Returning; open for questions

Question

Dear GMATclubbers,

I am returning to the forum after a long time. I have finished my PhD and now am a faculty at a bigshot school in US. Many of my previous posts in this forum were when I was preparing for a PhD, then as I was navigating through the PhD program. I had promised Praetorian that I will return, and here I am.

I do sit in the PhD admissions committee for my department in the B School. You can ask any queries that you wish. Focus questions on PhD entrance: App process, Top schools for PhD entrance, Profiles, good schools for your profiles, any other confusion. 
Two requests: One, Please do not PM me, I would rather have discussion in the forum. Two, I am not going to reveal my school, so please do not ask.

Best

air1980 · Answer

Hello,

I have a question. How much does the GMAT matter?

Take care

bb · Answer

Wow, old timer! Welcome!!!!
Thrilled to have you!

mohater · Answer

First and foremost, welcome back. It's nice to have people come back and offer expertise in this area (among others). This website has a wealth of knowledge and it's due to people like you (people who went through the process, and provide feedback to the member base).

I am in the process of applying to two schools and would like some feedback (PhD in accounting).

Some background:

Undergrad in Accounting and Econ (dual BA). Five years work experience with multinational mfg company, no certs yet (can't get CPA licensed in my state as I have no public experience) but might work on some in the next few months.

Any feedback on writing the statement of purpose/letter of intent?

Focusing on top 25 accounting programs. 710 GMAT. I applied to two programs with deadlines of 12/31, and am applying to two more (I was applying to five, but I found out the fifth school is not admitting PhD students for 2010 and thus I will not apply)

big4phd · Answer

first off, just a thank you for your time. it is great that you are willing to help others on this forum on their road to becoming a phd. i am applying for accounting phd as well. i am wondering, what questions are typically asked during a phone/on-site interview? can u name the most commonly asked questions and how best to answer them?

thanks

thanks

logmeup · Answer

I think congratulations are in order!

My questions are related to the statement of purpose/letter of intent:

- whats its importance in relation to other admission material?

- is it ok if I stated my research interests "loosely"? (e.g. no specific details on what my thesis will be about but a more general "field of research", such as: My research interests are on channel distribution and brand management and on a better understanding of the impact of a retailer's reputation on distribution choices (I just made that up but mines look a bit like that).

- Career plans: I can only think of evolving in a top faculty, becoming a respected researcher and an authority in my domain. would that be right? i have problems understanding the aim of the question, i mean, if ur doing a phd you're obviously looking toward an academic research career nah?....

and just curious, what's the order of importance of the admission material? (e.g. gmat to be in the ballpark of considered applicants, then recos, SOP, resume ?)

that's it =) thanks for your time!

shadow · Answer

hey - thanks for being open to sharing your experiences with us.

i do have one question - i know the PhD is primarily an academic degree (as in, you pretty much do research and teach with it).

i do know that some percentage of PhDs wind up going back to more traditional jobs (like consulting, or i-banking). in fact, i have also seen many C-level execs who hold PhDs. i know these scenarios are not very likely... but from personal experience, do you know if many of your peers opted to make the switch to work in industry rather than academia?

phd2010 · Answer

Sameer, I have a question. Could you detail what a PhD admissions interview is like? What kinds of questions are asked? Any suggestions? Thanks!

Sameer · Answer

This has been answered many times before, but can be still a vague area. GMAT matters in relative sorting. In most cases, it is used as a screening device. A less than 700 will not pass muster in my University, for my area. Beyond that, it does not matter much, except that if we have two candidates with almost similar backgrounds, and the GMAT scores are 710 and 750, the decision is easier..

Sameer · Answer

First, if you are focusing on top 25, why are you applying only to 5? Broaden your search. Most good programs are competitive.

Writing statement of purpose : I have a post on this before, dig it out. As a faculty, the only spark we look at is whether the student can develop into a professor. That is the question uppermost in our mind, as we screen apps. There are two basic themes that need to be addressed in the statement - somehow.
First, Does your statement tell me that you will be very happy in a life that centers around research and teaching - in that order? If so, how? The theme here is "Why PhD".
Second, the timing. Why do you want to do a PhD now. In your case, the question to focus is why, in your five years of working, the idea of PhD has formed, why does it excite you, and so on. The theme here is "Why PhD now?"

Sameer · Answer

Yes, there are people who go to the industry. Finance and Accounting are areas where a larger percentage of PhDs go into industry. It is an accepted trend. BUT, it is not something that academia loves. There is a 'holy cow' syndrome, in that if you say that you are going to go into industry, there is no chance that you will get admitted to a PhD program.

Most people who go into industry, go either because they did not get good academic jobs, or they wanted a different lifestyle. In either case, they are  not  better off with a PhD. And that is the clincher. You can get the same industry job, with an MBA or an MS. Why PhD? PhD is focused on developing you as a researcher and teacher. It is a waste of 3-4 years of your life if you choose the PhD path to industry. THAT is why academic professors tell you what I wrote in the first paragraph. It is a waste of your time. It is a waste of our time. It is a waste of University resources. You can get the same job with a degree that takes much less time.

Sameer · Answer

Yes, being more specific helps, but as faculty we understand that your interests will develop further - and may develop into a completely different area. The point is why is your interest in "retailer's reputation on distribution choices" - what has prompted this interest? If there is no explanation, then this intent is hollow. If however, you have experienced something that has triggered the thought process, it would be great to know.

I have answered GMAT in another post. SOP is usually a clincher. See post on SOP. Recos - Well, the current ideas in our department is that almost every applicant has glowing recos. Recos are considered much less reliable if they are "open" - in that you have sent a letter from a Prof, that you also could read. Closed or confidential recos are still respected and useful.

There is no particular order of importance, other than GMAT as a screener.

mohater · Answer

Many thanks Sameer.

pgreenjr · Answer

Sameer:

Thanks for your willingness to share.

I'll be applying to a number of schools this fall for 2011 entrance. I decided a few years ago this was a path I wanted to take, so I began working on building my profile (particularly to offset a pretty bad undergrad GPA). I'm finishing up an MBA (4.0 GPA), have two conference presentations under my belt as well as a recent submission to a top journal (although it is still under review; who knows if we'll have any sort of feedback by app time). I have a 750 GMAT. I'm applying in Management (OB).

My question: I'm 30; by the time I actually enter the program I'll be 31--almost 32. I've heard that there are some schools that don't like 30+ PhD's. More specifically, I've read that some adcoms are skeptical; they aren't convinced that a 30+ year old with a family is REALLY all that interested in upending his life, and pursuing a life of academia. I do, though. Is this accurate? Do admissions committees really feel this way? Is that perspective insurmountable? Is there an effective means (in your experience) of really helping the adcom understand how passionate I am about this?

Thanks in advance for your help!

possible_phd · Answer

Whoa! Welcome back, sameer. I used to hang around here sporadically back in 2008 and 2009, as well, and though I'm still a long way from being a faculty member, I did manage to score an admit from a top 5 program! I just finished up my first year and my qualifying exam, so life is good. Congrats on landing a spot at BigShot U! I hope I can report the same in another 4 years.

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