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Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog

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Georgetown MBA Program 2015-2016 Deadlines [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   12 Jun 2015, 06:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Georgetown MBA Program 2015-2016 Deadlines

The Georgetown MBA program at McDonough School of Business has announced the following application deadlines for the 2015-2016 admissions cycle.

Round 1

Application deadline: October 1, 2015

Decision notification: December 15, 2015

Round 2

Application deadline: January 5, 2016

Decision notification: March 20, 2016

Round 3

Application deadline: April 1, 2016

Decision notification: May 15, 2016

Round 4 (Evening MBA Program Only)

Application deadline: May 10, 2016

Decision notification: May 25, 2016

The online application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the deadline date. Applications that are received after the deadline will be considered for the next admissions round. If you have additional questions, contact the Georgetown MBA Admissions Office.
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Advice for Your Time at B-School [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   15 Jun 2015, 07:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Advice for Your Time at B-School
If you’ll be earning your MBA as part of the Class of 2017, chances are that right now you’re either finishing up your last weeks at work or enjoying some much-needed downtime before heading to campus.

During the months you toiled over your applications and then waited to hear back from admissions committees, you probably spent a lot of time anticipating how you’d fill your days at business school. And once your acceptance letter was in hand, we’re sure you gave some thought to what you want to get out of your experience. But just because you’ve gotten in doesn’t mean we don’t still have a few last tips for you!

Here they are:

    • Leverage your student status as much as possible. We’re not just talking about things like student discounts. We’re talking about the fact that everyone loves students, and everyone loves giving advice to students. So if there’s an alum, a local businessperson, a politician or community leader you admire, use the fact that you’re a student to try and set up an “informational interview” or an informal meeting over coffee. You’ll be surprised at the kind of access you may be granted that you otherwise wouldn’t.
    • Listen to as many visiting speakers as you can. There will probably be at least a few big-name CEOs and public figures who give talks on campus, and everyone’s going to turn up for those. But we encourage you to also consider going to hear what lesser-known business and political leaders, entrepreneurs and nonprofit executives have to say—especially some of the younger ones. In a decade you just might be able to brag about how you rubbed elbows with someone who’s now internationally respected.
    • Choose your extracurriculars wisely. Repeat after us: it’s impossible to do everything. Don’t be the person who signs up for 20 clubs in the first week and then regrets not being able to be meaningfully involved in any of them. You will be totally overwhelmed by how many cool things you’ll have the opportunity to get involved with outside of class. So before you step foot on campus, think long and hard about what you really want to learn and what’s important to you so that you can focus your efforts accordingly.
    • Don’t forget that the “real world” still exists. Don’t get us wrong—being in the b-school bubble is a thing of beauty. Except for when you’re especially tired and stressed (think interview season, exam time, etc.). That’s when you need to reach out to your family and friends back home, talk a walk or drive into the nearest city, or do whatever else you can to put things back into perspective. The campus will still be there when you’re ready to resume Student Mode, and you’ll feel re-energized.
Remember:



 

 

 

 

 

***

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UV Darden School of Business Fall 2016 MBA Essay [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   16 Jun 2015, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: UV Darden School of Business Fall 2016 MBA Essay

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business has posted a brand-new essay question for the 2015-16 MBA application season.

Describe the most important professional feedback you have received and how you responded to it.  (500 words maximum)

Deadlines for the upcoming admissions cycle have yet to be announced, but Darden encourages applicants to get a head-start on writing the essay. The application will go live later this summer.

You may also be interested in:
UV Darden School Announces Enhancements to MBA Curriculum

UV Darden School Names Scott Beardsley as Dean

 image credit: Flickr user tldagny, CC 2.0
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UV Darden School Announces Enhancements to MBA Curriculum [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   16 Jun 2015, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: UV Darden School Announces Enhancements to MBA Curriculum

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business has just announced several changes to its MBA program that will take effect beginning this fall, including a new, required experiential course as well as more opportunities for students to customize their learning experience.

Marc Lipson, associate dean for the MBA program, says “Each year, we enhance the program in small ways based on student feedback and innovations in business and higher education, but this past year has been a period of more substantial review and innovation.”

Incoming first-years will now take the required course,”Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship in Action” or IDEA, designed to bolster students’ ability to work on real-world, global projects of consequence, which have a high degree of ambiguity and uncertainty. Students will be organized in teams and tackle live field projects over seven weeks. The challenges will be sponsored by corporations, government agencies or nonprofit organizations.

“Our goal here is to make Darden students the best prepared in the world to make effective decisions when facing real-world ambiguity. Our world needs innovative solutions to open-ended problems, and we want to equip our students with the tools they need to innovate the future,” says Mike Lenox, associate dean for innovation programs and academic director of Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The second enhancement will further customize the Darden First Year experience. In August, Darden will launch the Darden Academy, a learning enrichment program that will offer a changing, weekly suite of opportunities that — though not required — will explore topics of interest to students, faculty and the broader Darden community.

It will include meaningful analyses of global current events, reflections on our purpose as leaders, opportunities to build skills that enhance the ability of all students to engage meaningfully in class conversations, and events that explore the links between classroom learning and business practice.

Darden students hail from all over the world; the Class of 2016 alone represents 36 countries. “Each student brings a unique background and experience,” says Peter Rodriguez, senior associate dean for degree programs. “Our goal is to meet each individual student where they are — to help them obtain in their First Year at Darden the skills and knowledge they want to deepen, in distinct areas.”

“At the end of the day, we are here to present opportunities that help our students realize their full potential as responsible, entrepreneurial and global leaders and learners,” says Rodriguez.  “These two enhancements to the MBA experience were developed in collaboration with Darden students. We know that if we listen carefully to our students and co-create with them, we will deliver on our goal to continue delivering the most compelling graduate management education experience available today.”
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Tuesday Tips: UVA Darden MBA Essay Tips [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   16 Jun 2015, 19:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: UVA Darden MBA Essay Tips
While writing only 500 words for your Darden MBA application essay may seem simple, it requires discipline to highlight all of the important parts of your profile for the admissions committee in one short essay. Writing a successful essay with such limited space requires you to focus only on your most compelling attributes.

Leadership is crucial to future Darden MBAs. Personal qualities are also important to Darden, a school with a small, tight-knit community. Darden, similar to HBS, is devoted to the case method of teaching business subjects. Learn more about the school by visiting the Darden website, attending events and speaking with current students and alumni.

MBA Application Essay Question:

Describe the most important professional feedback you have received and how you responded to it. (500 words maximum)

In this question Darden is seeking to understand how you take feedback and how you process and learn from feedback. Feedback is often the first stage to grow and develop as a professional and as a leader. Learning to take all feedback – both positive and critical – and examining and incorporating the lessons from that feedback into your development is a sign of maturity.

As you describe the professional feedback you will want to set the stage for the feedback by describing your relationship with the person who gave you the feedback and any background facts. Take the time to describe how you felt while receiving the feedback, and don’t be afraid to talk about having uncomfortable feelings about it. It’s a normal reaction to feel threatened by criticism, which is often what professional feedback is perceived as. If the feedback was positive make sure you can use the story to demonstrate development and growth.

If you can’t think of the most important moment of feedback you have received, think about working backwards from a professional accomplishment you are proud of. As you think about the areas where you have excelled you may find that the trigger was a piece of important advice or feedback from a manager, peer or customer.

Make sure your feedback story enhances the overall package of your application. You have your career history submitted in your resume. Your GPA, transcript and GMAT will demonstrate academic ability. This essay is one of your few opportunities to show how you think, what your leadership approach is, and how you improve as a result of input from other people. Think about the situations that showcased your best performance at work, or that taught you something about your interests or future career goals.

Because you have only one essay question to present yourself, make sure you have a trusted reader to tell you if you are effectively communicating why you are going to be a strong leader who deserves a spot in the UVA Darden MBA class.

Looking for perspective in your approach to your Darden MBA application? Contact us to discuss how Stacy Blackman Consulting can help.
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Tuesday Tips: NYU Stern MBA Essay Tips [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   16 Jun 2015, 20:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: NYU Stern MBA Essay Tips
As the NYU Stern MBA website states, “Stern develops leaders who make an impact on business and beyond.” Evolving from a pure finance school into one that focuses on areas like entertainment and technology, Stern takes advantage of the vibrant and changing business opportunities in New York City.

The individual components of your application will be academic ability, professional achievements and career aspirations, and personal characteristics. Stern provides podcasts to describe each component on the admissions website, and it’s worth starting your research there. While your academics will be evaluated mainly through your GMAT and GPA, the essays are a crucial part of your application strategy.

After making the personal expression part of the application optional last year, NYU Stern has added it back as a required essay this year. The personal expression essay offers you the opportunity to present yourself creatively, but requires you to apply structure to a completely open-ended question. It’s a great test for a life solving business problems after your MBA.

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations

(750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

• Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life?

• What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience?

• What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation?

Why MBA, why now, is an important question to answer. While many people seek an MBA degree, NYU wants to invest in those who can use it most effectively. Perhaps you’re seeking an MBA for networking or professional credibility, or maybe you want an MBA to learn specific skills to change careers. Whatever your own personal reasons may be, make sure you can point to specific aspects of the MBA education both generally and specifically at Stern that are necessary to achieve your goals.

Note that this question specifically asks about your interest in pursuing an MBA at this point in your life. Why is now the right time for you, both personally and professionally? What will an MBA add to your already successful career trajectory to get you to the next level? If you are an older applicant you will need to spend time carefully communicating that you realize what an MBA can and can’t do for you at your professional level, and that you have a plan to leverage the MBA professionally in your next job.

This essay also offers an opportunity to demonstrate your fit with NYU Stern and describe why NYU Stern is the right place for you to spend the next two years of your life. Certainly personal experience of the campus through visits or student touch points would be ideal, but even if you are halfway around the world you can illustrate the many ways in which you learned about the NYU Stern experience.

Your post MBA goal should be both achievable and demonstrate the need for an MBA. An MBA from NYU Stern will open professional doors for you, and you should demonstrate that you are ready to take advantage of those opportunities. Think about a logical sequence that starts with your past work experience, then your MBA education and ends with your immediate post MBA goal. Ideally your goal pulls from both your current work experience and the skills you will gain in the NYU MBA program.

Essay 2: Personal Expression

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

If you submit a non-written piece for this essay (i.e., artwork or multimedia) or if you submit this essay via mail, please upload a brief description of your submission with your online application.

Open-ended essays like this one can be intimidating. You are allowed any method to introduce yourself to your classmates, and you’re probably wondering what the best medium for your message is.

However, your content is king in this essay. The best first step is to brainstorm the information you want to convey. Reflect upon your unique personal qualities and what is valued most by your friends and family. How would you want your classmates to see you? What are some of the personal stories you would share with a new friend?

Once you have established the content you want to use for the NYU Stern essay 3, it’s time to consider the medium. If you are a visual person you may chose a drawing, painting or photo series. If you are a creative writer perhaps it’s a poem or short story. If none of the “creative” approaches feel right to you, feel free to write a standard essay where you explain who you are and introduce yourself to your classmates. The medium is not the most important aspect of this essay. What is most important is the message and content of your composition to demonstrate your motivations and who you are to the admissions committee.

Stacy Blackman Consulting has helped countless aspiring NYU Stern MBA students to showcase personal and professional stories that cut through the clutter. Contact us to learn more.
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Emory MBA 2015-2016 Deadlines, Essay Questions [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   17 Jun 2015, 11:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Emory MBA 2015-2016 Deadlines, Essay Questions

Emory University’s Goitzueta Business School has announced the following MBA application deadlines and essay questions for the 2015-2016 admissions season.

Deadlines
Round 1

Application due: October 1, 2015

Decision released: December 3, 2015

Round 2

Application due: November 13, 2015

Decision released: January 28, 2016

Round 3

Application due: January 8, 2016

Decision released: March 3, 2016 (domestic) March 11, 2016 (international)

Round 4

Application due: March 11, 2016

Decision released: April 29, 2016

Essay Questions
1. Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)

2. The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)

3. Complete one of the following statements. (250 word limit)

    • I am passionate about…
    • The best piece of advice I’ve received is…
    • The best day of my life was…
    • A personal goal I want to accomplish is…
4. Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit)

Optional Essay: If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues or areas of weakness in application). Please limit your response to 250 words.

For more information, please visit the Emory MBA admissions website.
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Duke Fuqua 2015-2016 Application Deadlines [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   18 Jun 2015, 12:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Duke Fuqua 2015-2016 Application Deadlines

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University has posted the following MBA application deadlines for the upcoming admissions season.

Early Action

Application deadline: September 15, 2015

Decision notification: October 26, 2015

Round 1

Application deadline: October 14, 2015

Decision notification: December 17, 2015

Round 2

Application deadline: January 5, 2016

Decision notification: March 15, 2016

Round 3

Application deadline: March 22, 2016

Decision notification: May 6, 2016

The new application to Duke Fuqua will be available online in mid-July. For more information, please visit theFuqua MBA admissions website.

You may also be interested in:
Duke Fuqua Tops Businessweek’s Biennial MBA Ranking
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UNC Kenan-Flagler Fall 2016 Application Deadlines [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   18 Jun 2015, 12:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: UNC Kenan-Flagler Fall 2016 Application Deadlines

The Kenan-Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina has announced the following MBA application deadlines for the 2015-2016 admissions season.

Round 1 (Early Action)

Application due: October 16, 2015

Decision released: December 14, 2015

Round 2

Application due: December 4, 2015

Decision released: February 1, 2016

Round 3

Application due: January 15, 2016

Decision released: March 15, 2016

Round 4

Application due: March 11, 2016

Decision released: April 25, 2016

*If space is still available in the class, UNC Kenan-Flagler will accept applications after the Round 4 deadline. Decisions on applications submitted after the Round 4 deadline will be released on a rolling basis.

Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the application date.

For more information about UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA program, please visit the admissions website.
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Ready or Not, it’s GMAT Time [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   22 Jun 2015, 06:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Ready or Not, it’s GMAT Time
While many will be celebrating the official arrival of summer this weekend, MBA applicants are aware of yet another season that’s ramping up: GMAT preparation season. We’ve asked experts on the Economist GMAT Tutor team for tips to help you do your best. Here’s what they had to say:

  • Get a baseline. Before you do anything else, take a practice test to learn what your baseline score is. Why? Because you need to arm yourself with a full assessment of exactly how far you have to go to become a competitive candidate at your school of choice. (Economist GMAT Tutor offers a free practice test—take advantage of it!)
  • Know thyself. Connect with an expert about tackling your specific weaknesses. It takes more than mere repetition to ace a tough subject. An expert tutor can help you develop a plan to strengthen the areas you’re struggling to master. If you want to try this strategy out, the Economist GMAT Tutor offers a 7-day trial that includes a free session with one of their tutors.
  • RELAX! No really, relax. Anxiety will have a big effect on your test-day performance, so learn how to use that stress to your advantage (yes, this truly is possible). Learning what you need to know to conquer the GMAT is completely doable.
There’s no downside to taking a free test-drive of the Economist GMAT Tutor program, so why not give it a shot? On test day you’ll be glad you did everything in your power to achieve your highest possible score.

Think of it this way:



 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more.
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$11M Gift to UCLA Anderson Launches New Technology Management Center [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   23 Jun 2015, 06:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: $11M Gift to UCLA Anderson Launches New Technology Management Center

Earlier this month, Anderson School of Management announced it will broaden the base of technology opportunities across the UCLA campus with its new Easton Technology Management Center, made possible thanks to gifts totaling $11 million from James L. Easton.

The new center expands the Easton Technology Leadership Program, established in 2009 to develop strong business leadership skills in students with engineering and technical backgrounds.

With this launch, UCLA Anderson expands the scope of its programs and offers students with both technical and non-technical backgrounds, as well as faculty, alumni and industry professionals, access to the latest innovations in technology management. Currently the program includes nearly 430 participants with 30% of the 2016 class interning at technology firms this summer.

Guillaume Roels, UCLA Anderson associate professor and the new center’s faculty director, outlined the center’s strategic goals:

  • To create a hub for innovative research and scholarship in technology leadership
  • To increase program outreach and develop closer ties with UCLA’s engineering and medical schools as well as technology industry professionals
  • To foster curriculum innovation in technology leadership
As a CEO of one of the world’s largest sports equipment manufacturers, Easton Sports, Inc., it was Easton’s experiences designing and manufacturing high-performance sports equipment that first led him to recognize the need for business leadership education.

“I saw a need for leaders in technology, engineering and manufacturing, with knowledge and talent to create innovative products, who would benefit from UCLA Anderson by learning skills in management, communication and negotiation to run their companies,” says Easton.

UCLA Anderson Dean Judy Olian calls Easton a visionary when it comes to creating new approaches the school. “With the creation of the Easton Technology Management Center, Jim expands the impact of his vision by positioning our students to lead and drive change in the rapidly changing tech landscape of California and the world.”

You may also be interested in:
UCLA Anderson Receives $100M Gift from Namesake’s Widow
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Avoid Choosing the Wrong MBA Recommenders [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   23 Jun 2015, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Avoid Choosing the Wrong MBA Recommenders
This post originally appeared on Stacy’s “Strictly Business” MBA Blog on U.S.News.com
You probably already know not to ask the CEO of your company to write your business school letter of recommendation – unless of course he or she is  someone you work closely with and who knows you very well.

Below are three more potential pitfalls when it comes to selecting a recommender. Avoid these mistakes or you may find your chances of admission crushed despite having an overall compelling application.

• Don’t select someone who can’t answer the questions: In other words, you may feel tempted to choose someone who knows you inside and out, but not in a professional setting. He or she can speak to your love of soccer, your compassion and your integrity, which are all great attributes. But this person cannot answer the specific career questions recommenders must address.

Business schools typically ask recommenders to evaluate how the candidate’s potential, performance or personal qualities stack up against those of other individuals in a similar role.

We worked with one client, Mike, when he was applying straight out of college. He had done a few short internships during college, but had no full-time work experience to draw from or a supervisor to tap for a traditional recommendation.

Mike had a stellar academic record, but a choosing a professor is rarely a good choice for a business school reference, no matter how cordial the teacher-student relationship. However, once we learned that Mike had worked as a teaching assistant for one of his professors, we knew we’d found someone who could better speak to the types of questions asked. Though unconventional, the recommendation from a professor became the right choice for Mike.

• Don’t select someone who is not an advocate for you going to business school. This may sound strange, but plenty of successful and well-positioned professionals won’t understand why you would want to go to business school. They may even be actively against it. Maybe they don’t want to lose you as an employee for two years, or maybe they aren’t really your biggest fan.

Our client Todd worked in finance in an office that didn’t require the MBA degree for promotion, and many higher-ups scoffed at its value. While his boss agreed to write the recommendation and had plenty of good things to say about Todd, he sort of laughed it off and clearly would not act as a true advocate for him going to business school.

Todd worried about what might happen if one of his target schools called his boss to discuss the reference, and that uncertainty was just too stressful. He decided instead to choose his supervisor from a prior position, someone with whom he had kept in touch and discussed his graduate school plans with quite a bit.

Choose people who like you, who care about your success and who think you’re good at what you do. Choose capable writers who can express their opinions clearly. If a potential reference seems less than enthusiastic in any way, keep looking. That person’s ambivalence will likely come through in the letter.

• Don’t select a person who doesn’t know who you are and where you stand now: If you worked with someone four years ago and have not done a good job of staying in touch, that person really cannot comment on your progress and skills today.

We worked with one client, Guillaume, who was reapplying to business school after receiving a series of setbacks the previous season. Upon reviewing all of the components of his previous application, it quickly became apparent that a feeble recommendation letter had likely weakened his otherwise strong candidacy.

He had gone to a supervisor from a previous position, and while he left on good terms personally and professionally, Guillaume had never felt fully comfortable at the firm, which was why he resigned to find a job he felt more passionate about. Unfortunately, it appeared Guillaume’s supervisor had also perceived his lack of enthusiasm for his job.

Having few years of distance from Guillaume’s work, the former supervisor wrote a recommendation that would appear polite and generally positive upon hurried review, but a closer read revealed some deliberate omissions and even a few veiled criticisms. In this case, the recommender’s letter was actually damning with faint praise. 

When considering potential references, ask yourself whether the person has worked closely with you, thinks favorably of you, and will put in the time to write a thoughtful, detailed endorsement of your candidacy. If you can’t answer yes to these three requirements, move on until you find the person who fits the bill perfectly. Your chances of admission to the school of your dreams may well depend on it.
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Tuesday Tips: Dartmouth Tuck MBA Essay Tips [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   23 Jun 2015, 19:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Dartmouth Tuck MBA Essay Tips
The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has a small student body and a rural location, combined with world-class faculty and academic focus. As you approach your Dartmouth Tuck MBA application it will be important to consistently show how you will fit into the school values of leadership, teamwork and collaboration and bring your own unique qualities and experiences to the community.

Before you begin the essays think about the areas you want to communicate to the Tuck Business School admissions committee. As you consider each topic be sure to provide specific examples to illustrate your unique qualities. Real life experiences are your best evidence of leadership qualities, teamwork skills and management potential.

The Tuck admissions team encourages applicants to respond fully but concisely to these essay questions, and to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay.

Stacy Blackman Consulting has worked with successful Tuck applicants for over a decade, contact us to learn more about the customized assistance we can provide for your application.

Essay One: What are your short- and long-term goals? Why do you need an MBA to achieve those goals? Why are you interested in Tuck specifically?

This standard career goals question requires you to clearly outline your short- and long-term career goals. Your short-term goals are the aspirations you have for your job immediately after graduation, while your long-term goals may be 10 or 20 years after you complete your MBA. In this relatively short essay you will need to explain what you have been pursuing in your career thus far, and why you need an MBA at this point in your life, along with your career goals.

“Why Tuck Business School” is an important element to this essay, and your opportunity to demonstrate fit. Make sure you have researched the school’s programs and determined your education will suit your plans. By reaching out to current students and alumni you will gain crucial insights that will provide a personal perspective on the culture of the school.

Essay Two: Tell us about your most meaningful leadership experience and what role you played. How will that experience contribute to the learning environment at Tuck?

As you consider topics for this essay reflect upon the situations that may have revealed your own strengths and weaknesses. Think back to Tuck Business School’s criteria, and possibly use this essay to either demonstrate your interpersonal leadership skills or to show something from your background or experience that is unique. Think about the leadership opportunities that led to a deeper understanding of yourself and others, and may have resulted in definition of your strengths or an improvement in your weaknesses. The example you choose can be from work or community involvement, as “great leadership can be accomplished in the pursuit or business and societal goals.”

One aspect to remember as you draft this essay is that the Tuck School of Business definition of leadership is inherently collaborative. Team based experiences may be preferable, and as you describe your leadership experience, make sure you explain how you were able to inspire and enable others to accomplish as well.

Essay Three: (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

This is your opportunity to discuss any perceived weaknesses in your application such as low GPA or gaps in your work experience. When approaching a question of this nature, focus on explanations rather than excuses and explain what you have done since the event you are explaining to demonstrate your academic ability or management potential.

You could potentially use this space to add something new that was not covered in the previous essays or in the application, resume or recommendations, however use your judgment about the topics as Tuck asks that you only complete this question if you “feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.”

Essay Four: (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

If you are re-applying to Tuck this essay is the place for you to showcase any developments since your last application. Ideally you have concrete improvements like a stronger GMAT score, grades from business classes, or a promotion. Even if nothing quantitative has changed in your profile you likely have developed more leadership activities or progressed in your job responsibilities. If you are struggling to think of any clear improvements you can describe refined goals or deeper thinking about your future that has led you to apply again to Tuck. Demonstrating growth in maturity or introspection can be a huge improvement to your application and absolutely should be highlighted.
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Tuesday Tips: Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   23 Jun 2015, 20:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Berkeley Haas MBA Essay Tips
The set of essays for admission to UC Berkeley Haas School of Business covers a variety of topics – from the creative to the personal to the professional. In approaching these questions and deciding between topics it will be important to remain focused on what you want to communicate to the admissions committee.

A clear understanding of your application strategy, particularly your career goals and strengths/weaknesses, is the key to putting together a cohesive application. While challenging, this is also an opportunity to demonstrate several different aspects of your personality to the admissions committee.

Stacy Blackman Consulting has successfully coached applicants to the Haas MBA program for over a decade, contact us to learn more about how we can help you set a winning application strategy.

Essay One: If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 word maximum)

This is a creative and open-ended question. Take the opportunity to infuse personality into your answer and think about your favorite music and what song most represents you. Perhaps it’s a song that you grew up listening to with your family, and it reminds you where you came from. Maybe it’s a song that helps you feel optimistic about your future. Music often evokes emotion, and the essay should capture that feeling and describe why it is meaningful to you.

Essay Two: Please respond to one of the following prompts: (250 word maximum)

Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world and how it transformed you.

If you decide to answer this question think about the moments that have truly changed you. One way to approach this is to think through transitions. Perhaps the transition from high school to college was meaningful for you.

Traveling for the first time outside your home country may have been another transition. Transitioning from University to the work place could have exposed you to new people and a new lifestyle. If none of those transitions lead to a topic for this essay you can delve into the smaller incidents in your life. A friendship, family experience or trip could have opened your eyes to something new and changed your approach.

Once you have selected a topic for this essay you will need to explain how you were transformed. What was your attitude like before the experience and what are you like now? Was the transformation internal or did you change how you approached other people? It’s likely you learned something from this transformation and explaining your lessons learned is always a strong finish to an MBA essay.

Describe a significant accomplishment and why it makes you proud.

This essay can focus on either a personal or professional accomplishment. The most important part of any accomplishment essay is describing why this specific accomplishment has resonated with you. What did you do and how did you do it? Were you proud of the outcome or the process? Did you demonstrate leadership or integrity in a way that was important to yourself or others? Ask yourself what truly matters to you and the accomplishment that showcases your values.

Describe a difficult decision you have made and why it was challenging.

Difficult decisions are often a moment to reflect again upon your values. What were the stakes of your decision and why did you struggle to make a clear choice? Perhaps you were choosing between priorities in your life, family or work, where to study for university or what career path to pursue. No matter what the decision was it will be important to talk a bit about your process for making it. Why did you choose one option over another and what did you learn about yourself?

Essay Three: Tell us about your path to business school and your future plans. How will the Berkeley-Haas experience help you along this journey? (500 word maximum)

This is a short career goals essay and asks you to describe your path to business school along with your future goals. As you describe your path you don’t need to recite your resume here – rather highlight the key experiences that will be relevant in your future career. Think about the cover letter you would write to obtain your desired position at this company and tailor your approach accordingly.

Describe your future goals in a succinct manner, considering what aspects of your background to explain in the “path” section that will support your goals development.

Be specific about why the Haas School of Business is the right program to pursue your goals as well. As you consider past experiences and your future goals you will be able to see what you want to gain from the Haas experience to fill any gaps. If you have an advertising background and want to become a brand manager you’ll likely need classes in operations and finance to understand the analytical side of brand management.

Other goals will require specific skills gained from an MBA and your own unique background will inform how you take advantage of the Haas experience. Make sure you have determined exactly what courses make sense for your career goals and the programs and clubs that you will participate in to reach your personal and professional goals. Thorough school research will be invaluable in approaching this question.

Optional: Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? You may also use this essay to provide further explanation of employment gaps or your quantitative abilities. (500 word maximum)

Haas recommends using this space to address any information that was not adequately covered elsewhere, specifically suggesting that any employment gaps or lack of apparent quantitative skills be covered.

A short gap between school and a secured job is not necessary to explain, but something like several months between two jobs should be addressed. If your resume has significant employment gaps you should describe what you did between jobs in this space. Ideally you can point to additional education, training, volunteering or traveling that you engaged in while unemployed.

If you have a strong quantitative background like an engineering or hard sciences degree, or you work in a quantitative field like finance, it is likely unnecessary to further explain your quantitative skills. Otherwise, you may want to take one or two examples to demonstrate that you have an analytical mind and can take a quantitative approach to problem solving and evaluating data. As the question specifically asks you not to focus on the grades on your transcript, use this space to describe projects at work, additional post-graduate coursework, or your plans to strengthen your quant skills before you enroll at Haas.
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Duke Fuqua Fall 2016 Essay Topics [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   24 Jun 2015, 11:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Duke Fuqua Fall 2016 Essay Topics

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University has announced the MBA essay questions for the 2015-2016 application season. Three short answer questions and two essays are required from all applicants.

Required Short Answer Questions
Instructions: Answer all 3 of the following questions. For each short answer question, respond in 500 characters only (the equivalent of about 100 words).

  • What are your short-term goals, post-MBA?

  • What are your long-term goals?

  • Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize what alternative directions have you considered?

First Required Essay: 25 Random Things About Yourself
Instructions: Answer the following question — present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2 pages.

The “Team Fuqua” spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of “25 Random Things About Yourself.” As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire’s professional and academic background, so learning these “25 Random Things” helps us get to know someone’s personality, background, special talents, and more.

In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know you–beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU.

Second Required Essay (choose 1 of 2)
Instructions: Choose only 1 of the following 2 essay questions to answer. Your response should be no more than 2 pages in length, and should reflect your knowledge of the Fuqua program and experience, and the types of activities and leadership you would engage in as a Fuqua student.

1. Why Duke: When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what do you tell them? Share the reasons that are most meaningful to you.

2. Team Fuqua Principles: The Team Fuqua community is as unique as the individuals who comprise it. Underlying our individuality are a number of shared ideas and principles that we live out in our own ways. Our students have identified and defined 6 “Team Fuqua Principles” that we feel are the guiding philosophies that make our community special. At the end of your 2 years at Fuqua, if you were to receive an award for exemplifying one of the 6 Principles listed below, which one would it be and why? Your response should reflect your knowledge of Fuqua and the Daytime MBA program and experience, and the types of activities and leadership you would engage in as a Fuqua student.

  • Authentic Engagement: We care and we take action. We each make a difference to Team Fuqua by being ourselves and engaging in and supporting activities about which we are passionate.
  • Supportive Ambition: We support each other to achieve great things, because your success is my success. The success of each individual member of Team Fuqua makes the whole of Team Fuqua better.
  • Collective Diversity:  We embrace all of our classmates because our individuality is better and stronger together.
  • Impactful Stewardship: We are leaders who focus on solutions to improve our communities both now and in the future. We aren’t satisfied with just maintaining the status quo.
  • Loyal Community: We are a family who looks out for each other. Team Fuqua supports you when you need it the most.
  • Uncompromising Integrity: We internalize and live the honor code in the classroom and beyond. We conduct ourselves with integrity within Fuqua, within Duke, and within all communities of which we are a part.
Optional Essay
If you feel there are circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them in an optional essay (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance).

    • Do NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area of the application.

    • The Optional Essay is intended to provide the Admissions Committee with insight into your circumstances only.

    • Limit your response to two pages.

For more information, please visit the Duke MBA admissions website.

You may also be interested in:
Duke Fuqua 2015-2016 MBA Application Deadlines
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HEC Paris September 2016 MBA Deadlines [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   24 Jun 2015, 11:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: HEC Paris September 2016 MBA Deadlines

The admissions process at HEC Paris MBA program is conducted on a rolling basis throughout the year. The following are the MBA application deadlines announced by the admissions committee for the September 2016 intake:

Application deadline: August 15, 2015

Decision given: September 25, 2015

Application deadline: September 15, 2015

Decision given: October 16, 2015

Application deadline: October 15, 2015

Decision given: November 20, 2015

Application deadline: November 15, 2015

Decision given: December 18, 2015

Application deadline: December 15, 2015

Decision given: January 8, 2016

Application deadline: January 1, 2016

Decision given: February 5, 2016

Application deadline: February 1, 2016

Decision given: March 4, 2016

Application deadline: March 1, 2016

Decision given: April 8, 2016

Application deadline: April 1, 2016

Decision given: May 9, 2016

Application deadline: May 1, 2016

Decision given: June 3, 2016

Application deadline: June 1, 2016

Decision given: July 8, 2016

For more information, please visit the HEC Paris MBA admissions website.
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Cambridge Judge Fall 2016 Application Deadlines [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   24 Jun 2015, 12:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Cambridge Judge Fall 2016 Application Deadlines

The Judge Business School at University of Cambridge has announced the following MBA application deadlines for the 2015-2016 admissions season.

Round 1 application deadline: September 18, 2015
Round 2 application deadline: October 23, 2015
Round 3 application deadline: January 8, 2016
Round 4 application deadline: March 4, 2016
Round 5 application deadline: May 6, 2016
We’ll bring you the updated MBA essay questions for Fall 2016 when they become available. Until then, please visit the Cambridge MBA admissions website for more information.
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Wharton Fall 2016 MBA Essays Announced [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   26 Jun 2015, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Wharton Fall 2016 MBA Essays Announced

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has confirmed the essay questions that will form a part of the Fall 2016 MBA application. The prompts remain unchanged from the 2014-2015 admissions season.

Required Essay
What do you hope to gain both personally and professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

Optional Essay
Please use the space below to highlight any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about your candidacy. (400 words)

Reapplicant Question
All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete this essay. Explain how you have reflected on the previous decision about your application, and discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

All applicants, including reapplicants, can also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances. (250 words)

For more information, please visit the Wharton MBA admissions website.

You may also be interested in:
Wharton Fall 2016 MBA Application Deadlines

Survey Says Wharton Beats HBS in Satisfied MBAs
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Improvements Coming to GMAT Test-Taking Experience [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   26 Jun 2015, 12:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Improvements Coming to GMAT Test-Taking Experience
If you haven’t yet taken the GMAT, or still need to send scores to your target schools, then this news from the Graduate Management Admission Council will be of great interest. Earlier this week, GMAC announced it will make three changes in July designed to streamline and enhance the test-taking experience for applicants.

Going forward, any cancelled scores will not appear on the official score report. This means that when a test-taker cancels their score, only the test-taker will know. This feature will be applied retroactively to all previously cancelled test scores, which will be removed from all future score reports that are sent to schools. GMAC believes this move, supported by 85% of surveyed test-takers, will help deter any misinterpretations of cancelled scores in candidate profiles.

Candidates will also now be able to retake the GMAT exam after 16 days, rather than the current waiting period of 31 days. This allows candidates the flexibility to retake the exam within a shorter period of time in order to accommodate their schedules, study habits, peak performance times, and/or school deadlines. The max of five exam sittings within one 12-month period remains in effect.

Finally, test-takers will enjoy a streamlined authentication experience at the testing center with the elimination of a separate authentication code. Candidates will be able to view their Official Score Report online using their date of birth to authenticate their access.

These new features and options for test-takers are effective July 19, 2015.

 

 
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Tips on Finalizing Your B-School List [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   29 Jun 2015, 06:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tips on Finalizing Your B-School List
One of the most important decisions you’ll make during the MBA application process is which schools you’re going to apply to in the first place. We know—duh, right? But seriously, we can’t stress enough how important it is to put significant thought into which programs you’re going to dedicate dozens of hours to over the coming months.

Each year we see excellent candidates who want to prematurely take themselves out of the running for some of the top programs. Make no mistake: it is extremely tough to get into a highly ranked business school. Certain programs have single-digit acceptance rates, and literally thousands of more-than-qualified applicants are turned away each year. But if you don’t even give yourself a chance at admission, you may always wonder, “What if?” Is there anything worse?

That’s why we typically recommend that people ask themselves whether or not getting an MBA is most important to them—or if getting an MBA from a certain school is what really matters most. If you’d truly be at peace with never getting an MBA if you weren’t accepted to School X, then you can move forward by focusing all of your efforts solely on your dream school or schools.

However, if you want an MBA no matter what, then you’d be wise to consider five or six schools, or maybe spread your efforts across Rounds 1 and 2.

We hope you at least give yourself a shot at the programs you’re really interested in, though. Applying to top business schools is something of a self-selecting process: most people who apply are overachievers who would be assets to any class. It’s easy to let that discourage or intimidate an applicant to the point of not even trying. You might think, “What’s the use? There are thousands of other people like me fighting for spots.”

But we’d argue: 1) no, there isn’t anyone else exactly like you, so figure out how to differentiate yourself, and 2) why would you want to make it easier for someone else to get in by taking yourself out of the mix? You deserve a shot just like everyone else.

Think of it this way:



 

 

 

 

 

 

***

Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more.
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