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07 Dec 2022, 12:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Are Your MBA Applications Ready? |
With the first MBA round 2 deadline in four weeks, it is time to check on your progress and make sure your business school applications are on track and solid. If you are not sure if your applications are ready, here are 6 questions to ask yourself. Do you have a well-articulated personal story?
 Does your MBA application include specific information about the target school?
 Have you perfected your short answer questions?
About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 15 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Personal MBA Coach is the #1 most favorably reviewed US Consultant of all time on Poets & Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Are Your MBA Applications Ready? appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
20 Dec 2022, 13:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: A Guide to Deferred MBA Programs |
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If you are a college senior or a graduate student in your last year of studies and are confident that “earning an MBA” is on your bucket list, you might consider applying NOW for an MBA through what is known as a Deferred MBA Program. While Harvard Business School’s 2+2 is the most well-known deferred MBA option, an increasing number of top business schools offer current students the chance to secure a spot for a future year. (Personal MBA Coach details the Top 10 Deferred MBA Programs here.) If you are like many of the college students we speak to, you may be wondering what the benefits of a Deferred MBA are, what schools are looking for and how you can succeed. Personal MBA Coach is here to help! First, what are the benefits of a Deferred MBA? 1) Flexibility on when you start your studies. Although some programs, such as HBS’s 2+2, have a more defined path (and even then there is some wiggle room), in many cases deferred MBA applicants have a choice of whether to defer their enrollment by 2, 3, 4 or even more years. This means you can lock in your admission offer now but still start school when it is right for you. Such a benefit is particularly helpful in years where overall MBA applications are down (which is true now!). 2) The ability to start your MBA earlier in your career. In some fields, for example, consulting, the MBA is generally the great equalizer. So, the earlier that you start an MBA, the faster you will reach your ultimate goal. However, it is very challenging to apply to a top MBA program with only two years of professional experience (in some cases, nearly all these early career slots go to deferred applicants). A deferred MBA is therefore a great way to start your MBA with only a few years of experience. 3) You can apply while you are a student. While you might feel stretched, believe us, you will have a LOT more time to work on your applications as a college senior or a graduate student than you will while working full time. Most pre-MBA jobs are very demanding, and senior spring semester often can be an easier time on campus. While it may be tempting to coast, if you know an MBA is in your future, take advantage of the time and flexibility being a student affords you and get your MBA applications out of the way.  4) Deferred MBA applicants get an extra bite at the apple (so to speak). It is no secret that admissions rates to top MBA programs are low. HBS admits just 12.5% of applicants while Stanford GSB admits only 6.2% applicants. In many cases, successful MBA applicants applied to their dream programs more than once. MBA admissions committees like reapplicants (provided they have demonstrated growth) but reapplying can delay your ultimate enrollment date. By applying as a student, you get another chance! Even if you are not accepted, you have already demonstrated your commitment to their program and to getting an MBA. Next, what are top MBA programs looking for from deferred MBA candidates? Naturally, there are some core qualities including leadership, passion and direction that all deferred MBA program are looking for (more on how to demonstrate these below). In many cases, these are similar to the qualities full-time MBA applicants are evaluated on. However, what business schools are looking for from deferred applicants can vary by school. Some top MBA schools, for example Columbia Business School, are looking to attract the best talent. In this case, no preference is given to a particular industry. In other cases, schools use their MBA programs to attract candidates from particular sectors. Harvard Business School, for example, has a preference for STEM majors. Presumably, these applicants are less likely than their peers in finance and consulting to pursue an MBA later in their career. Consider what each school is looking for when choosing your target list! How can I stand out as a Deferred MBA Applicant? Not surprisingly Deferred MBA programs seek proven leaders. Since it is not often possible for you to demonstrate traditional professional leadership at such a young age, the admissions committee is looking for other leadership experience, both on and off campus. Successful candidates have taken significant roles in organizations they are passionate about. Some have even started their own non-profits or businesses (though this is far from a requirement). Successful deferred MBA applicants also have a clear career vision and ideally have taken steps to demonstrate this commitment. College students often are unsure of their future plans. While there is nothing wrong with that, admissions committees are looking for decisive deferred MBA candidates. Before applying you should have both an immediate plan, a short-term goal and a long-term goal. Of course no one will hold you to the latter two, but you want to chart your course, starting now!  As part of the application process, nearly all programs will ask you to discuss what you plan to do BEFORE starting business school. With application deadlines often falling in April, many successful candidates already will have locked down a post-graduation job. When this is not possible, applicants should have a specific immediate career target. If you are earlier in your studies, you might also consider looking for in-semester internships in your chosen field to demonstrate your commitment to and understanding of your future career path. For more on how to think about your goals, check out this article. Finally, you should clearly articulate why applying now vs. later in your career makes sense for you! The answer to this will vary on a case-by-case basis but think about why YOU want to apply now. Need help charting your deferred MBA application strategy? Check out Personal MBA Coach’s Deferred MBA Admissions Consulting Packages for more details on how we can help! About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 15 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post A Guide to Deferred MBA Programs appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
13 Jan 2023, 06:00
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Booth EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 |
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The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has shared its Executive MBA application essays for the 2022-2023 application cycle. This year, the school’s application features one required essay and one optional essay. For those interested in the Chicago Booth EMBA Program, take a look at the latest class profile to assess whether the school may be a good fit for you. The Chicago Booth EMBA class of 2023 is made up of 255 students representing 48 nationalities. Of these students, 119 have advanced degrees and a third identify as women. Class of 2023 Booth EMBA students had an average of 13 years of work experience and an average age of 38. Twenty-two industries are represented in the Booth EMBA class. Top pre-EMBA industries include technology (14%), energy/oil/utilities (9%), and consulting (9%). Top pre-EMBA functions were general management, consulting, and engineering. Average GMAT: 699 Average Executive Assessment: 154 Below, please find the upcoming application deadlines and our analysis of the Booth EMBA application essays. The 2022-2023 Chicago Booth Application Deadlines Are: Round 1: Oct. 31, 2022 Round 2: Jan. 16, 2023 Round 3: April 3, 2023 Round 4: June 12, 2023  2022-2023 Chicago Booth EMBA Application Essays: Chicago Booth EMBA Essay 1 (2 page maximum, single-spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman): Why are you seeking an MBA from Chicago Booth and what unique knowledge and experiences do you hope to contribute to the program? At two single-spaced pages, this can amount to a very long essay. That said, admissions committees appreciate concise writing, so do not feel compelled to write for writing’s sake. This essay has a few key foundational parts: once you have satisfied those, do not add unneeded generalities or fluff. Personal MBA Coach suggests approaching the Chicago Booth EMBA essay by first establishing where you are today professionally. In this introduction, you should briefly discuss the skills and expertise you have mastered. Next, share your post-MBA goals, both short term and long term. As you do this, cite specifics: Chicago Booth wants to know what your plans are, in detail, for your future. It is fine (and common) to remain at the same firm and even in the same role. However, you should clearly articulate your vision, telling the admissions committee what you hope to accomplish and how it will impact your future firm. Next, you want to make clear why you are seeking an MBA now. To do this, discuss what skills it will give you, generally speaking, and how these specific skills will help you to reach your future ambitions. Finally, devote the remainder of the essay to the EMBA program at Booth—courses you will take, programs you will follow—citing specifically the know-how that Booth will edify. This discussion should include not only what you will learn from the program but also what you will bring to Chicago Booth. Think about where you are in your career, special expertise you have, unique perspectives and experiences you can share, and cite specific ways in which you will funnel/share those to contribute. This final part gives you an opportunity to go a bit beyond the professional arena to share something more personal about you: your involvement in nonprofits, or talents or activities you cultivate. Whatever they are, make sure you show how you will share them specifically through the Booth program and how you will improve the school community as a whole. Personal MBA Coach always recommends that applicants research the particular culture and priorities of the school. While they should, of course, be part of your reason for applying there, it is helpful to keep them in mind while writing about both what you will get from a Chicago Booth EMBA and what you will give back to Chicago Booth.  Chicago Booth EMBA Optional Essay (1 page maximum, single-spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman) If there is anything else you would like the admissions committee to know about you, please share that information here. The optional Booth EMBA essay should be addressed only by applicants with extenuating circumstances or life events that have strongly affected their academic and professional voyage. Read more about how to answer this optional essay question here. Need help with your Chicago Booth EMBA essays? Check out Personal MBA Coach’s Comprehensive EMBA Packages today. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Booth EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
13 Jan 2023, 12:00
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Berkeley Haas EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 |
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The Haas School of Business at Berkeley has shared its Executive MBA application essays for the 2022-2023 application cycle. This year, the school’s application features two short, required essays. For those interested in the Haas EMBA Program, take a look at the latest class profile to assess whether the school may be a good fit for you. With 71 students in the 2023 class, the Berkeley Haas EMBA program is tiny: it has about one-third women, about half students born outside the U.S., and about 10% underrepresented minorities. The average age is 36. About a quarter of the students come from the San Francisco area. Sixty-three different companies are represented, with the top industries being high technology (17%), health services (16%), and computer-related services (10%). The average work experience is 12 years. Below, please find the upcoming application deadlines and our analysis of the Berkeley Haas EMBA application essays. The 2022-2023 Haas EMBA Application Deadlines are: Round 1: November 2, 2022 Round 2: February 1, 2023 Round 3: April 12, 2023  2022-2023 Berkeley Haas EMBA Application Essays: Berkeley Haas EMBA Essay 1: A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects, including family, culture, personal interests, and surrounding environments. Please share a facet of your identity or story that is essential to who you are. (300-word limit). With 300 words at your disposal, your thoughts must be clear and your pencil sharp. You want to choose ONE thing in the list of facets that make up your identity. You do not want a short list. Choose something that is defining for you, which means you need to be able to articulate exactly how it defines you. Does it impact your choices? Has it impacted your career? Or is it simply an aspect of you that enlightens your priorities, professional or spiritual. It could also be an event. Start with a sentence or two describing the aspect you have chosen: “From childhood I grew up in the forest in Amazonia.” Or “I am a Master chess player.” Or “I am a tango dancer and have traveled to 38 countries dancing.” Then spend the rest of your word space telling the Admissions Committee what that means to you or how it has determined your path—OR determines your future choices: Because I grew up in Amazonia, I witnessed both the beauty and the devastation of the environment, and this has motivated me to protect endangered species through my work.” By the way, about its essays Haas says, “There is no right answer. We just want to get to know you better.”  Berkeley Haas EMBA Essay 2: As a working professional, you have developed unique skills, knowledge or experience in your career. Please summarize your primary area of professional expertise or knowledge. Highlight any aspect(s) that makes you unique or sets you apart from your peers. (150-word limit) Berkeley Haas EMBA Essay 2 is about your professional experiences. In this essay, you have even fewer words, so you want to get to the point quickly: “In my work at Shell Oil I developed expertise in the extraction of oil through the XXX specific technology. This technology is on the cusp of extraction science, and I am one of 8 people in the oil industry to know it inside and out.” If you do not have the fortune to distinguish yourself quite so singularly, try to find special things you bring to the table and link them quickly to what that means in practice in terms of your goals: “My analysis of expert opinions in chemical spills litigation has given me expertise in the areas of chemical cleanup and monetary assessment of damages, which positions me to excel with firms that specialize in environmental consulting.” This is not a time to be humble: Focus on what makes you great. Looking for help crafting a compelling Berkeley Haas Executive MBA application? Check out Personal MBA Coach’s Comprehensive EMBA Packages today. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Berkeley Haas EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
16 Jan 2023, 03:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: MIT Sloan EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 |
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MIT Sloan School of Management has shared its Executive MBA application essays for the 2022-2023 application cycle. This year, the school’s application includes four required essay questions (including a statement of purpose) and one optional essay. For those interested in the MIT EMBA Program, take a look at the latest class profile to assess whether the school may be a good fit for you. The 2022 class had two cohorts of about 65 students each. Those encompassed one-third women, about half international students, and about 17 percent underrepresented minorities. Collectively the class of 2022 represents 65 companies ranging from healthcare/hospital/pharma (20%) to banking/financial services (16%) to software/technology (15%). These EMBA candidates had an average of 17 years of work experience and an average age of 41. Prior to beginning their EMBA studies, nearly half previously earned an advanced degree and 88% held director-level positions or higher. The 2022 class had two cohorts of about 65 students each. Those encompassed one-third women, about half international students, and about 17 percent underrepresented minorities. Collectively the class of 2022 represents 65 companies ranging from healthcare/hospital/pharma (20%) to banking/financial services (16%) to software/technology (15%). These EMBA candidates had an average of 17 years of work experience and an average age of 41. Prior to beginning their EMBA studies, nearly half previously earned an advanced degree and 88% held director-level positions or higher. Below, please find the upcoming application deadlines and our analysis of the MIT EMBA application essays. [img]https://www.personalmbacoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/WordPress-–-MIT-EMBA.png[/img] The 2022-2023 MIT EMBA Application Deadlines Are: Round 1: January 12, 2023 Round 2: February 9, 2023 Round 3: March 9, 2023 Round 4: April 6, 2023 Round 5: May 4, 2023 2022-2023 MIT EMBA Application Essays: MIT Sloan EMBA Statement of Purpose: Please provide a statement on your personal and professional qualifications. What is motivating you to apply to the MIT Executive MBA at this point in your career? (500 words or less) Open this first MIT Sloan EMBA essay by telling the Admissions Committee where you are in your career. In this top paragraph include what you have accomplished in the past and cite what you consider to be your main achievements in your field. Include skills you have mastered and expertise you have amassed: those are your qualifications thus far. Then devote two full paragraphs to your goals, short term and long term. It is acceptable (and often expected) that you remain in the same role post-MBA. Therefore, focus on what you hope to accomplish in this role. Finally, think through the skills and knowledge you seek to develop to achieve these goals. That should fully explain why you are seeking an Executive MBA at this point in your career. As you discuss your skill gaps, think about the ways in which Sloan can help: cite specific programs, classes, and activities that will position you to conquer any challenges you expect to face in your future career. Do not make a laundry list. Instead, think carefully about what you will take advantage of on campus and how it will help you to achieve your goals.  MIT Sloan EMBA Essay 1: Lasting impact can happen on large and small scales. Tell us about how you inspired your team, and what you learned about yourself as a leader, through a recent difficult time. (300 words or less) With 300 words at your disposal, we recommend choosing a recent difficult time that can be easily described and whose complexity is clearly stated. If possible, think of a challenge that is not related to Covid. After describing the difficulty, explain quickly and concisely what you did that had impact in this situation: a decision you made or an action you took. Be specific and show the impact or effect it had on your team. Finally, devote the final few sentences to what you learned about yourself from this: Perhaps you rose to a challenge you had not expected, or you discovered leadership you did not know you had, or perhaps you learned that people rely on you more than you thought. End by looking toward the future and how the power from that lesson will stick with you. MIT Sloan EMBA Essay 2: MIT Sloan finds strength through diversity. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. We seek to create a community that encompasses all dimensions of diversity and fosters excellence within MIT Sloan. This includes diversity of identity, thought, role, and perspective. Please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. (250 words or less) This short answer is even shorter, so, again, choose a situation that can be easily explained. Quickly set the stage for your action: The company was facing a layoff, or colleagues who had been hired were not receiving the proper training, or the company was hiring only white male scientists. Then explain what you did to make the situation or environment more inclusive or better, giving the necessary detail. Show any leadership you practiced and any opposition you may have faced. Finally, cite any information/statistics to show how your action made the situation more inclusive or welcoming. If you can show systemic change, even better. Before tackling this short question, you might want to read the following essay prompt to make sure you allocate your stories to the right places and that they complement each other.  MIT Sloan EMBA Essay 3: Please tell us about a time when you introduced an idea that changed the way in which your organization approached a business challenge or opportunity. What factors did you consider, what barriers or obstacles did you face, and how did you measure success? (500 words or less) This essay gives you the opportunity to evidence your leadership beyond the brevity confines of the previous essay prompt. Here, choose something meaty in your leadership and initiative pile that you can develop in detail. This does not have to be an initiative in your professional context: It could be extracurricular as well, if it brought about lasting change in an organization. Start by sharing the idea and any contextual facts readers need to know to appreciate its value. For example, a systemic problem in organizational structure or an opportunity that would be sadly missed because of poor communication between departments. A situation that made you think, “Why don’t we try XXX?” Then, discuss how you developed your idea, the research and analysis you put into showing that it would work, any opposition or challenges you faced, and the creative initiative you engaged to put your idea forward and sell it. That is the bulk of the essay. Show your analytical and problem-solving prowess. Finally, tell the Admissions Committee what came of your effort: how the nearly missed opportunity was turned around or how the business problem was solved. Show results through statistics, if possible. Dedicate the final words to any important lessons you may have learned. Need help with your MIT Sloan EMBA Applications? Find out more about how we can help you achieve MBA application success with our EMBA Comprehensive Packages. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post MIT Sloan EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
19 Jan 2023, 08:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: NYU Stern EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 |
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The NYU Stern School of Business has shared its Executive MBA application essays for the 2022-2023 application cycle. This year, the school’s application includes two required essays and one optional essay. If you are interested in the NYU Stern EMBA Program, last year’s cohort included 60 students, of which a little more than a third were women and 40 percent were international. The average age of the NYU EMBA candidate is 38, with 14 years of work experience. Take a look at the latest detailed class profile to assess whether the school may be a good fit for you. Below, please find the upcoming application deadlines and our analysis of the NYU EMBA application essays. The 2022-2023 NYU Stern EMBA Application Deadlines Are: For the August entry, March 1, 2023 For the January entry, October 1, 2023 Outside of the deadlines, admissions are rolling.  2022-2023 NYU Stern EMBA Application Essays: NYU Stern Essay 1: Describe your short- and long-term career goals and how the NYU Stern Executive MBA program will help you accomplish them. (500 words maximum, double-spaced) This is a traditional goals essay, intended to show the admissions committee where you are in your career today, where you would like to arrive, and how NYU can help you get there. Start with a paragraph detailing your professional status: what you do, a bit about your accomplishments, your responsibilities, and your areas of expertise. You want your skills to be evident and to show any specific knowledge that sets you apart. Then you want two detailed paragraphs of your goals, both short term and long term. We suggest you flesh out your ambitions down to the roles you want to assume and ideas you want to pursue. Show your vision. Finally, discuss what skills you seek to acquire to fulfil those goals and how a Stern EMBA will help you do that. You should spend the last full paragraph on singular offerings at Stern that will help you develop those skills and prepare to meet the challenges of your goals. Demonstrate that you have studied the Stern EMBA program and planned your time there, showing at the same time what interests you and your awareness of any gaps you need to fill. NYU Stern Essay 2: NYU Stern is committed to helping students develop a deeper set of professional skills and a broader perspective of the role of business in the world. (500 words maximum, double-spaced)
Spend the first few sentences explaining the business issue you are interested in. Choose something you really are interested in so you can show genuine care. From the question we can infer that it should call into play the role of business in the world: In other words, as a business leader, you can do something about it. That opens up a full range of things, from environmental issues to racial and economic disparity, labor laws, unequal pay, pricing, and education. Next, explain why this issue is important to you. This will show your values and concerns and how and you measure the responsibility of business in addressing the world’s problems. Finally, pick apart the issue you chose and offer ways to address it. Use this section as an opportunity to let your leadership, problem-solving, and analytical abilities shine. Come up with a course of action and show how you would implement it using your experience and abilities. Try to consider as many facets of the issue as possible—including those you may not know how to address and how you would deal with that.  NYU Stern Optional Essay: : Please provide any additional information of which you would like the Admissions Committee to be aware. This may include additional details on your quantitative/academic preparedness through educational or professional experience, further explanation of academic history, current or past gaps in employment or any other information relevant to your application. (500 words maximum, double-spaced) The optional NYU EMBA essay should only be addressed by applicants with extenuating circumstances. Read more about how to answer this optional essay question here. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post NYU Stern EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
20 Jan 2023, 12:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Kellogg EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 |
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Kellogg has released its 2022-2023 EMBA application essay questions. This application cycle, the admissions committee asks candidates to respond to two essay questions. Applicants also have the choice of responding to an optional essay question. If you are still determining whether the Kellogg EMBA program might be a strong fit for you, visit the program’s class profile to learn more about recently accepted students. On average, 2022 entrants had 15 years of work experience and 72% of students hold senior-level positions. The class consists of 46% US minorities, 35% women and 20% international students. Below, Personal MBA Coach has shared the upcoming Kellogg EMBA application deadlines and our tips for completing the latest Kellogg EMBA essays. The 2023 Kellogg EMBA Application Deadlines Are: Round 1: April 19, 2023 Round 2: June 7, 2023 2022-2023 Kellogg EMBA Essays: Kellogg EMBA Essay 1: What are your short-term and long-term career goals? What have you already done to get there and how do you think Kellogg and an Executive MBA will help? (450 word maximum) This first Kellogg EMBA essay is a very direct goals and why MBA question, and we recommend a straightforward response. Begin by establishing where you are in your career today. This question does not require you to walk through your entire resume. Instead, focus on your past just enough to establish your key skills as well as how and why you will succeed in the future. Next, share both your short-term and long-term goals. A strong answer here will be very specific and go beyond sharing your target company and role. Instead, tell the reader what specifically you hope to accomplish in these roles. Adding a brief perspective on how you arrived at these aspirations may also be relevant and helpful here, particularly if your goals are not obvious.  Finally, ask yourself what skill gaps you have that might prevent you from succeeding in these goals and how a Kellogg EMBA will help you close these gaps. Close this essay by sharing this detail with Kellogg. You should discuss not only the skills you are hoping to gain but also specifically how Kellogg will help you. To answer this question, take the time to research all that Kellogg has to offer. Then, detail the opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus. Avoid vague statements or discussing offerings that would be available at any school. Do not include a laundry list. Instead, focus on a few key items. Think about classes you are particularly interested in or perhaps professors you are looking to study with. A strong answer here will show that you have studied the school’s curriculum, resources, and culture in detail and that your plan and intent deserve a spot in the program. Kellogg EMBA Essay 2: Define what community means to you. Share an example of how you contribute to a community and how that contribution is impacting that community. (450 word maximum) Through this second Kellogg EMBA essay, you want to convey a few equally important points: your sense of community, your understanding of what it means to participate in a community, and a realistic, thoughtful analysis of your impact on that community. Start out by defining what community means to you: it could be your neighborhood or your city; it could be a group you belong to by religious affiliation or by ethnicity; or it could be a group you affiliate with through passion or commitment.  Then choose something you have done that has impacted this community: it should be something that is easily explainable and showcases your leadership, thoughtfulness, and engagement. Next, detail the effect you had through this achievement or contribution. For example, if your community is a cultural group you belong to, show how an event you organized brought greater awareness of the group, or widened the membership, or bettered the group somehow. If your community is centered on a cause—say fighting homelessness in your neighborhood—show how you engaged your skills to bring resources to the effort. Be practical and specific in showing your leadership, your use of your skills, and your impact. Given that Kellogg’s other main EMBA essay is centered on your professional work and goals, if possible, pick an example outside of your day-to-day job. This essay can be a great opportunity to show another side of yourself: your sense of your position and role in the greater world. Optional Essay: If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.). Kellogg EMBA applicants should complete the optional essay prompt only if they have extenuating circumstances such as a low GPA or employment gap. Learn more about answering optional essays here. If you are looking for customized support during the EMBA application process, Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you through our Executive MBA admissions consulting packages. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Kellogg EMBA Application Deadlines and Essay Tips: 2022-2023 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
10 Feb 2023, 06:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: How to Articulate Your MBA Goals |
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“What do you want to do after you graduate from business school?” This seemingly simple question actually can be one of the most difficult to answer eloquently. With a few exceptions, articulating your post-MBA goals is a crucial part of the application process. Most business schools want to know how you will make the world better when you leave their campuses and what your unique mark will be. Whether you are aiming for round 3 or starting now on your round 1 MBA applications, this is a perfect time to start thinking through your post-MBA goals. In fact, developing a strong MBA goals statement is a key aspect of Personal MBA Coach’s comprehensive package. As you begin to reflect upon and articulate your goals, consider these six pieces of advice. 1) Be decisive While no one will hold you to what you write in your MBA application essays, you should be decisive when discussing your MBA career goals. Pick a set of goals and run with them. Candidates should not expect to “find themselves” in business school, though in reality this often happens. If you do have multiple ideas in mind, some schools are comfortable with understanding your thought process and decision-making criteria (Personal MBA Coach discusses this with clients on a case-by-case basis). Most schools, however, will want candidates to have clear plans laid out before they arrive on campus. 2) Be consistent Your goals should be YOUR goals. This means they should not vary from one MBA application to the next. Candidates can lose credibility by changing their goals to please the audience, and it can be difficult to articulate true passion (see point 6 below) for goals that are not genuine.  3) Develop career goals that are ambitious, yet attainable As valuable as an MBA is, you likely will not be running a department on the first day out of business school. Do your research and figure out what positions are realistic for you. You can start by looking at career postings from companies in your target industry. Pay close attention to required industry experience, particularly if you are considering changing careers. This will give you a good idea of what role you might be qualified for immediately post-MBA and will allow you to specifically note which position you hope to secure after school. 4) Consider a logical career pathway With your attainable role as a launching point, set out an ambitious path and long-term goal for yourself. This long-term goal is your opportunity to dream big and show how you will drive change in your future industry. It should flow logically (though not necessarily obviously) from your short-term goals. While you do not need to rise through the standard career ranks at your target firm (though it is perfectly fine if this is your goal), your career path should make sense to the reader and allow you to leverage the skills you will develop during your MBA and throughout your early post-MBA career. 5) Share how you will be unique Even if you have a common career goal, such as becoming a management consultant or an investment banker, you want to share how you will make your unique mark. Perhaps you intend to develop a specific area of expertise within the consulting industry or focus on a certain sector. You must go beyond simply stating the position you are hoping to achieve. Think deeper and share your vision for improving your chosen field or company. 6) Articulate passion A strong career goals essay will communicate passion for your future field. This does not mean that you need a long explanation for why you selected this career path. That said, as you provide the context and discuss your future, it should be clear to the reader that you are excited about this profession. Sharing what drove you to this field and identifying current innovations that particularly intrigue you are ways to show such passion. For more on how to think about your MBA goals, watch this quick tips video. Looking for help with your MBA applications? Check out Personal MBA Coach’s comprehensive packages to find out how we helped our clients earn $6.5M in scholarships in Round 1 alone! About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources including Poets&Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post How to Articulate Your MBA Goals appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
17 Feb 2023, 08:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the 2023 Financial Times MBA Rankings |
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The Financial Times recently released its 2023 MBA Rankings. For the second year in a row, U.S. schools dominate the top of the list. However, this year, three international MBA programs are in the top 10, as the Financial Times has added SDA Bocconi School of Management to its MBA Rankings list. While the Financial Times more frequently recognizes international MBA programs than competitors such as US News & World Report, this change confirms the increased demand for often lower cost and shorter international programs. This year, Columbia Business School took the top position, followed by INSEAD and IESE. This year, Harvard dropped from #3 to share the fourth spot with Stanford. SDA Bocconi School of Management took #6, which is a jump from #13 last year. It is followed by Berkeley Haas at #7, compared to last year’s #14, and then Cornell Johnson at #8, which is a significant increase from #17 last year. Kellogg moved down from #5 to #9. Similar to last year, Yale SOM closed out the top 10 in the Financial Times MBA rankings. Looking a bit farther down the Financial Times list of top MBA programs, MIT Sloan remained at #11, joined by Duke Fuqua and Chicago Booth. While this ranking is a huge jump for Duke Fuqua (up from #17 last year), Chicago Booth moved down from #7 in the 2022 ranking. UCLA Anderson joins the top 20 this year at #14, after being ranked #26 in 2022. Dartmouth Tuck improved to #15 (up from #18 last year). HEC Paris moved down from sharing #11 with MIT Sloan last year to tying for #17 with London Business School. Finally, NYU Stern ranked #19, compared to tying for #14 with Berkeley Haas last year. CEIBS closed off the top 20, dropping from its previous #16 rank. It is worth noting that Wharton is not included in this year’s rankings due to insufficient alumni responses. What drove the change in rankings this year? It is important to note that the Financial Times updated its ranking methodology this year, placing greater emphasis on diversity and sustainability which, as Personal MBA Coach shared last spring are becoming increasingly important to admissions directors. Value for money was also weighted more heavily this year. Conversely, salary data accounted for only 32% of the rankings, down from 40% during the prior year. Find out more about the Financial Times criteria here. While these rankings can help MBA hopefuls build their target school lists, Personal MBA Coach likes to remind candidates that rankings are not the be-all and end-all. Below, we have shared our top tips to keep in mind as you review MBA rankings. Need help determining which programs are right for you? Program selection is included in our Comprehensive Packages!  1) Look at MBA rankings to get an overview of the business school landscape. If you are in the early stages of your MBA application journey, rankings can be useful to get a general lay of the land. Use these rankings to see what schools are out there, where they are located, and how they compare to one another. 2) Review statistics as an initial guide. Statistics including acceptance rate, average undergraduate GPA, and average test scores of enrolled students will give you some strong benchmarking information. That said, these numbers should be used as only an initial guide since the whole applicant package is far more important. Plenty of applicants with GPAs or GMAT/GRE/EA scores below average are accepted every year while others with higher statistics are not. This disparity is why we encourage candidates to apply to a range of programs (ideally 5 to 8 schools). 3) Consider average ranking over the years. A school’s average ranking over time is important to consider when looking at MBA rankings. When you are applying to jobs down the road, recruiters likely will not know your school’s ranking when you applied, but they may look at its current standing. Therefore, it is worth evaluating how the schools you are interested in have placed over time. Have they consistently stayed in the top tiers, or has their placement fluctuated greatly? 4) Analyze general trends. While the latest Financial Times MBA rankings show Columbia in the top spot this year, other rankings scales are likely to show different results (see the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings and Bloomberg Businessweek rankings for reference). Of course, certain schools will consistently place in the top ten, but the general list will vary from source to source. As mentioned with ranking over time, the general trend across different ranking sources is the most significant.  5) Notice how rankings vary from one industry to the next. While all MBA programs highlight strong general management education, each school has different areas of expertise. Thus it will be helpful to consider how schools perform in industry-specific rankings as well. Think about your MBA goals and check out rankings that pertain to these goals. Are you looking for help with school selection? Along with MBA rankings, there are many factors to consider when building your target school list. Download Personal MBA Coach’s free Decision Making Guide to get more tips on business school selection. School selection is part of our Comprehensive Packages. For those planning to apply to business school in September 2023, it is not too early to get started! Personal MBA Coach is already beginning to work with clients on round 1 MBA applications. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Personal MBA Coach is the #1 most favorably reviewed US Consultant of all time on Poets & Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the 2023 Financial Times MBA Rankings appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
10 Mar 2023, 12:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: The GMAT Focus |
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The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) madea major announcement this week. The organization will be replacing the traditional GMAT exam with the new GMAT Focus Edition. GMAC has not yet announced when this new GMAT Focus Edition will first be available but has confirmed that the current GMAT exam will be available until early 2024. Developed in collaboration with business schools, GMAC has stated that GMAT Focus Edition is: “…a more focused test-taking experience that homes in on the higher-order critical reasoning and data literacy skills that are more relevant and applicable in the business environment of tomorrow.” The GMAT Focus Edition will include three 45-minute sections and the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section will be removed. Candidates also will be allowed to select their section order. Further, GMAC has promised improved score reporting with “detailed performance insights.”  Given the increasing popularity of the 90-minute Executive Assessment (EA) exam and debates on more traditional standardized tests, Personal MBA Coach is not surprised by these changes. This announcement should come as welcome news to MBA candidates, easing one of the barriers to applying to business school. While business school applications in the US have been down in recent years, increasing layoffs are likely to drive application volume up. This simpler test is also likely to encourage more applicants to apply to business school. Personal MBA Coach will be monitoring changes in the GMAT exam very closely and updating our personalized tutoring accordingly. We will continue to offer tutoring support for the GMAT, GRE and EA exam and will add GMAT Focused Edition tutoring services as soon as preparation material are available. Find out more about Personal MBA Coach’s 1:1 tutoring here. About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Personal MBA Coach is the #1 most favorably reviewed US Consultant of all time on Poets & Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post The GMAT Focus appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
17 Mar 2023, 09:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Applying to Business School as a Consultant |
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Run by former Bain & Company and Deloitte consultants, Personal MBA Coach helps numerous consultants get into top MBA programs and earn significant scholarships each year. While consulting can be a great industry for starting your career and gaining strong pre-MBA experience and exposure, it is also a competitive field with many MBA applicants. MBA admissions committees are looking to build well-rounded classes that include students from diverse backgrounds. While most schools could easily fill an entire class with management consultants who have top GPAs, high test scores, and great experience, doing so would not make for very dynamic discussions. Thus, as a consultant, you have your work cut out for you to distinguish yourself from your peers in your MBA applications. Personal MBA Coach is here to help with expert advice for current or former consultants. But first, let’s look at the MBA school landscape and see where applicants with a consulting background fit. Which Schools Admit the Most Consultants? The breakdown of students by pre-MBA industry across leading full-time MBA programs shows consulting as the #1 or #2 industry at many schools. However, there is a wide range in terms of the percentage of former consultants within the most recently reported MBA classes at leading schools. London Business School recently admitted the highest percent of consultants, with 30% of the class of 2024 coming from the industry, closely followed by Wharton (27%) and Chicago Booth (25%), as the table below shows. At Berkeley Haas, Dartmouth Tuck, and MIT Sloan, former consultants comprise over 20% of the class. However, if you are looking at NYU Stern, Harvard Business School, or Duke Fuqua, you likely will face even stiffer competition, as consultants make up a smaller percentage of MBA students at these programs.  So, what can you do to increase your chances of success? Below are five tips that Personal MBA Coach recommends for its consultant applicants, based on our experience working with applicants from top consulting firms, including McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Deloitte, and many more. 1) Embrace your uniqueness Do not write what you think admissions committee members want to read. There is no “ideal” candidate profile. Instead, your uniqueness will be one of your greatest selling points. Regardless of your background, show the reader who you are and be sure to cover multiple aspects of your profile. While this does not mean you should provide a laundry list of details, discussing one or two unique skills, hobbies, extracurricular leadership roles, volunteer work, or language skills will paint a clearer picture for admissions committee members of who you are and what unique value you can add to their next class. If you are coming from a less traditional field, call attention to both your unique and your transferable skills. Whether you are a dancer, a coach or a scientist, many of the same skills are essential for success in an MBA program. 2) Show what you have done above and beyond the expectations for your role Given that many consultants have worked on similar projects, it is crucial to focus on your unique professional accomplishments. Be honest with yourself. If three friends of yours also recommended cost synergies for a recent client, maybe you have something more unique (even if it is not the most impressive) to mention. Think about projects in which you have gone the extra mile or added an innovative point of view. Let your admissions committee readers see how you have stood out as a leader and leveraged analytical and/or out-of-the-box thinking. Have you taken on extra projects? Signed up to volunteer within the organization? Mentored a junior colleague? Any additional measures that show your strengths and initiative will help ensure that your MBA application stands out.  3) Develop a strong MBA resume Your MBA resume provides a crucial opportunity to distinguish yourself as a candidate. You may be thinking, “No problem, I already have a resume.” You do, but it is not the one you need for a successful MBA application. An MBA resume shows multiple aspects of your profile, not just a chronology of your employment or job functions; it provides concrete evidence that you have been successful and demonstrated leadership. Unlike potential employers, MBA admissions committee members do not need to know each detail of your job, especially if you are a former consultant. Instead, focus on and highlight your key accomplishments. That said, you should include specific and measurable results such as “increased performance 30% over previous year” or “drove $1M in new business through x, y, z” to show personal growth over time as well as your impact on business performance. In addition to their professional strengths, successful MBA applicants are active in their communities, athletics, neighborhood organizations, etc. Including these details on your resume shows readers other aspects of your candidacy. This is another way you can both embrace your uniqueness (per point 1) and set yourself apart from your peers. For more tips on writing MBA application resume, check out our blog “What is an MBA Resume?” 4) Select and prepare your recommenders carefully Selecting the right people to write your MBA letters of recommendation will also help your application stand out. Be sure to choose someone who knows you well and who will take the time to write a great letter of recommendation. As a consultant, you want someone who can compare you to other applicants and show how you have distinguished yourself among your peers. It is crucial that your recommenders be familiar with your work, your character, strengths, your weaknesses and your career aspirations. The best MBA letters of recommendation show an intimate familiarity with the candidate. An ideal letter of recommendation will complement the rest of your application. You do not want your recommender to repeat exactly what your resume and other materials already say, but you also want to make sure there is no conflicting information. Take the time to prepare your recommenders by sharing your career aspirations, reminding them of your key accomplishments, and telling them what you plan to discuss in your essays. If you have a skill set your future recommender has not seen yet, model the behavior now that you want them to write about later.  5) Broaden your school list While Personal MBA Coach writes a lot about the M7 business schools, many other top schools are climbing in the MBA rankings. Furthermore, the MBA application process is something of a numbers game: For example, your profile might be great but if there are too many qualified consultants from your country or region in a given year’s pool, you may struggle to stand out. This is why our average candidate applies to five or more schools. For some, this means applying to schools from a range of tiers. For others, this means spreading their application eggs across multiple top-tier-school baskets. Of course, the target list for all candidates must match the candidate profile. Be sure that you have not only a wide enough list but also one that is reasonable based on your GPA, GMAT/GRE score, and specific consulting experience. Personal MBA Coach prides itself on offering open and honest feedback on your chances of success at any given school. We want our candidates to reach high but to be strategic and realistic as well. Hear from a past consultant how Personal MBA Coach can help: About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Personal MBA Coach is the #1 most favorably reviewed US Consultant of all time on Poets & Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Applying to Business School as a Consultant appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
21 Mar 2023, 05:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Articulating Your Personal Story |
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Personal MBA Coach started with the premise that everyone has a personal story and that the most successful candidates craft unique and compelling stories. This continues to be a cornerstone of our support and the area where we find our clients need the most guidance. We advise candidates to start thinking about their stories months, if not years, in advance! The good news? Everyone has a personal story; you may just need help figuring out how to make it shine. Keep in Mind: This is not the time to tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. As an Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) Board Member and Committee Chair, Personal MBA Coach is fortunate to attend an annual conference with Admissions Directors from 25+ top MBA programs including HBS, Stanford, Booth, Kellogg, Wharton, Ross, Sloan, Yale, Darden, Fuqua and many others. Authenticity is often a key point of discussion. The most successful candidates do not always write essays about overcoming a horrible tragedy or solving world hunger. Sure, if you have done something impressive or triumphed over a difficult situation, include it—if it fits with your story. But you also can write compelling essays without this. What should you include in your personal story? This answer will differ for every candidate but across the board, I can tell you, NOT EVERYTHING! No one wants to read a long explanation detailing a chronological flow of your life. Instead, you must be focused, logical and unique.  When Personal MBA Coach meets with a new candidate, we start by asking a lot of questions. We talk about everything the applicant has done, often starting from childhood. You should start with a similar process.
One candidate’s passion for education began as a result of a family tragedy. Instead of centering his essay on his misfortunes, however, he barely mentioned the tragedy in his essay as, frankly, it did not say anything about him. He focused instead on what he did in the face of this situation. He shared his penchant for education starting at a young age. His extracurricular activities, past career choices, and future aspirations laddered up to this. Sharing these highlights led to a compelling statement. His application strength did not come from his career successes but from how his essays were focused, his personal and professional moves were logical, and his career path was unique. This candidate was accepted to an M7 school.  Business schools want to know how you will make the business world (and the world more broadly) better when you leave their campuses. They also want to know how you will leave a unique mark. Past behavior is the best predictor of the future, and we all have left a mark in one way or another. No candidate is ever perfect; instead, we chart the best course we can with the hand we are dealt. The best personal statements show this. As you can see from this discussion, crafting a personal statement is not easy—but Personal MBA Coach is here to help! About Personal MBA Coach: Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 16 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2 by leading sources. Personal MBA Coach is the #1 most favorably reviewed US Consultant of all time on Poets & Quants. We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing, and mock interviews. Our team includes former M7 admissions directors and former M7 admissions interviewers. Last cycle, our clients earned more than $6.5M in scholarships! The post Articulating Your Personal Story appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
26 Apr 2023, 06:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the US News Best Business Schools 2024 |
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The 2023-2024 US News Top Business Schools report has just been released, with some interesting changes in this year’s rankings.s. For the second year in a row, Chicago Booth occupies the #1 spot after a jump from 3rd place two years ago. Following Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg ranked #2 in the 2023-2024 rankings, up one spot from last year. Meanwhile, Wharton fell slightly to #3 after tying for the top spot with Chicago Booth last year. While MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School were tied for 5th place for two years, MIT Sloan jumped slightly this year to 4th place while Harvard Business School maintained its 5th place ranking. Falling to #6, Stanford GSB tied with Dartmouth Tuck. This 6th-place finish is a notable jump for Dartmouth Tuck, up five spots from #11 last year. This is the highest and lowest score for Dartmouth Tuck and Stanford GSB, respectively, in the past four years. Stanford’s lower rating is due to the school’s employment data: Just over 60% of graduates were employed at graduation and under 85% were employed after three months. By comparison, over 90% of Chicago Booth students were employed at graduation. Despite their 5th and 6th place rankings, Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB remain top choices for Personal MBA Coach clients (which, as we discuss below, is a reminder that these rankings are only ONE piece of the puzzle). Further, Stanford GSB continues to report the highest average GMAT score (737) and lowest acceptance rate (8.6%) in the top ten. However, as discussed below, student selectivity comprised only 25% of the total score.  Yale School of Management tied for #8 this year with Michigan Ross, up two spots from #9 in 2022. Closing out the top ten is NYU Stern, returning to the #10 place it held in the 2021 and 2022 rankings. Columbia Business School and Berkeley Haas, which both made it into the top 10 in the past three years, fell slightly to 11th place, tying with Duke Fuqua. UVA Darden and Cornell Johnson have not seen much fluctuation. UVA Darden remained 14th for a second year in a row, whereas Cornell Johnson has ranked 15th since 2021, tying with USC Marshall only this year. Emory Goizueta, CMU Tepper, UCLA Anderson, Texas McCombs, and Washington Foster rounded out the top 20, in that order. US News Rankings Methodology The changes in this year’s ranking are largely due to changes in the rankings methodology used by US News. Most notably, employment data (referred to as Placement Success) now makes up 50% of a school’s overall score. Previously, the weight of placement was only 35%. Quality Assessment, which includes both peer assessment score and recruiter assessment score, makes up 25% of the score (down from 40%). The other 25% of the score is based on Student Selectivity, which includes both GMAT/GRE score, average GPA and acceptance rate. It is important to note that Median GMAT/GRE score was used for the first time this year, which means outlier scores have less effect on rankings. This may be seen as welcome news for unique applicants with a low test score, as the change in ranking methodology could lead admissions directors to consider applicants they might previously have excluded. These rankings and methodology changes are not without controversy, which is why it is even more important this year to remember that rankings are NOT the be-all, end-all.  How to Use MBA Rankings Personal MBA Coach would like to remind you that changes over time are more significant than year-to-year and guide-to-guide fluctuations. The constant shuffling at the top demonstrates the growing competition among elite business schools. While the M7 business schools receive a lot of attention, Personal MBA Coach urges our clients to consider a broad range of schools. Our average client applies to five to seven programs to maximize their chances of acceptance. For more information on how to use the US News Best Business Schools 2023-2024 report or other MBA rankings, check out our tips in this blog. Beyond MBA rankings, in choosing a business school you should consider factors including a school’s location, culture, academic programming, areas of specialization, and job placement rate. Similarly, culture and teaching style vary across schools. To learn more, we encourage you to review Personal MBA Coach’s new school guides. Finally, available financing also should be a key consideration since you may be able to secure more funding from one school versus another. Last cycle, Personal MBA Coach’s clients earned $10M in scholarships. Depending on your personal circumstances, you might be inclined to select a school with a more favorable financial package regardless of ranking. Some M7 schools are very generous with scholarships while others award them much more sparingly. About Personal MBA Coach The post Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the US News Best Business Schools 2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
27 Apr 2023, 09:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the US News Best Business Schools 2023-2024 |
The 2023-2024 US News Top Business Schools report has just been released, with some interesting changes in this year’s rankings. For the second year in a row, Chicago Booth occupies the #1 spot after a jump from 3rd place two years ago. Following Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg ranked #2 in the 2023-2024 rankings, up one spot from last year. Meanwhile, Wharton fell slightly to #3 after tying for the top spot with Chicago Booth last year. While MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School were tied for 5th place for two years, MIT Sloan jumped slightly this year to 4th place while Harvard Business School maintained its 5th place ranking. Falling to #6, Stanford GSB tied with Dartmouth Tuck. This 6th-place finish is a notable jump for Dartmouth Tuck, up five spots from #11 last year. This is the highest and lowest score for Dartmouth Tuck and Stanford GSB, respectively, in the past four years. Stanford’s lower rating is due to the school’s employment data: Just over 60% of graduates were employed at graduation and under 85% were employed after three months. By comparison, over 90% of Chicago Booth students were employed at graduation. Despite their 5th and 6th place rankings, Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB remain top choices for Personal MBA Coach clients (which, as we discuss below, is a reminder that these rankings are only ONE piece of the puzzle). Further, Stanford GSB continues to report the highest average GMAT score (737) and lowest acceptance rate (8.6%) in the top ten. However, as discussed below, student selectivity comprised only 25% of the total score. Yale School of Management tied for #8 this year with Michigan Ross, up two spots from #9 in 2022. Closing out the top ten is NYU Stern, returning to the #10 place it held in the 2021 and 2022 rankings. Columbia Business School and Berkeley Haas, which both made it into the top 10 in the past three years, fell slightly to 11th place, tying with Duke Fuqua. UVA Darden and Cornell Johnson have not seen much fluctuation. UVA Darden remained 14th for a second year in a row, whereas Cornell Johnson has ranked 15th since 2021, tying with USC Marshall only this year. Emory Goizueta, CMU Tepper, UCLA Anderson, Texas McCombs, and Washington Foster rounded out the top 20, in that order. US News Rankings Methodology The changes in this year’s ranking are largely due to changes in the rankings methodology used by US News. Most notably, employment data (referred to as Placement Success) now makes up 50% of a school’s overall score. Previously, the weight of placement was only 35%. Quality Assessment, which includes both peer assessment score and recruiter assessment score, makes up 25% of the score (down from 40%). The other 25% of the score is based on Student Selectivity, which includes both GMAT/GRE score, average GPA and acceptance rate. It is important to note that Median GMAT/GRE score was used for the first time this year, which means outlier scores have less effect on rankings. This may be seen as welcome news for unique applicants with a low test score, as the change in ranking methodology could lead admissions directors to consider applicants they might previously have excluded. These rankings and methodology changes are not without controversy, which is why it is even more important this year to remember that rankings are NOT the be-all, end-all. How to Use MBA Rankings Personal MBA Coach would like to remind you that changes over time are more significant than year-to-year and guide-to-guide fluctuations. The constant shuffling at the top demonstrates the growing competition among elite business schools. While the M7 business schools receive a lot of attention, Personal MBA Coach urges our clients to consider a broad range of schools. Our average client applies to five to seven programs to maximize their chances of acceptance. For more information on how to use the US News Best Business Schools 2023-2024 report or other MBA rankings, check out our tips in this blog. Beyond MBA rankings, in choosing a business school you should consider factors including a school’s location, culture, academic programming, areas of specialization, and job placement rate. Similarly, culture and teaching style vary across schools. To learn more, we encourage you to review Personal MBA Coach’s new school guides. Finally, available financing also should be a key consideration since you may be able to secure more funding from one school versus another. Last cycle, Personal MBA Coach’s clients earned $10M in scholarships. Depending on your personal circumstances, you might be inclined to select a school with a more favorable financial package regardless of ranking. Some M7 schools are very generous with scholarships while others award them much more sparingly. About Personal MBA Coach The post Personal MBA Coach’s Take on the US News Best Business Schools 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
05 May 2023, 10:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Stanford GSB Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 |
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The Stanford MBA essay questions, as expected, will not change for 2023-2024 MBA applicants. Once again, there are two Stanford GSB essays, which have a combined word limit of 1050 words. Stanford suggests applicants allocate up to 650 words on Essay A and up to 400 words on Essay B. Stanford shortened the combined word limit a few years ago, a sign that the school encourages applicants to remain focused and concise in their answers. Below, please find Personal MBA Coach’s advice on how to approach the two Stanford GSB essay questions. The Upcoming Stanford GSB Application Deadlines Are As Follows: Round 1: September 12, 2023 Round 2: January 4, 2024 Round 3: April 9, 2024 2023-2024 Stanford GSB Essays: Stanford GSB Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? (650 words suggested) For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives? This first Stanford MBA essay is arguably one of the hardest MBA application questions across all schools. This challenging question requires candidates to speak from the heart. As Stanford advises, think more about your values here and WHY you made the choices you have made than WHAT you have done. Personal MBA Coach recommends you do some serious soul searching before starting. Think about what you are most passionate about. What drives you to get out of bed each morning? If you could spend your time as you wish, what would you do? Ideally, you have acted on this passion, and it extends throughout multiple aspects of your life. Then, think carefully about why this matters to you. Did you have an experience as a child? Are you following a passion held by others in your family? Finally, once you have established the why, you should include some WHAT here. After all, a passion or cause that you have done nothing with will not be very believable. Remember though, this is only PART of this personal essay.  Stanford GSB Essay B: Why Stanford? (400 words suggested) Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. In this short Stanford MBA essay, candidates have a lot to cover. First, you should set up why you want an MBA. Naturally, this would include what your goals are and what skills you need to develop to achieve these goals. Then, establish how Stanford will help you to fill these skill gaps. Once again, be specific! Name classes, clubs, programs, etc. and how they will help. Finally, be sure to articulate what attracts you to Stanford’s culture. We realize this is a tall order with a suggested word count of only 400 words, so be succinct. Unlike other schools, Stanford gives the candidate discretion on how to divide the 1050 words (1100 for dual degree candidates) across the two essays. The breakdown above is a suggestion and, in general, this is an ideal breakdown for most candidates. In addition, there is one optional question in the Stanford GSB application.  Stanford GSB Optional Question: Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? In the Essays section of the application, we ask you to tell us about who you are and how you think Stanford will help you achieve your aspirations. We are also interested in learning about the things you have done that are most meaningful to you. If you would like to go beyond your resume to discuss some of your contributions more fully, you are welcome to share up to three examples. (Up to 1,200 characters, or approximately 200 words, for each example) For many other top MBA programs, Personal MBA Coach advises clients to answer optional essays only to discuss unique circumstances. Take a look at our blog on optional essay questions to learn more. However, the requirements for addressing one or more of the optional Stanford MBA essays are not quite as stringent. You can use these optional essays to share other aspects of your candidacy not included in your essays. That said, use these Stanford MBA essays sparingly. Less continues to be more here. Answer these questions only if you have something very powerful to add that is not already included elsewhere in your Stanford GSB application. Looking help developing your Stanford GSB essays? Find out how we can help with our comprehensive packages. Plus, for more information on the full-time Stanford MBA program, check out Personal MBA Coach’s Stanford guide. About Personal MBA Coach The post Stanford GSB Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
09 May 2023, 10:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: What to Change in Your MBA Application If You Are Reapplying |
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If you were rejected from business school last year, it may be tempting to scrap your applications, essays, and letters of recommendation and start from scratch. However, you may harm yourself by doing so. You want to show consistency with your MBA and post-MBA aspirations, so Personal MBA Coach encourages you to think strategically about what to change in your MBA reapplicant profile. Here are some tips on what you should improve upon, what you should tweak, and what should remain consistent on your business school applications the second (or third) time around. What You Should Consider Improving: 1. Letters of recommendation: If you are not confident that you had the best LORs last year, consider asking someone else to write a letter for you this year. Some schools may require you to submit at least one new LOR regardless. Watch this quick-tips video from Personal MBA Coach for LOR advice: [youtube2]p> Of course, sometimes goals change because of life or work circumstances. If this is the case, make sure you carefully explain how your goals have evolved so that you do not appear indecisive. 2. Your story: As with goals, you want to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have a clear sense of self and purpose. Therefore, your overall story should not change. However, you may find it necessary to address any large holes or weaknesses in your resume, such as a dramatic career shift without an accompanying explanation. Personal MBA Coach’s Articulating Your Personal Story blog is here to guide you through this. Looking for help maximizing your chances of success as a reapplicant? Find out more about Personal MBA Coach can help with our comprehensive MBA application packages. The post What to Change in Your MBA Application If You Are Reapplying appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
10 May 2023, 11:01
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: INSEAD MBA Essays and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 |
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The INSEAD MBA deadlines have been confirmed for the 2023–2024 application cycle. For candidates considering INSEAD, the program is best known for its international student body, hence the school’s tagline of “The Business School for the World.” A typical class profile includes more than 75 different nationalities and over 65 business or home countries. This global cohort renders the INSEAD MBA program a diverse and inclusive experience. If you are considering applying for 2024 intake, please see below for the upcoming INSEAD MBA deadlines as well as Personal MBA Coach’s guidance on how to answer the INSEAD MBA essay questions, based on the 2022-2023 MBA application essay questions. The full-time MBA programs offers four application rounds for August 2024 intake, the second falling in November (earlier than most Round 2 deadlines). The INSEAD MBA Deadlines Are: Round 1: September 12, 2023 Round 2: November 7, 2023 Round 3: January 16, 2024 Round 4: March 5, 2024  Based on our 16 years of experience, we do not expect the INSEAD MBA application essay questions to change next year. Personal MBA Coach’s Tips for Tackling the INSEAD MBA Essay Questions (based on the 2022-2023 essay questions): 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. (500 words maximum) This is your chance to show INSEAD how you will add uniquely to school’s diverse and international student body. With such a broad question, it is tempting to tell your life story: we recommend not doing so. Instead, think about your personal story and which elements of your profile truly make you unique and focus only on those characteristics. As with all strong MBA application, show, do not tell. Instead of listing your characteristics, let the reader see how you have demonstrated them in action. A strong essay will then take this a step further, letting the reader know why these characteristics are important to you. While most applicants will focus on their strengths, do not forget to candidly discuss your weaknesses. MBA applicants have plenty to learn so this is your chance to show your humility. Avoid false weaknesses such as “I work too much” or “I am a perfectionist.” 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. (400 words maximum) Describe the success or failure concisely and clearly, think through the reason you are proud (or regretful in the case of the failure), and immediately follow through with the effect this had on your relationships with others and what you learned. Particularly for the failure, the learning part is essential: show your ability to draw improvement from a situation. But the learning part can be equally important for the success if, for example, you helped your team win by sharing the spotlight with someone else. The most important part: pick a success and a failure that offer rich takeaways.  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? (300 words maximum) Here, like for INSEAD Essay 1, we suggest you whittle your list down to the activities that have been or are most important to you for some reason. Explain your involvement, then delve quickly into how the activity shaped you or enlightened you or made you learn something that contributes to who you are. If this determined or shaped your MBA goals, then say that. With 300 words, less is more. Optional Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (300 words maximum) The optional INSEAD essay should only be answered by those with extenuating circumstances. Read more on ourapproach to optional essays here. If you are applying to INSEAD, visit our INSEAD school page for more program-specific information. If you are looking to maximize your chances of success, Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you through our comprehensive packages. About Personal MBA Coach The post INSEAD MBA Essays and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
18 May 2023, 07:03
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: How to Write an MBA Application Essay That Stands Out |
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Personal MBA Coach publishes detailed tips on how to approach most of the top MBA application questions (download our e-book on how to approach the M7 essays). Of course, Personal MBA Coach clients received details and customized advice through our comprehensive packages, but there are some key essay writing and editing basics that hold true regardless of the essay question or school. Effective MBA admissions essay can be different from any other type of prose. Knowing how to approach them can significantly boost your chances of MBA application success. Before going into specific essay writing tips, let’s look at the most common types of MBA essays. Understanding the type of MBA essay (and their ultimate purpose) will help you determine which personal and professional examples are most relevant, what tone you should choose, and how you can use the question to demonstrate your candidacy in the best light (and ultimately get into your dream school). Types of MBA Essays Goals Essay The purpose of this type of MBA application essay is to discuss your post-MBA career goals and prove that you need an MBA to achieve them. In a goals essays, depending on the word limit, you may have share some career highlights as well as your specific short-term and long-term goals. For instance, one of the Wharton MBA admissions essays usually invites MBA candidates to lay out their professional aspirations. When drafting this type of essay, make sure to be specific and focused. While no one expects you to commit to these goals post-MBA, you should, demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have thought about your career goals and determined that an MBA is the ideal steppingstone on your path to achieve them. Self-reflection Essay Varying in word count, this type of MBA application essay tends to be more personal. The main goal of a self-reflection essay is to get to know the real you. These essays can range from the 900-word open-ended Harvard Business School MBA application essay to the 100-word questions Michigan Ross asks. Personal MBA Coach’s expert tip here is to stay true to yourself and consider your Personal Story. Do not write what you think the admissions committee wants to read. Write about your passions, values, failures—nothing is off limits. At the same time, you want to keep a positive mindset. If you are discussing your failure or something tragic that happened to you, make sure to present it as a story of growth. This is not a creative-writing contest—remember that you are writing your MBA application essay, and the main goal of this essay should be to convince the admissions committee that you will add a unique perspective in the classroom and on campus.  Contribution Essay The goal of the contribution MBA application essay is to demonstrate how you will enrich the MBA experience for your peers. A number of top MBA programs currently require a contribution essay. The most notable example of such an essay are Duke’s “Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?” and Wharton’s 2nd essay: “Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?” The most effective contribution essays will give admissions committee members insight into your achievements and passions while demonstrating how you will positively impacting your peers. Leadership Essay While evidence of leadership should be included in many different essay types, there are some MBA essays that directly ask candidates about their leadership experience. Kellogg’s first MBA essay is a classic example of this: “Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn?” While it is great to show how you have led your peers on a professional or extracurricular project, do not forget about humility. In some leadership essays, you will want to tell the reader how you wish to fine-tune your leadership style during your MBA. Video Essay This is a completely different format, and unlike all the essay types above, this is the one where you should not overedit. A few bullet points in preparation are great; however, writing out the whole script will make you look less natural. Video essays are rather more personal, so you want to come across as approachable and show that you would be great to have in the classroom. Appearing too rigid and rehearsed would hinder your chances.  MBA Essay Writing Process Now, let’s talk about the basics of the essay writing process. We advise our candidates to follow a 5-step process as they develop their application essays, leaving adequate time for each stage. 1. Brainstorm Brainstorm each essay question one at a time. For those applying early decision, start with ED essays first. Otherwise, begin with the essay that seems easiest or comes most naturally to you, as your writing will improve throughout the process. In developing potential topics, consider your relevant strengths, experiences, and accomplishments: choose those that bring the most to the table. 2. Outline Before you begin to develop prose, outline the key points you hope to cover in a sequence that flows logically. Pay special attention to the length you are going to allot to each section of the essay. 3. Draft Once you have a solid outline, begin to put together your first draft. At this stage, it is ok if your writing is not perfect. Most first drafts will be a bit longer than the final product, but make sure you have the substantive points in place and that they flow together well. 4. Edit and Edit Again Editing is the most time-consuming part of the essay writing process, particularly if you have written much too much in the initial draft. Be critical of what needs to be there and what does not, and make sure you remove extraneous or superfluous material. Fine-tune your writing to make sure that the structure, verbs, and vocabulary all serve to make your thinking clear. Avoid repetition and be concise. 5. Proof And finally, proofread. If you are not great at spelling or grammar or even generally at writing, ask someone who is good at those things to read your essay. A fresh set of eyes is priceless to catch all mistakes. Personal MBA Coach uses proofreaders for each MBA application for this reason.  5 Tips for Writing a Successful MBA Essay 1) Answer the essay question This seems like a no-brainer, but many candidates write beautiful essays that do not answer the essay question. Instead of writing what you want to show off, answer the question (or make sure that what you want to show off answers the question!). While we do advise thinking a bit outside of the box and considering the why behind an essay prompt (what are they really trying to get at?) first and foremost you must answer the question. That is one reason recycling essay copy from one school to the other is often not a great idea: While it works sometimes for schools whose essay questions are nearly identical, most often it obscures the whole objective of answering the question. Good MBA essay editing should address this, refocusing the material. So, go through your copy and make sure the answer is in there. If you are using the essay you wrote for another school, make sure you tailor it to fit and answer the pertinent essay prompt. 2) Write authentically Do not write what you think admissions committee members want to read. There is no one perfect candidate profile. Instead, your uniqueness will be one of your greatest selling points. Your essays should paint a clear picture of who you are, what motivates you, and what you are passionate about—genuinely. Do not feel compelled to show how you fit the mold that seemingly makes up the “ideal” candidate. If you have no desire to run a non-profit, that is ok. If you are not motivated by improving the environment, do not pretend you are. Readers will see right through this, and you could end up doing more harm than good. 3) Look at the application comprehensively Essays are just one part of the overall MBA application. In addition to submitting a resume (unsure how to write an MBA resume? Check out these tips), you fill out a detailed application whose value you should use in every detail. Many schools require short essays and short answer questions and video essays as well. In addition, you have letters of recommendation. Those also should be used to your advantage to include material you may not have other opportunity or space to talk about. This means there are other places to list and highlight things such as extracurricular activities. There is no need—or space—to try to fit this all into your essays: Focus on a few chosen facets of your passions or accomplishments to answer the essay questions and use other material in other places. 4) Keep your language approachable You should assume that terms you regularly discuss at the office—what is commonly referred to as industry jargon—are foreign to others, including admissions committee members, and they do not want to have to wade through it, trying to understand, as if it were a foreign language. Harvard Business School has gone so far as to specifically ask candidates to not use jargon, both in the MBA application essay and the short answer questions. The best MBA essay editing will eliminate jargony language entirely and translate to readily understandable English, which helps convey what you are talking about and who you are. Particularly when it comes to showing off an accomplishment or how you added value in a business scenario, you want to make sure that technical language does not get in the way and impede your ability to clearly communicate what you did. 5) Limit flowery prose Similarly, we often read complex flowery prose. By flowery we mean prose that is overly ornate, rambling, and verbose. While showing off your writing style may be the point when applying to a writer’s program, in applying to business school you should write well but practically and in a straightforward manner. Most schools want direct, substantial, detailed answers to the questions—not rambling prose. Everyone, from your grandmother to a professor of microfinance, should be able to understand your essays. In sum, your essays should convey why you are someone others would want to study with, learn from, and eventually be inspired by. That type of person is human and down to earth. Your essays should show this. Finally, be concise. Write to the word count. If you are having difficulty making a choice between two options, you can vet that choice, but once you have chosen your topic, during the outline process eliminate material that is not needed. It is very hard to cut 200 words from a 500-word essay and not change the overall intended impact and meaning. Trimming 30 words is one thing—though it is very time-consuming, it can be done artfully without losing much—but you cannot cut an essay in half and not lose substance that should be included. Write Successful MBA Essays With Personal MBA Coach Not sure how to articulate your story through various types of essays? Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you through writing your best MBA application essays! The post How to Write an MBA Application Essay That Stands Out appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
18 May 2023, 19:03
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: HBS Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 |
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Harvard Business School released details on the upcoming 2023-2024 business school application season, sharing the HBS application deadlines and the required essay for class of 2026 hopefuls. The 2023-2024 Harvard Business School application deadlines are as follows: Round 1: September 6, 2023 Round 2: January 3, 2024 Harvard Business School also announced that the GMAT Focus will NOT be accepted for this upcoming application cycle. Only 2+2 candidates will be able to submit the GMAT Focus. As Personal MBA Coach predicted, HBS is minimizing changes this year and keeping the one and only HBS essay question the same. The 900-word limit will remain. The HBS MBA essay is as follows: “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA Program?” “How do I get into HBS” is one of the most common questions we hear from MBA applicants. The HBS essay is arguably one of the most difficult to tackle, given its open-ended nature. This application essay is an open invitation to show HBS what is truly interesting about your profile. This question allows you to focus and elaborate on what is important to you. Think about the HBS essay as your chance to let them “meet” the real you — the authentic person behind the resume and application questions. As everyone is likely well aware, HBS educates and admits leaders. It goes without saying that whatever story or stories you choose should show your leadership and demonstrate how you have excelled across disciplines. HBS students will emerge as leaders in the areas they are most passionate about. They will drive change. They are not afraid to stand up for their beliefs. They show courage. You want the admissions committee to see and understand how you personify these traits. Personal MBA Coach advises applicants to watch this video on the HBS case method to re-enforce how critical leadership and diversity of thought is to HBS. Keep this in mind, along with Harvard’s other stated values of analytics and community, as you craft your HBS essay. While we recommend that most applicants show their professional accomplishments, make sure to share enough anecdotally so that the admissions committee can learn more about you on a personal level. Successful essays have included some sort of personal anecdote at a minimum and often a much more detailed personal story, which is often tied to a recurring theme throughout your essay. Think about what makes you unique and why you made the choices that you did. The most accomplished individuals follow their passions, and these are usually shaped by particular experiences or personality traits. Consider what has had the greatest impact on your choices, who you are today, or who you want to be. This will likely give you some areas to expand upon. But do not just tell this story; as we have said in the past, try to help the reader live it. Personal MBA Coach’s HBS Essay Guide – Key Takeaways: Make your essay interesting to read. Each year the admissions team receives ~10,000 applications. Differentiate yourself, particularly if you come from an overrepresented industry, such as consulting or banking, or an overrepresented demographic pool. HBS looks to select a well-rounded class, and it will be crucial to show how you will add unique value. Consider this essay as a starting point for an interview conversation. HBS has very detailed interviews that are planned in advance for each applicant and will dive into at least one aspect of your application. Be ready to talk in great detail during the interview about anything you submit as part of your application. Show rather than tell. Essays are much more impactful when they describe something about you, showing it in action instead of just stating the facts. Give the reader details about the situation. Add names to the players within your stories. Describe your setting and tell the reader how you felt. The HBS essay will be VERY different for everyone. Do not fall into the trap of trying to write an essay like one you have read in the past or like your friend is writing. There will be a wide range of successful essays this year, and proper execution will be the key rather than simply the content alone. While HBS retained the 900-word limit in an effort to eliminate any stress about how much is too much to write, most essays that work will fall somewhere between 700-900 words. Consider quality over quantity. If you can write a solid 600-word essay that is powerful and moving, do not feel the need to lengthen it. We have helped many applicants write successful essays on the shorter side. Are you looking for support with your Harvard Business School MBA applications? Find out how Personal MBA Coach can help with our Comprehensive MBA Packages. The post HBS Essay Advice and Application Deadlines: 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
19 May 2023, 10:05
| FROM Personal MBA Coach: Columbia Business School Application Updates: 2023-2024 |
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It is time to get started on your Columbia Business School application as the Columbia MBA essay questions for class of 2026 business school hopefuls were just released. Columbia Business School has not confirmed its 2023-2024 MBA Application Deadlines. Instead, they communicated that these deadlines will be available in June. For reference: The 2022-2023 Columbia Business School MBA Application Deadlines Were: Early Decision: September 28, 2022 Merit Fellowship: January 11, 2023 Regular Decision: April 5, 2023 Read Personal MBA Coach’s Top Tips for Tackling Columbia Business School’s Essays Below! The Columbia MBA essays changed for 2023-2024 applicants
The three questions together will prompt MBA candidates to cover a wide range of information about their professional goals, plans on campus, personal stories and leadership styles. Avoid repeating yourself while ensuring that the three Columbia essays work together to paint an accurate and consistent picture of your candidacy.  Columbia MBA Essay Question 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words maximum) Columbia specifically asks that candidates not repeat their resumes in this career goals question. While some mention of your professional past is still expected, it should be brief and used as context to further elaborate on why your goals are attainable. This question explicitly asks for both a short-term goal and a long-term dream job so be sure to include both. According to Nicole Shay, former Columbia Business School Admissions Director: “Your goal should be pragmatic. The committee will be asking themselves: ‘Given the applicant’s work experience + the resources/opportunities at CBS, will this applicant be successful in achieving their short-term goal?’” In addition, your goals should show a logical progression from your current experiences. If they do not, then a brief explanation is a good idea so that the admissions committee can understand how you will realistically attain your goals. Discussing your long-term dream job is an opportunity to show the admissions committee your true ambitions and what really matters to you professionally. It is important that candidates have lofty goals here but ones that make sense for them and fit with both their short-term goals and overall story. This is a unique chance not only to show how you envision your career unfolding, but also to give the reader a little more insight into who you are by adding at least a brief mention of why this career interests you. Finally, while not explicitly asked, a bit on how you will prepare for these goals while at Columbia would serve as a nice conclusion. Columbia MBA Essay Question 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking. Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words) This new second essay directly addresses a topic that continually is top of mind for nearly all top business schools. When it was asked during the 2021-2022 application cycle, it was not required for all candidates and we recognize that some applicants may struggle to answer this question. With a very short word limit, it is crucial to be very direct in sharing the circumstances, your actions and the result. There is no room for fluff here. Similarly, do not force this essay and be sure your story is authentic. You may need to consider DEI a bit more broadly and that is ok. Columbia MBA Essay Question 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program. Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words) This question takes a direct approach to addressing fit. During some previous cycles, CBS has asked candidates about their desire to be in New York City. While the current prompt addresses fit more broadly, mentioning how you plan to leverage the city would still be advised here. With only 250 words and a lot to cover, it is important to be focused and specific. Show that you have done your research on what options are available on campus and which specifically interest you. Naturally, a tie should be made between these opportunities and your career goals. According to Nicole: “In this essay, the committee is looking for which resources you are going to utilize to achieve your short-term goal and fulfill your social/cultural needs/interests. However, they are also looking at how you are going to contribute to the CBS community.” This is the time to discuss the classes you hope to take, clubs you will join and other programs of interest to you, such as speaker series or immersion seminars. While we have always recommended that candidates consider culture as they answer this question (which, as we have shared in the past, is becoming increasingly important to many top business schools) this year CBS explicitly asks applicants to speak to why the CBS culture is a good fit. Be sure that you have done your research on CBS and its culture and community. Find out more about what sets CBS apart by visiting our CBS school guide. Plus, watch Personal MBA Coach’s Nicole Shay’s exclusive interview with former colleague and current CBS Adcom Director, Jordan Blitzer. Get insider information about CBS including what Jordan wishes applicants would do differently, what is new on campus and common misconceptions about CBS. This is a must see for prospective CBS students.  Finally, Columbia has an optional essay. As we advise for most schools, do not feel compelled to answer this unless you have something specific to explain in your background (e.g., a career gap, an unusual recommender, extreme personal circumstances, etc.) This is not the time to spend 500 words professing your love for Columbia. Considering Columbia Business School? Find out how Personal MBA Coach’s clients are generally some of the first to get accepted into CBS (with leading scholarship $’s). The post Columbia Business School Application Updates: 2023-2024 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach. |
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