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04 May 2017, 15:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: mbaMission Consultant Spotlight: Harshad Mali |
At mbaMission, our consultants are more than just graduates of the world’s top MBA programs—we are also expert communicators who possess an unparalleled knowledge of the MBA admissions process. Each week, we highlight one admissions advisor on our team who has committed his/her professional life to helping you get into business school. With an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a BE in mechanical engineering from the Government College of Engineering in Aurangabad, India, and an ME in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Harshad Mali has enjoyed a successful career as both an engineer and an entrepreneur. In addition to having worked in design and product development within the automotive industry for the truck manufacturer Navistar, he has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and South America to evaluate and create supply chains for critical hardware. After graduating from Chicago Booth, Harshad co-founded a consulting start-up to address the operational and product commercialization challenges faced by small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies. His corporate and entrepreneurial experiences have given him valuable insight into the various career paths MBAs pursue. An avid mentor and coach, Harshad has participated in university career fairs, discussing professional goals and career paths with graduating students, and has also freelanced as an MBA essay consultant. Quick Facts: Received MBA from: Chicago Booth Undergraduate field of study: Engineering Fields worked in before mbaMission: Engineering, entrepreneurship, and consulting Working style: Direct, friendly, upbeat, and supportive Five things Harshad wants his clients to know about him:
“Harshad’s candid feedback, support, and knowledge will give you confidence in the entire process, from choosing schools to after the interview, and receiving offers. Harshad was with me every step of the way. The price tag on the school packages is a hefty one, but my experience with Harshad and mbaMission exceeded my expectations and helped me bridge the gap and translate my military career into something of value to the admission committees. Applying to an MBA program and making the transition can be grueling and daunting, so don’t do it alone. I recommend Harshad to anyone.” —Michigan Ross Admit (via GMAT Club) “I finally got admitted to MIT Sloan Fellows. This was something that I couldn’t think was within my reach when I started thinking about applying to B-Schools. I can safely say that this was only made possible with Harshad’s help. I strongly recommend him to any B-School aspirant. And if you are from South Asia, Harshad should be your top choice.” —MIT Sloan Admit (via GMAT Club) “Harshad’s analytical reasoning, friendly and genuine personality is what separated him in the sea of consultants out there!” —MIT Sloan Admit “Harshad helped me stitch a story I never thought I had. His extreme attention to detail and ability to simplify things meant I could not only plug holes, but also stand out. Hats off to him!” —B-School Applicant Read more of Harshad’s testimonials. Watch Harshad’s video: Do you want to speak with Harshad about your business school prospects? Sign up for a free 30-minute consultationhere. |
05 May 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Baba Shiv, Stanford Graduate School of Business |
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. Today, we profile Baba Shiv from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). “Baba Shiv is a legend,” said a first-year GSB student with whom we spoke. Baba Shiv, who also teaches within the executive MBA program, received his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management and his PhD from Duke University before joining the Stanford GSB faculty in 2005. Shiv’s research concentration is in the area of neuroeconomics, and he focuses his studies on the systems of the brain that lead individuals to like and want things and how those systems shape people’s decisions. His work explores self-control and why people make certain choices, even when logic tells them that those choices may not be in their best interest. A GSB alumni magazine article once described Shiv as “a favorite uncle who is always interested in your life and eager to talk about new, exciting ideas,” and Dan Ariely, a colleague of Shiv’s and a professor at Duke Fuqua, noted in the same article, “Shiv’s mere presence makes everything around him seem better.” A second year and Marketing Club officer told mbaMission that Shiv “tries to be a career resource for people who want to pursue marketing careers” and is “engaging and exciting to listen to. He is one of the favorite members of the whole faculty; people love him.” For more information about the Stanford GSB and 15 other top-ranked business schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
05 May 2017, 11:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Columbia Business School Announces 2017-2018 Application Release Date, Essays, and Deadlines |
This week, Columbia Business School (CBS) announced that it will release its application on May 15, 2017. The school also released its 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines and essay questions. Essays: Goal: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters) Essay #1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3 – 5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words) Essay #2: The full-time MBA experience includes academics, recruiting and networking. What are your personal priorities and how do you anticipate allocating your time at Columbia Business School? (250 words) EMBA Essay #2: Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (250 words) Essay #3: Please select and answer one of the following essay questions: (250 words) a: Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life. b: If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do? Optional Essay: Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 words) For more information, visit https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/. For a complete list of 2017-2018 business school deadlines, be sure to check ourApplication Deadlines page. We will be updating our list as business schools release them. Do you plan to apply to Columbia Business School this fall? Stay tuned to the mbaMission blog for our analysis of the 2017-2018 Columbia Business School essay questions and be sure to download our free Insider’s Guide to Columbia Business School. |
06 May 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: It Is All About My Work Performance |
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Because you spend so many of your waking hours at work, and the MBA is the vehicle you are choosing to use to drive your career forward, you may naturally believe that your professional experiences are all that matter to the admissions committees. Do not get us wrong: you need to have strong professional stories to share, but top-tier business schools are looking for much more than just examples of professional excellence. If you discuss only your work experiences in your application, you will present yourself as a one-dimensional character, and today’s managers need to demonstrate that they can handle a multitude of tasks, situations, and personalities—both inside and outside the workplace. Occasionally, we at mbaMission post an offer on our blog to review applications submitted by candidates who did not use our services and who did not receive an offer of admission from a single program of their choice. We find that the most common error committed by these applicants is that they discussed only their work accomplishments and gave no sense of who they truly are as well-rounded human beings. Although professional accomplishments definitely have a place in your applications, do not go overboard and focus on this one aspect of your candidacy to the exclusion of all else—balance is crucial. To the best of your ability, strive to offer a mix of accomplishments from the professional, community, and personal fields. Your goal is to keep the reader learning about you with each essay. A diversity of stories will reveal that you have the skills to accomplish a great deal in many different fields and circumstances, which is the hallmark of a modern general manager. |
07 May 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Why You Should Consider Kellogg for More than Marketing |
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As we all know, Kellogg is just a marketing school, right? Not quite so. A quick glance at the school’s most recent employment report (click on the “FUNCTION – FULL TIME” tab) reveals that 33% of its Class of 2016 accepted jobs in consulting, and only 20% went into marketing/sales, its second most popular functional area. McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Deloitte, and Strategy& were among the school’s hirers in 2016. Kellogg MBAs credit the “Management Lab”—wherein first-year students work on a consulting project and are mentored by consultants from leading firms (before their summer internships)—with preparing them for success in their internships and full-time positions. Meanwhile, a variety of other hands-on experiences are also available, including the “Global Lab” (students work with an international firm), “Advanced Topics in Marketing” (students analyze a marketing issue and present it to management), and “Leading Mission Driven Enterprises” (students offer management expertise to nonprofits). Not to worry, though—if you are interested in marketing, Kellogg still has ample resources for you. For more information on other defining characteristics of the MBA program at Kellogg or one of 15 other top business schools, please check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
07 May 2017, 13:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Earn a Sustainability Certificate at MIT Sloan |
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Sustainability is at the heart of MIT Sloan’s nonprofit/social entrepreneurship curriculum. In 2007, the school launched the Sustainability Initiative (formerly called the Initiative for Sustainable Business and Society), whose goal is “to inspire change by engaging people in open dialogue around sustainability issues and challenging them to consider their own values related to social justice, care for future generations, and the flourishing of life,” according to its Web site. The initiative serves as an umbrella for the many components that fall under its purview, including the “Strategies for Sustainable Business” lab course, the “System Dynamics” course, the Sustainability Lunch Series, and an internship program. In 2010, Sloan announced its third specialty certificate option, the Sustainability Certificate. Open to any master’s level MIT student as an add-on to an existing degree program, the offering “views sustainability as a function of the interdependent dynamics of economic, societal, and environmental systems, where success overall is influenced by success across all areas and not upon a single factor,” reported a 2010 MIT Newsroom article. In addition to receiving the certificate along with their MBA, students who pursue it are given access to Summer Sustainability Internships and alumni events. For more information on other defining characteristics of the MBA program at MIT Sloan or one of 15 other top business schools, please check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
08 May 2017, 09:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Tips on Revising Your Resume for Your MBA Application |
 In preparing your resume to be submitted with your business school application, your overall goal is to create a document that showcases your major accomplishments and career progress for the admissions committee in an effective and compelling way. Your resume is an important opportunity to tell your professional story—and to some degree, even your personal one—in a concise form. We strongly caution you not to underestimate the value of this document. The admissions committees actually review applicants’ resumes carefully, so you want yours to be simple and consistent in style while being powerful in substance. One of the most common errors that MBA candidates make is leaving their resume in an industry-specific format, full of jargon and acronyms recognizable only to an expert in their field. Remember, the schools are not hiring you for a job but are trying to develop an understanding of your progress, accomplishments, and even character. Each bullet point in your resume must highlight achievement over positional expertise. Start your revision process by recognizing that your resume can be a strategic tool in reinforcing or emphasizing certain characteristics that you feel are important for the admissions committee to know to be able to evaluate you fully and fairly—and that may complement information provided in other parts of your application. For example, if you aspire to a career that is international in nature, consider placing more emphasis on your international experience in your resume. Or, if you come from a field that is not known for its management orientation—perhaps you are a teacher, for example—you can use your resume to highlight accomplishments that may resonate with an MBA admissions audience, such as having administered a school’s $50,000 student activities budget. Make sure that you are showcasing your accomplishments, not merely stating responsibilities. When only your duties are outlined—with no accompanying results—the admissions reader has no understanding of whether you were effective in your position or your endeavors. For example, consider the following entry, in which only responsibilities are offered: 2013–Present Brand Manager, Household Products Group, Flocter & Gramble, Cincinnati, Ohio Responsible for managing a $10M media campaign, supervising a staff of five junior brand managers, monitoring daily sales volumes, and ensuring the consistent supply of product from five production facilities in three countries. The person reading this description is left wondering, “Was the media campaign successful? Did the staff of five progress? Did sales volumes increase? Did the supply of products reach its destination?” But when this one large bullet point is instead broken down into individual bulleted entries that elaborate on each task and show clear results, the reader learns not just about the candidate’s responsibilities but also about his/her effectiveness and successes: 2013–Present Brand Manager, Household Products Group, Flocter & Gramble, Cincinnati, Ohio
Ideally, your resume should be only one page long; admissions committees generally expect and appreciate the conciseness of this format. If you choose to submit a two-page or longer resume, your reader may have difficulty scanning it and identifying (and remembering) important facts. With these space constraints in mind, we offer two fairly straightforward “space saver” ideas:
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08 May 2017, 15:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: NYU Stern Announces 2017-2018 Application Deadlines |
This week, the New York University Stern School of Business released its 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines. For more information, visit https://www.stern.nyu.edu/. For a complete list of 2017-2018 business school deadlines, be sure to check ourApplication Deadlines page. We will be updating our list as business schools release them. Do you plan to apply to NYU Stern this fall? Stay tuned to the mbaMission blog for our analysis of the 2017-2018 NYU Stern essay questions when they are released, and be sure to download our free Insider’s Guide to the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business. |
09 May 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Which mbaMission Service Is Right for Me? |
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Over the years, many MBA hopefuls have come to us with one resounding question: Which admissions consulting service is right for me? Maybe you are just getting started with the GMAT exam and admittedly have not even thought about your business school applications yet. Or maybe you are already well into the application process but are seeking some last-minute advice from an honest professional. Or perhaps you are a reapplicant who cannot understand what went wrong the first time around. No matter where you are in the application process, mbaMission is here to help you. If you are unsure about which service might be the most beneficial to your candidacy, read on. In this blog post, we provide several different scenarios (one of which you might find yourself in now) and the corresponding best mbaMission service for each one! “I need help with my MBA applications, but I don’t know where to start!”
The cost: Flat fee per school, starting at $4,400 for a one-school package The commitment: Extensive—This flat-fee option gives you unlimited brainstorming assistance, ongoing feedback and advice, and as many revisions to your essays, resume, and other application elements as you feel you need to craft the most successful application possible. Our package services work best for those who are beginning the MBA application process and have committed themselves wholeheartedly. mbaMission’s package clients benefit from having no limitations on the amount of time spent brainstorming for essay ideas, the number of essay revisions allowed, the number of rounds of changes to resumes, and so on. If you intend to devote significant time to the application process, our Complete Start-to-Finish Package is for you. With the Complete Start-to-Finish Package, you have the option to add additional schools to your purchase at any time within your contract agreement (May 1–April 30). So, if you decide to apply to another school (perhaps in a later round), you can do so with the help of mbaMission. “I’ve started my applications, but I need help with a few elements.” Best for: Business school applicants who need help with discrete tasks rather than their overall application The cost: $325 per hour, with special “bundle” pricing available for clients purchasing five hours. The commitment: Flexible—Utilize your hours however you choose, whenever you choose. Start with our minimum of two hours, and if you require more guidance, you can add hours to your purchase at any time within your contract agreement (six months from the purchase date). Hourly services are a great option for applicants who need help with a few application elements rather than their entire application. For example, perhaps you feel your essays are strong, but you are unsure of how to assemble a compelling resume to accompany them. Or maybe you have been invited to interview and could benefit from some practice and feedback beforehand. Or perhaps just one essay is giving you trouble, so you feel you only need assistance with that element. Whatever the task, we can serve your needs through our a la carte hourly services. “I applied and, unfortunately, got rejected. What went wrong?” Best for: Reapplicants who want to improve on their failed application(s) The cost: $650 for one application The commitment: About two hours One of our Senior Consultants will first examine all aspects of your previous application—including your test scores, resume, essays, transcript, short-answer responses, and reference letters (if available), as well as any other related materials. Then, your consultant will provide written feedback, highlighting your strengths and weaknesses and offering recommendations for improvement in your next application. Finally, you will have a 30-minute phone call with your consultant to discuss this feedback and ensure that your questions are answered. Ding Review clients will also be eligible for a $250 discount on any Complete Start-to-Finish Package service, redeemable within three months of your completed review. “I submitted my MBA application(s), and I just got invited to interview! What can I do to prepare?” Best for: Applicants who require focused interview prep The cost: Starting at $650 The commitment: Moderate—The Mock Interview Session and subsequent debrief will last approximately two hours. In our individual interview preparation sessions, you will meet* with an experienced mbaMission Admissions Advisor who has read either your entire application or just your resume, depending on the approach the school with which you are interviewing prefers, and who will use actual questions posed to previous applicants by your target school’s interviewers. You will therefore be able to familiarize yourself with the content and style of a typical interview at that program and practice both forming and presenting effective responses. Through Q&A, feedback, and thorough planning, we can help you improve the content of your answers, your time-management skills, and your overall presentation. We also offer specialized Mock Interview Sessions for Harvard Business School (HBS), which includes an HBS-specific mock interview plus support for the post-interview reflection. And for those applicants who are interviewing at The Wharton School, we offer a Team-Based Discussion Simulation to help you prepare for this unique group interview experience. *Mock Interview Sessions can be held over the phone/Skype or in person (subject to availability). “I see myself applying to business school…but not yet! What can I do to prepare NOW so that I am ready to apply in a year or two?” Best for: Those who are 6–24 months from applying The cost: Starting at $1,300 The commitment: Moderate—Your consultant will schedule periodic check-ins and offer comprehensive, ongoing coaching leading up to your application season. As you approach your business school applications, having a long-term plan in mind and benchmarks to achieve is crucial to prepare for this incredibly important step in your life. We can help you navigate this stage of the admissions process so that when the time comes to differentiate yourself, you will have a host of professional, community, and personal achievements on which to draw. “I did not see my personal scenario in this blog post!” We are always willing to work with you. If you find yourself in a unique situation and are not certain if any of the above services are quite right for you, please contact us for more information. If you are unsure about which service would be ideal for you or how much time your business school application(s) will actually take to prepare, we encourage you to sign up for afree 30-minute consultation. During this session, we will honestly assess your candidacy and recommend what we truly feel is best for you. For a complete list of our services (and pricing), please visit our Services page. We look forward to helping you apply to the business school of your dreams! |
09 May 2017, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Columbia Business School Essay Analysis, 2017–2018 |
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For years, Columbia Business School (CBS) has been at the front of the pack of MBA programs that have been gradually shortening their application essays and requiring candidates to be direct and concise in their submissions. It was even the first school to incorporate a micro essay into its application. Last season, CBS gave applicants a bit more wiggle room with the essays, increasing the word count for each by a pretty significant margin (up to 100% in one case), but it has tightened the reins back down for this year’s applicants. Still, with a goal statement, three required essays, and an optional essay, you should have plenty of opportunity to convey a well-rounded impression of yourself for the admissions committee. Read on for our insight into the program’s 2017–2018 prompts… Goal: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters) Including spaces, CBS’s career goal question is exactly 50 characters itself, showing candidates just how much (or how little, in this case) space they have to work with and just how succinct they are therefore expected to be with their response. At just 50 characters, this can hardly be considered a true essay, but you will need to approach this with the same level of thought and focus as any of your other written responses for the school. The prompt is clearly a no-nonsense request for information, with no room allowed for exposition, flowery words, background, or pandering. This is all about getting to the point and telling the admissions committee what it wants to know. In the past, the school has provided a few sample responses, including “Work in business development for a media company” and “Join a strategy consulting firm,” illustrating that conveying the requested information in such a tight space is definitely doable and that you do not need to worry too much about grammatical issues (in other words, you do not need to start your statement with “I want to” or something similar). We like to offer the statement “Reveal true goals, not what you think CBS wants” as both our own example of keeping things concise and our advice on how to approach and fulfill this request. Think about what you truly want to do with your career in the short term and state this aspiration directly. Keep in mind that the rest of your application will need to provide evidence that your stated goal aligns with your existing skills and profound interests, especially once they have been augmented by an MBA education. This will show that your professed goal is achievable and lend credibility to your statement. If you can do this in 50 characters (not words!), you will have done what you need to answer the school’s question quite well. Essay #1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3 – 5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words) CBS starts this essay question by more or less telling you not to recap your career to date, so we strongly recommend that you do so (and briefly, at that) only if context is absolutely needed for your stated goals to be understood and/or believable—perhaps if you are making a fairly remarkable career change. Pay particular attention to the phrases “dream job” and “in your imagination” with respect to the long-term portion of the question. The school is prompting you to be creative and perhaps even to challenge or push yourself to think big. CBS wants individuals who do not just follow prescribed paths according to someone else’s blueprint but who are aspirational and more inclined to forge their own way. This is not to suggest that if you have a more traditional plan in mind that you are in trouble or at risk of losing the admissions committee’s attention, but you may need to take a little extra time to consider your ambitions from the perspective of “what if?” and delve more deeply into what you hope to achieve to find the more personal and inspiring elements of your goals. Showing creativity and individualism here can only be helpful. Although this is not a request for a textbook personal statement essay, your response will certainly involve some elements of the topics covered in such a submission, such as short- and long-term goals. The mbaMission Personal Statement Guide offers advice on brainstorming and crafting such essays along with multiple illustrative examples and so may be helpful in preparing your CBS response to this prompt. You can download your free copy here. CBS does not explicitly ask how its MBA program will factor into the achievement of your goals, but if you feel that particular resources the school offers could or will be uniquely influential and advantageous to you as you advance along your path, we believe you have sufficient room and leeway to mention these. However, generic claims or empty pandering have no place at all in this rather compact essay. Any CBS resources you reference must be specific to your needs, and the cause-and-effect relationship between these resources and your anticipated success must be very clear. For example, an applicant might discuss the appeal and instrumentality of CBS’s Value Investing Program and 5x5x5 Student Portfolio Fund in his or her aspirations to one day break into the asset management world or later launch a hedge fund. We do not recommend going so far as to dedicate an entire paragraph to discussing school resources, but you might consider thoughtfully embedding a relevant reference or two into your submission to acknowledge the program’s role in achieving your stated career intentions. Or should we say dreams? Essay #2: The full-time MBA experience includes academics, recruiting and networking. What are your personal priorities and how do you anticipate allocating your time at Columbia Business School? (250 words) Start your brainstorming for this essay by first considering your priorities within the three areas CBS specifically notes—academics, recruiting, and networking—but do not feel compelled to limit yourself to them if you have other ideas or plans. The school wants well-rounded students who will not “silo” themselves into just one area and who anticipate using multiple aspects of the MBA program to their and others’ advantage. If you care only about the academic aspect of business school and do not envision yourself participating in any club activities or availing yourself of events or resources outside the classroom, you might not be the kind of candidate top-tier schools such as CBS are seeking. Earning your MBA involves more than completing business classes, and the admissions committee strives to construct a diverse class of engaged and experienced people who can learn both together and from one another. This requires that everyone participate and contribute, and not just in class. With your response to this essay prompt, show CBS where and how you expect to be active in its community and program, whether that is via a certain club, event, course, or other avenue. Explain what drives you toward these areas and activities and what you imagine your involvement will look like. If you can frame your vision in a way that reveals a benefit for those around you as well, this is even better. For example, will you commit a large portion of your time to your job search because landing a highly coveted role at an elite Wall Street firm is your main impetus for getting your MBA? And if so, will you offer to run mock interviews with your fellow students who share this dream? Perhaps you are interested in joining the CBS Follies group to fulfill your artistic and dramatic side and balance your quant-heavy course work, and your many years in the theater will help you coach classmates who are new to the stage so that they can fully benefit from and enjoy the experience as well. Keep in mind that the specific activities and areas you choose are not what is important here. CBS is not choosing people based on whether they expect to populate certain clubs or organize student conferences, so the admissions committee will neither ding nor reward you for choosing one option over another. What is important is that you show you have a true understanding of what CBS offers and a plan of attack for your experience within the program. After reading your essay, an admissions officer should feel that you really “get” CBS and can clearly envision yourself there. The school knows that an applicant who has dedicated the time and effort necessary to develop advanced knowledge of the program is one who will have a successful experience. In giving you a place in the class, the admissions committee is essentially betting that you will thrive more at CBS than thousands of other candidates would, so show that you are a low-risk, high-reward potential admit. EMBA Essay #2: Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (250 words) This question basically exists because CBS wants to be sure you truly intend to finish the program. We cannot claim to have specific numbers on this phenomenon, but we know that EMBA students sometimes get overwhelmed by the demands of balancing work, studies, and personal/family life. As a result, a number of them ultimately drop out of the program each year, including some who are asked to leave the program by their employers, who also did not understand the time demands involved. With this prompt, CBS is essentially asking, “Are you sure you know what you are getting into?” To help assuage the admissions committee’s fears on this point, you might take a somewhat procedural approach in your response, explaining that you anticipate dedicating certain hours on certain days, with your manager’s approval, to study and complete your course work for the program. You might address how you have engaged supportive stakeholders—such as partners, children, and friends—in discussions about your commitment to help clarify and calibrate expectations. Having read your response, the admissions reader should feel comfortable that you have a clear plan in mind, that this is not a whimsical choice but a well-informed decision that oozes commitment. CBS wants to know that you will see the program through to the end, and to communicate this effectively, you must demonstrate that you have the process and support mechanisms in place to not only finish it but thrive within it. Essay #3: Please select and answer one of the following essay questions: (250 words) CBS has replaced its “What will your Clustermates be pleasantly surprised to learn about you?” query from last season with this new set of prompt choices, both of which are still invitations to share aspects of your personality but are notably broader in scope. Whichever one you ultimately select, focus on giving the school insight into what makes you tick as an individual, beyond your professional skill-set and goals. a: Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life. Although we acknowledge that you might actually be “most passionate” about your career, this is not your best choice for a topic here, especially given that two of the other essays have already allowed you to discuss your professional life. Clearly, if you are applying to and ready to complete a leading MBA program—challenges not for the faint of heart—you are a driven individual with more enthusiasm and ambition career-wise than the average person. The CBS admissions committee already knows this. What it wants to learn now is what gets your heart pumping and mind racing outside of work. As Steve Jobs once said, “People with passion can change the world,” and although he was speaking about careers at the time, the statement is true for all aspects of one’s life. Passion is inspiring and energizing and can lead to big ideas and actions. Sharing with the school where your passion lies gives the admissions committee an idea of where you might someday make an impression on the world, how you might leave your mark—especially once you are equipped with all you will gain and learn during your MBA experience. That said, do not worry if your passions seem commonplace. For example, perhaps you feel passionate about basketball. Because this is an experience that anyone could share and enjoy, it might seem pedestrian. The key, however, is not what inspires you but how you engage with it. If you can show that basketball is not just a hobby you simply enjoy from time to time but is instead something you connect with on a deep level and in various ways—perhaps having played for many years, you now coach youth teams in your community and have amassed a truly impressive trading card or jersey collection—then this initially unremarkable-seeming choice most definitely becomes an acceptable discussion topic. Think about your possible choices in terms of intensity, enthusiasm, devotion, longevity, loyalty, excitement, and heart, and be honest with yourself. The elements of your life that inspire and align with these concepts could be appropriate fodder for this essay, while anything that does not should be immediately discarded as an option. Once you have identified the passion you wish to discuss, avoid simply telling the admissions committee about it and instead demonstrate how this passion manifests in your life. For example, rather than stating, “I have been watching and playing basketball since I was a child,” you need to create a more vivid impression of your dedication and involvement, such as “From playing with my brothers after school to varsity ball in college to now coaching a youth league in my community, I can hardly remember a time when basketball wasn’t an integral part of my life.” b: If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do? Like option A, this prompt asks for a window into your personal self, but with a bit of a relaxed twist. It conveys slightly less of an idea of singularly focused drive and intensity and more one of a variety of activities and experiences that would generate inner happiness and satisfaction. Whether you want to spend your free day jumping out of a plane, swinging a hammer building homes for Habitat for Humanity, or reading quietly beside a lake somewhere, the activity you share is not the admissions committee’s focus so much as what your choice says about who you are and how you like to live your life. In this essay, you want your interests to reveal that you are an appealing and likeable character—one who spends his or her time thoughtfully and productively, rather than being easily bored, indecisive, or in need of an outside source to provide distraction. Help CBS understand your internal motivations and values and how they may come into play both in the program and beyond your two years as an MBA student. And as with option A, you will want to take a “show, rather than tell” approach in your writing. Avoid simply stating your anticipated agenda outright, and instead strive to really bring the admissions reader along with you on this imaginary day off via your descriptions. Optional Essay: Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 words) This optional essay question starts out sounding like an open invitation to discuss almost anything you feel like sharing with the admissions committee, but the second line (which was not part of the prompt last season) dials things in and puts the spotlight on addressing problem areas specifically. The additional directive about bullet points seems to be a not-too-veiled implication that the school wants you to focus on imparting key information rather than offering a detailed and longwinded explanation of the issue in question. Without a doubt, this is not an opportunity to share another cool story or otherwise try to impress or pander to the admissions committee. If you do not truly need to explain an issue or potentially confusing element of your candidacy (a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT score, a gap in your work experience, etc.), we do not recommend that you submit an option essay; if you do have issues to clarify, keep things concise. In our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your profile. |
10 May 2017, 09:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Use Humor with Discretion in Your MBA Application Essays |
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Although we often offer a “how to” and a “how not to” example when discussing business school application essays, we cannot present a simple illustration of our advice this time. This is because our focus today is on humor, which is nuanced and can be deemed appropriate only with a full understanding of the context in which it is presented. Therefore, we offer merely a strong suggestion: be very careful when using humor in your essays. The line between being funny and coming across as immature, inappropriate, or even careless is a very fine one. In our view, the writers who use humor best are those who possess the skill to appear clever or witty and are not striving to portray themselves as stand-up comics. Your essays are not the proper venue in which to showcase your latest routine, though a mildly self-deprecating anecdote with humorous undertones could help reveal your personality if well executed. Keep in mind that humor itself is not the goal of your essay but part of your broader story and message. If you have a strong voice and can use humor with subtlety, then proceed—but even then, do so with caution and ensure that you get an honest, solid critique before you submit your final draft. |
10 May 2017, 13:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Minimize Careless Errors While Taking the GMAT |
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With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense. Remember those times when you were sure you got the answer right, only to find out that you got it wrong? For a moment, you even think that the answer key must have a mistake in it. Then, you take another look at the problem, check your work, and say, “I can’t believe I did that!” By definition, a careless mistake occurs when we did actually know all of the necessary info and we did actually possess all of the necessary skills, but we committed an error anyway. We all make careless mistakes; our goal is to learn how to minimize these mistakes as much as possible. A lot of times, careless errors are due to one of two things: (1) some bad habit that actually increases the chances that we will make a mistake or (2) our own natural weaknesses. Here is an example of the former: they ask me to find how long Car B takes to go a certain distance, and I do everything perfectly, but I solve for Car A instead. So, what is my bad habit here? Often, I did not write down “Car B = ?” I also noticed that I was more likely to make this mistake when I set up the problem such that I was solving for Car A first; sometimes, I would forget to finish the problem and just pick Car A’s time. So I developed several different good habits to put in the place of my various bad habits. First, I set up a reminder for myself: I skipped several blank lines on my scrap paper and then wrote “B time = ______?” I also built the habit of solving directly for what I wanted. Now, while I am setting up the problem, I always look first to see whether I can set it up to solve directly for Car B, not Car A. So, what did I do here? First, I figured out what specific mistake I was making and why I was making it. Then, I instituted three new habits that would minimize my chances of making the same mistake in the future. Incidentally, one of those habits (solving directly for what is asked) also saves me time! Happy studying, and go start figuring out how to minimize those careless mistakes! |
11 May 2017, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Build an MBA Resume, Part 3 |
Ideally, your resume should be only one page long; admissions committees generally expect and appreciate the conciseness of this format. If you choose to submit a resume consisting of two pages or more, your reader may have difficulty scanning it and identifying (and remembering) important facts. With these space constraints in mind, we offer two fairly straightforward “space saver” ideas:
138 West 25th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10024 646-485-8844 jeremy@mbamission.com You just wasted six lines of real estate! To help whittle your resume down to one page, try putting your address on just one line so you can save five others for valuable bullets. And, while we are discussing the document’s length, resist the urge to shrink your font or margins to make your resume fit on one page. Your font should be no smaller than 10-point type, and your margins should be no smaller than 1″ on either side and 0.75″ at the top and bottom. Rather than trying to squeeze too much information onto the page, commit yourself to showcasing only your most important accomplishments that tell your story best. |
11 May 2017, 15:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Wharton Announces 2017-2018 Application Deadlines |
This week, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania released its 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines. For more information, visit https://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/application-timeline-deadlines/. For a complete list of 2017-2018 business school deadlines, be sure to check ourApplication Deadlines page. We will be updating our list as business schools release them. Do you plan to apply to Wharton this fall? Stay tuned to the mbaMission blog for our analysis of the 2017-2018 Wharton School essay questions when they are released, and be sure to download our free Insider’s Guide to The Wharton School. |
12 May 2017, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: What Type of Candidate Are Business Schools Seeking? |
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One of the most common questions we hear from business school applicants is “What type of candidate does [Harvard/Stanford/Wharton/Chicago Booth/etc.] want?” Of course, the answer to that question is that schools do not want just one type of applicant. Instead, each MBA program is striving to assemble a remarkably diverse class and thus wants to be able to identify distinct qualities in each candidate. Although simplifying a school’s approach to admissions (e.g., “Kellogg wants team players”) can be appealing, avoid trying to fit into some perceived mold—doing so will only mask your true distinct qualities and strengths. Rather than pandering to a stereotype with regard to your personal/professional experiences or changing your stated goals to match an imagined bias on the part of an MBA admissions committee, you should spend a great deal of time brainstorming to best understand how you can showcase your unique traits. By demonstrating that you offer something different from other candidates, you have the greatest chance of succeeding. |
12 May 2017, 10:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: mbaMission Founder Accepting Additional Clients This Season |
 We are delighted to announce that mbaMission’s founder and president, Jeremy Shinewald, will be opening his schedule to work with a larger client base in the upcoming 2017–2018 MBA admissions season. Jeremy, who is the author of mbaMission’s Complete Start-to-Finish MBA Admissions Guide, has consulted with a small number of clients in previous years but will be available to work with additional candidates this fall. Often quoted in such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Businessweek, Jeremy is a pioneer of the MBA admissions consulting industry and a veteran of client service. If you are interested in working directly with Jeremy, start by signing up for a free 30-minute consultation, during which you will have the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one and begin getting answers to your most pressing application questions. For more information on our services and to purchase a “Founders Package,” visit our Complete “Start-to-Finish” Package and A la Carte Hourly service pages. |
12 May 2017, 13:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Dean Profiles: William Boulding, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business |
Business school deans are more than administrative figureheads. Their character and leadership often reflect an MBA program’s unique culture and sense of community. Periodically, we profile the dean of a top-ranking program. Today, we focus on William Boulding at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. In the fall of 2011, William Boulding became dean of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Boulding began teaching at Fuqua in 1984 and served as the business program’s deputy dean before being appointed to a shortened two-year term as dean (a full term is five years) upon the previous dean’s departure. Then in early 2013, an international search committee recommended that Boulding continue his deanship for an additional five years. He has received several distinctions for his teaching in the areas of management, marketing, and strategy, including the school’s 1989 Outstanding Teacher Award and the 1997 NationsBank Faculty Award. A member of the search committee stated in a 2013 article in Duke’s student newspaper, The Chronicle, that Boulding’s vision for the school would “address globalization with more innovation and modernization in the classrooms, while also focusing on stabilizing the school’s budget.” Another search committee member noted in the article that Boulding “has the whole package, plus he knows Fuqua and Duke intimately.” In a 2012 Forbes interview, Boulding described the type of students who attend Fuqua by highlighting the collaborative principles encompassed by Team Fuqua, saying, “Increasingly, so called ‘leaders’ seem to fight for narrow self-interest around issues and ideas. At the same time, more than ever before, answers to problems, solutions to challenges, innovation, and the creation of value comes through collaboration and co-creation.… Our students have a burning ambition to make a difference in the lives of others.” Boulding also explained in a 2013 Bloomberg Businessweek interview the high rate of success for Fuqua graduates in finding jobs: “The reason they’re [companies are] hiring Fuqua students comes back to what we produce and who we attract, and that’s people who understand how to co-create and take advantage of a team’s potential. It’s people who are personally humble, tremendously ambitious, and have no sense of entitlement.” For more information about Duke Fuqua and 15 other top-ranked business schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
13 May 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Be Cautious with Polarizing Issues When Writing Your MBA Application Essays |
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Although many MBA programs are interested in hearing about your international experiences, they are fundamentally uninterested in your personal views on “hot” global political issues. Even when an admissions committee directly challenges you to discuss current events or global politics, you must take care to offer a point of view—not a scathing manifesto. No clear rules exist as to what exactly you should discuss, but as you consider ideas, “knowing your audience” is of the utmost importance. Never take risks by discussing an economic, political, social, or cultural idea that you believe could generally be considered extreme. Of course, “extreme” is open to interpretation, and this is why choosing the issue you will discuss requires so much careful consideration. When you begin writing, keep in mind that you are not trying to win voters or recruit people to your cause—your goal is simply to show that you are engaged in the issues, can consider them in a balanced way, and are able to articulate your ideas persuasively. |
14 May 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Experiential Learning at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management |
 With approximately 20 Fortune 500 companies located nearby—including UnitedHealth Group, Target, and U.S. Bancorp—the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management boasts a robust network of corporate ties and high-profile recruiting opportunities. In fact, the Twin Cities placed first in Forbes’s 2011 rankings of the best U.S. cities for finding employment. Carlson also prepares its students with a pronounced hands-on approach to building leadership, management, and problem-solving skills. Among the school’s more distinctive offerings, Carlson’s four Enterprise programs expose students to the areas of brand, consulting, funds, and ventures. The Enterprise learning experience is rather unique insofar as it operates as a full professional services firm, serving multiple clients and allowing students to work through real-world business challenges with senior management at major companies. In the Brand Enterprise program, for example, Carlson students have developed key marketing strategies for such brands as Cargill, Boston Scientific, Target, 3M, General Mills, and Land O’Lakes. Students in the Consulting Enterprise program have offered services to such companies as Best Buy, Northwest Airlines Cargo, Medtronic CRM Division, and Polaris. With approximately $35M in managed assets, the Carlson Funds Enterprise program ranks among the three largest student-managed funds in the world. Finally, the Carlson Ventures Enterprise program puts aspiring entrepreneurs in contact with experts, professionals, and investors. |
14 May 2017, 13:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Explore Global Perspectives at Wharton |
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To think that the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania excels only in churning out investment bankers and management consultants would be a mistake. In fact, Wharton boasts a truly international program, ranked #3 in this area in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report MBA specialty rankings. A full 32% of the school’s Class of 2018 is composed of international students representing 71 countries, and 13.1% of the school’s 2016 graduates took jobs outside the United States. Students who wish to study international business at Wharton have no shortage of options for doing so, including the following:
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Hi Generic [Bot],
Here are updates for you:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tuck at Dartmouth
AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
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