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08 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: HEC Paris: Why to Go and How to Get In |
 What do you know about Europe’s top business school? If the answer to that question is ‘Not much,” then you’ve come to the right place. Listen to the recording of our conversation with Philipe Oster, Director of Communication, Development and Admissions at HEC Paris MBA to learn about the program and to hear excellent admissions advice. 00:05:37 – An overview of the HEC Paris experience. 00:09:47 – The Jury is Out: The HEC application review process. 00:14:50 – What Philippe is looking for in an applicant. 00:18:49 – A very exciting core curriculum. 00:26:03 – HEC’s relationship with the luxury goods industry. 00:30:30 – Jobs are not easy to come by in the EU. Where are grads finding employment? 00:32:41 – Strengths of the HEC program. 00:33:53 – Advice for applicants considering HEC Paris. (But don’t listen to Philippe!) 00:38:35 – The 5 C’s that HEC Paris applicants – all applicants – need to keep in mind.  *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Related Links: • The HEC Paris MBA • HEC Paris MBA Admissions • HEC Paris MBA Fees & Funding • Meet the Admissions Development Team • Student Profiles • Alumni Profiles • HEC on Social: Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn; YouTube; Blog; Instagram • HEC Paris B-School Zone • 2013 Virtual Panel: Exploring European B-Schools with IMD, HEC Paris and ESADE • My First-Hand Experience with HEC Paris • HEC Paris MBA Application Essay Tips Related Shows: • Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute • An Inside Look at INSEAD • Leadership is King: Interview with IMD’s Lisa Piguet • From Luxury Marketing to Entrepreneurship: A Talk with Daria Burke Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, HEC, MBA Admissions, podcast 
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12 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2015 Kellogg Executive MBA Admissions Tips |
 The Kellogg Executive MBA questions are among the most comprehensive, thorough, and numerous of any EMBA application. It takes significant effort to put together a strong set of Kellogg EMBA essays, and that fact weeds out potential students who are not seriously interested in this competitive program. Moreover, the questions encompass almost every basic type: goals, behavioral (the experience and your reflection on it), evaluative (greatest skills and talents). It offers more than one optional essay. This set of essays requires the writer to wear different hats and excel at different types of self-analysis. Not least, the messages and contents of the essays should be coordinated to strategically and holistically create a picture of you that is vivid, distinguishing, and multifaceted without being contradictory or jumbled. Note that there are no word limits, therefore use your judgment; don’t write all 1,000 word essays. Depending on the question and what you have to say, 400-750 is a good range to target. ESSAYS: JOB DESCRIPTION: Describe the unit for which you are responsible and relate it to the total organization in terms of size, scope, and autonomy of responsibility. What human resources, budget, and capital investment are you responsible for? Please describe your position. A straightforward question – it contains several components, so be sure to answer all of them. Try to work in an anecdote or two somewhere, for example, if part of your role is to troubleshoot issues with global clients, give a brief example. 1. Why have you elected to apply to the Kellogg School Executive MBA Program? This essay should discuss your interest in the Kellogg program as a means to acquire the learning you seek in light of your goals. Clarify why you are pursuing the executive program specifically. You can also discuss other benefits that relate to personal preferences such as environment and the program’s schedule, structure, and location. Be specific and add thoughtful discussion, don’t just reiterate points from the website. If possible, cite conversations with students or alumni, including relevant insights you’ve gained from them. 2. What are your goals and objectives and how will a Kellogg Executive MBA help you achieve these? Please feel free to discuss both personal and professional goals. Discuss your goals in specific terms: industry, likely positions, which company or companies, possibly where, what you expect to do, possibly challenges you anticipate. Also discuss what you want to accomplish short- and long-term. To make the essay truly compelling, also show how your goals are rooted in your experience, what motivates your goals, and your vision for your goals. Finally, discuss the learning needs these goals engender and summarize how the Kellogg MBA meets them, saving the greater detail for essay 1. 3. Discuss a professional situation that did not end successfully. Why did you or your peers consider the situation to have negative results? How did you resolve the situation? Did it change your management style? If so, how? In selecting the story to discuss, use something relatively recent (even though unsuccessful, it can still show you at work in an engaging context and at a decision making level with high accountability), and something substantive. Be frank about your role as it may have contributed to the lack of success. For structure, keep it simple: first tell the story, and then address the remaining questions. The last part, about how it may have changed your management style, is a good opportunity to show you’ve not only learned from the experience but applied the learning, by briefly citing a specific example of your improved management style. 4. What do you consider to be your greatest skills and talents? How will you use these to contribute to an Executive MBA class as well as to a study group? First, what not to do: strain to find some unique skill or talent that no one else possesses in an effort to differentiate yourself. It doesn’t exist. Rather, look inward – whether it’s creativity, initiative, leadership, strategic thinking, interpersonal astuteness, analytic capability, mentoring/coaching – it’s the details and stories of how you manifest this quality that will make this essay exciting while strategically supporting and enhancing the other essays. Select 2-3 skills/talents that differ from each other (i.e., don’t do quant skills and analytic skills, or communication skills and interpersonal skills) and tell a quick story or anecdote illustrating each. Finally, for each, comment on how it will help you contribute by giving an example – these comments can be short, as they story itself will really convey how the skill or talent will let you contribute. 5. Describe how your relevant global experiences have influenced you professionally. (Optional) This is a great essay for most people to answer – if you’ve had any global experience, it can only have influenced you professionally. If you’ve had a lot of global experiences, don’t just do a survey of them and don’t feel you must write about all of them. Select the most meaningful experiences and tell the stories, and then explaining the influence on you. 6. Is there anything else that you would like to add to help us in evaluating your candidacy? (Optional) This question invites you to present new material that you think will enhance your application, as well as to explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment). As far as non-necessary points, keep in mind that if you are making the adcom read more, there should be a clear value to the information. Finally, considering the many essays, keep it short. 7. Describe any major reports, instructional materials, or manuals that you have prepared or any research, inventions, or other creative work. (Optional) Note, “major.” Do not wrack your brain for every report or training material you’ve contributed to. If you have numerous patents, ditto. Focus on the most important ones of whatever type of material you are describing. A nice format is an annotated bullet list. 8. Please list the business/professional/community organizations in which you are active. (Optional) Note “are active.” Not “were active.” Rolling admissions: Suggested deadlines are June 15th for programs beginning in September, andOctober 15th for programs beginning in January.   By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, Ace the EMBA. Cindy has helped MBA applicants get accepted to top EMBA programs around the world. She is delighted to help you too! Tags: 2015 EMBA Application, EMBA, MBA Admissions, Northwestern Kellogg 
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12 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The Popularization of the Joint MD/MBA Degree |
 Hospitals staffed by physician CEOs outperformed those that did not employ medical leadership. A recent The Atlantic article talks about the rise of the combined MD/MBA degree and increased demand for doctors with both degrees. Previously, MBAs held leadership positions in hospital administration, and MDs filled the middle management positions – now, with the dual degree, the lead position can be filled by someone with business and clinical acumen. According to the Atlantic article, those hospitals staffed by physician CEOs outperformed those that did not employ medical leadership. With the Affordable Care Act and the implementation of other healthcare initiatives, doctors are seeing a greater need to understand the business of healthcare. Healthcare consultants and managers of healthcare startups are also popular positions for MD/MBA degree holders. In the last decade, it’s become increasingly common that doctors pursue additional degrees (PhD, MPH, MA, etc.), in part because of the growing complaint that med school curriculums haven’t changed much since the early 20th century. More and more students feel they need to supplement their med school education with additional schooling. In fact, 20 years ago there were only six joint MD/MBA programs, compared to 65 programs today. At UC Irvine, 20% of med students are also pursuing an MBA. Another study indicates that an understanding of business may actually help physicians in the exam room as well – a strong sense of leadership and finely tuned critical thinking can help a doctor solve medical problems, particularly in primary care, a field that may be on the rise among MD/MBAs. According to the Atlantic piece, “The field allows doctors to be creative while serving a high-need medical population, and to tackle preventive care rather than band-aid solutions.” These five-year programs enable students to pursue both degrees, paying a lot less for their MBA than they would if it were not part of a combined program. These programs also sort out timing issues that a person earning two separate degrees would inevitably encounter if not in a dual program. The breakdown usually goes as follows – three years of med school followed by one year of business school followed by a fifth year that combines the two disciplines (clinical rotations with business training). The Atlantic article is fairly long and goes into much more depth. I recommend reading it if you are seriously considering an MD/MBA.   Related Resources: • Business and Science Meet: Insights of an IMD Grad and Former Medical Doctor • Healthcare Management at Wharton and at Large • Medical School Admissions 101 Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA healthcare, Medical School Admissions 
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13 Oct 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Why Your Resume Deserves Your Attention |
Many adcom readers will begin their review of an application by going over an applicant’s resume. That’s right – your resume isn’t just some quick document that’s there for show! It’s really your unique one-page introduction to the admissions board. This is not something you want to put on the back burner! In our newest special report, The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes, you’ll learn important tips and tricks for crafting an admissions resume that’s interesting, clear, and highly readable. A messy resume equals a messy applicant – not the first impression you want to make! Download your free copy of The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes now and get started with the resume that will determine your future: acceptance to your top choice program!  Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions, resume, special report 
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14 Oct 2014, 18:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2015 University of Michigan Ross Executive MBA Admissions Tips |
 Ross Executive MBA students have, on average, about ten years of “progressive work experience” that include about five years as a hands-on manager. Such students are people who know where they’re going and why. So this year the EMBA essays give you the benefit of the doubt in that regard – no goals essays. Rather, the essay questions enable the adcom to get to know you and to assess your fit with the program. In writing the essays, keep on your radar their stated desire for students “whose notion of leadership includes a willingness to be part of something larger than themselves, who are receptive to new ways of thinking, and who bring varied experiences to bear on how they tackle a challenge.” Essays: 1. What are you most proud of professionally and why? What did you learn from that experience? (400 words) This essay presents an opportunity to “zoom in” on you tackling challenging issues, having an impact, and succeeding in the workplace. Ideally select a story that is relatively recent, that directly or indirectly reflects at least one of the values quoted above, and that can be told fairly succinctly without a lot of backstory (given the word limit). Also select a story that has an external, concrete impact, to show that you are a doer, who makes things happen. With the short word count, keep the structure simple: tell the story and add a short, thoughtful statement at the end about what you learned. The essay can also work with a slightly older story, if you have something particularly strong, but in that case add a sentence summarizing how you have actually acted on, and employed what you learned. 2.What are you most proud of personally and why? How does it shape who you are today? (400 words) In selecting this essay topic, coordinate it with the first essay – ensure that it reflects a fresh point about you. Also select the topic with an eye to where application strategy and your heart converge. The “heart” element gives your essay immediacy and authenticity – things the adcoms are sensitive to. Again, I recommend a simple structure: tell the story, and then reflect on how the experience shaped you, with concrete evidence of the latter. Deadlines: Early deadline: February 1, 2015 Regular deadline: April 1, 2015 Final deadline: May 15, 2015 By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, Ace the EMBA. Cindy has helped MBA applicants get accepted to top EMBA programs around the world. She is delighted to help you too! Tags: 2015 EMBA Application, EMBA, MBA Admissions, Michigan Ross 
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15 Oct 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2 Reasons Why You Love Columbia that You SHOULDN’T Share in Your App (and 2 that You SHOULD) |
 Let’s face it, even if Columbia weren’t smack in the middle of NYC, it would still be an amazing business school, so you need to make sure that when you explain why CBS is the school of you, you don’t focus exclusively on the city, but include attractive aspects of the school itself. 2 Reasons You Should Keep to Yourself: 1. You love the underground world of tunnels and subways. 2. Sony Theater has the world’s longest free-standing escalator, and it’s only 11 minutes from CBS. 2 Reasons You Could Share: 1. You’re excited about the access and opportunities Columbia provides because it is at the center of an international business hub. And you can give specific examples of how you intend to take advantage of that accessibility. 2. You love the cultural richness that Columbia pulls from its central location in NYC – from Nobel Prize winning professors to unique consulting projects to clubs relating to the arts. Listen, the fact that Columbia is in NYC is a perk – a huge perk – but remember, you’re applying to the school, not to the city! Want more tips about how to apply successfully to Columbia Business School? Register for our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Columbia Business School, which will air live on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST. Spaces are limited – grab yours now!  Tags: Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions, Uncategorized, webinar 
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20 Oct 2014, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Does “At The Very Center of Business” Mean for CBS Applicants? |
 Episode 1 in our Big Brand Theory series for MBA applicants: Columbia Business School’s motto. Columbia Business School Essay 2 asks you to watch a short video entitled, “The Center” and then use it to answer the question, “How will you take advantage of being ‘at the very center of business’?” The video and the essay question are Columbia’s attempts to regain its brand and market share. Over the years, Columbia strayed from its core strength: its geographic location and the access that the school offers its students. As a reaction to New York’s financial industry shrinkage and then, a drop in applications, they began pitching teams, clusters, and close-knit communities. I’m sorry, but those words do not even begin to describe Columbia. CBS is just like New York: historical, large, gritty, and filled with surprises. It doesn’t coddle its students, and its students don’t expect to be coddled. They are smart, resourceful, and assertive. So what does it mean to be at the very center of business? Well, you have the usual suspects: access to corporate world headquarters, brown bags with executives, subway rides to everything. But I ask you, where else can you have an accidental meeting at a cultural event with the Morgan Stanley’s CEO, James Gorman, or award winning entertainer and entrepreneur Dr. Dre? Columbia wants its students to embrace New York and at the same time not allow the abundance of everything to intimidate them. Years ago, I watched a Columbia Business School PowerPoint presentation. The closing slide displayed a world map. The Columbia campus was superimposed on a big red apple that spread over half the Atlantic Ocean and an arrow pointing to the apple as the “Center of the World.” I keep that image in my mind as I offer my Accepted.com clients my best rendition of the song, New York, New York, “if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere” (High kicks and all. Fortunately they can’t see me when I do it) As a former admissions dean and director, I would expect to see an answer to that essay that would enable me to identify (and admit) people who thrive in the hustle bustle of New York. I would want my applicants to capture the energy of the city that never sleeps. At the same time, I would filter out students who would be intimidated by New York. I would want my students to love their NYC experience: rats, roaches and all. And now I need an Accepted.com consultant to help me edit this blog down to 250 words or less. (Look for next week’s episode of the Big Brand Theory: Kellogg – Are you Growth Minded?)   By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, who when she’s not listening to old Frank Sinatra songs about New York, consults with Accepted.com clients and reminisces about her Admission Director days. Related Resources: • Columbia Business School 2015 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • How to Get Accepted to Columbia Business School • Columbia Business School Hosts AIGAC! Tags: B-School Big Brand Theory Series, Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions 
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21 Oct 2014, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Columbia Applicants – Have You Registered? |
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Hey future Columbia students, have you signed up for our upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Columbia Business School? During the webinar, Linda Abraham, Accepted’s CEO & Founder, will explain the do’s and don’ts of applying to CBS. This is important stuff folks – you don’t want to miss it! It’s not too late (though it will be soon), so grab your seat by registering now! Tags: Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions, webinar 
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22 Oct 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: GMAT Grammar Time: The Complete Consort Dancing Together |
 The good news: This is a “dance” you can learn! The GMAT Verbal section overall tends to focus less on individual words and more on the meanings of whole sentences. When comparing the GRE vs the GMAT, vocabulary is essential on the GRE, but students need worry considerably less about vocabulary on the GMAT. If GRE Verbal tests words, GMAT Verbal tests sentences. The GMAT Sentence Correction expects you to recognize well-constructed sentences. What is a well-constructed sentence? The title, a line from the fourth of the Four Quartets by TS Eliot, gives Eliot’s rather fanciful description of a well-constructed sentence. Let’s be a little more practical. Of course, good grammar is essential. The GMAT will expect you to have subjects and verbs agree, to use correct tenses, and to recognize the difference of that vs. which. Every nugget of grammar has to be correct, but that’s just the start. By way of analogy, part of a city planner’s job is to make sure every traffic light in a city is working, but getting each individual light working is only part of the challenge. An effective city planner has to think about “higher level” issues — timing of the lights, patterns of congestions, etc. How does the whole picture of city traffic, the “complete consort,” fit together? Similarly, the GMAT expects you to analyze sentences not just at the level of grammar but at the higher levels of syntax and meaning. Parallelism is a perfect example. It’s hard to define parallelism precisely because it higher level — we can put individual words in parallel (noun, verbs, adjectives, etc.) or, as is much more typical for the GMAT, we can put entire phrases and clauses in parallel. If we have structure such as “not only [phrase #1] but also [phrase #2]“, it’s not enough that each individual phrase be free of grammar mistakes —- the two phrases must “match” (e.g. both participial phrases, or both infinitive phrases). Parallelism is about whether different parts are “dancing together.” A very different issue of words “dancing together” concerns idioms. How important are idioms for GMAT Sentence Correction? Very! Here, we mean idioms in the sense of which words “belong” with each other. For example, we would say “an ability to do X”, not “an ability for doing X” or “an ability in doing X.” Higher level issues extend to logical problems, such as misplaced modifiers or pronouns with unclear antecedent. Finally, the sentence overall must be work rhetorically — it must be unambiguous yet succinct, overall making a direct and powerful statement. That, indeed, is the “complete consort dancing together”! Part of achieving a good score on the GMAT entails mastering this hierarchy of sentence-construction skills. How you learn this stuff? It’s important to find a tried and true GMAT study schedule, and to avail yourself of the best GMAT material. It’s important to read high-brow material, such as the Economist magazine. With good materials and practice, this is a “dance” you can learn!   This post was written by Mike McGarry, resident GMAT expert at Magoosh, a leader in GMAT prep. For more advice on taking the GMAT, check out Magoosh’s GMAT blog. Related Resources: • That GMAT Score: Implications for Your MBA Application, free webinar • The GMAT Score Preview and Application Boxes • GMAT vs. GRE: Harvard Business School Weighs In Tags: GMAT, Magoosh, MBA Admissions 
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22 Oct 2014, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Introducing NEW Consulting CEO Rankings |
 Firmsconsulting just released new rankings that compare the performance of CEOs from six top consulting firms, McKinsey & Co., BCG, Bain & Co., Deloitte S&O, PwC Strategy& and Roland Berger. Each Sunday, the rankings will be republished based on new performance findings. Here are some points to keep in mind: 1. How a CEO fares does not correlate to the prestige of the firm. 2. Feedback is collected directly from firm partners. 3. The real-time ranking updates allow Firmsconsulting to track weekly changes. For consulting firms, a yearly ranking would simply be outdated by the time it was published, taking into account data from a bygone era. 4. Based on a CEO’s past performance, Firmsconsulting believes one can infer from these ranking the likely future performance of a CEO. You can view the real-time rankings and check out CEO profiles here. Related Resources: • How to Become a Management Consultant • Consulting at Top MBA Programs • MBA In Sight: Focus on Management Consulting Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, Management Consulting, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions, Rankings 
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23 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2014 Economist MBA Rankings |
2014 Economist Full-Time Global MBA Rankings 1. Chicago Booth (U.S.) 2. Dartmouth Tuck (U.S.) 3. UVA Darden (U.S.) 4. HEC Paris (France) 5. IESE Business School (Spain) 6. Harvard Business School (U.S.) 7. UC Berkeley Haas (U.S.) 8. NYU Stern (U.S.) 9. Stanford GSB (U.S.) 10. Columbia Business School (U.S.) 11. UPenn Wharton (U.S.) 12. MIT Sloan (U.S.) 13. UCLA Anderson (U.S.) 14. Northwestern Kellogg (U.S.) 15. London Business School (U.K.) 16. University of Queensland Business School (Australia) 17. Emory Goizueta (U.S.) 18. INSEAD (France) 19. Yale SOM (U.S.) 20. Michigan Ross (U.S.) Top 10 MBA Programs for “Potential to Network”  Top 10 MBA Programs for “Potential to Network” 1. HEC Paris (France) 2. Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (Belgium) 3. Thunderbird School for Global Management (U.S.) 4. NYU Stern (U.S.) 5. UC Berkeley Haas (U.S.) 6. Notre Dame Mendoza (U.S.) 7. Warwick Business School (U.K.) 8. USC Marshall (U.S.) 9. Melbourne Business School (Australia) 10. UVA Darden (U.S.) A Poets & Quants article on the rankings states that at least 17 business schools declined to participate in this year’s rankings, many claiming that The Economist’s methodology is faulty. Some of these schools include Babson Olin, Toronto Rotman, Sauder School (British Columbia), Minnesota Carlson, McGill Desautels, Purdue Krannert, and, University of Manchester (U.K.), Imperial College Business School (U.K.), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Regarding methodology, 80% of the data used for the rankings is derived from surveys provided by the schools themselves. The remaining 20% of information comes from current students and recent grads. John Byrne notes that since The Economist rankings launched in 2002, Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton have never topped the charts. This year, the schools rank at 6th, 9th, and 11th place, respectively. In 2005, Harvard and Wharton weren’t included in the rankings as they declined to contribute data. (That year, those two programs also declined to participate with the Businessweek rankings.) Matt Symonds, who wrote a critique of the rankings, “Leave no MBA ranking unquestioned,” provides these additional points: • Booth took the #1 spot for the third year in a row, and the fifth time in the last eight years. • There are only six European schools in the top 25; in 2008, there were 11. This year, Cambridge Judge and Oxford Saïd both dropped 15 places, to 52nd and 69th place respectively. • The breakdown of the criteria used to rank the schools goes as follows: personal development/education experience (35%), open new career opportunities (35%), increase salary (20%), and potential to network (10%). • This year, more than 20 schools rose or fell by double-digits (and thus the rankings have been criticized for their volatility). • Big droppers include University of Bath School of Management which fell 23 spots from its previous 20th place; York Schulich fell to 41st place from 22nd last year. • Big jumpers include Kellogg and Yale which both jumped 9 places up to 14th and 19th place respectively; Rochester Simon and Temple Fox both jumped 20 places to 58th and 57th place respectively.  Related Resources: • MBA Rankings: Why Should I Care? • MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know • Top 10 B-Schools with the Most Satisfied Graduates Tags: Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Dartmouth Tuck, Emory Goizuta, Harvard Business School, HEC, IESE, INSEAD, London Business School, MBA Admissions, Michigan Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern Kellogg, Notre Dame Mendoza, NYU Stern, Rankings, Stanford GSB, UC Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, USC Marshall, UVA Darden, Wharton, Yale SOM 
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23 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Bruce DelMonico on The Yale School of Management |
 If your goal a spot in the Yale School of Management class, then what could be better than an inside look into the program and the admissions office? Listen to the recording of our conversation with Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at Yale SOM, for an overview of the MBA program and insight into what the adcom is looking for. 00:01:04 – Linda answers one of the most common b-school admissions questions. 00:05:00 – Overview of the 2 year MBA at Yale SOM. 00:08:34 – Networks with Yale and the Global Network Model. 00:17:18 – What role does leadership play in determining a candidate’s admissibility. 00:22:20 – The Silver Scholars Program (sorry Linda, you don’t qualify). 00:31:16 – The video essay: Why Yale wants it, what they are looking for, how it works, & tips for staying calm. 00:44:50 – Why Yale accepts the GRE. 00:48:52 – How the SOM adcom stays “collectively on their game” even as the hour gets late. *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Related Links: • Yale School of Management • Silver Scholars Program • Yale SOM 2015 MBA Essay Tips • Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions Related Shows: • The Tuck School of Business and the Global Insight Requirement • Honing in On the Cornell Johnson MBA • The Georgetown McDonough MBA: Everything You Need to Know Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk: Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, podcast, Yale SOM 
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24 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Application Volume Increases at MBA Programs |
 65% of programs reported an increase in foreign applicants. Here are some highlights from GMAC’s recent Application Trends Survey: • For the third year in a row, application volume increased for full-time two-year MBA programs. This year, 61% of programs reported application growth, up from 50% in 2013. • Application volume also increased for professional MBA programs (part-time, online, EMBA, and flexible), as well as Master in Marketing and Communications, Master of Accounting, Master in Information technology, and Master in Management programs. • Other specialized business master programs saw decreases in application volume. Master of Finance programs saw a decrease in application volume for the third year in a row. • 65% of U.S. full-time two-year MBA programs reported an increase in applications from foreign applicants. Master in Finance programs received the largest number of foreign applications at 82%. This is compared to the 52% of foreign applicants who applied to full-time two-year MBA programs. For more details, see the GMAC press release.  Related Resources: • 2014 Economist MBA Rankings • Masters in Finance: What You Need to Know • MBA Admissions 101 Tags: GMAC, MBA Admissions 
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24 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Journey of Nigerian MBA ReApplicant and Future Entrepreneur |
 NaijaMBAgal This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with MBA applicant bloggers, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at the MBA application process. And now…introducing our anonymous blogger, NaijaMBAgal… Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? What did you study as an undergrad? What is your current job? NaijaMBAgal: I’m a twenty-something years old Nigerian female. I have six years experience in risk assurance and one year in non-profit. I have a B.Sc in computer science and I love to dance even though I can’t sing. Accepted: When did you first apply to b-school? NaijaMBAgal: I first applied to business school last year. It was a disaster and I got several dings. Accepted: What do you think went wrong that time and what are you doing this time to improve your candidacy? NaijaMBAgal: Everything was wrong. My GMAT score was really low and I did nothing to make up for it in the applications. Also, my applications did not show my reasons for picking each school and by the time I realized that and changed it, it was round three and most of the class was already filled. I really think the timing affected my outcome. Before applying this year, I took the GMAT again, my new score was within the 80% range of all the schools I was targeting. Also, I’m applying earlier this time. I’ve submitted my applications in round one (hopefully, I will not have to apply in round two but I will definitely not be applying in round three). Another thing I did differently this year was to ensure that I showed why I wanted to be part of each school in my application; talking to current students really helped me achieve this goal. Accepted: Where did you apply this time? Do you have a top choice? Are you applying to “safety schools”? NaijaMBAgal: I applied to Booth, Sloan, Stanford and Wharton. My top choice kept on changing as I researched each school, right now it’s a tie between Stanford and Wharton but that may have something to do with submitting their applications most recently. I did not apply to any safety school; last year, I got into my safety school but could not convince myself to attend, so this year, I applied to schools that I will love to attend when admitted. Accepted: Do you plan on staying in your current industry post-MBA, or changing to a new field/career? NaijaMBAgal: I know it’s a cliche but I’m tired of the consulting industry which is amusing because I find a lot of people get an MBA to get into consulting. I plan to become an entrepreneur either during or after my MBA. Accepted: What are your thoughts on the presentation essay on Booth’s application? NaijaMBAgal: I love Booth’s presentation essay. I think it was my favorite part of the applications. For me, anything is better than writing an essay but the fact that it was a presentation made it more interesting, I should probably mention that I make a lot of presentations so I am very comfortable with the medium. I think the presentation is the best reflection of Booth’s culture, giving applicants that flexibility with a main essay is phenomenal. Accepted: How do you think being from Africa affects your candidacy? NaijaMBAgal: It’s like a double edged sword. On one hand I think it amplifies my profile, gives me an edge and reduces the applicant pool that my application sits in. On the flip side, there is a smaller percentage of the class available for us regardless of how many good applicants there are within that pool. Since both sides nil-off, I don’t think it helps or hurts my application – except if there are a lot of less qualified applicants in the pool then it’s good for me. Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? What have you gained from the experience? What do you hope others will learn? NaijaMBAgal: When I started my blog, it was not supposed to be an application blog but a b-school experience blog but it had to transform with my plans. One of the best things that has happened since I started blogging is that I have become a part of this amazing group of people composed of fellow applicants (including bloggers) and current students. I have had people give me advice, books and templates which I try to share on my blog so that people that read my blog can use that information in their own application. I hope others can leverage on my experience to make their own admission process smoother. For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. You can read more about NaijaMBAgal’s b-school journey by checking out his blog, Naija MBA Gal. Thank you for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck!  Related Resources: • Get Accepted to Top B-Schools with Low Stats • Rejected MBA’s: Now What? • MBA Applicant Blogger Interviews Tags: MBA Admissions, MBA applicant bloggers 
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26 Oct 2014, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2016 Columbia Business School Class Profile |
 Let’s take a look at who makes up Columbia’s class of 2016 (from the CBS website)… • Applications received: 5799 • Students accepted: 1056 • Students enrolled: 743 (Aug. entry class size – 544; Jan. entry class size – 199) • Women: 36% • U.S. minorities: 32% • International students: 41% • Average GMAT score: 716 • Middle 80% GMAT score: 680-780 • Average undergraduate GPA: 3.5 • Middle 80% undergraduate GPA: 3.1-3.8 • Average work experience: 5 years • Middle 80% work experience: 3-7 years • Average age: 28 • Middle 80% age range: 25-30 Breakdown of Undergraduate Majors:  Previous Industries:  Do you want to be counted among Columbia’s next crop of students? Learn how to get in when you attend Accepted’s upcoming webinar, Get Accepted to Columbia Business School, on Wednesday, October 29th at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM EST. Related Resources: • Columbia Business School 2015 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • What Does “At The Very Center of Business” Mean for CBS Applicants? • Columbia Business School Zone Tags: Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions 
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27 Oct 2014, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Are You Growth Minded? Mastering Kellogg’s Changing Brand |
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Episode 2 in our Big Brand Theory Series for MBA applicants: Northwestern Kellogg. [youtube2]p> His Khan Academy disrupted the education paradigm and made me a super fan years ago when my then, 10-year-old son ran into my arms, but not for a hug…no, he wanted my computer so he could earn badges. At first I thought he was planning to play a game. I limited his computer use to 15 minutes and then watched him open up the Khan Academy site and whiz through math problems that were two grades ahead of his own (earning his badges along the way). I didn’t take the computer away until dinnertime. His love for the Khan Academy reminded me of Dr. Carol Dweck’s research on motivation, success and the growth mindset. I had read her work a few years before my son fell in love with the Khan Academy. In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, which I highly recommend if you are applying to Kellogg, she compares and contrasts growth-oriented minds and fixed minds The growth mindset is something to behold, and I watched it unfold over the years as my son solved my husband’s 5X5X5 Rubik’s cube, conquered my father in chess, and created “inventions” that he thought would make my life easier. I love the way his mind works. Thank you, Sal Khan and Thank you, Carol Dweck. However, as a former admission dean and director, I often wondered when I would see Dr. Dweck’s concepts flourish in business schools. While I think several schools filter applicants for growth mindsets and challenge their students to stretch themselves, Kellogg’s new brand strategy was the first time I’ve seen Dr. Dweck’s approach become the very essence of the school. Just as the growth mindset is dynamic and constantly seeks challenges and change, Kellogg has also reinvented itself many times over. I don’t think people will ever get over the fact that Kellogg is a marketing giant. However, since Dean Blount’s arrival, they’ve moved from “Team-Oriented” to “Think Bravely” to “Inspiring Growth” in the span of just a few years. These moves are reflected in their essay prompts, in their video essays, and in their interviews. You as an applicant need to respond to this change and address the filters Kellogg has added to its admissions process. When working with clients applying to Kellogg, I always discuss my clients’ greatest challenges; then I push and push and push, until we discover something that they were initially afraid to reveal. If you are doing this yourself, realize that this inquiry means going deep within your psyche to figure out if you truly have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset (and I always recommend reading Dr. Dweck’s research. See link to her book above). If at the end of our meetings my clients realize that they are not happy stretching, taking risks, and testing themselves, I ask them to rethink their school choice. Yes, Kellogg students are team-oriented; yes, Kellogg students are bright; yes, Kellogg students are personable, but Dean Blount got it right: Kellogg students are intellectually curious. They are resourceful. They challenge themselves to go beyond what they think are their limits. They have a growth mindset, and Kellogg inspires that growth. For you the Kellogg motto means showing that you have the mindset to benefit from and contribute to Kellogg’s community dedicated to growth. As you apply to Kellogg demonstrate that you share Kellogg’s commitment to growth as an individual and as a future leader of your community and the business world. (Look for Next Week’s Episode in the Big Brand Theory: Does Stanford Really Change the World?) 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. Related Resources: • Kellogg 2015 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • Leadership in Admissions • What Does “At The Very Center of Business” Mean for CBS Applicants? Tags: B-School Big Brand Theory Series, MBA Admissions, Northwestern Kellogg 
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28 Oct 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Last Call for Columbia Business School Admissions Webinar! |
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Tomorrow is the day you’ve been waiting for! The day when application-changing tips on how to apply successfully to Columbia Business School will be generously doled out by our very own CEO and founder, Linda Abraham! Do you have questions on optimizing your CBS application for admission? Do you need concrete tips on how to answer the essay questions? Do you need help evaluating your profile to determine if CBS is the school for you? Time’s running out. Reserve your spot for Get Accepted to Columbia Business School before it’s too late. The webinar will air live TOMORROW, on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST. Tags: Columbia Business School, MBA Admissions, webinar 
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29 Oct 2014, 12:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What Are My Chances? Indian Architect with Designs on a Real Estate Career |
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This blog post is part of a series of MBA profile evaluations called “What are My Chances?” 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 recommendation as well as an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. 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 #7: Lakshya, the Indian architect with designs on a real estate (or energy) career  Think of your app as you would a building you’re designing. Build it for its intended use, and users. Note: This profile request arrived with very little information. In my evaluation, I’m going to mention “ideal” details that would make him stand out. -BACKGROUND: 24-year-old Indian male who graduated in 2013 from Dehradun Institute of Technology in India. Six months full-time training at renowned architecture firm. Two years of work experience as a chief designer and team leader for various projects. Lakshya, you’re on the younger side of the MBA applicant pool. I’m not sure how you could have 24 months of full-time work experience having graduated in 2013. Perhaps you wrapped your class schedule around your job or you’re counting months to matriculation? You need to clarify this. My advice? Wait. Unless you have some significant leadership or design accomplishments–you need another year or two of work experience to accrue noteworthy leadership stories for your application. This would also give you time to research and network your target schools. What leadership stories might stand out? First, be careful about how you word your experience. You must come across as talented, yet humble. A “renowned” architecture firm won’t mean much to an ad comm member. They are going to be impressed by YOUR extraordinary accomplishments in an ordinary job. So give some context. Seeking an MBA with an architecture background is distinctive. You’re going to be one of the few, if admitted, in a global MBA program. You must be exceptional. Are you a wunderkind in India’s “green design” field? Did you introduce a socially conscious kind of design to a building project at your company that saves resources or energy in a country where conservation is a necessity? What was your impact on the job? Or have you come up with an ingenious method using cheap materials at hand to help the disadvantaged build cheap, sturdy shelters as a humanitarian project? Have you shared your experience at architecture conferences around the country? If not, start now. -GOALS: Work in the real estate and energy sector. You obviously know the guts of building. I assume now you want to understand the business side of decision-making–that impacts your design. You must communicate three things with your goals. 1. Make them ambitious: Show the admissions committee that it’s not just about making money, but responsibly developing an overcrowded nation. Inspire them with your ideas for India’s future development. 2. Focus: Real estate and energy are two vast markets. Choose one. Then choose a specific part you want to be involved with. Make it relate to your past. 3. Experience: You must show the admissions committee that you do have some experience working on business deals. This piqued your interest and now you need an MBA to fill in the gaps in your knowledge to achieve your goals. -GMAT: 720 No breakdown was given, but this is a decent score. You don’t necessarily need to retake the test, especially if you can match yourself well to a program. -GPA: 3.5 Your GPA comes a bit out of left field because you graduated from an Indian university. Do not feel that you need to translate your percentage score to the 4.0 scale. US and UK MBA programs understand the Indian system well enough to understand your GPA. Overall it’s a solid GPA. -EXTRACURRICULAR: Arranging cancer check up camps in my city and giving presentations on cancer awareness. This is great. I want to know more. Did you come up with this idea? Why? How did you identify the need? How involved were you? For how long? What kind of difference has it made in your community? Perhaps, you came up with this idea after you or someone close to you was stricken by cancer. You decided to create an awareness campaign that you funded through donations and fundraisers. You are involved in the administration of this program on a weekly basis. You used technology as much as possible to advertise and streamline administration of the program. For example, you convinced a mobile phone service provider to run free text msg. based ads to remind people to get their cancer screenings. Thanks to this program, “x” number of people have been evaluated, and “x” number of cases were caught in preliminary stages. You’ve shared your plan with, perhaps, a regional hospital system, and they intend to copy the program in several villages. If you haven’t, begin to think on this scale! -SCHOOLS: Stretch matches: Berkeley, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Wharton, UCLA On-par matches: University of Texas – Austin, UNC, USC, Ross, Amity University — RICS School of Built Environment Safety matches: Warwick, Rice – Jones, Aberdeen Business School, University of Calgary (Haskayne School of Business) Overall, I write this with the caveat that ALL THESE SCHOOLS ARE STRETCH MATCHES unless you start networking now to get to know alumni, students and the admissions committee. You also need to tailor your application specifically to your target schools. Think of your application as you would any building you are designing. Build it for its intended use, and users.   Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Related Resources: • What are My Chances?: Rahul, the Indian Male IT Guy • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One • Leadership in Admissions Tags: Indian MBA Applicants, MBA Admissions, What Are My Chances 
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29 Oct 2014, 15:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MBA Interview Must-Know #1: Your Interview Goal |
 Show how your background & needs fit with the school’s strengths & opportunities. “MBA Interview Must-Know #1: Your Interview Goal” is excerpted from the Accepted.com special report, How to Ace Your MBA Interviews. To download the entire free special report, click here. Your Interview Goal. It’s three-fold: Show fit. In the words of the Wharton Adcom Blog, “The interviewer is assessing your fit for the Wharton MBA program.” Think of your professional and educational background and needs and the school’s methodology, strengths, and career opportunities. Realize, however, that the interview is not just about you as a professional: it is also about you as an individual and human being. Inform the school about recent accomplishments and achievements. Did you retake the GMAT? Earn an A in calculus? Get a promotion? Take on a leadership role in a new project? Try to inform your interviewer of any new attainments. Doing so will strengthen your profile overall and portray you as a growing, dynamic individual. Demonstrate your communications and interpersonal skills. The latter is important for all, but critical if English is your second language and/or your transcript and test scores lead one to question your communications skills. MBA Interview Tip #1: Enter the interview with SID: • Show you are a match with the program. • Inform the interviewer of recent accomplishments. • Demonstrate your interpersonal skills.  Related Resources: • Leadership in Admissions • Preparing for Behavioral and General Interview Questions, a short video • MBA Admissions According to an Expert Tags: Ace Your MBA Interviews Series, MBA Admissions, MBA Interview, special report 
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30 Oct 2014, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The GMAT, the GRE, and the Guy Who Knows them Well |
 If you have the GMAT or GRE in your future, then you’ve most certainly heard of Kaplan Test Prep. Trying to figure out which test to take? Getting ready for test day? This podcast episode is for you! Listen to the full recording of our podcast interview with Arthur Ahn, Senior Manager, Product Development at Kaplan Test Prep for the GRE and the GMAT for some great insight into test prep, test taking and what matters to admissions committees. 00:01:00 – Linda answers the oft-asked question: “I got accepted to School X. Should I attend?” 00:05:03 – The test prep biz: Instructing students, but not as the enemy. 00:06:23 – What Kaplan offers future GMAT and GRE test-takers. 00:08:28 – GMAT vs GRE: Differences in prepping & test taking. 00:16:04 – Why a low GRE score is the biggest application killer (by far). 00:22:31 – Is it the total GRE Score, or section scores, that make it or break it. 00:28:32 – Arthur’s top 3 GRE prep tips. 00:30:34 – How to make the big GMAT vs GRE decision. 00:34:20 – Too early to assess: Do applicants with lower scores have a better chance of admissions with one test over the other? 00:39:12 – Why most b-schools don’t really care yet about GMAT IR section scores. 00:47:25 – Last minute advice for exam takers. *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com. Related Links: • Kaplan Survey: Two Years After its Launch, a Majority of Business Schools Still Not Sold on the Importance of the GMAT’s® Integrated Reasoning Section; Most Deem it Unimportant, but Students Ignore it at their Own Risk • What’s the Biggest Graduate School Admissions Application Killer? A Low GRE® Score, According to Kaplan’s 2014 Survey of Admissions Officers • GRE® Test Takers Are Successful in MBA Programs • www.kaptest.com • Kaplan GRE Prep on Twitter • Kaplan GMAT Prep on Twitter Related Shows: • Bruce DelMonico on The Yale School of Management • Chris Ryan of Manhattan GMAT on What MBA Applicants Need to Know • Kisses of Death for your Grad School Application Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:  Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, GMAT, Grad School Admissions, GRE, MBA Admissions, podcast 
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