The GMAT Club Blog

MBA Admissions Events: Michigan Ross Chat, MBA Mojo

Come one! Come all! To Accepted's first MBA admissions chat of the 2008-09 MBA application season. This year we are launching the chats with an event devoted to the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Director of Admissions, Soojin Kwon Koh and Kimberli Keller, Associate Director of Admissions along with two second year MBA students will be available to answer your questions about Ross. Please join us in the Accepted chat room on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT.

MBA Mojo(TM) Do you have it? Come and get it! Access MBA Mojo! Participate in Accepted’s fun and informative MBA admissions contest. Win prizes. Reduce your stress. Enjoy!

MBA Admissions: Brownie Points for Visits?

School visits. They are time-consulting and expensive. And they contribute to global warming. 

Furthermore, Dee Leopold in The Director's Blog at HBS' web site makes clear that HBS does not weigh a visit as a factor in an admissions decision.  The Wharton adcom blog made a similar statement a few years ago.

Is personally visiting the campuses of your target schools a waste of time and effort? Absolutely not.

I am not disputing Harvard's or Wharton's statements that they don't award brownie points for visiting. However,  whether or not  your target programs award brownie points, a visit does mean you will have a better chance of being admitted -- not because of imaginary points, but because you will be a better informed applicant. You will know more about the school and its culture. You will know more about why it appeals to you, why its style matches yours, and how it supports your goals.

As Dee suggestions in her post, to profit the most from your trip, visit when class is in session. Then take a tour, meet with students, participate in the info session, and attend a class. In short, take advantage of whatever is offered.

What if you simply can't visit your target schools?  If you live far away, don't worry about it. You still need to demonstrate a deep understanding of the school's culture and program, but the school won't hold your lack of visit against you. Even schools (e.g. Tuck and Darden ) that really value a visit as a sign of serious interest understand that international applicants can't necessarily come.  Other schools explicitly ask what you have done to learn about their program, for example Haas queries "What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program?"

What steps should you take on the road to an MBA acceptance?

• Scour the schools' web sites.
• Attend the many receptions and events held by the schools.
• Participate in MBA Tour events.
• Talk to current students and/or recent alumni.
• Read current student blogs to get a feel for campus life.

Here is a list of upcoming MBA Tour events in the US, but the Tour is international so check their website if you are outside the US.

September 2 : Chicago
September 4: Houston
September 6: New York
September 7: Washington, D.C.
September 9: Atlanta
September 11: Boston
September 13: San Francisco
September 14: Los Angeles

INSEAD Sept 2009 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

INSEAD Sept 2009 Deadlines

  Application Deadline    Decision Released

Round 1   Oct 1, 2008        Dec 19, 2008

Round 2   Nov 26, 2008     Mar 6, 2009

Round 3   Feb 11, 2009     May 7, 2009

Round 4   Apr 1, 2009        Jun 19, 2009

INSEAD Sept & Jan 2009 MBA Essay Questions

The questions are the same as last year's and my comments (in red) are virtually the same. 

Each essay topic listed below and in the subsequent pages must be answered.

1. Give a candid description of yourself, 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. (400 words approx.)

For a question like this I recommend two strengths and one weakness. If you can choose one anecdote that reveals both the strengths and the weakness, you will have a strong essay.  Don't forget to discuss how these qualities influenced your personal development.

A word on weaknesses. Be honest without going overboard. Don't make up a phony weakness. I attended an HBS info session a few years ago. One of the alumni said that he discussed a "phony weakness" in his essays (required for HBS that year) and his interviewer focused right on it, and basically said, "Come on. What's a real weakness?" The applicant had to get real in a hurry. Take advantage of the essay: Give it some thought and respond with the benefit of that reflection. For more information, please see "Flaws Make You Real."

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)

Try to take accomplishments from different arenas of your life. (But don't go back to high school and earlier to do so.) The accomplishments should show impact, contribution, and for INSEAD at least one should have a multi-cultural flavor.

3. Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)

In choosing the situation, here's a case when you can go back in time a little -- let's say 2-5 years. You can illustrate how you learned from this situation and were able to meet similar objectives next time around.

4. Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career. (500 words approx.)

This is a forward-looking career goals question. Use the past just enough to set context for your future and show that your goals are anchored in experience. Then explain how INSEAD with its intense, one-year, general management program and strong international focus will help you achieve your goals.

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics:

a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.), or

b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)

These two have been part of the INSEAD repertoire for several years. Choose the one that is easiest for you to answer and allows you to bring out a facet of your experience not found in the other essays. 

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (200 words approx.) This essay is optional.

Take advantage of the optional essay to give them one more reason to admit you. DON'T use it for a grand summary, a restatement of your other essays, or something similarly boring, superficial, and repetitive. A tight, focused essay highlighting something you haven't yet discussed.

If you would like help with your INSEAD MBA application, please consider Accepted's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a INSEAD Comprehensive Packages, which provide essay editing, interview coaching, consultation, and a resume editing for the INSEAD MBA application.

UCLA Anderson 2009 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

UCLA Anderson 2009 MBA Deadlines

Application Deadline:   Decision Released By:

Round 1  Oct 9, 2008     Jan 8, 2009

Round 2  Jan 8, 2009     Mar 26, 2009

Round 3  Apr 2, 2009      Jun 4, 2009

UCLA Anderson 2009 Essay Questions

My comments are in red.

This year, UCLA has modified its application and added a required fourth question. However, in an original twist, it limits that question to 250 words or a one-minute audio. I believe Anderson is the first MBA program to encourage a non-visual response to an essay question.  Separately, it is giving you more opportunity to introduce the non-professional side of you in this year's application, specifically question #2.

The UCLA Anderson Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, genuine, and succinct. We are more concerned with the content of your essays than their form or style.

All responses to essays must be on double-spaced pages that are uploaded in document form, except for Essay 4 for first-time applicants and Essay 3 for reapplicants, which may be submitted as an audio file instead.  (Please note the word limits in parentheses.)

Four required essays:

1.  How has your family and/or community helped shape your development? Please include information about where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (750 words)

For years similar questions have been UCLA's first and one of its longer essays. That status reveals the importance UCLA places on getting to know you as a human being.

Choose 1-3 important elements of your background and youth to discuss in this essay. You can focus on your community, family life, vacations, mealtime, seminal experiences or events that were formative. The key is to highlight particular topics and not write the sweeping (and superficial) bio.   Avoid "I was born in Timbuktu and when I was 4 we moved to Outer Mongolia and then when I was ..." or the equivalent.

One of the differences between this year's #1 and last year's is the introduction of community to the question. Community is an important value at Anderson. If it has been important to you, you may want to focus on its role in your development.

2.  What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

New question. Minimize or eliminate overlap between your responses to #1 and #2. They should complement each other.

The experience is important, but more important is how you answer the second part of the question. In order to answer this question, you will need to reveal how you are different, how you behave differently as a result of this transformational experience.

3.  Discuss your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now at UCLA Anderson? (750 words)

UCLA's is a pretty straightforward goals question. What are you goals? Why now? How will UCLA Anderson help you achieve your goals. As always be specific and make sure you answer all elements of the question.

4.  Audio or text:  Select and respond to ONE of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute).  If you are unable to submit your response via audio, then please upload a written response (250 words) instead.  The supported file types for audio files are: .avi, .wav, .mp3, .wmv, .midi, .wma, .aiff, .au, .mp4

a.  What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
b.  What global issue matters most to you and why?
c.  What is something people will find surprising about you?

New question. As with all questions that give you a choice, choose the option that allows you to present a different and impressive experience -- one not discussed in a previous essay. If you ever ran your own business or worked in a start-up, "A" may be the one for you. If you have been involved in global business, have participated in community service activities addressing global issues, or want to have impact on a particular global issue, perhaps "B" is the question you should answer. And "C" could be perfect for someone from a seemingly common background with a distinctive hobby, interest, or twist to his or her experience.

5.  OPTIONAL: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

Last year, UCLA added the following: "Please do not submit redundant information in the Optional Essay."  Good advice for all optional questions.

For more suggestions, please see The Optional Question: To Be or not To Be.

If you would like help with UCLA's essays, please consider Accepted.com's UCLA Anderson Comprehensive Packages or our other MBA admissions consulting and editing services.

Duke Fuqua 2009 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

Duke Fuqua 2009 Deadlines

                              Deadline       Notification

Early Decision   Oct 15, 2008      Nov 14, 2008

Round 1            Oct 27, 2008     Dec 19, 2008

Round 2            Jan 7, 2009       Mar 10, 2009

Round 3             Mar 16, 2009      Apr 23, 2009

Duke Fuqua 2009 MBA Essay Questions

My comments are in red.

Three short answer questions and one long essay question must be completed before submitting your application. Prepare your essays carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your responses to the following questions important in the selection process. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing.

For the short answer questions, please restrict your response to a single page each. For the long essay question, please restrict your response to two pages. Please avoid using a font size smaller than 10-point.

Candidates who applied to Fuqua between September 2007 and April 2008 are considered reapplicants.  All reapplicants are required to complete the Reapplicant Essay in addition to the Applicant Essays. 

All applicants have the opportunity to submit an optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware.

Duke is very proud of its community: Team Fuqua Consequently, it carefully chooses team members. The questions below are an opportunity for you to introduce yourself as an individual, a member of your community or team, and as a professional and future leader. As the questions show, all facets are important to Fuqua.

Duke has shuffled the essay deck this year. It is asking for three short essays (as opposed to two last year) and one long essay (as opposed to two last year.) It is asking two new questions and has removed the element of choice that was part of last year's application.

Applicant Essays
Short Answer Essays - Answer all short answer essay questions.

1-What do you hope to gain from The Duke MBA? How does it fit into your short- and long- term goals? If you are interested in a joint degree or the Health Sector Management program, please address in this response.

Connect the dots between your past experiences your future goals and show how Duke's MBA program will bridge the gap between the two.  (For different ideas on structuring goals essays, click on the link.)

I don't think I can overemphasize the importance of this essay in establishing your credibility as a serious candidate. I know I have harangued you regularly about the importance of goals in MBA admissions and I am doing it again. Just keep in mind that this  essay  will reveal whether you have done  your homework -- personal introspection, career networking, and school research -- or not, as the case may be.

2-How will you contribute to the overall experience of your peers at The Duke MBA?

Very similar to last year's #2.  What are you going to add to Team Fuqua? Is it an enthusiastic commitment to Habitat for Humanity, a local environmental cause, your church, or a hobby, sport, or art form? Is it an unusual personal background? Perhaps, overcoming distinctive challenges?   And then how will this unique facet cause you to contribute at Duke?  Will it lead to involvement in a specific club or Fuqua project? Interest in a particular program? Again show your knowledge of Fuqua as well as fit between you and the program.

3-Discuss a person, event or experience that has significantly shaped your life and explain why. Note: The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally.

New question: What or who has had profound, lasting impact on you? Describe the person or event and its impact. Please don't limit your description of impact to the emotional or intellectual. How does it influence your behavior? This essay probably will reflect a non-professional facet of your life.

Long Essay - Answer the long essay question below.

1-Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns.  Leaders need adaptability, imagination, and emotional intelligence as well as business acumen.

Upon graduation, a Duke MBA will be a leader of consequence - able to deal simultaneously with complex matters and engage skillfully with colleagues, clients, and community.  What impact do you hope to have as a leader of consequence?

New question. What role in the world would you like to assume? Where would you like to have impact? What cause is important to you? Where have you contributed in the past?This is more about vision, values, and life goals than strictly professional goals.

The best essays here will be connected to past involvement so that your goals for the future seem plausible no matter how grand.

Optional Essay (not required)

1-If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).   

Why isn't your current supervisor writing your rec? Why did your grades dip during the first semester of your senior year? Why is there a six-month gap on your resume? What are your responsibilities while working for a family business after having left a prestigious investment bank and why did you make the change? Answering any of those questions (but not all) could be the topic of your optional essay. And of course an infinite number of similar subjects could be worthwhile discussing in the optional essay.

Reapplicant Essay

All reapplicants are also required to complete the Reapplicant Essay below. Please limit your response to two pages.

1-Write an essay describing how you are a stronger candidate for admission compared to the previous year's application.

This is the question that adcoms want MBA reapplicants to answer. It is self-explanatory and critical.

If you would like help with your Duke Fuqua MBA application, please consider Accepted.com's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a Duke Fuqua Comprehensive Package,

HBS 2+2 Preliminary Results

HBS has released its interview invitations for 2+2 applicants. Those who received and who did not receive invitations (and are consequently dinged) have both been notified.

HBS received over 600 applications to its 2+2 program and intends to enroll roughly 90 participants in 2+2's inaugural cohort.

UCLA Anderson 2009 MBA Essay Deadlines and Questions

UCLA Anderson 2008-09 MBA Application Deadlines

Round        Application Due     Decision Released By

    1             October 9, 2008       January 8, 2009

    2              January 6, 2009      March 26, 2009

    3              April 2, 2009             June 4, 2009

Editor: UCLA has moved from four rounds to three rounds this year. It also has added an audio option to its application.

UCLA Anderson 2008-09 MBA Application Essay Questions

Essay Question 1
How has your family and/or community helped shape your development? Please include information about where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (750 words)

Essay Question 2
What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

Essay Question 3
Discuss your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now at UCLA Anderson? (750 words)

Essay Question 4 - Audio or Text
Select and respond to one of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute) and uploading it.

If you are unable to submit your response via audio, then please upload a written response instead (250 words).

The supported file types for audio files are: .avi,.wav,.mp3,.wmv,.midi,.wma,.aiff,.au,.mp4

    * What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
    * What global issue matters most to you and why?
    * What is something people will find surprising about you?

Columbia GSB 2009 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips.

Columbia GSB September 2009 MBA Deadlines

      App Review Begins Notification   Deadline

Early Decision 08/13/08 W/In 10 Wks 10/08/08

International  01/07/09  W/In 12 Wks 03/04/09

US Citizens*  01/07/09 W/In 12 Wks  04/15/09

* & Permanent Residents

** Applicants who wish to be considered for a merit-based fellowship must submit a complete application by January 7, 2009. Fellowship recipients for the September class are announced between January and May.

Columbia's GSB September 2009 MBA Essay Questions

On BW Forum's "Ask Columbia Business School Admissions" thread,  Columbia GSB's AdCom representative advises that this year's questions are the same as those on the J-Term 2009 application, which has three required question as opposed to last September's four.

My comments are in red.

The following essay questions are part of the application to Columbia Business School. In addition to learning about your professional aspirations, the Admissions Committee hopes to gain an understanding of your interests, values and motivations through these essays. How you answer these essays is at your discretion, there are no right answers and we encourage you to answer each question thoughtfully and honestly.

1) What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals? (Recommended 750 word limit):

This is a forward-looking goals question. While you shouldn't ignore the factors that contributed to the development of your goals, the bulk of the essay should be about the future. What do you want to do immediately after completing your MBA? 5 years later? How will Columbia's program help you achieve your goals? Which of Columbia's strengths and programs are critical to your success? And be specific!

2) Master Classes are the epitome of bridging the gap between theory and practice at Columbia Business School. View link below. Please provide an example from your own life in which practical experience taught you more than theory alone. (Recommended 500 word limit) :

View with Real Player: http://merlin.gsb.columbia.edu:8080/ramgen/video1/faculty/MasterClass-promo.rm
View via Google: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4698876883776961370&hl=en .

I also recommend you read the section of CBS' web site about Columbia's Masters Classes.

To me, the masters classes are CBS's attempt to integrate the various business functions and add a real general management element to a program that tended to keep those business silos distinct.. To respond to the question you need to bring an example from your life when you applied theory successfully. Ideally, you would want to use an example where you used management principles to guide your team, office, company, or club in solving a problem or completing a project.

3) Please provide an example of a team failure of which you've been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently? (Recommended 500 word limit) :

When have you been part of a team that came in last. Or that came in second when it should have come in first? Or that failed to close the deal? Or did finish the project, but over budget and late so that your firm lost the client?

And more importantly, what have you learned from the experience? How would you attempt to change the outcome if you had the chance? When would you seize the initiative? When would you encourage others? When would you sit quietly and let someone with complementary strengths take center stage.

While the particular incident you choose should complement other elements of your essay and ideally discuss some interest, activity, or experience not discussed in other essays, the key part of this question is the second one.

For more assistance, please see:

(Optional) Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? (Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.) :

Obviously you could use this optional essay question to address a weakness in your application, but in my mind, it is also open-ended enough to allow you to discuss a diversity element in your personal background or simply some unique area of interest. Also, tucking a weakness explanation somewhere else would allow you to end the application with a strength and not a flaw.

If you would like help with your Columbia MBA application, please consider Accepted.com's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a Columbia Comprehensive Package.

• Admissions Tip from Dr. Pausch 's Last Lecture (Part 2)
• Flaws Make You Real
• Personal Statement Tip: Our Response Defines Us
• Personal Statement Tip: Failure Questions

Scoretop Scandal: A Little Clarity

The Scoretop Scandal is a messy business. Angst runs high; solid information about the scandal's implications for many applicants has been scarce.

BusinessWeek, however, has just posted an interview with GMAC's Peg Jöbst that should relieve anxiety for many and heighten it for a few. In Ms. Jöbst's words:

"GMAC is limiting its investigation to those individuals who a) posted GMAT questions they saw on their GMAT exam, and b) posted a message on Scoretop confirming that they saw items from the Scoretop Web site on their GMAT exam. In these instances, GMAC will cancel GMAT scores and notify schools to which those scores were sent."

If you were a VIP member of Scoretop, I strongly urge you to read the interview in its entirety, but the above quote summarizes GMAC's position.

A few other points from the interview.

• An applicant will have  "a right to appeal any decision GMAC makes. Test takers will be notified in writing if GMAC is taking action and will have a period of time to appeal the decision."
• She cautioned all test-takers "Do not purchase, request, or share materials that claim to be 'real' or 'live' GMAT questions in any form. In addition, be wary if you see discussion threads in which test content is shared and real or 'live' questions are confirmed as accessible via the site or any participant(s) of the site (online or offline). Do not share any test content with anyone else after you have taken the test."
• It is "not likely" a candidate who falls into the categories discussed above and and his or her test canceled will be allowed to take the test again.

Admissions Strategy and Admissions Consultants

(This post is a shameless plug. If that offends you, please click away.)

In my Internet meanderings, I occasionally come across posts from applicants who dismiss and deride admissions consultants. These sages, who usually have never talked to a consultant, claim that applicants can get all they need to know from the web and books and talking to a few friends.

They don't understand the difference between the dynamic, individual qualities of educational advising and the static, mass nature of information.

I am proud of the rich information Accepted.com provides, probably more than any boutique consultancy. But I am also keenly aware of its limitations. Information is static, inert. It cannot respond to individual needs. It can't react to a fluid situation.  It doesn't analyze or change. It can target segments, but rarely individuals.

We can write a gazillion articles and ebooks. We can develop web tools, databases, and chats to serve you. But none of them will replace an in-depth, one-on-one consultation or the nitty-gritty work of critiquing and editing your applications and essays.

Accepted editors and advisers can help you develop and implement your admissions strategy, whether you are shooting for a BA, MBA, JD, MD, or PhD or a host of other degrees.  And unlike friends, we stay abreast of admissions news and developments because admissions is our business.

Using our expertise and experience to guide you as an individual interacting with a dynamic admissions world is the magic of admissions consulting.

That's how we help you develop your admissions strategy. Then there's implementation, and the personal statement, application essay, or statement of purpose.

Professional writers have editors with reason: writing is rewriting. Writers can fall in love with their own words and lose objectivity.  Writers need editors.

If the professionals need editors, so do you.

Can you implement a carefully thought-out strategy? Can you maintain your critical eye after reworking an essay ten times? Can you bring the superior editing skills of professional writers to your application?  If you can't, you need an Accepted editor to critique and review your essay(s).

Accepted has two early bird specials running through July 31, 2008.

• For MBA's, you can get 10% off our MBA essay editing and B-School advising and editing packages.
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