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30 Nov 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Want a Kellogg MBA? |
  Before I introduce today’s guest, I would like to invite you to a webinar I’m presenting on December 7. Whether you are planning to apply this application cycle or aiming for next year or later, this webinar, 5 Ways to Make B-schools Love You, will give you critical strategies to strengthen your profile and application. Reserve your spot today. Today’s guest is Melissa Rapp, Director of Admissions – Full Time MBA & MSMS Programs at the Kellogg School of Management. Melissa has an extensive background in communications and admissions. She joined Kellogg in 2012 as Assistant Director of PT MBA admissions. She became the Director of Admissions for the PT MBA in 2015 and in January 2016 became the Director of Admissions for the FT MBA AND MSMS programs. Welcome! Kellogg has two required essays, an optional information section, and now also requires a video. What do you learn from the video that you don’t learn from the written essays? [2:12] We introduced the video about three years ago for a couple of reasons. The first was to introduce the adcom to all of our applicants from all over the world – it provides the opportunity for facetime, and is more unfiltered. We also wanted to expose our future students to new technologies. We’ve heard from our career management team that more companies are using videos in their recruitment process (Goldman Sachs is an example), so we wanted to expose our future students to the technology they can expect in that screening/interview process. Increasingly, we’re also seeing videos used as a screening and application tool a lot in the tech industry – for example, LinkedIn, Amazon, Apple. Do you have advice for applicants sitting down to work on their Kellogg applications? [3:55] The most important thing is for students to be reflective about why they want an MBA, why it’s important for their career. Be genuine. The first essay asks why they want an MBA, why now, and why Kellogg. The second surrounds leadership and teamwork – are they a good fit for the team-based environment at Kellogg? Think carefully about experiences that demonstrate those qualities. Given that focus on post-MBA goals, is employ-ability part of the admissions assessment? [5:13] It’s important that students can handle the rigor of Kellogg and area fit for the culture here. Those things ladder up to people who have great outcomes when they leave. Kellogg accepts roughly one out of five applicants. How do you winnow it down? [6:10] We strive to interview all our applicants – we’re committed to a holistic review. We want to come out with a diverse class: gender, ethnicity, industry, function. We’re looking for high achieving, high impact, low ego leaders who are eager to be a part of our student driven culture. What does “student driven” mean at Kellogg? [7:25] There isn’t much that happens here that students aren’t involved in. One example is Day at Kellogg, a program for admitted students that provides an opportunity for our students to help impact the admissions process. Students also bring speakers to campus, organize events, etc. What is your advice for applicants planning ahead to apply next fall? [8:30] I can’t speak to whether our essay questions will remain the same. But in general, it’s important to do research on schools and find the right fit – you’ll be most successful in the place you can thrive. Go to information sessions, talk to students and alumni. Think about why you need an MBA and what your goals are. Can you give an overview of Kellogg’s degree offerings? [10:10] Our portfolio is a reflection of our commitment to diversity. Our FT MBA is a traditional two-year program – immersive, flexible, broad-based. Students do a summer internship and have extensive opportunities for experiential learning. We also offer a one-year program, which gives students who already have prior knowledge the chance to go straight into the upper level and finish in one year. Our joint degree programs include: a three-year JD/MBA, and a MMM degree (joint program with the school of engineering). And we also offer part time and executive tracks. Are you starting to see Masters in Management grads applying to the one-year MBA? [12:30] Those programs do provide the base of business knowledge we’re looking for going into the program. What are Kellogg’s Pathways? [13:20] Pathways are a way to organize academic offerings in a way that’s not an academic department. So if you’re interested in entrepreneurship or data analytics, you can take courses across departments related to that pathway. There’s no application to be on the pathway, and you can take as many (or as few) courses as you’re interested in. That flexibility is something we’re proud of. Can you provide some examples of experiential learning at Kellogg? [15:30] Experiential learning gives students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in a real world environment, but with less risk. One example is NUvention, where our students work with other grad students from across Northwestern (law, medical school, engineering), on an entrepreneurial business concept. This leads to exciting things in social impact and medical innovation. We also have a variety of lab courses. Sponsors include the Chicago Bears, United Airlines, and other major companies. In all, we have 1000 different experiential learning opportunities. Kellogg is of course famous for its prowess in marketing and strategy. However, your recently released employment report shows that tech is increasingly popular, with 22% of recent grads going into tech careers. What opportunities at Kellogg prepare students for management and entrepreneurial careers in the technology industry? [17:30] We’re always innovating our curriculum and providing cutting edge content to prepare them. One example is our Digital Marketing & Commerce class, which provides the opportunity for students to work directly with industry experts (including from places like Google) and real online customers. What’s next at Kellogg? [18:41] It’s an exciting time. We’re continuing to develop strong class profiles – over 40% women in the last two years, and 26% US minority diversity representation. I’m excited to think about these strong classes in our new Global Hub, which is a reflection of the values of Kellogg – a reflection of our collaborative, student-driven culture. We’ll have our first classes in the new Global Hub building this spring, and the class entering next fall will have their full MBA experience there. So the new building is the most exciting thing. What makes the new Global Hub special? [20:25] It’s over 400,000 square feet of space, designed to encourage collaboration. There are varying room sizes, to encourage meetings and interaction. And there are some tech-free meeting zones, too.  Related Links: • Kellogg MBA Admissions• Kellogg MBA Application Essay Tips • Northwestern Kellogg Zone Page • Catching Up with Vandana About Kellogg, Apple & International Applicant Tips • Putting Learning Above All: A Talk with Rohan from Kellogg Related Shows: • Get Into INSEAD, the International Business School • Exploring the Haas MBA: An Interview with Peter Johnson • Mission and Admissions at Yale School of Management • The MBA Menu at Columbia Business School • A 20-Year MBA Admissions Veteran Shares His Insights • What You Need to Know About Finding a Job Post-MBA Subscribe:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post Want a Kellogg MBA? [Episode 182] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
01 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Apply to B-School with a Low GPA, Part 3 [Providing Context] |
  Not proud of your undergraduate GPA? Concerned it may ruin your chances of getting into a top MBA program? It’s time to tackle this issue head-on and create a plan for success. In the previous posts, we discussed how to determine if you really do have a “low GPA” and how to address that low score. Now it’s time to provide an explanation. Adding Context to Your GPA in an Optional Essay “So, what happened? Why is your GPA so low? How do we know it won’t happen again?” That’s what the adcom readers are thinking when they take that first look at your transcript. And now it’s your turn to respond. You’ll respond by showing them the additional coursework and all those beautiful A’s. You’ll show them that awesome GMAT score. And maybe you’ll show them a recommendation or two that speak to your academic abilities. You’ll also want to write the optional essay in which you provide context to your GPA, showing that whatever contributed to your poor performance is either not a factor in your life anymore or is something that you’ve learned how to deal with so that it doesn’t affect your performance any longer. Whatever your reasons may be (extenuating circumstances or circumstances totally beyond your control), explain the situation in a straightforward, honest manner. For real mistakes that you’ve made, fess up, take responsibility for your actions, and indicate that you are a changed person who has learned lots and moved forward. No whining please! Keep in Mind: A Holistic Matter MBA admissions is about much more than your GPA. You cannot look at any single number and focus exclusively on it, certainly once you weigh in the circumstances that led to your low GPA and the trending direction of your GPA. Your GPA also doesn’t at all reflect the impact of your diversity and non-academic experiences – important factors taken into consideration by adcom members. When you are admitted to b-school (or rejected, for that matter), it is due to the complete package, the holistic sum of all your parts. Yes, your GPA is extremely important, and you’d be unwise to think otherwise – but it’s not the be-all and end-all of your admissions profile. Work hard, demonstrate your academic abilities in other ways, and prove to the adcom that you’re ready to hit the books and ace the heck out of b-school.   Related Resources: • 5 A’s for Your Low GPA [Podcast] • MBA Admissions Tip: Dealing with Low GPA • How To Write About Overcoming Challenges Without Sounding Like A Whiner Tags: MBA Admissions The post How to Apply to B-School with a Low GPA, Part 3 [Providing Context] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
01 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You |
  Your admissions goal: to convince the adcom at your top choice b-school that love at first sight DOES exist. Can you do it? You CAN get them to fall in love with you instantly with the tips you’ll learn at our webinar, 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You. You already know what a great catch you are. Now learn how to convince the adcom that you’re made for each other. Register for 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You now! Spaces are running out! Mark your calendar! The webinar will air live, Wednesday, December 7th, at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET.  Tags: MBA Admissions The post 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
02 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: B-School for Good: Pursuing Social Impact Through UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA |
  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 Sana Rahim… Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Sana: I was born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming. I moved to the Chicagoland suburbs when I was in 6th grade. I studied English Literature and Political Science at Northwestern University. Accepted: What’s your favorite non-school book? Sana: That’s tough! As a former English major, I have many favorite books… But most recently I have enjoyed poetry by Nayyirah Waheed in her work entitled salt. Accepted: Where are you currently in b-school? What year? Sana: I just started at UCLA Anderson this fall, expecting to graduate in 2019. Accepted: Why did you choose that program? How were you a good fit? Sana: I chose UCLA because they had a robust and flexible part time program. I wanted to be able to apply the skills and knowledge from the classroom in my day to day work and the Fully Employed MBA program was the perfect path for me to do just that. I also was very interested in their Global Access Program (GAP), which gives students the opportunity to apply an international business lens to the concepts learned throughout the program in a real consulting project. Accepted: What are some of your most rewarding extracurricular activities (both before entering UCLA Anderson and current activities)? How have those activities helped shape your career? Sana: I have been heavily involved in social impact work. I led efforts with The Global Engagement Summit and GlobeMed during my time at Northwestern and those experiences have shaped my interest in figuring out how social impact and profitability can coexist in a private sector environment. I frequently post on social issues and hope to continue to explore new models of doing business. Accepted: How did the application process go for you? Did you experience any challenges? How did you overcome them? Sana: I actually really enjoyed the application process and learning about different programs and opportunities. The only challenging part was learning to get back into a study routine for the GRE after five years of not being a student. I overcame that by creating a schedule that I held myself accountable to. I also rewarded myself for improvements in my score to make sure I was staying healthy and optimistic! Accepted: Can you share your top three GRE tips? Sana: 1. Based on your schedule, figure out a study routine that you can stick to. 2. Practice, practice, practice! 3. Seek focused tutoring for areas you recognize you are weak in and can not improve on your own through practice. Accepted: Any last words of wisdom you’d like to share? Sana: Whatever business path you pursue, find a way to integrate social good in the work you do. Whether it’s how you manage your employees or how you affect the community you work in, make environmental, social, and economic impact part of your core metrics for success. If you want to follow Sana’s MBA journey, check her out on Twitter (@SanaRahimKhan89). Thank you Sana for sharing your story with us- we wish you much success! For one-on-one guidance with your b-school application, check out our MBA Application Packages. Do you want to be featured in Accepted’s blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.  Related Resources: • Entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson • UCLA 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • UCLA Anderson Student Interview: Enjoying the MBA Whirlwind Tags: MBA Admissions The post B-School for Good: Pursuing Social Impact Through UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
04 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Bring Your Personal Statement to Life With Vivid, Active Verbs |
  I watched a candle burn a few nights ago. It happened to have a particularly nice flame that conjured up many different images: • The flame stood erect. • The flame danced. • The flame cavorted. • The flame pranced. • The flame swayed. • The flame flickered. • The flame fluttered • The flame twinkled. • The flame glowed. • The flame glittered. “The flame burned” sounds so dull next to the alternatives. It’s factual and gets the point across – true – but it’s just too pedestrian. Ordinary. Blah. It does not convey any of the images that the other sentences do because it doesn’t have the visual impact. Making Your Activities & Experiences Come Alive In describing your activities, you want to use active verbs that convey sensory information and that will transform your readers into observant and interested flies on the wall of your stories. Those well-chosen lively verbs will make your essays come alive. When you edit your essays, examine at least some of your verbs. Evaluate replacing the humdrum ones. Choose muscular, powerful verbs that convey images, sounds, smells, and experiences.e Consider the following examples: Did you “try,” “plan,” “strive,” or “struggle” to complete your project on time? And what about that marathon your ran? Did you simply “run” it? Or did you limp across the finish line plagued by blisters, or did an adrenaline surge at the end combined with earlier weeks of training carry you, propel you, or thrust you across that finish line? Using a Thesaurus (Properly!) to Transform Your Language When editing your essays, take a minute to examine your descriptions. Do they bore? Are they common? If so, look at your verbs. Then look bland verbs up in a thesaurus. You may find descriptive options far better than the ones you are so used to using. Looking in the thesaurus is like going to the store to buy a new pair of thick-soled, walking shoes. It means making the effort to turn in your trusty, worn-out pair for new ones. Your walk will have new bounce when you pull just the right pair off the shelf. Your writing will also have restored vigor when you use the thesaurus to inject life into it. Warning: To enliven your writing without making a fool of yourself, only use words that you know the meaning and connotation of. Don’t choose words to impress. Choose them to convey meaning succinctly and vividly.  Related Resources: • How to Edit Your Application Essays • How to Use Good Grammar to Create Essays That Flow • Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Your Application Essay Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Bring Your Personal Statement to Life With Vivid, Active Verbs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
04 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Welcome to the Team: Willie Kotas |
  We’re excited to welcome Willie Kotas to our staff. A Kellogg MBA and Kellogg’s 2011 Alumni Volunteer of the Year, Willie has over 20 years of marketing experience and a deep understanding of the MBA admissions process. He also represented Kellogg in Latin America for several years. He has lived and worked in 13 countries, and has visited 80 countries and dozens of college campuses. These experiences have given him deep insight into how top-tier MBA and EMBA programs are evolving and what they are looking for in their candidates. A dual citizen of Brazil and the U.S., Willie speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese. In 2015 Willie met individually with more than 200 Latin American executives considering pursing an MBA or Executive MBA. Willie wants to help you get into the program you feel passionate about and will benefit the most from. We’re thrilled to have him as part of our team!  Tags: MBA Admissions The post Welcome to the Team: Willie Kotas appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
05 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Are You Ready to Learn How to Make the Adcom Fall in Love with Your Application? |
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Have you signed up yet? Because you’re running out of time to join our 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You webinar. This is MUST-KNOW information if you want your MBA application to stay on the top of the pile. See you at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET sharp on Wednesday, December 7th! Register now for 5 Ways to Make Top B-Schools Love You and we’ll see you soon! Tags: MBA Admissions The post Are You Ready to Learn How to Make the Adcom Fall in Love with Your Application? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
06 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: London Business School MiM Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines |
  The London Business School Masters in Management application essay questions indicate that the adcom values and seeks applicants who have self-understanding and the ability to reflect, self-reflect, and self-critique. For people who are just starting their careers and don’t yet have a lot of real-world experience to draw from, these qualities will facilitate their gaining the most from the program and charting an appropriate path forward. The LBS MiM essay questions also reflect the program’s requirements for strong communication skills. They require you not just to cite facts but to express ideas, evaluate qualitative factors, and draw insights. Question 1: How will the Masters in Management or Global MiM help you grow academically, professionally and personally? (600 words maximum) A simple and sensible approach to this essay is to break it into the three sections per the question – academic growth, professional growth, and personal growth. To make the essay engaging and compelling, you must include relevant detail on each topic. For each of the three sections: • Identify 1-3 specific, meaningful ways you hope to grow through attending the LBS MiM program. For most people, the professional growth will be the largest section (the sections need not all be of equal length) – and it should include some discussion of your goals. • Identify specific aspects of the program that will facilitate or enable that growth. In addition, in some sections (particularly academic and professional), it can be helpful to include a mention of something you’ve already done or achieved, to show a progression. Doing this also allows you to highlight an impressive or distinctive experience that you want to bring to the adcom’s eye. Question 2: How will you impact the London Business School community? (400 words max) This question is a great opportunity to differentiate yourself and spotlight important accomplishments. Having an impact means contributing based on what you have done, experienced, and/or learned (and, sometimes, endured…). To identify the best topics, consider drawing from your work or internship experience, personal interests, academic experience, distinctive or unusual aspects of your background, etc. Most people will do best by discussing 2-4 topics, for each topic describing the experience you’re drawing from and then explaining – in specific terms – how it will allow you to contribute to the LBS community. Question 3 (Global MiM applicants only): Global MiM applicants will be required to complete an additional video essay component of the application via Kira Academic. You will receive the details of how to access your video questions via Kira within one week of submitting your application. If you do not receive the instructions within this timescale please contact us. Please note your application will not be considered complete until the video portion of your application has been submitted. If you aren’t accustomed to doing video presentations, put some effort into visual elements like background and lighting. Keep the background simple, clean, and uncluttered. Have the light behind the camera and shining on you. Dress professionally. Also, practice – make up some sample/test questions and practice answering into a video camera, so that when the time comes you’re comfortable talking to the camera and can respond succinctly and engagingly. Oh, and remember to smile! Deadlines:    Cindy Tokumitsu, has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA, master, law, PhD and medical programs,with special emphasis on MBA and EMBA and other business programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: • College Students, Recent Grads Interested in Business: London is Calling! [Episode 180] • Jumpstart Your Business Career with a Masters in Management Program • The Scoop on the London Business School Masters in Management Program Tags: Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post London Business School MiM Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
07 Dec 2016, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Poets&Quants 2016 U.S. MBA Ranking |
  Harvard Business School has taken first place for the sixth time in seven years in the new Poets&Quants ranking of the best MBA programs in the U.S. Stanford is in second place, Chicago Booth is in third, and Northwestern Kellogg and UPenn’s Wharton School are tied for fourth. This is also the sixth out of seven years that Booth has ranked higher than Wharton since 2010. In addition, this year Booth beat Wharton in four of the five rankings that make up the P&Q composite list: U.S. News and World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and The Economist. Only The Financial Times ranked Wharton above Booth. P&Q’s composite list combines the five most influential business school ranking in the world, and weights each to account for the view of each publication’s authority. Combining these rankings helps to diminish flaws in each ranking and show each program’s true position. Other highlights from this year’s ranking include: • All top ten schools from last year remain in the top ten this year. • With some slight changes, all of the top 20 schools from 2015 are in the 2016 top 20. • Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business had the largest jump this year, climbing 16 places to rank 83rd from 99th in 2015. Other winners include University of Connecticut, jumping 10 places to 63rd, and Brigham Young, Boston College, and Pepperdine University which each rose nine places this year. • University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics plunged 25 places from 70th in 2015 to 95th this year. UC-San Diego’s Rady School of Management dropped 21 places to a rank of 82nd from 61st in 2015. University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business lost 12 places this year, dropping from 64th to 76th. • Over seven years or rankings, Yale SOM has shown the biggest gains, climbing from 14th in 2010 to 10th this year. Kellogg has risen three places during the same time period, from seventh to fourth. Changes as the top of the rankings are especially important as significant gains or losses are difficult to maintain. 2016 Top 20 Programs:  Keep in mind that although rankings get tons of publicity, you want to find the program with the best overall fit for YOU. That may not be the highest ranked program. Furthermore, it’s easy to say “I want to go to the top 5 or the top 10,” but you also have to qualify and show that you are not only competitive, but will be an asset to any program you apply to. MBA admissions is much more than the sum of test scores, GPAs, and acceptance rates, but those are useful numbers when you are assessing your competitiveness. Yes, you also need to be sure that your target programs will help you achieve your professional and educational goals and that you’re a “fit,” a more nebulous concept. However, to assess overall competitiveness, use Accepted’s B-School Selectivity Index. Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • Business School Selectivity Index • Focus on Fit [Podcast Episode] Tags: MBA Admissions The post Poets&Quants 2016 U.S. MBA Ranking appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
08 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Application Essay Tip: The Devil is in the Details |
  You can argue about the devil, but certainly the substance, distinctiveness, and success of your essays depends on the details. Bringing Out Your Uniqueness in the Details Many applicants tend to bury their uniqueness and success under vague assertions. You don’t want to hide your achievements; you want to trumpet them loudly and clearly. For instance, if you led a team working on a software development project, was it a three-member team or a thirty-member, cross-functional team with representatives from five different divisions and two continents? Was the potential market for the product $5 million or $200 million? Did you launch the product on time and in budget? Did it zoom to the top of the market-share charts? The details reveal the level of your responsibility, the confidence others have in your abilities based on their prior experience with you, and the significance of your accomplishment. What about your volunteer work? Do you simply “volunteer”? If you do, you aren’t saying anything distinctive or substantive. Are you an EMT working five hours per week? Do you volunteer at a legal aid clinic? What have you seen or experienced? What have you learned? Have you launched a bereavement group in a country where such services were previously unheard of? What were the challenges you overcame to establish that group? What did you learn from the experience? How has it influenced you? Keeping Details within Word Limits You may ask, “How can I fit all these details into a short essay?” Good question. Include many of the specifics in the work history sections — the boxes — of the application or in an attached resume if allowed. Then in the essay, provide enough detail to provide context and create interest. Balance your profound insight and reflection with devilishly dazzling detail. Related Resources: • Stand Out! A Critical Goal for Your Application [Episode 181] • Review Your Essays Like an Admissions Consultant: Use the Editing Funnel • Dangerous Cliches to Avoid [A Poem] Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Application Essay Tip: The Devil is in the Details appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
09 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Fuqua Student Shares Advice for Aspiring MBAs |
  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 Noelle Kelly… Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Noelle: I was born and raised in Goldsboro, NC, a small town in the Eastern part of the state, and attended the same high school that my parents attended. My grandparents lived nearby, so it was great having them close as I grew up. I studied Biomedical Engineering at Duke University and graduated in 2012. I thought I would pursue a career in medical device manufacturing, but I quickly learned that I was more interested in a career in business. Accepted: What’s your favorite non-school book? Noelle: I love The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy and Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. Accepted: If you could meet any famous person – past or present – who would it be and why? Noelle: I would love to meet Dr. Maya Angelou. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at the Duke Chapel when I was an undergraduate. Her words and legacy have been so inspiring to people everywhere – particularly women of color. I would love to receive her guidance on achieving happiness and prosperity while building up the communities around me as I transition to a new phase of life. Accepted: Where are you currently going to b-school? What year? Noelle: I decided to return to Duke in 2015 to attend The Fuqua School of Business. I will graduate in May 2017 with a certificate in Health Sector Management. Accepted: Why did you choose that program? How were you a good fit? Noelle: Fuqua offered the opportunity for me to pursue my passion for healthcare through its renowned Health Sector Management Certificate program, to learn in a supportive environment anchored by our six paired principles of consequential leadership, and to develop strong relationships with a host of amazing classmates, faculty, and administration. Furthermore, I was thrilled to return to my alma mater and my home state of North Carolina. It was tough for other schools to compete. Accepted: Looking back at the application process, what would you say was your greatest challenge? Noelle: Figuring out how to best present myself in my essays was definitely my most challenging part of the application process. I struggled with how much of my personal experience and background I should include. Ultimately, after sharing my essays with family, friends, and co-workers, I found the best balance for me to share my personal journey while also appealing to each school’s culture. Getting feedback from those who know me best was instrumental in helping me strike the right balance. Accepted: The GMAT… How did you prepare for it? How would you advise others to focus their study time? Noelle: I first took the GMAT the summer after graduating from Duke before I started my first job. I would HIGHLY recommend this approach to those who can take the time to do this. Finding the time to study while you’re working is possible, but it can be difficult. The score from my first attempt was pretty strong, but I wanted to try to improve it. I spent a few months studying after I started work and improved my score slightly, but not as much as I had hoped. I made the decision during the summer before I applied to stick with the score I had and to focus my efforts on the other parts of my application moving forward. My advice is to quickly identify the areas where you need additional help with the GMAT, focus on improving in those areas (including getting a tutor if you need to), and then do several practice exams under real practice settings. Accepted: Can you share your top three tips for success for those just starting out on their MBA journey? Noelle: 1. Enjoy it! Business school is a gift you have chosen to give to yourself. There will definitely be times when you are stressed, overwhelmed, and challenged beyond what you imagined. But there will also be times when you can’t believe how lucky you are to have made friends with such amazing people, to travel across the world with your classmates, and to pursue the career you have always wanted. Whenever you are feeling stressed, try to take time to remember why you made the decision to get an MBA and how incredible this opportunity truly is. 2. Spend some time thinking about how you want to spend your time in business school before you get there. Decisions about which student organizations to join, where to study abroad, and what concentration to pursue will come up quickly. You will definitely learn more when you get to campus, but having some ideas in mind before you start school can help save you some time. 3. Get out of your comfort zone! Business school is such a great time to get to know a diverse group of people and to experience things that you never thought you would encounter. This could mean taking more challenging courses in your concentration area, going on a trek to a new country, or even pursuing a new career that wasn’t even on your radar when you first got to school. You never know what may come of these amazing two years…take a chance and find out! You can follow Noelle’s journey connecting with her on LinkedIn. Thank you Noelle for sharing your story and advice with our readers. We wish you continued success. [b]For one-on-one guidance with your b-school application, check out our MBA Application Packages.[/b] Do you want to be featured in Accepted’s blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com. Related Resources: • The GMAT: Low Scores, Retaking & Strategies for Success [On-demand webinar] • Duke Fuqua 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • What I Wish I Knew Before Entering the Duke MBA Tags: MBA Admissions The post Fuqua Student Shares Advice for Aspiring MBAs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
11 Dec 2016, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: USC Marshall MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines |
  Along with academic excellence, the USC Marshall MBA program is characterized by a powerful global network with special emphasis on the Pacific Rim, a close-knit and passionate community, and a strong regional presence. Together, your essays should address these qualities directly or indirectly, and the questions provide interesting opportunities to do so. In answering these two essay questions, try to create a holistic picture. It’s not necessarily easy, as the essays are very different in character – one abrupt and focused, one more expansive, reflective. Essays: Essay #1 (Required): What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (500 word maximum) The question itself directs you in what specific information to provide in the essay. Although only 100 words, it is deemed an “essay” by the adcom, and that means you need to do more than provide info. An essay moves – it goes somewhere, it has a starting point and ending point. And you will have room for a little more input than the bare facts, so compose your answer in a way that includes some motivation or vision for your short-term career goal; clarify what animates it. It may be just a sentence, even a phrase. But it can make all the difference. It will make this short piece of writing an essay – and will engage the reader. Essay #2 (Required): At Marshall, we take pride in the fact that our students work collaboratively, both inside and outside the classroom, to create a culture, a community, and an environment that truly defines what we call the Trojan Family. Please describe the contributions you expect to make to your classmates during your time at USC. How will they benefit from your presence in the program? (500 word maximum) “Contributions” come in many forms: cultural perspectives, special skills and/or knowledge, unique personal or professional experiences, in-depth knowledge of industries or functions, social and community involvements, artistic endeavors… Did I miss anything? Most people will do best to discuss some different types of contributions, though occasionally someone may appropriately focus the whole essay on one, in-depth, if it’s compelling and she has much insight to share. DO NOT list all the possible ways you might contribute. DO (a) study the Trojan Family, (b) study yourself, and (c) identify 2-4 special things about you that will have meaning to the Trojan Family. As Linda Abraham wisely says, in MBA applications, you should show both that you fit in and that you stand out, and this essay invites you to do exactly that. After you identify your topics, write about them with detail and if possible anecdote, and articulate why you think it is valuable to your future classmates – it’s your insight and willingness to share that create your contribution, not the fact of having done or experienced something, regardless of how dramatic or rare. Essay #3 (Optional): Please provide any additional information that will enhance our understanding of your candidacy for the program. (250 word maximum) This question allows you to both discuss points that will enhance your application and explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender, a dip in grades etc.). For the former, if you ask the adcom to read additional material, make sure that it truly illuminates and is germane to your candidacy. ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** Deadlines:  *We will continue to accept applications after April 15, 2017. Applications received after this date will be considered on a first-come, first-served and space-available basis.  Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: • 9 Secrets to Standing Out in Your MBA Application • Stand Out! A Critical Goal for Your Application • The Goals Essay: Writing Nitty-Gritty Tags: MBA Admissions The post USC Marshall MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
12 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: London Business School 2017 MiF Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines |
  The LBS MiF essay questions, together, convey strong interest in two inter-related points: (1) how you envision and plan your future career and (2) your knowledge of and interest in the LBS Masters in Finance program (2 of the 3 questions ask specifically about LBS). It’s particularly important because it’s a rare MiF program that targets more experienced finance professionals; many if not most such programs target early-career applicants. Given this unique focus, it’s important to deliver throughout the essays mature, informed insights and perspectives derived from your experience in your particular area of finance. And cite reasons for attending the program beyond the fact that it’s there –the adcom clearly is looking for engaged applicants who are well-informed about the program and ready to participate in its academic and social life. Question 1: What is your motivation for applying to London Business School’s Masters in Finance programme? (maximum 300 words) LBS MiF adcom breaks up the question that often is combined in business-oriented application essays: what are your goals and how does the program in question help prepare you for those goals? This question is essentially the “why LBS” part and essay 2 is the goals part. Discuss why the LBS MiF in particular appeals to you, citing specific aspects and elements of the program that motivate you to apply. It’s a chance to show you’re completely conversant with the program and have a solid game plan for making the most of it. Question 2: What are your career objectives and what steps have you taken (or do you plan to take) to achieve them? What alternatives are you considering? What geographical region do you hope to work in? (maximum 500 words) Well, it’s a good thing they give you 500 words here, because the question is actually four questions! That said, all these sub-questions are focused on one thing: goals. Discussion of “why LBS” occurs elsewhere. Your career objectives are holistic: both what you want to DO, and what you want to ACHIEVE (what impact you want to have through your career). The “achieve” part may be brief but it animates and gives purpose to the whole essay (indeed, the whole application). The “do” part should be specific, in terms of position(s), industry, possibly company(ies), and, in this section, geography as well. The alternatives are essentially your “Plan B” – I suggest making it for the shorter-term goals, and note how/why it’s another viable path to your long-term goals. Be thoughtful about this alternative section, but don’t spend a lot of space on it. Not least, identify the key steps you have taken or plan to take toward your goals. Of course, attending LBS is one such future step. It’s fine to mention it in this essay, but you can detail it in other essays. I do suggest if possible mentioning some specific steps you’ve taken so far toward your goals, which will add credibility to your case overall. Question 3: What specific areas of London Business School life are you most excited about getting involved in and where do you believe you will add value to the School Community? (maximum 300 words) This essay allows you to do 2 important things: • Demonstrate understanding of the LBS community overall; • Highlight interesting and/or impressive aspects of your life and experience. Really focus on the LBS community in this essay. In discussing the areas you’d like to get involved in, select 2-3 and try to include something beyond work – perhaps there are sports or social clubs, or a volunteer initiative, that you’d like to join. Of course, it’s fine to mention professional clubs and organizations as well. How you’ll add value can include these activities but it can also be broader, to include what you’ll bring to the table based on your experiences. But interesting facts alone don’t show how you’ll add value; you need to include your insight to make it meaningful. ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** Full-time Masters in Finance (August 2017 intake)  Part-time Masters in Finance (August 2017 intake)  By Cindy Tokumitsu, has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA, master, law, PhD and medical programs,with special emphasis on MBA and EMBA and other business programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: • Get Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application • FT Top Masters in Finance Programs in 2016 • College Students, Recent Grads Interested in Business: London is Calling! [Episode 180] Tags: Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post London Business School 2017 MiF Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
12 Dec 2016, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Detailed Instructions for Getting into Chicago Booth |
  Are you looking for an experienced mentor to guide you through the Chicago Booth application process? Do you need advice on how to approach Booth’s questions efficiently and intelligently? Do you need help taking on the Chicago Booth challenge? Check out the video recording of our most recent webinar, Get Accepted to Chicago Booth, in which Linda Abraham, Accepted’s CEO and founder, teaches the 4 keys to a Booth acceptance. Linda has helped thousands of applicants gain acceptance to Booth and other top b-schools around the world – watch the webinar and join the club! View Get Accepted to Chicago Booth now!  Tags: MBA Admissions The post Detailed Instructions for Getting into Chicago Booth appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
13 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Qualifies as “Good” Work Experience to an MBA Admissions Committee? |
  MBA Admissions Committees Care About More Than Brand Some of you may think that because you have worked in marketing but not at P&G, worked in banking but not at Goldman Sachs, or worked in technology but not at Google that your experience may not count as much to admissions committees when compared against applicants who have worked for brands with cache. For those of you with those assumptions, fear not. The quality of the work that you do is much more important than working at a name-brand institution. Admissions committees are looking to fill their cohorts with individuals having as wide a range of experiences as possible, and especially experience that is relevant to an MBA curriculum. When faculty are teaching a particular subject, the lessons come to life when students have real world experience pertaining to the topic. As such, the skills and knowledge gained from significant projects managed from start to finish matter. Involvement with strategic initiatives matters. You don’t have to have been involved in a multi-million-dollar deal to gain strong leadership and management skills. Small Projects Matter! Even small projects that you “own” can be extremely valuable in providing expertise in particular areas. As you advance in your career, always be on the lookout for projects that allow you to take on a significant leadership role and provide you with a certain degree of autonomy. When it comes time to reduce the work you’ve done to one bullet point on your resume, you want to be able to make that bullet as impactful as possible, for example, “Led a team of eight to cut costs in the supply chain by 20% through strategic re-purposing of older machines.” This example shows leadership, strategic thinking and tangible results, all really important stuff! That’s what admissions committees want to see. It doesn’t matter if the size of the project was $10,000 or $1,000,000, or that it was done at Boeing or Jane’s Jewelry Factory. What matters is that you provided significant results to your company. Increasing Responsibility In addition to having tangible real world experience to share in the classroom, admissions committees are also looking for upward mobility. With any luck you have a strong track record of promotions, as that is the easiest way to signal that mobility, and would be immediately obvious on a resume. Even if you don’t, however, you can still showcase the fact that your responsibilities have increased over time through thoughtful wording in your resume, such as “Rewarded with project management of X following successful implementation of social media planning schedule.” Essays might also be a place to show the upward movement, depending on the topic. Being awarded by your company with greater responsibilities is the clearest signal you can give that you have what it takes to succeed in the MBA and in your career thereafter. If you have concerns or questions about whether or not your work experience would be considered relevant for an MBA program, please ask your questions in a comment below or access our advice privately.   Jen Weld worked as an admissions consultant and Former Asst. Dir. of Admissions at Cornell’s EMBA program (4 years) prior to joining Accepted. She has an additional 10 years of experience in higher ed and corporate marketing. Want Jen to help you get accepted? Click here! Related Resources: • What Your Work Experience Reveals About You in Your MBA Application • How to Prove Character Traits in Essays • Does Extracurricular Equal Extra Credit? Tags: MBA Admissions The post What Qualifies as “Good” Work Experience to an MBA Admissions Committee? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
14 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Get an NYU Stern MBA: An Interview with Admissions Dean Isser Gallogly |
  It gives me great pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk Isser Gallogly, Associate Dean of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business. Isser earned his MBA from Duke Fuqua in 1995. He then worked in brand management for Unilever and L’Oreal before coming to NYU Stern as Director of Admissions and now Associate Dean for MBA Admissions. Isser participated in many of Accepted’s old admissions chats, typing madly away and getting finger cramps, but bravely answering applicants’ questions in that old text-only format. He also was the guest way back for episode 97 of AST when we discussed part-time options at NYU Stern. Isser, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk! Can you give us an overview of NYU Stern’s Full-Time MBA program? [1:25] Like many b-schools, our full-time program is a traditional, full-time, two-year MBA. The first year focuses on foundational basics, and in the second year you move into specializations. Two things set us apart: first is our location and how we leverage that to our students’ betterment through experiential learning and career opportunities. And second is the unique makeup of our student population. We have about 400 students. We value IQ and EQ – both intelligence and leadership. Our approach to academics is distinctive: it’s a mixed approach (not just lecture based or case-based, but a mix of approaches). We provide a range of opportunities; our courses are taught by a range of faculty (from Nobel Prize winners to practitioners who teach part time). There’s a lot of flexibility in the program – you can pursue between up to three specializations (or no specialization). And you can take classes overseas, or at other NYU grad schools. What are specializations? [4:45] These are most akin to what people think of as majors. We offer about 20 of them – it’s an organically developing list. Some standard options include management strategy, finance, corporate finance, etc. But there are also more specialized areas, such as digital marketing, luxury marketing, entertainment and media, FinTech, etc. You can specialize in none, and get a degree in general management – or pick up to three areas. So you can really tailor the degree to your short and long-term career goals. We keep it fresh and in line with today’s business. How many classes does it take to specialize? [7:45] It takes nine credits to specialize. A typical class is three credits, though some are one and a half. Stern is very proud of its 4 core values: Academic Excellence, IQ+EQ, Collaborative Community, and the Energy of a Global Hub. The stated focus on EQ is unusual. What does EQ mean at NYU Stern? [8:35] Self awareness, judgment, understanding what’s going on in an interpersonal scope. Leading people. Negotiating, managing. Basically what might have been termed “soft skills.” We see that an important part of business is not necessarily about your ideas, but about how you lead and manage your team’s ideas. There are a number of ways we get at this value through the application process. What are some of those ways? [9:50] It starts with the essays. We’re looking for things that get at who you are. Recommendations provide insight into people’s personality. And the interview process adds dimension. We interview all the candidates we admit. Interviews are by invitation only. The interview is not blind – the interviewer will have read your application and know it well. The interview is conducted by a member of the admissions staff. Our admissions officers are trained assessors of talent – that’s important to us. Stern is located in the heart of Manhattan. How do you take advantage of your location? [14:30] We have an Office of Student Engagement, and one of their functions is to leverage the city for students’ learning and make NYC a hands-on extension of the academic experience, through industry immersions, course projects, etc. For example, the Entertainment & Media Immersion brings students together with alumni from Time Warner, and culminates with teams presenting to executives from Time Warner. Students get into real issues and learn about the industry. Another example is the Stern Consulting Corps. Students act as consultants for local companies and work on real problems. (The companies are vetted so that we know students will be working on significant projects that will be of value to them.) Through the Tech in the City project, students learn about digital entrepreneurship by working with early stage startups. They get a sense of what’s going on, and participate in weekly reflection activities. Do projects like these ever turn into internships or jobs? [18:40] Sometimes. People make connections and referrals. Even if they don’t result in a career directly, the type of experiences they get are helpful during the recruiting process: it gives them a tremendous advantage – not to mention the connections they make. Recruiting is changing – the hiring path is fragmenting. How is Stern adapting? [20:45] We’ve always had a footprint in multiple industries, because of our location. What’s happening now is that’s how things are going more generally. The biggest change in our world is the growth of consulting, which is now one of the biggest areas for our grads – about 30% of our grads now go into consulting. What’s an example of a cool entrepreneurial project students have created? [22:30] There are so many! But here’s one: Students tried to come up with an idea to help the health of people in developing countries. Imagine you’re in a developing country and have a cellphone – take a picture of your eye, and an app can diagnose what kind of eyeglasses you need. Then you could link to a site to order glasses. The idea that you could see correctly and affordably with your phone is pretty amazing! Not surprisingly they won support with that idea. Let’s turn to the application process – we touched on EQ. The other values are intelligence, collaborative community, and the energy of a global hub. How can applicants show fit with these elements of Stern’s mission? [25:45] Academic excellence: we’re looking for students who will thrive in a rigorous academic environment. That’s really a minimum threshold. The global hub: we want to take advantage of NYU as a global university. Students can go to our partner schools’ around the world and learn what it’s like to do business in China, India, etc – this type of immersive, in depth experience gives a broader experience. Today, most applicants do have a global mindset, and that’s important to us. The other important aspect is character elements. Collaborative community: we believe in taking care of one another. Group success is more important than individual success. Students here help each other be competitive for jobs – they coach each other for interviews, even when they may be applying for the same position. Our classes form bonds that are deeper than you normally see at a b-school, that last a lifetime. Stern accepts roughly one in five applicants. How do you winnow it down? How do you decide who gets interview invitations, and who gets in? [30:40] We get many more qualified applicants each year than we have room for – these are difficult decisions we have to make. It’s a combination of factors that set people apart. Don’t give us a reason to say no. On the career front: prepare as if you were preparing for your post-MBA job. That is, do your homework. Research the career, job function, etc. I would do that before even starting to write the essays. The interviews are in person in NY. Prepare extremely seriously – why are you passionate about Stern? Demonstrate EQ, not just IQ. Show your personality: we’re not looking for a cookie cutter. Embrace what makes you truly, distinctively you – don’t shut it down. If you can, visit before you apply. Contact students, come to a session. Get a feel for the vibe of the place. It should be a mutual match – you want to find the right fit. The people who really want to be here, it often comes through. Is there something you wish MBA applicants understood that they often just don’t? [38:30] 1. It’s such a big investment – of both time and money – and there’s no do-over button. Make sure that you need an MBA, make sure you know what you want to do. Make sure you’re going to the school where you get the best return (that’s not the highest ranked school, but the best school for you). People spend so much time on GMAT and essays that they lose track of the big picture: you need to know what you’re doing. There’s a big step between knowing you want to do something else and going to b-school. 2. It’s not just about the test score. 3. Judgment. I’m looking for people I’ll be proud to put in front of recruiters and have as alumni, so if people demonstrate certain behavior, it’s a sign of a lack of self-reflection. 4. Blind leading the blind. There’s a trend of peer input on applications: applicants are listening to their fellow applicants for advice. Checking in with each other is natural, but there’s a reliance on people who don’t have experience or expertise. Why you’re doing it is so different from why anyone else is doing it. Go visit, talk to students, get a sense of the vibe of the place. Do your research. Any advice for applicants currently working on their applications for the Round 2 deadline? [47:05] The essays that pop are the ones that are from the heart – speaking in the words you would normally use, about something you’re passionate about. Show the essay to your best friend and ask, “Does this sound like me?” Let who you are shine through. The biggest risk is playing it safe. Related Links: • Stern MBA Admissions• NYU Stern 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • NYU Stern B-School Zone Page • Full-Time MBA: FinTech • NYU Stern MBA Student, Published Author and Journalist Writes His Way to Success • Sports, Media, and an MBA: NYU Stern Student Shares His Storyhttps://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/full-time-mba/admissions Related Shows: • Exploring the Part-Time MBA Options at NYU Stern• How to Become a Corporate Executive (Interview with NYU Stern Executive-in-Residence) • Mission and Admissions at Yale School of Management • The MBA Menu at Columbia Business School • An NYU Stern Grad and Strat Consultant Helping Vets Get Into School • From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke Subscribe: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions The post Get an NYU Stern MBA: Interview with Admissions Dean Isser Gallogly [Episode 184] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
15 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Bloomberg Businessweek’s Best Business Schools of 2016 |
  There are more graduate degrees awarded in business annually than in any other field in the US. Dozens of new business schools are accredited every year. Finding the right program for you can be an overwhelming task. Bloomberg’s annual ranking, or more specifically the data collected to create those rankings, may help you wade through much of the information about MBA programs. Bloomberg Businessweek has ranked full-time MBA programs in the US since 1988. Its annual ranking of full-time US MBA programs is based on data compiled from more than 1,000 recruiters, 15,000 alumni, and 9,000 recent graduates. The survey is comprised of the following parts: Employer Survey (36%), Alumni Survey (30%), Student Survey (15%), Job Placement Rate (10%), and Starting Salary (10%), which provides a weighted ranking. Therefore, a school can have a high ranking, while not scoring high in every area. Highlights from this year’s report include: • Job placement three months post-MBA: 89.1% • Average MBA debt for new grads: $53,000 • “Real” cost of studying two years: $248,000 (foregone wages + total cost of program) Top Industries for New Graduates:  2016 Top 20 Top Schools:  You can find the complete rankings at Bloomberg Businessweek. Keep in mind that although Bloomberg’s rankings provide an in-depth picture of full-time MBA programs, rank is not the only important aspect to choosing a business school. Finding the best overall fit will provide you with the finest experience possible. Ultimately, you should be the one ranking the schools according to your needs and wants. All rankings have strengths and weaknesses. For an excellent critique of these BW rankings, you can hear from the person who first developed them, John Byrne, at Poets and Quants. Normally I just rail against the rankings, but in this case, I’m going to highlight a possible use of the rankings. The surprises found in the rankings, especially the positive ones, may showcase programs that are strong options for those who can’t get accepted to programs normally higher ranked. For example, Rice Jones is ranked #8, ahead of Kellogg, Haas, Columbia, Yale, and several other programs normally ranked higher. While this placement warrants a large grain of salt, perhaps it is also indicating that Rice Jones is an unappreciated gem and deserves a second look, especially if don’t feel you are competitive at top programs. Particularly for those interested in pursuing a career in energy or in the Gulf States, and who may not be competitive at top 15 programs, give Rice another look and most importantly, look beyond the ranking. Research the placement record, curriculum, campus vibe, and extracurricular opportunities. One of the advantages of the BW rankings is that you can see the degree of difference among different schools. The top program, HBS, is at 100. However, from schools 2-7 the difference is 1.2 points in the index. It is completely insignificant and should be irrelevant to any decision you make. As always, the data behind the rankings is much more important than the rankings themselves. Looking for advice on how you should rank and choose programs? Download a free copy of Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One.  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 SchoolsBusiness School Selectivity Index • GMAC Releases Tool That Organizes, Compares & Explains Major Rankings • MBA Rankings: Why Should I Care? Tags: MBA Admissions The post Bloomberg Businessweek’s Best Business Schools of 2016 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
15 Dec 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Time Management Tips to Make the Most of Your Test Prep |
  Time is precious on a standardized test. On test day, efficient time use can be the difference between a top score and a failing one. And in test prep, as on the test itself, time is of the essence. Here are some time management tips to help you make the most of your test prep. Tip # 1: Big Activities go in Big Time Blocks, Little Activities go in Small Ones This sounds like common sense: if a certain test prep activity takes a few hours, reserve it for a day when you have a few continuous hours of free time. If an exercise takes an hour or less, schedule it for a shorter break from your work or school duties. In practice, however, a lot of students miss this crucial aspect of test prep time management. They do a practice exam in three one-hour installments on three different days, making the experience much less useful or effective. They set unrealistic goals, telling themselves they’ll start doing an intense round of practice questions after dinner, and then falling asleep before they can do everything they’d planned. Don’t let this happen to you. This leads me to my next tip…. Tip # 2: Use Your Evenings and Weekends Strategically For most test preppers, there is a general scheduling rule: short activities on weekday mornings or evenings, long activities on the weekends. Make sure you reserve the most time consuming test prep for your days off. Otherwise, it’s very easy to not meet your study goals, and to leave important activities fragmented or incomplete. Tip # 3: Know What Score You Need, and Actively Work Toward that Score Always use your test prep time to work toward a specific target score (or score range). It’s all-too-easy to just focus on skills building without thinking about the scores you actually need to hit. Set score goals for yourself, and deadlines for reaching those score goals. Make this a key part of your test-prep timeline. Otherwise, you may find that your exam date is rapidly approaching, but you don’t have enough time to get to your target score. To figure out what score goal you should work toward, you can check the policies of the schools you’re applying to. If you’re not yet sure which schools you’ll apply to, there are a lot of great web-guides that list the score expectations for top schools. (Take this list of LSAT scores for top schools, for instance.) Tip #4: Maintain a Daily or Weekly Planner In most cases, it takes at least a month to prepare effectively for an exam. This means your plans should be both long-term and well organized. Make sure you know what study goals you need to meet on a given day or in a given week. If it seems intimidating to put together a detailed plan for a month or more of study, have no fear. There are many pre-made study guides and planners available. For a typical example of different ready-to-use study plans, see this GMAT study guide; it lists and describes several different options for one month, three month, and six month study plans.   David Recine is a test prep expert at Magoosh. He has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has been teaching K-12, University, and adult education classes since 2007 and has worked with students from every continent. Related Resources: • How to Design a Study Schedule You Can Stick To • 5 Ways to Increase Your Admission Test Score • 5 Ways to Cut Stress After an Admission Test Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Time Management Tips to Make the Most of Your Test Prep appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
16 Dec 2016, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Welcome Aboard, Madelaine Baker! |
  We’re happy to welcome Madelaine Baker to the Accepted team! Madelaine has worked on and off in MBA admissions since 2002, working in the admissions offices of MIT Sloan and Yale SOM. While pursuing her own MBA at Columbia Business School, Madelaine was always involved in prospective student interviews and providing feedback to the admissions office. This involvement continued as a CBS (Class of 2006) MBA alumni throughout most of her corporate career. After graduating from Columbia in 2006 Madelaine worked in Corporate Banking in New York City and Hong Kong until her desire to return to MBA admission brought about a change in direction. Most recently Madelaine has worked as an Outside Reader for the Yale School of Management. She combines personal insight from the admissions offices at MIT Sloan, Columbia, and Yale SOM, and brings that seasoned perspective to her work with Accepted’s clients. She knows what it takes to get into a top business school today. She can help you make your application stand out by guiding you in telling your own persuasive and compelling story. Welcome Madelaine!  Tags: MBA Admissions The post Welcome Aboard, Madelaine Baker! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
18 Dec 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Write a Resume That is Readable, Impactful, and Unique |
  Are you looking for advice on how to boost the readability, impact, and uniqueness of your MBA application resume? Read on for a few of our favorite resume tips… 1. Readability: • Eliminate extra lines: Keep your address and contact information on one line if possible, avoid listing your job titles and company names for each position on 2 separate lines, and trim the writing of each bullet point to keep it to a maximum of 2 lines. • White space: Make margins no less than around 0.8 inches and instead of pressing the Enter key twice between positions or sections, use MS Word’s Format, Paragraph, Spacing Before box to add a bit of white space between lines and sections more compactly. 2. Impact: • Think in terms of numbers: How many people did you lead? What value budget did you manage? What percent of costs did you eliminate? What rate of productivity improvement can you point to? By how much did market share jump? These numbers and others give the reader a strong sense of the size of your impact. 3. Standing Out: • Professionally: Look around at your peers within your own organization, its peers and competitors. Do you hold a position traditionally filled by someone much older than you? Have you become one of only a few to transition to a coveted department or role? Have you earned awards for your work that far surpass the average rate of recognition? You can list these types of data points in a Highlights section at the top of your document. • Personally: Fight negative stereotypes about your profession to show that you are exceptional. If you are an accountant, admissions committees tend to assume you are risk averse, so you need to add material that shows some of the bigger risks you’ve taken: entrepreneurial efforts, motorcycle racing, etc. If you’re a finance type, you might be perceived as conceited or aloof, so you should be sure to include evidence of your social skills and humility: community service efforts, mentoring, etc. Accepted has several MBA resume resources to guide you in these and other key areas so you present a killer resume.   Jennifer Bloom has been a consultant with Accepted for 17 years and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She is an expert at crafting application materials that truly differentiate you from the rest of the driven applicant pool. If you would like help with your Foster application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget. Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here! Related Resources: • How to Write the Qualifications Summary for Your Resume • 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing Your MBA Resume • Six Tips For Better Resumes Tags: MBA Admissions The post Write a Resume That is Readable, Impactful, and Unique appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog. |
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