All you need to know about R1 MBA applications - Live chat with ARINGO

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All you need to know about R1 MBA applications - Live chat with ARINGO MBA Admissions consultancy

Sunday, June 14, 2020 8 AM PDT | 8:30 PM IST | 11 AM EST

In this session, ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting will answer any questions regarding applying to top MBA programs in 2021

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Sajjad1994 · Answer

Here is the chat log from our recent chat session with ARINGO MBA Admission consultancy held on June 14 | 8 am PDT | 8:30 pm IST Introduction of our guest from ARINGO Hi everyone. Excited to be here! My name is Shimri Winters. I am a London Business School alumnus and I have been heading the strategy team here at ARINGO MBA Admissions Consulting for 6 years now. Additionally, when I graduated from LBS, I was asked to be part of the LBS interviewing committee (I was helping LBS, interview MBA candidates, for 8 years). A bit more about me: I have a computer science degree, and before my MBA at LBS, I worked as a programmer in a big software company. Post-graduation I work in consulting, then in bus-dev in big IT companies and as I said, for the last 6 years at ARINGO Feel free to ask me anything during this chat! (you can also check out our website https://www.ARINGO.com for further information or profile assessments, feel free to shoot me an email on shimriw@ARINGO.com with your CV, GMAT, school wish list, timeline, and questions. Do you think there will be a slump in the R1 applications this year from India? GREAT question - I don’t know... maybe a small decrease cause people are worried + didn’t have a chance to work on their GMAT... but the top schools will always have clients Do you think Harvard, Wharton, and other schools that have adopted liberal deferal policies increase the class size next year? I can see many Indian candidates choosing to defer. Again, this is a question we don’t know yet. Harvard have not published how many people asked for a deferral - once they do, we can see. other schools have not shown a clear deferral policy, so who knows... if you are applying next year, all you can do , is do your best! What are the coronavirus impacts? Coronavirus impact on admissions: This is what I think: A. Many international candidates who were accepted to Sep-2020 studies will ask for a deferral (= next year, there will be fewer seats in the class due to deferred students from this year) B. Many people are now sitting at home, rethinking their future, thinking of a career change (=next year there will be more candidates) A + B => next year will be harder to get into top MBA programs. What does this mean for you? not much. You can only do what you can do. My suggestion - continue to improve your profile, work on your GMAT, and get the best score you can and perhaps apply to more schools that you intended to originally, for backup reasons. What would be a good school-spread strategy from someone who is planning to apply to the M7 programs? Should they place all their bets on R1? I would always go for the schools I want to apply to, in R1 if you can... obviously, only if you can write the best application, have the best GMAT score etc. if you need more time, then apply in R2, if not, R1 it is! What specific things can one do along with a full time job to improve overall profile? Still students? Work on your GPA Holiday? Visit campus if possible See how you can improve your profile => Academics / Professionally / extracurricular Think about recommenders Build your network Research: schools, blogs, scholarships. Prepare for GMAT / GRE How US and Europe Business schools are acting on the deferal requests? Are they accepting all the deferral requests? NO, most schools are not accepting deferrals at all... (this may change in a month if there is no improvement) Which are the schools offering a GMAT waiver for MBA? none of the top MBA programs offer GMAT waivers you can see a list here: https://www.aringo.com/mba-without-gmat/ Do you think we should ask schools to waive the application fees in R1 given that some of us are in tough spots owing to Covid? No salary hikes, no bonuses and a pursuit to save more in these uncertain times. hahaha, ok, you made my laugh... no, I dont think you should ask the schools to waive the application fees... the MBA will cost around $200K. I am sure you can handle the ~$150 application fee... ARINGO if one wanna join consulting (MBB) post MBA, but the candidate doesn’t have consulting experience in past, what are some good reasons candidate can give adcom for his/her choice Well, you have to split the answer into two a. what to tell adcoms b. what to do when u reach school a. what to tell Adcom? this really depends on your profile, past experience, etc. as I don’t know you (yet

)I don’t know if you should say consulting as your career goal b. what to do once you get into the MBA? consulting club, classes, clubs, speak to 2nd year students who got consulting internships etc. If you already have a GMAT, feel free to send me your CV, GMAT, school wish list and I can review and suggest career goals... How will COVID effect MBA job market 2-3 years from now because of the economic slow-down Tough question - smarter people than me don’t know where the economy will be, but I think it is a safe bet to say it will be booming in 2-3 years? and if you believe this (and this is what I believe most predictions show) then MBA alumni will be high on demand Is there a list available for R1 Deadlines for top MBA’s? yes, we publish all the deadlines and essays on our site: https://www.aringo.com/mba-current-deadlines/ There aren’t that many yet Do the Sep intake and Jan intake for MBA programs have substantial differences between them wrt to employment/internship opportunities or ? YES! Well, there aren’t that many programs starting in January (you have the list here: https://www.aringo.com/mba-january-programs/) INSEAD for example: - the January program has an internship at the end, the September one doesn’t. Columbia on the other hand, the September intake has an internship, and the January one doesn’t... most other programs (HEC, IE) are the same can you share an email address I can reach out to you at Shimriw@ARINGO.com Will Covid affect scholarships? No one knows... very good question. my assumption is, schools have money, and will save it for scholarships for excellent candidates! Deadline is the time before which you have to submit your application to b-school??? correct they are usually a few rounds of application submission date (in most schools R1 is in September, R2 is in January) How to choose between 1/1.5 year MBA and a 2 year MBA? Tough question - but as they aren’t that many 1-1.5 programs in the US, you also need to factor where you will study (brand, location, total cost) Why not go for both types of programs, and see where you get accepted? that will help with your choice For someone who already has an MBA from India, which top schools would be more welcoming such candidates. To be honest, most MBA programs DO NOT like candidates with previous MBAs. I do not know of one which is more welcoming. sorry What % of the fees do Indian students usually get a scholarship for? WOW, tough question - I dont know the answer - it changes per school / year / round (not sure you will find this info... there are merit scholarships, social need, external, internal, fellowships etc.) . I know last year, 42% of the Indian candidates ARINGO worked with got a scholarship, the lowest was 20K (Cornell...) the highest was a full ride (Chicago) Also, how should I prepare a list of schools best suited for me? I do not have any such experience as of now of that field. you can use this list: Location Location Location School’s specialties Recruiters Specific courses of study Ranking you decide how much weight to give each criterion (check out our website - www.ARINGO.com plenty of info on all factors) for example: https://www.aringo.com/top-mba-program-rankings/ https://www.aringo.com/mba-specializations/ I have a GMAT score of 590 (not making good progress on improving the score) & have 3.5 years of work experience at one of the top investment banking firms. I would like to understand the schools that I could potentially apply to? All top 25 schools will require a higher score. sorry. perhaps try the GRE? or the internal IE Gat (for IE Madrid?) See this list for MBAs with no GMAT: https://www.aringo.com/mba-without-gmat/ maybe something there will work for you? Is online gmat score valid for applying in ivy schools? Or offline centre based exam is mandatory? OF COURSE Online/onsite GMATs are regarded the same by business schools Are business schools gonna extend the R1 deadline as they are still accepting applications for this year admissions? I do not think so. R1s should be identical to previous years... (if MBA programs see a decrease in the numbers, then they will change things after R2/R3) Any suggestions on how to a person coming from family businees background potray his/her story to adcoms? ALL schools LOVE family business backgrounds (and me to: if you have taken the GMAT - feel free to send me Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of your application and any other info to Shimriw@ARINGO.com for a profile evaluation) Which are good 1 year and executive MBA programs for professional with 11 yr experience (age 35) in finace or IT/Analytics programs in USA or elsewhere 1. read my article: MBA Over 30 https://www.aringo.com/mba-over-30/ you have a list of FULL-TIME programs for over 30. which part-time programs are suited? this depends on where you live...(send me your CV to shimriw@ARINGO.com and any other info, and I will try to assist) Is it advisable to go for MIM after Getting Gmat score and apply for MBA in later years FOR A FRESHER or one should work on the profile till he/she is eligible to get admit into T10? So, you are asking should you do a MIM or not - your call

- definitely nothing to do with the MBA that you can take later... MIMs are a great way to study "early" in a top brand school like LBS or INSEAD - but they are many ways to improve your profile in the net few years. getting a good job and progressing there is another one. your call! Could you talk about LBS’s acceptance for a second MBA? I have a 710 GMAT and currently head operations of a startup this is great. they won’t disqualify you, but having a previous MBA doesn’t help... I suggest you send me your CV, the school wish list (remind me you have 710) any other info, and I will try to assist... I am always on shimriw@ARINGO.com If I don’t need a career change but want to accelerate my career, does my reason make sense for the adcom? YES, there are three "classic" reasons for why MBA: Career change, accelerator, and future entrepreneur So if I go For MBA after MIM it won’t be an issue to The Adcom? As MIM as MBA are separate thing? MIM and MBA are two separate things Disadvantages of applying to R2 vs R1 for an Indian candidate from finance background with score of 720? Does this lower chance of scholarship? If you already have a 720. why would you wait for R2? (send me your CV, GMAT split, school wish list to shimriw@ARINGO.com? and explain why R2?) Generally speaking: There is a minor difference between R1 and R2 and my suggestion is to apply when you are ready (profile and GMAT are optimized, and your applications are perfect) even if it means missing the R1 deadlines. The reasons are these R1 and R2 tend to have similar acceptance chances. Yes, there are slight advantages for R1, for example, they might be more candidates who are waitlisted or a few more scholarships. The biggest advantage in my eyes for R1 admissions is, if you don’t get in, you can always apply to backup options in R2. So, the biggest advantage is more of a project management perspective, than of acceptance chances per school… but again, as I said at the beginning, you should only apply, when you think your application is optimum in terms of career, GMAT, and application. Do you expect the selectivity rates to go down at HS, US top 10? no, I expect admissions to be tougher next year (less room in the class, due to deferrals) How is the return on MBA from top Canadian business schools (Rotman, Ivy, Shulick, Desaults)? Also how competitive are they to get in? Well we have a ROI page https://www.aringo.com/mba-return-on-in ... calculator But, sorry, we didn’t put Canadian schools - as the cost of MBA and living might be half than US schools - I would say the ROI is quicker than the US schools offer. the question is, if in the long run, you will be making the same money... (but again, Canada is cheaper for living, with easier Visas) I don’t know your background - Canadian schools are less competitive vs. Harvard

but still receive thousands of applications each year. if you come from a competitive background, then they are very competitive and would like to see good employment chances post MBA (and a decent career and GMAT pre-MBA) I would like some help in evaluating my profile, could ARINGO help? SURe. if you have taken your GMAT already, then Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of your application and any other info to Shimriw@ARINGO.com for a profile evaluation if you haven’t taken your GMAT, I suggest you focus on that for now, as it won’t waste our time to discuss Harvard and then the score is not enough for Kentucky

) I see uCLA has ’Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, Global Executive MBA for the Americas’ which doesnt require a GMAT score. Could you please share some details on this course? This is a great part-time program - you split your time between the two continents... I think I had a candidate 2 years ago who asked for a GMAT waiver here... (send me your CV, and I will check for you) I have a three year old GMAT score of 700. Should I give Gmat again, or the existing score is acceptable, without any negative impact on application. if the GMAT is valid (up to 5 years) there is zero negative impact... If I don’t need a career change but accelerate my career, does it make sense for the adcom? I answered this - YES, this makes total sense to adcoms - you want to get a solid business education, network, and knowledge, before going back to your industry, at a more senior position - makes sense! What should future aspirants do in the meanwhile in order to enhance their profile? Considering the stay at home scenario look up in this chat, Answered this twice If i have a background in media (as a fashion editor) and am an entrepreneur, how do I portray my story to adcoms? This is a great story - being an entrepreneur is always GOOD!! simply tell the story as it is... (Well, if it sounds good) (if you have taken your GMAT, please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of your application and any other info to Shimriw@ARINGO.com for a profile evaluation) How long should one take to apply for Round one? (on average per school) We (ARINGO) usually work with candidates ~3 months on 4-6 schools... if you are working with us, well, that kind of time, if you are working alone, well, less... I see UCLA has the following programs as per the list shared by you which dont need a GMAT score - ’Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, Global Executive MBA for the Americas’. Could you please share some more details? As I already said, I think you are right, and you can get in without a GMAT... if you want, send me your cv to shimriw@ARINGO.com and I will check with my contacts at UCLA... And there are many family businees programs now offered at some of the prestigious schools such as MFAB at ISB. won’t they ask why MBA and not Family Business program? (Only for candidates with similar background) a. In the US / Europe there aren’t any (in the top schools) family business programs... b. no, cause you can answer - I want a wider knowledge base, skill set, network... I am Military guy with 10 years of experience. I have a GMAT score of 710. To which schools should I apply? I am looking for schools in US/ Canada/ India and I would prefer 1 year program rather than a two year one? ALL to MBA programs LOVE military candidates. we actually have a veterans team at ARINGO who only works with military background candidates... and we have helped candidates from all armies (India, New Zealand, France, Israel, US) get into ALL schools... Please send me your CV, GMAT Score, school wish list, the timeline of your application and any other info to Shimriw@ARINGO.com for a profile evaluation I have currently 720 GMAT. I have tech startups experience in VC backed companies. I am planning to retake my GMAT in Mid July and apply in R1. I do plan to apply to GSB, HBS & Wharton. Would you recommend I do take the GMAT or focus on applications instead? if you can improve your GMAT, go for that! even if this means missing R1. it is ALWAYS better to apply in R2, with a better application (GMAT or application) than rush in R1. .. Do you think Trump’s new moves will affect our job prospects post MBA? In 3 years? who knows... Let’s hope not! Does R1 and R2 affect MIM Applications as well? Will the graduated students will face economic recession next year as well? Is it looked upon favorably or not in the application process to change careers coming from a completely unrelated field? Good question and the simple answer is , only if you have a good reason So, for example, I was a computer programmer. all I did was to program code. if I would have said: my career goal is strategy consulting, I would not get in... but if I would have said consulting to companies on their IT issues, OR I want an MBA to become a product manager ... this sounds better... Are essays in GRE/GMAT considered by adcom? as long as you get more than 4 on the essays, they will not look at this... what are the differences between MBA and EMBA? Do the learners get full funded scholarship for EMBA? Please read this article that explains EMBA vs. MBA https://www.aringo.com/mba-or-emba/ If I have good story to tell and have volunteer and other international experience but only got a GMAT of 640, is it possible to apply for a top MBA? yes, a good story is a great, but your 640 might be an issue for the top top top schools Please send me your CV and school wish list to shimriw@ARINGO.com and I will try to give you a strategy assessment... This year, from the top of my mind, we had a 650 who got into LBS, and a 640 into INSEAD, 639 into IESE. I actually had on Friday a candidate I worked with, with a 640, get accepted to UNC and Mendoza... SO it is doable!. I currently have a 680 gmat score. I have worked with a top IT MNC for 2 years and then joined my family business (manufacturing) later on. How do you suggest i should potray my story to adcom? My post MBA plans are to work for some of the top Energy companies such as Tesla. your profile sounds strong - please send me your CV, GMAT split and school wish list to Shimriw@ARINGO.com for a deeper profile analysis - but in a nutshell, the family business is your key strength, you should talk a lot about that! SURE, schools LOVE Startup experiences. and guess what. 90% fail. and you have the perfect excuse (COVID), so yes, you can use this (if you have a GMAT, send me more details to shimriw@ARINGO.com? if you don’t then work on the GMAT first...) I have a 740 GMAT with very good academic track record from a non-IIT Govt. University and 2 years of work experience (with some appreciations, leadership activities and a lost international work opportunity due to COVID-19) from a top IT company in India. I’m looking forward to doing an MBA in product management. What are my chances for the top 20 Bschools? you have good academics, good GMAT, and sounds like a good job, the question is, how much work experience will you have in R1? and will you have any promotions by then? maybe you should wait around / year to gain more experience? well this is for a top 10 school (need to know more about you to assess this... send me your details to shimriw@ARINGO.com?) but a top20 school, should be doable... I closed my first start-up, which was a brand (and did well), to start a another which runs today. Is this switch seen favourably by the adcom? Also, I’m planning to sit for GMAT this July, but I’m pretty weak in quant. :/ What is the minimum GMAT score for Stanford? moving jobs / opening a new company that is fine! there are no minimum scores (in theory) but Stanford’s GMAT Average is 737 Indian, 32 years of Age, Male, 7 years Experience. Have a masters degree, for which I received GATE (National Merit) Scholarship and it is quite competitive. Have 700 in GMAT. With a good story, is university in US approachable ? yes! send me your CV to shimriw@ARINGO.com and I can send you a list of schools... Thanks, everyone for your questions. I really enjoyed it! Don’t forget to check us out at www.ARINGO.com or to send me a personal message (with your CV, GMAT, timeline, the school wish list and questions…) my email is: shimriw@ARINGO.com GOOD LUCK to you all!

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