UNC Kenan-Flagler Admissions:The role of the career management center

This is the third video in a three-part series. In this video the school gives you a behind-the-scenes look into UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Admissions office, and it discusses the role of their career management experts in the admissions process.

Link: MBA Admissions Video

Business Week: Business Schools Revamp the Application

The MBA application process is starting to change, with the GRE gaining ground on the GMAT, earlier deadlines, several schools such as UCLA Anderson and Chicago Booth, are exploring and experimenting different methods of assessing applicants with or without the standard written application.

Read the complete article here

Rose Martinelli clarified in her blog post that though the article in the business week covered the spirit of her conversation, it unfortunately missed providing the context.

She said," The PowerPoint presentation was designed to elicit a sense of fit with Booth culture. Essentially, it presented applicants with a unique and somewhat ambiguous opportunity to convey information of their choice. It allowed applicants to tell us what was important and relevant in their candidacy and helped us learn much more about who they are than can be prompted through standard essay questions. It also has helped us evaluate how candidates navigate ambiguity through various frameworks and strategies. As applicants and consultants became more familiar with this exercise, however, we began to see more and more presentations that felt standard, rote and predictable"

Rose mentioned that as the school approaches the new application year, the school has begun to think through each of the different application components. "While this may be the last year of the presentation requirement in itscurrent form, we have not yet made any final decisions as to what next year's application will look like. Again, our focus is not on creating a clever or “gimmicky” application, but one that provides candidates the opportunity to convey the most relevant information that helps us to assess fit in our selection process. " said Rose.

Finally Rose said that the Bottom-line is that the PowerPoint presentation has been incredibly successful in their evaluation process in identifying students who are great fit and match for Chicago. She added,"We have enjoyed this process of discovery and pioneering something new and different in MBA admissions, and are looking forward to continuing that trend in the future"

UVA/ Darden: Online Video Chat with Sara Neher

According to the blogpost on Darden Admission news Blog, Director of Admissions Sara Neher will host an online video chat on Thursday, March 11 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. (EST) for Round 3 applicants and prospective students who are thinking about applying in the fall of 2010.

Aspirants can ask questions about the application process, as well as general questions about the MBA program. Participants will type questions into the chat interface and Sara Neher will answer the questions directly via video.

To access the chat, you need to go to the following link a few minutes before the chat begins: http://dm.darden.virginia.edu/admissionschat/?session=2010_03_11_admissionschat

You will be asked a couple of brief questions. Once you hit the submit button, you will be directed to the video chat

Link: Online Video Chat with Sara Neher

UCLA Anderson MBA: Gain an insider’s perspective on what admissions officers look for in successful MBA applicants

According to UCLA MBA Admissions & Financial Aid Team as the Round 3 application deadline (March 17th) is fast approaching, Bschool aspirants can enjoy an opportunity to talk directly with Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Mae Jennifer Shores.

The webinar will be held on Thursday, March 11th from 5 to 6 PM (PST).

Join Shores for a candid conversation on what makes the UCLA Anderson MBA program so interesting and diverse, and gain an insider’s perspective on what admissions officers look for in successful MBA applicants.

To join the webinar, register here

Also go through: An Admissions Perspective on MBA Consultants

Harvard Business School 2+2 Program Essay Topics/ Deadlines

The Harvard’s 2+2 Program Application deadlines for the MBA class entering fall of 2013:

There are two key dates for the 2+2 Program in the Summer of 2010:

*2+2 Application Submission: June 15, 2010

*2+2 Admissions Notification: September 2010

Essay Topics

Required Questions:

*What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

*What would you like us to know about your undergraduate academic experience? (400-word limit)

*What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)

Please also respond to one of the following (400-word limit each):

*Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.

*What area of the world are you most curious about and why?

*What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

Link: HBS 2+2 Program: Application Process

UVA/ Darden: Sara Neher talks about Round 2 Interviews and Applying in Round 3

In her video blog this week, Director of Admissions Sara Neher talks about an upcoming video chat (on mar 3, 2010) for people thinking about applying in Round 3, activities going on with school's career development and corporate relations offices, as well as a quick update on Round 2 interviews:

Chicago Booth School of Business: Few important things to consider when applying in Round 3

Rose Martinelli, director of admissions and financial aid at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business reported on her blog, "Somewhere along the line, R3 inherited the reputation of being somewhat irrelevant in the overall admissions cycle -- a Round where you made a last ditch effort to gain admission while perhaps believing that your chances for acceptance were very slim. The truth is that R3 can be a bit more competitive simply because the majority of applications and acceptances will occur in Rounds One and Two." She added,"However, I’d like to emphasize that a good portion of our class will be admitted from R3 as well as a good number being placed on our summer waitlist to help us manage class size this summer. So, while fewer spots in the class may be available, it’s important to put together the best possible application you can. "

Rose said that R3 exists for a reason! She advised aspirants about few important things to consider when they in apply in Round 3. She stated, "Candidates are accepted each year at this time so don’t buy in to the doom and gloom. Your dream school should be on your radar no matter what people ‘are saying’! Great applicants and great applications are valued in every round as we seek to craft the best class we can!"

With respect to international applicants she stated,"We also accept international candidates in R3. Despite our encouragement for internationals to apply preferably in Rounds One or Two, this is only a suggestion to make your life easier in terms of planning and making such a large transition, but it does not preclude you from R3 consideration. Because our program begins in September and R3 decisions are released in mid-May, our international students have plenty of time to process their visa during the summer months." She said, "Borderline or standard applicants will be up against harder competition in R3, but this is true for every round in the current MBA market! So R3 doesn’t change your need for a strong, well -thought through application."

Rose advised,"Consider letting us in on why you are applying in R3 if it’s relevant. It can ease the reader’s questions about your intentions. Don’t be afraid to be honest---we’ve been in your shoes. We get it!"

She further made clear ,"We can tell if your application is rushed or if you’re just hedging your bets by throwing one more application together. The one thing you really must be sure of in R3 is that your application reflects full thought and effort. A great profile with a thrown together application won’t do the trick in any round, especially R3."

She finally said,"if Booth is your choice, don’t eliminate yourself from a chance at being admitted because it’s R3. You might need to take a more strategic approach, but you never know what the outcome might be unless you try – Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

Link: Round 3???

UNC Kenan-Flagler Admissions: People behind the scenes during the application review process

This is the second video in a three-part series. Meet the people behind the scenes during the application review process once your MBA application materials have been submitted...

HBS: Round 2 Interview Notifications

According to Harvard Business School Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Dee Leopold, Harvard Business School plans to begin sending out interview invitations on Friday, February 12. Dee informed in her blog post that the invitation will be an email from HBS MBA Admissions. The office will be closed on Monday, February 15 for President's Day. On Tuesday, February 16, HBS online interview scheduler will go live. Detailed instructions will be in the invitation email.

Dee informed that HBS plans to interview around 800 candidates in Round 2, including some Round 1 candidates on the waitlist who have not yet been interviewed. "Most, but not all, of these invitations will go out on February 12 so that all invitees have equal access to locations and dates. As always, we will continue to send some invitations up to and including April 6, the notification date for Round 2", added Dee.

She further clarified that interviews are by invitation only and school does not accommodates requests for interviews from candidates who are visiting campus.

Link: Round 2 Interview Invitations

LBS: Stage 2 Interview Notifications

Stage 2 candidates will receive notification of whether they have been selected for interview via email tomorrow i.e 09 February 2010

UCLA Anderson MBA Application: Applying to Round 3

According to UCLA MBA Admissions & Financial Aid Team, Round Three Still is a Terrific Time to Apply to UCLA Anderson. According to the admissions team contrary to the belief that the 3rd round of the application process is so vast and competitive that your chances of being admitted are significantly reduced, candidate should know that each round is evaluated independently. You only compete with other people in your round. If your application is reasonably strong your chances of being admitted to the UCLA Anderson full-time MBA program are as good as any other previous round.

Further, The UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions office runs weekly on-site and on-line information sessions with their experienced admissions officers and second-year student volunteers. If you haven't signed up for one of these sessions they encourage to you do so. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about UCLA Anderson MBA program, so your application is as good as it can be.

Link: Round Three Still is a Terrific Time to Apply to UCLA Anderson

UNC Kenan-Flagler Admissions: Inside look at what happens behind the scenes

This is the first video in a three-part series that gives you a peek into what happens behind the scenes when you submit your application materials to UNC Kenan- Flagler for MBA Admissions.

Oxford/ Said Essay Topics 2009-2010

Saїd Business School Essay Topics for 2009-2010 are as below:

1. Explain why you chose your current job. How do you hope to see your career developing over the next five years? How will an MBA assist you in the development of these ambitions? (Maximum 1,000 words)

2. Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why? (Maximum 2,000 words)

Links:
Deadlines

Admission Process

UT Austin / McCombs Essay Topics 2009-2010

The McCombs School of Business Essay Topics for 2009-2010 are as below:

REQUIRED ESSAYS

1. Describe how your experiences, both personal and professional, have led you to pursue an MBA at this time. What are your short- and long-term goals and how will a Texas MBA help you achieve them?
Limit: 900 words

2. Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. What did you learn from this experience about your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
Limit: 650 words

3. At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community. How will you use your personal strengths and unique experiences to enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program?
Limit: 500 words

OPTIONAL ESSAY

* Please provide any additional information to the Admissions Committee that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will ultimately be beneficial to the committee in considering your application.
Limit: 350 words

Links:

Application Deadlines

Essay Topics

Chicago Booth’s Rose Martinelli advises on few Application Questions

In her recent blog post, MBA Admissions Director Rose Martinelli advised on how to approach one of the most common questions she received since past two weeks i.e Essay 3 (the slide presentation): In four slides or less please answer the following question: What have you not already shared in your application that you would like your future classmates to know about you?

Rose said, "this question allows you to portray parts of your candidacy that have not already been addressed in other parts of the application. We find this a useful tool in order to understand what you deem important in your personal and professional life. The Admissions Committee does not have any expectations about what we might learn in this section, so you have complete freedom in sharing what you think would be relevant for us to know about you." Rose further emphasized, "Committee is interested in content not your presentation skills. You don't need to be a graphic genius or an experienced consultant to be successful. You can use words, images, graphs, etc. to communicate your messages."

After explaining the philosophy behind the question, Rose recommended on few ways on how to approach this question. She said in case there are some key messages or activities that you want to communicate to the Committee, some information about yourself that you may not have been able to cover in other parts of your application Essay 3 is a perfect place to put them.

"I would start by putting a written description on each page of the presentation and then spend some time thinking about how you might convey these messages. Don't get bogged down by trying to be creative; focus on communicating effectively. " suggested Rose.

She said that this question gives you the freedom to communicate what's important to you beyond the questions we ask, and hope this post gives you one way of approaching it. Rose asked the aspirants to read the question thoroughly and be strategic about what they decide to include. She added make sure that the content you choose is relevant to your candidacy.

In her another recent blog post Rose advised on Questions regarding community service or extracurricular activities. She said that such questions try to get at your interests and passions beyond your work.These activities represent how well rounded you may be as well as how interested you are in the world around you. "At Booth, our focus is much more on your history of involvement rather than just recent activity.This is a chance for you to move beyond a simple list to helping us understand your contributions, leadership, time commitment and motivations for getting involved." stated Rose.

Rose said that while she understood that there are many differences across the world in terms of engagement in community service, she was fairly certain of the fact that each applicant has many interests other than work. Whether one is involved in formal programs or support programs informally, school is interested in learning what you do and why.

"For those of you that have jobs that require you to work long hours or travel extensively, we encourage you to focus on what you have done in the past and what you do now to stay involved (and sane)", advised Rose.

Rose stressed saying, "Remember, this is just ONE component in your application that gives us clues about who you are, what you value, and how you engage.We’re not looking for long lists, so take the time to structure how you wish to address the question, include enough information for us to understand your involvements and prioritize what’s most important."

At last Rose mentioned that if you think this area may be a bit light for you, you don’t need to worry as this is just one of MANY components of the application and the school takes each person’s unique circumstances into consideration while they evaluate their application.

Link: The Rose Report

Harvard Business School: Advice on Recommendations and Answers to few FAQs

Dee Leopold, HBS Director of admissions and financial aid answered few FAQ's concerning MBA aspirants:

Q 1. Is there any advantage to submitting my Round 1 application now?
Dee Leopold: Not really. We don't begin to read applications until the day after the deadline. However, it's always nerve-wracking for candidates who wait until the absolute last minute and then the server is backed up. ...so somewhere between very early and just-in-time is probably smart.

Q 2. I can't attend an HBS information session. What am I missing?
Dee Leopold: Here's what happens at information sessions outside of Boston (please view http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/visit.html Event Calendar for dates and locations):

An Admissions Board member presents an overview with general information about HBS and some detail about the MBA Program and the admissions process. We have a new video which captures some student perspectives and shows off our campus. We then present a panel of relatively recent alumni from the local area who share their reflections on their experience at HBS. We close with a question-and-answer session.

And here's an on-campus session (please see our Visit HBS page for more information):

An Admissions Board member conducts an informal session in an HBS classroom. A typical session will have anywhere from 10 to 30 attendees. There is plenty of time for questions. Although there are no MBA classes in session during the summer, the Spangler Student Center is open for breakfast and lunch. We offer an iPod tour of the campus which is fun and takes about 30 minutes.

In addition to afternoon sessions, this fall we will be hosting on-campus information sessions on the following evenings:

September 3, 9, 17 and 23
These will be similar in format to our on-campus afternoon sessions.

Q 3. When will class visits begin?
Dee Leopold: Early October...although the exact date hasn't been set yet. In September we will post the date and there will be a link to an on-line scheduler. Lunches with students and campus tours will get underway then, too.


In her recent blogpost Dee provided advice on recommendations.

She said,"the most important thing is to choose people who know you well enough to answer the questions we are asking. Many recommendations are well-written and enthusiastic in their praise but essentially full of adjectives and short on actual examples of how your wonderful qualities play out in real life. What we are hoping for are brief recounts of specific situations and how you performed."

She elaborated,"We ask for three — and we are fine with several different combinations. It's fine to have all three recommendations come from your current firm/organization. It's fine to have one from a former employer. It's also fine to have one come from someone who has supervised or observed you in a non-work situation — community service or campus leadership, for example. Note that we are not looking for a peer recommendation — we find it most helpful if there is some developmental distance between you and the recommender. The exception to this might be when you have worked on an entrepreneurial venture or project and the only person able to help us understand your involvement is a partner or colleague."

She asked aspirants to realize that the school considers these recommendations in the context of the entire application — school isn't creating a detailed map of the titles and resumes of one's recommenders and setting up an elaborate hierarchy.

Lee further clarified that asking current HBS students to write to admissions committee on one's behalf outside of the formal recommendation process will not help in the application process. Hence professional or personal associations with HBS students willnot prove to be advantageous in the above context

She added,"If you are worried about how we will interpret your choice or recommenders, simply write a (brief) explanation in the "additional information" section of the application."

Lee finally advised,"in these unusual times, please don't jeopardize your employment in order to secure a recommendation from a current employer. While we might wish that all bosses were enthusiastic and encouraging about business school for their emerging leaders, this is not a universal sentiment. Make your best judgment call about whom to ask, make sure they understand what we're asking, explain your choices to us if you think you should... and that's it!"

Hope this helps all future aspirants...all the best to all aspirants!

Links:
http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/blog.html

Harvard Business School: 2+2 Class of 2014

Harvard Business School admissions director shared the Class Profile of its 2+2 Program , recently on her blog

HBS Profile of 2+2 Class of 2014 (to start its full time MBA in the fall of 2012)

Admitted

Total Applicants: 844
Admits: 115
% Admitted: 14%
Female: 39%
International: 27%
Countries Represented: 17

Testing Information

Complete Range of GMAT Scores: 510-790
Average GMAT: 727
Range of GRE Q: 690-800
Range of GRE V: 560-800
Average GRE Q: 767
Average GRE V: 679
Average GPA: 3.75

Educational Background

Engineering & Natural Sciences: 50%
Humanities & Social Sciences: 44%
Business Administration: 6%
Undergraduate Institutions Represented: 51

According to the admissions director, "All admitted students have leadership talent and they bring an infectious level of curiosity, initiative and energy"

Links: HBS 2+2 MBA Program

Rochester/ Simon Application Deadlines 2009-2010

The Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester application deadlines for 2009-2010 are as below:

Early Action
Application deadline: October 15, 2009
Notification by: January 15, 2009

Round 1
Application deadline: November 20, 2009
Notification by: February 15, 2009

Round 2
Application deadline: January 5, 2009
Notification by: May 15, 2009

Round 3*
Application deadline: March 15, 2009
Notification by: February 15, 2009

Round 4
Application deadline: May 14, 2009
Notification by: July 15, 2009

January entry (for 18-month accelerated MBA Program)

Round 1
Application deadline: August 1, 2009
Notification by: October 1, 2009

Round 2
Application deadline: October 15, 2009
Notification by: November 20, 2009

*Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must apply no later than March 15, 2010 to be considered for July or September Admission

Link: 2010 Application Deadlines

UCLA Anderson Admission Director's perspective on The Role of the GMAT in the MBA Application Process

In her recent blogpost Mae Jennifer Shores, Admissions Director Anderson School of Business provided her perspective on the Role of the GMAT in the MBA Application Process.

According to Mae aspirants either love or hate standardized tests such as GMAT. She stated,"If you perform well on them, you tend to love them; if you perform less well on them, you tend to hate them. Those who are fond of the GMAT are prone to accept score results as evidence of their ability to perform well in an MBA program, either reinforcing a track record of strong performance or making up for a not-so-illustrious academic record. (It is these kinds of applicants you sometimes see on the b-school forums, where they use their laser-like focus to compare and fret over 10 point differences in GMAT scores."

She added,"Individuals who dislike the GMAT test often view it as an arbitrary and inaccurate measure of their ability to perform in grad school. A common refrain is: ‘I just don’t test well on standardized tests – my brain does not function that way;” or “Performance on standardized tests measures one’s ability to perform well on tests and not much more.”

Mae said that the GMAT test, when considered along with one’s prior academic experience at the baccalaureate level and beyond, is an accurate predictor (at UCLA Anderson, at least) of how one performs in his or her first year in the MBA program. Fortunately for most applicants, there is no exact cutoff or minimum at UCLA Anderson of either of these measures. The distribution of GMATs and GPAs that reflect an ability to perform well, as reflected in each year’s incoming class, is fairly broad.

She further added that beyond these numeric measures of preparedness for an MBA lie such qualitative measures as leadership and teamwork skills, managerial experience, initiative, ability to learn and growth from mistakes, introspection, ability to articulate clear reasons for an MBA and career goals going forward, contributions (to school, work, and/or community), etc. It is here that the bulk of time of applicant evaluation is spent. Although less quantifiable dimensions, they are equally important.

She finally said that whether or not one loves or hates the GMAT, one may want to temper his/ her view. "At the same time that the GMAT is not the quintessential measure of an applicant’s merits, it is a useful evaluative tool in the admissions process. A healthy dose of ambivalence just might be in order...", concluded Mae


Link: The Role of GMAT in MBA Application Process