Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
May 1209:00 AM PDT
-10:00 AM PDT
Join us live on GMAT Club's YouTube Channel tomorrow and learn 10 Critical To Dos
May 1212:00 PM EDT
-12:30 PM EDT
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great and how you can present a strong MBA application. Explore the difference between our One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs, talk to our admissions team, and meet students.
May 1308:00 AM EDT
-09:00 AM EDT
Meet Tuck at an informal student or staff-hosted coffee chat in a city near you!
May 1310:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
Applying to business school this year? Don’t miss Personal MBA Coach’s Top MBA Application Tips guide- May 14
10:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
MBA recommendation letters are one of the most misunderstood parts of the application process. Many applicants focus on choosing the most senior recommender — when what actually matters is specificity, credibility, and examples of impact. 
May 1505:00 PM PDT
-06:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
17 Jul 2008, 00:45
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi all,
Like many of you I'm in the process of writing my essays for application this Fall. The thought crossed my mind that it would be very valuable to learn about each b-schools' "personality" or values, to help emphasize certain accomplishments and/or write essays with an underlying theme & tone that would really resonate with the respective adcom. For example, an excerpt from Your MBA Game Plan on strategy for applying to Berkeley:
Would any current students or well-researched applicants like to provide similar strategy tips on what areas to emphasize for their respective school? For those already admitted, what aspect of your application do you really feel distinguished yourself amongst the pool?
Like many of you I'm in the process of writing my essays for application this Fall. The thought crossed my mind that it would be very valuable to learn about each b-schools' "personality" or values, to help emphasize certain accomplishments and/or write essays with an underlying theme & tone that would really resonate with the respective adcom. For example, an excerpt from Your MBA Game Plan on strategy for applying to Berkeley:
Quote:
Would any current students or well-researched applicants like to provide similar strategy tips on what areas to emphasize for their respective school? For those already admitted, what aspect of your application do you really feel distinguished yourself amongst the pool?
17 Jul 2008, 06:29
Kudos
Bookmarks
To me, this is a question of form versus function, and function should come out on top here. Sure, it helps if your personality naturally fits with the school, but the majority of your effort should be spent making sure that you highlight your qualifications. No school is going to want to turn someone with superior qualifications away just because their essays don't show the right personality (well, maybe if you sound like a serial killer...). You can get a sense of what they are looking for by looking at the essays.
Personality types by school (in my opinion):
HBS: Your personality should be that you are better than everyone else (and in fewer words!). Wait, is that a personality trait? Seriously, I find HBS completely cold and unfriendly.
Stanford: Quirky and confident; self-aware. Positive attitude. Willing to explore new things and break free of the status quo.
Wharton: I think most people would describe Wharton grads as cold and efficient, but I actually think the school is looking for a little heart in its applicants. The essays seemed very accomodative to me.
Chicago: From what I have seen, the stereotypes are true -- anti-social and geeky quant types. They do not seem willing to work with people who deviate far from the path. Rhyme, you want to chime in?
Columbia: Your personality is that you love Columbia, only Columbia, and are not planning to use the school as a backup (dang it, how did they know?)
Kellogg: Did not apply. Seems like they want people who are collaborative and a little campy. Don't be a jerk.
MIT: Did not apply.
I didn't look at anything outside the M7, but you can probably get anything you need off of the school's website. Most of the stereotypes you will hear are based on something, so that might be a good place to start -- figure out what the buzz is and then adjust it a little to fit your own situation and profile.
Personality types by school (in my opinion):
HBS: Your personality should be that you are better than everyone else (and in fewer words!). Wait, is that a personality trait? Seriously, I find HBS completely cold and unfriendly.
Stanford: Quirky and confident; self-aware. Positive attitude. Willing to explore new things and break free of the status quo.
Wharton: I think most people would describe Wharton grads as cold and efficient, but I actually think the school is looking for a little heart in its applicants. The essays seemed very accomodative to me.
Chicago: From what I have seen, the stereotypes are true -- anti-social and geeky quant types. They do not seem willing to work with people who deviate far from the path. Rhyme, you want to chime in?
Columbia: Your personality is that you love Columbia, only Columbia, and are not planning to use the school as a backup (dang it, how did they know?)
Kellogg: Did not apply. Seems like they want people who are collaborative and a little campy. Don't be a jerk.
MIT: Did not apply.
I didn't look at anything outside the M7, but you can probably get anything you need off of the school's website. Most of the stereotypes you will hear are based on something, so that might be a good place to start -- figure out what the buzz is and then adjust it a little to fit your own situation and profile.
17 Jul 2008, 09:55
Kudos
Bookmarks
It would be nice to get summaries of B-school "personalities." E.g. Kellogg = teamwork, collaboration, leading student clubs, student input into curriculum. Things of that nature that aren't very obvious by just visiting the website.
I've decided to pass on USC. It's just not the right fit for me. I was also sooo close to acceptances at great schools (waitlisted at UCLA, NYU, CBS). I REALLY REALLY do not want to go through the reapp process, but I think it will be worth the pain. As far as my job situation, I honestly think I could be toast VERY soon. It's not the ideal situation and it certainly adds some pressure to the reapp. I'm doing the best I can to secure something (read: anything) so that I have continuity on my resume). There is a lot of organizational disorder, so it's hard to tell if I'm setting a foot on solid ground or quicksand. I'll definitely provide some more background on my work situation, but just can't reveal a heck of a lot at this moment. That being said, I don't want to settle for USC just because of the job situation. Rhyme really struck a chord when he asked if I would be left wondering, "what if?" That's something that I think I would ask myself daily at USC and something that I would have trouble living with. I currently have five schools lined up for Rd 1, including ED with Columbia. As long as I'm still at my current employer when I click "submit application," I'll be happy with that. I plan to stick around the g-club as much as possible to try and catch some of the good vibes from our great Ambassadors and last year's pool of successful applicants. I'll keep you posted.
