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11 Jun 2017, 12:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Best Practices for Working with Your mbaMission Career Coach |
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When you decide to work with an mbaMission Career Coach, you will gain a partner who is invested in your success. Our goal is to develop concrete steps to help our clients achieve their career objectives. (Check out our previous blog post on the top five reasons to work with an mbaMission Career Coach.) We believe working collaboratively with a career coach will build your confidence, increase your job search know-how, and accelerate your ability to achieve your career goals. Below are a few tips for making the most of your relationship with your career coach:
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 a free 30-minute consultation! |
12 Jun 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Studying for and Struggling with the GMAT: The Most Common Issues |
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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. Have you been studying for the GMAT for a while now but find yourself struggling to lift your score? Perhaps you have some problems of which you are unaware, or you are studying in an inefficient or ineffective way. This article includes links to a number of additional articles. If you see something that applies to your situation, follow the link! First, read this short article: In It to Win It. Time Management Almost everyone has timing problems; many people think they do not, but they are wrong. If you have been studying for a while but your score does not seem to be changing much, then one of the culprits is probably timing. Another common sign: your practice test scores fluctuate up and down. Next, analyze your most recent practice test to see whether you have any timing problems and, if so, what they are. Then read this time management article and start doing what it says. Content You may also, of course, have content problems—maybe modifiers are driving you crazy, or combinatorics. Not all content areas have equal value. Some areas are more commonly tested than others, and those areas are obviously worth more of your time and attention. For example, modifiers are very commonly tested, but combinatorics questions are infrequent. If you are struggling with this topic, good news! Forget about it. How do you know which areas are more or less commonly tested? This changes over time, so ask your instructor or post the question on some GMAT forums. (Not sure how best to use GMAT forums? Read this!) The test review we discussed in the time management section will also tell you your content strengths and weaknesses. Your next task is to figure out how to study in a more effective way. How to Study Many people do huge quantities of problems, but we are not going to memorize all these problems. If that is what you have been doing and you are struggling or taking forever, stop now! What we want to do instead is use the current practice problems to help us learn how to think our way through future new problems. When doing GMAT-format problems, be aware that roughly 80% of your learning comes after you have finished doing the problem. Your goal here is not to do a million questions but to do a much more modest number of questions and really analyze them to death. Here is how to review GMAT practice problems. You can find additional articles illustrating this process here, in the How to Study section. Super-High Score Goal What if you are going for a super-high score (730+) and find that you are stagnating? Maybe you have hit 700 but cannot get past that mark. First, do you really need such a high score? Not many schools will reject a 700-scorer for that reason. If you are determined to push into the stratosphere, learn the differences between a 700-scorer and a 760-scorer. A super-high scorer has certain skills and habits, and you will need to learn how to develop them. Also, recognize that you might need outside help from a class or tutor to make this leap. My Score Dropped! Have you experienced a big score drop (more than 70 points) on a recent practice test or an official exam? I know you are disappointed, but you are not alone. Your task now is to figure out what went wrong, so that you can take steps to get back to the pre-drop level. Something Else? Finally, if you just cannot figure out what is holding you back, then you likely need the advice of an expert. You can get free advice on various forums (including the Manhattan Prep forums!). You could also take a class or work with a tutor—this will cost money, of course, but if you have really been banging your head against the wall for a long time, then you might decide the investment is worth it. |
13 Jun 2017, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Use Your Judgment on MBA Application Essay Details |
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“Should I use Calibri or Times New Roman font for my essays?” “Should I list my GPA to the third or fourth decimal place?” “I don’t have enough space to enter my full title, so should I write ‘Vice President’ or ‘VP Sales’?” As candidates approach the application season, small questions start to arise—questions that often require using judgment to answer. We can safely say that no one was ever kept out of Harvard Business School for listing his/her GPA to the third decimal point or for abbreviating a title. Remember, the admissions officers are not punitive. They are not mean-spirited people, reading your application and searching for reasons to reject you. So, if you have a small lingering question about your application, you can connect with the Admissions Office and ask someone there. Most often, they will ask you to use your judgment. As long as your broad story is compelling, the smallest details should take care of themselves. |
14 Jun 2017, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Roberto Rigobon, MIT Sloan School of Management |
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 Roberto Rigobon from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Roberto Rigobon, the Society of Sloan Fellows Professor of Management and a professor of applied economics, specializes in international economics, monetary economics, and development economics. At an awards ceremony in 2005, Sloan students described him as someone who “epitomized the fine line between madness and genius.” Other award-related descriptions of Rigobon refer to him as “serious but hilarious,” “crazy and brilliant,” and “high energy.” He teaches the reportedly very popular “Applied Macro and International Economics” course, which is said to be often taken by up to 30% of Sloan students at a time. He has won numerous teaching awards during his time at Sloan (including the school’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000, 2003, and 2005, and Teacher of the Year in 1999, 2002, and 2004) and is primarily recognized for his accessibility. As one second-year student blogged, “The door to his office was always open.” For more information about MIT Sloan and 15 other top-ranked MBA schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
15 Jun 2017, 09:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Social Media’s Impact on Your Job Search |
 As we saw in the recent Fortune article about the Harvard students whose offers of admittance were rescinded, your social media activity matters. And it does not matter only when you are applying to college or business school; it also matters when you are searching for a new job. (According to a May 2016 CareerBuilder study, 60% of employers use social media.) Typically, when recruiters review your social media profiles, they are looking for inappropriate photos, references to alcohol or drug use, negative posts about past employers or coworkers, evidence of a lack of communication skills, as well as discriminatory or inflammatory content regarding race, gender, religion, and other issues. Remember that those with whom you associate and their posts can also have an impact on your candidacy. That said, social media can be very useful for networking, conducting research, and creating your brand. The following recommendations provide a starting point to help you leverage the power of social media in your job search:
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15 Jun 2017, 13:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Which Top-Ranked Schools Had the Most Selective Acceptance Rates? |
 The 2016–2017 application season is largely behind us, and the Class of 2019 will matriculate this fall at top-ranked business schools around the country. But before we head into the 2017–2018 academic season and find out what the newest incoming class has to offer, we take a look at the Class of 2018, which matriculated last year. Prestigious business schools are highly selective—this fact is undoubtedly clear to anyone interested in applying. After all, the schools would not be as highly renowned as they currently are if they did not maintain high standards for acceptance. Which ones maintain the lowest acceptance rates and are therefore most selective? We at mbaMission examined data from top-ranked schools regarding their most recent incoming class and admissions season and found that the Stanford Graduate School of Business kept the gap at its doors the tightest and admitted a mere 6.0% of its more than 8,100 applicants. Harvard Business School followed not far behind with an acceptance rate of 10.6% (out of nearly 9,800 applications). In third place, the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, offered admission to 11.8% of its applicant pool of approximately 4,000. Columbia Business School kept its doors fairly tightly shut as well, with a 17.1% acceptance rate for its more than 6,000 applications. |
16 Jun 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Avoiding Essay Pitfalls |
 Understandably, MBA candidates have an almost endless number of questions about how to master their application essays. Here, we present our advice on several facets of this challenging portion of the MBA application, in hopes of helping you craft compelling submissions that will stand out to the admissions readers. Consider Sharing Your Personal Stories MBA candidates often fixate on their professional and community-based stories when writing their application essays, completely unaware of the potential their personal stories have to be powerful differentiators. Because so many applicants have similar career experiences, personal anecdotes can help candidates stand out from their fellow applicants. In particular, stories of commitment to oneself or others can have a strong emotional impact on an admissions reader, making the candidate much more memorable. As far what types of experiences you should discuss, the first criterion is that they be truly distinct and specific to you. For example, one individual may have helped his adopted cousin relocate his birth mother, while another might have taken a six-month leave of absence to take her disabled grandmother on a tour of her home country. Each of us has interesting anecdotes we can tell about ourselves, and these kinds of stories can be nicely showcased in your essays with a little bit of thought and creativity. Connect with the School in a Sincere and Personal Way To start, let us say that if your target MBA program has not explicitly asked, “Why our school?,” do not try to find a way to answer that question in your essays anyway. This is not a test, and the admissions committee has not asked the question for a reason. If, however, the school has asked you to explain your reasons for choosing it, you must be sure to provide an authentic and well-researched answer. Some candidates mistakenly believe that they must aggressively and enthusiastically state their love for their target school, sometimes resorting to pandering or speaking merely in glowing generalities. Rather than showering a program in compliments, focus on demonstrating a thorough understanding of what the MBA program offers and of how that connects with you personally. A common mistake is discussing one’s firsthand experience with a specific program in a very vague and general way. Consider the following example: “During my visit to Cornell Johnson, I was struck by the easygoing classroom discussion, the warmth of the professors, and the time spent by the first-year student who not only toured the facilities with me but also took me for coffee and asked several of his colleagues to join us.” Although these statements are positive and may in fact be true, the text contains no school-specific language. If the Yale School of Management, Michigan Ross, or the name of any other school were substituted for Cornell here, the statement would not otherwise change at all. It could easily apply to any MBA program—and this is not good. In contrast, the following statement could refer only to the University of Virginia’s Darden School: “While on Grounds, I was impressed by Professor Robert Carraway’s easygoing and humorous style as he facilitated a fast-paced discussion of the ‘George’s T-Shirts’ case. Although I admittedly felt dizzied by the class’s pace, I was comforted when I encountered several students reviewing the finer points of the case later at First Coffee. I was impressed when my first-year guide stopped mid-tour to check in with a member of her Learning Team and reinforce the case’s central point. That was when I knew for sure that this is the right environment for me.” If you were to replace the Darden name and even the professor’s name with those of another school and professor, the paragraph would no longer work. The Darden-specific information regarding the day’s case, First Coffee, and Learning Teams ensures that these sentences have a sincere and personal feel—showing that the candidate truly understands what the school is about and resulting in a compelling personal statement that will catch the attention of the admissions committee. Respect Word Limits, But Do Not Be Constricted by Them Candidates often worry about exceeding a school’s stated word limits, even by a mere word or two. Although we certainly feel that adhering to a program’s guidelines is best and encourage candidates to do so, we also believe that admissions directors are rational individuals and are not unnecessarily punitive. We doubt that any admissions director would ever say, “We think this candidate is great, but he exceeded the word limit by 20 words, so we are going to have to reject him.” Basically, we recommend that candidates not exceed word limits by more than 5%, but we also feel that applicants should exercise this flexibility judiciously and sparingly—and avoid consistently exceeding the limit on every essay. That said, we feel slightly differently about page limits and advise very strongly that candidates stay within any stated page limits. Although a line or two beyond a school’s word limit may not be readily obvious, an admissions reader can immediately tell when an applicant has exceeded a page limit. Adding an additional page, even for just one extra sentence, sends a clear message to the admissions committee that you are disregarding the rules—something you obviously do not want to do! Limit Outside Reviews of Your Essays Before you submit your application to your target school, ask someone you believe will give you honest feedback to read your essays and offer their evaluation and advice. However, limit yourself to requesting input from no more than two people. Because the application process is subjective, the more individuals you involve, the more opinions you will receive, and if these opinions differ markedly, they can create unnecessary uncertainty. We are not suggesting, of course, that you ignore critical feedback, but take care not to complicate the final days before you submit your application by creating doubt where it may not be due. If one or two readers support your ideas and feel that your application needs minimal work, you are probably best off ending your feedback loop there and submitting your application. |
16 Jun 2017, 10:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: New York University (Stern) Essay Analysis, 2017–2018 |
 After making no changes to its application essay questions last year from the year before, New York University’s (NYU’s) Stern School of Business has this season made a rather drastic overhaul to its prompts. Some candidates may be pleased to see the school’s longstanding “personal expression” creative essay go away, but they will still need to rely on their imaginative side to give the admissions committee what it wants for its new “Pick 6”prompt. One big application change has also precipitated the addition of a totally new—though not overly intimidating, we hope—essay: applicants may use a single application to apply to multiple MBA programs at the school (Full-time, Tech, Fashion and Luxury, Part-time), so NYU Stern asks candidates to specify their top choice(s) and explain the reasoning behind their selection. The school’s “professional aspirations” essay was cut from 750 words to 500 and dialed in to ask specifically about short- and long-term goals, rather than addressing the broader “why an MBA” and “why now” topics, and focuses now on just immediate post-MBA plans. The program also removed its previous request to explain “why Stern.” We theorize that this may be because the new “program preferences” essay will give applicants an opportunity to flesh out their reasons for targeting a specific program at the school, which will naturally include some explanation of their broader goals and motivations. As always, successful candidates will use the suite of essays in a complementary way to convey a well-rounded impression of themselves as individuals, professionals, and potential NYU Stern students. In our essay analysis that follows, we discuss possible ways of accomplishing this. Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (500-word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
And for a thorough exploration of NYU Stern’s academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, which is also available for free. Essay 2: Program Preferences – NYU Stern offers a portfolio of MBA programs designed to meet the needs of our applicants. Your program preferences are very important as you will be admitted to only one program. You cannot switch your program option after receiving your admissions decision. A. Primary Program Preference (250-word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Essay 3: Personal Expression (a.k.a. “Pick Six”) – Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:
We imagine that the initial reaction most candidates have to pretty much any application essay that is not a traditional essay is momentary panic (though, to be fair, that is likely many applicants’ reaction to traditional essays as well). This brand new format and query from one of the country’s most respected business schools is bound to elicit just such a response this season, but let us reassure you a bit before we delve more deeply into how best to approach it. One could argue that in many ways, this essay prompt is merely asking you to do something we assume you are already doing every day and have possibly been doing for years—curate an impression of yourself for others by sharing certain images and other media that resonate with you. Is that not what people do via Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Vine, and any number of other social media venues by posting photos, memes, infographics, cartoons, and the like, typically along with a related comment? When you think of the task NYU Stern has presented you with this framework in mind, do you feel a little more confident about mastering it? We hope so. In this case, rather than passing along just anything you think is funny or interesting or documenting your latest adventure or meal, you are communicating directly with a very singular audience, within a certain context, and with a very specific goal in mind. So start by carefully considering what you want the admissions committee to know about you—with the goal of sharing as many different aspects of your life and personality as possible—and what it will already be able to learn through your other essays and the rest of your application (resume, recommendations/EQ endorsement, transcript, etc.). You want the admissions “reader” to take away something new from each image he or she sees. Your images do not need to be sequential, nor do they need to always include you. Consider photos of meaningful locations and people (or animals, even) in your life as well as inanimate objects, such as a musical instrument, a pair of running shoes, a home-cooked meal, or a blooming flower. As long as the subject of the image is reflective of who you are as an individual—and remember that you will have the accompanying sentence for each image to clarify this connection as needed—then you will be on the right track. Keep in mind also that not all of your images need to be actual photos, either. They can include drawings, paintings, charts, tables, emojis, and so on. And finally, although getting accepted to your target business school and earning an MBA are serious goals and undertakings, this does not mean that all your images for this essay submission need to be serious in nature, especially if your personality is naturally more lighthearted and humorous. Costumes and comical arrangements, if used judiciously, can be valid options if, again, the resulting final image is truly reflective of your character and/or life. Your one-sentence captions are clearly an opportunity to enhance the meaning of each image you are submitting. In some cases, you might use the caption to provide a direct explanation of who or what is depicted in the image, chart, artistic expression, etc. You could also use the sentences to create a narrative link between multiple images, perhaps as a way of profoundly illustrating a particularly meaningful aspect of your life or personality. Another option would be to use the caption sentence to explain your state of mind in relation to the image or to express an associated viewpoint, value, or philosophy. As you write your short explanations, keep in mind that these statements must adhere to the school’s one-sentence rule, and be sure to not simply reiterate whatever is already obvious in/from the photo but to use the additional content to enhance the admissions reader’s understanding of you. This new prompt from NYU Stern offers a lot of license, but take care not to get carried away with overly elaborate or complicated images. This is not an art contest or a battle of wits but an opportunity to express and portray yourself to the admissions committee. Each time you consider an image to include, come back to the central question of Does this truly capture who I am? If so, then proceed, but if not, stop and reconsider your options. An increasingly complex series of images that lacks the proper heart and meaning will not elicit the response you want from the admissions committee! Essay 3. Additional Information (optional) 250-word maximum, double-spaced, 12 point font Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL or any other relevant information. NYU Stern’s optional essay prompt is broader than most in that it does not demand that you discuss only problem areas in your candidacy, though the examples it offers within the prompt seem to imply a preference for these topics. Ultimately, this is your opportunity to address any lingering questions that an admissions officer might have about your profile—if you feel you need to. We caution you against simply trying to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. And of course, however tempted you might be, this is not the place to reuse a strong essay you wrote for another school or to offer a few anecdotes you were unable to use in your other submissions. But if you are inclined to use this essay to emphasize or explain something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, write a very brief piece on this key aspect of your profile. For more guidance, download our free mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, in which 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 application. The Next Step—Mastering Your NYU Stern Interview: Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. And, on your way to this high level of preparation, we offer our free Interview Primers to spur you along! Download your free copy of the NYU Stern Interview Primer today. |
17 Jun 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How Many Top School Admits Chose to Enroll in 2016? |
 The 2016–2017 application season is largely behind us, and the Class of 2019 will matriculate this fall at top-ranked business schools around the country. But before we head into the 2017–2018 academic season and find out what the newest incoming class has to offer, we take a look at the Class of 2018, which matriculated last year. Business schools receive applications each year in massive volumes—for example, Harvard Business School received nearly 10,000 applications last year. However, the schools’ high level of selectivity means only a few applicants are accepted into the MBA program—but the decision does not end there. Many applicants submit more than one application during the season, and some are fortunate enough to be accepted into several great schools, leaving them with the (presumably pleasant) dilemma of deciding which school to attend. We examined data from top-ranked schools to find out which enroll the largest number of their admits. Harvard Business School came out on top with its incoming class of 942 students, which includes more than 90% of the 1,037 who were admitted last year. The class size at the Stanford Graduate School of Business is notably smaller at 417 individuals, but this figure represents nearly 86% of the mere 487 who received positive admission decisions. Columbia Business School was the third most attractive school to admits, as nearly 76% (776 individuals) of their 1,025 admitted students chose to attend. Such prestigious institutions as the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and MIT Sloan would have likely scored highly in this comparison as well, but admitted student numbers were not available for either school. |
18 Jun 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: NYU Stern Takes Steps Toward a More “Emotionally Intelligent” MBA Application |
 As we steadily approach the 2017–2018 application season, business schools are revealing their latest essay prompts and applications with dizzying speed. The New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business is no exception, as the school unveiled its new application recently with some fascinating changes. The school’s IQ+EQ core value—which encompasses “intellectual as well as emotional intelligence”—now plays a more prominent role in the school’s application. The new EQ Endorsement requires a recommendation from an applicant’s peer or colleague—not a supervisor, in contrast to typical business school applications—who can attest to the MBA candidate’s emotional intelligence. Such a requirement is the first of its kind among top-ranked business schools. Stern also decided to retire the creative essay that it had asked its prospective students to write for more than 15 years. Instead, applicants must now choose six images (which may also include charts or infographics) to present to the admissions committee with accompanying short captions that “best express who they [the candidates] are.” The school described this decision as “an effort to provide additional direction to applicants and create more consistency in the evaluation process without compromising expression.” Isser Gallogly, Stern’s associate dean of MBA admissions, noted in the announcement email that “these changes are much more in keeping with the ‘social media’ style of communication of today’s applicant.” Gallogly continued, “Applicants communicate with much more than words these days and visual elements now play a dominant role.” We at mbaMission are interested in seeing what other schools have in store for the upcoming admissions season! |
18 Jun 2017, 13:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: Reapplicants Should Not Reapply |
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You applied to business schools once and did not get in. It took a lot of effort and caused a lot of heartache. Now what do you do? You cannot apply to those schools again, can you? What would be the point? They already rejected you once, so they will do the same thing next time, right? Wrong. MBA admissions committees are governed by self-interest. Simply put, the schools want the best candidates out there. If you are among the best candidates, why would any admissions director think, “Well, this is an outstanding candidate who can add something special to our school and has unique potential going forward, but he applied last year, so we’ll just forget about him.” Indeed, the reapplication process is not a practical joke or a disingenuous olive branch to those permanently on the outside. If the schools were not willing to admit reapplicants, they would not waste time and resources reviewing their applications. Although many candidates fret about being reapplicants, some admissions officers actually see a reapplication as a positive—a new opportunity. Soojin Kwon, the admissions director at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, told mbaMission, “They are certainly not ‘damaged goods.’ We have had many successful reapplicants join our program after they’ve spent a year strengthening their candidacies.” Meanwhile, the Yale School of Management’s assistant dean and director of admissions, Bruce DelMonico, noted, “I can certainly bust myth. Our admit rate for reapplicants is actually the same as it is for first-time applicants. It’s important, though, for reapplicants to explain to us how their candidacy has improved from the previous time they applied. Reapplicants need to make sure they enhance their application, rather than just resubmitting the same application.” In short, reapplicants, you have no reason to believe that you only have one chance. Like any competitive MBA applicant, continue to strive and achieve; if things do not work out this time, they just might the next time. |
19 Jun 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Approach Data Sufficiency Questions on 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. If you have only recently started studying for the GMAT (or even if you have been studying for a while!), you are likely annoyed by Data Sufficiency (DS). What is this weird question type, and why do they ask it? More importantly, how do we handle it? What is Data Sufficiency? The GMAT really is not a math test. (Neither is the GRE.) These tests are actually trying to test us on our “executive reasoning” skills—that is, how well we make decisions and prioritize when faced with too many things to do in too little time. So, DS questions are really about quickly analyzing a collective set of data and trying to figure out which pieces you need to do the job. Imagine your boss dumping a bunch of stuff on you and saying, “Hey, our client wants to know whether they should raise the price on this product. Can you answer that question from this data? If so, which pieces do we need to prove the case?” We do, of course, have to do some math—and sometimes that math is quite annoying. We usually do not, however, have to do as much as we usually do on regular “problem solving” questions (the normal Quant questions). How does Data Sufficiency work? First, we are given what is called the “question stem.” Here is an example: How old is Oliver? The question stem asks us a question, naturally. It can also provide information, such as the following: If Oliver’s age is even, how old is Oliver? Now we know that Oliver’s age is an even number. If they told me, for example, that Oliver is either 13 or 14 years old, now I know he is definitely 14, because I should only consider even numbers as possible values for Oliver’s age. Next, the problem will give us two statements, such as the following: (1) Oliver is 4 years older than Sam. (2) Sam will be 11 years old in 5 years. So, can we figure out how old Oliver is? What information would we need to do so? The first statement, by itself, does not help, because we do not know how old Sam is. The second statement, by itself, also does not help, because it does not tell us anything about Oliver. If we put the two statements together, however, then we can actually figure out how old Oliver is. In this case, using both statements 1 and 2 together is sufficient to answer the question. (And this situation corresponds to answer choice C on the GMAT.) DS questions have five possible answers: (A) Statement 1 does help us to answer the question but statement 2 does not. (B) Statement 2 does help us to answer the question but statement 1 does not. (C) Neither statement works on its own, but I can use them together to answer the question. (D) Statement 1 works by itself and statement 2 works by itself. (E) Nothing works. Even if I use both statements together, I still cannot answer the question. Okay, these are weird. How do I get better? These are going to take some practice, yes. In addition, this was only a very short introduction; a ton of great strategies are out there that you can learn. Look for books, articles, classes, and other resources to help. (Here is one to get you started.) You also, of course, have to learn a bunch of math. What we have presented here, though, should help you get started on this kind-of-bizarre question type in the first place! |
19 Jun 2017, 15:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MIT Sloan Announces 2017-2018 Application Deadlines |
This week, the MIT Sloan School of Management released its 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines. For more information, visit mitsloanadmissions.com. 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 MIT Sloan this fall? Stay tuned to the mbaMission blog for our analysis of the 2017-2018 MIT Sloan essay questions when they are released, and be sure be sure to download our free Insider’s Guide to the MIT Sloan School of Management. |
20 Jun 2017, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Use Parallel Construction in Your MBA Application Essays—and More on Being Appropriately Personal |
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Longer and more complex sentences often require parallel construction. Simply put, parallel construction ensures that any given longer sentence has a standard rhythm or construction. With parallel construction, each pronoun corresponds with another pronoun, each verb corresponds with another verb, each adjective matches with a corresponding adjective, and so on. Parallel construction can certainly be found in shorter sentences as well, and to great effect. Consider the example of Hamlet’s words “To be or not to be”—some of the most famous in the English language. Shakespeare wrote this short sentence in perfect parallel form; “to be” is matched perfectly with its corresponding negative “not to be” and is separated only by the necessary word “or.” Another short example of parallel construction from history is “I came, I saw, I conquered.” With these words, Julius Caesar spoke in perfect parallel construction—the grammatical form is a pronoun (the word “I”) followed by a verb in the past tense (“came,” “saw,” “conquered”). If we were to change that second famous phrase just a touch, the amazing quality it now has would be lost, and the phrase would become unremarkable. For example, if Caesar had said, “I came, I saw, and I became the conqueror,” he would likely not be quoted today because the rhythm would have been destroyed. Keep this rule in mind for everything that you write, especially for longer sentences. Here are a few more examples: Bad: We are successful for three key reasons: understanding our client, trying harder than our competition, and teamwork. Good: We are successful for three key reasons: understanding our client, trying harder than our competition, and working as a team. (In this example, gerunds [the words ending in “ing”] parallel each other, unlike in the previous, “bad” example.) Bad: We are in the forestry business. We sell wood to hardware stores and paper to stationery stores. Good: We are in the forestry business. We sell wood and paper. On another note, we recently discussed the importance of thoroughly exploring and accessing your personal stories when writing your application essays. Of course, having too much of a good thing is always a risk as well—admissions committees can be put off by candidates who go too far and become too personal. Some stories are particularly challenging for admissions committees. For example, we strongly discourage candidates from writing about divorce as a moment of failure. If an individual were to take responsibility in an essay for a failed marriage, he/she would likely end up revealing intensely personal issues, rather than portraying him-/herself as having learned from a constructive professional or personal challenge. Always keep in mind that in many ways, the admissions committee is meeting you for the first time via your application. So, a simple way to judge whether you are being too personal in your materials is to ask yourself, “Would I be uncomfortable if, immediately upon meeting someone, he/she were to share this sort of information with me?” If your answer is “yes,” you should most likely consider changing your topic. |
21 Jun 2017, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Common Questions from MBA Applicants: Will I Get in, and What if I Have No Supervisor? |
 Not surprisingly, one of the most common questions we receive from MBA candidates is “Will I get in?” Of course, this is an important question to consider before applying, and we suggest that you honestly assess and understand your candidacy and risk profile within the context of your target school’s typical student body before completing or submitting an application to that school. However, once you have determined that you will in fact apply to a particular school, you should not let this question haunt you or halt your progress. Many applicants spend too much time worrying and not enough time working. Your admissions decision is ultimately out of your control, so just focus on submitting the best application you possibly can. Another common question is rooted in professional situations such as the following: “I am self-employed.” “I am a vice president in my family’s business.” “I am a freelancer.” “I am a contract consultant.” If you can describe your situation using any of these statements—or something very similar—you may very well be thinking, “I have no supervisor! Who is going to write my recommendations?” Before we address this problem, let us first remind you that MBA admissions committees have seen it all. Your situation is most likely not unique, so you do not need to fret. Let us consider the example of the family business vice president and add a detail—that the family business is manufacturing. This hypothetical MBA candidate could contact one of the company’s long-standing clients or suppliers, who may be able to write about the applicant’s integrity, growth, sense of humor, determination, and more, all in relation to other comparable individuals. If these constituents were not able to offer adequate feedback, however, the candidate might instead ask the head of a trade association or possibly even a respected competitor to write on his/her behalf. If the applicant really needed to get creative, he/she might even consider asking a service provider—for example, getting a letter of reference from an architectural firm that collaborated with the candidate to build a new manufacturing facility could be an interesting solution. In short, most MBA candidates have more potential recommenders to choose among than they realize. Keep looking and try not to get discouraged—someone out there knows you well and can write objectively on your behalf. |
21 Jun 2017, 10:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: mbaMission Is Pleased to Offer In-Person Free Consultations in Singapore |
 Debbie Choy Are you a business school applicant residing near Singapore? Could you use some advice from an admissions advisor? If so, then we want to meet you for an in-person free consultation! mbaMission senior consultant Debbie Choy will be in Singapore on the following dates in June, doing free, in-person, one-on-one consultations!
Debbie looks forward to getting to know some of this season’s best and brightest international business school applicants! |
22 Jun 2017, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Chicago Booth and UVA Darden Announce 2017-2018 Application Deadlines and Essays |
This week, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business released its 2017-2018 MBA application deadlines and essay questions. 2017-2018 Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA Essay Question: View this collection of shared Booth moments. Choose the moment that best resonates with you and tell us why. Presentation/Essay Guidelines:
Is there any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? If so, please address in an optional essay. (300 words maximum) Re-applicant Essay: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words maximum) The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business also released its 2017-2018 deadlines–along with its application essay questions.  UVA Darden 2017-2018 Application Essay: “When preparing for class at Darden, students formulate an opinion on each case before meeting with their learning teams and class sections. When encountering different views and perspectives from their own, opinions frequently shift. Tell us about a time when your opinion evolved through discussions with others.” (500 words maximum) 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 Chicago Booth or UVA Darden this fall? Stay tuned to the mbaMission blog for our analyses of the schools’ 2017-2018 essay questions and be sure to download our free Insider’s Guides! |
22 Jun 2017, 10:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Veteran Admissions Director Dawna Clarke to Host Free Q&A Session |
 Recently, news broke that Dawna Clarke, former director of admissions at both the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, has joined mbaMission’s team of elite admissions consulting professionals. Now, we are proud to announce that Dawna will host her first exclusive event—a live online Q&A session, “Insights into the MBA Admissions Process,” on Wednesday, June 28 at 9 p.m. EDT. For almost two decades, Dawna served as the director of admissions at two of the country’s leading MBA programs, interviewing thousands of candidates, reviewing tens of thousands of essays and recommendations, and acting as the final decision-maker on more than 60,000 MBA applications. Now, as mbaMission’s Chief MBA Strategist and a Senior Consultant, she is ready to tap into what she has learned from her many years of experience to help aspiring MBAs with their admissions-related questions.* During this Q&A session, you will have the opportunity to directly ask Dawna any questions you may have about the process—including which exam to take, in which round to apply, and how to overcome a low GPA or GMAT score—and benefit from her firsthand insight into the admissions world so you can begin the process of submitting your best application. We hope that you will join us for this valuable event that will be essential to your b-school planning. Space is limited! To enroll for free, click here. *Dawna anticipates accepting her first clients soon, so stay tuned to our blog for updates on her availability. |
22 Jun 2017, 13:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: University of Chicago (Booth) Essay Analysis, 2017–2018 |
 For the third year in a row, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business is maintaining its rather unique “essay” question in which it asks applicants to select from a group of images depicting key moments in the Chicago Booth MBA experience and explain why the chosen image “best resonates” with them. When this prompt was first introduced in 2015–2016, the school offered a collection of 16 photos from which candidates could choose; last year, the group was reduced to ten. This season, Chicago Booth is presenting just six image options. We are unaware of the exact reasons behind this continued minimizing, but we theorize that certain types of photos were rarely chosen or did not elicit the kind of response the admissions committee ultimately felt was helpful in evaluating candidates. Another possibility is that multiple photos may have inspired very similar essays, so only one such picture was needed. Or Chicago Booth may have wanted to focus applicants on specific aspects of its program and therefore eliminated any images not related to those elements. This year’s photos again come with captions describing the depicted scene—an important factor in this equation in that an individual might be strongly drawn to a particular image, but the associated caption might influence his or her initial interpretation of it in some way. The bottom line is that with this nontraditional prompt, the school puts a significant amount of power in candidates’ hands in letting them select from a group of options, which thereby lets them better control the impression of themselves they want to present. We hope that you will find Chicago Booth’s essay question exciting and inspiring, rather than intimidating, and offer the following analysis to help you plan your response. The following is a collection of shared Booth moments. Choose the moment that best resonates with you and tell us why.
You might pick an image that connects with or recalls an important event from your past that had a significant impact on you and colors the person you are today. You could instead opt for a photo that relates to your aspirations as a Chicago Booth student or in your career. Another option is to select a picture that elicits a more emotional response from you and correlates with one or more of your core values or beliefs. Perhaps a good approach would be to let the image choose you, so to speak. With this essay—as with all application essays, of course—being sincere is crucial, so you will likely be able to craft your most compelling response when you feel a genuine attraction to the photo you choose. And do not merely identify an attribute in a photo and riff for a thousand words on what you feel are your most impressive accomplishments; instead, really get to the heart of how and why the image speaks to you personally. If you truly own your experiences and provide sufficient detail in showcasing them, your message will come across as authentic. You can choose from multiple format options beyond the traditional essay for your submission, which no doubt adds to this prompt’s intimidation factor for some applicants. We offer no recommendation with respect to whether a written essay, a PowerPoint presentation, or any other format is “best” in this case. Opportunities are certainly available in both traditional and creative approaches, depending on where your strengths lie. We do, however, recommend that if you choose to write an essay, you limit yourself to no more than a thousand words. Optional Essay: Is there any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? If so, please address in an optional essay. (300 words maximum) Chicago Booth’s optional essay prompt is rather open-ended in that it does not specify that you discuss only problem areas in your candidacy, though it does restrict you to just 300 words. Nevertheless, this is still your opportunity to address—if you need to—any lingering questions that an admissions officer might have about your candidacy, such as a low GMAT or GRE score, a poor grade or overall GPA, or a gap in your work experience. Do not simply try to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. And however tempted you might be, this is not the place to reuse a strong essay you wrote for another school or to offer a few anecdotes you were unable to share in your required essay. But if you truly feel that you must emphasize or explain something that would render your application incomplete if omitted, write a very brief piece on this key aspect of your profile. For more guidance, we encourage you to download your free copy of our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, in which 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 application. Reapplicant Essay: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words maximum) With this essay question, Chicago Booth is testing your resolve and your reasoning. We surmise that the school wants to be certain you are not just stubbornly following a path and trying to “finish what you started,” so to speak, but that you have truly reassessed your needs in the aftermath of your unfortunate rejection. We recommend that you discuss your subsequent growth and development as they pertain to additional personal and professional discovery, which validates your need for an MBA. In the interim, some of your interests or goals may have changed—that is not a bad thing, and the admissions committee will not automatically assume that you are “wishy-washy,” unless you give them good reason to do so. Just be sure that any of your goals that have changed still logically connect to your overall story and desire for an MBA. Your aspirations—new or original—need to represent a compelling progression of the growth you have achieved in the past year. And for a thorough exploration of the Chicago Booth academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, download your complimentary copy of the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The Next Step—Mastering Your Chicago Booth Interview: Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. And, on your way to this high level of preparation, we offer our free Interview Primers to spur you along! Download your free copy of the Chicago Booth School of Business Interview Primer today. |
23 Jun 2017, 09:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Sanjay Sood, UCLA Anderson School of Management |
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 focus on Sanjay Sood from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Sanjay Sood is a professor of marketing and the faculty director of UCLA Anderson’s Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment, and Sports. Sood focuses on marketing management, brand management, advertising, and consumer behavior, and he serves on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Consumer Psychology, and the Journal of Consumer Research. He received his PhD in marketing from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in 1999 and was later recognized as a Marketing Science Institute Young Marketing Scholar in 2003. One second-year student we interviewed said Sood brings “a lot of practical experience to the classroom” and uses connections from his work with Procter & Gamble to enhance his classes. In 2010, Sood was selected by his fellow faculty members to receive the school’s Niedorf “Decade” Teaching Award, which is presented to professors who exhibit “exemplary teaching over a period of seven to ten years.” Five years earlier, he received a Citibank Teaching Award, which was also determined by his fellow faculty members. For more information about UCLA Anderson and 15 other top-ranked business schools, check out the mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
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Hi Guest,
Here are updates for you:
ANNOUNCEMENTS Thursday, June 8, 11:30am NY; 3:30pm London; 9pm Mumbai ✅ Greg discusses how to network with BSchools and how to use the insights you gather to communicate your unique fit in your essays, applications, and interviews. ✅ Subscribe to us on YouTube AND Get FREE Access to Premium GMAT Question Bank for 7 Days
YouTube, Instagram Live, & Chats This Week!
June
11
9:30 AM PST | 12:30 PM EST | 10:00 PM IST Everything you wanted to know about MBA Admissions with ARINGO  ✅ Kelly, a current Duke Fuqua MBA student talks about her favourite classes at Duke Fuqua. ✅ Subscribe to us on YouTube AND Get FREE 7-Day Access to our Premium GMAT Question Bank  ✅ Jai had an interesting 7 weeks preparing for the GMAT, and he hopes this video can help you prepare for your GMAT journey. ✅ Subscribe to us on YouTube AND Get FREE 7-Day Access to our Premium GMAT Question Bank  ✅ Diana Economy, former Ross AdCom, provides strategic advice on how to make the best use of MBA spotlight fair ✅ Not Registered for MBA Spotlight yet? Spot are Limited. Reserve your spot now ✅ Subscribe to us on YouTube AND Get FREE Access to Premium GMAT Question Bank for 7 Days
AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
Tuck at Dartmouth
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