Intern
Joined: 22 Jun 2013
Posts: 22
Concentration: Healthcare
WE:Consulting (Health Care)
Re: Stanford MSx (Sloan) - Class of 2016
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30 Dec 2014, 19:11
What a ride this has been! To decide to apply, to wonder if this school would ever be interested in you, to wait for interviews and acceptance. A real rollercoaster! Since I relied on a lot of comments that were made years ago on these forums, I am giving some recommendations to those applying in the future to this unique program:
1. They do like diversity. I am from completely different professional background than most of the applicants. I am an orthodontist with a affinity toward business concepts. I have never worked for big-business, but I have made my small business big. I live in the US, but was born in Chile. I am 46 years old, married, and have four children, so a "normal" MBA program did not appeal to me. Don't be afraid to apply, even if you do not fit the typical business school demographics.
2. Don't bother with admission consultants. If you are one and are reading this, sorry, you have a place, but just not in this program. The most unique part of this program is how the fellows fit together. Be yourself and honest in the essays. The questions were personal, and I answered them in a personal way. My recommendation is to not worry about what they want to hear, just tell it like it is, in your own words. (I am not saying to not to write your best - I wrote at least ten drafts, and used proper grammar and style, but I am not a writer - as you can probably tell from this post.)
3. Do your research and apply early. Have plenty of time to complete a superb application. Do not rush it.
4. Visit the program during an official classroom visit. I can't think of a better way to "feel" the culture and atmosphere of the place. Meet and talk to the program director, visit an actual class, talk to other fellows and applicants, drive around the area, and just get to know the place.
5. Make sure that those who write your letters of recommendation know you well. Do not go for title recognition, but for people who can write very specifically about you. I asked my each of my recommenders to write three specific and different parts of "my story". I gave them a lot of information about the program and what type of applicant they want. It was the specifics that made the letters special. Both Stanford and MIT interviewers commented (a lot) on how specific the letters were and how much they appreciated them. Almost as if they were tired of reading most letters of recommendations. If a recommender asks you to give them your CV, then they probably do not know you well enough.
That's it. I was accepted to both schools and now I have to decide where to go! Now, that is a tough decision!