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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: What Does the MBA Admissions Committee Really Want |
When you’re hard at work on your MBA applications, it’s easy to get caught up in what sounds great to you or what seems impressive to your friends, co-workers, or parents. That happens all the time, especially to people targeting top business school programs like Harvard Business School, Stanford, and Wharton. Instead, you should evaluate your application materials with the MBA admissions committee in mind. We admit it’s tough to form a truly objective opinion of your candidacy. For example, some candidates think that if they have a high GPA, aced the GMAT, and have had a successful career so far, they are a shoo-in for admission to the top programs. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Differentiate Yourself in the Eyes of the MBA Admissions Committee The majority of candidates who apply to the leading business schools are bright, personable overachievers. They would be an asset to any program. Adcoms see thousands of deserving profiles come across their desks each year. That’s why you need to think beyond your obvious achievements. You can differentiate yourself through your essays and interviews by picking memorable, unique stories and experiences. This becomes even more critical if you come from an overrepresented industry, such as investment banking or consulting. That said, you can’t let the competitive stakes keep you from applying to your dream school in the first place. Chances are, your humility is a trait the adcom would appreciate. Focus on highlighting the valuable knowledge and experiences you can share with your classmates. Look at your application from the viewpoint of the MBA admissions committee, which aims to put together a diverse group of outgoing students. How will you enlighten your classmates over the next two years? Here’s one way to think about it: Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Subscribe to SBC’s weekly newsletter for more MBA application insights. You’ll receive our expert advice straight to your inbox, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. The post What Does the MBA Admissions Committee Really Want appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Texas McCombs MBA Application Essay Tips for 2021-2022 |
The UT McCombs School of Business is a globally recognized MBA program located in Austin, Texas, a center of technology and business for the region. When you are getting ready to draft your Texas McCombs MBA application, consider that entrepreneurship is a huge focus. Along with Management Consulting, Clean Tech, Innovation Leadership, and Supply Chain & Operations Management, Entrepreneurship is a top 5 concentration. Class size at Texas McCombs MBA is small and close-knit, and the students’ backgrounds are diverse. To prospective students, Texas MBA Admissions Officer Stacey Kammerdiener advises: “Be honest. These essays are our way to learn more about you. Our students value authenticity, and we look for essays that reflect your authentic self.” You’ll find more great advice for your Texas McCombs MBA application on the Texas MBA Insider blog. If you need more assistance, we can help! Contact Stacy Blackman Consulting for a free evaluation and more tips on your Texas McCombs MBA application. For additional information on applying, please visit the McCombs admissions website. The Texas McCombs MBA Application Essay One We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation. We want to get to know you further. Please introduce yourself using an essay of 250 words OR a video introduction of one minute. An open-ended essay with a creative option (the video) can feel intimidating. Instead of focusing on whether you want to use an essay or a video, start thinking about what you want to communicate. Your Texas McCombs MBA application is a way to introduce yourself to the admissions committee. Also, of course, to your new study group. As the Texas Admissions Blog reminds you, “While your professional life is important, this essay is your opportunity to share who you are outside of the bullet points on your resume.” The best Texas McCombs MBA application essays will dive deep into your motivations and aspirations. Also, share your cultural background, formative moments in your life, and friends, family, and colleagues who have influenced you. To identify engaging stories for your Texas McCombs MBA application, think about those pivotal moments of change. Life transitions can spark your Texas McCombs MBA application essay topics. For many people, the transition from high school to college and from college to work leads to personal change. Others have had formative childhood experiences or experiences that led to shifts in perspective, like travel or living outside your home country. These types of incidents could be an excellent way to illustrate your values and what motivates you. Once you have identified the content of your essay, you can decide how to present it. If you determine your story works better in writing, choose the essay. However, a video could allow you to add elements of emotion, such as humor, that are harder to convey in writing. With a video, you can include graphics, photos, or other visual elements. Note that you should appear in the video for the bulk of it. If you choose a video essay, write a script for your video. Think about the bullet points you want to cover and any essential points. If you decide to talk into the camera, make sure you rehearse. Consider having a friend or family member there so you can speak to a person instead of the camera. Try to edit the video after you record the footage to keep it smooth and on topic. Either way, make sure to record several takes of the video content so you can choose the best one to submit to McCombs. Essay Two Picture yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Describe how you spent your time as a TexasMcCombs MBA student to achieve your personal and professional goals. (500 words) This essay is your opportunity to demonstrate your fit with the Texas McCombs MBA program. As part of your homework for the Texas McCombs MBA application, you should learn as much as possible about the school. Here, you can combine that research with your aspirations and goals. Use your imagination and think about how you might describe your Texas McCombs MBA experience at graduation. You’ll likely have had both professional and personal growth. Also, you will have met interesting people who will be part of your lifelong network. As the Admissions Blog reminds you, “We have also already reviewed your short and long term goals. Essay two is meant to explain to us how you believe McCombs will help get you there.” To get started, research some of the unique opportunities at McCombs, like the Venture Labs, if you have entrepreneurial dreams. Another great program is The MBA+ Program, with options to work with influential companies. Living in the city of Austin is also a unique benefit to the program that you may want to consider. For example, maybe you were interested in working for a major technology firm to learn product management skills to start your own business. While at McCombs, you might have tested ideas with the Venture Labs. You could have also consulted for major companies like Adobe or HP to learn how large companies worked. These experiences were probably formative as you made your career plans. Don’t forget the personal! McCombs has an active and engaged student culture with student clubs you likely joined. And your classmates and the friends you made were undoubtedly an influence. Optional Statement Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/or address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, or extenuating personal circumstances). (250 words) This optional essay provides space for you to explain anything that needs more context. Some areas that may require an explanation for your Texas McCombs MBA application include: lower than average test scores, any grades below a C on your transcript, academic probation, or a significant resume gap. Keep your explanation concise and factual. Also, focus on context for the issue instead of excuses. The post Tuesday Tips: Texas McCombs MBA Application Essay Tips for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Tepper MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 |
Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business has published the MBA application for this admissions cycle. Your resume, transcripts, recommendations, and other application data will tell the story of your career and academic accomplishments. Therefore, your Tepper MBA essays should showcase your character and personality. CMU Tepper is an interdisciplinary program with centers like Sustainability, Architecture, and Technology, as well as a startup incubator. The Tepper Quad delivers a campus with several interconnected parts. Finally, as you prepare your Tepper MBA essays, keep in mind that Tepper is looking for diversity in all forms. Ideal candidates include those seeking a tight-knit community and analytical course structure. Questions about your Tepper MBA essays? Contact us for a free analysis of your candidacy. To learn more about the CMU Tepper MBA program, visit the program website. Tepper MBA Essays Post-MBA Goals From the CMU Tepper website: We ask you a question about your post-MBA career goal as well as an alternative goal as a plan B. Tepper MBAs believe in being prepared! This question is part of the data form for your Tepper MBA application. Because you have limited space, focus on clarity as you explain your career goal after graduation. If you have room, you can provide context, but use the field primarily to detail your plans. For example, if you are interested in consulting after graduation, explain the type of consulting, firm, and even industry. For the second part of the question, think about how your background and MBA can prepare you for multiple paths. What other options might you have? For instance, if you are preparing for a career in strategy, you can work in various industries. Many different companies require strategic focus. Required Essay The Tepper community is dynamic and unique. Each community member’s individual journey has shaped them into classmates who are collaborative, supportive, and inclusive. Describe how you have overcome adversity during your journey. What did you learn about yourself and how has that shaped who you are? (Maximum 350-500 words.) CMU Tepper has a small and close-knit community. Because this factor is so important, the only required question in this set of Tepper MBA essays is about your character as a person. Especially over the past year, MBA programs have learned character matters. The Tepper admissions committee is looking for the best fit. Therefore, your personality and background are essential. Think about the experiences that have shaped who you are. Everyone has faced challenges. What were yours? For instance, you could have faced personal challenges like poverty or family loss. Or, you might have struggled in school or work. Most importantly, how did you overcome this adversity? This essay allows you to describe your experiences. Also, explain how you have become a person who is collaborative, supportive, and inclusive. As a person who has faced challenges, how do you recognize and support others? Finally, consider how you will bring this support to the Tepper community. Optional Essay There also is an optional essay for additional information about your candidacy that you may wish to share with the admissions committee. Use this essay to convey important information that you may not have otherwise been able to convey. This may include unexplained resume gaps, context for recommender selection, etc. However, do not feel obligated to complete the optional essay. Reapplicants If you are a re-applicant, use the optional essay to explain how your candidacy has strengthened since your last application. This optional essay gives you the space to explain any gaps in your application. Some areas you could write about are academic issues or a recommendation that is not from a current or former supervisor. Another area is gaps in work experience. Explain each issue clearly, and then describe how you have improved. For example, perhaps you were unfocused during undergrad but have since made great strides professionally. Or, maybe you faced layoffs or a struggling industry that created resume gaps, but you now have career focus. In each case, highlight the positive. Stay future-oriented and explain why the issue won’t be ongoing. You can use this optional essay for other information not covered in the required essay or your resume. However, make sure it is information that will genuinely enhance your application. That means it was not shared anywhere else and tells the admissions committee something important about your background. Reapplicants should use the optional essay to describe how their candidacy has improved—for example, any promotions at work or increased responsibility. Or, you may have a better test score or a grade from a class you took. Finally, if you don’t have any tangible improvements, focus on goals that may have changed. The post Tuesday Tips: Tepper MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Tepper MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 |
Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business has published the MBA application for this admissions cycle. Your resume, transcripts, recommendations, and other application data will tell the story of your career and academic accomplishments. Therefore, your Tepper MBA essays should showcase your character and personality. CMU Tepper is an interdisciplinary program with centers like Sustainability, Architecture, and Technology, as well as a startup incubator. The Tepper Quad delivers a campus with several interconnected parts. Finally, as you prepare your Tepper MBA essays, keep in mind that Tepper is looking for diversity in all forms. Ideal candidates include those seeking a tight-knit community and analytical course structure. Questions about your Tepper MBA essays? Contact us for a free analysis of your candidacy. To learn more about the CMU Tepper MBA program, visit the program website. Tepper MBA Essays Post-MBA Goals From the CMU Tepper website: We ask you a question about your post-MBA career goal as well as an alternative goal as a plan B. Tepper MBAs believe in being prepared! This question is part of the data form for your Tepper MBA application. Because you have limited space, focus on clarity as you explain your career goal after graduation. If you have room, you can provide context, but use the field primarily to detail your plans. For example, if you are interested in consulting after graduation, explain the type of consulting, firm, and even industry. For the second part of the question, think about how your background and MBA can prepare you for multiple paths. What other options might you have? For instance, if you are preparing for a career in strategy, you can work in various industries. Many different companies require strategic focus. Required Essay The Tepper community is dynamic and unique. Each community member’s individual journey has shaped them into classmates who are collaborative, supportive, and inclusive. Describe how you have overcome adversity during your journey. What did you learn about yourself and how has that shaped who you are? (Maximum 350-500 words.) CMU Tepper has a small and close-knit community. Because this factor is so important, the only required question in this set of Tepper MBA essays is about your character as a person. Especially over the past year, MBA programs have learned character matters. The Tepper admissions committee is looking for the best fit. Therefore, your personality and background are essential. Think about the experiences that have shaped who you are. Everyone has faced challenges. What were yours? For instance, you could have faced personal challenges like poverty or family loss. Or, you might have struggled in school or work. Most importantly, how did you overcome this adversity? This essay allows you to describe your experiences. Also, explain how you have become a person who is collaborative, supportive, and inclusive. As a person who has faced challenges, how do you recognize and support others? Finally, consider how you will bring this support to the Tepper community. Optional Essay There also is an optional essay for additional information about your candidacy that you may wish to share with the admissions committee. Use this essay to convey important information that you may not have otherwise been able to convey. This may include unexplained resume gaps, context for recommender selection, etc. However, do not feel obligated to complete the optional essay. Reapplicants If you are a re-applicant, use the optional essay to explain how your candidacy has strengthened since your last application. This optional essay gives you the space to explain any gaps in your application. Some areas you could write about are academic issues or a recommendation that is not from a current or former supervisor. Another area is gaps in work experience. Explain each issue clearly, and then describe how you have improved. For example, perhaps you were unfocused during undergrad but have since made great strides professionally. Or, maybe you faced layoffs or a struggling industry that created resume gaps, but you now have career focus. In each case, highlight the positive. Stay future-oriented and explain why the issue won’t be ongoing. You can use this optional essay for other information not covered in the required essay or your resume. However, make sure it is information that will genuinely enhance your application. That means it was not shared anywhere else and tells the admissions committee something important about your background. Reapplicants should use the optional essay to describe how their candidacy has improved—for example, any promotions at work or increased responsibility. Or, you may have a better test score or a grade from a class you took. Finally, if you don’t have any tangible improvements, focus on goals that may have changed. The post Tuesday Tips: Tepper MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: B-Schooled Podcast Episode #68: How to Think Like the AdCom |
Let’s face it: it’s really hard to be objective about your own MBA candidacy. The tough reality is that simply having high test scores, a stellar GPA, and/or coming from a respected company or undergraduate institution isn’t going to be enough. You have to find other ways to stand out from your equally brilliant MBA competition, and a great way to do that is to take a step back and assess your candidacy from the admissions committee’s point of view. This episode explains: • What top MBA admissions committees are looking for • How you can best differentiate yourself if you’re in an over-represented demographic or industry bucket • The type of themes successful applicants focus on in their essays Listen to B-Schooled episode #68 here, or on any of the podcast apps listed below. B-Schooled is available on most major podcast apps, including: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Please be sure to subscribe to B-Schooled so that you don’t miss a thing. Also, if there’s something you’d like for us to cover in a future episode, please email podcast@stacyblackman.com. We’d love to hear from you! The post B-Schooled Podcast Episode #68: How to Think Like the AdCom appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Common Mistakes Managing MBA Recommenders |
We recently worked with a business school applicant who believed poor recommendations were the main reason she didn’t get into any of her dream business schools. She carefully selected her MBA recommenders and gave them several months’ advance notice. Her first recommender gave her a copy of his letter after submitting it. It was six pages long, written with care—and totally missed the mark. Despite his good intentions, he emphasized the wrong qualities, rambled like crazy, and did not provide relevant examples. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. That’s why properly managing your MBA recommenders is just as important as selecting the right ones. The 5 Dont’s of Managing MBA Recommenders Heed the following five tips, and you’ll avoid a lot of unnecessary anxiety at a time when you are already under a lot of pressure. (Also, don’t miss our Strategy Guide: Recommendation Letters for MBA Applications.) 1. Don’t assume they will remember all of your achievements or know what to write about. Your recommender is probably time-strapped and doesn’t remember those three outstanding examples of your leadership. They also probably don’t know exactly what schools are looking for in letters of recommendation. Show your recommender your essays and decide on four or five characteristics you would like them to emphasize throughout the letter. For example, think of leadership, teamwork, creative thinking, determination, focus, intelligence, charisma, and integrity. Next, come up with at least one concrete example that you feel illustrates each characteristic. Here’s what an instance of initiative might look like: “Last year, when I learned that international sales were declining, I took it upon myself to research the competitive landscape and learned of two recent market entrants. I then offered to lead a team to analyze these new competitors and develop a strategy for regaining our market share. Our team of five analysts proposed a solution after one week of work. The solution was implemented and within six months, we gained back 5 percent of lost market share.” 2. Don’t bombard them with too many materials or reminders. Doing this can overwhelm your recommender and lead them to ignore what you’ve prepared for them. Create a bullet-point list of all of the projects you have worked on and an outline of your strengths that go into more detail than your resume. You want your recommenders actually to read this document. So try to keep it to one page and don’t overload them with information. It should be a helpful, quick reference. 3. Don’t allow your recommender to provide a rave review without supporting their statements with solid facts. The cardinal rule of good writing – show, don’t tell – is equally important in a letter of recommendation. The admissions committee wants to get that third-party perspective missing from your essays, test scores, and interview. No one expects the applicant to be perfect, however. The best recommendation letters paint a vivid picture that brings the candidate on paper to life. 4. Don’t let them submit late under any circumstances. It’s essential to get started on this process as early as possible. Your recommender should know that writing such a letter is both an honor and a responsibility. Give them plenty of time to prepare for your deadline. You may find it helpful to advance the due date by a week or so to remove one last-minute worry from your plate. 5. Don’t write the recommendation letter for them. To save time or ease their burden, a recommender may ask you to write the letter for them to sign. Please don’t do it! For one, the admissions committee will probably recognize your writing style from your essays. So, that will immediately raise a red flag. And secondly, if the individual doesn’t have enough time to write a proper recommendation, you would be better off seeking someone more enthusiastic about championing your business school dreams. On the other hand, if the request is because English is a second language for your supervisor and they are worried about sounding unprofessional, you have two options. The first is to not worry about it and explain that the admissions committee is focused solely on the content of the message and understands any language limitations that may exist. However, if you fear it might become a distraction, hire a translator and eliminate that concern. If you can help your recommenders stay on message, deliver on time, and provide vivid examples of your professional skills, you will have this element of your MBA application well in hand. The post Common Mistakes Managing MBA Recommenders appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Safety Schools and Your MBA Application Strategy |
The term safety schools gets thrown around quite a bit in MBA admissions. So, applicants need to clearly understand what that term means before they start the business school selection process. The rule when coming up with a target school list is that you must feel enthusiastic about attending every one of them. That holds true regardless of whether they are dream schools or programs you might consider a safer bet. If you would feel disappointed rather than ecstatic about advancing your career by attending a school, then do not apply. That’s a waste of everyone’s time and your money. What Exactly are Safety Schools? A safety school doesn’t mean you will always receive an offer of admission. It means your chances are far greater than at a program with an acceptance rate of 15 percent or lower. So, to decide what qualifies as a safety school for you, start with the hard data points. As a general guideline, look at intriguing programs where your profile falls within the top 10 percent of admitted students. Compare your undergraduate GPA, GMAT score, years of work experience, and industry background with accepted applicants reported by the school on their class profile page. If you come from an underrepresented industry, consider that an advantage for your application. Here’s a foolproof way to decide whether your list should include one or more safety schools. First, determine whether it’s vital for you to go to business school next year. Is the need immediate? If so, then definitely include a range of schools of varying degrees of competitiveness. The application pool fluctuates each year, and all you need is one admit, so spread some risk around. Or, have you zeroed in on a handful of highly competitive programs that would best advance your professional goals? If you have some flexibility with the timing, it would be better to focus your energies on the GMAT and elevate your profile according to your target programs’ characteristics. Everyone has different reasons for applying to business school. Your focus may be on networking prospects, the educational experience, geographic location, culture, special programming, or even family tradition. If you’re excited about any of those elements at a school and would be happy to attend for any of those reasons, then consider it, even if it’s a safe choice. Real-World Scenarios We had a client who applied to UCLA Anderson School of Management and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Of the two, Stanford is the more competitive “reach” school. But the client was from Los Angeles and would have been happy to go to Anderson, thus making it an excellent selection for a safety school. Ultimately, he did get into Stanford and chose that school over the full scholarship offer he received from UCLA. Another client faced the difficult decision of remaining on the waitlist at his dream choice, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, or accepting an offer from UT McCombs School of Business, his safety school, and one he would be happy to attend. When the waitlist purgatory continued into summer, he decided to withdraw from the Haas waitlist and commit to a sure thing. He became delighted with McCombs as he met his future classmates and weighed the significant financial benefits of in-state tuition. If you decide to apply to a range of schools, make sure each is a good fit. Also, ensure that your excitement, level of research, and passion for the program come through in your application. Even for the safety schools! The AdCom folks have been at it long enough and can tell when an applicant has lukewarm feelings for them. Any ambivalence is the surest way your safe bet will become a bust. The post Safety Schools and Your MBA Application Strategy appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Georgetown MBA Application Essays, Tips for 2021-2022 |
The Georgetown MBA application is now live, and we have essay tips for the 2021-2022 season. The Georgetown MBA program is in Washington, DC, at the center of government and public policy. Georgetown also has the Steers Global Real Estate Center and an entrepreneurship initiative. Georgetown’s community is close-knit, intellectually curious, and diverse. When working on your Georgetown MBA application, keep in mind all of the academic and career benefits of the school. Contact us for an evaluation of your Georgetown MBA candidacy and tips for your Georgetown MBA application. For more information about the MBA program, visit the program website. 2021-2022 Georgetown MBA Application Essays Notes from the school: We want to hear your story. When responding to our required essays, be authentic and take time to reflect on your goals and past experiences. Craft a response that explains how these experiences led you to pursue an MBA. Our goal at Georgetown McDonough is to craft a diverse class with people who have had varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select one essay (from a list of three) that allows them the ability to best highlight their experiences, characteristics, and values that showcase the value proposition that they can bring to the McDonough community. Please select one of the following three essays to complete in 500 words or less and include the essay prompt and your first/last name at the top of your submission. Essay Option One – Principled Leadership: Georgetown McDonough places a strong emphasis on principled leadership, providing both curricular and co-curricular opportunities to strengthen your leadership skills. Describe a time when you have led a team in a professional environment to implement a new idea or process. What leadership characteristics did you utilize? What could you have done to be more effective? And most importantly, what skills will you be able to bring to the teams you lead at McDonough? Leading a team through a process or idea that is entirely new can be challenging. This experience is outside many people’s comfort zone. Also, inventing something altogether unique requires learning and development. Therefore, you probably needed to innovate during one of your best leadership experiences. If so, this is a great essay to show what you learned in that process. Note that Georgetown is looking for “principled” leadership. Further, Georgetown defines principled leaders as those who operate with a “clearly articulated set of principles and values.” (Learn more on the Georgetown MBA website.) Therefore, defining your own set of principles and values in this essay will help you explain how you led the team. Georgetown wants to understand both what you did and how you did it. Finally, as you write this Georgetown MBA application essay, make sure to include many details. Fully describe the situation, what you did, any challenges, and what you learned about yourself. Don’t be afraid to explore the difficulties in this leadership experience. Innovating is often messy, and it’s ok to turn to mentors or team members for help. One sign of a good leader is knowing your limits and using the resources you have. Essay Option Two – Hoyas for the Common Good: Georgetown McDonough embodies the ethos that people and organizations can and should contribute to the greater good. The admissions committee would like to better understand how you have demonstrated these values during uniquely challenging times. Describe a time where you have put the needs of others ahead of your own or ahead of the bottom line. We look forward to learning more about the challenge you faced, what unique characteristics you brought to that scenario, and what you learned from it. The second Georgetown MBA option also focuses on principled leadership. Over this past year, we have seen the importance of principled leadership more than ever. Therefore, you may have some great recent examples. However, this approach to the topic is about taking the risk to put other people ahead of profits or yourself. Similar to the question above, studying Georgetown’s idea of Principled Leadership will help you define the scope of this essay. The essay here is also about challenges. Because many businesses put the bottom line first, you would be acting against that norm. Also, many professionals put their ambitions above the needs of others. If you acted from your principles, it might have been uncomfortable. Therefore, explain how your actions were a challenge and why. First, demonstrate your specific mindset in this essay and show how you think. Second, describe what you did and how you decided to act. Finally, make sure you reflect a bit on your development and what you learned in the process. Essay Option Three – Personal Brand: Think of a business leader or role model you admire or aspire to be. What are the defining characteristics of his or her personal brand that you see in yourself? Give an example of how you have been able to emulate these characteristics in your professional career and how your personal brand will enrich the McDonough community. This Georgetown MBA application question is looking for your leadership qualities by describing a business leader or role model you admire. This could be a personal or a leadership question, depending on the person you choose and what qualities you admire. The second part of the question also allows you to write about the Georgetown MBA community. Make sure you have a handful of vivid examples to support what you say about your qualities. For example, say you admire Jeff Bezos and believe that you are similarly entrepreneurial. Accordingly, you can provide an example of a time you started a business or enterprise. Or, on a more personal level, you can explain what personality and leadership traits you share with your subject. Video Essay What makes you unique? In a one-minute video, describe the most compelling aspects of yourself that you believe make you unique from other MBA candidates. (Hint: one minute goes fast! We already have your resume and goals – share something new!) Use this video as an opportunity to bring life to your application. This Georgetown MBA application video essay specifically asks you to appear in a one-minute video and address situations outside your resume. You will have unlimited time to record and edit this video (unlike a video interview). You should appear on-screen and add other elements, such as interviews with family and friends, photos or graphics, and music. One minute seems like a short amount of time, but consider that television commercials are often only 30 seconds. A lot of information can fit into a one-minute video! Like all video essays, the content is a vital part of this exercise. The admissions committee wants to get to know you and your dreams, background, and personality. Think about personal stories that you did not describe the rest of your Georgetown MBA application. Perhaps you have a hobby you are passionate about or a family story to tell. This is also a great place to demonstrate your fit with Georgetown (unless you focused on option three of the previously required essays). Can you take your hobbies to school and share them with your classmates? Will your background add to the diversity of the class? Or, can you open doors for your classmates professionally? Always think about your contributions to McDonough. Make sure to demonstrate enthusiasm as you speak to the camera. You can also add other elements to the video to make it compelling for the admissions committee to watch. However, keep in mind that content is the most crucial part of this video. Optional Essay Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included. (500 words or fewer) This is an entirely open-ended optional essay. Most optional essays ask for an explanation for a gap in employment, the lack of a current supervisor recommendation, or academic issues. If you do need to address any of those elements to your Georgetown MBA application, this is the ideal place. You could also use this space to highlight another aspect of your experience. Options include describing a situation at work or in your extracurricular activities. Perhaps you have a fantastic leadership experience you want to discuss. Or a learning experience not covered in essay one. Re-Applicant Essay Required for re-applicants. How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. (500 words or fewer) Many candidates can write about a specific improvement since your last application, such as a promotion, improved GMAT, or increased responsibilities or experience. Georgetown is also interested in the less tangible improvements, like a revised career goal, personal growth, or increased maturity. Make sure you can make the case that you are now ready for a McDonough MBA and that any new development has only strengthened your resolve. The post Tuesday Tips: Georgetown MBA Application Essays, Tips for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: B-Schooled Podcast Episode #69: The STAR Method for Organizing Stories |
When you have limited space to communicate the strengths of your MBA candidacy and the details of your achievements, using the STAR method to organize your thoughts can be the difference between a powerful resume, essay or interview response and one that misses the mark. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, and if you follow this structure when telling a story or explaining an accomplishment, it will help you get straight to the point and to the information that matters most to the admissions committee. This episode gives examples of what you should cover for each part of a STAR response, and also gives examples of such responses. Listen to B-Schooled episode #69 here, or on any of the podcast apps listed below. B-Schooled is available on most major podcast apps, including: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Please be sure to subscribe to B-Schooled so that you don’t miss a thing. Also, if there’s something you’d like for us to cover in a future episode, please email podcast@stacyblackman.com. We’d love to hear from you! The post B-Schooled Podcast Episode #69: The STAR Method for Organizing Stories appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: INSEAD MBA Essays for 2021-2022 |
The INSEAD MBA application for the August 2022 intake is now live. You’ll find the INSEAD MBA essays within the online application. Once again, INSEAD asks applicants to answer a series of short-answer job description essays as well as motivation essays. INSEAD MBA Essays for 2021-2022 Job Description Essays The job questions are not essays. Hence, the number of words is not so important. People need to be comfortable writing 3 lines or 20. Some applicants work for companies that are well known and only 3 lines are sufficient to describe them; others work for small companies where it is more important to give the full picture. Essay 1 Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum) Essay 2 What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (200 words maximum) Essay 3 Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum) Essay 4 Discuss your short and long-term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum) Optional If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. Motivation Essays Essay 1 Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary (maximum 500 words). Essay 2 Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned. (maximum 400 words) Essay 3 Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words) Optional Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words) *** Wondering how to begin on your INSEAD MBA essays? Check out this article with essay writing tips direct from the school’s admissions team. For more information on applying, visit the INSEAD MBA admissions website. If you need guidance on your INSEAD MBA application or wish to discuss your business school plans, don’t hesitate to reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! The post INSEAD MBA Essays for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: INSEAD MBA Deadlines for 2021-2022 |
Are you interested in an MBA from the highly ranked international business school INSEAD? Then check out these INSEAD MBA deadlines for the August and January intakes. INSEAD MBA Deadlines: August Intake (Class of July 2023) Round 1 Application due: September 7, 2021 Decision released: November 12, 2021 Round 2 Application due: November 2, 2021 Decision released: January 14, 2022 Round 3 Application due: January 6, 2022 Decision released: March 11, 2022 Round 4 Application due: February 22, 2022 Decision released: April 29, 2022 INSEAD MBA Deadlines: January Intake (Class of December 2023) Round 1 Application due: March 1, 2022 Decision released: May 6, 2022 Round 2 Application due: April 19, 2022 Decision released: June 24, 2022 Round 3 Application due: June 14, 2022 Decision released: August 19, 2022 Round 4 Application due: July 26, 2022 Decision released: September 23, 2022 *** To be included in a specific round, you must submit your completed application by 23:59 pm Central European Time on the day of the deadline. To enjoy an optimum application experience and to avoid the peak period, INSEAD strongly encourages you to apply a couple of weeks prior to the application deadline, if possible. Competition for each round is equal regardless of the intake or round you apply for. INSEAD reviews the pool of applications submitted within each round independently. This keeps the “offer ratio” (percentage of candidates accepted vs. applications received) fairly constant across all rounds. For more information on applying, please visit the INSEAD admissions website. The post INSEAD MBA Deadlines for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: SMU Cox MBA Essays for 2021-2022 |
Are you targeting the SMU Cox School of Business for your MBA? Then get ready to start brainstorming! The SMU Cox MBA application is now live. Here are the SMU Cox MBA essays for the 2021-2022 admissions season. SMU Cox MBA Essays Question 1: Please describe your immediate post-MBA career goals, including the target industry, sector, and/or organization. Why are you interested in pursuing a career in this particular area? (250-word limit). Question 2: Each candidate is unique. Please outline your top expectations for your MBA program and why SMU Cox would be a great partner in assisting you to achieve your professional development and career goals. (250-word limit) Question 3: One of the three pillars of the SMU Cox MBA program is Data Analytics. We are committed to helping all students develop skills in data analysis and to further develop an analytical mindset. Please answer one of the following prompts and specify at the top of your essay which prompt you are answering. (500-word limit). a. Please describe how you have used data to solve a complex problem, including how you communicated your solution to others. If you have limited experience with analytics or quantitative work, please use the following question: b. Explain how you are prepared to succeed in a quantitatively rigorous program. Question 4. In the blanks provided, first type three words representing how a coworker or professional mentor would describe you. Type three more words representing how your closest personal friend would describe you. Question 5. What are your short-term post-MBA career goals? (250-character limit) Question 6. What are your long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-character limit) Optional Essay Question If applicable, candidates can use this space to provide information not addressed in the rest of your application that may be helpful to the admissions committee as they make an assessment of your candidacy. Some examples include information about nontraditional undergraduate experience or gaps in employment history. Other uses could include professional awards, achievements or highlights of notable community service not listed elsewhere. (250-word limit) *** For more information on applying, please visit the SMU Cox admissions site. If you need guidance on your SMU Cox MBA essays or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! The post SMU Cox MBA Essays for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: SMU Cox Application Deadlines for 2021-2022 |
Are you interested in the SMU Cox MBA? The 2022 application is now live. Here are the SMU Cox application deadlines for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. SMU Cox Application Deadlines Round 1* Application due: October 12, 2021 Decision released: November 18, 2021 Round 2* Application due: November 11, 2021 Decision released: December 21, 2021 Round 3* Application due: January 6, 2022 Decision released: February 15, 2022 Round 4 Application due: March 1, 2022 Decision released: April 7, 2022 Round 5 Application due: May 3, 2022 Decision released: May 26, 2022 (Rolling admissions after May 3rd) *Priority deadline for scholarships and fellowships. *** For more information on applying, please visit the SMU Cox admissions site. If you need guidance on your SMU Cox application or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! The post SMU Cox Application Deadlines for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: INSEAD MBA Essays, Tips for 2021-2022 |
INSEAD, “the business school for the world,” is a top-ranked program that attracts a diverse and international group of students. The INSEAD MBA program is only 12-months and provides multiple campuses and practical business experience. INSEAD has an active exchange program with Wharton in the US as well as campuses in France, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. As a result, INSEAD provides countless options for student experiences. The INSEAD MBA admissions team advises all applications to be original, focus on the details, and be specific about work experience. Visit the INSEAD MBA website for more essay tips. And for more research on INSEAD, see our INSEAD admissions overview for detailed information. Contact Stacy Blackman Consulting for more help with your INSEAD application, and a free evaluation of your candidacy. Job Description Essays The job questions are not essays. Hence, the number of words is not so important. People need to be comfortable writing 3 lines or 20. Some applicants work for companies that are well known and only 3 lines are sufficient to describe them; others work for small companies where it is more important to give the full picture. All of the job essays are short answer. INSEAD advises applicants they can answer them in as little as one line. Or, in as many as twenty lines. You could think of the entire set of essays as one narrative. First, you start with your current job, then discuss what you would do next in your role. Next, talk about your background. Finally, end with a brief explanation of your goals and where an MBA fits. Make sure to use the space efficiently and answer the questions directly. INSEAD MBA admissions is not looking for an extensive explanation. There is no need for background beyond the questions answered. Essay 1 Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words max.) This question focuses on your current (or most recent) work situation. Providing relevant context for your current role is appropriate. However, make sure you are devoting most of the space to describing the details of your day-to-day responsibilities. If you have less experience supervising others or managing a budget, use the space for key responsibilities and results. Essay 2 What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company? (200 words max.) If your boss has already talked to you about the next step, this is an easy question to answer. If you have not explicitly discussed promotion at work, what would be the future role you would ideally pursue? Maybe you are pursuing an MBA because you want to make a career change or because the next step at your current company is undesirable for other reasons. If so, this may be a place to describe what that next step would be. Also, consider why you do not wish to pursue that next step. Essay 3 Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words max.) Even if you have a relatively straightforward career path, you can take the opportunity to comment on some of the learnings from each position. Use those learnings to create the story of your past, present, and future plans to build your career narrative. This should be a short answer like the others. Therefore, focus only on the moves you have made in your career and the reasons behind them. Essay 4 Discuss your short and long-term career aspirations with or without an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words max.) A top-tier program like INSEAD is an accelerator for your career. The INSEAD MBA program can introduce you to a broader network than you would otherwise have. INSEAD will expand your skillset into new functional areas, and expose you to people from around the world. Think about how you plan to use your INSEAD MBA to advance your current career (or change paths entirely). If you did not attend INSEAD, how would you achieve your goals otherwise? Think of this short answer essay as a thought experiment to show that you can plan two routes to one goal. Optional If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. If you are unemployed at the moment, you will want to answer this question. Use the space to show how you are spending your time without full-time employment. Ideally, you are currently involved in an activity that is going to further your career. If not, you are pursuing personal goals at this time. The best answer shows you are self-motivated and do not need paid work to continue developing yourself. For example, perhaps you are volunteering in a non-profit that is related to your career goals. Maybe you are working with a friend on a start-up. Or you are consulting and building contacts in your industry. Maybe you are out of work only briefly, or planning to take just a few months off before school starts. If so, it’s reasonable to pursue travel or other activities. Focus on areas that develop your international awareness and perspective. However, make sure that your actions can tie back to your long-term goals. Motivation Essays Essay 1 Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (max. 500 words) Strengths and weaknesses are a common topic for MBA applications. The purpose of a question about strengths and weaknesses is to evaluate your level of maturity and self-awareness. This is an opportunity to highlight leadership, teamwork, or other qualities that will drive your future career success. Examples aren’t explicitly required, but consider that the INSEAD MBA admissions team is reading a lot of essays. Concrete examples can help you stand out. When describing weaknesses, focus on those weaknesses that you have taken tangible steps to fix. Or, that have been a route to learning more about yourself. Often, strengths and weaknesses are two sides of the same coin and you can tie your key weaknesses to your key strengths. It is difficult to write about weaknesses without sounding either overly self-deprecating or as if you are humble-bragging. Therefore, this is a critical essay to share with others to seek feedback on tone. Essay 2 Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned. (max. 400 words) This essay is an opportunity to showcase one of your most significant achievements. Impressive achievements that stand on their own are great fuel for this essay. It is equally important to explain why these accomplishments are valuable to you. If you concisely explain the achievement, then provide the background for your personal pride. The flip side of achievement is failure, and INSEAD wants to understand how you view both. When approaching any failure essay, it’s essential to use a real failure that has emotional resonance for you. An accomplishment framed as a failure will be easy to see through. Use a real failure to demonstrate your maturity and ability to grow. If you can explain how you changed as a result of the failure, that is excellent. The third part of the essay deals with how these experiences impacted your relationships and what you learned. Whether you were part of a team or the main impact was on a loved one, this part of the essay is about how other people felt. Most obviously, a success likely led to happiness from a team or a manager, while a failure was disappointing. However, your particular achievement or failure could have led to a learning experience for your organization. Or, an opportunity opened up for someone else. Possibly it was a chance for you to be closer to another person through a team challenge. Think creatively about this aspect. INSEAD San Francisco Essay 3 Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (max. 300 words) Nothing is more personal than what you choose to do outside of school or work. What are the most meaningful pursuits you have spent your time on? You should both describe the main interests you have outside of your professional pursuits and explain why they are meaningful to you and why you spend time on them. Ideally, you can also explain how you will continue your involvement while at INSEAD and cite some specific clubs or groups where you see your interests contributing to the community. Optional Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (max. 300 words) This essay is 300 words you can use for anything you would like to cover. Because INSEAD MBA’s questions are thorough, you may have covered all aspects of your candidacy. Think of topics that couldn’t work into the rest of your application. Make sure you have included personal qualities. This might be a good place to describe an interesting hobby or key accomplishment. If you did cover everything, you can feel comfortable skipping this question (it IS optional). However, if you have any problems like a low GPA or a failing grade in college, this is the place to cover it. It’s far better to explain any issues in your application thoroughly. You do not want to leave the INSEAD MBA admissions committee to guess what happened. Explain the issue and focus most of the essay on the correction for the problem. Demonstrate what you learned from the experience. Then, show you have been an ideal citizen ever since. Finally, avoid blame, and show that this incident is in your past and will stay there. The post Tuesday Tips: INSEAD MBA Essays, Tips for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: B-Schooled Podcast Episode #70: Why Now? |
You may have thought about why you want to pursue an MBA overall, but would you have a solid response if someone pressed you on why you need to go back to school right now? Sometimes, “Why now?” is an essay question that programs ask directly. But more often than not it’s something you should end up covering in an essay response even if there isn’t a question about it. For certain MBA hopefuls – especially those who are younger or older than the majority of other applicants – it’s a topic that’s critical to address in their materials. Questions around the timing of your MBA could also be asked in an interview. So in short, you need to be ready to explain yourself! This episode covers common reasons why applicants need an MBA now and a few exercises you can do to articulate your own strong response, as well as things you should never say. Listen to B-Schooled episode #70 here, or on any of the podcast apps listed below. B-Schooled is available on most major podcast apps, including: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Please be sure to subscribe to B-Schooled so that you don’t miss a thing. Also, if there’s something you’d like for us to cover in a future episode, please email podcast@stacyblackman.com. We’d love to hear from you! The post B-Schooled Podcast Episode #70: Why Now? appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: The Smart Way to Promote Yourself |
[img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-flickr-148291-734x486.jpg[/img] [b]“FRESH IDEAS FROM THE BLACKLIGHT”[/b] SBC’s Weekly Newsletter for Professionals Now and then, getting ahead in your career requires some self-promotion. A bit of preening, if you will. Some of you may be thinking, “I’m totally down for letting the world know about my successes!” Meanwhile, others would rather gnaw off their arm than crow about their accomplishments. No matter which camp you fall into, Harvard Business School Associate Professor Leslie John can help you improve the way you promote yourself. She recently stopped by [url=https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/05/296801-2]HBR IdeaCast[/url] to share three research-backed tactics to own your achievements—without annoying your colleagues. Avoid the Humblebrag and ‘Boomerasking’ Humblebrag: Noun. “A statement intended as a boast or brag but disguised by a humble apology, complaint, etc.” The word entered our lexicon way back in 2002. But, thanks to social media, [url=https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-cringe-people-humblebrags/]cringy examples[/url] of people trying to downplay an impressive accomplishment with self-deprecation or a complaint have exploded in recent years. “I was so bored—so I wrote a book.” (Example of an academic’s humblebrag.) The humblebragger thinks he’s cleverly disguising a boast. Yet most people see through the pretense and feel exasperated by the faux modesty. Researchers from Harvard Kennedy School found that the better tactic is to brag outright: it comes off as more sincere. [img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/krakenimages-376KN_ISplE-unsplash-1-734x489.jpg[/img] The second ploy to avoid is boomerasking. That’s when you ask a question to temporarily let your conversation partner have the floor while you wait to boomerang the conversation back to you. Researchers led by Yale School of Management’s [url=https://iafcm.org/2019/modules/request.php?module=oc_program&action=summary.php&id=88]Ryan Hauser[/url] found that “Posing a question not because you want an answer but because you want someone to ask the same of you makes a worse impression than outright bragging.” Brag only when self-promotion is expected and accepted. John admits she is more a fan of the “keep your head down and let the work speak for itself” method of self-promotion. But she acknowledges that job interviews are one place where it’s beneficial to brag. [img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-alex-green-5699475-734x489.jpg[/img] In this setting, you should promote yourself—and it would be weird not to. Imagine an interviewer asks you to list your strengths. If you reply that you don’t feel comfortable saying, the hiring manager will get suspicious. And probably cut the meeting short. John warns that not answering or being coy about such questions may cause people to think you’re unlikeable or untrustworthy. But, she adds, “Those who took time to outline their strengths, experience, and achievements were more likely to be rated by their interviewers as suitable for the job and of greater interest to the organization than those who didn’t brag as much.” Promote Yourself via Surrogate. Finally, John shares this winning strategy for prudent self-promotion: have someone else do it for you. Look for mentors, bosses, or peers who can speak up on your behalf. [img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4427818-734x490.jpg[/img] People see intermediaries as less self-serving, and so this provides an aura of objectivity, she explains. And make sure to reciprocate the gesture. “Research on ‘positive gossip’ indicates that people are more highly regarded when they brag about others,” says John. Ultimately, by learning how and when to promote yourself and your accomplishments, you’ll be able to advance your career without [url=https://theblacklight.co/2020/12/03/jerk-at-work/]harming any relationships[/url] along the way. *** Huzzah! You made it to the end of the post! This tip sheet of better bragging methods appeared initially on [url=https://theblacklight.co/newsletter/]the Blacklight[/url], our weekly newsletter for professionals. At the Blacklight, we [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/blacklight-career-hacks-life-inspo/]aim to illuminate[/url] with every dispatch that lands in your inbox. If you’re thirsty for guidance to help you slay it at work or as a student and move your goalposts closer, [url=https://theblacklight.co/]sign up[/url] today! The post [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/the-smart-way-to-promote-yourself/]The Smart Way to Promote Yourself[/url] appeared first on [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com]Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting[/url]. [img]https://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/StacyBlackman/~4/FZX6O22oZgY[/img] |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Emory MBA Deadlines for 2021-2022 |
Are you interested in the Goizueta Business School at Emory University? Then mark your calendar, because the Emory MBA deadlines for the 2021-2022 application season have been announced! Emory MBA Deadlines Round 1 Application due: October 6, 2021 Decision released: December 9, 2021 Round 2* Application due: January 10, 2022 Decision released: March 17, 2022 Round 3 Application due: March 16, 2022 Decision released: May 5, 2022 * Preferred deadline for applicants interested in full consideration for scholarships. For more information on applying for the Emory MBA, please visit the Emory-Goizueta admissions website. If you need guidance on your Emory MBA application or wish to discuss your business school plans, don’t hesitate to reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! The post Emory MBA Deadlines for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Emory MBA Essays for 2021-2022 |
Are you interested in Emory University’s Goizueta Business School? Then it’s time to start brainstorming! The Emory MBA essays for the 2021-2022 application season have been confirmed. Instructions for the Emory MBA Essays The essays are an important part of your MBA application because they give you the opportunity to tell the MBA Admissions Committee more about yourself. To go beyond your resume bullet points and share more of your story. Please complete all the required essays below and follow the word limits provided. Essay One: Post-MBA Career Goals Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience, and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit) Essay Two: Leadership in Business The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, creating unprecedented shareholder wealth, and demonstrating a commitment to values and positive impact on society. Roberto Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating principled leaders to have a positive influence on business and society. Provide a specific example of your leadership and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit) Essay Three: Why Goizueta? What are you looking to gain from Goizueta’s MBA degree and how do you see yourself contributing to the Goizueta community? (200 word limit) Video Essay Telling your story in the written essays is an important part of the application process, but we also want to hear you tell some of your story. The video essay lets every candidate talk to the MBA Admissions Committee and we enjoy getting to know you through the “small talk” questions. Additional Information If there is an important part of your story missing from your MBA application (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic probation issues), please use this section to provide a brief explanation. Please use bullets if you need to address more than one topic. (200 word limit) Reapplicant Essays Applicants who have applied to Goizueta Business School in the past must answer the following questions:
For more information on applying, please visit the Emory MBA admissions website. If you need guidance on your Emory MBA essays and application or wish to discuss your business school plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! The post Emory MBA Essays for 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Should Your MBA Career Goals Be “Strategic”? |
When you pull together your business school application materials, you might find yourself stumped (in a few different ways) about how to explain your MBA career goals. Thankfully, the adcom isn’t going to hold you to what you write in your essay. But they do expect that you have given enough serious thought to your own future that you can clearly articulate your short- and long-term plans. More importantly, they want to hear about why you have those goals. But sometimes this brings up another conundrum. Should you be totally honest about your future career vision? Should you try to somewhat tailor it based on what each program you’re applying to is known for? Or, should you consider who the major recruiters are on campus? We find it’s usually best to tell the adcom what you really want to do. After all, they’re pretty good at sniffing out insincerity. Writing what you think they want to hear falls into that category. Then if you get to the interview stage, you’ll have to worry about continuing the act. Plus, it will be harder to share a convincing “why” for your goals if they’re not really your goals! (See what Kellogg School of Management has to say about career goals.) The good news is that while each program may have a reputation for strength in certain functional areas or industries, almost all the top business schools still have plenty of courses, clubs, conferences, and other parts of their curriculum that cater to all kinds of MBA career goals. So that’s how you customize your responses for each school. Show them you’ve done your research and know exactly how they can help you. Think of it this way: Don’t miss our founder, Stacy Blackman, on the Conversations with Warrior Women podcast! Her episode is entitled “Look for the diamond in the ashes.” Listen here. Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting ***Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. The post Should Your MBA Career Goals Be “Strategic”? appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tuesday Tips: Emory MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 |
The Emory MBA program at Goizueta Business School in Atlanta offers a variety of programs for maximum flexibility. Programs include a one-year MBA, a business analytics program, and a traditional two-year MBA. Emory also provides joint degree programs. Designed to give students practical experience, the Emory MBA prepares students to be “day one ready” for their careers. Consequently, admitted students start working with a career coach before school. Also, Emory has high rankings with recruiters. For more advice and help with your Emory MBA essays, contact Stacy Blackman Consulting for your free evaluation. The Emory MBA website can give you more detail on the Emory MBA application requirements. Essay One: Post-MBA Career Goals Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience, and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit) This Emory MBA career goals essay focuses on your short-term career goals. Also, the essay asks about your strengths, past experiences, and personal attributes. Instead of reciting your resume, think about the key moments in your career. Also, think over what has formed your experience, accomplishments, and shaped your goals? To get started, first identify a few defining career moments. Then you can describe your strengths and experiences that prepared you. This essay is most effective if you can show how your career so far fits with your goals. Show the connection from past experiences to your Emory MBA to your goals. For example, say you have been working in management consulting and want to move to internal strategy. First, think about what you have learned. Perhaps your management consulting experience gives you comfort with presenting to executives. And, you enjoy variety and the different projects you have been exposed to. Finally, what core strengths does management consulting reveal. And, how will you leverage those strengths after you graduate in your post MBA career? Essay Two: Leadership in Business The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, creating unprecedented shareholder wealth, and demonstrating a commitment to values and positive impact on society. Roberto Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating principled leaders to have a positive influence on business and society. Provide a specific example of your leadership and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit) This Emory MBA application essay is a behavioral question. The clue is that you are asked to provide a specific example. Therefore, the question is about how you think, act, and behave. Emory admissions knows that the best predictor of your future behavior is your past. Therefore, this question asks about a past leadership example. For example, use a specific leadership story and make sure you provide detail. A great strategy is to use the STAR framework. First, start with the situation. Then, explain the task in front of you. Finally, describe the actions you took and the result. Also, think about the lessons you learned. Remember that a recent leadership example is most convincing. In this question, Emory asks specifically about the school’s namesake. Keep a laser focus on the school’s leadership and values. Finally, include insights gleaned from thorough school research to customize your essay. To learn more about the Emory MBA program, take advantage of virtual admissions information sessions. Also, consider informal networking with current or former students. Essay Three: Why Goizueta? What are you looking to gain from Goizueta’s MBA degree and how do you see yourself contributing to the Goizueta community? (200 word limit) This Emory essay question allows you to focus on why Goizueta. School research is a key to answering this question. Consider visiting campus, or speaking with current and former students. When writing this essay, be specific. For example, you can describe specific classes that will help you achieve your career goals. Also, professional clubs at Emory may help you gain relevant industry experience and academic knowledge. Finally, consider the personal and community aspects of your MBA experience. How will you contribute? This essay may be a place to describe volunteer and community experiences. Or, you can explain hobbies or interests that will be an asset to the community. Video Essay Telling your story in the written essays is an important part of the application process, but we also want to hear you tell some of your story. The video essay lets every candidate talk to the MBA Admissions Committee and we enjoy getting to know you through the “small talk” questions. Goizueta’s admissions team gave us the following insight into this video essay: “Candidates will be provided a spontaneous question or prompt to reply to for the video essay. This will be randomly generated from a bank of questions we have developed to help us get to know candidates on a more personal level. We continue to use the video essay because it allows us to provide multiple types of platforms for candidates to express themselves, and it allows the admission committee to see a bit more of their personality. With our small-by-design classes, fit becomes very important, and the video essay helps us with that.” In past years the video essay focused on Goizueta’s core values, personal stories, and your passions. Therefore, make sure you are familiar with Goizueta’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Accountability, Rigor, Diversity, Team, Community. Your resume and recommendations are about your career and accomplishments. In contrast, this video essay is more personal. Ideally, your personality will shine through the video. As the admissions team said, this essay is about fit. To prepare for this video essay, make sure to practice, practice, practice. Take some time to think about what you want the admissions committee to know about you. Do you have any personal stories to tell here? Then, record yourself talking about these themes or telling your story. Practice several times until it feels natural. For additional advice, read our blog post on prepping for video essays and long-distance interviews. Additional Information If there is an important part of your story missing from your MBA application (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic probation issues), please use this section to provide a brief explanation. Please use bullets if you need to address more than one topic. (200 word limit) This essay is for anything about your Emory MBA application you need to explain. An example might be if you have gaps in your resume. Other issues include a low GPA or GMAT, few promotions, or a recommender that is not a current supervisor. If you do have unexplained gaps in your resume, how do you handle it? The best explanation is that you were doing something productive. However, that “something productive” could be anything from traveling the world to taking care of a family member. How you explain your time off is most important. Make sure you can tie your gap in employment to your goals in some way. For instance, taking care of a family member could have led to introspection about your personal and professional goals. The post Tuesday Tips: Emory MBA Essays and Tips 2021-2022 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |