closeEvents & Promotions
| Last visit was: 27 Apr 2024, 04:08 |
It is currently 27 Apr 2024, 04:08 |
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
07:00 PM PDT
-08:00 PM PDT
08:00 AM EDT
-09:00 AM EDT
10:00 AM PDT
-12:00 PM PDT
10:00 AM EDT
-10:30 AM EDT
14 Feb 2014, 14:50
14 Feb 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions According to an Expert |
 Who better to offer MBA admissions advice than an actual former MBA admissions director? Natalie Grinblatt Epstein has held positions of Director of MBA Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Michigan Ross and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Johnson School of Cornell University. She is currently a highly sought after admissions consultant at Accepted. Listen to the recording of our highly informative conversation with Natalie and benefit from her years of experience and great insight into the MBA admissions process. While she covered a lot of different topics, MBA interviews dominated. 00:04:10 – How a research paper converted a brand manager to an admissions officer. 00:07:25 – Three things applicants really need to know but they often just don’t get. (Take if from a former adcom member!) 00:12:17 – MBA essay word limits are shrinking: Don’t cram! Be strategic. 00:18:37 – Tips for preparing for your blind MBA interview. 00:21:28 – Non-blind interview tips. Tune in HBS & MIT applicants! 00:23:35 – The Team Based Discussion. 00:29:18 – ‘Go for it!’ and other advice for late round applicants. 00:34:17 – Addressing weaknesses in your application profile and what do if you don’t have any volunteering in your background. 00:37:25 – Applying for an MBA? Get to know yourself ASAP.  Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss any segments! Stay in the admissions know. *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Relevant Links: • MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Great Tips • Upcoming Webinar: The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews • Natalie’s Bio Page • Natalie’s client feedback page • MBA Admissions 101 Related Shows: • How to Edit Your Application Essays • MBA Video Essays: A Conversation with Rotman’s Niki da Silva • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute • Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute https://blog.accepted.com/2013/03/07/admissions-straight-talk-interview-with-sheryle-dirks/ Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, podcast 
|
14 Feb 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Reasons Not to Be Scared of the GMAT |
 The more practice tests you finish, the better. The GMAT – shudder. The majority of business school hopefuls concur that sitting for the GMAT is one of the most dreaded components of the business school application process. If the mere thought of completing the GMAT (or re-taking the GMAT) torments you at night, read on. Much emphasis is placed on this exam, but it’s not as horrible as you may think. 1. The GMAT is not the be-all, end-all in business school admissions Yes, the GMAT may be one of the most discussed factors in business school admissions, but it is not the only item admissions committees consider. Business schools seek well-rounded classes, and this detail cannot be stressed enough. Business schools are interested in your work experience, your goals, your personality, and your community involvement. If your GMAT score is not as high as you’d like it to be, you can compensate with other parts of your application. Institutions are particularly interested in the GMAT in order to evaluate your quantitative abilities. Demonstrate these skills in other ways, perhaps through your essays or recommendation letters, or even by enrolling in a calculus course at a local community college. 2. You can train in order to achieve a higher GMAT score In all honesty, the GMAT will not tell admissions how well you’ll do in business school. It doesn’t measure your business acumen. It simply tests your ability to successfully complete standardized tests. This may not be fair, but you can use it to your advantage: with appropriate practice, you can improve your performance on the GMAT. You can strengthen both by reviewing the key concepts and acclimating to the test itself. The more practice tests you finish, the better. A wealth of information is available; you just need to develop a study plan to boost your score accordingly. 3. There are a limited number of concepts examined on the GMAT As difficult as some individuals find the GMAT to be, it does not test too wide a range of subjects. The Quantitative section, for instance, includes mainly arithmetic, algebra, and geometry – no trigonometry or calculus will be found here. Granted, the test is not simple, because it will combine several concepts in one problem. But if you can master the basic fundamentals of the mathematics, you are prepared to succeed. Similarly, the sentence correction questions usually test less than 10 grammar concepts. 4. You can sit for the GMAT more than once Few students find themselves satisfied with their score after taking the test the first time. You can, however, sit for it again. All marks within the past five years will be included in your official score report, but that shouldn’t deter you. Admissions committees will appreciate the determination required to continually strive for improvement. It may be wise to incorporate enough time into your business school plan to allow yourself to take the GMAT more than once. 5. The GMAT is not the only test that business schools acknowledge A number of institutions accept a GRE score in lieu of the GMAT. If you’ve already taken the GRE or you strongly suspect that you will perform better on this exam, you may want to consider submitting this score instead. Peruse the full list of universities that accept the GRE on ETS’ website. The GRE, while a different format than the GMAT, tests many of the same skillsets – critical reasoning, quantitative skills, and analytical writing. Yes, the GMAT can seem daunting at first, but perhaps you now understand why it’s not something that should frighten you!  Maureen Spain is a professional GMAT tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and received her MBA from Duke University. Tags: GMAT, MBA Admissions, Varsity Tutors 
|
16 Feb 2014, 06:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Does Harvard Business School Want? |
|
Wondering what applicants who were accepted to Harvard Business School have in common? For more resources to help you get into HBS, check out: • Harvard Business School 2014 MBA Essay Questions & Tips • HBS Post-Interview Reflections, a video • The Accepted Guide to Getting into Harvard Business School, a free webinar • What HBS is Looking for: Engaged Community Citizenship • What HBS is Looking for: The Habit of Leadership  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: Harvard Business School, leadership, MBA Admissions 
|
16 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Should You Take the GMAT or GRE? |
 Many b-schools now accept the GRE (including Stanford, HBS, Wharton, Booth, and MIT Sloan, among others), so MBA applicants will need to decide whether the GMAT or GRE will better increase their chances of acceptance. Here are some factors you should consider when making this decision: 1. GMAT: Take the GMAT if at least one of the b-schools you’re applying to doesn’t accept the GRE. 2. GMAT: If you plan on a post-MBA career in investment banking or management consulting, then you should take the GMAT since such recruiters sometimes use GMAT scores as a screening tool. 3. GMAT: If the wording on the school’s website indicates that the GRE is accepted but clearly a lower-class citizen, than take the GMAT. We’re seeing this less frequently. 4. GRE: If you’re fresh out of college and aren’t sure exactly what to do next, but feel prepared to take the GRE, then you may as well go ahead and take it – the scores remain usable for up to five years. Maybe you’ll use your scores for a future b-school application, or maybe for some other grad program. 5. GRE: If you score higher on practice GRE tests than on practice GMAT tests AND if your target schools accept the GRE, then you should definitely take the GRE. 6. GMAT: The same is true (as #4) if you score higher on the GMAT – in short, take whichever test you score higher on! 7. GRE: If you want to save money (about $100) and/or will have trouble getting to a GMAT testing center, then you should take the GRE (obviously provided that your target schools accept the GRE). The GRE is cheaper and there are more testing centers throughout the world. For top GMAT advice, please check out the following FREE Accepted.com resources: • Top 5 GMAT Test-Taking Strategies • 3 Tips to Reduce GMAT Test Anxiety • The GMAT in MBA Admissions: Fact and Fiction • Should You Retake the GMAT?  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: GMAT, GRE, MBA Admissions 
|
16 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: When to Give Up Your Acceptance in Hopes for “Greener” Pastures |
 Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth. Scenario: You get accepted to an excellent MBA program. You’re happy…but…you can’t help thinking that maybe you could’ve done “better.” Should you turn down your acceptance (whether it’s an early decision acceptance or regular) in hopes that the school that waitlisted you ends up accepting you, or in hopes that a school that rejected you this year accepts you next year? Here are two reasons why I think you should probably count your lucky stars and say “yes” (enthusiastically) to the program that accepted you: 1. As I’m sure you noticed, I put “greener” and “better” in quote marks above. You need to think about whether your alternate options are truly better for you than the amazing school that accepted you. Maybe HBS is a better school than, say, Yale SOM, according to most ranking reports, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best program for you. And in fact, if you’re thinking about heading into non-profit management, it may not be better than Yale. If the accepting top school supports your goals and provides an educational environment that suits you (and you shouldn’t have applied if it didn’t), then a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth. 2. Acceptance at one elite school does not at all imply that you’ll get accepted at another elite school. Acceptance decisions are independent events – Wharton doesn’t consult with Booth, which in turn couldn’t care less that you were accepted to Stanford. Be happy about the outstanding school that accepted you and attend! Legitimate Reasons for Deferring or Rejecting an Admissions Offer: There are some situations in which I’d recommend deferring or rejecting an admissions offer and reapplying next year: 1. Personal circumstances unrelated to education, like an illness in the family. (You may want to defer or reject your offer, depending on the circumstances.) 2. A geographical/relationship issue, like your significant other got into a one-year program across the country from the program that accepted you, and you don’t want to be apart for a year. (You should try to defer for a year in this case, obviously, and not reject the acceptance, if you plan on then pursuing your educational goals next year.) 3. Your post-MBA goals have changed since you applied, and the school that accepted you is no longer the best school for you. (This doesn’t happen very often.) Some of you may be thinking, “Can I ask for a deferral?” Schools are reluctant to give a deferral. It binds them, and doesn’t bind the applicants. Furthermore many applicants requesting the deferral use the additional year to reapply at other programs. This bit of shopping around and gamesmanship has given deferrals a bad name in admissions offices. And they frequently don’t want to play. Here’s a tip if you want to defer and are serious about attending the accepting school a year later: Offer to put down a large deposit that will be applied to your tuition when you matriculate and lost if you don’t matriculate. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Waitlist 
|
17 Feb 2014, 09:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Applicant Blogger Interview with Sarah |
 We’d like to introduce you to Sarah, an Irish b-school applicant (now living in London) applying to top b-schools in the U.S. and Europe. Sarah offers loads of advice on taking the GMAT, analyzing one’s b-school profile, and dealing with dyslexia here in our interview and on her blog, sarah’s mba journey. Thank you Sarah for sharing your story with us – we look forward to hearing great things from you! Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite movie? Sarah: I’m originally from Scotland and now live in London working for the public sector. I studied at Dundee University for my undergrad and York for my Masters. My favourite movie is Inception. Accepted: What is your current job? Do you plan on continuing in this industry after you receive your MBA or switching to something new? Sarah: I currently work in the UK public sector and lead research projects on public policy. I’m hoping that an MBA will allow me to move from research to a more active general management role within the same sector. Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school? Sarah: I have a three strand MBA strategy application just in case I don’t succeed in first strand. first strand was applying to Harvard and Duke in America. Second strand is applying for one or two European business schools, while the third strand is applying for a part time MBA in the UK. I haven’t finalised the schools for prong two and three, that’s my next task. Accepted: You’ve already submitted applications to HBS and Duke — how did it go? Which application essay approach did you prefer? Why? Sarah: I’m really pleased I was able to submit both my Duke and Harvard application on time as they were due the same day. I really liked the Harvard essay as it really allowed me to put across my best case, though having such an open ended question was really daunting at first. But the admissions director on his blog post on the 10th September 2013 gives some good advice; go with your gut. Accepted: What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of the application process so far, and how did you work (or are you working) to overcome those challenges? Sarah: Out of the whole application process, it was the GMAT I found most challenging for a couple of reasons. The main reasons is that this is the first time ever I’ve sat a standardised test and it’s a very different test format from what I’m use to. Secondly as someone who needs accommodations as I’m dyslexic, not sitting a similar test before puts me at a real disadvantage in being able to identify what accommodations are the right. Thirdly what I still find real difficult as my brain doesn’t think in the GMAT way and I’ve really struggled to get my good quantitative ability to be reflected in the GMAT score. So I’ve really struggled with my GMAT score and to be honest probably not really overcome the challenges. Accepted: How many times did you take your GMAT? Can you share a few GMAT tips with us? Sarah: I’ve sat the GMAT three times so far (I suspect I might need to take it a fourth time). I have no tips for the 700 plus crowd but I do have a couple of tips for those new to standardised testing. 1. Take the time to find out how the test works and the main three/four strategies needed to answer the different questions. This will be very beneficial later on when you are taking practice tests and trying to improve your score. 2. Work on the basics – adding, multiplication and handling percentages – until you can do these operations quickly and accurately. You don’t need to pay for expensive GMAT courses for the basics; get material suitable for young children it’s cheaper! There are also a couple of really good apps for your mobile phone that can help as well. 3. Figure out how you learn. Be honest with yourself. I would have saved a lot of time by ditching the books sooner and going onto an online GMAT course quicker as I’m an audio visual learner I don’t learn through just reading text books. Once you know how you learn find a GMAT course that suits. 4. Before you spend money on text books, do your research as not all GMAT text books are created equal and check out the second hand market to get them cheaper. Accepted: Can you talk about your Fulbright experience? Sarah: I submitted an application to Fulbright in November and will hear if I progress to an interview this month. The Fulbright process meant I had to identify early each schools I would apply for and why. It also forced me to think about why business school and put that down in a succinct way. Sarah sent us an update here: I got an update on my Fulbright application yesterday. I haven’t progressed to the interview stage. Disappointed but I also know I put my best case forwards. Accepted: I see on your blog you offer a nice, organized approach to analyzing your profile. Can you explain the steps you took and offer suggestions for our readers on how to break down the elements of their application profiles? Sarah: For my post on the strength of my profile I considered the following elements: academics, GMAT, work, and community involvement, each on a five point scale from Excellent to Weak. Here are a couple of suggestions to help your readers come up with their own assessment. 1. On the academic side consider your country or universities scoring system. How do you compare? Did you go to a top university in your country, a good one, or your local one? Then use those to form a judgment. In the UK context I assumed a 1st from Oxbridge would be ranked Excellent. For the GMAT I considered the GMAT average and then the score ranges for the schools I applied to and then how I compared. I would say rank 700+ as excellent and go from there. 2. For the work criteria it really comes down to your knowledge of your industry and firm. I work for a fairly flat organisation and I don’t get bonuses so I have to measure success in other ways. So be honest with yourself, how good is your CV? Are head hunters knocking down your door? 3. Community involvement is tough; it is not how much you do, but your impact as well. I think the simple stuff can count as well like being involved in your church or sports club. Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the experience? Sarah: My blog is about my MBA experience from applying to completing one. At first the blog was mainly a place where I could tell my story. Over time the remit has expanded a little to include my thoughts on the wider challenges I face in the work environment in relation to stress and dyslexia. One aspect of the blogging experience I have really appreciated is the readers’ comments. I can safely say my applications to business school are better due to the comments that have been made on my blog. My audience is anyone wanting to study for an MBA but I also hope there is some useful advice to those that are under pressure at work or have dyslexia and work in high performing organisations. Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, mba applicant blogger 
|
17 Feb 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Tackling the GMAT: A B-School Applicant’s Tireless Journey |
|
We’d like to introduce you to Sarah, an Irish b-school applicant (now living in London) applying to top b-schools in the U.S. and Europe. Sarah offers loads of advice on taking the GMAT, analyzing one’s b-school profile, and dealing with dyslexia here in our interview and on her blog, sarah’s mba journey. Thank you Sarah for sharing your story with us – we look forward to hearing great things from you! Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite movie? Sarah: I’m originally from Scotland and now live in London working for the public sector. I studied at Dundee University for my undergrad and York for my Masters. My favourite movie is Inception. Accepted: What is your current job? Do you plan on continuing in this industry after you receive your MBA or switching to something new? Sarah: I currently work in the UK public sector and lead research projects on public policy. I’m hoping that an MBA will allow me to move from research to a more active general management role within the same sector. Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school? Sarah: I have a three strand MBA strategy application just in case I don’t succeed in first strand. first strand was applying to Harvard and Duke in America. Second strand is applying for one or two European business schools, while the third strand is applying for a part time MBA in the UK. I haven’t finalised the schools for prong two and three, that’s my next task. Accepted: You’ve already submitted applications to HBS and Duke — how did it go? Which application essay approach did you prefer? Why? Sarah: I’m really pleased I was able to submit both my Duke and Harvard application on time as they were due the same day. I really liked the Harvard essay as it really allowed me to put across my best case, though having such an open ended question was really daunting at first. But the admissions director on his blog post on the 10th September 2013 gives some good advice; go with your gut. Accepted: What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of the application process so far, and how did you work (or are you working) to overcome those challenges? Sarah: Out of the whole application process, it was the GMAT I found most challenging for a couple of reasons. The main reasons is that this is the first time ever I’ve sat a standardised test and it’s a very different test format from what I’m use to. Secondly as someone who needs accommodations as I’m dyslexic, not sitting a similar test before puts me at a real disadvantage in being able to identify what accommodations are the right. Thirdly what I still find real difficult as my brain doesn’t think in the GMAT way and I’ve really struggled to get my good quantitative ability to be reflected in the GMAT score. So I’ve really struggled with my GMAT score and to be honest probably not really overcome the challenges. Accepted: How many times did you take your GMAT? Can you share a few GMAT tips with us? Sarah: I’ve sat the GMAT three times so far (I suspect I might need to take it a fourth time). I have no tips for the 700 plus crowd but I do have a couple of tips for those new to standardised testing. 1. Take the time to find out how the test works and the main three/four strategies needed to answer the different questions. This will be very beneficial later on when you are taking practice tests and trying to improve your score. 2. Work on the basics – adding, multiplication and handling percentages – until you can do these operations quickly and accurately. You don’t need to pay for expensive GMAT courses for the basics; get material suitable for young children it’s cheaper! There are also a couple of really good apps for your mobile phone that can help as well. 3. Figure out how you learn. Be honest with yourself. I would have saved a lot of time by ditching the books sooner and going onto an online GMAT course quicker as I’m an audio visual learner I don’t learn through just reading text books. Once you know how you learn find a GMAT course that suits. 4. Before you spend money on text books, do your research as not all GMAT text books are created equal and check out the second hand market to get them cheaper. Accepted: Can you talk about your Fulbright experience? Sarah: I submitted an application to Fulbright in November and will hear if I progress to an interview this month. The Fulbright process meant I had to identify early each schools I would apply for and why. It also forced me to think about why business school and put that down in a succinct way. Sarah sent us an update here: I got an update on my Fulbright application yesterday. I haven’t progressed to the interview stage. Disappointed but I also know I put my best case forwards. Accepted: I see on your blog you offer a nice, organized approach to analyzing your profile. Can you explain the steps you took and offer suggestions for our readers on how to break down the elements of their application profiles? Sarah: For my post on the strength of my profile I considered the following elements: academics, GMAT, work, and community involvement, each on a five point scale from Excellent to Weak. Here are a couple of suggestions to help your readers come up with their own assessment. 1. On the academic side consider your country or universities scoring system. How do you compare? Did you go to a top university in your country, a good one, or your local one? Then use those to form a judgment. In the UK context I assumed a 1st from Oxbridge would be ranked Excellent. For the GMAT I considered the GMAT average and then the score ranges for the schools I applied to and then how I compared. I would say rank 700+ as excellent and go from there. 2. For the work criteria it really comes down to your knowledge of your industry and firm. I work for a fairly flat organisation and I don’t get bonuses so I have to measure success in other ways. So be honest with yourself, how good is your CV? Are head hunters knocking down your door? 3. Community involvement is tough; it is not how much you do, but your impact as well. I think the simple stuff can count as well like being involved in your church or sports club. Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the experience? Sarah: My blog is about my MBA experience from applying to completing one. At first the blog was mainly a place where I could tell my story. Over time the remit has expanded a little to include my thoughts on the wider challenges I face in the work environment in relation to stress and dyslexia. One aspect of the blogging experience I have really appreciated is the readers’ comments. I can safely say my applications to business school are better due to the comments that have been made on my blog. My audience is anyone wanting to study for an MBA but I also hope there is some useful advice to those that are under pressure at work or have dyslexia and work in high performing organisations. Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, mba applicant blogger
|
17 Feb 2014, 13:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Goal Setting as an Entrepreneur |
 I always ask my clients to state their long and short-term goals for me on our first meeting. Eighty percent of the time I hear the response, “I want to be an entrepreneur.” So I begin to peel away at the onion. • What problem is your business going to solve? • Why is it different than a solution that exists today? • Is there a market for the goods or services you plan to sell? • How big is that market? • Who is your competition? • Can you patent your solution? • What will your margins be? • How will you finance this business? • What is your expected return on investment? • What is the exit strategy? You can’t just say, “I want to be an entrepreneur” and leave it at that. You also can’t just have an idea or concept. You need to have the skeleton of an actual business plan if you want to credibly declare yourself an entrepreneur in your MBA application.   By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey. Tags: entrepreneurship, Grad School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA career goals 
|
17 Feb 2014, 16:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Thou Shalt Not Forget Thursday’s Webinar! |
|
Spaces for Thurday’s webinar, The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews, are filling up! The webinar will take place Thursday (Feb. 20th) at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. Learn how to ace your MBA interview – sign up for The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews now!  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, webinar 
|
18 Feb 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Do Your Part to Improve MBA Admissions – Win $500! |
 Survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500 AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, is conducting a survey and would like YOUR participation! This is your chance to share your opinions of the MBA admissions experience with top MBA admissions committees. In May, AIGAC will hold its annual conference in New York City where they will present anonymous data about MBA applicants to the top MBA programs. That data will come from these surveys, so the more responses, the better. You can read more about the survey here. The survey closes at the end of February, so please respond ASAP! What about the $500? We saved the best part for last – survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500 (via PayPal). Your email address would be used only for prize notifications.  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: AIGAC, MBA Admissions 
|
18 Feb 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: How to Prep for Your MBA Interviews |
|
If you have an MBA interview coming up, check out Linda’s video, MBA Interviews – Preparing for Behavioral and General Questions: If you have any questions, just leave us a question in the comment box below. Go ahead and rock those interviews! Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA Interview 
|
19 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Personal Statement Fatal Flaw #1: Lack of Substance |
 Writing about nothing tends to bore, like a trite sitcom or movie with no plot. They lack substance and so will your essay if it isn’t based on: • Substantive self-reflection. • Use of specifics, examples, and anecdotes. • Willingness to reveal your thought processes and feelings. So start your writing process with self-knowledge. You don’t have to search the internet or a large library. Start with your experiences and your dreams. Search your head and your heart. That is where the substance of a good personal statement is stored. Then use anecdotes, specifics, and examples to reveal what’s in your heart and show that your dreams are grounded in experience. Good examples can bring your essays to life and engage the reader. At the same time, recognize that essays with only examples and anecdotes don’t reveal your thought processes and consequently are also superficial. Make sure you balance your stories with insight and analysis. Avoid Fatal Flaw #1: Bring your essays to life with self-reflection and astute use of examples balanced by analysis. This tip is an excerpt from Five Fatal Flaws: Eliminate the 5 Most Common Flaws in your Application Essays and Personal Statements. To view the entire free special report, please click here.  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, Medical School Admissions, personal statement, special report 
|
19 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Admissions A-Z: E is for Essay |
 Next up in our MBA Admissions A-Zseries is E for Essay, a topic on which we could very easily write an entire book. (Hey – we DID write an entire book. Scroll down for details.) Here we are going to focus on 4 critical MBA admission essay mistakes. Make sure that your essays DON’T include any of these: 1. Buzzwords Try this on for size: “I plan on penetrating the B2C e-commerce bubble by starting my own synergistic company. Additionally, I want to lead empowering seminars about diversity awareness in the workplace for the human resources space.” Unfortunately, creating an MBA application essay isn’t as simple as piecing together a string of keywords. Many applicants think that if they include industry buzzwords in their essays, then they’ll come off sounding like experts in the field. Recipe for success? More like recipe for disaster. Buzzwords don’t make you look smart; they make you look unoriginal. (Of course, you can use a few buzzwords when absolutely necessary. Just make sure they clarify and inform as opposed to confuse and obscure.) 2. Grandiose Statements Don’t merely discuss a value or belief; illustrate it. “I want to give back to my community.” Okay, thanks for the info…now tell me something else: HOW? Or WHY? When have you lived this value in the past? How do you plan on focusing your energy on helping your community in the future? Furthermore, why do you feel a calling to contribute to your community? Give me some details here! Maybe this is what you meant: “When I was suddenly orphaned at 16 years old, my local church bent over backwards to help revive me and my twin brother after the paralyzing tragedy. The community members went beyond simply feeding and clothing us, by caring for us and loving us in the absence of our parents. Their boundless kindness inspired me to found my not-for-profit organization; it helps teenage orphans keep their heads above water after tragedy strikes by supplying material as well as emotional support.” 3. Whining Complaining about your application blemishes only draws attention to them. If you aren’t happy with your GPA, then take responsibility for your low grades, and if relevant, provide context that explains why you did poorly…and then move on. If possible, portray your liabilities as assets by discussing the ways in which you’ve grown from your experiences, or point to times when you excelled in similar circumstances. But please, keep the tone mature. Nobody likes a crybaby. 4. Typos This is one of the most common MBA essay mistakes, and yet is also one of the easiest errors to fix. Rule of thumb: Don’t hit “Submit” until you’ve edited and proofread your application essays. For the best results, read your essay aloud so you can identify errors with your eyes, as well as your ears. And remember, the only thing better than one set of eyes and ears, are multiple sets. Have your mom, best friend, neighbor, co-worker, or Accepted.com editor help you identify and then fix all spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and stylistic blunders. The Book of All Books, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, will lead you through the MBA admissions process beginning to end and includes lots of advice on how to approach the MBA essay writing process with examples. The book, written by Accepted.com founder and CEO, Linda Abraham, is succinct, but more in-depth than our short tips can ever be. Available on Kindle and in paperback.  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: application essay, MBA Admissions, MBA Admissions A-Z, MBA essay 
|
20 Feb 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Leadership is King: Interview with IMD’s Lisa Piguet |
 If you are considering pursuing an MBA at IMD then you are in luck. This week’s guest on Admissions Straight Talk is Lisa Piguet, Associate Director of MBA Admissions and Marketing at IMD. Listen to the interview to get the details about IMD’s unique program, the admissions process, and some excellent advice for applicants. 00:02:05 – The (intense!) structure of the IMD MBA program. 00:06:41 – Work experience a must. 00:08:53 – Innovations of the new program director. 00:13:47 – Why the serious changes to the IMD application? 00:19:01 – The Day Long Assessment: what it is and why it’s here to stay. 00:21:35 – Career Placement at IMD: are the rumors true? 00:23:52 – Advice for IMD applicants. Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss any a single show! *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Relevant Links: • IMD • MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools • 2014 Virtual Panel: Exploring European B-Schools Related Shows: • Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC • The Stanford MSx Program for Experienced Leaders • NUS: A Small but Mighty Academic Powerhouse in Asia • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute • Jeff Reid on Entrepreneurship Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, IMD, MBA Admissions, podcast 
|
20 Feb 2014, 14:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Review of BenchPrep’s Online Test Prep Site |
 I just logged into the BenchPrep test prep website and am welcomed with their greeting of “Gain an unfair advantage on test day”; I like this – a test prep site with an edge! Let’s continue exploring… After you sign in and choose your test (see list below), you’ll then choose your target test date. The program then generates a study plan of week-by-week tasks that you’ll need to complete to achieve your optimal preparedness for your chosen exam. Each task has a timeframe next to it, indicating the expected amount of time the exercise should take – a nice touch. As you move through the little icons on the left side of the screen, you’ll encounter some nice features – games (mainly flashcard games – pretty simple and straightforward), practice tests, discussion boards, study groups, and others. Another organizational feature is the table of contents icon which, when you click on it, gives you a very clear outline of your study plan with links to other parts of the site. There is also a BenchPrep mobile app (Android and iPhone), making this program excellent for test-preppers on-the-go! One thing I’d like to see more of on this site are videos. There is certainly no shortage of written prep resources here – there are loads of practice tests and explanations and tips, which of course are extremely important. For some people, this may be exactly what they’re looking for, but others – those auditory/visual types – the absence of video will be noticed. Tests (a sampling): • ACT • GMAT • PMP Exam • AP Exam • GRE • Police Officer Exam • CFA Level I Exam . • LSAT • Postal Exam • CLEP • MCAT • Praxis Test • EMT • Nursing School Entrance Exams . • SAT • FRM • PCAT • Firefighter Exam • PE Exam Features: • Ask-a-tutor, and receive an answer within 24 hours • Bookmarking and highlighting features • Ratings/tracking of your confidence level (so you can go back to review those weak areas) • Games • Practice tests • Discussion boards • Study groups Head to BenchPrep now to check out these features on your own! Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: ACT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MBA Admissions, MCAT, SAT 
|
21 Feb 2014, 09:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Access MBA Tour, Soon in North America |
 The North American Access MBA Tour is appearing soon in: New York City March 6 Toronto March 8 Montreal March 10 Vancouver March 13 A unique and customised event format that helps you select the right MBA program: • One-to-One meetings and workshops with Admissions Directors • Personalized MBA Orientation • Interactive MBA conferences • GMAT advising • Scholarship opportunities Among the 100 business schools participating in the Access MBA Spring Tour: University of Victoria Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, Simon Fraser University Beedie School of Business, Western University Ivey Business School, HEC Montréal, McGill University, Queens, Rotman School of Management, HEC Paris, London Business School, INSEAD, University of Chicago Booth, IESE Business School, IE Business School, Northwestern University Kellogg, University of Cambridge, Duke University Fuqua, ESADE Business School, IMD, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ashridge Business School, Manchester Business School, Rotterdam School of Management, SDA Bocconi, HULT International Business School, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Maastricht School of Management, Henley, EDHEC Business School, Bentley University… Register here for free in the city near you https://bit.ly/AccessMBATourNorthAmerica! Places are limited for One-to-One meetings and early registration is recommended. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: MBA Admissions 
|
21 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Kellogg Launches EMBA Program in Beijing |
 This week Kellogg announced the launch of its new EMBA program in collaboration with the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University in Beijing and Shanghai. The new program will join the ranks of other Kellogg’s EMBA global network partnerships (including HKUST in Hong Kong, York University in Toronto, Tel Aviv University in Israel, and programs in Miami and Chicago). The Guanghua-Kellogg program is a 22-month program commencing in September 2014, and is designed for executives with 8-10 years of experience. The curriculum will cover topics on the following themes: • Megatrends and opportunities • Analytical skills and decision-making • Strategic leadership • Globalization • Understanding stakeholders Dean Sally Blount says about the new partnership: We’re thrilled to partner with the Guanghua School of Management to provide executive-level management education in China. Through our unique global EMBA network, which will now include Guanghua, we offer students a distinctive learning experience, preparing them to lead in the complex global economy. See the Kellogg press release for more details.  Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best Tags: EMBA, MBA Admissions, Northwestern Kellogg 
|
23 Feb 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Are My Chances? Midwestern Sales Guy with Start Up Ambition |
|
This blog post is one in a series of MBA applicant profile evaluations called “What are My Chances?” authored by Michelle Stockman. Michelle, who started consulting for Accepted in 2007 and worked previously in the Columbia Business School admissions office, will provide selected applicants with school recommendations as well as an evaluation of their qualifications. If you would like Michelle to evaluate your profile at no charge and as part of this series, please provide the information requested at https://reports.accepted.com/what_are_my_chances. Profile 4: “Matt” the do-gooder Midwestern sales guy, with start up ambition -Background: 28-year-old white male from Midwest. Business major with 3.7 GPA from state university in Indiana. Scholarship cross-country runner and team captain. Matt, you’re like a lot of biz grads in the U.S., perhaps a bit bored after a few years in the workforce. You see a long, slow road ahead if you settle for climbing the corporate ladder. You seem to want to test yourself and follow your dreams. What you’ll need to prove to the admissions committee is your unique worth—what you have to offer to the rest of the student body in terms of skill, knowledge, and drive. What does set apart your undergrad experience is your strong extra-curricular as a scholarship cross-country runner while managing a very decent GPA. I’m sure your tenure as a team captain gives you several stories of leadership and teamwork. But college was a long time ago. Keep your application as much in the present as possible. -Work Experience: Four years as account manager at rapidly-expanding B2B technology firm in Chicago. Managed a sales team of 20 people. CFA level II candidate. You’ve got solid work experience on an upward trajectory at a, likely, regional firm that’s respected within the industry, but not a Blue Chip brand on the national or international stage. It’s fantastic that you’ve managed a sales team of so many people—shows you’ve got to know how to motivate and delegate. Can you quantify the impact of your leadership? On the other hand, I do wonder why you are pursuing your CFA. It doesn’t seem to mesh with your career path in sales, and I’m not sure a sales background would qualify you to become a charterholder. Perhaps it’s a side interest? -Short-term goal: Found a tech startup in the software industry. As an ad comm. member, I would have lots of questions about this goal. What is your idea, exactly? What kind of research have you done to show demand? As a sales guy, do you have the technical expertise needed, or do you already have partners in mind? Do you have any prior experience in start ups, or fundraising? You would need to connect the dots in the application. -Long-term goal: Eventually move into private equity investing. Ah, this is where the interest in the CFA likely comes in. If I were you, I would not reach so far with your long-term goal. If you’ve got a reasonable story to support entrepreneurship, stick with the long-term goal of growing your start up into a larger firm. Delving beyond that into private equity investing could be confusing to the ad comm. -GMAT: 700 45 Q/40 V. This is a pretty good GMAT, but the quant is a little low for the top echelon of schools. You may want to consider retaking if that’s your first try. A higher score would increase your competitiveness. -Extracurriculars: 5x volunteer for Christian summer service group building schools and water projects in Ghana. Run twice-weekly youth program at church. Wow, you’re a busy, faithful guy. These activities show long-term dedication and international reach. The ad comm. will want to see that you’ve moved up into leadership positions, and perhaps introduced some innovations to the projects. It’s important to show you have values, but don’t get too preachy. The ad comm. may hold a different belief system from you. Focus on how you may have helped communities, and even better, individuals to improve not so much by the transformative force of a higher power, but by smart, innovative leadership on your part. -Schools: Stretch matches: Kellogg, Booth On-par matches: Michigan, CMU Tepper, Emory Goizueta, UT McCombs Safety matches: Notre Dame Mendoza, Indiana Kelley Final Note: Don’t forget your hometown advantage. You’ve done well in the Midwest, likely building up lots of respect and connections locally. You’d do well to tap into those by staying in the Midwest for b-school, and then through the connections you make, build out.   Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Tags: entrepreneurship, MBA Admissions, What Are My Chances 
|
23 Feb 2014, 21:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Quick Mock Wharton TBD Update |
The Wharton Mock TBD for Tuesday February 25 is sold out. However we have opened up a new Mock Wharton TBD for Wednesday Feb. 26 at 10 AM PT . If you have your Wharton TBD after 2/26, you can still sign up for a mock that will prepare you for the real thing. The mock TBD includes:
Tags: MBA Admissions, Wharton 
|
|
|
||
