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02 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Understanding Number Properties 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. Is the GMAT topic of number properties driving you crazy? This concept covers things that we often call “basic”—topics that we learned in middle school (or earlier), such as divisibility, factors and multiples, odds and evens, positives and negatives, and so on. I assure you, though, that number properties questions on the GMAT are anything but basic. I strongly urge you to develop a solid grounding in this topic, particularly because the test writers are so good at disguising what these problems are really testing. You will need some kind of book or e-book that covers this topic thoroughly, but I have some resources to help you get started. Start with this article, “Disguising—and Decoding—Quant Problems.” We talk about how the test writers disguise material that you probably do already know, and how we can learn to “decode” the problem or strip away the camouflage. If you feel good about the concepts discussed in that article, and you are at a higher math level, try out this challenging problem next. In the article “Patterns in Divisibility Problems,” we examine two GMATPrep problems that share some interesting characteristics. In this article, we discuss some interesting topics related to prime numbers. Many questions address basic characteristics of numbers, such as whether they are positive or negative, odd or even, integer or fraction/decimal. These can be disguised in various ways; two of the most common are inequalities and absolute values (which we normally associate more with algebra). Here are two that use inequalities as a disguise for number properties concepts, one in this article and another from this article, as well as a third one that plays around with absolute value. All three of these are generally hiding issues that deal with positive and negative properties of numbers. And finally here are two more: a number line problem and one dealing with consecutive integers. The former tests positive and negative properties, as well as some others, and the latter covers a less-commonly-tested but still important number properties category. |
03 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Luigi Zingales, the University of Chicago Booth 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 focus on Luigi Zingales from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Luigi Zingales is known on the Chicago Booth campus for his charm, sense of humor, and humility. But students with whom mbaMission spoke also call him an innovator, citing as evidence his perspective on the discount rates used to evaluate the future cash flows of new and risky ventures (i.e., his ability to mathematically explain why some firms deserve a 30%–50% discount rate). Zingales’s novel approach to solving the mortgage crisis has been profiled in The Economist, and Bruce Bartlett of the National Review Online called his book Saving Capitalism from the Capitalists: Unleashing the Power of Financial Markets to Create Wealth and Spread Opportunity (coauthored with Raghuram G. Rajan; Crown Business, 2003) “one of the most powerful defenses of the free market ever written.” Zingales is currently the Robert C. McCormack Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at Chicago Booth and faculty director of the school’s Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State. During the 2020–2021 academic year, Zingales taught such courses as “The FinTech Revolution” and “Crony Capitalism.” His students call him an “emerging finance superstar”—significant praise, considering the company he keeps at Chicago Booth. For more information about Chicago Booth and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides |
04 Aug 2021, 12:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: UNC Kenan-Flagler Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/UNC-Kenan-Flager-Logo.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i2.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/UNC-Kenan-Flager-Logo.jpg?resize=300%2C115&ssl=1[/img][/url] Applicants to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School must provide two written essays of no more than 500 words each. The school’s first essay question requests several common elements of a traditional personal statement—career goals, why our school—plus a less common Plan B option. For the second required essay, candidates need to discuss their personal experience with diversity and inclusion and explain how they expect to continue developing into effective inclusive leaders. Applicants with more to share about themselves or issues to explain can use the school’s optional essay to (briefly) offer this key information, and reapplicants are requested to provide any relevant updates to their candidacy since their previous submission. Read on for our in-depth analysis of Kenan-Flagler’s 2021–2022 essay questions. [b]Essay 1 is required. Your response should be no longer than 500 words and should address the following questions:[/b] [list] [*][b] What are your immediate career goals and how will you benefit from earning an MBA at Kenan-Flagler Business School? [/b][/*] [*][b] As the business world continues to evolve, circumstances can change and guide you in a different direction. Should your goals that you provided above not transpire, what other opportunities would you explore?[/b][/*] [/list] Kenan-Flagler’s career-related essay question focuses strictly on applicants’ initial post-MBA job. Business schools know only too well that students regularly change their long-term professional plans after being exposed through the MBA experience to new people, information, and options and after learning new skills and ways of looking at the world and themselves. Given that reality, asking about candidates’ long-term goals can in some ways be a waste of time, if an admissions committee is not simply doing so to see evidence that the applicant has put serious thought into their plan for attending business school. With the first part of this prompt, Kenan-Flagler wants to know that you have thoroughly considered this next step in your career and are pursuing an MBA for very clear, specific reasons—not because you feel you are supposed to or because you are following in a parent’s footsteps, and definitely not because you do not know what else to do at this juncture in your life! (Believe it or not, these are all actual reasons some people choose to earn the degree.) Kenan-Flagler, like all top programs, wants engaged, driven, and focused individuals who are ready to be an active part of its MBA experience and to do big things with the knowledge and skills they acquire from it. Although the school does not ask you to lay out your background and explain how you reached this choice, providing some basic context for your goal is a good idea (just be succinct!) to ensure the admissions committee understands that your plans are reasonable and fitting for you. The school is also looking for a brief explanation of “Why Kenan-Flagler?” The admissions committee wants evidence that you have researched its MBA program thoroughly enough to have pinpointed resources and offerings that directly align with your particular interests and needs. This is the part of our essay analysis where we once again urge you to get to know a school well beyond its website and published materials. Although you cannot visit the campus or sit in on a class in person right now, you can do so online, and you are still able to connect with students and alumni, read recent press releases and student blogs, and peruse the [url=https://www.youtube.com/user/unckenanflagler][b]Kenan-Flagler YouTube[/b][/url] channel. Identify clubs, events, courses, initiatives, and other opportunities that resonate with you and relate to who you want to be by the time you graduate and going forward in your career. Ideally, Kenan-Flagler offers one or more specific resources or experiences that you believe are vital in achieving your goals and are not available elsewhere. When you include this information in your essay, do not simply provide a list but instead explain how you will engage with these elements of the MBA program and what you expect to gain from them. With career goals essays, candidates often feel they must be totally unequivocal in their stated aspirations, but with the second part of this essay prompt, Kenan-Flagler is giving applicants room to speculate on and discuss other options. The admissions committee knows that sometimes the best-laid plans do not play out as expected or might even yield unintended results, and the school wants to know not only that you are prepared to switch gears and recommit to a different path, if necessary, but also that you are fully capable of doing so. The key is to show that your alternate goal is just as connected to your skills, interests, and ambitions as your original plan and does not come “out of left field,” so to speak. For example, you would probably have a difficult time convincing the admissions committee that your short-term goal is to work in technology consulting while your alternate goal would be to work in human resources, because these industries, for the most part, require entirely different skills and personalities. Just be mindful that both goals you present must be plausible and achievable. Overall, this essay encompasses a few core elements of a traditional personal statement essay, so we encourage you to download our free [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b] for more in-depth guidance. This complimentary publication offers detailed advice on approaching and framing these subjects, along with multiple illustrative examples. [b]Essay 2 is required. Your response should be no longer than 500 words and should address the following question:[/b] [b]We all belong to different communities representing various aspects of who we are, including groups we belong to, where we come from, how we think, what we believe, and how we see and experience the world. The process of discovery is strengthened when people with diverse perspectives and life experiences come together to share and learn from one another, negotiate differences, and engage in diplomacy.[/b] [b]How have you dealt with differences in your personal or professional relationships? In what ways will you contribute to the community and learning environment by embracing your authentic self while respecting others? How do you envision furthering your growth in inclusive leadership as an MBA student and as a business leader?[/b] In business school—as in life in general—you will encounter people who think differently from you, operate according to different values, and react differently to the same stimuli. With this essay, Kenan-Flagler wants to learn about your personal experience with such differences. While you are in the school’s MBA program, you will be surrounded every day by individuals who are unlike you in a multitude of ways, and you will need to work in tandem with and alongside these individuals when analyzing case studies, completing group projects, and participating in other activities both inside and outside the classroom. Understandably, the admissions committee wants to gauge your level of self-awareness within the contexts of diversity and inclusion and to know how you navigate situations and relationships that might be complicated by these factors. In this prompt, Kenan-Flagler offers a much broader view on diversity than most people probably envision when they encounter the word, going beyond ethnicity and nationality to encompass “groups we belong to, where we come from, how we think, what we believe, and how we see and experience the world.” So keep this in mind when considering what you will write about for this essay. Also, although the prompt invites you to discuss instances from either your personal life or your career (if not both), you might want to first consider stories from your workplace, given that this is, after all, an essay for admittance to a business school. However, your most appropriate example for this submission might come instead from a community service experience or other organizational commitment separate from your career. The bottom line is that you should choose an experience that allows you to best address the school’s core themes here of diversity and inclusivity. Kenan-Flagler is also interested in learning what you bring to the table, so to speak, and how you value it with respect to the contributions of others. How will you “being yourself” be additive to the Kenan-Flagler community in some way in this specific context? For the school’s first required essay, you should have done some in-depth research on what the school’s culture is like and what makes its MBA experience unique, so draw on that knowledge to identify how you fit with the program and what parts of your character will enable you to support Kenan-Flagler’s goal of a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment. The part of the query that asks how you anticipate growing as an inclusive leader is essentially an invitation to demonstrate to the admissions committee your capacity for self-assessment as well as your motivation and ability to identify areas for improvement. To explain how you expect to continue developing this element of your leadership approach, first reveal what you feel you need to learn, experience, or practice to improve your capacity in this area and then pinpoint the aspect(s), resource(s), and/or opportunity(-ties) at the school that would be instrumental in helping you do so. Ideally, spell out how this will carry over into your professional life after graduating as well, so the admissions committee can clearly understand how your commitment to inclusion and diversity will persist. Keep in mind that true inclusion goes beyond simply providing a “seat at the table” for everyone on a team to ensure that each person has equal opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way and that their contributions are valued on par with those of their peers. This essay prompt demands quite a lot of you. You need to answer multiple (rather complex) questions and provide sufficient context in just 500 words—the core prompt itself is almost one-quarter of that! You do not really have room for nuance or extended explanations, so choose your words carefully and be as straightforward and clear as possible. [b]Essay 3 is optional. We encourage you to tell us more about who you are so we can get to know you as a person and potential member of the Carolina community. Use this essay to convey information that you may not have otherwise been able to in the application. Your response should be no longer than 200 words.[/b] [b]Optional topics:[/b] [list] [*][b] Personal or professional accomplishments[/b][/*] [*][b] Interests and passions[/b][/*] [*][b] Gaps in work experience or inconsistent academic performance[/b][/*] [*][b] Context for recommender selection[/b][/*] [*][b] A fun fact about yourself[/b][/*] [/list] Kenan-Flagler’s optional essay prompt swings the door wide open (or as wide as 200 words will allow, that is) for applicants to discuss pretty much anything they feel strongly that the admissions committee needs to know about them. In general, we tend to believe that the best use of the optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, and this prompt obviously offers an opportunity to do that. So, if you need to, this is your chance to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your profile—a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a disciplinary issue, etc. In our free [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], we offer detailed advice on how best to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your application. However, Kenan-Flagler does not stipulate that you can only discuss a problem area in this essay and even offers some lighthearted suggestions in its “optional topics” list. So this is where you can technically share anything you feel the admissions committee must be aware of to fully understand you as a candidate and evaluate you effectively. We caution you against trying to fill this space simply because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you, though. (It will not, and remember, whenever you submit an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so make sure that time is warranted!) If you ultimately decide to write an optional essay, avoid being overly verbose or needlessly creative. Simply craft a brief submission that reveals this illuminating new aspect of your candidacy. [b]Re-Applicant Essay: If you are re-applying to the program, we appreciate your continued interest in UNC Kenan-Flagler. We require a complete application, with new essay responses, recommenders and an updated resume. Your transcripts will rollover to the new application, as will your test scores, if they are still valid. In addition, we ask for a brief essay (100 words or less) that describes how your application differs from your previous submission and that alerts us to new test scores, a recent promotion, or other areas that demonstrate how you have strengthened your candidacy.[/b] Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Kenan-Flagler wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the previous year to do so, because an MBA from its program is important to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts over the past year are presented in the best light possible. |
05 Aug 2021, 12:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: My Recommender’s Grammar Will Ruin My Chances |
 At mbaMission, we emphasize the need for effective written communication. Indeed, gaining admission to your target business school involves no real “trick”—earning that coveted letter of acceptance depends on your ability to tell your story in a compelling way and in your own words. But is good grammar vital to good communication? And if so, will your recommender’s bad grammar be detrimental to your chances? We can assure you that no MBA admissions committee will reject a candidate’s application because they incorrectly used a semicolon instead of a comma. The committee is seeking to learn about you as an individual to evaluate you and your potential, both as a student at the school and in the business world after graduation. What is most important in your application is that you convey your unique stories—and ideally captivate your reader—in your own voice. Of course, you should always strive to perfect your presentation, but in the end, the quality and authenticity of your content carry more weight than your verbiage and punctuation. And if you are not a native English speaker, you can certainly be forgiven for the occasional idiosyncrasy in your expression. This is even truer for your recommenders. The committee is not evaluating these individuals for a spot in the school’s program, so their grammar is largely irrelevant to your candidacy. And again, if your recommender is not a native English speaker, the admissions committees can be even more forgiving. The school will not penalize you for having a recommender who grew up in another country or whose English skills are not very polished for any other reason. As long as your recommender can offer anecdotes about your performance that create a strong impression about you and complement the abilities and qualities you have presented elsewhere in your application, you should be just fine. The substance of the recommendation is always what matters most. |
06 Aug 2021, 11:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: How to Use Anecdotes and Captivate with Experience in Your MBA Application Essays |
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Many business school candidates take a straightforward, historical approach in their personal statement essays. Although this can be an easy way to organize an essay, it may deprive applicants of an opportunity to deliver a more focused and gripping introduction. Nothing is fundamentally wrong with taking a historical approach, of course, but an anecdotal approach can better maintain a reader’s interest in certain circumstances. Of course, this all comes down to execution. Example: Historical “When I graduated from New York University with a finance degree, I eschewed Wall Street and pursued my own distinct path; I opened a flower shop in midtown New York, never imagining the challenges I would face as I strived to bring in new customers and locate products around the world. With time, I learned to advertise selectively (on billboards in local office buildings) and developed relationships with suppliers, particularly one in Peru, with whom I obtained an exclusive on Heliconia flowers. After one year, we started to specialize in foreign flowers, and with a niche identified, we developed a strong client base. My firm stabilized, and I was no longer bleeding cash to support my 11 employees; we were cash-flow neutral and contemplating a new location.” This introduction is very direct and informative but involves almost no drama or emotion. To be more effective, the writer might instead consider positioning themselves as “the hero” and drawing the reader in with some anecdotal tension. Example: Anecdotal “My hand quivered as I signed the lease for 1,000 square feet of retail space in midtown New York. Two months later, I threw open the doors to my flower shop and was stunned when I did not make a sale until my third day. Admittedly, I began to question the wisdom of entrepreneurship and wondered if I should have joined my peers from New York University’s finance program as an analyst on Wall Street instead. However, each day, a trickle of customers came in, and more often than not, they commented on the colorful and rare flowers in my window, like the Peruvian Heliconia, exclusive to my shop. Within weeks, I had core customers picking up scheduled orders and referring friends; I bolstered this ‘word of mouth’ with select advertising on electronic billboards in the four 50-story office towers surrounding the shop. Soon, I noticed a surge of customers and was no longer bleeding cash. After one year, we were cash-flow neutral, and I was even contemplating opening another location.” In this version, the same information is conveyed, but the tension inherent in the “quivering hand” and the empty store acts as a “hook” to draw the reader in. By taking this more personal, emotional, and indeed anecdotal approach, the writer allows the reader to identify with their struggle and thereby maintains the reader’s interest. Again, this is not a case of right or wrong, and each MBA candidate should decide what works best in their own essays. Indeed, our philosophy is that candidates should let their experiences, not just their word choices, captivate the admissions committees. Sometimes we find that applicants attempt to emphasize their actions with “extreme” adjectives and adverbs—an approach we strongly discourage. Example: “As others withdrew their support, I remained remarkably dedicated to our crucial fundraising efforts. I dramatically increased my participation in our strategic planning meetings and insisted that we push forward with a wildly creative guerrilla marketing plan, which brought forth tremendous results—$1M in ‘instant’ proceeds.” In these two sentences, the writer uses the descriptors “remarkably,” “dramatically,” “wildly,” and “tremendous” to make their impression. We find that a more effective approach is to eliminate these “extreme” descriptions and let the experiences do the “talking.” Example: “As others withdrew their support, I remained dedicated to our fundraising efforts. I increased my participation in our strategic planning meetings and insisted that we push forward with a guerrilla marketing plan that brought $1M in ‘instant’ proceeds.” In this second example, the writer does not need to say that the results were “tremendous,” because the $1M in proceeds speaks for itself; we do not need to be told that the marketing campaign was “wildly creative,” because this is implied in the nature of guerrilla marketing. In addition to truly showing a level of humility on the part of the candidate, this approach is also less wordy. Although the eight words saved in the latter example may seem inconsequential, we removed them from only two sentences. If you can remove four words from every sentence in your original draft, you could significantly but humbly augment your essay with other compelling ideas. |
07 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Columbia Business School’s Student-Run Conferences |
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Columbia Business School (CBS) offers a series of student-run conferences throughout the year that give both first- and second-year students the opportunity to expand their knowledge across a variety of disciplines via panels and keynote speaker addresses, and to network with like-minded students, conference sponsors (who are often also big CBS recruiters), and even industry professionals. During the popular Social Enterprise Conference, which typically takes place in the fall, speakers discuss the ways leaders and managers can use strategy as a tool to maximize social change and how organizations can incorporate a broader spectrum of social gains into their organizational strategies, among other issues. The 2020–2021 Social Enterprise Conference was hosted virtually as a digital event series on nine dates between October and March, with the theme “Capital for Good.” Like the Social Enterprise Conference, the Marketing Association of Columbia (MAC) Conference usually enjoys a packed house in the fall but was held online in 2020. The MAC Conference has focused on such topics as the elevation, enhancement, and personalization of the brand experience for today’s mindful consumer. The 2020 event carried the theme “The Future of Marketing Leadership” and welcomed such keynote speakers as the chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America and the CEO of Cover FX. The annual CBS Healthcare Conference, which is held in February, has featured such panel discussions as “The Business of Cancer: Innovations, Trends and Challenges in Delivering Cures” and “Healthcare M&A: Is Bigger Always Better?” The 2020 conference took place virtually throughout the course of one week, with keynote speakers including the chairman and CEO of Pfizer and the head of healthcare policy at Lyft. The year-round conference season at CBS also includes the India Business Conference and the Columbia Women in Business Conference. CBS often touts its New York advantage—students have the business world right outside the school’s door, ripe for exploration. As you can see, however, this advantage does not mean that CBS neglects to bring the business world to its students. For more information on CBS or 16 other leading MBA programs, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
08 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: What the GMAT Really Tests |
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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. The GMAT is not a math test. Nor is it a grammar test. Sure, you have to know something (well, a lot of things!) about these topics to get a good score, but this exam is really testing your executive reasoning skills. The term might be unfamiliar, but you already have—and use—these skills every day. Consider the following: You arrive at work in the morning and think about all the things you could do that day. You cannot get it all done, so which things will have to wait until this afternoon or tomorrow or next week? Which one thing should you start working on first? You have a choice between working on Project X or Project Y. Project Y will result in about 5% more revenue to the company, but Project Y will also take 50% longer. Which do you do? None of those decisions are easy ones (and many would likely require more information than I gave in the little scenario). This complex decision making is exactly what a good executive needs to be able to do well—and this is what the test writers and business schools actually care about. How does that help me take the test? Great decision makers have both expertise and experience: they have thought about how to make various kinds of decisions, and they have actually practiced and refined these decision-making processes. While the clock is ticking, they do not hesitate to make a decision and move forward, knowing that they are going to be leaving some opportunities behind. If you know how the GMAT works and you know what kinds of trade-offs to think about when deciding how to spend your time, then you can learn how to make the best decisions to maximize your score. Okay, how does the GMAT work? Glad you asked. I talk to students nearly every day who tell me that they just cannot give up on a question, or they figure that, if they “know” they can get something right, they might as well take the time to get it right, even when that means running out of time later on. (Note: I put “know” in question marks there because… well, you do not really know. In fact, the longer we spend, the more likely we are to get stuff wrong.) So here is what you need to do: you need to grow up. I am not saying, “Oh, grow up!” in a harsh way. I am saying that you need to graduate from school. The way that we were trained to do things in school is often not the way things work in the real world. You already know this—you learned it when you got out into the working world. In school, you are supposed to do what the professors assign. At work, you are supposed to think for yourself. So get yourself out of school. Graduate to the real world. Approach the GMAT as a test of your business ability and decision-making skills. Graduation day If you can graduate to the business mind-set, you will have a much better shot at hitting your goal score. If you stick with the “school” mind-set, then you are almost certainly not going to get the score you want. So first, keep reminding yourself that the GMAT is a decision-making test, not an academic test. React accordingly. Next, the two articles “In It to Win It” and “But I Studied This—I Should Know How to Do It!” will also help you make this mental switch. Follow those up by educating yourself on the subject of time management. Great businesspeople know how to manage their time and make trade-off decisions; great GMAT test takers have this same skill. Finally, remember that your ability to get better hinges on your ability to analyze your own thought processes and the test questions themselves. Your goal is not academic. Your goal is to learn how to think. |
10 Aug 2021, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Why Personalized Recommendations Matter but Some Details May Not |
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If your supervisor is writing your business school recommendation and you are having trouble ensuring that they are putting the proper thought and effort into it, you are not alone. Because of this asymmetry of power, junior employees can only do so much to compel their supervisor to commit the necessary time and write thoughtfully. So, before you designate your supervisor as a recommender, you must first determine how committed this person really is to helping you with your business school candidacy. In particular, your recommender needs to understand that using a single template to create identical letters for multiple business schools is not okay. Each letter must be personalized, and each MBA program’s questions must be answered using specific examples. If your recommender intends to simply write a single letter and force it to “fit” a school’s questions or to attach a standard letter to the end of the school’s recommendation form (for example, including it in the question “Is there anything else you think the committee should know about the candidate?”), then they could be doing you a disservice. By neglecting to put the proper time and effort into your letter, your recommender is sending a very clear message to the admissions committee: “I don’t really care about this candidate.” If you cannot convince your recommender to write a personalized letter or to respond to your target school’s individual questions using specific examples, look elsewhere. A well-written personalized letter from an interested party is always far better than a poorly written letter from your supervisor. In addition, although details are important in recommendation letters, remember that sometimes small points in MBA applications are really just that—small points. We are often asked, “Should this be a comma or a semicolon?” and want to respond, “Please trust us that the admissions committee will not say, ‘Oh, I would have accepted this applicant if they had used a comma here, but they chose a semicolon, so DING!’” That said, we are certainly not telling you to ignore the small things. Details matter—the overall impression your application makes will depend in part on your attention to typos, font consistency, and grammar, for example—but we encourage you to make smart and reasonable decisions and move on. You can be confident that your judgment on such topics will likely be sufficient. |
11 Aug 2021, 15:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Less Than One Month Until HBS & GSB Deadlines! |
 First-round application deadlines for Harvard Business School (HBS) and the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) are less than a month away. When you read that sentence, did your heart rate quicken? Although candidates who have been procrastinating on their applications probably felt the most anxious, even those who have been working diligently for months are probably a little nervous, too, because crafting a successful application is more of an art than a science. How can you really know that your “What matters most?” and “What more would you like us to know?” essays for these schools will be effective? So many applicants are wondering the same thing, which inspired me and my colleague at Gatehouse Admissions, Liza Weale, to write a book in which we offer our ideas for approaching these tricky essays. We also present and critique 50 successful HBS and GSB essays, annotating each one with footnotes that explain the wise and sometimes not-so-wise decisions the applicant writers made. With not even a month left, if you need inspiration—or perhaps just a reality check on your approach—we recommend picking up a copy soon! You can especially benefit from reading these essays if you are one of the following kinds of applicants:
Save the date to join Liza and Jeremy for an hour-long webinar in which they will discuss established approaches you could take with your HBS and GSB essays and present several sample essays from past candidates, analyzing each one to highlight certain decisions—both good and bad—the writers made. Join us for one of the following sessions of “What Matters?” and “What More?”: Writing Standout GSB and HBS Essays. Registration is free! |
12 Aug 2021, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: INSEAD Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/insead-screen.png?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/insead-screen.png?resize=300%2C114&ssl=1[/img][/url] INSEAD candidates must respond to four short career-focused queries (a fifth one is optional) and provide three motivation essays (with an optional fourth). Applicants are also tasked with completing a video component for which they answer four questions as four separate video recordings. Given the total number of prompts, tasks, and questions involved, some candidates could find INSEAD’s essay gauntlet a bit intimidating and likely arduous as well. Read on for our full analysis, which we hope will make the process a little easier to manage. [b]Job Description 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum) [/b] [b]Job Description 2: What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (200 words maximum) [/b] [b]Job Description 3: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum) [/b] [b]Job Description 4: Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum) [/b] For the school’s job-related mini essays, we encourage you to start by very carefully parsing exactly what data the school requests for each. Together, these four prompts cover many of the elements seen in a traditional personal statement essay, including info about one’s career to date, interest in the school, and professional goals. However, the topics are clearly separated among individual submissions rather than covered in a cohesive single essay, and INSEAD also asks applicants to comment on their expected progression within their current firm were they to remain there rather than entering business school. The first prompt requires that you outline roughly six different aspects of your current or most recent position. Be sure that you address each of the elements the school lists, and do not skip any just because you would rather write more about some than others. You might also want to consider providing a very brief description of your company or industry, if the nature of either might not be readily clear to an admissions reader. For the second question, your response should be fairly straightforward. If your firm has a clearly defined management hierarchy in which one position leads directly to a higher one—and you would be interested in adhering to that system—you simply need to explain this and perhaps offer a short description of the new responsibilities your next position would entail. If your company does not have such an arrangement or you would want to move in a different direction, simply explain what your preferred next role would be and the duties involved. The third prompt is rather self-explanatory with respect to detailing the various stages of your career to date, but do not be remiss in responding to the “rationale” and “choices” aspects of the query. The school wants to know that your progression has not been passive, with you simply accepting the next good thing to come along, but rather that you have made thoughtful decisions with clear motivations and intentions behind them. For the fourth question, you will need to present your professional goals within the context of an INSEAD MBA education. Do your research on the school to identify specific resources it offers that relate directly to the skills and experiences you need to be successful in your career, thereby illustrating how INSEAD would help you achieve your aims. Above all, be sure to show determination and direction—that you are focused firmly on your intended end points and will not be easily deterred. For all your job description responses, avoid using any acronyms or abbreviations that would not be easily recognizable to most people. Using shortcuts (in the form of abbreviations/acronyms) and skipping basic contextual information could make your answers less understandable and therefore less compelling and useful to an admissions reader, so do yourself a favor by depicting your situation as clearly as possible. As we have noted, these questions cover many elements of a traditional personal statement, so we encourage you to download a free copy of our [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b]. In this complimentary publication, we provide a detailed discussion of how to approach such queries and craft effective responses, along with multiple illustrative examples. [b]Optional Job Essay: If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme. [/b] With this essay, INSEAD hopes to see signs of your interest in ongoing self-improvement, knowledge or experience collection, and/or giving back. Whether you are choosing to leave your job a few months before the beginning of the MBA program or are asked to do so by your employer, simply explain what you expect do and gain in the interim. The admissions committee wants to know that you are the kind of person who takes advantage of opportunities and to understand what kinds of opportunities appeal to you. For example, perhaps you plan to complete a few quantitative courses to be better equipped to hit the ground running in your related MBA classes, or perhaps you want to spend some time with family members or volunteering in your community because you know that your availability to do so will be limited when you are in school, and you want to maintain those important connections. Maybe you want to focus on improving your foreign language ability before coming to INSEAD, given the importance of this skill in the school’s program. Or—if possible, given the restrictions the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on many people’s lives—you might arrange informational interviews, job-shadowing opportunities, and/or unpaid internships, which could help in various ways with recruiting and job selection. Whatever your goals and plans, clearly convey how you anticipate that your experience(s) will add to or change your character, enhance your skill set, and/or increase your understanding of yourself or others—all of which are valuable in business school. [b]Motivation Essay 1: Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary (maximum 500 words). [/b] Although INSEAD’s request for “main factors which have influenced your development” comes in the latter half of this essay prompt, we feel you should actually provide this context for your formative experiences before discussing the strengths and weaknesses you derived from them, because showing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the two is important. The school asks that you offer examples “when necessary,” but your essay will be strongest if you present anecdotes to illustrate and support all your statements. Still, your essay should not end up being a hodgepodge of unconnected anecdotes that reveal strengths. Instead, focus on two or three strengths and one or two weaknesses in the mere 500 words allotted. As always, be honest about your strengths (do not try to tell the committee what you think it wants to hear; truthfully describe who you legitimately are) and especially about your weaknesses—this is vital. Transparent or disingenuous statements will not fool or convince anyone and will only reveal you as someone incapable of critical self-evaluation. [b]Motivation Essay 2: Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned (maximum 400 words). [/b] For this essay, you will need to offer two anecdotes that reveal different sides of you as an applicant, describing a high moment from your life and a low moment. Because the school also asks you to address how these incidents subsequently influenced your interactions with others and what lessons they taught you, you must identify stories that not only involve a significant incident but also affected you personally in a meaningful and long-lasting way. These elements of your essay are just as important as the accomplishment and the failure you choose to share; your unique thoughts can differentiate you from other applicants, and showing that you recognize how these incidents changed you and your relations with others demonstrates your self-awareness and capacity for growth. Steer clear of trite and clichéd statements about your takeaways, and really reflect on these situations to uncover your deeper reactions and impressions. For example, everyone gains some level of resiliency from a failure, so you must offer something less common and more compelling and personal. Be aware that the best failure essays are often those that show reasoned optimism and tremendous momentum toward a goal—a goal that is ultimately derailed. In most cases, you will need to show that you were emotionally invested in your project/experience, which will enable the reader to connect with your story and vicariously experience your disappointment. If you were not invested at all, presenting the experience as a failure or learning experience will be less credible. [b]Motivation Essay 3: Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (maximum 300 words) [/b] Although stereotypes about the top MBA programs abound—this school wants consultants, that school is for marketing professionals, this other one is for techies and entrepreneurs—the truth is that they all want a diverse incoming class, full of people with various strengths and experiences that they can share with one another for the good of all. Discussing how you choose to spend your free time—explaining why your chosen activities are important to you and what you derive from them—provides the admissions committee with a window into your personality outside the workplace and classroom and an idea of what you could contribute to the student body and INSEAD as a whole. [b]Optional Motivation Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words) [/b] We tend to believe that the best use of the optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, and this prompt offers an opportunity to do just that. So, if you need to, this is your chance to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your profile—a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, etc. We suggest downloading your free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], in which we offer detailed advice on deciding whether to take advantage of the optional essay and how best to do so (with multiple sample essays), if needed. INSEAD does not stipulate that you can only discuss a problem area in this essay, however, so you have some leeway to share anything you think might be pivotal or particularly compelling. We caution you against trying to fill this space simply because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. Remember, by submitting an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you need to make sure that time is warranted. If you are using the essay to emphasize something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, take this opportunity to write a very brief narrative that reveals this key new aspect of your candidacy. [b]Video [/b] After submitting your INSEAD application, you will need to complete a video interview consisting of four questions. You will be given 45 seconds in which to consider your answer to each one and then 60 seconds in which to deliver it. You have until 48 hours after the deadline for the round in which you apply to complete this element of the process, but we strongly recommend doing so sooner rather than later while your mind is still in application mode and to ensure you do not somehow forget this task or have to rush through it at the end of the allotted time period. Because all INSEAD admissions interviews are conducted by the school’s alumni, this is a way for members of the admissions committee to virtually “meet” candidates and supplement the information provided in the written portions of the application. This video component gives the committee direct and dynamic insight into applicants’ character and personality, as well as another angle on their language abilities. About the videos, INSEAD says on its site, “The MBA Admissions Committee is interested in obtaining an authentic view of you as a person, to see how you think on your feet and how you convey your ideas.” So when the time comes for you to record your responses, do your best to relax, answer genuinely, and let your true self shine through! [b]The Next Step—Mastering Your INSEAD Interview: [/b]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. We therefore offer our free [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/collections/interview-guides][b]Interview Guides[/b][/url] to spur you along! Download your free copy of the [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/insead-interview-guide][b]INSEAD Interview Guide[/b][/url] today. |
16 Aug 2021, 11:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: Yikes, a Typo—I Am Done! |
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You have worked painstakingly on your application. You have checked and rechecked your work. You finally press the Submit button only to realize—to your horror—that you are missing a comma, and you inadvertently used “too” instead of “to.” The admissions committee is obviously going to just throw your application out, right? Wrong! Making a typo and pervasive sloppiness are two very different things. If you have multiple typos and grammatical errors throughout your essays and application, you send a negative message about your level of professionalism and desire to represent yourself—and potentially the target school—in a positive way. But if you have a minor mistake or two in your text, you have an unfortunate situation on your hands, but not a devastating one. Admissions representatives understand that you are only human, and if you are a strong candidate, the entirety of your professional, community, personal, and academic endeavors will outweigh these blips. Do not dwell on the mistakes. Do not send new essays. Just accept your own fallibility and move on. |
16 Aug 2021, 11:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Dean Profiles: David Schmittlein, MIT Sloan School of Management |
 Business school deans are more than administrative figureheads. Their character and leadership often reflect an MBA program’s unique culture and sense of community. Today, we focus on David Schmittlein from the MIT Sloan School of Management. David Schmittlein first came to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2007 after almost 30 years at Wharton, where he served as the Ira A. Lipman Professor in the school’s marketing faculty. He is the first Sloan dean to be hired from outside the ranks of MIT’s faculty and staff, thus bringing with him a wealth of new ideas and energy. Upon joining MIT, Dean Schmittlein announced his top priorities in a press release: “to enhance MIT Sloan’s visibility and engagement with leaders of the business community, regionally and globally, especially among the school’s alumni. MIT Sloan should be a wonderful focal point for the professional lives and development of Sloan alumni and others in the broader MIT community who are engaged in business and innovation.” In addition to enhanced global visibility, a significant focus of Schmittlein’s deanship thus far, according to the school’s website, has been “to work with the faculty in creating new high-quality management education programs, to develop enhanced educational opportunities for current students, and to develop and disseminate business knowledge that has impact and that will stand the test of time.” In an interview with mbaMission, Assistant Dean of Admissions Rod Garcia remarked that one noticeable change since Schmittlein entered the position is that “the dean has placed a huge emphasis on concept-based action learning. We have our Entrepreneurship Lab, our [Sustainable Business] Lab, our China Lab, our India Lab … among others. The movement toward these labs has accelerated during the dean’s tenure as he has engaged with our alumni around the world.” For more information about MIT Sloan and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
17 Aug 2021, 08:01
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Notre Dame Mendoza Essay Analysis 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Notre-Dame-Mendoza.jpg?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Notre-Dame-Mendoza.jpg?resize=225%2C225&ssl=1[/img][/url] The application essay requirements for the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame are fairly straightforward—or at least the written ones are. First, candidates must provide a brief statement of purpose covering their immediate career goal and how the school can help them achieve it. Then, they are asked to write two required essays. For the first, applicants choose of one of two prompts for a submission of up to two pages. Both prompts include the concept of “vision,” but one focuses on a situation in which one’s vision was unfulfilled (as the result of a setback or obstacle), and the other on a time when it was achieved. Mendoza’s second required essay concerns servant leadership but, interestingly, asks candidates about an instance when they were not successful in exemplifying it. The school appears particularly interested in understanding what and how its aspiring students learn from difficult situations. Applicants must then craft a four-slide presentation that offers more information about themselves as individuals while also demonstrating their communication skills. Read on for our in-depth analysis of Mendoza’s prompts for this season. [b]Statement of Purpose (100 words or less): Please share your short term professional goals. How does the Notre Dame Master of Business Administration help achieve your career goals?[/b] Mendoza’s requested statement of purpose focuses strictly on applicants’ initial post-MBA job. Business schools know only too well that students regularly change their long-term professional plans after being exposed through the MBA experience to new people, information, and options and after learning new skills and ways of looking at both the world and themselves. Given that reality, asking about candidates’ long-term goals can in some ways be a waste of time, if an admissions committee is not simply doing so to see evidence that the applicant has put serious thought into their plan for attending business school. With the first part of this prompt, the school wants to know that you have thoroughly considered this next step in your career and are pursuing an MBA for very clear, specific reasons. Although the school does not ask you to lay out your background and explain how you reached this choice, providing some basic context for your goal is a good idea (just be succinct!) to ensure the admissions committee understands that your plans are reasonable and fitting for you. Without using these exact words, the school is also asking for an explanation of “Why Mendoza?” The admissions committee wants evidence that you have researched its MBA program thoroughly enough to have pinpointed resources and offerings that directly align with your interests and needs. This is the part of our essay analysis in which we repeat our standard advice about getting to know a school beyond its website and published materials. Identify clubs, events, courses, initiatives, and other opportunities that speak to who you are as an individual and to who you want to be going forward in your career. Ideally, Mendoza offers one or more specific resources or experiences that you believe are vital to you in achieving your short-term goal and are not available elsewhere. In your response, explain how you will engage with these elements of the MBA program and what you expect to gain from them. This prompt encompasses a few core elements of a traditional personal statement essay, so we encourage you to download a free copy of our [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b] for more in-depth advice. This complimentary publication offers detailed guidance on approaching and framing these subjects, along with multiple illustrative examples. [b]Required Essay 1 – Choose ONE of the essay topics below[/b] [b]Essay 1, Option #1: The University of Notre Dame was founded in 1842, by Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C, with a mission to become “one of the most powerful means for doing good in this country”. In 1879, Father Sorin’s vision for Notre Dame appeared to be at a sudden, abrupt end. A massive fire destroyed the building that housed virtually the entire University. Instead of giving up, Father Sorin interpreted the fire as a sign that he had dreamed too small, and decided to rebuild, bigger and better than ever. That Main Building still stands today, topped by the gleaming Golden Dome, not only as an iconic campus building, but as an ongoing symbol of perseverance and vision.[/b] [b]Tell us the story of a time in your own life or career when you had to overcome an obstacle, start over, or rebuild. (maximum of two pages, 12 point font, double spaced)[/b] Setbacks are important learning opportunities. With this prompt, the admissions committee wants to know what you take away from situations in which things do not advance or turn out as you had planned or hoped. Do you place blame elsewhere and try to make excuses? Or do you view these sorts of experiences with an analytical eye, using what they can teach you to achieve better results with similar ventures going forward? For this essay, the admissions committee does not simply want you to relate a story of an unsuccessful or challenging endeavor but also wants to learn about how you react to such situations and what you learn from them. Mendoza clearly knows that many of life’s greatest successes require one to “try, try again,” as the expression goes, and that is the attitude necessary to gain and accomplish the most, not just in business school but also in the world after graduation. This essay is your opportunity to reassure the admissions committee that you have the kind of resilience and dedication that will position you to realize your goals. Note that Mendoza does not specify that the story you share in this essay must be a professional one, so explore all your personal, family, and community life experiences as well to find one you believe was particularly significant and influential. Within the school’s preamble to the main query, we see a not terribly subtle hint that Mendoza feels failures and setbacks should be viewed in a positive light—as inspiration to keep trying and even to aim higher than before. So if you have a story of an incident that did not initially result in success but that spurred you on to try again or keep going until you triumphed and reached your goal, this would likely be a strong option for this essay. Your goal is to convey that you are not easily deterred by setbacks but that you instead use them as learning tools or stepping-stones on the path to your desired outcome. The failure or obstacle you discuss in this submission could be one you experienced as an individual or as part of a team, and the scale or scope of the situation is not as important as how affecting and influential it was for you personally. You must present a complete narrative that shows momentum toward a positive outcome, describes the inflection point at which the situation turned, and explains how the original plan was interrupted or ultimately failed, while revealing your particular role in the setback—again, without attempting to shift the blame onto others. Avoid starting your essay with a bland statement like “I had to start over when [fill in the blank]” or “One of my biggest failures was when [fill in the blank].” Instead, leap directly into the action of your story and immediately convey what was at stake in the situation. Next, briefly explain the obstacle or setback you encountered, and then dedicate the rest of the essay to demonstrating your reaction to the situation and what you took away from it. Then, explain how what you learned inspired you to pursue either another goal or the same one again and proved crucial in your attainment of it. [b]Essay 1, Option #2: Tell us about a time, in your personal or professional experience, when you created a vision for yourself, your organization, or your community. (maximum of two pages, 12 point font, double spaced)[/b] Business leaders are often referred to as “visionaries,” especially those that have had a significant impact on business or the greater world in some way. Visionaries recognize what is technically possible and then extend their focus beyond it, but they are not just dreamers. They set goals for themselves and then figure out how to actually achieve them. The Mendoza admissions committee seems interested in identifying candidates with this kind of mind-set and the motivation to follow through on their ideas, and a great way to identify such individuals is by seeing evidence of their already having done so in the past. Although the prompt does not explicitly ask about a time when you achieved your vision, we recommend strongly that the experience you describe in this essay be one that had a successful resolution. Anyone can be a dreamer, so simply sharing that you developed an ambitious idea is not enough to make you stand out or leave a strong impression on the admissions committee. Your essay should reveal that you are also an effective doer. If you have such a story, this essay should not be dauting to write. You simply need to share your experience, making sure that you clearly convey three key elements (though not necessarily in the exact order we present them here). First, you should describe what you did—what your vision was that you pursued. Second, you need to explain your motivation. What inspired you to develop your vision and to take the necessary action to realize it? This element of your essay will reveal your values and passions for the admissions reader. And third, explain how you achieved your vision, to demonstrate the skills you possess that made your success possible and your proficiency in applying those skills. [b]Required Essay 2: Mendoza is known for its position to Grow the Good in Business. It is more than just a motto; it is a concept that is taken to heart by our students, faculty, and staff. In order to live this concept, we actively build capacity toward servant leadership throughout the curriculum.[/b] [b]“A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the top, servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.” – Robert Greenleaf[/b] [b]Tell us about a time in your life, either personally or professionally, when you did not demonstrate servant leadership and describe how this experience informed your leadership style going forward.[/b] Mendoza clearly values servant leadership and promotes it by developing the mind-set in its students so they can apply and embody it in their post-graduate careers. With this question, the admissions committee is interested in learning your views on, appreciation for, and potential to execute this particular leadership style. At first read, the school’s request for a time “when you did not demonstrate servant leadership” (emphasis ours) seems to exclusively demand an experience in which you applied traditional leadership but now realize, in retrospect, that you would have achieved a preferable outcome with servant leadership instead. We imagine most applicants will have stories that fit this description. However, we would argue that the prompt leaves room to discuss another type of situation as well—one in which you attempted to employ servant leadership but found yourself unable to do so for some reason (e.g., lack of necessary knowledge or skill, constraints or resistance from higher-ups). Both options give you the opportunity to explain why you believe servant leadership is, or can be, the more effective approach, and at heart, this is what the admissions committee wants to hear. Take care to not gloss over the “what did you learn?” element of this prompt (“how this experience informed your leadership style going forward”) or offer merely a trite or perfunctory response. Addressing the query properly allows you to demonstrate your capacity for self-assessment and growth. Showing that you took something positive away from this presumed “failure” also indicates to the admissions committee that you are capable of finding ways to benefit from setbacks rather than being daunted or deflated by them. If you have had a subsequent opportunity to apply what you learned, and especially if that situation had a more positive outcome as a result, then briefly explain that experience as well. [b]Slide Presentation[/b] [b]Effective communication is a central skill for managers and visual presentations are an important method of communication. Demonstrate your ability to clearly and concisely communicate by telling us about yourself, using a short slide presentation. [/b] [b]Please consider the following guidelines when creating your presentation:[/b] [list] [b]Please submit four (4) slides.[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]You may create your slides in any software that works for you, but you must save and upload as a .pdf.[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]Do not use audio or video files.[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]You are free to share anything about yourself that you think would be of value to the Admissions Committee. You can have some fun and be a bit more lighthearted in this portion of your application. Your tone should reflect your personality.[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]Please be assured that the Admissions Committee will read your essay, your resume, and your transcripts in detail. Your slides are an opportunity to go beyond your academic and work history and show the Committee who you are as a person.[/b][/*] [/list] We imagine that the initial reaction most candidates have to pretty much any prompt that does not request a traditional essay is momentary panic (though, to be fair, that might be many applicants’ reaction to traditional essays as well), but let us reassure you a bit before we delve more deeply into how best to approach this one. This “essay” is merely a creative way of asking you to reveal who you are as an individual, apart from what all the basic elements of your application already convey about your job, your education, and your activities and interests outside of work. In this case, 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. You want the admissions committee to take away something new from each slide. Note that the prompt does not say your slides have to be made up entirely of text. They could perhaps also include pictures, drawings, paintings, charts, tables, emojis, and so on. And even though getting accepted to business school and earning an MBA are serious undertakings, this does not mean that all the information in your slides needs to be serious in nature, especially if your personality is naturally more casual and cavalier. As the prompt itself states, “You can have some fun and be a bit more lighthearted in this portion of your application. Your tone should reflect your personality.” Comical elements, if used judiciously, can even be valid options if the resulting slide is truly reflective of your character and/or life. That said, avoid being “gimmicky.” Your goal is not to seem “cute” or even more creative than the next applicant but really just to tell more of your personal story, albeit in a rather brief way, and thereby provide a more dynamic image of yourself for the admissions committee. We suggest you start by grabbing some paper and making an old-fashioned list of your key experiences, achievements, interests, and personality traits. Then, consider what information the admissions committee already has about you from your other essay(s) and elements of your application, and strive to showcase items from your list that best complement that information to create a well-rounded picture of you. We also caution you against trying to squeeze too much information into your presentation or making it too “busy” or elaborate. After all, the admissions committee clearly notes that one of the goals of this submission is to “demonstrate your ability to clearly and concisely communicate,” as you will be expected to do in your career after graduation and also in the Mendoza classroom. You will need to show that you can judiciously identify relevant additive information and convey it in an uncomplicated, easily understood manner. [b]Optional – Personal Statement/Additional Information[/b] [b]If there is information that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee that does not appear elsewhere in your application, you may choose to submit a personal statement. This statement can provide additional context for any part of the application that you feel requires more explanation. (1 page maximum)[/b] Mendoza’s optional essay prompt does not specifically demand that you use it only to address problem areas in your candidacy, though it does seem to imply this preference. 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. You should certainly not submit an optional essay simply 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 submit 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 [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], in which we offer detailed advice on when and how best to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples. |
18 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Analysis, 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Consortium.png?ssl=1][img]https://i0.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Consortium.png?resize=119%2C95&ssl=1[/img][/url] The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management asks its applicants to provide several short essays, one of which is a very standard explanation of the candidate’s professional aspirations and motivation for pursuing an MBA. The three brief Membership Application essays are meant to reveal the applicant’s active dedication to the Consortium’s goals of inclusion and progressive diversity in higher education and the business world, not just in the future but also as an MBA student and in the past. If needed, an optional essay is available for offering clarification on any ambiguous or potential trouble areas in one’s profile. Key to all these submissions will be honesty, clarity, and enthusiasm. Read on for our full analysis of the Consortium’s essay questions for this season. [b]Core Essay 1: Please describe your short- and long-term goals post-MBA. How has your professional experience shaped these goals and influenced your decision to pursue an MBA degree? (2,000-character limit)[/b] [b]The first essay is required and used for admission purposes only. It provides an opportunity for you to express your strengths, attributes, experiences and other traits or abilities you believe are relevant to your educational goals and career objectives.[/b] With this rather no-nonsense query about your expectations for where you will go with your MBA after graduating, the Consortium simply wants you to spell out what you have in mind as you approach this phase of your life and career. You have only 2,000 characters with which to respond, so avoid going into excessive detail about your past, but be sure to offer enough information to provide context and support for your stated goals so that the progression from one stage of your professional career to the next is clear and reasonable. Although the word “why” never actually appears in this prompt, the overall query actually involves some implied “why” requests. In addition to soliciting the reasons behind your specified career aspirations, the school wants to know why you believe an MBA is the next logical step on your professional path. We believe that the crux of the prompt as a whole is that the Consortium wants to know that you have considered this next step in your career very carefully and thoroughly and are applying to business school for very clear reasons—not because you feel you are supposed to or because you are following in a parent’s footsteps, and definitely not because you do not know what else to do at this juncture in your life! (Believe it or not, these are all actual reasons some people choose to pursue an MBA.) All business schools want engaged, driven, and focused students who are ready to be an active part of the MBA experience and to do big things with the knowledge and skills they acquire from it, and this prompt is asking you to reveal yourself as such. Because this prompt encompasses several of the core elements of a traditional personal statement essay for the most part, we encourage you to download our free [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b], which helps applicants respond to these types of questions. In short, though, the most effective way to address this query is to simply provide the information requested, though we encourage you to also try to incorporate a sense of your personality and individuality into your essay to make the delivery of these basic facts more interesting to your reader. [b]Core Essay 2 (Optional Essay): Is there any other information you would like to share with us that is not presented elsewhere in your application? (1,000-character limit)[/b] [b]The optional essay lets you bring additional information to the attention of the admissions committee. These may explain gaps in employment or shortcomings in your academic record, specific plans to retake the GMAT®/GRE or other relevant information. If you answer “yes” to any of the questions in the Personal Certification/Signature section, you must provide an explanation. If necessary, you may use this essay to explain your circumstances.[/b] This optional essay question starts out sounding like an open invitation to discuss almost anything you feel like sharing, but the explanatory text dials things in a bit and puts more of a spotlight on addressing problem areas and unclear issues specifically. This is not an opportunity to simply share another cool story or otherwise try to impress or pander to the Consortium reader. If you do not truly need to explain an issue or potentially confusing element of your candidacy such as the ones listed (and have no “yes” responses in your Personal Certification section), we do not recommend that you submit an optional essay, and if you do have issues to clarify, keep things concise. In our free [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide][b]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/b][/url], 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. [b]Membership Application Essays: Our mission, through the strength of our growing alliance and extended network, is to enhance diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership by striving to reduce the significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our Member Schools’ enrollments and the ranks of global management across the following sectors: For- profit corporations, Nonprofit corporations, Government agencies and contractors, and Entrepreneurial ventures in both for-profit and nonprofit environments.[/b] [b]*Please address the three questions noted below. Please use specific examples pertaining to our target populations and clearly articulate your involvement, actions and results.[/b] [list] [b]What have you done pre-MBA in your business, personal or academic life to demonstrate commitment to this mission? (2,000 characters)[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]What will you do while enrolled in your MBA program to demonstrate your commitment to the mission? (2,000 characters)[/b][/*] [/list] [list] [b]What will you do post-MBA with respect to community service and leadership involvement to demonstrate your continued commitment to The Consortium’s missions of diversity and inclusion? (1,000 characters)[/b][/*] [/list] Understandably, the Consortium wants to be confident that the candidates it accepts as members (and especially those to whom fellowships are granted) are individuals who are devoted to and will be effective at promoting its aims and continuing to effect positive change for the underrepresented populations it seeks to support. And these three prompts get directly to the heart of this—what have you already done, what will you do as an MBA student, and what will you do in your career after graduating that can demonstrate your commitment to championing the Consortium’s mission? With respect to what you have already done in the past, you need to offer clear evidence of your dedication to what the Consortium is working to achieve. The past few years especially have offered numerous opportunities for people to “show up” for or act on behalf of others who are different from them—such as participating in an organized protest, speaking up or stepping in when someone was being harassed or marginalized, or actively working to bring diverse people together in a harmonious and productive way—though the longer a history of involvement you can provide, the better. The Consortium wants concrete examples of how you have acted on your values and ideals and wants to understand what compelled you to do so. Your goal is to show initiative and input in the interest of others and to make sure both your actions and motivations are readily understood so the Consortium reader gets a clear picture of what you have accomplished and the aspects of your character that have inspired and enabled you to do so. To do this, you can draw examples from your career, academic past, community endeavors or volunteer work, and/or personal life. Be sure to clearly specify, if applicable, the populations you have served (African American, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native American) rather than speaking more broadly about working with diverse groups of people. The prompt does not specify that you must have served as a leader in the effort you are describing, though an example in which you did lead would likely be ideal if you have one. You could also share a story in which you acted completely independently. Perhaps, for example, you instituted a mentorship program at your company, in which employees with different tasks and personal backgrounds were matched to learn from and support one another. In any case, you need to be sure that both the extent and the nature of your contribution(s) are front and center. With respect to what you will do as a business school student, examine your target programs carefully to identify existing activities, groups, and events that align with the organization’s goals. Also consider opportunities that are lacking at your selected schools that you might establish while enrolled there. Authenticity is important here. Your goal is not to simply offer a list of things you could do, based on your research, but to show where you believe you would be most useful and demonstrate your enthusiasm for those options. Only discuss ones that you truly intend to become involved in or that you at least feel strongly hold such potential. Your choices will also show the Consortium where your priorities lie within its broad goal and which skills and strengths you are prepared to commit to your efforts. We have no doubt that the Consortium evaluators can easily discern pandering or shallow claims from true passion and dedication, so be sincere in both your claims and your ardor. And finally, with respect to what you will do after graduating, first keep in mind that the group’s mission is not just about increasing diversity and inclusion in the workforce but also “in global business education.” So, bringing greater numbers of underrepresented individuals into the MBA and other higher-education realms is just as valid as the focus of your anticipated efforts as increasing their numbers in the business world. And these efforts could target or involve potential candidates, the schools, the Consortium itself (e.g., participating in local events or orientation activities), or even other organizations like it. So again, dig deep to uncover the areas and opportunities that resonate most with you—that genuinely match what you feel is important to focus on, what you believe you can offer, and what you will be inspired to engage in wholeheartedly. The character length maximums for these three prompts are fairly restrictive, giving you roughly 300 to 500 words for each of the first two essay sections and approximately one-half of that for the third. So, you do not have room for subtlety or extended explanations. Choose your words carefully and focus on conveying your core messages as clearly and directly as possible. [b]Are you considering applying to business school via the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management? Join us on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, as Senior Consultant Nisha Trivedi explains the Consortium application process and provides valuable insights into how to execute a submission that shows your commitment to the Consortium’s mission of enhancing diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership. [url=https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/details/26696/]Enroll for free today[/url]! [/b] |
19 Aug 2021, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: See the World During Your Studies at Michigan Ross and NYU Stern |
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For incoming first-year students at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business who want to get a head start on building friendships within their class or make use of some time off before the academic year begins, the MTrek program may be just the answer. MTreks, which were first offered in 1999, are small-group, multiday, outdoor adventure trips that take place before classes officially start. Organized in locations around the world, the trips are entirely student led (by second years) and are designed to provide a team-based environment similar to that found at Ross and to promote leadership in a team setting. MTreks look to be as inclusive as possible—trips are available to suit a wide variety of interests and thus range from hard-core adventure to relaxing sightseeing excursions. After the 2020 MTreks were canceled because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the 2021 MTrek will be hosted as a summer camping trip to Pennsylvania. MTreks in 2019 included “Chilling in Scandinavia Blue,” which featured Norway, Sweden, and Denmark as destinations; “We Drink and We Know Things,” which took place in Chile and Argentina; and “One Trip to Rule Them All: Fjords and Frodo,” an exploration of New Zealand. In 2018, students were able to participate in such treks as “Fast and Furious: Sing-a-laysia Edition,” which took place in Malaysia and Singapore; “Alpaca Your Bags,” a hiking trip in Peru; and “We Like to Port-y,” a trip to Portugal. So, whether you are interested in hiking and rafting in Iceland or beaching and snorkeling in Mexico, MTreks provide a chance to build friendships and develop leadership skills while having a great time. New York University’s (NYU’s) Stern School of Business also provides its students ample opportunity to spend time abroad during one- or two-week trips, through its “Doing Business in…” (DBi) program. DBi trips take place between the fall and winter semesters, during spring break, and in May (after classes conclude). Each course (trip) is tailored to its specific locale and includes a mix of lectures given by Stern faculty as well as by local business practitioners and/or government representatives. Complementing the classroom learning are hands-on field experiences at corporate headquarters, factories, ports, development sites, and other such locations. January 2020 DBi trips (the most recent that were hosted) took place in such locations as Israel, Mexico, South Africa, and New Zealand. Other DBi destinations in recent years have included Costa Rica, Spain, Brazil, Singapore, and Australia, just to name a few. Students who participate in the DBi program gain a new perspective on conducting business in a different culture while making some great memories with fellow “Sternies” along the way. For more information on other defining characteristics of the MBA program at NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, or one of 16 other top business schools, please check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
20 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: The Role of Exercise in Your GMAT Preparation |
 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. Back in 2013, the New York Times’ Well blog featured a fascinating post. Exercise has a whole host of benefits, including ones associated with memory. Two studies delved even deeper into how this works. How does exercise help memory? In the blog post, New York Times journalist Gretchen Reynolds details two studies—one conducted on humans and the other conducted on rats. In the human study, elderly women who already had some mild cognitive impairment were split into three groups. One group lifted weights, the second group engaged in moderate aerobic exercise, and the third group did yoga-like activities. The participants were tested at the beginning and end of the six-month exercise period, and the results were striking. First, bear in mind that, in general, we would expect elderly people who are already experiencing mental decline to continue down that path over time. Indeed, after six months, the yoga group (the “control” group) showed a mild decline in several aspects of verbal memory. The weight-training and aerobic groups, by contrast, actually improved their performance on several tests (remember, this was six months later!). The women were better at both making new memories and remembering/retrieving old ones! Another group of researchers conducted a similar study, only this time, rats were getting some cardio in or lifting weights. (The rats ran on wheels for the cardio exercise and, get this, for the weight lifting, the researchers tied little weights to the rats’ tails and had them climb tiny ladders!) At the end of six weeks, the running rats showed increased levels of a brain protein that helps create new brain cells. The tail-weight-trainers had higher levels of a different protein that helps new neurons survive. How can I use this? Get up and MOVE! Reading this study has made me want to exercise more—and not even for the GMAT! I would like to stave off mental decline in my old age. The women in the study were performing fairly mild exercises only twice a week (remember, they were elderly), so we do not suddenly have to become fitness fiends. We do not know, of course, exactly how the study results might translate to younger people, but the general trend is clear: exercise can help us make and retain memories. That is crucially important when studying for the GMAT—every last bit will help! Get a little bit of both weight training and cardio in every week. You do not have to become a gym rat (pun intended). Engaging in some moderate activity every few days is probably enough. Look for ways to incorporate mild exercise into your daily routine. For example, when I go to the grocery store, I carry a basket around on my arm rather than push a cart (unless I really have to buy a lot). I will fill that basket right up to the brim—often, I end up having to use both hands to continue carrying the thing. I figure that every time I do that, it has to be worth at least 10 to 15 minutes of pumping iron! Studying for the GMAT is tiring, so use this news as an excuse to take a brain break. Get up and walk around the block for 15 minutes, or turn on some music and dance or run the vacuum cleaner (vigorously!). Then sit back down and enjoy the brain fruits of your physical labors. |
21 Aug 2021, 09:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Will I Get In? And If I Do, Will I Want to Attend After All? |
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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. The following scenario may be hard for you to imagine when you are still in the midst of applying to business schools, but every year, we at mbaMission see clients get accepted to an MBA program only to realize it is not a place they actually want to attend after all. Alternatively, we occasionally see applicants who are not accepted to any school and realize they must remain in a job they were more than ready to leave. So, how do some candidates end up in these kinds of situations? In both of these scenarios, the applicants chose and applied to schools without first taking an honest look at their candidacy, goals, and alternatives. We encourage all applicants to very thoroughly consider where their true tipping point lies in terms of attending business school. At what point would not going to school be better than going to X school? Some candidates feel that if they do not go to Harvard Business School, they may as well not go to business school at all. Others believe they must attend a school in the top ten. Still others think, “I really hope to go to a top ten program, but I’ll be happy to attend any top-30 school.” Having a frank discussion with yourself (or perhaps with us) on this topic may help you pinpoint where this cutoff point is for you. Start by researching all the MBA programs at which you believe you would be competitive, and then organize them into three clusters: dream schools, reasonable schools, and safer schools. Next, further investigate the schools you deemed “reasonable” and “safer,” and as you do so, ask yourself, “Would I rather be at this school next year or not be in school at all?” Essentially, we are suggesting that you imagine your worst-case scenario—not getting into any of your dream schools—and decide what you would do in that situation. Then, in addition to applying to your dream programs, apply only to those reasonable and safer schools for which you felt going would be preferable to not attending any MBA program at all. This way, you can avoid finding yourself in either of the situations we described at the beginning of this post and instead will be well positioned to embrace the choices you ultimately have. |
23 Aug 2021, 10:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business Essay Analysis 2021–2022 |
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[url=https://i1.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Ohio-State-University-Fisher-College-of-Business.png?ssl=1][img]https://i1.wp.com/www.mbamission.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Ohio-State-University-Fisher-College-of-Business.png?resize=300%2C138&ssl=1[/img][/url] The application essay questions for the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University give candidates an opportunity to add some detail and depth to their profiles beyond the statistics and other basic data conveyed in the rest of their application. The school’s first required essay is a rather traditional career goals statement, and for the second essay, applicants must share a significant achievement from their past and explain how the experience has equipped them to be an additive member of the Fisher MBA community. If needed, a 250-word supplemental essay is also available for candidates with unusual or unclear elements in their profiles. All aspiring Fisher students must complete a video interview soon after submitting their application, and although this is not technically an essay, we offer tips on preparing for it as well in our complete analysis, which follows. [b]You will be required to complete two written essay responses. The essay questions give you the opportunity to present yourself more fully to our MBA Admissions Committee and to provide insight into your experiences, goals, and thought processes.[/b] [b]ESSAY TOPIC 1: What are your short-term and long-term goals? How/why will an MBA help you achieve those goals? (Maximum words: 500)[/b] The Fisher admissions committee is hardly breaking any new ground with this essay prompt, though the information it is requesting is important to all top MBA programs. Fisher is interested in learning where you see yourself going after you graduate and how you believe a business degree will equip you to fulfill your vision. Because this essay question covers several of the main components of a traditional personal statement, we encourage you to download a free copy of the [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/personal-statement-guide]mbaMission Personal Statement Guide[/url][/b], in which we offer detailed advice on approaching these topics, along with multiple illustrative examples. [b]ESSAY TOPIC 2: Please tell us about the accomplishment you are most proud of. How will this experience allow you to contribute a unique perspective to the Fisher community? (Maximum words: 400)[/b] We imagine that at this point in your life, you have achieved a number of things both personal and professional that you could use as fodder for an application essay. However, your goal here is not simply to impress the admissions committee with the scale or impact of your accomplishment but to offer one that best fits this particular prompt. This means you will need to select one that was truly meaningful for you on a profound level and that also left with you with a belief, mind-set, or understanding that would make you a valuable member of the Fisher network. The school does not stipulate whether the achievement you discuss should be from your career or your personal life, so thoroughly consider all your possibilities to identify the one that is most appropriate for this submission. Although sharing a non-work-related accomplishment in this essay could serve as a nice complement to your discussion of your career goals in Essay 1, do not feel that this is strictly necessary. What is most important is that the story you present clearly conveys your values (why you feel most proud of this achievement in particular) and explains how your takeaways have molded you into the kind of person Fisher would want in its ranks. We would recommend using only the first 100–150 or so words of this essay to describe your chosen experience, so that you will have sufficient leeway in which to then clearly reveal what you learned from it and how it has equipped you to contribute to the Fisher community in a substantial way. Do your best in this limited space to “show,” or really spell out, how things unfolded—rather than just stating the accomplishment or flatly presenting the situation—to give the admissions reader some perspective on how you conduct yourself and achieve. You will then need to demonstrate both self-awareness and a thorough understanding of the Fisher MBA experience by outlining your takeaway(s) and drawing a connection between what you learned and what you can subsequently bring to the school as a member of its community. For example, you might have gained some useful insights you could share with your classmates in a related class or club, or maybe you now have an interesting viewpoint on commitment, determination, teamwork, or other such value. To effectively illustrate a connection between your takeaway from the experience and your expectation for applying it at Fisher, you will need to fully familiarize yourself with the program’s various resources and the characteristics of its community. Go the extra mile in learning about the school—connect with multiple students and alumni, read through recent school press releases and student blogs, peruse the [b][url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnoUwaOD-rxstnHOc56d4sA]OSU Fisher YouTube channel[/url][/b], and, if offered, consider attending admissions events in your area (safely!). This will provide the kind of in-depth insight that will show the admissions committee you are really serious about Fisher and understand how and why you belong there. [b]SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY (OPTIONAL): This optional essay can be used to address any circumstances you’d like the Admissions Committee to be aware of (gaps in work history, academic performance, choice of recommenders, etc.). (Maximum words: 250)[/b] This short essay is your opportunity—if you need it—to address any lingering questions that an admissions officer might have about your candidacy, such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GRE or GMAT score, or, of course, one of the issues Fisher lists in the prompt. If you feel you might need to submit an additional essay for such a reason, consider downloading a free copy of our [b][url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-optional-essays-guide]mbaMission Optional Essays Guide[/url][/b], in which we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay (along with multiple annotated sample essays) to help mitigate any problem areas in your profile. [b]Video Interview: Each applicant will be required to complete an online assessment comprised of pre-recorded video questions (delivered via Fisher’s Kira Talent platform). Since live interviews are by invitation only, the video interview is a way for us to virtually meet you and get a sense of your personality and potential beyond what you’ve included in your application. When completing your application, you’ll receive an email invitation to complete your video interview after saving the ‘Supporting Documents’ page.[/b] [b]HOW IT WORKS: The process is simple—you will be asked a question, given prep time, and a set amount of time to respond. It should only take 20 to 30 minutes to complete and can be done on your own time. We recommend watching our “[url=https://info.fisher.osu.edu/graduate/kira-video-interview]7 Tips to Ace Your Kira Video Interview[/url]” webinar to understand how it works and to improve your application.[/b] [b]WHAT YOU NEED: You will require an internet-connected computer with a functioning webcam and microphone. The system allows for unlimited practice sessions but once you start the formal interview questions you only get one chance—this allows us to see your candid responses. Be yourself![/b] We know that required videos often strike fear into the hearts of business school candidates, but let us reassure you a bit and unpack this component of the Fisher application process, in hopes of helping you relax and put your best self forward. First of all, keep in mind that these video questions are not meant to trip you up or entice you to do or say anything that would get you immediately disqualified from consideration. Video submissions, as the Fisher admissions committee largely explains here, are opportunities for the admissions committee to put a “face,” so to speak, on your written application and learn a little more about your personality, energy level, communication style, and other such intangibles. In an [b][url=https://blog.fisher.osu.edu/prepping-for-your-online-interview]admissions blog post[/url][/b] from the year this video element was first added, a Fisher representative stated, “We really like to get to know all of our applicants but given the volume of applications we receive, it is not possible to meet or speak to everyone. This platform allows us to get to know you much better than anything else you’ll submit.” If you focus on being authentic and sincere, you will provide the admissions committee with exactly what it is seeking. Before you begin preparing for this portion of the application, take time to watch the recommended webinar (a good rule of thumb is that whenever the admissions committee encourages you to do something in preparation for applying, do it!), which is brief, at just under six minutes, but full of helpful guidance. Fisher does not reveal exactly what candidates will be asked in the video segment, but in the school’s recommended video, a practice question appeared on the screen—“Imagine that you’ve been sent back in time to the year 1900. . . . How would you explain the internet to someone of that time period?” Just how reflective of the school’s actual questions this is we can only guess, though. In addition, the video shows (but does not overtly discuss) the option for a written response, so keep in mind that this might also be a possibility. Thankfully, Fisher’s Kira system is set up so that you can practice an unlimited number of times, so you will not have to go into this portion of the application cold. This is a valuable opportunity that we cannot encourage you enough to make the most of. Fisher recommends using the STAR method when responding to its video questions to ensure that your answers include all the relevant information the admissions committee seeks, so be sure to do some research on what that technique entails, and then make it a central part of your practice efforts. We suggest practicing in front of a mirror to exercise maintaining a natural expression as you speak and timing yourself to ensure your answers do not tend to run long. Although you can prepare as much as you want, you will have only one chance to record your response(s) when you do the official interview. If you stumble while answering or ultimately are unhappy with your answer, unfortunately, you will not be able to rerecord anything or try again another time. This might make you nervous, but we encourage you to view the situation a little differently. As we have noted, Fisher wants to get to know the real you through these video essays. If you fumble for words or lose your train of thought, just laugh or shrug and continue with your response. Accepting a mistake with a sense of humor and grace will give the admissions committee a more positive and natural impression of your personality than rigid scripting and overpreparation ever could. For additional sample questions—albeit more traditional ones than the example in the school’s video—you can use to practice, consider downloading a free copy of the [url=https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mbamission-interview-guide][b]mbaMission Interview Guide[/b][/url], in which we present a list of 100 common interview queries. |
25 Aug 2021, 14:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: Title Trumps All |
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In the past, we have addressed (and debunked!) the myth that you must personally know alumni from the top MBA programs to gain acceptance into those schools. Another admissions myth that is somewhat similar—in that it pertains to who you know instead of who you are—is that your recommendation must be written by someone with a flashy title. Each year, many candidates will persuade either someone from outside their workplace (e.g., a congressperson) or an insider who does not know their work all that well (e.g., a managing director or CEO) to write a recommendation on their behalf. Unfortunately, when you obtain a recommendation from someone because of their title and not because that person actually knows you and your work, the result is a vague endorsement. Consequently, the admissions committee will not get to know you better through this individual’s recommendation letter, and this undermines the very purpose of recommendations. Even if you can educate someone far above you in the corporate hierarchy about your achievements and that person can write a seemingly personal letter, it still will not make sense that a CEO, for example, knows what you—one of hundreds of employees—are doing on a daily basis. So the intimacy of this person’s letter just might seem absurd. Of course, if your CEO does actually know you and can write a personal letter that makes a logical connection between your position and theirs, that could be helpful. Rather than focusing on titles when considering possible sources for your recommendations, strive to identify an individual who knows you well and can write about your strengths—and even your weaknesses—with sincerity. If your supervisor has a less than impressive title, this will not reflect negatively on you; what will matter is what they write about you. If that person can discuss your performance while providing powerful examples of standout achievements, they will help you to the fullest. |
26 Aug 2021, 08:00
| FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: John Morgan, University of California, Berkeley, Haas 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 focus on John Morgan from the University of California (UC), Berkeley, Haas School of Business. John Morgan has been teaching at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business since 2002. He won the Earl F. Cheit Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2006 and was the first recipient of the Oliver E. Williamson Award in 2014. In an admissions podcast (“Game Theory and Strategy”), Morgan discussed how he has grown his “Game Theory” course, which studies how nations and industries interact strategically with each other. Morgan, who has served as the Oliver E. and Dolores W. Williamson Chair of the Economics of Organizations since 2006, recommends that all Haas MBA students take the course, which is designed to cover all functions and industries, in their last semester at the school so that they apply the “mind-set to think strategically” to what they have learned in the program. Morgan expects the teams in his class to be ready to defend their strategies, but plenty of laughter is part of the course as well—as it reportedly is in all Morgan’s courses. An alumna previously commented via Twitter: “Loving John Morgan’s Disruptive Technologies seminar. Great comedic timing.” For more information about UC Berkeley Haas and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides. |
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Hi Generic [Bot],
Here are updates for you:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tuck at Dartmouth
AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
 GMAT Club REWARDS
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