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05 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The GMAT and EMBA Programs |
 There is no substitute for real world experience. With full time MBA programs, it is fairly obvious why the GMAT is such an important component to one’s application – with less work experience, admissions committees need to find other measurements to gauge potential success in a program. Academic preparedness can clearly be evidenced with a strong undergraduate GPA coupled with a strong GMAT score. With Executive MBA programs, a GMAT score’s relation to the rest of one’s application is less obvious, since other factors seem to be of more importance. Criteria for admission to an Executive MBA program (often in this order) include work experience and the type of insight an applicant can bring to the classroom, future potential, and academic preparedness. During my time at Cornell, I would often say we were looking for students who could teach just as much to their fellow classmates as the faculty who taught in the program. There is no substitute for real world experience to ingrain concepts presented in the classroom. Once the box is checked for work experience, it is necessary to ensure an applicant can handle the rigorous work in a program. Admissions committees evaluate this in a variety of ways, primarily through undergraduate performance. Not all Executive MBA programs require the GMAT, but for those that do, the GMAT score also is an indicator of potential academic success while in a program. There is less emphasis placed on it than in full-time MBA admissions, however, since an applicant is typically much further removed from standardized testing than a full-time applicant. If an applicant has strong work experience and a strong undergraduate record, but a weak GMAT score, the undergraduate record usually “trumps” the GMAT score. If an applicant has strong work experience and a strong GMAT score, but a weak undergraduate record, there will probably be further investigation on the part of an admissions committee to see if there were any mitigating circumstances leading to a low GPA. If not, it’s possible an admissions committee might ask for some additional evidence to indicate academic preparedness – for example, suggesting an additional quant course either online or from a local college. Bottom line, an EMBA admissions committee wants to admit individuals who are fully prepared to hit the ground running when a program starts, and the GMAT is one indication of an applicant’s ability to do just that.   Jen Weld worked as an admissions consultant and Former Asst. Dir. of Admissions at Cornell’s EMBA program (4 years) prior to joining Accepted.com. She has an additional 10 years of experience in higher ed and corporate marketing. Related Resources: •Why MBA [free guide] • Executive MBA Applicants: 4 Immediate Action Items • Executive MBA: Applying to EMBA Programs Tags: MBA Admissions The post The GMAT and EMBA Programs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
07 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: In-State vs. Out-of-State Tuitions at Top MBA Programs |
 B-school’s not cheap. We all know that. And we all know that staying in-state and attending a public university close to home can save you money…but how much? Should you choose your MBA program based on price? Should you stay in-state to save money? Those are questions that depend on you, the schools available in your home state, and the schools you’re applying to and get accepted to. We can’t answer for you, but we can provide some basic stats for you.  You do the math. Weigh school prices along with other important factors (location, teaching style, student life/culture, recruiting opportunities, etc.). And then make your decision. We’re here to help you at any stop along the way!   Related Resources: • How to Fund Your MBA • Are You Misusing the B-School Rankings? • Tips for Planning Your MBA Budget Tags: MBA Admissions The post In-State vs. Out-of-State Tuitions at Top MBA Programs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
08 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Magoosh’s Free Practice Questions for the TOEFL |
 Are you preparing for the TOEFL? If so, you know how important it is to practice questions that are similar to those you’ll see on the actual exam. But, it can be hard to find quality (free!) materials to study with. That’s where this resource from our friends at Magoosh TOEFL comes in! Magoosh has put together this 75-page TOEFL Practice PDF with questions from all four sections of the exam, as well as in-depth explanations and resources for further study. This PDF is free to download, so you can start studying right away. Click here to download your TOEFL Practice PDF! Happy studying!  Related Resources: • All Things Test Prep: The Test Prep Guru Speaks • Prepare for the TOEFL With This Infographic! • What is a Good TOEFL Score? Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Magoosh’s Free Practice Questions for the TOEFL appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
08 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Mapping out Your MBA Prep — The College Years |
  Immerse yourself in the international experience by interning at a foreign company & living with foreign students. “Wish I had done that a few years ago ….” We hear that frequently from MBA applicants as they’re filling out their MBA applications. We don’t want you to have to say that. This is the first of a five-part blog series with advice on how you can prepare, years in advance, to be competitive for a top MBA program. From college to those first years of work, I’ll discuss steps you can take along the way that will appeal to adcoms. The College Years: Grades: Good grades are important, especially for the top ten MBA programs. 3.5 GPAs and higher are recommended to make you competitive. They want to know you can handle the rigor of the MBA curriculum. So study! If you aren’t doing well, seek out tutors to help you master difficult subjects. If you do poorly in a class, see if you have time to retake it and so that you can replace a bad grade before graduation. However, if you do major in something very technical, adcoms are more forgiving. See below. Major: No majors are truly favored above others. But combined with your grades, they can tell a story. If you major in engineering and your GPA falls around a 3.2, that’s ok. Adcoms perceive that as a difficult major and one where the quantitative rigor is great preparation for bschool. But if you major in English Literature or sociology and get a 3.2, they may wonder whether you spent more time partying, than studying and whether you can handle a quantitative curriculum. When it comes to choosing a major, it’s great to show a balance between your quantitative and creative sides. If you do major in engineering, try also for a minor in a liberal art or language. If you major in a liberal art, like history or English, try for a minor in economics, computer science, business, or something else technical. In this digital economy, it would be foolhardy to enter the workforce without some sort of technical or analytical skill set. Job Hunt: It’s a given that working for a well-known brand can give a boost to your MBA application. Investment banks, consumer goods, logistics, consulting–you know the big names in these fields. I don’t need to name them here. If you work for a blue-chip firm, many adcoms consider that a sort of initial screening for a quality applicant. The promotion trajectory is known, as well as the stamina, intelligence, and communication skills required to succeed. HOWEVER, that is definitely not the only or best way to get an MBA down the road. Ultimately what you want to show is impact. You’re not going to make an impact unless you are passionate about what you do. As you begin your job hunt, make sure you find a good fit. Perhaps you’ll excel better at a start-up with a group of friends. Perhaps you want older mentors to consult with and challenge you. Perhaps you won’t feel good about your job unless you’re working to improve the world in some way. Perhaps you just want a job that will give you a foothold in a foreign country. Perhaps you’re facing financial burdens that don’t give you many options. The key is to make opportunities for yourself on the job. Take ideas and make them into realities. Gain leadership roles. Learn how to solve problems. That’s what you’ll be writing and talking about when it comes to application time. International experience: Adcoms at top MBA programs like to see candidates with international experience. If you can, during college go on a semester or year-abroad and learn a new language. If you’re already bi-lingual, become tri-lingual. This will prepare you to take advantage of international work opportunities in your professional life. But don’t just hang around with your compatriots. Try to get an internship at a foreign company. Live with foreign students. Really immerse yourself so you can have a transformative experience. Extracurriculars: Think quality, and not quantity. Adcoms like to see, again, that you can make a positive impact on organizations. It’s better to show one activity where you rose to a leadership position over a couple of years, than involvement in several one-off events. So get involved in something you enjoy. Better yet, start something brand new. Recruit others to join you. Seek to raise funds to make the organization stronger or more sustainable. Work with the organization to have a positive impact on the greater community around you. The Bottom Line: Study hard. Seek experiences where you have impact. Try to make something grow.   Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Related Resources: • Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One [free guide] • 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future • Linda Abraham’s Admissions Assortment Tags: MBA Admissions The post Mapping out Your MBA Prep — The College Years appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
09 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The Expanded Executive MBA Profile |
  Who is the ideal EMBA candidate? This is the first post in our Ace the EMBA series on how to apply successfully to a top executive MBA program. Get need-to-know EMBA basics down with these important tips. The Executive MBA profile has changed over the past decade. Allen, a hypothetical candidate described below, represents the traditional EMBA candidate, which is still highly desirable to EMBA programs. Lucia, another hypothetical candidate, also described below, represents a profile that is not uncommon now, as does hypothetical Kareem. Most important, no longer does Allen reflect the “choice” candidate. Today’s EMBA programs actively seek a wide range of applicants – not just diverse geographic, functional, and industry backgrounds, but also diverse organizational cultures and career pathways (e.g.: Serial entrepreneur? Engaged in public-private partnerships? From industry to consulting or vice versa?). The remaining common denominator is extensive management experience and/or imminent advancement into senior management. Even the meaning of “management experience” may vary now – for example, in matrix organizations and project-oriented careers, the conventional “direct report” concept may be irrelevant. 1. At thirty-five years old, Allen has worked professionally for thirteen years, the last eight as a marketing manager in increasingly strategic positions. He is now Director of Marketing and Strategy for his Fortune 1000 company’s new product line. His record of advancement is impressive for someone in his industry, pharmaceuticals, where people of his age are usually a few rungs lower and where some of his peers have MBAs. Allen’s next move will be to a senior management role, and he feels that without a sophisticated management skill set, he will be unable to contribute to his maximum ability as an executive. Knowing that this skill set is exactly what EMBA programs are created to provide, he discusses pursuing an EMBA with his boss. Allen’s company, eager to retain him and groom him for a senior position, will sponsor the time requirement of his Executive MBA studies, and one-third of the cost. 2. After working for a year after college as a technology consultant, Lucia started consulting independently. Initially she provided IT guidance to her local school district as part of a community volunteer program. During this initiative she realized that the public education sector offered unique opportunities as well as challenges in mastering the complex bureaucratic, budgeting, and political maze, and she decided to develop a part-time independent business providing IT consulting to the public education sector, on top of her “day job.” It turned out to be a lucrative and interesting niche, and within one more year, Lucia had enough business to leave her employer and set up her own consulting business full time. Eight years later, she has seven employees, grosses over $12M in sales annually, and has broadened her service to private schools. At this level, she can barely manage the business. To grow further, Lucia needs to streamline and stabilize her organizational infrastructure while developing a solid five-year growth strategy. She is more than willing to pay for her EMBA at a top program, viewing it as a necessary investment for growth. 3. Kareem has been an architect of some of the top products at a global technology firm. He has led numerous high-profile project teams and interacted with senior technologists and executives at Fortune 100 customers – even participated in some key product decisions. Increasingly he has felt that becoming a senior manager would allow him to best utilize the combined market and technology know-how he has accrued, and his employer and does not want to lose one of its stars. Hence, the company has agreed that Kareem will transition to the business side to manage a new product line he has championed, a role that will include P&L responsibility. Kareem decides to pursue an EMBA as the best way to prepare for his imminent senior management role. He will pay the tuition, and his company will accommodate the schedule. These three candidates now face the challenge of applying to EMBA programs. First, they must select the programs they want to target from an increasingly large and multifaceted selection. Then, although they are all strong applicants, they still must distinguish themselves through their application essays. In this series, we will explore the changing EMBA options and how to choose among them, and then address the roll-up-the-shirtsleeves part of the process: developing effective essays.  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! Related Resources: • The Wharton Executive MBA Program: An Insider’s View • School-Specific Executive MBA Essay Tips • 3 Tips for Writing a Winning EMBA Essay Tags: MBA Admissions The post The Expanded Executive MBA Profile appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
09 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: When & Why to Pass on a B-School Acceptance Offer |
 Yes! You got in…but….maybe….. Scenario: You get accepted to an excellent MBA program. You’re happy…but…you can’t help thinking that maybe you could’ve done “better.” Should you turn down your acceptance (whether it’s an early decision acceptance or regular) on the chance that the school that waitlisted you ends up accepting you, or in the hope that a school that rejected you this year accepts you next year? When to Accept an Offer of Admission Here are two reasons why I think you should probably count your lucky stars and say “yes” (enthusiastically) to the program that accepted you: [b]1. The alternatives may not really be better. [/b]As I’m sure you noticed, I put “better” in quote marks above. You need to think about whether your alternate options are truly better for you than the amazing school that accepted you. Maybe HBS is a better school than, say, Yale SOM, according to most ranking reports, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best program for you. And in fact, if you’re thinking about heading into non-profit management, it may not be better than Yale. If the school where you have an offer supports your goals and provides an educational environment that suits you (and you shouldn’t have applied if it didn’t), then a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re already in the pasture that’s best for your individual growth. [b]2. Acceptance at one elite school does not at all imply that you’ll get accepted at another elite school. [/b]Acceptance decisions are independent events – Wharton doesn’t consult with Booth, which in turn couldn’t care less that you were accepted to Stanford. Be happy about the outstanding school that accepted you, and attend! Legitimate Reasons for Deferring or Rejecting an Admissions Offer There are some situations in which I’d recommend deferring or rejecting an admissions offer and reapplying next year: [b]1. Now may not be the best time for personal reasons. [/b]Personal circumstances unrelated to education, like an illness in the family, may compel you to defer or reject an offer. [b]2. You may not be into long-distance relationships. [/b]A geographical/relationship issue, like your significant other got into a one-year program across the country from the program that accepted you, and you don’t want to be apart for a year, could be a good reason to reject an acceptance. (You should try to defer for a year in this case, obviously, and not reject the acceptance, if you plan on then pursuing your educational goals next year.) [b]3. Your post-MBA goals have changed since you applied. [/b]If your goals have changed, and the school that accepted you is no longer the best school for you, you might consider rejecting the offer. (This doesn’t happen very often.) Should You Ask for a Deferral? Schools are reluctant to give a deferral. It binds them, and doesn’t bind the applicants. Furthermore many applicants requesting the deferral use the additional year to reapply to other programs. This bit of shopping around and gamesmanship has given deferrals a bad name in admissions offices. And they frequently don’t want to play. It’s generally best simply to turn down the offer and reapply when the time is right. Related Resources: • MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know • Top MBA Programs that Defer • Choosing From Multiple Business School Acceptances Tags: MBA Admissions The post When & Why to Pass on a B-School Acceptance Offer appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: EMBA Admissions Pros Share Their Tips and Advice |
  This week, join Accepted’s own Jen Weld and Cindy Tokumitsu for the inside scoop on EMBA admissions. Listen to the show! Meet Jen and Cindy. [1:10] Jen came to Accepted after serving as Assistant Director of Admissions for Cornell’s EMBA program. Cindy joined Accepted in 1998, after working as a writer and editor. She specializes in MBA and EMBA admissions. Welcome, Jen and Cindy! What makes a good EMBA applicant? [2:10] Cindy: Someone who has a lens on their industry and experience—something that makes them memorable. Jen: Candidates who would contribute to the learning environment. How are the criteria different for EMBA programs (vs full-time MBA programs)? [3:30] Since EMBA programs attract applicants with more work experience (10-15 years vs 4-5 years for MBA), there’s more of an emphasis on your professional experience. Academics and GMAT are still important to show academic readiness, but aren’t as crucial. Full-time programs have more of a focus on the applicant’s recruiting potential (whether candidates can be placed upon graduation). But EMBA students won’t generally be relying on the program to place them on graduation. They are employed and expect to remain so while going to school. It’s important for EMBA applicants to show management experience [5:40] Career services and EMBA students [6:30] In the past, most programs didn’t provide EMBA students with access to career services. Now most programs offer something—such as a career assessment or access to the “resume book” for recruiters. But not on-campus recruitment. What do they wish EMBA applicants knew? [8:40] Jen: trying to hide weaknesses in a profile doesn’t work. Somebody’s going to notice. It’s better to address it rather than be in a defensive position later on. This is why Cornell asks whether your academic record is an accurate reflection of your ability. Cindy: Being able to self-critique shows strength. Also: if you’re changing careers, you need to be able to show how that will happen – present a plan. And take into account relationships with your company, particularly if they’re supporting you with time off. And most of all, make it interesting. What makes an application great? [13:35] Cindy: Confidence. Assuming that someone is already qualified – what sets an application apart is the ability to tell lively stories, write well, show the ability to prioritize, make decisions, etc. Jen: I want to see who the person is, beyond their career progression – beyond the resume and transcript. Show something of yourself. The point of anecdotes: not just what you did or experienced, but what you got out of it/learned from it. Your perspective on those events. [17:00] How to distill lots of experience into a short essay [18:00] Jen: Relate experiences to courses they’ll be taking – how those experiences will elevate the overall learning environment. Cindy: Remember that everything you write about requires a strategic decision. What will support your application and portray you effectively? Think about experiences that show your executive level experience and skills – making decisions, managing people. The shorter the essay, the more time you should spend sifting experiences to find the best one(s). How does working while in school affect the evaluation process? [20:30] Cindy: the significance of the current position is even greater, because it’s what you’ll bring to the table, and you’ll take new skills back to work. It depends on the question, but you can usually talk about your current job in the goals essay. Jen: How will you fit this into your life? Some schools ask directly about balancing school, work, and life. Show that you have realistic expectations for balancing EMBA program with work and life. Interview tips [25:45] Jen: EMBA interviews tend to be a conversation – no gotcha questions. They’re interested in your experience, background, goals, why their program. Cindy: Schools have different formats, but most EMBA interviews are not blind (the interviewer has read your application). Why MBA/EMBA? [28:00] Schools want applicants who are pursuing the degree for the right reasons – career goals that make sense. Importance of goals in the EMBA process [29:30] Goals start right where you are, since you’ll start to apply your learning while still in the program. Identify concrete goals – positions, what you want to achieve, your contributions, your motives. Parting advice for EMBA applicants [31:55] Cindy: There’s great diversity in the EMBA realm – different strengths and formats – so do your research and find the right fit. Up-front research is vital. Jen: If you have the chance to visit, do. Meet students, sit in on classes, even meet with admissions representatives. It’s a 2-year investment and a lifelong credential, so make sure it’s the right fit for you.  Related Links: • Applying to EMBA Programs• Ace the EMBA, by Cindy Tokumitsu • Top Executive MBA Program Essay Questions: How to Answer Them Right!, by Cindy Tokumitsu • Perfect Answers to MBA Interview Questions, by Jen Weld • Cindy Tokumitsu’s Bio • Jen Weld’s Bio Related Shows: • The Wharton Executive MBA Program: An Insider’s View • It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are?• Exploring the Part-Time MBA Options at NYU Stern Subscribe:   Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions The post Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice [Episode 140] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Mapping out Your MBA Prep — Post-grad + 1 |
 Use your first year out of university to take the GMAT – THEN vacation. ”Wish I had done that a few years ago ….” We hear that frequently from MBA applicants as they’re filling out their MBA applications. We don’t want you to have to say that. This is the second of a five-part blog series with advice on how you can prepare, years in advance, to be competitive for a top MBA program. From college to those first years of work, I’ll discuss steps you can take along the way that will appeal to adcoms. Post-Grad +1 On the job: B-schools want candidates who are leaders, as well as excellent team players. Use your first year on the job to show you know how to contribute to team success. This will likely point toward leadership opportunities down the road. Taking the following steps could also lead to stories you can tell the adcoms in your essays: 1. Seek to add value. First and foremost, excel at your assigned role. Master the skill sets you need to succeed. Turn in work early or on time. Ask smart questions. Admit when you don’t know something. Communicate well with managers. Once you are proficient, analyze your role and identify ways to do it better. Teach yourself new skills. If you come up with a better, faster or cheaper way to get something done, pitch it to your manager–then execute. Finally, if someone can’t perform, volunteer to step into their role and take on added responsibility. 2. Be curious. Find out as much as you can about your company. Get to know people, both in and beyond your department, so that you can create allies who eventually might help you. Also, get to know your industry. Read up on competing companies. Find out who is doing research in your field at various business schools, and make it part of your studies. 3. Find a mentor. A wise and experienced mentor can give you constructive criticism, as well as make your case to management for promotion. Ask for feedback after presentations so that you can work toward an “executive presence.” Ultimately, a mentor can help you develop the tact and maturity that companies seek in future leaders. GMAT/GRE: Your GMAT/GRE score is valid for five years. Why not take it right after university while you are still in the swing of study? Of course, if you wait longer than five years to apply to business school, you’ll need to retake the test. But five years out is generally the time when most people apply. 1. Make the most of your time. It might be tempting to take an extended vacation before you begin your first job. But you would be wise to use at least some of this time to study for and take the GMAT. Taking it early gives you a chance to get to know the test, and retake it if your score is low. The higher your GMAT score, the more options you will have when it comes to applying for an MBA program. And you can use that vacation as a carrot to treat yourself when you’ve completed the test. 2. Get help: If you get a low score on your practice tests, consider taking a prep course or hiring a tutor. Sure these tests are about evaluating your knowledge. But these courses can teach you strategies on how to approach the test can boost your score. The Bottom Line: Use your first year out of university to take the GMAT, and establish a solid reputation for yourself on the job.  Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Related Resources: • Your 3 Part Game Plan on Dominating the GMAT [on-demand webinar] • GMAT & MBA Admissions – Resource Page • Ace Your Summer Internship Tags: MBA Admissions The post Mapping out Your MBA Prep — Post-grad + 1 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
11 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Ask Away at Your Admissions Interview! |
  Ask questions that show you’re attempting to connect the features of the program and your individual goals, needs and interests. An interview works in two directions: The interviewer asks you questions to see if you’d be a good fit for the school in question, and you ask the interviewer questions to help you determine if this program is right for you. In order to think up some good questions, you’ll want to make sure that you: 1. Review the program’s website thoroughly. Asking questions is a good thing. Asking questions that are answered on the homepage of the school’s site? Not so good. 2. Review the details of your application to help you come up with questions that relate specifically to your interests, experience, and goals. As you review the school’s literature and your application, jot down whatever questions come to mind. The best questions are those that show you attempting to connect the dots between the features of the program and your individual goals, needs and interests. Because these questions are so highly individualized, it’s hard to give specific examples, but below you’ll find a few general questions that will trigger your more personal queries: • How difficult is it to claim a seat in popular classes like International Business Relations (or Medical Ethics or Psych 101…(or any other class that specifically interests you and is popular)? • Does the program have any clubs or extracurricular activities for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs (or juggling acrobats, or whatever particular interests you have)? What steps are involved in starting a group on campus? Before asking this question, see if you can find the group on the school’s website and check if it is active. • What are the criteria for competing in a business plan competition? (Again, fill in the blank to cater this question towards your personal goals, and check online to see if the question isn’t answered there.) • What role does the career services department play in helping students network and secure interviews? If your admissions interview is with a recent alum or a current student, then you can ask about his/her experience at Program X. This is a good way to make conversation and show your interest in the interviewer and the program. It may also serve as a jumping off point for coming up with more personalized questions. Some basic ones to start with may be: • What are/were your favorite classes? Professors? • Are there any activities, clubs, or competitions that simply should not be missed? • Do you wish you had done anything differently before attending or while at School X? You can do it! Ace those interviews now!  Related Resources: • The Do’s And Don’ts Of Med School Interviews • How to Prep for Your MBA Interviews • 5 Tips for Law School Interviews Tags: College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post Ask Away at Your Admissions Interview! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
12 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: EMBA Admissions: Sponsorship and the GMAT |
  Your employer’s support is very important. This is the second post in our Ace the EMBA series on how to apply successfully to a top executive MBA program. Get need-to-know EMBA basics down with these important tips. The changes in the EMBA applicant/student profile that we explored in the previous post are accompanied by new trends in the EMBA world. Now we will examine two of these trends: changes in sponsorship and GMAT requirements. Changing company sponsorship requirements/expectations EMBA applicants’ employers often sponsor their EMBA studies, at least to some extent. This sponsorship ranges from paying 100% of the tuition (rare) to simply accommodating the applicant’s need to take time off from work (almost universal). This sponsorship picture has certainly changed over the last decade. According to the Executive MBA Council’srecent research survey results, the percentage of self-funded EMBA students has grown to almost 40% by 2014. It was 32% in 2005-2006, according to the Council’s 2006 Survey. That same 2006 survey shows that 40% of organizations fully funded EMBA students in 2003 and 35% in 2005-2005. Now, per the 2014 survey, that percentage has dropped to about 25% in 2014. Virtually all EMBA programs take sponsorship seriously and typically require that the employer provide a statement of support for the applicant’s EMBA plans. Here are some samples of EMBA sponsorship expectations: • Wharton: “For most applicants, proposing and receiving sponsorship is a crucial part of the application process. While employer endorsement is a requirement for admission, financial sponsorship is at the discretion of the student’s organization … All applicants require the basic level of sponsorship, which is the acknowledgement of time to participate in the program.” • Duke (Global Executive): “A letter from your current employer outlining your company’s support of time is required. This letter may also include information about your employer’s financial commitment, but financial sponsorship is not required. Proprietors or principals of a company can provide a letter of self-sponsorship.” (The webpage also provides a link to a sample letter.) • MIT: “…We consider corporate sponsorship of the time requirement to be critical. In your application package, one of your recommenders should be from your boss, and address the topic of time sponsorship.” • Kellogg: “Your organization is required to supply a letter stating that it supports and approves the time required for you to attend the Executive MBA Program. If your organization is providing financial sponsorship, please state that in the letter as well. (However, you are not required to have financial sponsorship.)” Financial sponsorship can still be a competitive plus for applicants, because it underscores your value and high potential in the organization’s eyes. But not having it is not a negative factor. If you’re an entrepreneur, you basically sponsor yourself – therefore you must indicate how you’ll accommodate the time requirements within the context of your own organization. It happens too that sometimes regularly employed applicants who are eligible for financial sponsorship may prefer to self-fund, because they do not want to be beholden to their organization but instead be free to pursue other options. Indeed, having time sponsored can create an obligation on the applicant’ part. If that’s not desired, EMBA programs (such as Columbia University’s) that offer a Saturday-only option may be the best option. GMAT requirements More and more EMBA programs, including some of the highest ranked such as Kellogg, MIT, NYU, Cornell, Ross (University of Michigan), and Anderson (UCLA), do not require the GMAT (or GRE). And among those that do require the GMAT, it may be possible to obtain a GMAT waiver under certain circumstances. For example, Booth at University of Chicago and Goizueta at Emory require the GMAT generally but may grant waivers if you can present concrete evidence of sufficient quantitative and analytic capabilities and skills. If you believe you’re eligible, you must request the waiver proactively. Some schools with multiple EMBA program options, require the GMAT/GRE for some programs but not others – those programs targeting the more senior, experienced applicants tend not to require it. E.g., Duke’s Global Executive MBA does not require a standardized test, whereas the Weekend Executive MBA does (in fact they explicitly prefer the GMAT over the GRE). While you may be relieved to be free of this test burden for many great EMBA programs, if you do take the GMAT and score high, it’s worth reporting the score to the schools because it further (a) affirms your preparation for academic work in both verbal and quantitative areas; and (b) shows that you are serious about and committed to the EMBA process. Moreover, if you have a relatively low undergraduate GPA (and don’t have a better grad GPA), submitting a strong GMAT (or GRE) score can mitigate the effect of the academic underperformance to some extent and indicate academic readiness. Stay tuned: the next post will look at the many types of EMBA programs! 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! Related Resources: • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • The GMAT and EMBA Programs • MBA Admissions Decisions: Should You Go Full-Time Or Part-Time? Tags: MBA Admissions The post EMBA Admissions: Sponsorship and the GMAT appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Mock Wharton Team-Based Discussion Anyone? |
 Practice makes for success! “Chance favors the prepared mind” said Louis Pasteur, and I agree. Don’t leave your Wharton Team-Based Discussion to fickle chance. Prepare for it with Accepted’s Mock Wharton Team-Based Discussion. This is a prime-time rehearsal. Details and prices are here. A participant in one of our past mock TBD wrote us after the real Wharton TBD, “The practice session was a huge help!” Be ready. Be poised. Be confident. Join the next mock TBD ASAP.   By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsMBA Admissions The post Mock Wharton Team-Based Discussion Anyone? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
15 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: EMBA Program Variety |
  Do some up-front research to understand exactly which programs are the right fit for you. This is the third post in our Ace the EMBA series on how to apply successfully to a top executive MBA program. Get need-to-know EMBA basics down with these important tips. Once upon a time, EMBA programs primarily targeted and attracted managers working in local corporations. The typical EMBA schedule was every weekend or every other weekend, sometimes weeknights. This scenario has changed radically. Today many, if not most, EMBA programs offer multiple options for program schedules and formats, target more geographically dispersed students, and provide some form of global opportunities (which in turn often involve multi-program collaborations). Given the increasing number of EMBA programs that offer spread-out schedules for the on-campus segments, applicants can pursue programs beyond their immediate locale, finding it feasible to, say, fly an hour or two every other weekend. Here are two great examples, from the U.S. south alone: • UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Weekend MBA is structured so that classes are held every third weekend. In addition, “Every two months, you’ll attend classes Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You’ll also attend one residential immersion week.” Students from 24 states have taken advantage of this opportunity. This b-school also offers the Global OneMBA, which has on-campus classes once a month plus four global residencies per year. • Duke University’s EMBA programs offer multiple options and target particular levels of applicants. Its Weekend Executive program (students average 11 years of experience) consists mainly of alternate weekends on campus, whereas its Global Executive program (students average 15 years of experience) combines classroom learning, distance learning, and global residencies. (Duke also offers a Cross Continent program that integrates MBA and EMBA approaches: part-time, mix of global residencies and distance learning, average age 30.) Such varied options mean that specific programs are closely calibrated with an applicant’s needs and experience level. So prospective applicants must pay attention not just to format/schedule and location, but also to required or desired experience level. The Global OneMBA reflects another trend noted above: partnering among global EMBA programs to provide a global education. For example: • OneMBA partners with Erasmus University in Rotterdam as well as business programs in Mexico, Brazil, and Hong Kong. • NYU Stern has joined with London School of Economics and HEC School of Management in Paris to offer the TRIUM Executive MBA. • The EMBA-Global is a partnership among Columbia University, London Business School, and Hong Kong University. While it is exciting to have so many appealing options to choose from, these targeted programs make it important to (a) do some up-front research to understand exactly which programs are the right fit for you and why, and (b) use your essays to articulate that fit for each particular program. In the next post, I’ll discuss EMBA career services and employment. 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! Related Resources: • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • MBA Admissions Decisions: Should You Go Full-Time Or Part-Time? • Global EMBA 2016 Essay Tips Tags: MBA Admissions The post EMBA Program Variety appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
16 Feb 2016, 11:02
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Highlights from the Bloomberg Job Skills Report 2016 |
  Will your skills land you a job? What are job recruiters looking for in their MBA hires? What skills are they looking for? What skills are hardest to find? 1,251 job recruiters at 547 companies were surveyed for the 2016 Bloomberg Job Skills Report about the skills they seek in job candidates and the b-schools that provide the best job candidates based on those skills. 14 Top Skills The report shows which of the 14 skills are hardest to find and which are the most important for each of the following industries: consulting, consumer products, energy, financial services, manufacturing, chemicals, healthcare, pharma, transportation, retail, and technology. A few examples: • In the energy industry, analytical thinking is the most important skill, and entrepreneurship and risk taking are the least important skills. • For this same industry, leadership skills are the hardest to find, and entrepreneurship is easiest (or less difficult). • In finance, communication skills are most important, and global mindset is least important. • Strategic thinking and communication skills are tied as hardest to find in the finance sector, and entrepreneurship is ranked as least difficult to find. • Across all industries, strategic thinking is hardest to find, and quantitative skills are easiest. Communication skills are most important across all industries, and entrepreneurship is least important. The Sweet Spot The report talks about “the sweet spot,” referring to the skills that are declared as both highly desired and hardest to find. Sweet spot skills across all industries are leadership, strategic thinking, communication skills, and creative problem solving. The report shows the top 3 schools for each skill set within each of the following industries: consulting, consumer products, energy, financial services, manufacturing, and technology. We’ll give a few examples here within the consulting industry, but you can check the actual report for the full listing. • The top 3 schools with graduates with strong communication skills in the consulting industry were USC Marshall, UVA Daren, and UT-Austin McCombs. • For strategic thinking in consulting, the top 3 were UT-Austin McCombs, Michigan Ross, and Chicago Booth. • For creative problem solving in consulting: UC Berkeley Haas, Michigan Ross, and Northwestern Kellogg. Methodology The data for this survey came from the Employers Survey which was part of the Bloomberg’s 2015 MBA rankings. Respondents needed to be recruiters with recent MBA recruiting experience. They chose their top 5 most important skills and the 5 hardest to find skills from a list of 14 skills. Then they were asked to identify which schools they had the most experience recruiting in the last 5 years (up to 10 schools). Then they rated each school on how its graduates performed on each specific skill. Alumni ratings are excluded from this report. Related Resources: • The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes [free guide] • Why Applicants Should Consider A School’s Soft Skills Training • B-Schools That Rank for Landing Jobs in Investment Banking Tags: MBA Admissions The post Highlights from the Bloomberg Job Skills Report 2016 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
17 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Mapping out Your MBA Prep — Post-Grad + 2 |
 Add value – take the organization to a new level! “Wish I had done that a few years ago ….” We hear that frequently from MBA applicants as they’re filling out their MBA applications. We don’t want you to have to say that. This is the third of a five-part blog series with advice on how you can prepare, years in advance, to be competitive for a top MBA program. From college to those first years of work, I’ll discuss steps you can take along the way that will appeal to adcoms. Post-Grad +2 You’ve got the GMAT under your belt. You’re acclimated to work. Take some time now to show you care about the world around you. Extracurriculars: B-Schools want students who are more than just good at business. They want people who act to make the world a better place. 1. Get involved on a regular basis. Just as in university, try to maintain a steady involvement in an activity you’re passionate about. Be authentic about it. Do something you really enjoy, and seek to give back. This could be helping out in an already established volunteer organization, getting involved in a sports league, or getting involved in an entrepreneurial endeavor. 2. Seek to add value. Whatever you do, seek to add value to the organization, or disrupt it in a positive way. Raise money, recruit more volunteers, introduce a new process. Also, make efforts to create relationships on an individual level where you share your time or skills. Adcoms want to see that you can use your influence to create positive change. 3. But what if I travel frequently? If you’re jet-setting from city to city, it’s difficult to maintain the schedule and energy for a regular extracurricular. Concentrate your energy then on helping people on an individual level. One idea is to get to know the people who help you get from place to place. Strike up conversations with your cab driver or bellhop. If they do an exceptional job, see what you can do about helping them get a permanent contract driving employees from your company. Introduce them to ways to improve their language skills, or gain other skills that would open up further employment opportunities. Stay in touch so that you can track their progress. The Bottom Line: Use your second year out of university to establish a track record of giving back.  Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Related Resources: • Leadership in Admissions [free guide] • How To Become A Corporate Executive • 7 Signs an Experience Belongs in Your Application Essay [short video] Tags: MBA Admissions The post Mapping out Your MBA Prep — Post-Grad + 2 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
18 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: EMBA Employment and Career Services |
 Increasingly, applicants are pursuing an EMBA specifically to facilitate a career transition. This is the fourth post in our Ace the EMBA series on how to apply successfully to a top executive MBA program. Get need-to-know EMBA basics down with these important tips. Given today’s volatile business climate, almost everyone in the business world must continuously evaluate and recalibrate their career path, whether they are planning an imminent change or not. It’s an ongoing part of being a business professional. EMBA applicants who aren’t planning a career change still know that their well-laid plans can erupt in an instant. And, increasingly, applicants are pursuing an EMBA specifically to facilitate a career transition. At University of Michigan’s Ross EMBA program, Lisa Morgan, a Ross EMBA career coach, states that “80-90 percent of the clients I work with come to me looking to conduct an external search and change employers.”https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/executive-mba/careersTo address this trend, EMBA programs have beefed up their EMBA career services. The Executive MBA Council’s 2014 report shows that now almost all member programs offering career counseling – 92% as of that year. This jumped from 74% in 2006 and 67% in 2004 (per the 2006 report). “Career services” include various types of career coaching, self-assessments, alumni networking and events, etc. While career services are common among EMBA programs, the line is usually drawn at regular recruiting (a major draw of regular MBA programs). There are notable exceptions – for example, UCLA Anderson states that “on-campus recruiting is open to EMBA students in their second year for full-time positions, and in the beginning of their first year for summer internship positions.” Wharton also offers recruiting access. Mixing sponsorship with career services, however, may present an ethical dilemma for the EMBA program. Wharton divides its EMBA students into “job search eligible” and those who are not eligible: “To be eligible to access the Job Search Resources listed above, a student must provide the required documentation to indicate that s/he is self-sponsored or has permission from her/his sponsoring company.” Further details explain that some forms and levels of financial sponsorship may be permissible for job-search eligibility. Wharton’s career services are similarly divided into those all students can access, such as career planning and resume review, and those only open to job search eligible students, such as recruiting and participation in Job Search Action groups. It will take some work to sift through the various EMBA programs to identify those that offer the level and type of career service options your particular needs require. The upside is that, while recruiting is still rare, those options are increasingly deep and broad. A representative example of a relatively rich offering is Columbia University’s. In the next post, we’ll turn to the qualifying factors adcoms look for in EMBA applicants. 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! Related Resources: • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • EMBA Admissions: Sponsorship and the GMAT • An International Student and Career Changer at UC Berkeley Haas Tags: MBA Admissions The post EMBA Employment and Career Services appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
18 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 6 Steps to Follow After You Receive Your MBA Interview Invite |
 Review your CV – You will asked about what’s written! Congratulations! You have made it through one colossal hurdle. Follow these 6 steps to best prepare for the next stage in the MBA admissions process: 1. Relax! Take a deep breath. Regardless of which category you fall into, you need to relax. Anxiety will not help you in the interview or for your next step in the process: interview preparation. 2. Review your application and resume. Get to know your application inside and out. Review each detail and ask yourself the question, “What would not have happened, had I not been a member of (fill in the blank) organization?” Ask it again and again and quantify your results. Did you increase revenue? Decrease costs? Be ready to address key decision points in your life and add context to facts provided in the application. 3. Read up on interview advice. Review the Accepted’s website for MBA interview tips and read our special report, MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interviews. Check Beat the GMAT and GMAT Club for school-specific feedback from those who interviewed R1. 4. Research the school. Read the school’s website and speak with students, alumni, and faculty. Think about your desire to attend that school and why you would be a proud alumna of that program. Be prepared to show how you meet the school’s criteria for admission (most schools provide them on their websites). 5. Seek personal assistance. If you need personal assistance, Accepted is always available to help. Check out our interview services, including mock interviews. 6. Schedule your interview. The admissions committee will never get to know how truly wonderful you are unless you schedule that interview! Get it on your calendar and their calendar. If you fly or have to drive a long distance, plan to arrive the day before. Leave time for commuting, getting lost, and parking. Be early. Congrats again, and good luck at your interview! * Image Designed by Freepik  Related Resources: • MBA Interview Prep: How to Ace Your Interviews [free guide] • 3 Day-Of Tips for a Successful MBA Interview • MBA Interviews – Preparing for Behavioral and General Questions [short video] Tags: MBA Admissions The post 6 Steps to Follow After You Receive Your MBA Interview Invite appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
19 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What to Do if You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group |
 Show the adcoms that you are not simply another face in the crowd I recently received a question – or more of a complaint – from a client who was concerned with his status as an Indian IT male. This individual was considering changing his location on his application – he was born, raised, and still lived in India, but his family had lived in Zurich for four years, starting when he was six, and he wanted to focus on that – or just somehow on his job as a restaurant manager, rather than his extensive experience and education in IT. I get questions like this all the time, so I thought it would be appropriate to post the answer that I gave this particular young man: B-schools have been known to “group” applicants in ethnic, gender, and professional categories for administrative purposes, but that certainly does not mean that they are accepting and rejecting candidates based solely on those labels and groupings. Moving beyond labels – If you can do it, so can the adcom The purpose of the admissions process is to allow the adcoms an opportunity to get to know you as an individual – beyond labels. It’s your job to show the adcoms that you are not simply another face in the crowd of Indian (or American, for that matter) IT males, but that you are a unique, category-less group of ONE. You are not Indian, not American, not American Indian, not Indian American, not IT, and not male; you are YOU. Don’t get hung up on the group or the label. Instead focus on ways you can draw out your individuality. It is true that you will need to work on this harder than, say, an entrepreneurial woman from a village in the Himalayas, but that’s not to say it can’t be done. Come to life with a strong, passionate essay By constructing killer essays that come alive with your personality, diverse interests and talents, and your not-to-be-overlooked strengths and passions, you’ll prove a candidacy equal in competitiveness to our Himalayan candidate. That was my response to our Indian IT male friend, but it can be applied to anyone who is getting bogged down in the labels and losing focus on the process of individuating. Think about what sets you apart from your group. Highlight your uniqueness Highlight your uniqueness in your essays, and the adcoms will get a clear look at how you – not your group – will contribute to your chosen MBA program or profession. Last but not least, don’t stress. Just because you are an Indian IT guy (or a member of some other common subgroup in the applicant pool), doesn’t mean that you don’t possess other unique qualities that will make you an attractive candidate at top b-schools.  By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business SchoolsOverrepresented MBA Applicants and Business School Diversity [Resource page] • 4 Tips For Indian MBA Applicants • An Indian MBA Applicant Story: Accepted to Top 3 Choices with $$$ Tags: MBA Admissions The post What to Do if You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
19 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Kellogg 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
 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. Optional: Describe how your relevant global experiences have influenced you professionally. 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. Optional: Is there anything else that you would like to add to help us in evaluating your candidacy? 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. Optional: Describe any major reports, instructional materials, or manuals that you have prepared or any research, inventions, or other creative work. 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. Optional: Please list the business/professional/community organizations in which you are active. Note “are active.” Not “were active.” Rolling admissions:  * While applications are accepted on a rolling basis, we encourage you to apply early to the program. Why? Each class has a limited number of seats — and if you apply after a class is filled, your application will be moved to the next admissions cycle. If you would like professional guidance with your School Name EMBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Package, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the School Name EMBA application. 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! Related Resources: • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • School Specific Executive MBA Essay Tips • Executive MBA Pros & Cons Tags: MBA Admissions The post Kellogg 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Feb 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses |
 Are you prepared to discuss your weaknesses? What do you do when you read/hear the weakness question? Schools are assessing how well you self evaluate. Like a business problem, they want to hear your plan of action, your implementation, and your success rate. Here are some tips to help you a) think about and evaluate your weaknesses, and b) be prepared to write about them in an essay or discuss them in an interview. [b]1. Prepare answers in advance. [/b]When an interviewer asks, “So Natalie, tell me about your weaknesses and what you did to overcome them?” you don’t want to be left silent drawing or blank, or worse – caught off guard and say something crazy like “Gosh, there are so many, I don’t even know where to begin.” Ding! 2. Be honest. If you have been let go from a position, you need to discuss the lessons learned from this negative situation and how you overcame the situation. If you have a procrastination problem, you need to talk about ways in which you’re working on boosting your time management skills. 3. Remain professionally focused. Don’t discuss your addiction to video games or your weakness for chocolate. It’s also certainly not the time to talk about anything inappropriate. We’re talking about work-related, professional weaknesses. 4. Focus on your own weaknesses. Don’t talk about your cousin’s attraction to arson or your mother-in-law’s conspiratorial behavior. Don’t discuss about how your boss is a jerk or how you can’t stand your coworker’s habit of nail biting or how your desk is unorganized because the guy your share your cubicle with always throws his garbage your way. This question is about YOU and your weaknesses – don’t shift the attention or the blame onto someone else. 5. Proactively address the issues. If you have a quantitative weakness, take courses that address the weakness (accounting, statistics). Don’t wait for the admissions committee to ask you to take a course. If you are uncomfortably shy, getting involved with an organization like Toastmasters can help you, and show the committee that you’re taking steps to overcome that challenge. 6. Avoid clichés. “Gee, I guess I just work too hard sometimes” is a copout – the adcom/interviewer will know that deep down you’re proud of your intense work ethic. It is the life of a student to work hard – don’t use that as your “weakness.” If you need help drafting your essay or framing your answer for your interview, Accepted is here to help you. Please contact us for assistance.   By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey. Related Resources: • 5 A’s for Your Low GPA [Podcast episode] • Writing About Overcoming Obstacles in Your Application Essays • Can You Get Accepted After Doing Something Stupid? Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Feb 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: London Business School 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips |
  In the LBS EMBA website landing page, a short introduction to the program includes the words “transform,” “transition,” and “catalyst.” Also, “accelerate” and “propel.” This is a clear message from the adcom: the program goes beyond conveying necessary skills for senior managers; it is for people who have a dynamic sense of their future and a willingness to change and grow, as well as to study and learn. Your essays should mirror and convey this dynamic sense, this energy, this vigor. Question 1: How has the scope of your management experience affected your career objectives? (500 word max) This is a goals question, albeit rather indirect. And the question itself reflects the dynamic perspective: rather than “what” your career goals are, it asks you to present them as a part of an ongoing process. It’s an essay for which the most work might come before you write it – in the preliminary thinking process. Make it an exercise: FIRST, define your career objectives (short and longer term). SECOND, identify what factors influenced the development of those objectives. THIRD, of those factors, single out those related (directly and/or indirectly) to your management experience. Now, you’ve got the raw material for your essay. In the actual essay, you could start with career objectives and work back to portray the related management experience – or vice versa. Either way, be specific in all aspects – make your goals concrete, and use anecdote and detail in describing the influential management experience. Question 2: What was your response to a piece of feedback that you have received regarding an area of weakness? (500 words max) The adcom wants to see how frankly you portray the feedback and your own shortcoming, and how insightfully you contextualize your experience. Secondarily, it’s about change –did you grow and change as a result of the feedback? This essay will be most compelling and engaging if written as a story. Start right in with the story’s setting – where, who, when (ideally make it a fairly recent experience, and one that holds some meaningful stakes). Then progress through the story, highlighting not just what you and the other party said and did, but also your thinking as the story progresses. Finally, give a short example of how you have applied this feedback (or your learning from this feedback experience) subsequently – in other words, how you grew. Question 3: Please choose ONE essay from the following two options: (500 words max) If you could choose any three people who have ever lived to join you for dinner, who would you invite and why? OR If you were on the cover of any publication in 10 years, what would the headline and the content of the article be? If the first two questions are rooted in real-world, concrete experience, this question urges you to “play” a little and use your imagination, wit, creativity, and possibly broader passions in answering. Which should you answer? Both are equally good; it depends on which serves your needs and interest best. There are various viable and effective approaches to this essay. One is “gut instinct” and personal appeal. I.e., if one of these questions strikes a chord with you, engages you, and you have an idea that you like, probably it will be an effective essay. Go with it! BUT, do apply some objective, focused analysis as well. Ensure that your content truly illuminates you in some new and fresh way relevant to the application, and do use detail and example to make your essay credible and vivid. Another approach is strategic. If your imagination isn’t tickled by these questions, instead analyze and plan. What relevant and interesting aspects of your profile aren’t yet portrayed (or portrayed adequately) in the application? Identify one or two such points, and work back from that to find suitable topics for one of the two questions. BUT: don’t be too heavy handed with the essay, which wouldn’t align with the question’s tone. Random pitfalls: • If you choose the first question, please don’t use very obvious or overly angelic people (I’ve seen this essay answered with Gandhi and Mother Teresa more often than I can believe over 15 years.) Rather, discuss people who show your creative thinking and/or are personally meaning to you. • If you choose the second question, don’t turn the essay into a second goals essay. Ensure that it extends the portrayal of you in some way. If you would like professional guidance with your London Business School EMBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our MBA Application Package, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edits for the LBS EMBA application. 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! Related Resources: • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice podcast • School-Specific EMBA Application Essay Tips • London Business School Zone Page Tags: MBA Admissions The post London Business School 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
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