keep in mind that Wharton has an incredibly rich curriculum. How will you take advantage of its premier offerings to prepare yourself to achieve your vision for the future?

To answer this question well, you need to have professional direction and you need to know which of Wharton’s tremendous resources make it the perfect place for the next stop on your professional journey.

Essay 2. 

Teamwork is at the core of the Wharton MBA experience with each student contributing unique elements to our collaborative culture. How will you contribute to the Wharton community? (400 words maximum)

By asking these two questions, effectively breaking apart and expanding on last year’s essay question, our hope is to give applicants ample space to more fully explain their aspirations, goals, and how Wharton fits into those. We want to be able to view applicants from both sides of their world – one where they are professionals developing skills and seeking career advancement, but also the personal growth side where they are seeking out enriching experiences to become better, stronger, wiser, and a more robust person.

Take these two questions as an important opportunity to express who you are and what and who you want to be.  It is important for us to know the real you and be able to envision you as part of the Wharton community.

This is a new question. To respond effectively you have to understand the importance of clusters, cohorts, and student clubs at Wharton. Students constantly work in teams and groups in and outside of class. In addition, much learning and networking goes on outside of class. Finally Wharton values its community and wants to admit people who will enrich and contribute to it.

When have you contributed to a team? It could be a sports team, a band, a religious or political group. It could be that you spearheaded a fundraiser with a group of peers or started an exercise initiative at the office in cooperation with others. There are an infinite number of possibilities. However, in order to complement Essay 1, try to choose a non-professional team example. Show how that experience will allow you to contribute similarly to a Wharton club, resource, or event.  Maybe you’ll start a new initiative using the lessons learned from this previous experience.

If you would like professional guidance with your Wharton 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 Wharton MBA application.

Wharton 2016-17 Application Deadlines:





*To be considered for a round, you must submit a complete application by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the day of the deadline.




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 SchoolsWharton Zone Page

• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips

• Wharton, Google & Submarines: Steve’s MBA Story

Tags: MBA Admissions

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NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines


Stern clearly likes what it received from applicants last year: It is not tweaking, changing, adding to, or subtracting from last year’s essay questions.

My tips are in blue below.

Our Stern essay questions give you the opportunity to more fully present yourself to the Admissions Committee and to provide insight into your experiences, goals and thought processes.

Please note the following details when completing your essays.

•Written essays must be submitted using double-spacing and 12-point font.

• Your response to Essay 1 should answer all parts of the question with a total maximum of 750 words.

• Your essays should be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be revoked if you did not write your essays.

Essays:

Essay 1.

Professional Aspirations (750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

• Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life?

• What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience?

• What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation?

Stern states explicitly that it seeks students with a “well-articulated plan to achieve their career aspirations.”

Stern’s #1 is an MBA goals question with a couple of small twists. A and C are fairly typical of this genre, only C doesn’t ask about long-term goals.  At the heart of this question: What do you want to do after you graduate that requires an MBA and A asks why is now the right time to get it?  You should be able to answer Stern’s #1, or you shouldn’t be applying.

Another twist occurs in B: Have you done your homework about Stern? What have you done to research the program, its curriculum, career opportunities, and student life? What aspects of the program will help you achieve the goals you provide in C?

The part of the question asking about your career goal “upon graduation” is critical. Are you realistic about where your past experience plus a Stern MBA can take you? Stern doesn’t want people in la-la-land who will be impossible to place.

Finally make sure you answer all elements of the question while staying within the word limits (not guidelines). No adcom member sits there and counts words, but the readers can tell when you are significantly over. “Significantly” in my book is more than 10%. Write succinctly.

Essay 2.  

Personal Expression

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:

• Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.

Written Submission: The essay should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.

Video/Audio Submission: If you submit a video or audio file, it should be five minutes maximum, and the file should be uploaded to a video/audio hosting website. You must include the URL, along with a brief description of the video/audio piece, in a Word or PDF document with your online application. Do not mail a USB or DVD to our office. The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate essay if we are unable to view your submission.

Physical Submission: If you submit a physical piece for this essay (e.g. artwork), you must include a Word or PDF document with a photo and a brief description of your submission with your online application and note the following:

• Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food), or any item that has been worn (e.g. clothing).

• Mailed materials must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Please follow our mail and labeling instructions.

• Mailed packages are subject to the size restrictions below. Submissions that exceed the stated size restrictions will not be accepted for review by the Admissions Committee.

Packaging Type                        
Dimensions: Metric                           
Dimensions: Non-metric                      

Box
36cm x 31cm x 8cm
14” x 12” x 3”

Cylindrical tube
8cm x 91cm
3” x 36”

Triangular tube
97cm x 16cm x 16 cm x 16 cm
38” x 6” x 6” x 6”

Candidates can get very creative with this essay and use different media (other than edibles and worn attire), but many of you will convey your ideas in words. Think of how you describe yourself in a social setting when meeting people for the first time.

If it’s the first day of class or a mixer early in the pre-term, how would you break the ice? Would you try to set up a tennis game or golf match? Would you find someone to explore NYC’s museums? Or do you hate museums and prefer hiking through the woods? What would you say if you were in the campus coffee shop and sat down with some new classmates? Could you create a dialog? A short skit?

NYU Stern also permits the use of multimedia in response to this question. While the media may vary, the point again is to introduce yourself to friends. Given the other questions, this can be a great venue for hobbies, extra-curricular interests, and community service.

When I visited NYU Stern a few years ago, the admissions officer I met with proudly showed me several “personal expressions.” Her faves. They were incredibly creative, but much less slick than you might imagine. A year ago, Stern hosted AIGAC for a day and again presented two of the videos filmed in response to this question. They were thoughtful introductions to the applicants who created them. But neither one was super-slick or professional. Just revealing, creative, and clever.

If you want to submit something three-dimensional or multi-media, don’t worry if you aren’t ready for the Louvre or the Academy Awards as long as your creation is authentically yours, introduces you, and sticks to the above requirements. It will be taken seriously and appreciated.

If you are considering video, download Audio/Video in Admissions: Get Ready for Prime Time, a free guide.

Essay 3.

Additional Information (optional)

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL or any other relevant information.

If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application.

Obviously if you fit into one of the categories described in the three points above, you need to write this essay. If you don’t fit into the above categories and have something you want the admissions committee to know that isn’t part of the required essays, then you still should write this optional essay.

If you are an MBA reapplicant, please realize that the question posed here by NYU Stern is THE key question you need to answer as a reapplicant. What have you done to improve your candidacy that should change the outcome?

NYU Stern 2017 Application Deadlines:



If you would like professional guidance with your NYU Stern 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 NYU Stern MBA application. 





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 SchoolsMore School-Specific Essay Tips

Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions

• Exploring the Part-Time MBA Options at NYU Stern, podcast

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Harvard Business School: Engaged Community Citizenship [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Harvard Business School: Engaged Community Citizenship


This is not about “community service” — it’s not about doing halo-worthy things in your free time. (Though neither HBS nor I will discourage that, and “engaged community citizenship” and “community service” certainly can overlap.)

Community service is an activity that you do; engaged community citizenship is a quality that you embody. Doing community service does not automatically mean you possess the quality of engaged community citizenship.

Harvard Business School explicitly seeks this quality in its applicants – announced in bold letters on its “Who are we looking for?” page.

Plaudits to HBS for the directness and clarity. Yet it’s a complex idea. Let’s see exactly what “engaged community service” means by examining each element.

Engaged:

Showing up. Participating, with your heart and mind as well as your actions. When you ask questions or make a comment, it’s not just for participation brownie points; it’s thoughtful, pertinent, contributing. You share doubts and fears as well as offer solutions. You know how to listen, you do listen, and you synthesize what you hear. You check your ego at the door, knowing it’s not about you, it’s about the issue or project or process.

Community:

Your organization and your team or department within it. Your social circle. Your sports team and/or religious group and/or music ensemble and/or hobby club. Your service organization. Not least, your school – including the HBS classroom. It is also your neighborhood. And your country. It’s the people around you on the subway platform. It’s every group formal or informal with which you have a connection.

Citizenship:

A sense of responsibility. A sense of ownership. The values that inform and drive your engagement with your community. First and foremost, you care. About the community at large, the people within it, and, yes, yourself. You act on that caring and your actions reflect that caring. Therefore, you are ethical and honest. You are reliable and generous. In a nutshell: You can be counted on to pitch in and do the right thing for your community.

Actually, the quality of engaged community citizenship is something that any b-school adcom will value. So how do you express it effectively in your application? Use example and anecdote. For HBS, focus on it in your responses to your “Three most…” questions in the body of the app. Also, try to bring it out in your resume and your interviews. Ask your recommenders to highlight it.

If you have it – let it enhance your candidacy.

For more insight into what HBS is looking for, check out our posts: What Harvard Business School is Looking For: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite and What Harvard Business School is Looking For: The Habit Of Leadership.




By Cindy Tokumitsu, author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted. She can help you assess your strengths and weaknesses and develop a winning MBA admissions strategy. She is a member of the Association of International Graduate Application Consultants.

Related Resources:

• Harvard Business School 2017 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines

• What Does Harvard Business School Want?, short video

Harvard Business School Zone

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Future Harvard Business School MBAs – Tune in on Wednesday! [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Future Harvard Business School MBAs – Tune in on Wednesday!



You have just a few more days until our webinar, Get Accepted to Harvard Business School, airs live! If you plan on applying to Harvard Business School, then make sure you catch the important advice that Linda will cover in Get Accepted to Harvard Business School.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday the 22nd, at 10am PT/1pm ET and at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

The webinar is free but seats are limit and you must register. Sign up here: Get Accepted to Harvard Business School.

See ya soon!





Tags: MBA Admissions

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How to Stay Within Essay Word Limits by Reducing Verbal Verbosity [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Stay Within Essay Word Limits by Reducing Verbal Verbosity


Make those words count!

Most applicants – whether applying to med school, law school, business school, or any other grad school or college program – need to deal with rigid character or word limits when writing their application essays or personal statements. You may start out thinking that you have nothing to write, but generally, once applicants begin writing, they find they have too much to say! To keep within those pesky word limits, you need to make sure you keep your writing succinct. How? Check your verbs. Poor usage of verbs creates verbosity. Effective use contributes to concision.

Here are a few techniques, followed by examples:

[b]1. Get rid of unnecessary helping verbs.[/b]

Verbose: She is going to be applying to ten medical schools.

Succinct: She will apply to ten medical schools.

[b]2. Replace adverbs that assist prosaic verbs with more just a simple, expressive verb.[/b]

Verbose: He responded enthusiastically…

Succinct: He enthused… OR He gushed…

[b]3. Forget about “taking advantage of the opportunity to do X.”[/b]

Verbose: I took advantage of the opportunity to do research on…

Succinct: I researched…

4. Seek the verbs in nouns. 

Verbose: I came to the conclusion…

Succinct: I concluded…

These editing techniques will help you trim your long-winded, verbose, neverending essays into concise, engaging, and highly readable admissions masterpieces.





Related Resources:

• Five Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Applications

10 Tips for Better Essay Writing

How to Use Good Grammar to Create Essays that Flow

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

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GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey Results 2016 [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey Results 2016


Showing teamwork seems to be the best way to go.

GMAC just released its 2016 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report. 109 graduate business schools participated in the GMAC survey in February and March of this year, and the survey reflects the responses of 842 employers from 530 companies in 40 countries around the world who recruit directly with the participating business schools.

Here are some highlights focusing on the importance of on-campus recruiting at business schools, hiring projections for the coming year, and expected starting salaries.

MBA Hiring Expectations

• 88% of corporate recruiters who work directly with graduate business schools plan to hire recent MBA graduates in 2016 – this is up 8% from last year and up 33% from 2010.

• About 25% of corporate recruiters plan to hire non-MBA business master’s program graduates this year, specifically 27% plan to hire Master of Supply Chain Management graduates, 26% plan to hire Master of Data Analytics graduates, and 24% plan to hire Master of Marketing graduates.

• In the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America, more corporate recruiters are planning to hire Master in Management and Master of Finance graduates in 2016 compared with 2015.

• In the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and Latin America, recruiters plan on hiring more Master of Accounting graduates in 2016 than they did in 2015.

Expected Salaries

• 54% of employers plan to increase MBA starting salaries. 33% of these respondents will raise it at the rate of inflation and 21% will raise it above that rate.

• 46% of employers plan to keep MBA starting salaries the same as in 2016.

• 67% of employers who plan to hire graduates with Master in Supply Chain Management degrees expect to increase their starting salaries. 46% plan to increase at the rate of inflation, and 20% plan to increase above that rate.

• Last year, US-based companies offered MBA graduates a median starting base salary of US$100,000. This year, these companies plan to pay US$105,000.

• For graduates of Master of Data Analytics and Master of Marketing programs, US-based companies play on paying a median starting base salary of US$85,000, higher than the amount they plan on paying graduates of Master in Management and Master of Accounting programs.

International Hiring & Job Placement

• 52% of corporate recruiters plan to hire (24%) or are willing to consider hiring (28%) recent business school graduates in 2016 who require additional legal documentation, such as work permits or visas.

• 30% of companies who plan to hire business school graduates in 2016 plan on placing these candidates in multiple world regions.

GMAC also for the first time conducted a second survey of “human resource professionals and recruiters from employer samples purchased through an outside private vendor.” Employers are located in China, France, German, India, the UK and the U.S. According to Bob Alig, GMAC’s executive vice president for school products, “The difference [slightly lower but still strong] in hiring projections between the two surveys highlights the value business schools provide to students in connecting them with employers that want to hire them. These results are compelling evidence for admissions professionals to demonstrate the value of a graduate business degree to prospective applicants.”

You can download GMAC’s 2016 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report and an overview of their survey methodology here.

Analysis of GMAC’s 2016 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report

There is no question that the news contained in GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters survey is excellent for graduate management students and applicants. Jobs are plentiful, and pay is increasing. It’s hard to find the cloud amidst the thick silver lining. Yeah!

Beyond the wonderful hiring news, I saw a few nuggets that are particularly germane to applicants as they complete their applications and head toward interviews.

Admissions is very much influenced if not driven by hiring. “Begin with the end in mind” holds for business schools as well as applicants in admissions. So if recruiters say they are looking for specific qualities in new hires, you can bet your last dollar that b-schools are also looking for applicants who already evince those qualities.

This is the triple crown that companies seek in new hires:

1. Ability to fit in organizational culture

2. Ability to work in teams

3. Potential to make an impact

Leadership potential is frequently mentioned, but didn’t quite make it into the top 3. However, it is closely related to “potential to make an impact.”

Fit in a specific corporate culture will depend somewhat on the individual culture so let’s focus on ability to work in teams and potential to make an impact. Those are the two qualities most relevant to applicants.

Folks, you simply must show teamwork and impact in your applications. Employers will ultimately want to see these two qualities and consequently admissions offices will want to see them first. MBA programs want to develop and nurture those qualities in people who already have them; they don’t want to create them from nothing.

How can you show them? Make sure your resume, community service descriptions, job history, essays, and interviews reflect both qualities. Include examples of you working in teams and the difference you made as a part of that team. Quantify impact when possible for added impact and credibility in a concise format.

Demonstrating teamwork and impact will wow the admission officers now and lay the foundation for a successful job search later.




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 SchoolsBest MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One

4 Ways to Display Teamwork in Your Application Essays

2016 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Emory Goizueta 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Emory Goizueta 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines



Taken together, these essay questions cover a lot of ground: your professional path and plans, your alignment with the program’s core values, and who you are as a person.  Moreover, this vast ground is covered in few words – these essays are short, requiring tough decisions about what key points and anecdotes to include and what to leave out. Write simply and directly to squeeze as much meaning and impact as possible out of each word.  Most important: the three key questions require thoughtful reflection.

Essays:

Answer all essays, following the directions indicated in the questions. NOTE: Applicants who apply to more than one MBA program will only complete the essay question requirement related to their first-program preference.

Essay 1.

Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)

This question invites you to define your short-term goals in a 3D context: your past experience, your skills, and your unique character. Yet, with only 300 words, you can’t give a comprehensive, detailed delineation of those elements. I suggest discussing one point from each category that is relevant to your goals. The key to making this part of the essay work is specificity, detail, anecdote – e.g. don’t just explain how you have a charismatic personality that brings people together; present a brief anecdote showing how it lets you be the “glue” in a rough-and-tumble team. Then discuss directly the relevance of this quality to your short-term goal. The question’s emphasis on short-term goals indicates practical and concrete: what (type of) position and in what industry, to achieve what, and why (and, sometimes, where).

Essay 2. 

The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)

I suggest addressing this question as a story (a very succinct story): describe a time you led in a situation of some significance. Walk through it straightforwardly, focusing on your actions. In a final, brief paragraph reflect on what this leadership experience taught you about yourself; don’t list ten things, but rather focus on the 1-2 most meaningful.

To select the best topic or experience to portray, look for something that is fairly recent and that has a clear impact. While most people will want to grab this opportunity to showcase their impact at work, it may make sense to select a non-work story if, for example, it reflects a situation or experience that truly distinguishes you in a relevant way and illustrates substantial leadership as well. Think strategically in selecting the topic and choose one that enhances your overall application and adds to the information found elsewhere.

Essay 3.

Complete one of the following statements. (250 word limit)

• I am passionate about…

• The best piece of advice I’ve received is…

• The best day of my life was…

• A personal goal I want to accomplish is…

First, which question should you respond to? The one you will find easiest to answer in an engaging, enthusiastic, and authentic way. The one that will best complement the rest of your application by illuminating something fresh about you. It wouldn’t hurt to select something that might surprise the reader a bit; e.g., you’re a total tech nerd and your great-aunt urges you to take up knitting. It would be nice if your answer to this question leaves the reader with a little smile on her face.

Essay 4.

Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit)

Align this short essay with essay 4 above – it’s another opportunity to round out your profile. This one can be work or non-work related.

Be natural in your tone – don’t strain to sound “fun” if it doesn’t come naturally to you in writing, and don’t hold back if it does.

Optional Essay:

If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues or areas of weakness in application). (Please limit your response to 250 words.)

You can of course use this essay solely to address an extenuating circumstance. If you don’t need it for that purpose, if there is something you believe would add to your case for admissions that is not covered in the rest of the application, write about it here. Focus on one facet of your life or an experience that is important to you, reveals the human being you are, and isn’t described in other parts of the application.

Re-Applicant Essays

Applicants who have applied to Goizueta Business School in the past are required to answer the following questions:

Essay 1.

What is your short-term career goal and why is an MBA from Goizueta an important next step toward that goal? (200 word limit)

See tip for essay 1 above.

Essay 2.

If your initial career plans are not realized, what else are you considering? (200 word limit)

This requires a succinct, to-the point response. Goizuieta wants to know your Plan B. What would do if Plan A (provided in Essay 1)  doesn’t work out? It too should align with your past experience,personal strengths, and your plans for your Emory MBA.

Essay 3.

Explain how you have improved your candidacy for Goizueta Business School’s MBA Program since your last application. (250 word limit)

This is THE key question for all MBA reapplicants. Goizueta just asks it explicitly. Please see MBA Reapplicant 101 for more advice.

You may also submit the optional essay if you wish.

If you would like professional guidance with your Emory Goizueta 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 Emory Goizueta application. 

Emory Goizueta 2017 MBA Application Deadlines:



* Preferred deadline for One-year MBA applicants, international applicants, and applicants interested in consideration for top named scholarships

** Final deadline for general merit-based scholarships





By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and guides, 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:

Why MBA?, A Guide to Writing About MBA Goals

• 2017 MBA Application Essay Tips

• Emory Goizueta B-School Zone

Tags: MBA Admissions

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Contemplating a Career in Data Science/Business Analytics? [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Contemplating a Career in Data Science/Business Analytics?


Since we recorded this interview, the Wall Street Journal published a short article discussing the strong demand for tech skills around the world. Apparently the area with the greatest gap between supply and demand is Big data/analytics, where 39% of IT leaders feel there is a shortage of people skilled in this area, the highest of any tech field in the survey.

The shortage makes this podcast interview particularly timely because you’ll hear from Dr. Dimitris Bertsimas, Co-Director of MIT Sloan’s Master in Business Analytics, and we discuss this brand new program in depth.

Meet Professor Dimitris Bertsimas. After earning his Master’s in Operations Research and PhD in Applied Mathematics/Operations Research at MIT, he joined the MIT faculty, where he is Professor of Operations Research, the co-Director of the Operations Research Center, and now the co-Director of the brand new Master’s in Business Analytics program. Welcome!

What is MIT Sloan’s Master’s in Business Analytics? [1:25]

It’s a 1-year program. Students take two semesters of courses and labs and then do a 3-month internship, implementing solutions with a company.

How did MIT’s MBAn come into being? [2:10]

It’s been developing over the last few years The need for analytics has grown. Sloan is in a strong position to provide this program – given the strength of its faculty in this area, it can attract superb students and be the premier business analytics program in the world.

And the demand is definitely there: last year I taught a MOOC to over 100K students.

What are the labs? [4:00]

There are several unique elements. Students learn software for analytics. There are also several modules – optimization, visualization, etc. And they learn leadership, teamwork, communication skills, etc. It’s not just traditional teaching: there’s a strong focus on hands-on learning and real world context.

The internships [6:03]

There will be multiple opportunities available for internships. Some internships might eventually and naturally translate into job opportunities.

The program is aimed primarily at recent college grads. For this group of applicants, what is MIT looking for in an applicant to the MBAn? [7:00]

Exceptional academic ability and the aspiration to apply their skills in the real world.

For career changers who have some work experience, what are they looking for? [8:22]

A strong background in science, engineering, or math: breadth and depth in their area of expertise.

What is required in the application? [8:50]

GMAT/GRE, grades, projects/papers, letters of rec. There’s also a personal statement and an interview.

What is MBA hoping to glean from the interview? [9:30]

We’re looking for exceptional people. We want grads to be leaders in analytical efforts in their organizations. So during the admissions process, we’re trying to select people who have the ability and aspiration to advance. We’re looking for leadership qualities.

For potential applicants who are considering MBA, MS Stats, MS Operations Research, or the Masters of Business Analytics: what makes the MBAn stand out? [10:45]

The internship component is unique. Also, the focus on lab courses and experiential learning is a unique focus.

As technology/data is constantly changing, the curriculum will evolve and adapt to match.

In addition, it’s just a different type of degree. The MBAn is a terminal degree: we expect students to go straight on to their careers afterwards. (Whereas many students who complete a master’s in statistics go on to study for a PhD.) The MBA is a more general degree, while the MBAn is very tightly focused on analytics. It’s a deep dive.

Any plans for a joint MBA/MBAn? [14:10]

Not at the moment.

MIT plans to reach a 60-member cohort. [14:40]

The entering class this fall will have around 20 people, and they anticipate increasing the size each of the following two years to reach an eventual class size of around 60.

Planned process for 2017 entering class [16:10]

We plan to admit roughly 40 students. The admissions process will be the same as this year: a personal statement, letters of rec, grades, test scores, interview.

The application will open in September and close January 4. [17:10]

What kind of careers can people expect after earning this degree? [17:40]

Analytics is increasingly important across industries. Grads will work in consulting, financial services, internet companies, healthcare, marketing, sports, etc. We expect a lot of competition for our graduates.

His advice for people interested in Business Analytics [19:25]

He recommends that people considering this path do an internship and take a course during undergrad to see if they enjoy working with data and analytic methods.



Related Links:

• MIT Sloan Master of Business Analytics

• MIT Launches MBAn

• What Technology Skills are in Demand?

Related Shows:

• Insights into MIT Sloan MBA Admissions with Dawna Levenson

 A Transformational Year: The MIT Sloan Fellows Program

 UVA MS in Global Commerce: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year• How to Think Like A Dean Of Admissions

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

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The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make on the GRE (And How to Avoid Them!) [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make on the GRE (And How to Avoid Them!)


Plato famously said that “courage is knowing what not to fear.” On the GRE, it can be equally said that a big part of success is knowing what not to do. Much is taught in articles like this about things you should do to boost your GRE score, but what about things to avoid doing? Here are the four leading culprits responsible for hindering your success on the GRE. Avoiding them may take a little courage on your part (or at least a new way of thinking!), but the payoff is absolutely worth it.

Mistake #1: Solving certain quantitative questions the way your high school algebra teacher taught you

Let’s make one thing clear: Your job on the GRE is to get right answers, not to make your high school algebra teacher proud. You don’t have to show your work. Nobody is critiquing your scratch paper. So why are you trying to solve everything the traditional, textbook way? There are a handful of what I call “non-standard GRE math strategies” that help you come at certain question types from a different angle. Here’s a free video where I break it all down for you. These strategies are great news if algebra isn’t your forte or if you struggle to come up with formulas to solve classic GRE word problems. They take a little getting used to, but once you master them, the GRE will be a whole lot less painful for you!

Mistake #2: Calculating instead of comparing on Quantitative Comparisons

Your overriding mindset on GRE quantitative comparison questions should be “Compare, Don’t Calculate.” Yet the mistake a lot of students make is that they try to solve QC’s the way they would traditional math word problems. That’s a lot of extra work and beyond the scope of what you’re trying to do on quantitative comparisons in most cases. Consider an example like this:



Mistake #3: Answering every question in order

One of the unique aspects of the GRE is that you can skip questions and come back to them. Use this to your advantage. If you’re struggling with finishing sections on time, it may be that you’re making the common mistake of trying to answer every question in order on the first attempt. You get to a question that’s a little bit challenging, you fixate on it, and you think, “I know how to do this!” The next thing you know it’s been four minutes and you still don’t have an answer. What’s worse, you’ve wasted precious time that could have been spent on later questions that you’re better equipped to solve. Instead, a better strategy is to answer only the questions you have a strong chance of getting right on the first pass-through. I call it “picking the low-hanging fruit.” Then, come back to the questions you were unsure of. That way you’ve at least finished the section, and better yet, you’ve answered all of the questions you know how to do without running out of time! Here’s a video where I explain this strategy in more detail as well as other important GRE time management considerations (note: the time management discussion starts around the 5:18 mark).

Mistake #4: Losing perspective

I had a coach tell me once that to win any contest you must beat two foes: your opponent and yourself. This is absolutely true on the GRE. You’ll likely spend months learning everything you can to beat your “opponent,” the GRE — things like right triangles and quadratic equations and probability rules and English vocabulary, etc. But what good is all of that if you show up on test day over-stressed and over-nervous and unable to perform your very best because you’ve made the GRE into something bigger than it really is? Now don’t get me wrong, performing well on the GRE is important. It’s a big piece of your graduate admissions puzzle, to be sure. But have some perspective. What’s the worst thing that happens if you don’t get the score you’re shooting for? You can study some more and take it again. The sun will still come up tomorrow. You have food to eat and clothes to wear. Your dog still loves you. Life goes on. My point is, you need to overcome your test anxiety and show up on test day calm, collected, focused, and ready to execute on what you’ve been studying so hard for, and worrying isn’t going to help you with that one bit. So keep one eye on the bigger picture while the other eye is locked in on fully preparing to dominate the GRE!

What was your biggest takeaway from these four points? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave your comments/questions below and I’ll look forward to continuing the conversation with you.



Brett Ethridge is the founder of Dominate Test Prep, a leading provider of GMAT and GRE courses online as well as topic-specific GRE and GMAT video lessons. He has taught both exams for over 10 years and loves working with students to help them achieve their highest potential. Brett is an entrepreneur, a budding CrossFit athlete, and an avid Duke basketball fan.

Related Resources:

Train the Brain, Nail the GMAT [or GRE]

GRE Prep Tips

Graduate School Admissions 101

Tags: Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions

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MBA Admissions Tip: Dealing with a Low GPA [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions Tip: Dealing with a Low GPA


Just prove that you have the ability to excel in your target MBA programs.

Explaining a low GPA can be difficult and it requires you to examine your GPA’s trend.

3 Scenarios

Scenario A – 3.0 GPA, upward trend

You goofed off for your first few semesters and didn’t weigh the consequences. You failed some classes and started out with an embarrassingly low GPA not because of lack of ability, but because of immaturity. Mid-sophomore year you wised up and continuously hit above the 3.8 mark for the rest of your undergraduate career.

Scenario B – 3.0 GPA, downward trend

Your college experience started out with a motivated streak of genius – three solid 4.0 semesters in a row. But then…things took a turn towards apathy and laziness and your grades began to suffer significantly.

Scenario C – 3.0 GPA, static

You work hard, but not too hard. You take some classes seriously, and some not so much. You never really cared about school or grades to really put the effort in. A few years out of school and a life-changing career move have motivated you to new heights and you want to apply to b-school. But now you need to deal with a less-than-impressive record.

Interpreting Our Scenarios

The student in Scenario A doesn’t really have too much to worry about (unless he’s applying to a top MBA program for which a 3.0 GPA is a significant hurdle). Many students early in their college careers have a couple of bad semesters because of immaturity. Your grades went up, proving your capabilities and your increased maturity.

Scenario B’s student is in a bit more of a bind. She’s proved her abilities by acing those first few semesters, but why the dramatic downturn? Did things get too difficult for her? Does she have trouble performing under pressure? Or does she just not care about improving and perfecting her academic capabilities?

The problem of mediocrity looms over Scenario C’s student. This student will need to prove his skill level if he wants to be considered for a spot in the next MBA class.

Recovery Plans

Student A doesn’t need to prove ability as much as motivation and seriousness, which he may have already proven with his last few years of work. He may want to ask one of his recommenders to vouch for his maturity and steadfastness. A high GMAT/GRE score will help.

Student B will need to enroll in some college courses to prove her verbal and/or quantitative abilities (especially if her test scores weren’t so great). She’ll want to make sure her essays express her newfound motivation as well as her keen writing abilities. Her essays should include clear anecdotes that illustrate how she’s matured since her last few semesters and how her skills should be judged based on recent work experience, rather than past college experience.

Student C is in a similar boat as Student B. He’ll want to retake some of his math and English courses and he’ll want to get solid A’s this time. B’s and C’s just won’t cut it if he wants to prove he’s b-school material. Strong essays and letters of recommendation will also boost Student C’s chances of acceptance.

Understanding Your Unique Scenario

Of course many of you will not be like Students A, B, or C. Your grade dive may have resulted from illness or family crisis or circumstances beyond your control. Or perhaps steady, mediocre grades resulted from your working 20-30 hours per week to support yourself through school. There are many other scenarios too. The key is to prove that today you have the ability to excel in your target MBA programs and that the circumstances that contributed to the poor marks in college no longer affect you.

Moral of the story: A single low number can be explained or put in a less damaging context with hard work and a solid application strategy.



Related Resources:

Low GMAT Score Advice

MBA Admissions A-Z: U is for Undergrad Grades

5 A’s for Your Low GPA, podcast

Tags: MBA Admissions

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EMBA Life, EMBA Support: A Talk with Sam from Cornell [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: EMBA Life, EMBA Support: A Talk with Sam from Cornell


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 Sam Panini, a student at Cornell.

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

Sam: My family is originally from South India. I was born in Cincinnati, OH, spent part of my childhood in Denver, CO and went to high school and college in Tennessee, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Accepted: Can you share three fun facts about yourself?

Sam:

• I am married to a lovely lady from Mexico City.

• I lived in Brazil for a couple of years and as a result I am idiomatically fluent in Mexican Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese and learned both without formal language lessons.

• I have a 6 year old dog and two daughters under the age of 3.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your experience at Cornell’s EMBA program so far and why you decided to go back to school?  

Sam: My experience, like many others in EMBA programs, has been phenomenal. As a result of holding classes primarily every other weekend, the pace of any EMBA program is fast, and analogies like “drinking from the firehose” are not inaccurate. The professors are world-class and the cloistered format with an overnight stay on Saturday has allowed for excellent opportunities to expand my personal and professional network. I’m happy to have such a supportive and close group of friends and colleagues.

I had explored business school programs while living in Chicago a few years ago, but the timing wasn’t right. In the process of changing jobs, one hiring manager, unprompted, said, “I’m looking at you, I’m talking to you, you ought to think about getting an MBA.” Another hiring manager, unprompted, said, “I’m looking at you, I’m talking to you, out of curiosity, why don’t you have an MBA?” As far as I’m concerned, I decided to go back to school because I listened to what the universe was telling me.

Accepted: Were there any other programs you were considering? Why did you ultimately feel that Cornell was a good fit?

Sam: Living in or around Manhattan, top-ranked programs in the city (e.g. Columbia or NYU Stern) are a logical choice for working professionals. A former colleague in a full-time program in Ithaca referred me to the Executive MBA Metro NY program at Johnson. After a campus visit, considering that the Saturday/Sunday format would not (overly) impact my work obligations, and research into the “any person, any study” Cornell ethos, the choice was clear for me. The overnight stay is very understated in its importance to the value that students get out of the program.

Accepted: Was it difficult to go back to school after being in the working world for so long? What has the experience been like for you?

Sam: Certainly, the first couple of months are an adjustment period for everyone. For some, it’s been a decade or more since spending extensive time (i.e. all day!) in a classroom setting. Gradually, I established a rhythm, which is very much dependent on the support system created along with my team and other classmates.

In my opinion, much like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to get an MBA. I believe about 30% of the value of any business school curriculum is in the one-way transmission of information from professors to students in the classroom. The remaining 70% is exchanging information, ideas, concepts, tricks, tutoring, help, laughs, tears, etc. with other classmates, alumni and the school’s wider network. The Cornell ethos distinguishes itself in this manner, and I think there is something in the water of Cayuga Lake that imparts the “elite but not elitist” nature to all who pass through the school.

Accepted: Do you have any tips or advice to share for professionals who are considering an EMBA program?

Sam: When I came through the open house for the Cornell Executive MBA program, my question to the student panelists was, “Given that you were in our shoes 1 or 2 years ago, what would you ask yourself?” It was a hard question to answer on the spot.

Now a year into the program, my question would be, “How important is it to be a manager of other people before coming into the program?” The reason is: when a project is assigned in the team format, as the lead, you effectively have 4 to 5 direct reports. Having prior experience in effectively delegating, managing, motivating, correcting and providing feedback are very helpful given the nature of assignments and ensuring the success of a team.

Accepted: Are you involved in any extracurricular activities or volunteer work? How have those activities helped shape your career?

Sam: I have had the opportunity to participate in a workshop for the Johnson at Cornell Thought Leader series. It was an excellent opportunity to expand my network of connections in the Johnson and larger Cornell community. It was further evidence that the Cornell network will always help when it can.

Accepted: What motivated you to start a separate Twitter account for your EMBA experience? 

Sam: I have been using Twitter for nearly 10 years and given my familiarity, wanted to help promote the Johnson School on social media. A separate account offered the ability to target the scope of content for a specific purpose and help me to compartmentalize.

Accepted: Anything else about your journey that you’d like to share? 

Sam: The key to success in any Executive MBA program is the support of family, friends and colleagues. Make sure expectations of your time, availability and obligations are set for at least 22 months. This, too, shall pass.

When I heard current students talk about how they had made good friends, I remember my first thought was, “I don’t need more friends, I need an MBA.” I wish I could tell that person that “friends” is just another word for relationships which are so important in building a career, especially post-MBA. Ignoring the social aspect is a risk your career and future success of the Executive MBA program. Choose an Executive MBA that helps facilitate building relationships. Choose Cornell.

You can learn more about Sam by checking out his LinkedIn profile or by following him on Twitter (@CornellMBA_SP). Thank you Sam for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck!





Related Resources:

5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For

• Cornell Executive MBA 2016 Essay Tips & Deadlines

• Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice, a podcast episode

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6 Ways to Prepare for Your Compelling MBA Goals Essay [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: 6 Ways to Prepare for Your Compelling MBA Goals Essay


Ask yourself this question: Is THIS the program that will help you reach your goals?

Most schools ask why you want an MBA and why you want it from this school. And really, even if they didn’t ask you, you should still ask yourself. Before you invest the time and money in an MBA, you should know the answers to those questions. It’s not “just” an admissions question.

When you sit down to write a goals essay, your mission is to link your unique goals with the mission or goals of your target MBA program. You also have to show that your goals are anchored in your experience. (Usually you’ll make these connections in the goals essay, but sometimes, depending on the wording of the question and your particular history, you may do so in other essays).

Here are some tips to help you with this goal-linking process and get ready to write a stand-out goals essay:

1. Look at the school’s core curriculum

It’s true that most b-schools have more or less the same type of courses in the core areas (finance, accounting, marketing, etc), but they’ll cover these areas from different perspectives and in different ways. Do they use the case study method, or are they more project-oriented? Or do they use a mix of pedagogical methods? Is it a school that emphasizes the connections between different functional areas in business or does it rely on you to connect the dots – if you want to connect them? Do you want a structured program or do you want a highly flexible one that you will be able to mold to your specific needs? Which approach do you prefer and why?

2. Explore the clubs and activities

There is definitely overlap between the schools in this area as well, but there are also specific clubs for niche industries and interests that are only found at certain schools. If you have a niche interest, then tie it to the niche clubs. For example, some schools, like Columbia, have Luxury Goods Clubs. That tidbit would be great to know if luxury goods product management or marketing is your goal. Look for the differences, not the sameness.

3. Check out the special programs at each school

Most top schools offer a global practicum, b-plan competitions, case competitions, etc. But you need to dig even deeper. They don’t all offer the same things and in the same ways. How will some of these special programs help you accomplish your goals? Where are the school’s ties? Is it near Wall St. with excellent IB connections? Or is it near a startup hub? Some have closer ties to Europe, some to Latin American and some to Asia. Where are your interests? As an example: MIT has a great program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation – find out if it fits your needs and if it does, why and how?

4. Research the school’s faculty

Which faculty would you like to study with? What are you really interested in? Who is doing cutting edge research in that topic? How could that research help you achieve your goals?

5. Keep an eye on a school’s commitment to community

Keep in mind that community isn’t just geographic. It can be a community of interest, background, belief, profession. What have you done for your community, however you define it, recently?

6. Pay attention to student culture/personality

Each b-school has its own persona that projects itself into the dynamic community that the school represents. That’s why visits, attending school receptions, info sessions, and reading student blogs and school newsletters are so important. Each of these will give you insight into the schools’ cultures and personalities.





Related Resources:

• MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Great Tips, free guide

• MBA Application Planning: The Program Research Phase

Top 6 Tips for Visiting Business Schools

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Forté Power Pitch Competition Winner Announced [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Forté Power Pitch Competition Winner Announced

Earlier this month, Tiffany Smith from Northwestern Kellogg (MBA 2017) won the Austin-based Forté Power Pitch Competition. Smith’s business idea, OrangePrint, focuses on preventing low-to medium-risk incarcerated individuals from relapsing into criminal behavior by providing them with career opportunities upon their release from prison. Smith and her team were awarded $7,500 and a Microsoft Surface laptop from Sohana Punithakumar, the product marketing manager for Microsoft Surface.

Smith is pictured below receiving her award.

[img]https://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Forté-Power-Pitch-Competition.png[/img]

Forté Power Pitch Competition is the first and only pitch competition for female MBA students from 50 of the top MBA programs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The competition offers powerful, aspiring women entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their business concepts to a panel of judges and female MBA peers. Teams are all women-led with a majority of female team members (50% or more).

This year, there were 19 teams, four of whom were selected to compete in the final round of the competition. The finalists were:

1. OrangePrint, Kellogg School of Management (Smith’s team)

2. Flair Jewelry, Harvard Business School

3. Portmanteau Jewelry Collection, Vanderbilt Owen School of Business

4. Kitchen Table, Yale School of Management

Learn more about the Forté Foundation and the Forté Power Pitch Competition here.





Related Resources:

Leadership in Admissions, free guide

• Forte Helps Women in Business Thrive: Interview with Elissa Sangster, podcast

Becca’s MBA Adventure through Tuck, Forte and Food Trucks

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Get Accepted to Stanford Graduate School of Business [#permalink]
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FROM Accepted.com Blog: Get Accepted to Stanford Graduate School of Business



A beautiful campus in the heart of Silicon Valley. An entrepreneurial mindset. Gorgeous Northern California weather. All the cultural offerings of the SF Bay Area. And…you?

Will you be at Stanford GSB next year?

If you’re preparing to apply, don’t miss our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Stanford Graduate School of Business!

Accepted’s founder and CEO, Linda Abraham, will teach you how to:

• Master the 4 key strategies for showing that you belong at Stanford.

• Apply those strategies to the different elements in Stanford’s 2016-2017 application

…and much more!

 



The details:

Who: Anyone applying to Stanford GSB

When: Wednesday, July 13th at 10am PT/1pm ET and again at 5pm PT/8pm ET

Register for Get Accepted to Stanford Graduate School of Business now to boost your chances of joining the 6% of students who will be accepted at Stanford GSB!



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