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05 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Busting Two MBA Myths |
  Don’t rely on fable and fantasy to make a major life decision. Here are two comments that I get all the time from applicants – two related MBA myths that absolutely require busting: Myth #1: Once you attend an MBA program outside the Top 10, it doesn’t matter which school you attend, so you may as well go to the cheapest one you get into. Myth #2: It doesn’t pay to get an MBA outside the M7/Top 10. When asked my opinion of these MBA memes, I politely explained why I think they are utter nonsense, the product of lazy minds. Nothing more. The reality is much more complex. Applying to Schools Outside the Top 10 Schools inside and outside the Top 10 vary in terms of their approach to management education and their strengths. Some schools outside the Top 10 may be excellent for a given specialty. For example, Smeal and Broad are generally not in any overall Top 10 ranking. However, both programs are in the U.S. News top five for supply chain management and logistics. They may be excellent choices if that’s your interest. Babson is renowned for teaching entrepreneurship; it is usually in the bottom half of the top 50 overall. For those specialties, these schools may be better programs than programs ranked overall in the Top 10. Obviously there are a lot more schools outside the Top 10 than in it, and the differences among all the schools are many. Applicants need to understand those differences and seek schools with the curricular, extracurricular, and career management strengths to help them achieve their goals. Then applicants can compare costs and anticipated return. If applicants choose a school based on Myth #1 and without the analysis I suggest, applicants are simply basing a major investment in time and money on folklore. Determining ROI & Career Satisfaction Whether it pays to get an MBA at School X, regardless of that school being in the Top 10, Top 20, or Top 50, depends on both the school and on you. Here are a few questions that you need to answer: 1. How much are you making currently? (That will determine your opportunity cost if you are considering a full-time program.) 2. What is the typical salary of MBA grads from your target program who found a job in your area of interest? (School averages are much less worthwhile.) 3. Is there a non-financial benefit that you seek in addition to classic financial ROI? (Moving into a job you will enjoy, for example.) While it is true that average salaries at different schools tend to decline as you go down the rankings, for the overwhelming majority of MBAs, ROI is positive and MBA alumni satisfaction per GMAC surveys is overwhelmingly high despite two recessions in the last 15 years. And that data includes survey responses from non-Top 10 schools. Bottom Line Don’t trust myths about rankings to determine where you invest your time and money. Don’t rely on fable and fantasy to make a major life decision. Do your homework, learn about the schools, and don’t focus on their rankings. Assess your needs. Determine your investment including opportunity cost. Evaluate probable return – both financial and non-financial – at schools that meet your needs. Then, and only then, decide whether your MBA is worth the cost and which ones are right for you.   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 Rankings: Why Should I Care?, short video • How to Pay for Your MBA, a webinar • U.S. News Ranks Best Business Schools in 2016 Tags: MBA Admissions The post Busting Two MBA Myths appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
06 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UNC Kenan-Flagler 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines |
  Are you a team leader? Are you committed to sustainable enterprise? Are you seeking resources and intellectual capital needed to shape both business and government? Are you a motivated, goal-oriented, innovative individual? UNC Kenan-Flagler adcoms are interested in seeing your multi-dimensional personality and capabilities. Your challenge: Prove that your goals mesh with the school’s goals and that your talents will contribute to the program’s collaborative nature. My tips are in blue below. The Kenan-Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina has one required essay and three optional essays. The essays for the 2016-2017 application season are: Essays: Essay 1. (Required) Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how your professional experience has shaped these goals, why this career option appeals to you, and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum) What do you see yourself doing immediately upon graduation and what would you like to do ten years from now? Describe why this path attracts you. What experiences have convinced you to pursue it? Why do you need an MBA, especially one with UNC’s approach to business education, to proceed down your chosen path. For more tips on writing about post-MBA goals, please see MBA Goals 101. Essay 2. (Optional) What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (300 words maximum) Everyone has a story. What’s yours? What makes you tick? What would you like the admissions committee to know about you — you the human being, the individual? What hobbies and experiences will differentiate you from the IT guy, consultant, real estate developer, or banker that the adcom just read about? How will your perspective contribute to the classroom and community at Kenan-Flagler? Essay 3. (Optional) If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum) This is pretty straightforward. Just answer it. You may also want to highlight professional preparation that you have already had in quantitative areas. Kenan Flagler explicitly says that it’s important for its students to have a “working knowledge” of financial accounting, statistics, microeconomics, and calculus. If you don’t have it, get it. Essay 4. (Optional) Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum) My favorite: The optional essay. A gift allowing you to give the adcom one more reason to admit you. If you would like professional guidance with your UNC Kenan Flagler 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 UNC Kenan Flagler application. UNC Kenan-Flagler 2017 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 SchoolsWhy Do You Need an MBA?, free guide • Get Accepted to B-School with Low Stats, on-demand webinar • 5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story Tags: MBA Admissions The post UNC Kenan-Flagler 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
07 Jun 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Apply Successfully to Harvard Business School |
  If you’re applying to HBS, then you’ll want to attend Accepted’s upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Harvard Business School. During the webinar, Linda Abraham, Accepted’s CEO and founder, will discuss important application tips that apply specifically to Harvard’s application, including 4 key steps for HBS acceptance and how to answer that lone (and high stakes!) question on their application. Mark your calendars! The webinar will air live on Wednesday, June 22nd at 10am PT/1pm ET and at 5pm PT/8pm ET. Reserve your spot forGet Accepted to Harvard Business School today and get one step closer to securing your seat in the Harvard B-School class of 2019!   Tags: MBA Admissions The post How to Apply Successfully to Harvard Business School appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
08 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Emory’s Juris Master Program: Law for Non-Lawyers |
 A one-year law school for non-lawyers: join us for a conversation about Emory’s Juris Master. Meet Dr. Lynn Labuda, the director of Emory’s Juris Master program. After years of working in business, she earned her EMBA from Emory’s Goizueta School of Business in 2007, and her PhD in Education in 2015. She’s led the Juris Master program since 2012. Welcome! What is the Juris Master program? [1:30] It’s a 30-credit program for people who don’t want to be practicing lawyers, but who want to understand the law as it relates to what they do. About 80% of the students are working professionals and are enrolled part time, taking 2-2.5 years to complete the program. The remaining students are full-time—recent graduates (from college or grad school) who want to use the program to supplement their educational background as they launch their careers. Taking courses full time, it’s a 1-year program. For example, some of the full-time students are pre-med students taking the course during a gap year before med school. How the program came into being [5:15] Emory’s law school wanted to reach a broader audience — not only people who planned to practice law, but also people who wanted to learn about the law, particularly in their own professional fields. (For example, physicians who want to move into healthcare administration and want a deep understanding of health law.) Curriculum overview [7:22] Incoming students take two required courses: 1. Introduction to the American Legal System (which gives them an introduction to contracts, torts, criminal law, property law, etc) 2. Analysis, Research, and Communication for Non-Lawyers (which trains them in foundational skills for law school) Then they can select among many concentrations (for example: employment, health, IP, etc), and tailor their courses to their interests. They can also customize their concentration. Most classes are taken alongside Emory’s JD students. The mandatory first year courses are JM specific. [9:19] This is a benefit to the whole law school program: since so many of the JM students are mid-career professionals from diverse backgrounds, their experience adds to the JD classes. The size of the program [10:50] At any given time, there are about 70-80 students in the program (full and part-time combined). They’ve graduated about 80 so far. The application process [11:12] It’s a straightforward online application. They want to know about your educational and professional background; they require letters of rec; undergrad and graduate transcripts; and a personal statement. The personal statement is very important for showing your motivation for pursuing the degree. What is Emory looking for in a successful applicant? [12:20] Someone who is a good fit and will benefit from the program. They want people whose goals align with what the program is doing. It’s not for people who want to be professional lawyers – it’s important to understand what the program is and what it’s not. They want students who can handle the academic rigor of the program – it’s a law school program that requires strong critical thinking skills. And they’re looking for students who will make a contribution to the Emory community. What role does work experience play? [15:10] They’re not looking for a certain level of experience. Some candidates are mid-career, and others are recent grads who are looking to build on their academic foundation. Diverse student perspectives are valuable too. Given that they accept test scores from multiple exams (GRE, GMAT, MCAT, etc), is there a certain score range they’re looking for? [16:45] They consider applications holistically. If you have a master’s degree, you don’t need standardized test scores. If you only have an undergrad degree, you need to submit scores. In general, the qualitative verbal reasoning side of the exam is important to show your aptitude for the law school environment. (The quantitative score is less important.) How are grads using the degree? [18:30] One recent grad, who created a course of study focused on compliance and business law, is now the managing director of Deutsche Bank in London. The knowledge you gain in the program is immediately applicable in your career. Another student did the JM in Health Law between med school and residency, and it was an important distinguishing point in her residency applications and interviews. The media and marketing specialization [22:15] A student came in as a marketing manager, took classes focused around contracts, media, sports & entertainment law, and is now a PR manager at a major corporation. Are MBAs choosing this program (over a joint MBA-JD)? [23:50] They see more students right out of undergrad, pairing the JM with an undergrad business degree. Are there other JM programs? [25:00] There are about a half dozen in the country, but most are much more specific in what they offer. Emory offers the broadest range of concentrations and courses. Premeds doing the JM during a gap year before med school [27:50] They have two students who just graduated from the program who will begin med school in August. The JM can be a great differentiator for people applying to med school. Advice for applicants still in college [29:15] Understand where you want to be in your career, and how/whether the JM can help you. It provides a really solid foundation in the law, which can be a benefit in a lot of fields. Looking ahead [30:45] In 2017, they’re looking at launching a low-residency or online option – possibly focused around the healthcare law or business compliance concentrations.  Related Links: • The Juris Master Degree Program for Non-Lawyers• Law School Admissions 101 • UPenn JD/MBA Interview with Craig Carter• Meet David, Cornell Johnson MBA Student Headed to Bain Related Shows: • Business, Law and Beyond: An Interview with John Engelman• Law School Applicants: Things to Think About When You Apply• LSAT, Debt, and Bar Passage with Law School Transparency• At the Nexus of Business & Law: Penn/Wharton’s JD/MBA• UVA MS in Global Commerce: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year Subscribe:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Emory’s Juris Master Program: Law for Non-Lawyers appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
09 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Labels & Groups in Admissions |
  It’s your job to create a group of one: You. Nobody wants to be stripped of their individuality and clumped together with others, viewed as just another member of a group that happens to be overrepresented in a particular applicant pool, like the Indian IT males applying to business school, the Poli Sci and English majors applying to law school, or the Bio majors applying to med school. In a process that values diversity, it’s natural for these applicants to worry about their label, their blandness, their sheer numbers. Moving Away from Labels While many schools will “group” applicants for administrative purposes, ultimately the admissions process is about getting to know you as an individual. It’s your job to create a group of one: You. Not Indian, not American, not IT, not Indian American or American Indian, but You. In other words, don’t get hung up on the label or group you fall into. Instead, focus on bringing out your individuality in your essays and interviews. Yes, I know that I have frequently said Indian males in IT are a dime-a-dozen in the MBA applicant pool. Frankly, US males in IT aren’t much less common, whether they are of Indian origin or their ancestors came over on the Mayflower. The task of individuating is probably more difficult for those in a common applicant group, but it is possible. And again, I urge you to focus on you and not your group. Don’t Stress It! So don’t stress about how you are similar to others; think about how you differ. In your essays, show how your unique qualities and attributes – not someone else’s and not your group’s – will add to the program you are applying to and ultimately contribute to your chosen profession.  Related Resources: • Against the Odds: MBA Admissions for Indian Applicants • 4 Application Strategy Tip: Stand Out AND Fit In • What to Do if You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Labels & Groups in Admissions appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Writing Effective Waitlist Letters: A Quiz |
  C’mon you know you want to! Think you know how to write an effective waitlist letter? Test your knowledge with the following quiz: 1. Waitlist letters may be three or more single-spaced pages long: (a) if the applicant has a lot of accomplishments to talk about (b) they should never exceed two pages (c) if they are law school waitlist letters only (d) if you are not enclosing an additional letter of recommendation 2. Expressing some frustration or disappointment in the waitlist letter about not being immediately accepted is: (a) OK if the school is really your number-one choice (b) appropriate if it reflects how you honestly feel (c) never a good idea (d) useful in the letter’s conclusion to elicit sympathy 3. During the waitlist process, you should generally aim to contact the waitlisting school: (a) every other day if it’s really your number-one choice (b) weekly by email or mail (c) only when prompted by the school (d) every three to four weeks (if the school allows contact) 4.The main topics of a waitlist letter should be: (a) your recent professional achievements (b) new reasons why this school is a good fit for you (c) developments in your community work since applying (d) any substantial recent examples that offset the weaknesses of your application (e) all of the above 5. It’s acceptable to repeat wording from your application essays in the waitlist letter: (a) never (b) if you are in a rush to get the letter done on time (c) if it was an especially strong part of your application (d) if you think it’s important enough to reinforce [Answers: 1b, 2c, 3d, 4e, 5a] How’d you do? Do you have a solid understanding of how waitlist letters work? Do you need help drafting a waitlist letter that will turn the school’s unsure verdict into a solid, resounding acceptance? We can help! Check out our waitlist services for more info.  Related Resources: • Help! I’ve Been Waitlisted!, podcast • 3 Topics to Discuss in Waitlist Correspondence, short video • How to Write Waitlist Update Letters Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Writing Effective Waitlist Letters: A Quiz appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Jun 2016, 17:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Please Note: Out of Office Monday! |
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Just a quick note letting you know that our office staff will be out of the office on Monday. We will respond to all inquiries and emails first thing on Tuesday. Have a lovely weekend and keep working on those fantastic applications! Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Please Note: Out of Office Monday! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Jun 2016, 09:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Harvard Business School is Looking For: The Habit Of Leadership |
  Thank you, Harvard Business School. IMHO, that’s what applicants should think when they visit the program’s website and find “habit of leadership” on its “Who are we looking for?” admissions page. It’s common knowledge that HBS values leadership, but with this phrase, the adcom succinctly expresses how they view leadership – dynamic, deep, intrinsic, long-term. It’s something you possess and bring to your experiences, not something that happens to describe your involvement in a few isolated incidents (i.e., the proverbial “leadership experience”). Not just HBS applicants, but all b-school applicants can benefit from reflecting on the phrase – and then determining how they embody it in their actions. There are a gazillion excellent articles and treatises on the meaning of leadership. And most of them are valid. I’m focusing on the other word. The key to this message is habit. First, it’s active. It’s something done. It’s not something bestowed upon you (like the title Team Lead) and it’s not something ascended to (advanced to Project Manager). Whether good or bad, habits are something you do. Second, a habit is reflexive, a part of you. You may think about it objectively in your mind, but it’s also behavior. Yet that doesn’t automatically mean it’s innate – a habit may be learned (you probably know someone who trained herself to become more patient or more decisive or less defensive). Therefore, if you aren’t a “born leader,” you can still develop the habit of leadership. A habit knows no boundaries. You exercise the habit of leadership in school, in your family, with friends, at work, in your community. It means that when something needs doing or when you perceive an opportunity for positive impact, you shift into gear to make it happen – even if it’s hard, even if it’s not your designated role, even if you’re not sure exactly how you’ll do it. Simply, it’s what you do. Because it’s action oriented, not title or ego oriented, the habit of leadership, ironically, may sometimes seem invisible, a hidden force. Routine and regular. Example: your friends, tired after a long day of canoeing on the Delaware River, squabble about where to go for dinner. You gently draw the group’s focus to the two most feasible options, proposed by two different members of the group; everyone starts to feel enthusiastic again. They may not consciously recognize your leadership; in fact, the person who proposed the “winning” idea might feel like the leader! (More irony: real leadership often allows others to feel like the top dog.) Of course, the opposite is also true sometimes: your leadership habit may require you to visibly assert an opposing vision or emphatically convince people to join you in taking a risk. While this quality is something HBS explicitly seeks, any b-school adcom will value it – after all, someone with “leadership experience” isn’t necessarily a leader fundamentally, but someone with the “habit of leadership” is. All b-schools want leaders. Having the habit of leadership is great, but it’s only helpful to the application if you express it effectively. That means – you’ve heard it from us ad infinitum – use example and anecdote. Look for opportunities to weave in the message of your habit of leadership, even in essays on other topics. Also, try to bring it out in your resume and your interviews. Ask your recommenders to highlight it. It can only enhance your application and your candidacy.   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: • Harvard Business School 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • Life as an HBS MBA Student • What Does Harvard Business School Want? Tags: MBA Admissions The post What Harvard Business School is Looking For: The Habit Of Leadership appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
15 Jun 2016, 09:01
| 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 Subscribe:  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. |
15 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Is a Harvard MBA in Your Future? |
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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 The post Is a Harvard MBA in Your Future? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
16 Jun 2016, 10:01
| 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 The post Harvard Business School: Analytical Aptitude And Appetite appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
17 Jun 2016, 10:01
| 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 The post Wharton 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
19 Jun 2016, 09:01
| 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 The post NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
19 Jun 2016, 10:01
| 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 The post Harvard Business School: Engaged Community Citizenship appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
20 Jun 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Future Harvard Business School MBAs – Tune in on Wednesday! |
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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 The post Future Harvard Business School MBAs – Tune in on Wednesday! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Jun 2016, 09:01
| 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 The post How to Stay Within Essay Word Limits by Reducing Verbal Verbosity appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Jun 2016, 10:01
| 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 The post GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey Results 2016 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Jun 2016, 09:01
| 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 The post Emory Goizueta 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Jun 2016, 10:01
| 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 Subscribe: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post Contemplating a Career in Data Science/Business Analytics? [Episode 159] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
23 Jun 2016, 09:01
| 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 The post The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make on the GRE (And How to Avoid Them!) appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
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