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09 Mar 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Cornell Johnson Straight Out of College: A Young Entrepreneur’s Story [Episode 144] |
 Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Considering an MBA at Cornell Johnson? Or are you thinking of applying to MBA programs with less-than-average work experience? If this is you, you’ll want to listen to this week’s show! Introducing our guest [0:44] Meet Jonathan Hua, a first year MBA student at Cornell Johnson and Editor in Chief of the Cornell Business Journal. He is also an Associate of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute at Johnson and co-founder of the start-up UNICiD. Jonathan grew up in Taipei, and attended Rice University in Houston, where he earned his bachelors in history and got bit by the start-up bug. Somewhere along the way he spent two years in Tokyo, He plays trumpet and also trains for triathlons. Path to b-school [1:47] He started off pre-med, but when his friend recruited him to work with a start-up, he became interested in business. Realizing his strength in communication, he decided on a history major. He applied to b-schools his senior year and deferred offers to work on UNICiD—a 3D fitting room application for online shopping. Working on start-ups made him realize he needs a formal b-school education. Learning about leadership from diverse fields – such as history [7:10] Why Cornell Johnson? [7:35] Jonathan anted a new challenge in a very different environment (new climate, small town vs big city). He was impressed by the core curriculum and respected Cornell’s recent investment in entrepreneurship education – an example is the Cornell Tech campus. Any challenges adjusting? [10:35] Small town forces you to be more proactive—a good experience. Hardest part of the application process [12:20] Since he was applying right out of college, he didn’t have traditional work experience to draw on in his application. The essays are also challenging – such as the Table of Contents essay, which requires creativity. How he made the case for admission with no work experience [14:55] Focused on describing his goals and the practical management experience he’d gotten from his startup experience (teamwork, leadership, getting funding, etc). Identified what he needed from b-school, why it was important to go: sold them on potential. What’s great about Johnson? [19:30] It’s academically challenging. Team projects are great, and the experience of working with diverse team members is a really valuable part of the experience. Areas that have fallen short [21:52] The MBA program is working on boosting entrepreneurship education, but the resources still aren’t as extensive as they are for other areas (such as finance). Cornell Business Journal: his plans [28:20] Looking to publish his first issue as editor-in-chief by April. He plans to expand the scope of the journal beyond the b-school: looking for writers from diverse backgrounds interested in policy issues, the application of business concepts to broader topics, etc. His model is The Economist. Associate of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute [31:45] This means he takes entrepreneurship classes, promotes entrepreneurship education at Johnson, and will complete a capstone project (capstone can be starting your own company, helping another start-up, etc). Associates who fulfill all the requirements become “Fellows” of the Institute at graduation. Has what he’s learned in class helped him with his start-up? [34:00] Yes, definitely! Courses in financial management, marketing, etc. have given him a fuller understanding of how to run a business. Summer and Post-MBA plans [36:18] He plans to take the start up to an incubator in Silicon Valley to work on developing the project with resources there (funding, mentors). If that doesn’t work out, then he would like to gain experience working with a start-up. Advice for applicants [39:40] Reach out to the committee (he knows people who were waitlistedwho reached out and got in). He contacted professors before he applied and thinks the connection helped. Making personal connections with professors [42:40] He researched their professional/start-up experience, their research, their courses, etc. He read their work (articles and books) and asked questions that showed real interest (and a connection between his interests/goals and their work).  Related Links: • Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn • Johnson Social Media Ambassador Blog• Cornell Business Journal• 5 Important Lessons from my First Semester in the Cornell MBA• Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute• Cornell Johnson MBA program• Johnson at Cornell University 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines• My Visit to Cornell Johnson• Cornell Johnson zone page Related Shows: • Honing in On the Cornell Johnson MBA• Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC• Entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson• An HBS Student Helping HBS Applicants• An Entrepreneurial Success Story: Interview with Jon Medved• Stanford GSB Alum Transforming Online Dating for the Ambitious• Interview with Tom Schick, former Executive VP at American Express Subscribe:    Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions The post Cornell Johnson Straight Out of College: A Young Entrepreneur’s Story [Episode 144] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UVA Darden Expands EMBA & GEMBA Programs to D.C. |
 Starting this August, EMBA and GEMBA (Global EMBA) students will be able to pursue their once-a-month weekend studies in Roslyn, Virginia, across the Potomac River from the heart of Washington, D.C. “Washington, D.C. is a global gateway, where business and government intersect,” said Darden dean, Scott Beardsley. “For 60 years, the Darden School has developed business, government and military leaders through its MBA and executive education programs. The capital region was an obvious choice for our new location, since Virginia has always had close ties to the nation’s capital.” According to the UVA Darden press release, the Washington, D.C. Executive MBA experience will mirror the experience delivered at the Darden campus in Charlottesville, VA. Students will be given the choice of studying primarily at the new D.C. location or at UVA (though all students will spend some time at both campuses), as well as the choice of pursuing the regular EMBA (with a global residency in Europe, India, China, or Brazil) or the global EMBA (with global residences in all four locations). “The School’s mission is to improve the world by developing responsible leaders, who are also global and entrepreneurial. The District’s concentrations in entrepreneurship and innovation, its international influence and its tradition of leadership naturally align with the Darden School’s strengths,” said Beardsley. “The program prepares leaders for high performance through weekend residencies, global residencies and distance learning, of which Darden is a pioneer.” UVA Darden hosts top-ranked EMBA/GEMBA programs. Do you need help getting in? We’d love to help. Check out our UVA Darden B-School Zone, as well as our 1-on-1 EMBA Consulting & Editing Services. Let’s make this happen!   Related Resources: • School-Specific EMBA Application Essay Tips • Executive MBA Pros & Cons • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice (podcast episode) Tags: MBA Admissions The post UVA Darden Expands EMBA & GEMBA Programs to D.C. appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
10 Mar 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 2016 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey Report |
  GMAC released results from its 2016 Alumni Perspectives Survey, based on responses from 14,279 graduate business school alumni from 1980-2015, representing 275 programs in 70 universities at 20 worldwide locations. The survey examines the educational, professional, and personal outcomes of its respondents. ROI is measured based on employment rates, post-degree salary growth, job satisfaction, career advancement, and salary estimates three, five, and ten years post-graduation. 92% percent of alumni were employed at time of survey, of which 3% worked in the C-suite, 18% at the executive level, 31% at the senior level, and 46% at mid-level positions Compensation & ROI • $2.5M – the median cumulative base salary for graduate business school alumni over 20 years post-graduation • 3.5 – the average number of years it takes MBA alumni to recoup their b-school investment (for alumni of full-time MBA programs) • 2.5 – the average number of years it takes MBA alumni to recoup their b-school investment (for alumni of part-time, flexible, online, and executive MBA programs) • 0.8 – the average number of years it takes Master of Accounting graduates to recoup their investment • 1.5 – the average number of years it takes Master of Finance graduates to recoup their investment • 1 – the average number of years it takes Master in Management graduates to recoup their investment Value of the Degree • 95% – alumni who value their degree as “outstanding/excellent” • 93% – alumni who rate their degree as “personally rewarding” • 89% – alumni who rate their degree as “professionally rewarding” • 75% – alumni who rate their degree as “financially rewarding” • 73% – alumni who said their degree provided them with faster career advancement • 59% – alumni who were motivated to pursue their degree to increase their salary Check out the full report for more alumni perspectives.  Related Resources: • The Hottest Skills that will Land You the Hottest Jobs • The GMAC, the GMAT, and the MBA Degree • Jumpstart Your Business Career with a Masters in Management Program Tags: MBA Admissions The post 2016 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey Report appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
11 Mar 2016, 15:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Test Your MBA Reapplication IQ! |
  The most important thing you can do is show that you’ve grown. Our blog series, 12 Terrific Tips, offers specialized advice for MBA applicants in a range of situations – from deciding between an MBA and EMBA program, to applying as a member of an overpopulated sub-group, to acing your interviews…and loads more. Here’s the next post! Last year’s application was rejected, so you’re aiming your sights high and trying again. Congratulations on working hard to make your b-school dream come true! Most MBA reapplicants are concerned about how the adcoms will see them as they reapply. Test your MBA reapplication knowledge by deciding if the following statements are true or false: 1. True or false: Your reapplication shows that you are sincere and dedicated to the idea of attending b-school, so the MBA admissions committee will be sure to admit you. False! Don’t think that you will be rewarded automatic MBA admission for going through the long, arduous process again. Admission to a top b-school as a reapplicant will require you to prove that you are a worthwhile contender, no matter how many times you’ve gone through the process. 2. True or false: If you were dinged once from b-school, then you probably will be again. False! A lot of applicants – whether for the second (or third…) time – feel that it’s a waste of time to reapply. If I was rejected once, why would they accept me now? This is NOT the way to think. A year is a long time. There are so many things you can do to show how you’ve advanced and expanded your qualifications that it would be foolish NOT to apply again. B-schools will seldom treat your position as a reapplicant negatively. 3. True or false: The best way to view your reapplication status is as a neutral one. True! The truth is that your position lies somewhere between #1 and #2 above. Some schools may praise you for applying again, and most won’t hold your previous rejection against you. The most important thing you can do – regardless of which schools you are reapplying to – is show that you’ve grown and been able to increase your qualifications for admission. How is this done? Design a solid reapplication plan after diligently assessing the mistakes you made in past applications. Do you need help boosting your reapplication IQ? Get all the advice you need to develop a winning reapplication strategy. VisitMBA Reapplication 101.  Related Resources: • The MBA Admissions Directors’ Recipes for Rejection • 4 Reasons You Got Dinged (And What You Can Do About It) • Rejection Review Service Tags: MBA Admissions The post Test Your MBA Reapplication IQ! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
13 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: UCLA Anderson Executive MBA 2016 Application Essay Tips & Deadlines |
  For its essay questions, the UCLA EMBA adcom is bucking the “less is more” trend in terms of length. The two main essays are both a hefty 750 words, long enough to allow – indeed to require – some in-depth exposition, reflection, analysis, and description. These two questions together cover past, present, and future, in that order. Essay 1 addresses the past by asking for a particular story, and essay 2 addresses the present and future by asking about why-goals-now. The questions indicate that the adcom believes the personal informs the professional; who you are informs your career and your work, and therefore who you are as a person matters. Therefore, it helps to see these essays as two phases of a continuum: • In essay 1 portray qualities, skills, and experience(s) that support your goals; • In essay 2 show that the goals make sense as fulfilling the mission and purpose of the character portrayed in essay 1. Essay 1: Legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden once said that one’s leadership is derived from one’s character. Give an example of how you have inspired others to follow your lead by your character, personal leadership style, and the example you have set. (750 words max) There are two keywords in this question: lead/leadership and character. The implication in the latter word is that UCLA seeks applicants who not only have the requisite track record of leadership and impact that is commonly sought by top EMBA programs, but also gravitas, depth as a human being. Your chosen example should include leadership/impact and gravitas/depth. You can select a topic for this essay either from your work experience or outside it. That said, for most people I suggest going with a work example, in order to give the adcom a glimpse of you in your interesting work environment, handling important and high-stakes situations. Go with a non-work example if it has some specific strategic value for your application. Also, use a relatively recent experience if possible, to let the adcom see the person who will show up in the classroom. Let the story itself carry most of the weight in the essay – depict not just the story of leadership but how you inspired others to follow through your character, example, and personal leadership style. At the end, write a short concluding paragraph summarizing this explicitly. Essay 2. Why is it important to pursue an MBA at this particular time in your career, on the UCLA Anderson campus? (750 words max) You may want to start by briefly discussing your current career situation as a starting point. Then explain how you’ll move on to your future goals. In describing your goals at any given point, indicate why you are taking that step or pursuing that role. Give more detail about the roles you plan immediately post-MBA and the several years following; they should include specific positions, company, scope of responsibilities, and desired impact (i.e. what your desired “footprint” in that role would be). Longer-term goals need less detail, but they should present a clear direction, building on the earlier roles. There is clear emphasis on “at this particular time in your career.” If you develop your goals effectively, actually “why now” should be quite apparent, but do directly address this point directly with at least a sentence and at most a short paragraph. In discussing why you want to attend the program and study at the UCLA Anderson campus, be specific: describe what skills and knowledge you need, and how the program meets those needs. Refer to the features of the program that are most important to you, detailing how they will support you and your goals. The question’s mention of “the Anderson campus” also invites discussion of aspects of the program beyond the specifically academic – the location, the culture, etc. Essay 3. Upload your organizational chart, either official or original, to illustrate your relationship and position to that of the C-Level and/or Board of Directors. Ensure that this chart is clear and thorough: include position titles and departments/function names. A picture is worth a thousand words, and although it contains words, this chart is essentially a snapshot of your current professional status: your level of responsibility and accountability, the context for your performance and achievements. Essay 4. For reapplicants only: Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words max) Discuss professional developments such as promotions, awards, and new projects, as well as any significant community involvements and/or educational endeavors. Describe the activity/experience, and note its positive impact if any. Try to include an anecdote for at least 1-2 of the activities discussed – given the word allowance, you have room for some detail. Finally, be selective and present only those activities that are relevant and enhance your application and candidacy in some way. Deadlines: Round 2—April 1, 2016; final round—May 1, 2016  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: • 5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • Tips for Executive MBA Reapplicants Tags: MBA Admissions The post UCLA Anderson Executive MBA 2016 Application Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
13 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Share Your Experience. Take This Survey |
  Have you been accepted to b-school? Help others get to where you’ve gotten by sharing your experiences in the 2016 AIGAC survey. This survey is for applicants who have been admitted to one or more business schools that start Aug./Sept. 2016. Your survey results will help everyone involved in the admissions process – from the business schools themselves to consultants like us to applicants like you. You can read more about AIGAC (Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants) and this survey here. Do your part to help out those around you by taking this survey by March 15th – plus, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win $500!  SURVEY BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Since 2009, the AIGAC MBA Applicant Survey has solicited the perspective of MBA applicants across the globe on their application experience. As featured in Poets & Quants, The Wall Street Journal, and Businessweek, our survey helps frame and drive conversations with key influencers in the MBA admissions process. The AIGAC Survey helps stakeholders understand the tools applicants use to research programs. We also gain insight into the reasons that applicants select programs, as well as their career and salary expectations. At the 2014 AIGAC Annual Conference, Columbia admissions officers told us they changed their recommendation process based on our survey feedback. Thereafter, at the 2014 GMAC Annual Conference, we took our survey insights directly to the gatekeepers, and gained insights into what admissions officers most want to know from applicants. We are proud to help facilitate this ongoing dialogue. In 2015 we continued this proactive approach to communicate applicant feedback to schools and media through a webinar that released the results/findings of our 2015 survey. Tags: MBA Admissions The post Share Your Experience. Take This Survey appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays |
 Paint a picture that truly depicts the creative workings of your mind. One of most important pieces of advice I can give you regarding your personal statements and application essays is this: Show, don’t tell. Here are three tips to help you achieve this must-have writing goal: 1. Show the steps you’ve taken. If you are writing about a goal you achieved or a project you completed, providing the step-by-step process you followed will add depth and validity to your claims. “Within six months I was promoted to Junior Account Manager” is not nearly as compelling as spelling out the specific measures you took to obtain the recognition that landed you your fast-tracked promotion. Similarly, don’t just tell the adcom that you have overcome your weakness of procrastination; instead, show them by giving concrete examples of specific things you’ve done to become a more efficient person. 2. Provide examples of strengths and skills. You say that you are creative, mature, and an excellent leader. But how? What have you done specifically and what impact have you made on your teammates/co-workers/company/community/world-at-large? Saying that you’re creative won’t cut it; instead share a story or paint a picture (with words) that truly depicts the creative workings of your mind. 3. Offer details whenever possible. Your story of success will be more believable and more memorable if you provide a few details. Remember, when showing instead of just telling about your achievements, your readers are going to want to see a picture of who you are and what you’ve done. Add vibrant details – talk about the number of people on your team; the amount of money you raised; the eager and nervous feelings you experienced while launching your new product; the fear you felt, followed by the extreme remorse, and then the resolve to do better that you experienced when you botched a project – all these details will add color and life to the picture you’re painting for the adcom. Boastful claims like, “I am a team leader” or “I have excellent communication skills” won’t do much to convince the adcom of your strengths if they’re not backed up with evidence. Remember when writing your essays: show, don’t tell.   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 Schools5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid on your Personal Statement • 3 Essential Components of a Personal Statement • First Drafts Of Personal Statements: Let Yourself Go Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
14 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: The New GMAC Executive Assessment for EMBA Applicants |
  Introducing the EA! GMAC just launched the new Executive Assessment (EA) test which EMBA applicants can take instead of the GMAT or GRE. Applicants can still take and submit GMAT/GRE scores, but according to GMAC, the EA will become the new industry standard. Here are some key features of the EA: • The EA will test a student’s analytical abilities such as higher-order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving – skills that students applying to EMBA programs will have acquired during their careers. • It will be scored less “rigidly,” and only requires “modest” preparation. • There will be three 30-minute sections – Integrated Reasoning, Math, and Verbal. • One can take the EA exam at the same 600 centers worldwide where the GMAT is administered. • Only six b-schools are participating in the EA launch – CEIBS, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, HKU, INSEAD, and London Business School. The EA costs $350 vs $250 for the GMAT and $160 (or $190 outside the U.S.) for the GRE. Learn more about the new EA here and about how we can help you ace the exam and the other parts of your EMBA application.  Related Resources: • Ace the EMBA: Expert Advice for the Rising Executive • School-Specific Executive MBA Essay Tips • The GMAT and EMBA Programs Tags: MBA Admissions The post The New GMAC Executive Assessment for EMBA Applicants appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
15 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Ways to Optimize Your Online Presence Before Submitting Applications |
  Analyze your online presence before the adcoms do! You’ve filled out your entire application, perfected your essays, secured killer recommendations, and written a CV that truly shows off your skills and experiences. You’re ready to submit, right? WRONG! There’s one more thing you need to do, and you should do it NOW, before the adcoms start googling. Optimize your online presence. Here are 5 things ways to do it: 1. Google yourself If you want to see what they’ll see, start with a simple Google search for your name. Once you see where you have a presence and where you don’t, then you can continue to the next few steps here. 2. Clean up your act Your entire application could be 100%, but if the adcoms see your Facebook or Instagram littered with inappropriate pictures, your Twitter feed overflowing with obscenities, and that blog post where you rant about items that should never have seen the light of day, much less been published for the world to see, that 720 GMAT score (or other perfect or near-perfect score) might get overlooked. Keep questionable content private; or better yet, delete it all. (After all, is anything online ever really private?) 3. Get social Lest you think that we think that social media is bad, our next piece of advice here is that you MAKE SURE that you have your social media bases covered. Any tech-savvy, modern applicant should have a LinkedIn account, and having other social accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are totally acceptable (though not needed professionally). While you don’t want to get in trouble for overusing and oversharing (see #2), you also don’t want to appear like a caveman totally out of the social media world. 4. Become more findable You can optimize other people’s search results for your name by doing a number of quick fixes: First, you can buy your domain name – pick a URL with your name in it and use that site to keep all your social info in one place (i.e. links to your social media profiles on other sites). You can also use https://gmatclub.com/chat, WordPress, and Tumblr to consolidate your social presence and make yourself easily searchable. Also, by claiming vanity URLs for your social profiles (setting up /yourname at the end of a link), you can make profile sharing easier and further optimize your online presence (here’s how you do this on LinkedIn). 5. Make what’s found reflect well on you It doesn’t have to be boring or overly professional. You can have passions and other interests. You can even have political opinions or religious beliefs. That’s all fine. Even good. But if you have a few posts, pics, tweets, or status updates that don’t reflect well on you and that you can’t get rid of, post new, positive material to push the old stuff down the rankings. Maybe you can’t make it disappear, but you can make it less prominent. So clean up what you can, replace what you can’t, and make your social media presence a plus if an admissions officer decides to google you (which they most likely will do!). Still not ready to click “Submit”? Don’t push that button until you’re confident that you’re presenting the best application possible! Get in touch with us so we can help.  Related Resources: • The Quick Guide to Admissions Resumes • Can You Get Accepted After Doing Something Stupid? • Will Facebook Destroy Your Admissions Chances? Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 5 Ways to Optimize Your Online Presence Before Submitting Applications appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
16 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: MCAT Prep and the Result of a Harvard Business School Education |
 Today’s show has something for pre-meds looking to prepare for the MCAT and for MBA wannabes interested in Harvard Business School. << Click here to listen to the show >> Meet Alec Lee [1:15] Alec is the co-founder of the online prep course M Prep. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2011 with a BS in BioTechnology and a minor in philosophy. After completing the first year of his MBA program at HBS, he decided to take a leave of absence to work on a start-up. What is M Prep [2:07] It’s a full-service MCAT prep company. They started by offering an MCAT question of the day – to help students prepare on a daily basis (and avoid procrastination). And now they’ve grown that product into passage-based prep and a full prep course. They also offer other services/resources, such as a database of med school info, etc. How M Prep has adapted to the new MCAT [3:25] They started developing resources a few years ago when AAMC released info on the new exam. Overall, the strategic goals of the new exam are the same as the old one, so there’s some overlap. But the new sociology/psychology section required substantial development, as did the biochem material. They’ve also upgraded their prep materials in response to the actual exam after it was released. Focus on content review or test strategies? [5:45] Everyone knows what subjects will be tested – there are a lot of free resources for content review. So M Prep’s goal is to add value on the strategy side. But they also do a comprehensive content review. What students should know about preparing for the new MCAT [7:00] For the old exam, he advised 2-4 months prep time; now he advises 6 months, especially if applicants are full-time students. And it’s best to take as many pre-reqs as possible before the exam (especially soc/psych and biochem), to be ready for that material. When should applicants retake the MCAT? [9:20] Aim for the scores you need, not the scores you want – that is, know what it actually takes to get into med school. The new MCAT is a bit of a wildcard at the moment. Factors to consider when deciding whether to retake the exam: the combination of your MCAT and GPA (do you need a higher MCAT to offset a lower GPA?). What schools are you applying to? Transition period for new MCAT [14:45] Schools are adjusting to data from the revised exam, so it’s only natural for scores to be weighted a little less while they get used to the new exam. What’s next for M Prep [15:35] Launching a full set of practice exams for the new MCAT – the first three are coming soon, and more in a few months. They’re developing a lot of new content. Advice for premeds [17:08] Start early! It makes a big difference for test prep. Let the MCAT be a rite of passage – see it as an important step, rather than something you just have to endure. Attitude matters. When you’re looking for help with test prep, consider the track record of the instructor in helping students prep for the exam. Look for someone who’s a good coach and teacher – not just someone who has a high MCAT score. His HBS experience, and why he took a leave of absence [21:40] He did the 1st year required curriculum – he loved the courses and especially loved the environment (studying with the talented people in his class). But he realized that a two-year program goes by fast, and he wanted to make more thoughtful, goal-directed choices about his time at HBS. So he opted to take a leave of absence (HBS allows up to 5 years). He sees a risk of losing relationships, but the potential to explore projects and consider his goals for when he goes back. Should MBAs think about those goals before b-school? [25:00] He thinks it’s important to do some soul searching up front: the people who know exactly what they came for do get the most out of b-school. Having direction is important. Has his HBS experience helped him run M Prep? [28:04] Yes: he’s drawn on it when negotiating contracts, etc – but he’s also found that the skills he gained from the case method help him frame situations effectively and solve problems. Advice for MBA applicants [31:25] It’s helpful to have direction and goals, even if you’re a career changer who will be using b-school to explore. People who know what they want to get out of b-school will be able to use their time more effectively. Related Links: • Register for the MCAT webinar• M Prep/MCAT Question of the Day• Should I Retake the MCAT? • Navigating the Med School Maze, a free download Related Shows: • Shadowing Experiences Around the Globe with Gap Medics • MedHounD Hunts The Right Med School for You • MCAT Scores, MCAT Prep, and #MCAT2015• MCAT Mania: How to Prepare• Learning by Osmosis: Premeds, Med Students Take It All In!• How to Upload Medical Terminology To Your Permanent Memory Subscribe:  Tags: Admissions Straight Talk, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post MCAT Expertise + Harvard MBA Experience [Episode 145] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
16 Mar 2016, 12:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: University of Michigan Ross 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines |
  The Ross EMBA essay questions are straightforward and succinct. Your essays should embody these qualities – and indeed they’ll have to be succinct, given the 400-word length limits. Taken together, the questions are actually holistic, encompassing both professional and personal dimensions. Each question focuses on one of these dimensions, and each gives a specific lens through which to focus and shape your answer. Thus, while you address each of the two questions’ particular points, also have you answers reflect and portray the larger picture of your career and your character/personality. ESSAYS: 1. What are you most proud of? How does it shape who you are today? (400 words max) Whether you select a topic for this essay from work or from outside of work, the gist of the essay will be personal, because you must explain how the chosen experience shaped you. The wording “who you are” implies fundamentally as a person, not just professionally. Select the topic with an eye to where your application strategy and your heart converge. The “heart” element gives your essay immediacy and authenticity. Finally, show action on your part in discussing what you’re most proud of – adcoms want doers, people who make things happen. Maybe you’re most proud of resolving an issue or address a challenge or helping someone – all actions. But if you’re most proud of a cultural or religious affiliation or something else not inherently an action, add in some activity or action you took (or take) related to that affiliation. In discussing how the experience shapes who you are, don’t just explain but also include a brief example (a sentence or even a phrase may suffice) as concrete evidence of this shaping influence. 2. What are your career goals and how will a Ross MBA help you achieve these? (400 words max) You may want to start by discussing, briefly and engagingly, your current career situation as a starting point. Then explain how you’ll move on to your future goals. In describing your goals at any given point, indicate why you are taking that step or pursuing that role. Give more detail about the roles you plan immediately post-MBA and the several years following; it should include specific positions, company, scope of responsibilities, and desired impact (i.e. what your desired “footprint” in that role would be). Longer-term goals need less detail, but they should present a clear direction, building on the earlier roles. In discussing how the program will benefit you, be specific: describe what skills and knowledge you need, and how the program meets those needs. Also refer to the structure and special features of the program that are most important to you, detailing how they will support you and your goals. Deadlines:  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: • 5 Key Qualifying Factors the EMBA Adcoms Look For • Excellent Executive MBA Admissions Advice • 3 Key Ways to Stand Out Through Your EMBA Essays Tags: MBA Admissions The post University of Michigan Ross 2016 Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
17 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Two Years After My Harvard MBA |
 Graduation day is fast approaching for business school students, which means most are asking: What’s next? What is my life going to look like after school? Or should I go back and attend more schooling? These were questions I was asking myself two years ago as my own graduation from HBS approached. Now, two years out of the program, I have some perspective, and I think it’s useful. If you are considering an MBA or other graduate level education, keep reading.  Image Credit: BestReviews.com Lessons learned: 1. Not all Harvard MBA students are raking in the dough. While some graduates do command incredible salaries eventually, none that I am aware of made millions their first year after school. Furthermore, in many anecdotal cases, those who choose jobs making less money than their peers were often the happiest and found their jobs most rewarding. 2. Men still make more than women in some fields, but not all. There is an earning variance between men and women, but it’s not universal that men make more. As you can see above, while women do make less than men in most fields, they command larger wages in non-profits and HR. 3. Prepare to hop jobs. I changed jobs less than two years after graduation. Many of us did. Some people changed for personal reasons (geographic preference or relationships), and others moved after being exposed to unexpected opportunities for learning or places they could leverage their expanding skills. Moreover, many dozens of my peers found something amazing, unexpected, and risky, and yet were comfortable making a leap into the unknown given the confidence in their future derived in large part from graduating from HBS. 4. A Harvard MBA is not a ticket to Easy Street. Some people believe a myth that with a Harvard MBA you can start slacking and still succeed. The truth is the opposite. No matter your education, your work ethic will be the deciding factor in your success. Someone else without your academic background may feel they have something to prove, and they could be prepared to work rings around you. Putting in the work, even after a grueling education, is still required for success, as well as gaining the trust of others for increased responsibility and authority. Your MBA sends a powerful positive signal. But it does not show up in the morning and work. Only you can do that. 5. Your network is everything. The combination of your proven abilities and your access to influential people in their fields matters. Regardless of the industry or function you enter, there is a strong chance that at some point early in your career another alum will be able to help you out in a meaningful manner. In my own case, a friend of a friend from HBS helped me secure a call with a potential client only a few months into my first job after school. Without his support this prospective client might have never spoken to me (as they had turned down calls with other sales representatives from my company for months). With this kind introduction a relationship was formed, and eventually a deal was closed, and later on this client was one of the largest revenue drivers for my entire business unit. 6. You don’t have to be seen as an elitist. You can be snobby about your MBA if you want. But why? I have found that staying humble and learning from everyone is the best course of action. Using the knowledge I gained from business school to help others has made a lasting difference in both business relationships as well as personal ones. Helping a friend polish his or her resume or prepare for an interview, and then watching them get a job offer, is a pretty exciting experience. 7. Business school habits die hard. Time management, wellness, healthy living, and a lifelong pursuit of learning and growth are all traits you can develop or refine at business school. For many (myself included), basic habits that I honed daily during HBS continue to be invaluable today in terms of maintaining balance and health. I found the two years critical to establishing many of the building blocks in my career. 8. B-school buddies are priceless. No one will be able to convince you that the expense of B-school, roughly $200K in direct costs at most full-time programs today (not to mention opportunity cost, which you hopefully learn about in business school), is cheap. Business School is a huge investment. However, amazing friendships that enrich your life are not an item you should put a price tag on. The unquantified items from business school — time spent reflecting, time with wonderful friends, and the forging of new relationships — will have more lasting value than you can imagine right now.   This guest post is written by Ben Faw. Ben is a Co-Founder and COO at BestReviews, helping arm consumers with confidence and clarity to simplify purchasing decisions. His education includes West Point, Harvard Business School, and multiple military schools including Ranger and Airborne School. Related Resources: • Harvard Business School 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • An HBS Student Helping HBS Applicants • 2016 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey Report Tags: Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions The post Two Years After My Harvard MBA appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
18 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Tips for Your MBA Resume |
  Question #1: Who are you? Our blog series, 12 Terrific Tips, offers specialized advice for MBA applicants in a range of situations – from deciding between an MBA and EMBA program, to applying as a member of an overpopulated sub-group, to acing your interviews…and loads more. Here’s the final post! Your MBA resume essentially serves as your career’s “greatest hits.” On 1-2 pages, you’re given the opportunity to highlight your most impressive academic and professional experiences. Answer these 5 questions to create a stunning resume that’ll grab the attention of top b-school adcom and boost your chances of getting accepted: [b]1. Who are you?[/b] Interview yourself and examine the jobs you’ve had, the skills you’ve acquired, and your “greatest hits” as a professional. What are some of your most impressive skills or talents? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What have you achieved that gained you the most recognition? How have you impacted your organization or influenced coworkers? What are some of your key successes? Look through old emails that may jog your memory, read performance reviews or LI recommendations, and jot down some notes chronicling your career achievements. [b]2. Where are you applying?[/b] The best way to convince the adcom that you’re best for their school is to understand the school’s mission, strengths, and ideals. When putting together your resume, you’ll need to learn as much as possible about the program you’re applying to. Then, customize your resume to reflect the aspects of your background that are most relevant to your target school. Note: You want the language of your resume to match the school’s mission/strength/ideals, but be sure that you’re not just parroting back what’s on their site. Your goal is to internalize their vision and present your complementary ideals, not to cut and paste or directly mimic their language. [b]3. What are some of your specific accomplishments? [/b] Saying that you “led your team to success” just won’t cut it. Impact is measured in numbers, so you want to make sure that your resume’s numbers are high. Details matter. Look how much more impressive something like this sounds: “Designed $3 million IT strategy that increased revenue by 11% and attracted 7 new clients” compared to “Developed IT plan that was selected for implementation.” If you work for a private company and can’t disclose revenue figures, refer to percentage increases or improvements or cite the improved industry ranking of the organization’s product or performance as a result of your contribution. Think of numbers and other hard details as proof that you can deliver. [b]4. Are you being honest?[/b] If you dropped out of your CPA course just before finals, don’t say that you completed the course. If you were one of eight equally ranked members of a team, don’t say you were team leader. If you worked for four months at a company, don’t say you were there for a year. You get the point. Making up degrees, accomplishments, and other personal and professional facts is just a bad idea. Don’t do it – it’s unethical and potentially self-destructive. Schools won’t hesitate to show students the door when they learn that their resume, or any other parts of their application for that matter, are more fiction than fact. [b]5. Does your resume look good? [/b] Yes, it’s important that your resume sounds good. But how does it look? A slapdash job will portray you as a sloppy, careless person. A featureless, plain display will make you look uninteresting or boring. The solution here isn’t to create a hot pink background bordered by birds and flowers; but adding a few design elements will do wonders to spruce up your resume and show that you put some thought into your presentation. A few suggestions: • Instead of the traditional circle bullet or dash, use the less common diamond- and arrow-shaped bullet. • Use expanded text (kerning) to highlight a key term. • Enclose certain sections of your resume in shaded boxes. No matter what you, keep in mind that less is more – you don’t want a cluttered resume that will be difficult to read. And if your target school specifies format rules (particularly regarding margins, page number, and font), be sure to follow theirs to a T. This may mean toning down your creative flair for design to fit their standard.  Related Resources: • Twelve Terrific Tips for MBA Applicants [free guide] • Six Tips For Better Resumes • 9 Do’s And Don’ts For Your Application Resume Tags: MBA Admissions The post 5 Tips for Your MBA Resume appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
20 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 5 Things the Adcoms Hate |
  When I was admissions director there were some things applicants would do that were apparently minor, but that I found to be very annoying. Here are my top 5 “hates” that I’m sure are shared by many AdComs: 1. Asking for information that can be easily found on the school’s website. Some applicants would do that to “make conversation” or to try to get on the adcom’s good side by letting them “brag” about the school’s strong points. Don’t fall into that trap; it can interpreted as laziness or lack of knowledge about your intended school. Do your research before you talk or email the adcom. 2. Not answering the question. Schools put a lot of effort in designing their essay questions to get the information they consider important for deciding whether an applicant is a good fit for the school or not. They are aware that you are applying to multiple schools, but really dislike when applicants provide generic answers that do not address the finer details they consider important for their decision. Make sure to tailor your answers to fit with each individual essay question. 3. Contacting the adcom all-the-time. There are some applicants that just won’t go away. They constantly call with inquiries throughout the application process. This is not only annoying but time consuming and can be detrimental to the outcome of your application. If you must contact the adcom, be strategic, and ask only what you can’t find anywhere else. 4. Demanding feedback. If you were denied and the school clearly states that feedback is not provided, don’t demand it. If you don’t know why they denied you, contact an admissions consultant. My colleagues and I would be happy to provide you with a Rejection Review diagnosis of your application. Also, never attempt to re-apply to a school without understanding what went wrong in your previous application. 5. Last but not least, adcoms truly hate when applicants ask them about their chances of admission. It’s understandable you want to know, but the truth of the matter is that the adcom cannot give you an evaluation on the go. If they happily volunteer their thoughts about the strength of your candidacy, that’s great, but don’t put them on the spot asking them something they are not prepared to answer. Asking about your odds puts them in a very awkward position, particularly when those chances are low. Finally, don’t feel that you have to make yourself known to the adcom by sending them an email about you or your case. Hopefully, they have all they need to know in your application. If you must contact them, do so as you would a prospective employer, with a succinct email, to the point and free of grammatical errors.  By Esmeralda Cardenal, previously the Associate Director of Admissions at Yale SOM, Director of MBA Admissions at MSU Broad, and consultant at Cardiff Business School in the UK. She is happy to help you showcase your achievements in your MBA application. Related Resources: • Linda Abraham’s Admissions Assortment • Can You Get Accepted After Doing Something Stupid? • From Example to Exemplary Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 5 Things the Adcoms Hate appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
21 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: U.S. News Ranks Best Business Schools in 2016 |
 How did your target MBA programs fare this year? Let’s take a look: Top 10 MBA Programs:  Here are some observations and highlights (some from Poets & Quants): • This is the first year in seven years that Stanford hasn’t been in the top spot. The school is now tied for second place with Chicago Booth – and this is the highest position Booth has ever held in the U.S. News rankings. (According to P&Q, this puts Stanford in an “awkward” position.) • Slots 5, 6, and 7 have remained the same now for three years straight, with MIT Sloan, Northewestern Kellogg, and UC Berekeley Haas standing strong. • Yale SOM jumped five places this year, from 13th place to 8th, beating out Columbia, NYU Stern, UVA Darden, Michigan Ross, and Duke Fuqua. This is Yale’s highest rank ever. • Stern dropped from 11th place to 20th place this year. (The P&Q article explains that this is due to a delay in Stern sending information used to calculate the schools average GMAT/GRE scores.) • Biggest winner: University of Missouri’s Trulaske College of Business jumped 20 spots from 79th to 59th this year. (Last year this school had dropped 21 spots!) • Biggest loser: University of Connecticut’s business school at Storrs, plummeted 20 spots from 48th to 68th place. Notes on Methodology: • 379 of the 470 MBA programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International responded to the U.S. News survey in fall 2015, of which 129 provided enough information to be calculated in these rankings. • Indicators include: quality assessment (weighted by 0.40 – 0.25 for the peer assessment and 0.15 for the recruiter assessment); placement success (weighted by 0.35 – 0.14 for mean starting salary and bonus, 0.07 for employment rates at graduation, and 0.14 for employment rates three months post-graduation; student selectivity (weighted by 0.25 – 0.1625 for mean GMAT and GRE scores, 0.075 for mean undergraduate GPA, and 0.0125 for acceptance rate. Read more about U.S. News‘ b-school rankings here.  Related Resources: • U.S. News 2016 Best Graduate Business Schools • 2016 Financial Times Global MBA Rankings • Comparing Top 10 MBA Rankings [Infographic] Tags: MBA Admissions The post U.S. News Ranks Best Business Schools in 2016 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: 4 Application Strategy Tips: Stand Out AND Fit In |
 Be like a mosaic – different so that it fits in perfectly! It can be confusing: Half of the advice you read urges you to stand out in your application, while the other half advises you to explain how you’ll fit in. So which is it? Should you stand out or fit in? The answer, unsurprisingly, is BOTH. You need to show your distinction and demonstrate fit simultaneously. Here are some tips to help you juggle the stand out/fit in dichotomy: 1. Highlight unique interests, hobbies, or activities. You can safely assume that there will be other applicants in your professional/social/economic/geographic group. Whether you’re an Indian IT male applying to b-school or a Long Island Jew applying to law school or an Exeter Prep student applying to an Ivy League college… you’re probably (okay, definitely) not alone. In these cases you’re going to need to highlight your individuality. You’ll need to prove to the adcom that while your profile lands you smack in the middle of their “Typical” file, you’re actually an incredibly distinct and unique person. For example, you play the harp professionally. You started your own moving company when you were 19 years old. You won the regional juggling competition six years in a row. Now you’ve got their attention. 2. Connect your “stand out” factor to your goals to create a coherent overall message. Distinguishing your personality through your unique interests is one way to stand out, but it’s not the only way, or even the most effective way. You should also distinguish yourself by expressing your unique goals. Maybe most psych majors who apply to med school go into psychiatry. Your motivation for becoming a doctor, however, wasn’t the psychology courses you took in college, but your summer job in an orthopedist surgeon’s office. You want to combine your passion in psychology with your interest in the human skeleton to become a geriatric orthopedist. Congratulations – you’re no longer the typical psych-major-turned-med-student! 3. Demonstrate fit for balance. For those who fit snugly into an overrepresented profile group, demonstrating fit should be a piece of cake – after all, so many of you are attracted to Top School X probably because it’s the best school for people like you to pursue their goals. Conversely, those who have no trouble distinguishing themselves (like, say, a coffee farmer from Kenya), may need to tug at their creative strings to make the “fit factor” happen. How do you convince the adcoms that you’re a good fit for their program? By explaining the ways in which you and the program are MFEO – how the program will help you achieve your goals and how you, in turn, will contribute to the class and to the school’s overall goals and missions. 4. Envision a mosaic. A good way to both demonstrate fit and distinguish yourself is to think of a mosaic. Each tile is distinct – with its own shape and color combination – yet when pieced together with the other tiles, becomes part of a large, beautiful, cohesive picture. You want the adcom readers to think that they’ve stumbled upon the missing tile in the mosaic that will become the next Top B-School, College, Law School, Med School, or Grad School Class: YOU. You in all your differentiating glory and unifying power. You who both stands out and fits in perfectly. Related Resources: • 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application Essays! • 3 Tips for Showing Strengths in Your Application Essays • Linda Abraham’s Admissions Assortment Tags: Admissions Consulting, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post 4 Application Strategy Tips: Stand Out AND Fit In appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
22 Mar 2016, 11:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: You CAN Get into B-School with Low Stats…Yep, Even YOU! |
  We want to see you get into your dream school, even with a less-than-ideal GPA or GMAT score. Think it’s impossible? Think again. We’ve been in the biz long enough to know with certainty that this is a goal that’s within your reach. You certainly won’t be a top b-school shoo-in, but then again, no one waltzes into an MBA program, even the less competitive ones. With some hard work, focus, and determination, you can get the job done. It will also help to be armed with expert advice. Join us live on Wednesday, April 6th at 10am PT/1pm ET for Get Accepted to Top B-Schools with Low Stats – a webinar presented by Accepted CEO Linda Abraham, that will help you learn how to overcome a low GMAT/GPA and apply successfully to b-school. Linda has been guiding low-stat-holders through the MBA admissions process for 20+ years. There are specific ways of moving the spotlight away from your stats to shine on your other impressive qualities – and if anyone knows how to do it right, it’s Linda. You – yeah you with the 2.9 GPA – are you ready to do this? We’re ready to help.  Registration is required (and free). Reserve your spot forGet Accepted to Top B-Schools with Low Statsnow! Tags: MBA Admissions The post You CAN Get into B-School with Low Stats…Yep, Even YOU! appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
23 Mar 2016, 11:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: What to do About a Low GPA |
  This week, join us for a rebroadcast of one of our most popular shows – our discussion of how to address a low GPA. Many applicants are concerned about their undergrad GPAs, and nervous that their GPA might be too low for their target graduate program. If this is you, don’t miss this episode! Accepted’s founder & CEO, Linda Abraham, walks you through five practical steps to analyzing and dealing with your low GPA. She also addresses important questions unique to international students: how can you tell if your non-US GPA is low in US terms? Should you translate your GPA to a 4.0 scale? Whether you’re considering applying to b-school, med school, or any other graduate program, this episode has practical advice for you. There’s a reason it’s our most popular show of the year! Don’t miss it. Related Shows: • • What You Need to Know About Post-bac Programs• Train The Brain, Nail The GMAT [Or GRE]• The GMAT, the GRE, and the Guy Who Knows Them Well Related Resources: • Round 3 vs Next Year, upcoming webinar for MBA applicants • MBA Admissions A-Z: U is for Undergrad Grades• Boost Your GPA for Medical School Acceptance• Tips for Medical School Applicants with a Low GPA• MBA Admissions Tip: Dealing with a Low GPA Subscribe:  Tags: Admissions Consulting, Admissions Straight Talk, College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions The post What to Do About a Low GPA [Episode 146] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
24 Mar 2016, 10:00
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: Talking with a Military Tuckie |
  This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. And now for a chat with David Donahue, a student at Dartmouth Tuck. Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? David: Originally I am from Ashland, Massachusetts. I spent my early years going to a small school outside of Boston and then had the opportunity to attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. I was a big athlete in high school (or at least I thought I was) and used sports as a vehicle to get me into an academically strong college. While at Bowdoin, I studied Government and Legal Studies as well as English. I really enjoyed writing and those two areas allowed me to explore that passion. I also played football and lacrosse during school, both were huge factors in my decision to join the Marines after graduation. Accepted: Where are you in business school? What year? David: I am currently entering the final semester of my first year at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Accepted: Why Tuck? How was it the best fit for you? David: Tuck was the best fit for me for a few reasons: 1. The small class size enables me to build a strong relationship with my classmates and professors. 2. The close-knit community was a great place for our family. My wife was able to get a job in the Tuck Alumni Giving office and my daughter was fortunate enough to get a spot at the Dartmouth daycare facility. Additionally, living in Sachem Village (Tuck’s graduate student housing) has enabled my wife and I to build strong relationships with other couples at Tuck. 3. The strong alumni network facilitated in me learning more about Tuck during my school search process and also in getting a job once at school. 4. The Tuck Tripod League (intramural hockey) was a way for me to stay active during the week while building strong relationships with the rest of my class, the second years, and other members of the Tuck community. Accepted: Can you talk about your military experience and how it led you or inspired you to head to business school? David: Following graduation at the Infantry Officer Course, I was stationed in Camp Pendleton, California as a platoon commander for 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. I did a deployment as a platoon commander to Afghanistan and then a subsequent deployment as a platoon commander in support of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit throughout Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I was then sent to Quantico, Virginia to be an instructor at The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course (IOC). While at IOC, I was fortunate enough to lead the design and implementation of exercises that tested current and future Marine Corps equipment for potential future operating environments. I think that the problem-solving involved with the exercises and knowing that the work I was doing was going to have an impact on the future of the Marine Corps helped shape my decision to go to business school. I truly enjoyed the problem-solving, I liked working with other motivated people, and I loved the fact that this work was going to help positively impact the lives of Marines. In addition to the aforementioned factors, I also got married in 2013 and then had a baby girl in 2015. Although I really enjoyed my time in the Marine Corps and will never forget the people I met and the lessons I learned, I also wanted an opportunity to be at home with my family in the future on a consistent basis. Accepted: Can you tell us about Tuck’s upcoming Military Visit Day? David: Absolutely! Tuck, along with the Armed Forces Alumni Association, has designed a day geared towards potential future military applicants in order to help them learn more about what makes Tuck such as awesome place to be as well as help future applicants be set up for success with their applications. There is time in the schedule for the applicants with the Admissions Committee, Career Development Office, Financial Aid Office, current military students, and also wives of current students. I was unfortunately unable to attend the event last year because my daughter was born two weeks prior, but I heard great things from my friends who were able to go. If you are at all interested in applying to business school and Tuck is on your radar, then the Military Visit Day is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the application process in general and more importantly, what makes Tuck such a great business school for veterans. Accepted: What are your top 3 tips for b-school applicants with military backgrounds? David: Tip # 1: Start learning to talk about yourself. The school absolutely cares about your leadership skills and your potential added-value to the school but they care about the personal impact that you had. How specifically did you train 100 Marines to get ready for a deployment? What sets you apart from other applicants? It’s okay to replace the “we” with an “I” here or there in an effort to really explain your impact. Tip # 2: Determine the learning environment in which you would be the most successful. Do you excel in large or small classes? Do you like the lecture or case method? Do you like working in groups or individually? Do you want to pick all of your own classes or do you want to be part of a more general curriculum? Understanding the environment in which you would be most successful is crucial to narrowing down the schools that appeal the most to you. Tip # 3: What’s your story? Why did you join the military? Why do you want to go to business school? What do you want to do after business school? Schools put a lot of emphasis on these parts, both with the essays and with the interviews. Spend the time thinking about these questions and make sure you can explicitly answer each of them (and be convincing). Accepted: What are your post-MBA plans? Do you have an internship lined up yet? If so, what role did Tuck play in helping you secure that position? David: Post Tuck, my goal is to be a strategy consultant at a large international firm. I recently accepted a summer internship offer with Deloitte Consulting in their Strategy & Operations sector in Boston, MA, which I am extremely excited about. Tuck played a role in helping me to secure the internship by helping to facilitate on-campus information sessions with Deloitte as well as coordinating a “Consulting Trek” down to Boston to visit the Deloitte office. Tuck also does a great job of putting you in contact with Tuck alumni at whichever company you are interested. One of the most special things about Tuck is just how strong the alumni network is. I was able to learn a ton about Deloitte’s Boston office through the Tuckies and military veterans who work there which absolutely helped shape my decision to apply to the office. Thank you David for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck! For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. Related Resources: • Leadership in Admissions (free guide) • Wearing My Military Uniform in the Business World • Dartmouth Tuck 2016 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines Tags: MBA Admissions The post Talking with a Military Tuckie appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
25 Mar 2016, 10:01
| FROM Accepted.com Blog: U.S. News Top EMBA Programs 2016 |
 Thinking about applying to an Executive MBA program? Let’s see how your target program measures up! Top 10 EMBA Programs:  As you can see, there are virtually no changes in the rankings over the last few years, at least in the top 10. Related Resources: • MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know (free guide) • The New GMAC Executive Assessment for EMBA Applicants • School-Specific EMBA Application Essay Tips Tags: MBA Admissions The post U.S. News Top EMBA Programs 2016 appeared first on Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog. |
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