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FROM mbaMission Blog: Mission Admission: Waitlist Strategies, Part 2
Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday.



Last week, we focused on how waitlisted MBA candidates should respond when their target school asks them to not send any follow-up information. This week, we examine waitlist situations in which the school encourages applicants to provide updates on their progress. In the first scenario, the frustration candidates experience derives from a sense of helplessness, but in the second, candidates tend to lament the lack of time in which to have accomplished anything significant, often thinking, “What can I offer the MBA admissions committee as an update? I submitted my application only three months ago!”

First and foremost, if you have worked to target any weaknesses in your candidacy—for example, by retaking the GMAT and increasing your score, or by taking a supplemental math class and earning an A grade—the admissions committee will certainly want to hear about this. Further, if you have any concrete news regarding promotions or the assumption of additional responsibilities in the community sphere, be sure to update the admissions committee on this news as well.

Even if you do not have these sorts of quantifiable accomplishments to report, you should still have some news to share. If you have undertaken any additional networking or have completed a class visit since you submitted your application, you can discuss your continued (or increased) interest; when you are on a waitlist, the admissions committee wants to know that you are passionately committed to the school. If you have not been promoted, you could creatively reflect on a new project that you have started and identify the professional skills/exposure that this project is providing or has provided (for example, managing people off-site for the first time or executing with greater independence). Finally, the personal realm is not off-limits, so feel free to discuss any personal accomplishments—for example, anything from advancing in the study of a language, to visiting a new country, to completing a marathon.

With some thought and creativity, you should be able to draft a concise but powerful letter that conveys your continued professional and personal growth while expressing your sincere and growing interest in the school—all of which will fulfill your goal of increasing your chances of gaining admission.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Youngme Moon, Harvard Business School
Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Each Wednesday, we profile a standout professor as identified by students. Today, we focus on Youngme Moon from Harvard Business School (HBS).



In addition to receiving the HBS Student Association Faculty Award from the first-year class in 2002 and the Faculty Award from the second-year class in 2005 and 2007, Youngme Moon was also the inaugural recipient of the Hellman Faculty Fellowship in 2002–2003 for distinction in research. Moon is currently the Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration and the senior associate dean for strategy and innovation at the school. Her work has been published in the Harvard Business Review, the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Consumer Psychology, the Journal of Experimental Psychology, and the Journal of Applied Social Psychology.

Moon’s 2010 book, Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd (Crown Business), is described on the publisher’s Web site as showing “how to succeed in a world where conformity reigns…but exceptions rule.” Students described her to mbaMission as being extremely friendly and accessible, even going out for casual dinners with students.

For more information about HBS and 15 other top-ranked business schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Career News: Introducing Yourself with Purpose and Passion
In this new blog series, our mbaMissionCareer Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.


Whether in a casual conversation or at a formal networking event, the way you talk about your professional experiences and interests creates an impression—make sure it is the right one.

Your introduction will help your audience understand what makes you stand out and what makes your story compelling. The content and length of your introduction should be customized to each specific situation:

  • Content: Focus your message on your target audience and your goals for the interaction. Show how your interests/skills match with their needs. Explain your work in terms that will be understandable to your target audience. Highlight common experiences and/or passions.
  • Length: If it is a group conversation, you should limit your introduction to a headline (one to two sentences about your background). If it is a one-on-one conversation, your pitch could be 60 seconds.

When looking to draft your introduction, consider the following steps:

  • Write down the five to seven key requirements for your target role/company (use job descriptions and notes from networking conversations to help you identify them). Rate your proficiency on each requirement.
  • Circle the key requirements for your target role where you have experience and a high proficiency; these are your relevant skills.
  • List two to three experiences/accomplishments that demonstrate each of your relevant skills.
  • Think about how to put those skills into a compelling headline/statement about your value proposition and interests.
  • Draft multiple versions of your introduction—different lengths and different content for different audiences. Make sure that it sounds natural and conversational.
  • Practice (out loud) and edit.
Here are some example introductions:

  • Person A: “In the past three years of my career, I have been most focused on helping people communicate more effectively in a professional context.”
  • Person B: “I’ve been an engineer since college, and I have really loved breaking down different business problems and using technology to solve them.”
  • Person C: “During my consulting years, I realized that the experiences I most valued were those that allowed me to help build something new. So I joined STARTCO, where I helped launch new products for a year before starting business school.”
Then you can vividly explain more with an example:

  • Person A: “For example, I lead workshops for students in business school and teach them how to tell their personal stories in a way that inspires both them and their potential employers. I use ideas from Hollywood movies to help people uncover their natural storytelling abilities.”
  • Person B: “In fact, on my last project, I examined a resuscitation device designed specifically for premature babies and discovered a way to make it more flexible and consistent, leading to 20% better outcomes.”
  • Person C: “The coolest product I helped launch is called a ‘widget.’ In a span of only six months, we got the thing designed, manufactured, and distributed to a small market in southern California. It’s already profitable, so the company is planning to scale up production for a national launch in the next year.”
Have you been admitted to business school? If so, do you want to get a head start on defining your career goals? Do you need help preparing for job interviews or learning how to effectively network with your target employers? Or maybe you want to be a top performer in your current role but are unsure how to maximize your potential. Let an mbaMission Career Coach help via afree 30-minute consultation!

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Beyond the MBA Classroom: Show Off Your Talent at the NYU Stern Follies
When you select an MBA program, you are not just choosing your learning environment but are also committing to becoming part of a community. Each Thursday, we offer a window into life “beyond the MBA classroom” at a top business school.



With skits such as “Sterndog Millionaire” and songs such as “We Didn’t Start the Crisis” (set to the tune of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”), the annual NYU Stern Follies talent show entertains students and faculty alike. Anyone at Stern can put together a team and apply to participate in the show. The Follies’ creative committee, which is made up of students, decides which skits and performers will ultimately be part of the show. “Follies is a huge deal,” remarked a first year with whom we spoke. “It was a lot of fun. It’s just nice to see your classmates kind of poke fun at being business school students.”

The 2016 Follies, themed “Sternflix & Chill,” featured skits based on TV shows, including Game of Thrones (“Game of Loans”) and Arrested Development (“Arrested Career Development”), in addition to such skits as “Between Two Sterns” (a take on the Funny Or Die Web site series Between Two Ferns) and “Mean Girls,” which parodied the popular 2004 comedy film.

Modeled after the classic TV show Saturday Night Live, the 2015 Follies was themed “Sternie Night Live” and featured skits inspired by Taylor Swift, the Serial podcast series, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (“The Fresh Prince of Washington Square”).

In 2014, the Follies’ Academy Awards–inspired theme was “The Torchy Awards,” and students were invited to vote on the best performances. Parodies of House of Cards, the game Candy Crush, and the band Daft Punk were among the show’s highlights.

For in-depth descriptions of social and community activities at NYU Stern and 15 other top MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. If you are applying to Stern, our NYU Stern Interview Primer can help you put your best foot forward.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Diamonds in the Rough: Core Values at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management
MBA applicants can get carried away with rankings. In this series, we profile amazing programs at business schools that are typically ranked outside the top 15.

[img]https://www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Boston-College’s-Carroll-School-300x225.jpg[/img]

First years at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management begin their MBA experience within two cohorts, enjoying a close-knit classroom environment in which they gain exposure to broad management skills, with a particular emphasis on business ethics. Both the curriculum and the student community at the school engender a set of core values: “honesty and integrity,” “mutual respect,” “pursuit of excellence,” and “personal accountability.” In addition to taking a class on public speaking and a structure, analysis, and integration workshop, students at the Carroll School must complete at least 20 hours of community service, which the school requires to help instill an appreciation for and a spirit of community service in its MBAs.

These values are also reflected in the school’s core “Management Practice Experience” simulation, in which students learn to think critically about the challenges involved in business leadership. As one graduate commented in a past Bloomberg Businessweek profile of the Carroll School, “In the background of your core classes, and many electives, is a strong consideration on the moral and ethical dilemmas that often arise in the business world. I never felt that ‘morality’ was being pushed on us, but the consequences of each decision we make were always placed in front of us and we were left to make up our own mind.”

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Friday Factoid: Campus Development at MIT Sloan

In 2006, MIT’s president at the time, Susan Hockfield, announced a major campus development program that would invest approximately three-quarters of a billion dollars in new and renovated facilities on the school’s 154-acre Cambridge campus, and which included the Sloan School Expansion. This expansion added a new classroom building, E62 (address: 100 Main St.), with approximately 210,000 square feet of space that houses 205 offices, 6 classrooms, more than 30 group study rooms, a dining area, an Executive Education suite, lounge areas, and new, usable outdoor spaces. It was completed in time for the start of classes in fall 2010 and dedicated in May 2011, to coincide with MIT’s 150th anniversary.

The classroom building is described on the MIT Web site as “the ‘greenest’ building at MIT.” A student from the Class of 2012, the first class to enter Sloan after the new building opened, described E62 to us at mbaMission as “the social hub at Sloan. It’s where students meet to socialize, eat—the cafeteria provides some of the best food in the neighborhood—and work on class projects. It’s probably one of the more significant things Sloan has done recently, as it provides the ideal networking space not only for students but also for the many professionals who come to check out the new building and recruit MBAs. The new building really adds to the Sloan experience, and I can’t imagine life before it!”

For a thorough exploration of what MIT Sloan and other top business schools have to offer, please check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: UNC Kenan Flagler Essay Analysis, 2016–2017

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School has not yet opted to take the ultra creative approach with its application essays as we have seen other top programs do in recent years, with requests for “introduce yourself” videos, hypothetical tables of contents for one’s life story, lists of “random things,” representative songs, and so on. In fact, the school’s essay prompts for this season are exactly the same, including word limits, as they have been for the previous two, so the program appears to have hit on a formula that works for it. Only one essay is required, covering many of the elements of a traditional personal statement, while three optional essays allow candidates to address various other angles of their profile and candidacy, as needed. In our analysis, we share our ideas on how to address the various essay choices you have been given to best present yourself to the Kenan-Flagler admissions committee.

We have one required essay and three optional essays. The essays for the 2016–2017 application season are

Essay 1 (Required): Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how your professional experience has shaped these goals, why this career option appeals to you, and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum)

Although the word “why” appears only once in this prompt for Kenan-Flagler’s sole required essay, the overall query actually includes multiple implied “why” requests. In addition to soliciting the reasons behind your specified career aspirations, the school wants to know why you believe an MBA is the next logical step on your professional path and why you need the degree at this particular time. We believe that the crux of the prompt as a whole is that Kenan-Flagler wants to know that you have considered this next step in your career very carefully and thoroughly and are applying to business school for very clear, specific reasons—not because you feel you are supposed to or because you are following in a parent’s footsteps, and definitely not because you do not know what else to do at this juncture in your life! (Believe it or not, these are all actual reasons some people choose to pursue an MBA.) Kenan-Flagler, like all top programs, wants engaged, driven, and focused students who are ready to be an active part of its MBA experience and to do big things with the knowledge and skills they acquire from it.

This prompt encompasses many of the core elements of a traditional personal statement essay for the most part, so we first encourage you to download our free mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which helps applicants respond to these types of questions for any school. In short, the most effective way to address this query is to simply provide the information the school is seeking, though we encourage you to also try to incorporate a sense of your personality and individuality into your essay to make the delivery of these basic facts more interesting to your admissions reader.

Note that the school does not ask you to explain “why Kenan-Flagler?,” so you do not need to dedicate word count to addressing this point, and you certainly should not waste space pandering to or flattering the school. However, if you have chosen Kenan-Flagler largely because it offers a particular resource or experience that you believe is vital to you in achieving your goals and is not available elsewhere, that would definitely be worth including.

Optional Essay 1:What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (300 words maximum)

This essay is a great opportunity to provide the Kenan-Flagler admissions committee with a better understanding of you as a unique individual, particularly given that Essay 1 focuses more on your professional and academic life. Start by thinking about the aspects of your personality that you believe truly define you as an individual—not just what you do and have done, but who you are—and fully explore your background, hobbies, talents, values, motivations, and quirks. Put together an extensive list and then eliminate any items that seem too common or basic (e.g., your age, hometown) until you have identified some truly distinctive qualities you can use in your response. You want to provide a well-rounded picture of yourself that draws from multiple areas and shows that you possess characteristics and/or knowledge that would make you a positive addition to the school’s diverse community.

As for the other option here, the “life experiences” angle, do not worry if you have not climbed Mount Everest or launched a $50M venture capital–backed start-up. You are not expected to have a particularly spectacular achievement to share—the value is not in the scope, size, or shock value of the incident you describe. Kenan-Flagler just wants to get to know you better by learning about an interesting event in your life. Perhaps you spent a month volunteering in Peru, helped put your sister through school, taught yourself three languages using just a phone app, or are a passionate, competitive flamenco dancer; these are all suitable stories, and one is not necessarily better than the other. What is important is that you offer a narrative that engages the reader and showcases an interesting and distinctive angle of your profile.

Do not overlook that the school also asks you to address how this aspect of your character or life has prepared you to add value in some way to the Kenan Flagler MBA experience. To effectively do so, you must have a thorough understanding of the program and community—well beyond what you can readily find on the school’s Web site. Connect with students and alumni, visit the campus if you can, read through blogs and news stories, and evaluate the school’s special events, offerings, and resources until you find a related opportunity or avenue that speaks to you.

We feel compelled to add that if after thoroughly brainstorming, combing through the various facets of your candidacy, and conducting in-depth research into the Kenan-Flagler MBA program, you still find yourself struggling with how to respond to this query, you should probably consider skipping it rather than forcing the issue. Focusing your energy on other, more accessible, and perhaps effective topics is better than ultimately submitting an essay here that risks portraying you as one of the crowd rather than as a standout applicant.

Optional Essay 2: If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

The issue at hand here is pretty straightforward. Kenan-Flagler needs to know that if you enroll in its program, you will be able to keep up with the necessary course and project work, both for your own sake and for that of your fellow students. Likewise, the admissions committee want to be sure that you will be extracting what you should (and what you need) from your classes and assignments, not struggling just to keep up and handle basic calculations and concepts. After all, the school’s goal is to teach you about business, not math. If you are in this position, we recommend pursuing relevant quant and business courses in your area that you can complete well before matriculation time. Doing so not only helps prepare you for the work ahead but also demonstrates drive, determination, commitment, and problem solving on your part. Recognizing where you are lacking in certain skills and experience and taking the proper steps to address this lack reveals your self-awareness and reinforces the message that you are serious about attaining your goals and will not hesitate to seek out and apply the appropriate resources and opportunities to stay on track.

Optional Essay 3: Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum)

As a general rule, we believe that the best use of this kind of optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, which this prompt allows. However, Kenan-Flagler leaves the door open for you to discuss something other than a problem area if you feel you have information to convey about your candidacy that may be pivotal or particularly compelling. So, if you need to, use this opportunity to address any questions the admissions committee might have about your profile (except about poor or missing quant experience/training, which should instead be covered in the school’s second optional essay). If you elect to take this route, consider downloading our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, in which we offer detailed advice (and multiple examples) on how best to approach the optional essay to mitigate any problem areas in your application.

However, as we noted, the question can be interpreted rather broadly, so you could opt to share something that is not covered elsewhere in your application and that you feel the admissions committee truly needs to know to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. We caution you against submitting a response to this prompt just because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you, though. Remember, with each additional essay you write, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you must make sure that added time is warranted. If you decide to using this essay to impart information that if omitted would render your application incomplete, strive to keep your submission brief and on point.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Have to Write the Optional Essay

In the past, we have discussed how challenging competing against a faceless mass of fellow applicants can be and how disadvantaged a person can feel if he/she does not seize every opportunity to do so. Although we want you to make the most of every possible chance to set yourself apart, you also need to be judicious in choosing those opportunities. Some can actually work against you and thereby turn into negatives. Allow us to elaborate…

Everyone does not have to write the optional essay, and by neglecting to write it, you are not at a disadvantage. The essay is an opportunity for you to discuss problems that the admissions committee will likely notice in your profile, and this essay can allow you to “get ahead of the scandal,” so to speak. So, if you earned an F grade, had a bad semester in college, received a low GMAT score, or have been dismissed from a position, you should write the optional essay to address the issue proactively. Similarly, if you are applying with a partner and the admissions committee may not be aware of your situation, you might want to use the optional essay to inform them of this relevant and potentially interesting information.

MBA candidates have many reasons for writing the optional essay, but you should absolutely not feel that you need to write it. If you have nothing to explain and have generally performed well, do not use this opportunity to submit an essay from a different school just to fill the space or write a new essay repackaging your strengths. If you have nothing new or important to share, you are in an advantageous position and should take a step back and appreciate it, not fret.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: GMAT Impact: All About Critical Reasoning, Part 3
With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. In this blog series, Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense.

In Part 1 of this series, we talked about the overall process for tackling Critical Reasoning (CR), as well as the four major CR question types. In Part 2, we reviewed the five minor question types. Now, let’s put it all together!

What is my strategy?

As we discussed in Part 1, the four major CR types are Find the Assumption, Strengthen, Weaken, and Inference. The majority of your CR questions will be in one of those four categories. If you are going for up to about 75th percentile on verbal, concentrate on those.

Of the minor types, discussed in Part 2, the most common are Discrepancy, Describe the Role, and Evaluate. If you want to break the 75th percentile on verbal, then also take a look at those three minor types, but still spend more time on the four major types. If CR is your weakest verbal area, you can also skip whichever of those three minor types is hardest for you—some people really hate boldface questions, and others think Evaluate questions are the worst.

If you are looking to break the 90th percentile on verbal, then you have to study everything. You can still pick one minor type as your “I’ll guess/bail quickly if I have to” question type, but you still have to try to learn how to do it and, during the test, take a crack at the question unless you are already behind on time and must bail on a question.

Great, I have mastered CR!

Let’s test that theory, shall we? After you have studied all of the above and you feel pretty comfortable with CR, try this problem. I am not even going to tell you which type it is (in fact, that is one of the things that makes this problem so hard—what is it, in the first place?).

If you struggle with it, do not get discouraged. It is a very challenging problem. Instead, use it as an opportunity to get even better! By the way, the best outcome is not necessarily to get it right. Depending on your score goals and your other strengths and weaknesses, the best outcome may very well be to recognize that the question is too hard and to make a guess before the two-minute mark.

Happy studying!

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Monday Morning Essay Tip: Limit the Use of “I” When Beginning Sentences
Although putting yourself at the center of the stories in your MBA application essays is certainly important, a common mistake applicants tend to make is beginning too many sentences with the word “I.” As a general rule, you should never begin two sentences in a row this way. Consider the following example:

“I worked for three years at ABC Plastics, a small injection molding company. I was responsible for overseeing the overall management of ABC Plastics, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. I managed 100 people. I worked very long hours, but I learned more than I could have ever imagined.”

Now, consider the same statement reworked to avoid using “I” at the beginning of subsequent sentences:

“For three years, I worked at ABC Plastics, a small injection molding company. My responsibilities at ABC included overseeing the overall management of the company, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning. Because I supervised more than 100 staff members, my days were long, but the experience taught me more than I could have ever imagined.”

As you can see, the second example reads much better than the first—and none of the sentences in the second example begin with “I.”

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Tune in to Facebook Live on November 16 for Last-Minute MBA Admissions and GMAT Tips!
You want to enroll in business school next year, but your applications and GMAT score are far from complete—or maybe you have not even started the application process yet. Round 2 deadlines are fast approaching, and now is the time to make the mad dash to meet them. If you miss Round 2, then Round 3 is still an option—but is this approach advisable?

Where do you begin to start tackling applications and amassing GMAT scores when you realize late in the game that you need to begin earning your MBA next year?

mbaMission has teamed up with our exclusive partner, Manhattan Prep GMAT, to bring you a one-of-a-kind presentation that answers all of your last-minute application questions—and introduce our new and exciting offering, exclusively for Manhattan Prep students!

Join us live on the Manhattan Prep GMAT Facebook page next Wednesday, November 16, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern for a special presentation on last-minute tips for getting accepted to business school. The presentation will be delivered by two experts on MBA admissions and the GMAT, and you will have the opportunity to ask them any questions you have.

Meet the experts:

mbaMission Senior Consultant Liza Weale attended MIT Sloan for her MBA and joined Bain & Company after graduation, where she worked with clients across industries, while also guiding her associate consultants through the MBA admissions process. Liza later served as executive director of Kaplan Test Prep’s GMAT and GRE business lines, where she led all strategic, marketing, and curriculum development efforts. Her true passion lies in helping people “market” themselves in their MBA applications.

Joe Martin is a GMAT instructor at Manhattan Prep GMAT. He has earned not only a 99th percentile GMAT score (an eye-popping 790), but also 99th percentile scores on the LSAT and GRE. He is what we call a “triple threat” in test prep. Joe majored in astrophysics at Colgate University, where he led tutoring sessions for his peers. Now, Joe has found his dream job teaching full time, serving as an instructor manager, and helping to develop Manhattan Prep’s interactive video lessons, “Interact.”

So, join us on Wednesday, November 16, live on the Manhattan Prep GMAT Facebook page for a special opportunity to harness the wisdom of Liza and Joe. Even if you are not in a rush to apply this year, feel free to tune in for future reference. We hope to see you there!

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Mission Admission: Choosing Safe Recommenders

Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday.

Given that you still have significant time before next year’s first-round application deadlines, you have the opportunity to take some steps now to ensure you submit your strongest applications possible. One such step is doing some background work on your recommenders to make sure your choices are indeed “safe.” After all, if you are playing by the strictest interpretation of the rules of recommendations, you will not get to see what your recommenders ultimately write about you. By doing a little intelligence work in advance, you can better understand whether you are making the right decision before committing to a certain individual.

By “intelligence,” we mean contacting past colleagues when possible in a discreet and diplomatic way to find out what their experiences were like with your potential recommender. For example, was your potential recommender a generous advocate, or was he/she a disinterested third party who had a tendency to be harsh? Clearly, learning more about your target recommender’s approach in advance can help you understand whether or not you should offer him/her this important responsibility. Past colleagues can also guide you in how best to manage your recommenders, which can be just as important as choosing them. Knowing up front that your recommender is a procrastinator or performed better after being given a list of accomplishments from which to work can help ensure the best letter possible and can prevent you from inadvertently antagonizing your recommender or delaying the process.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: B-School Chart of the Week: October 2016 Social Currency Rankings
Rankings come in all shapes and sizes, but can any ranking truly capture social cachet? For a different perspective on the value of an MBA, we turn to the New York Times society pages, where the editors select and profile promising couples. Each month, we dedicate one B-School Chart of the Week to tallying how alumni from top-ranked business schools are advancing their social currency ranking.



MBAs have been busy hosting fall weddings. Last month, the New York Times profiled 35 weddings featuring MBAs, and Harvard Business School (HBS) graduates appeared to have been the busiest of all—ten October weddings featured HBS MBAs! Two such couples, Christopher Pierce and Jonathan Pollock and Catherine McKenzie and Carter Williams, met at the school during their studies. HBS was not the only matchmaker school, however. Elizabeth Reisman and Adam Byrnes, graduates of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, first crossed paths at an accepted students’ event before enrolling in the MBA program.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Career News: Writing Compelling Cover Letters
In this new blog series, our mbaMissionCareer Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.

When you see a job posting of interest, you should (quickly) take advantage of the opportunity and submit a compelling application featuring a targeted resume and a personalized cover letter. (You can find details about effective resume writing in one of our earlier blog posts.)

Although some people question whether potential employers read cover letters, you should assume yours will be read. Use the cover letter as an opportunity to solidify your networking efforts or explain why you want the job and why you are qualified.

The following table presents a suggested cover letter format as well as our tips for making the most of this application component.



Finally, when writing and editing your cover letter, avoid the following common pitfalls:

  • Adjectives/adverbs with weak nouns/verbs
  • Vague language, cliches, empty jargon
  • Typos/grammatical errors
  • Long words, long sentences, long paragraphs (The ideal cover letter length is about three-quarters of a page.)
  • Failing to pass the “So what?” test (i.e., What purpose does the sentence serve? Is it conveying critical information that is relevant to the reader?)
Have you been admitted to business school? If so, do you want to get a head start on defining your career goals? Do you need help preparing for job interviews or learning how to effectively network with your target employers? Or maybe you want to be a top performer in your current role but are unsure how to maximize your potential. Let an mbaMission Career Coach help via afree 30-minute consultation!

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Jonathan Knee, Columbia Business School
Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Each Wednesday, we profile a standout professor as identified by students. Today, we focus on Jonathan Knee from Columbia Business School (CBS).



Jonathan Knee is a professor of professional practice at CBS and the co-director of the school’s Media and Technology Program. Knee is also still active in the private sector as a senior advisor (formerly a senior managing director) at the advisory and investment firm Evercore Partners. He is perhaps best known among CBS students for his book The Accidental Investment Banker: Inside the Decade that Transformed Wall Street (Oxford University Press, 2006) and, we are told, brings a unique perspective into the classroom by showing where entertainment and finance cross paths. Students reported to mbaMission that his “Mergers and Acquisitions in Media” class is intense and that the course’s final presentation—made before a guest panel of practicing investors—feels like the real deal. One alumnus who took a class with Knee said the benefits of having an active advisor as a teacher were the business insight and guest speakers the professor brought into the classroom.

For more information about CBS and 15 other top-ranked business schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.

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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA News: A Closer Look at the Class of 2018
The Class of 2018 is already hard at work inside business school classrooms. Class profiles, which schools release shortly after matriculation, reveal a diverse crowd among the latest incoming MBA students. We at mbaMission examined the class profiles of 16 top-ranked business schools to bring you a clearer picture of who, exactly, enrolled in MBA programs this fall.



Three highly prestigious institutions, Harvard Business School (HBS), the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, received the most applications throughout the 2015–2016 application season. Nearly 10,000 individuals—9,759, to be exact—applied to HBS, while the Stanford GSB received 8,116 applications, and Wharton received 6,679. Perhaps unsurprisingly, HBS also has the largest incoming class, with 934 individuals. The New York University Stern School of Business, which received 3,773 applications last year, has the second-largest group of new MBA students: 872 men and women. The third-largest class among the schools we examined enrolled at Wharton, where 851 students began their MBA studies this year.



Diversity is perhaps more sought after than ever in business school classrooms, as is evident in the incoming class statistics. Each of the 16 top-ranked schools we examined have an incoming class comprising more than 30% women, and nearly half (eight schools) reported female representation of 40% or greater. At Wharton and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, women represent 44% of the Class of 2018, and at HBS and the Yale School of Management (SOM), the figure is similar, at 43%. Underrepresented U.S. minorities account for more than 20% of the class at most schools, while Wharton and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, reported the highest figures, at 32% each.



Although all of the schools we examined are based within the United States, the class profiles show that the rest of the world is well represented—each school reported the enrollment of students from more than 30 countries. At Wharton, incoming students hail from a whopping 71 countries, and at HBS, from 68 countries. At Columbia Business School (CBS), nearly half (48%) of students are international. Other schools with the highest percentages of international students are Yale SOM (46%), Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business (40%), and the Stanford GSB (40%).

Educational and work-related statistics offered few surprises, as incoming students’ average GPAs hover around the typical 3.5–3.6 range, and their average GMAT scores are between 710 and 730, as in many previous years. Business was the most popular undergraduate major among new MBA students at six schools, with humanities and social sciences not far behind. At nearly every school that reported such information, the average amount of professional work experience years is five years. In addition, five schools reported the average age of their incoming students as 28.

The Class of 2018 consists of a plethora of applicants, hailing from countless different backgrounds. What the Class of 2019 will look like remains to be seen. Will you be a part of it next year?

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FROM mbaMission Blog: Beyond the MBA Classroom: The MIT Energy Conference

When you select an MBA program, you are not just choosing your learning environment but are also committing to becoming part of a community. Each Thursday, we offer a window into life “beyond the MBA classroom” at a top business school.

Held each spring since 2006, the MIT Energy Conference attracts technologists, investors, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and energy professionals who are defining the world’s energy future. The conference theme in 2016 was “Big Meets Small: A New Era Emerges.” The event’s numerous keynote speakers included a senior executive director at GE, the U.S. secretary of energy, and the director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Panel sessions focused on such topics as “Global Environmental Policy: Balancing International and Domestic Needs,” “The Innovation Roadmap for Solar Energy,” and “Energy Access in Emerging Economies: The Trade-off Between Short Term and Long Term.”

For in-depth descriptions of social and community activities at MIT Sloan and 15 other top MBA programs, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides.

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