My MBA Admit Blog

The Business School Application Resume

2010-07-22T14:03:00Z

The Business School Application resume – what, how long and why?

Our latest installment on Strong MBA Applications focuses on the resume. While business school essays provide the inside story on one of your achievements in the professional, personal or academic arenas, a business school application resume should ideally provide a bird's-eye view of all your achievements together.

Let's cover some of the common concerns of an MBA application resume.

What should it cover?

The major difference between a MBA and a job resume is the audience.

The employer is interested in how relevant your past experience and skills are for a particular position. However, the business school AdCom is interested in the bigger picture – the versatility of your profile to judge your fit, and its suitability to contribute to the diversity of the incoming class.

Things to include in a MBA resume, besides the traditional professional resume, would be an emphasis on soft skills, extracurricular and community activities, personal interests and a broader description of your profile and/or company, if not well-known.

Things to avoid would be industry-specific jargon, as well as listing certifications that are not as well-known without elaboration.

How long should it be?

From my experiences in academic/corporate interviewing and guiding graduate applicants since 2004, I am inclined to look at resumes with a naturally critical eye. In my experience, resumes that are 1-1.5 pages long tend to be the most engaging. Shorter than that, you run the risk of focusing on just the professional achievements. Longer than that, you are discussing more tasks (routine activities) than star achievements.

Besides, most MBA applicants have an average of 5 years of experience. For this level, a one-page resume is the one most commonly prescribed. Keep it to about 1.5 pages to include all your achievements outside the workplace for the MBA AdCom.

Why is this exercise important?

Giving your resume its due attention in the application stage will also make it easier to cut it down to 1 page when you start applying for summer internships pretty soon after you start the program. You will have enough on your plate then – wouldn't it be nice to have one thing less to worry about?

An additional benefit is that the work you put in will give you a clearer idea of your past accomplishments and help to better position yourself for future career goals. This exercise will help you hit the ground running for your internship search once you are in the MBA program.

As competition in MBA programs grows more intense, business school admissions committees scrutinize every aspect of the MBA application to a greater extent. This includes resumes. A precise, well-written resume will help to attest a candidate's credibility much more than one that needs to be completely reworked. This is why all the Business School Admissions Consulting packages (Elite, Complete or Essential) at My MBA Admit/Admit World were designed to include a comprehensive Resume Review. In addition, Resume Reviews are also available as a stand-alone service in both their Standard and Advanced versions.

Want us to cover something else? Leave us a comment!

Check out our services at My MBA Admit:MBA Admissions Consulting or email us at MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.com for a Free Initial Consultation.

Writing a winning main MBA Application Essay

2010-07-21T09:50:00Z

Continuing the series on building Stronger MBA applications :

"How do I draft a strong and compelling main MBA application essay?"

You have decided to apply for an MBA. Your GMAT score is in place, your college transcripts are on their way, and your recommenders are lined up with their letters. “All” that remains are your essays.

However, as defined by the experiences of scores of MBA applicants before you, including yours truly at University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business, it's the essays that can make or break your application. Before you even consider having someone else write them for you though – stop and consider. One, your essays are your story – your past experiences, present goals, and future ambitions. No one knows your story better. Two, your MBA will be a source of personal pride and professional advancement for the rest of your life – do you really want someone else taking away part of the credit for that achievement? Three, from a more pragmatic perspective, you can learn all the modeling and slide-building skills you want, but it's your communication and presentation skills that will truly be your universal success factors - during MBA, in your first post-MBA job and every switch after.

Those words of caution aside, let's tackle the main MBA application essay question – Why MBA, Why Now, and Why at this School? Any essay that fails to answer one or more of these impacts the applicant's competitiveness.

Why MBA – whether the question explicitly mentions it or not, this should discuss both your short-term and long-term goals. Further, there should be a thread of credibility linking your past achievements with your future ambitions. For those getting an MBA as career enhancers, meeting this requirement is relatively easy – you have done X before MBA, and you are going to business school to continuing doing X, but at a higher level. However, the majority of full-time MBA students are career switchers. In this case, identifying your relevant skills, attributes and experiences that can help you, in conjunction with an MBA, to meet your short-term and long-term goals is crucial. This is where the ACE (Aim, Create and Elevate) process at My MBA Admit/Admit World comes in. We develop a business school admissions strategy, and ensure its adherence through every application component. Throughout the process, every plan and goal put forth in the essay is assessed for innate believability, depth of research, time line adherence and fit to your personal profile. We even offer brainstorming sessions that are geared specifically towards identifying and expanding upon your Why MBA reasons – whether your past experience was in IT, engineering, medicine or music, there is always a way to present your short-term and long-term goals for maximum impact to an admissions committee.

Why Now – if the previous section is done right, this should be a cinch. Inherently, citing long-term and short-term goals involves doing it citing on a time line. The reasoning used here should be geared at convincing an AdCom that since you want to achieve A (long-term goal) in 5 years, you need to do B (short-term goal) before, for which you need an MBA now. For example, many applicants go to business school with the aim of eventually starting their own business (long-term). To start your business, particularly in a field in which you have little experience, it makes sense to work for another firm in that field first (short-term). And to get into such a firm, you need an MBA now (direct answer to question).

Why this School - Finally, it is very important to couch every goal from the point of view of the school. As in citing specific programs, classes and specializations that will help you achieve your goals, to make it clear to the AdCom that this isn't a generic Why MBA essay, but a product of your research that offers a sound reasoning for Why MBA from this School in particular. Whether as a business school interviewer or an MBA admissions consultant, it's always this last factor that makes me give a “Go” on the application.

Check out our MBA Application Services and Packages at My MBA Admit.

How do I strengthen my Business School Applications?

2010-07-03T14:57:00Z

"How do I build a stronger MBA application?"

As an MBA admissions consultant, I often get asked this question in our Free Initial Consultations. Hope this post helps answer the most common query across business school applicants.

My viewpoint comes from advising graduate applicants since 2004, my experience in both undergraduate and graduate admissions, and being admitted to multiple top business schools during my own MBA application process.

MBA applicants are viewed from three perspectives by a business school admissions committee - academic, professional and personal.

The academic part of your profile allows for the most transparent metrics with easy comparison to your competition. These include your GPA (both Bachelor's and from potentially another Master's degree) and GMAT score. If one of these is not within the average range at your target school, I would advise you to focus on making the other metric stronger. For example, I regularly come across clients who either have a low undergraduate GPA or aren't very strong standardized test takers, and end up with a low GMAT score. In this case, you can assuage doubts on your academic abilities and thus strengthen your application through a stronger GPA/GMAT, as applicable. If either of these is a concern in your application, we also offer a Transcript Review and GMAT Consultation as part of all our Business School Admissions Packages, wherein our advice on steps to improve your academic profile is tailored to the specific courses making up your GPA or sections of the GMAT.

The professional part of your profile is composed of all your pre-MBA work experience, including full-time, part-time and internships. The point of focus here is not just a summary list of all that you have done, but how this is applicable to your business school experience and your stated post-MBA ambitions. For example, I frequently advise engineering/IT clients to demonstrate soft skills and personal attributes such as teamwork and communication through their essays and resume, while those with more creative/entrepreneurial/non-traditional backgrounds would be well-advised to showcase their analytical and quantitative abilities. Not having enough leadership experience is frequently a concern, especially for younger clients. With our help, business school applications can be appropriately positioned to demonstrate this through a combination of project and title leadership. At My MBA Admit, we start our MBA Admissions Consulting packages with an extensive discussion of your experiences and how they might be best positioned to demonstrate your strengths and mitigate any weaknesses, especially in light of the specific requirements of a particular school.

Finally, your personal profile is a combination of all the activities that help set you apart, in terms of all your life experiences, volunteer involvement and extracurricular activities. In other words, this is the most flexible section to demonstrate your comparative advantage against your competition for everything that you have done outside the requirements of work and school. Examples that past clients have shown include backpacking through Europe, a stint in the military, a lifetime of volunteering activities and independently rising up from humble origins. I often have MBA application clients say, "but we don't have enough extracurricular experience." This is why the business school application consulting approach that I have developed includes Application Strategy, Examples Selection and Positioning Guidance. In this, we identify both your positives and opportunities, review your complete profile for appropriate examples, and help you position them to mitigate a weakness or highlight a strength.

All the best with your business school applications! An MBA is truly a life-changing experience.

For a Free Initial Consultation on your profile, check us out at My MBA Admit: MBA Admissions Consulting or email us at MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.com.

My MBA Admit/Admit World Contest - Answers here!

2010-06-14T15:22:00Z

Thank you to everyone who entered the Admit World ACE contest! We received a number of entries and appreciate the efforts of everyone who took the time to participate.

If you sent in an entry, you have won your choice of either :

$50 off certificate on any of our MBA Admissions Consulting package (School, Volume Discounts, Targeted Solutions or Application Services) or
50% discount on our unique Business School Selection and MBA Candidate Profiling report

Look for an email from us on how to redeem your prizes.

The winner gets a FREE Business School Selection and MBA Candidate Profiling report ($100 value!)

And now, the part that everyone is waiting for:

What does ACE stand for?

ACE stands for the three steps of our Admission Consulting Process: AIM, CREATE and ELEVATE. Together, these help you ACE your MBA applications.

AIM starts the MBA Admission Consulting Process.
It covers a candidacy overview, application strategy, and business school selection (including the Business School Selection and MBA Candidate Profiling report) to develop an admissions Action Plan tailored to your past achievements and future ambitions.

CREATE is the main step of the MBA Admission Consulting Process.
It includes developing all application components including MBA essays, resume, personal statements and extracurricular activitysummaries through multiple rounds of essay editing, resume review and overall feedback. We ensurethat these include your strongest examples which are positioned tobest fit the business school you are applying to.

ELEVATE completes the MBA Admission Consulting Process.
It takes your MBA application experience to a whole new level throughvaluablemodules including interview preparation, recommendation review,career counseling, and scholarship and financial aid advice. The endresult is a polished business school application package thatprovides a complete overview of your MBA candidacy, selects andhighlights your strongest achievements, and consistently demonstratesthese through every component and admissions committee interaction.

Want to learn more on how the Admit World ACE process can help you ace your MBA applications? Check us out at MyMBAAdmit.com or schedule a Free Initial Consultation by emailing MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.com today!

My MBA Admit/Admit World Contest: $100 reward! FINAL hint! Closes today!

2010-06-09T15:42:00Z

Our third and FINAL hint on the ACE contest which closes today! (see above for full contest details and additional hints!)

Check out the new My MBA Admit Consultations page, with our expanded product range and lower pricing. Read through it for the answer!

Remember, $50 off or a 50% discount on our Business School Selection and MBA Candidate Profiling report just for entering!

Winner gets a Business School Selection and MBA Candidate Profiling report ($100 value) plus unlimited phone consultation to discuss the report results.

Email us your best guess on the ACE Contest at MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.com by 11:59 pm ET tonight!

My MBA Admit/Admit World Contest: $100 reward! Check for new hint!

2010-06-04T03:16:00Z

As promised,

Hint for today:

ACE stands for three individual words that make up the steps of a process.

Multiple entries are accepted. If you have sent one already and the hint makes you think of something new, enter again!

Best of luck!

My MBA Admit/Admit World Contest - $100 reward! Prizes just for entering!

2010-06-02T17:56:00Z

Dear Readers,

My MBAAdmit has partnered with Admit World to offer a full roster of end-to-end MBA Admission Consulting services. We promise our clients the Admit World ACE process, our proven approach to offer a complete admissions consulting experience with services that include Application Evaluation, GMAT Consultation,Essay Editing, Resume Critique, Recommendation Review and Interview Preparation at very competitive prices.

The contest question is: What does ACE stand for? (Hint: we refer to it as a "process" above).

Winner gets a free Candidate Profiling and School Selection report - a $100 value! - which simulates a mini-application process with a detailed questionnaire, interview, short essays and resume evaluation to develop a detailed applicant profile. For everyone who is planning to apply for an MBA, this report offers 100+ business schools worldwide with the applicant's chances of being accepted at each of them.

Plus:
As a special thank you for entering, ALL participants get their choice of $50 off any Admissions Consulting service or package or 50% off our Candidate Profiling and School Selection report.

Looking for more hints?
Check again on Thursday, June 4 2010!

Message us your answers at MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.com.Contest will close in one week at 11:59 pm ET, June 9 2010.

Get in touch with us for more details on our new packages and prices or schedule a Free Initial Consultation by email: MBAConsult@MyMBAAdmit.comor phone: +1 646-703-0024.

My MBA Admit at a Kaplan panel in NYC on March 25! See you there!

2010-03-19T17:45:00Z

Our founder at My MBA Admit will be participating in a panel for potential MBA applicants, sponsored by Kaplan. The questions covered will be those faced by every MBA candidate, such as choosing the right business school, tackling the MBA application, post-MBA career opportunities, etc.

Click on the link to REGISTER NOW for a fantastic opportunity to meet MBA alumni from the top business schools across the United States!

Date: Next Thursday, March 25
Time: 7-9 pm
Location: New York City
Address: 888 7th Avenue @ 56th Street- 22nd Floor Auditorium

Complete Details below:
Business School Alumni Panel

Featuring Booth, Harvard, Kellogg, MIT & Stern

As Kaplan continues to provide you, a prospective MBA, with top GMAT preparation we also want to ensure you have a holistic view at what business school is all about. To that point we’d like to invite you to attend this upcoming panel.

Business School Alumni Panel

Thursday, March 25th

6:30pm Welcome, Refreshments & Networking with MBAs

7:00pm Main Panel with Q&A

Kaplan Inc. Headquarters

888 7th Avenue @ 56th Street- 22nd Floor Auditorium

The Business School Alumni Panel will be moderated by Andrew Mitchell, Chicago Booth MBA and Kaplan’s Assistant Director of Pre Business Programs, and will cover topics including:

* What B-school is right for you
* How to best tackle the application process
* The experience of b-school itself
* Career and life after an MBA
* Q&A and much more

Featured Panelists:

Heather Hammond; Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University

Consultant with Russell Reynolds Associates where she is focused on conducting assignments for financial services clients, with a focus on investment banking, sales and trading and capital markets positions.

Andrew Immerman; Harvard Business School

Portfolio Manager at CR Intrinsic Investors, LLC, a division of SAC Capital Advisors, LP. Prior to joining Intrinsic, Mr. Immerman spent four years as an Investment Analyst at Viking Global Investors LP, responsible for identifying and researching investment ideas across industries.

Khyati Soparkar; Booth Graduate School of Business at University of Chicago

Marketer for the financial services and higher education industries before and after her MBA. She currently coaches and mentors business school applicants on all aspects of the admissions process at her company My MBA Admit (http://mymbaadmit.com/).

Lisa Stringer; New York University - Leonard N Stern School of Business

Lead Project Manager of Kaplan’s business systems. Prior to overseeing the business systems she managed Kaplan’s Inventory and Pre-College relationships. Before Kaplan, and prior to business school, Lisa was a 3rd grade teacher.

Lee Weiss; MIT Sloan School of Management

Pre-College Faculty Manager for Manhattan overseeing 75+ teachers and working closely with the sales, marketing and service teams. Prior to joining Kaplan Inc., from business school, Lee was a Global Leadership Express recruit of American Express Inc., where he worked in the Risk, Information and Banking Group on New Accounts and on M&A Deals and Partnerships.

My MBA Admit Client receives invites to BOTH Tepper and Haas after submitting MBA applications in the third round! How did she do it?

2010-03-19T15:40:00Z

I was in the middle of booking MBA Admissions Consulting client appointments at My MBA Admit for the next week when one of my clients called in. She was so excited, she could barely speak.
"I have good news, I have good news!"
I had a feeling I knew what it was.
After applying to two competitive programs, Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley, and Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon, in the third round, she received invites to BOTH!
Her emotion, and her words as she hung up continue to echo in my head: "I couldn't have done it without you!"

No matter how many of such calls I get, I never tire of it. For me, it's the best part of the job. After all those hours of brainstorming to find the right examples, tailoring those to the MBA programs at hand, guiding clients over consecutive drafts as they write their essays, revising and polishing those together to ensure their clarity to the business school AdCom, it's a validation of all our efforts together to receive an invite from that dream program.

It's especially satisfying for me since it is my personal approach that we use at My MBA Admit to consult on a client's application. Here's how we do it:

We never write application essays, but coach clients on overall communication skills. We don't tell them what to put in their MBA applications to business school, but brainstorm on the best examples together. We could polish their resume on our own, but instead, we teach them what to look for and learn how to change it themselves. Clients can either ask for recommendation letters blindly, or can follow our approach to help their recommenders understand how to present their endorsements. And finally, data forms can be a shot-in-the-dark listing of every single lemonade stand they have run, or a targeted listing of their responsibilities that are relevant to their career ambitions. The essence is taking a long-term approach and teaching My MBA Admit clients how to succeed both as MBAcandidates and in post-MBA opportunities, rather than a short-term onethat just focuses on getting them into business school.

As I always tell my graduate admissions consulting clients, 'Business school is not a destination, but a way to get to your dream position." My advise to all MBA candidates is to treat it the same way. There are many consultants who will take a substantial amount and write your applications themselves. You may even get in. But wouldn't it better for you to improve your business communications skills, interviewing techniques and resume writing skills to ensure life-long success, rather than just for the business school application?

Want to know more about how we can help? Email us at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com or check out the My MBA Admit website.

Prefer the GRE over GMAT? Now, you may have the option, as Harvard, Wharton and more, accept GRE

2010-03-09T18:02:00Z

GMAT is a cause for concern among MBA applicants. When working with business school admissions clients on GMAT consultations, we are frequently asked on how important the GMAT is for the MBA application and how will it impact admission chances at b-school.

When we first take on an MBA admissions client, we look at their profile from three perspectives - academic, professional and personal. One of the major components of the academic section is the GMAT. If you have a less-than-stellar academic history from undergraduate or previous graduate degrees, the GMAT assumes greater significance. Essentially, your GMAT score is a convenient metric for business school admissions committees to figure out how you rank against your potential MBA classmates. Obviously, it is one of many factors that affect your MBA admission chances, but it remains an important part of your business school application.

With all that being said, wouldn't it be nice to have an alternative? Now, there is, and the trend seems set to continue. Many US business schools, as well as international MBA programs now accept the GRE as a substitute for the GMAT in an MBA application. Among the top schools, we have NYU (New York University, Stern School of Business), Harvard University, Wharton (University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School - beginning 2010), Yale University and Columbia (but so far, Executive MBA program only). Business schools are realizing that an increasingly diverse pool of MBA applicants with a multitude of professional and academic backgrounds, require options.

So if you are applying for an MBA sometime soon, in the United States or abroad, and would prefer the GRE over GMAT, check the list below. If it's not on the list*, doesn't hurt to ask your MBA program anyway. Business schools follow trends, and are responsive to the needs of their students. The newest trend seems to be an increasing acceptance of GRE, as a substitute for GMAT, as part of the MBA application.

*Lists are subject to change. Verify GRE acceptance with your target MBA program.

United States
* Adams State College
* Adelphi University
* Alaska Pacific University
* Alliant International University
* Alvernia University
* American Jewish University
* Antioch University New England
* Arcadia University
* Augsburg College
* Azusa Pacific University
* Bainbridge Graduate Institute
* Baldwin Wallace College
* Barry University
* Bay Path College
* Belhaven College
* Bob Jones University
* Brandeis University
* Brandman University
* Brenau University
* Brescia University
* California Baptist University
* California State University – Bakersfield
* California State University – Chico
* California State University – Stanislaus
* Campbellsville University
* Capital University
* Capitol College
* Christian Brothers University
* City University of Seattle
* Claremont Graduate University
* Clark University
* Clarkson University
* Clemson University
* Cleveland State University
* College of Mount Saint Vincent
* College of St. Scholastica
* Colorado Christian University
* Colorado State University – Ft Collins
* Columbia University (EMBA Program)
* Concordia University – Portland
* Cumberland University
* Dartmouth University
* Delaware Valley College
* DeVry University, Arizona
* DeVry University, California
* DeVry University, Colorado
* DeVry University, Florida
* DeVry University, Georgia
* DeVry University, Illinois
* DeVry University, Indiana
* DeVry University, Maryland
* DeVry University, Minnesota
* DeVry University, Missouri
* DeVry University, Nevada
* DeVry University, New York
* DeVry University, North Carolina
* DeVry University, Oakbrook Terrace
* DeVry University, Ohio
* DeVry University, Oklahoma
* DeVry University, Oregon
* DeVry University, Pennsylvania
* DeVry University, Texas
* DeVry University, Virginia
* DeVry University, Washington
* DeVry University, Wisconsin
* Dominican University of California
* Drury University
* Everglades University
* Fairmont State University
* Ferris State University
* Fitchburg State College
* Florida Atlantic University
* Florida Institute of Technology
* Florida International University
* Florida Southern College
* Florida State University
* Fort Hays State University
* Fresno Pacific University
* Frostburg State University
* Gardener-Webb University
* Geneva College
* Georgetown University (EMBA program)
* Georgia College and State University
* Georgia Southern University
* Georgia Southwestern State University
* Goldey Beacom College
* Harvard Business School
* Hofstra University
* Humboldt State University
* Indiana Institute of Technology
* Indiana University of Pennsylvania
* Jacksonville University
* John Brown University
* Johns Hopkins University
* Johnson & Wales University
* Kansas Wesleyan University
* Keiser University
* Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
* Laboratory Institute of Merchandising
* La Sierra University
* Lincoln University Oakland
* Loma Linda University
* Louisiana State University Shreveport
* Maharishi University of Management
* Malone College
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* Medaille College
* Mercyhurst College
* Mesa State College
* Misericordia University
* Missouri Southern State University
* Missouri State University
* Missouri University of Science and Technology
* Monmouth University
* Morehead State University
* Morgan State University
* Mount Mary College
* Murray State University
* National University – California
* Naval Postgraduate School
* New York University
* Northern Kentucky University
* North Park University
* Northwest Christian College
* Northwest Missouri State University
* Northwood University
* Nova Southeastern University
* Oakland City University
* Oklahoma Christian University
* Oklahoma City University
* Oral Roberts University
* Oregon State University
* Our Lady of the Lake University – San Antonio
* Pacific Lutheran University
* Pacific States University
* Park University
* Pepperdine University
* Pfeiffer University
* Piedmont College – Demorest
* Point Park University
* Purdue University – Main Campus (Part-time MBA)
* Regent University
* Reinhardt College
* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
* Rice University (EMBA Program)
* Rochester Institute of Technology
* Rollins College
* Rowan University – Glassboro
* Rutgers University – New Brunswick (EMBA Program)
* Salve Regina University
* Savannah State University
* Shenandoah University
* Sonoma State University (EMBA Program)
* Southern Illinois University Carbondale
* Southern Utah University
* Southern Wesleyan University
* Southwest Minnesota State University
* Southwestern Adventist University
* St. Ambrose University
* St. Bonaventure University
* St. Edwards University
* St. Peters College
* St. Thomas University
* Stanford University
* Stevens Institute of Technology
* Strayer Education, Inc.
* Sul Ross State University
* SUNY at Stony Brook
* SUNY Institute of Technology
* Tarleton State University – Stephenville
* Texas A&M College Station
* Texas A&M International University
* Texas A&M University – Commerce
* Troy University – Atlanta
* Troy University – Troy
* Troy University – Atlantic Region
* Troy University – Dothan
* Troy University – Montgomery
* Troy University – Phenix City
* University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
* University of Alabama at Birmingham
* University of Alaska at Fairbanks
* University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
* University of California Riverside
* University of Central Florida
* University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
* University of Colorado at Denver
* University of Dallas
* University of Denver
* University of Evansville (EMBA Program)
* University of Findlay
* University of Houston – Victoria
* University of Louisiana – Monroe
* University of Louisville
* University of Massachusetts Amherst (Part-Time MBA)
* University of Memphis
* University of New Mexico
* University of North Alabama
* University of North Carolina – Greensboro
* University of North Carolina Wilmington
* University of North Dakota
* University of North Texas
* University of Oregon (EMBA Program)
* University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School (for applications beginning infall 2010)
* University of Redlands – Burbank
* University of Redlands – Orange County
* University of Redlands – Rancho Cucamonga
* University of Redlands – Redlands
* University of Redlands – Riverside
* University of Redlands – San Diego
* University of Redlands – Temecula
* University of Redlands – Torrance
* University of Rhode Island
* University of South Carolina
* University of South Florida – Sarasota
* University of Southern Maine
* University of Tampa
* University of Texas at Austin
* University of Texas at Brownsville
* University of Texas at Dallas (Part-time MBA)
* University of Texas at San Antonio
* University of the Incarnate Word
* University of Utah (Professional MBA and EMBA Programs)
* University of Vermont
* University of Virginia
* University of Washington – Bothell
* University of Washington Tacoma
* University of West Florida
* University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
* University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
* University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
* University of Wyoming
* Upper Iowa University
* Utah State University
* Utah Valley University
* Valdosta State University
* Wake Forest University
* Washington University in St. Louis
* Wayland Baptist University
* Webster University
* Wesleyan College – Georgia
* West Texas A&M University
* Western New England College
* Whitworth University
* Widener University
* Willamette University
* Wingate University
* Yale University
* York College of Pennsylvania

Belgium
* United International Business Schools – Antwerp International Business School
* United International Business Schools – Brussels International BusinessSchool

Canada
* Concordia University
* Lakehead University
* Queen’s School of Business
* St. Mary’s University
* University of Calgary
* Univ of New Brunswick – Saint John
* University of Toronto (EMBA Program starting Fall 2010)

China
* Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
* China Europe International Business School
* Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) at Shanghai Jiao TongUniversity

Colombia
* University of the Andes

Costa Rica
* INCAE Business School

Cyprus
* University of Cyprus

France
* Audencia Nantes School of Management

Germany
* European University Center for Management Studies – Munich
* HHL Graduate School of Management

Hong Kong
* Chinese University of Hong Kong (EMBA Program)
* Hong Kong Baptist University
* University of Hong Kong

India
* Aegis School of Business
* Lovely Professional University & MBA

Italy
* Alma Graduate School
* European School of Economics
* Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
* University of Trento

Japan
* Doshisha University
* Sophia University

Korea
* Seoul National University
* Yonsei University

Kyrgyzstan
* American University of Central Asia

Monaco
* International University of Monaco

Netherlands
* Tilburg University (EMBA Program)

Pakistan
* National University of Computer & Engineering Science

Portugal
* AESE Escola de Direcçáo e Negócios

Puerto Rico
* Inter American University of Puerto Rico
* Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
* Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico

Singapore
* Nanyang Technological University
* National University of Singapore

Spain
* Barcelona School of Economics
* European University Barcelona
* Instituto de Empresa
* International University of Southern Europe – Barcelona Business School
* International University of Southern Europe – Madrid Business School
* International University of Southern Europe – Valencia Business School

Switzerland
* European University Geneva
* University of Geneva

Taiwan
* National Chiao Tung University

Thailand
* Asian Institute of Technology
* Bangkok University
* Yonok College

Turkey
* Izmir University of Economics
* Sabanci University

United Kingdom
* Leeds University

An older Indian woman with an IT background and a three-year undergraduate degree applying for MBA. Chances at top US business schools?

2010-03-08T15:10:00Z

MBA candidates from India frequently face having to get around the US business schools requirements of 16 years of academic experience. As the volume of MBA candidates from India has increased (at most schools they form the largest proportion of international candidates), some business schools have been accepting three-year undergraduate degrees from India. Of course, some still don't, and it's always prudent to check.

The example below is of an older female MBA candidate with an IT background and a three-year undergraduate degree from India. She undertook another undergraduate degree from the US to fulfill the 16 years academic experience requirement from business school.

How does being older, female, Indian, having an IT background and a three-year undergraduate degree from India affect an applicant's chances for an MBA at top US business schools?

Applicant:

Age: 34
W/E: 10 years [currently]
GMAT:Yet to take
Sex: Female

Academic profile:
Idid my bachelors degree (3 years degree program) from India. After getting rejected from few b-schools, realized that my 3 years degree is going to be hindrance in pursuing masters degree. So I decided to get a bachelors degree from US. Finally, attended school, where I got credit for my first bachelors degree and finished the bachelors degree from US. I graduated in Dec. 2009 with honors and earned a GPA of 3.97.Also, got the Distinguished Achievement Award from my university.

Professional profile:
I belong to the huge IT pool and worked in one of the top 5 software companies in India for 4 years and working in US from last 6 years. Currently, I am working as Senior Business Analyst on a project and also got appointed as Project Manager in my company two years ago. As PM, I lead a group of four team members. I have got few appreciation letters from my clients and also got the best employee award from my company three years ago.

My plan is to take GMAT in next few months and apply to some of the best business schools for the class starting in 2011. What are my chances of getting into any of the best business schools in US?

My MBA Admit:

You are a little older than the average full-time MBA candidate. The average age at most top programs is around 27. Besides affecting your chances for admission, what this means from a more practical perspective, is that much of the curriculum and many of the employment opportunities are targeted to candidates with fewer years of work experience. This is not so at executive programs, for both the academic and professional opportunities, and hence it is possible that you might be a better fit there.

However, that is not to say that you cannot get into a full-time MBA program at one of the top 10 schools.As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, the age range of my own MBA class was 21-42! When you are a bit of an outlier as an applicant, it becomes more necessary to have strong reasons on why it makes sense for you to seek an MBA at this point, when you are possibly more senior at the workplace than your classmates.

There are many schools that do accept 3-year undergraduate degree programs, just as there are thoset hat don't. If you have gotten rejections, I would refrain from quickly ascribing it to having a three-year degree. I like that you took the initiative to get another Bachelor's degree and attained academic honors. Although it will certainly help your case to have an undergraduate degree that can be quickly categorized at a US business school, I might have advised you to complete a one-year Master's degree instead. It would have resolved the issue of 16 years of academic experience, and garnered you an additional Master's degree.

Your work experience in IT will not set you apart by itself, since Indians with an IT background are a common demographic. Rather, the personality, achievements and unique experiences that you bring out through your application will be much more useful.

In summary,your application chances at one of the top full-time programs are slightly hampered by your age and IT background. However, being a woman with a potentially high GMAT score, strong essays and recommendations, and connecting with your interviewer can do much to raise your chances. For now, focus on the GMAT. When the time comes, apply to a mix of schools to be on the safe side.

If you would like to learn more on how we can help, drop us an email at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com or find about our Application Packages and Volume Discounts that will help position you in the best way for your target business schools.

The important of Career Counseling, or a Master's in Finance (MS Finance) or an MBA?

2010-03-04T16:01:00Z

In the excitement of applying for an MBA, it is difficult to remember that an MBA is the means to an end, rather than an end in itself. The end result is demonstrated in what you do with it. Obtain the job of your dreams, start your business, add it as a credential that will help on multiple occasions...or something else that achieves the basic purpose of an MBA - help you move forward.

One of the first things you will do in practically the first week of your MBA program is tailor your resume to the industry/career you are looking for, at least for the summer internship. If you are not sure of that, you might not be in the first place to get the most out of your MBA, which is a relatively short 21 months for a full-time MBA, and even shorter for a one-year MBA! I agree that people change their minds after getting into the program, but having at least one well-thought and viable career option is important. A strong career plan not helps convince the AdCom of your candidacy, but puts you in a good place for the recruiting season as well, which starts about 6 weeks into your first semester.

This is where Career Counseling comes in. After coming across across numerous graduate school applicants with exemplary credentials but not a well thought-out career plan, we have been offering Career Counseling to My MBA Admit clients on a stand-alone basis or as part of our Volume Discounts and Application Packages.

Our logic is simple. You are spending $150K on your degree, two years of your life, plus the opportunity cost of lost earnings. Isn't it worth it to have a strong career plan to make all that investment of time and money worthwhile?

Master's in Finance (MS Finance) or an MBA?

Applicant:
GMAT (2nd attempt): 720 (Q49, V39).
GMAT (1st attempt): 610 - Q49, V25.

Work Exp - 3.5 years (will be 4+ by the time I start my school)
Break up of 3.5 years
- 1.5 years (IT - India) - worked as a Business Analyst
- 1.5 years (IT - US) - worked as a Business Analyst
- Around 6-7 months (IT+Finance - India) - working as a Business Analyst for a BIG US Company (Into Commercial Finance)

Iknow people choose btw MS Fin/MBA depending upon their interests. Iwant to be an investment banker as I love maths and figures. So kindlysuggest a degree.

My MBA Admit:

AMaster's in Finance is a way to strengthen your background in thesubject. Depending on the program and the MBA you are comparing it to,it will possibly offer higher-level courses in quantitative financethan an MBA which offers a more diverse mix of courses to suit thevaried interests of its students. However, a Master's in Financetraditionally has fewer takers than an MBA. This translates to feweremployers on campus, making it slightly harder to secure a job aftergraduation.

On the other hand, if you are keen on being aninvestment banker, MBA and then Investment Banking is an establishedcareer path, and one that comes with many recruitment opportunitiesboth during and after MBA. If your main reason for pursuing an MBA isto obtain an investment banking job, I would recommend an MBA over MSFinance.

Besides helping our clients develop strongapplication packages, we also offer sessions in Career Counseling.Based on your situation, we would strongly recommend this. Email us at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to learn more, or check out our Volume Discounts and Application Packages.

Will unemployment hurt my chances at a top MBA program? What can I do before I apply or while waiting to hear back?

2010-03-03T02:21:00Z

Job losses have been an accepted, although unfortunate, part of the current economy. MBA applicants with otherwise stellar records are wondering if a job loss that causes a gap on their resume is enough to push them off the Accepted list at their top business schools. If you, or an applicant you know, is in the same situation, read on for advice from the admissions consultants at My MBA Admit on how to improve your chances.

Applicant:
690 gmat (46 quant, 40 verbal)
3 yrs of work experience in online advertising, very good recommendations, mediocre extracurricular activities - but currently unemployed.

Application situation:
cambridge - waitlisted
oxford - waiting to find out about interview
ucla - waiting
usc - waiting
columbia - waiting
yale - waiting
LBS - waiting to find out about interview

Is there anything I can do in the meantime to improve my application (other than finding a job, I'm currently looking). Thanks!

My MBA Admit:
Considering the current economy, unemployed candidates don't raise the same questions they used to. A lot of talented people, including top business school alumni, have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. However, the question is - how are you using this time to improve yourself as a professional and as a person?

A lot of people are volunteering and learning new skills. If you have been doing something for the community or going to extra classes that help in your personal and professional development and this is something new that you have started since the application, it would be a good thing to update the admissions committee on. I recently had a client who started using her IT skills to train immigrants, while another who took the opportunity to get his PMP certification. These experiences showed character along with perseverance, both important qualities for MBA applicants.

We recently helped a client get off a Columbia waitlist and into the admitted pool, and would be happy to review your situation in detail to see how we can help.

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your application further. Check out our Volume Discounts and Application Packages tailored to your admission needs.

Top Business Schools in the U.S. for Entrepreneurship

2010-02-09T21:35:00Z

Entrepreneurship is becoming the new Finance. As large corporations crumble and outlook for jobs remains grim, branching out on their own has become attractive to many professionals. This trend is slowly beginning to appear in business schools applicants as well. Instead of every third applicant citing Finance in the heydays of Wall Street, I see more people wanting to rely on themselves for their future careers. Of course, in this age of social responsibility, giving something back and helping the community are other oft-cited reasons for applicants wanting to do their own thing.

Among the top business schools, Chicago Booth, Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT and Haas have great entrepreneurship programs. Booth in particular, I can personally attest to from my own MBA with one of my concentrations in entrepreneurship. Among top 20 schools, Indiana Kelley, Austin McCombs and Babson College have great programs as well.

Obviously, you will find good entrepreneurship programs at many top schools. In this economy, as the jobs outlook remains uncertain, an increasing number of applicants are thinking of starting their own concern. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal even had an article of this trend continuing for years to come How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo - WSJ.com Go to the best program you can get in at - the brand reputation and network will stand you in good stead all through your career. But if you have to choose between multiple top ones, pick the one that has more connections with the industry you are planning to focus on. Depending on what you plan to focus your venture in, you will find that different programs meet your needs better.

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your MBA application. Check out our Volume Discounts and Application Packages tailored to your admission needs.

Potential Business Schools with a 570 GMAT? Or should I try again for a shot at a top MBA?

2010-02-05T17:52:00Z

570 GMAT due to low Verbal (but high AWA). How do I improve my score + potential business schools/MBA program with current score?

Applicant:
1st GMAT attempt with score of 570 (44Q,24V), but scored of 6.0 on AWA.
2+ yrs of IT experience.
Which US business schools can I apply to with this GMAT score? Or should I retake the GMAT?

My MBA Admit:

Your GMAT score is a weakness in your application. Coupled with the fact that you have just 2 years work experience and are part of the common business school applicant profile of Indian engineer with IT experience, you will have to work hard to convince admission committees. If you want to apply with this GMAT score, schools you could try are lower ranked ones such as Vanderbilt, Texas A & M, and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

However, did you prepare well for the GMAT this time? If you feel like you can prepare better, I would advise you to take the GMAT again. Since your AWA score was strong, it is very possible that learning GMAT Verbal techniques would help raise your score the second time and strengthen your candidacy for a top business school.

Applicant:
You did point out a valid point. It is true that I did not get enough time to study. I will take the advice of taking GMAT again. but need to first improve my verbal. I am confident about CR and RCs. The problem is with SC. I hardly get 4-5 correct. Any suggestion to improve SC?

My MBA Admit:
Sentence Correction relates to using correct grammar and the right expression in the appropriate style. This section tests the applicant on knowledge of American English above everything else.

With a perfect score on the AWA, improving your score on this should be relatively easy. One of the best ways to improve Sentence Correction is to, simply, read. The more you read, the more you will realize how certain terms and phrases are used together, as well the tense they should be set in. Practice questions will of course help, as will writing exercises.

This is a critical section to your success in business communication, which is a large part of any MBA program. I would urge you to practice more to score better in this section. It will help you both for the GMAT and beyond.

My MBA Admit coaches applicants on business communication along with our regular admission consulting services.

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your application further. Check out our Volume Discounts and Application Packages tailored to your admission needs.

Community involvement before an MBA. Reaching out to Business School profs before the application.

2010-02-01T21:44:00Z

This part-time MBA applicant would like to get involved in the community before applying for an MBA next year and is wondering how.

Also, he questions how to contact Business Schools professors and if it would help his MBA application.

My MBA Admit answers.

Applicant:

Applying to PT MBA programs next year. Would like to add to existing community service experience and connect with professors in my target B Schools.

1) For someone with no community service knowledge in the US, what would be your recommendation for the first place to look?

2) I would like to reach out to some professors @ Kellogg and Booth. What would be the most appropriate way to go about it? Also would it give me any leverage with respect to my B School apps?

My MBA Admit:
1) Community service participation is based on your interests.

It is another aspect of the MBA application that allows the Admission Committee to assess your soft skills, including leadership, initiative, teamwork, and yes, passion. Hence, it is better to do something you truly like to be able to make a meaningful contribution and speak about it in your essays rather than something for the sake of the MBA application alone.

To figure out your community service focus, first figure out your interests. My past clients have had experiences as diverse as spending a couple hours a week to improve an introverted child's social skills in LA, handling logistics to package and ship donations to Guyana, donating marketing skills to help a single mother's beauty parlor in Chicago and organizing Jewish singles mixers for the local synagogue in New York. For specific websites, try everyfuture.org or chicagovolunteer.net. Often, religious houses and workplaces also have volunteer opportunities for their members.

A few days ago, I posted a blog on community service in response to another applicant's community service question. Read it at http://blog.mymbaadmit.com/2010/01/25/w ... a-mba.aspx

2) I always recommend that my clients reach out to professors in their target schools.

These conversations give you a different perspective than reading just admissions materials, and give you a point of differentiation from others to showcase the depth of your research in your essays. Contact professors in your intended field of concentration - if their direct email addresses are not available, call/email the department and ask for a contact. As an ex-Boothie who contacted professors before being admitted, I can guarantee that professors are accessible and easy to talk to!

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your application further when you apply next year. In the meantime, check out our Volume Discounts and Application Packages to get an idea of the admissions services we offer at My MBA Admit.

Low GMAT, Low GPA - helping you catch a break on your application (Part 2)

2010-01-29T20:22:00Z

An applicant has relevant professional experience and strong undergraduate GPA in Business for a MS program in New York but is at the low range of GMAT for her target school. What are her chances for admission in Fall 2010?

Applicant:

Undergraduate degree: Business (Canada) 3.6 GPA
Marketing and customer service professional with 5 years of work experience.

Target: MS Program in Real Estate at Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College

GMAT: 510 (M 42 V 19 Essay 4.5)

My MBA Admit:

The GMAT range for MS and MBA programs at Zicklin is 510-710, with the average GPA for other programs including MS being 3.2. Although your GPA is higher than average, your GMAT just makes it in the 80% range.

Your work experience in customer service and marketing may be considered relevant to a real estate program and give you extra points, but the GMAT score will continue to be a weakness.

I was interested to see that your Essay score wasn't that low, but the Verbal section pulled down your score. I am optimistic that you won't have that much trouble scoring higher since it appears that it is the techniques of the GMAT Verbal section that are bringing you down, versus a problem with communicating in the English language. Taking a course on GMAT verbal to improve your understanding would be ideal, and based on your familiarity with English, it is possible you will see an improvement fairly quickly. Right now you have possibly relevant professional experience; a better GMAT score would boost your academic credentials as well.

My MBA Admit offer GMAT consultations and can recommend affordable GMAT verbal courses. Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your application further.

Low GMAT, Low GPA - helping you catch a break on your application (Part 1)

2010-01-29T19:54:00Z

Time to answer a couple more MBA applicant questions. If you have a low GMAT or GPA, don't despair. There are always options, alternatives and remedies. The important thing is to keep going, put in your best, and you will eventually make it.

Applicant:
Software professional with 5 years of work experience.
Undergraduate degree: Electrical Engineering (India), ~70% -First Class
Master's degree: Electrical Engineering (US), 2.9 GPA

Career goal: Launch consulting start-up for tech companies
Concentration: Entrepreneurship

1.What are my chances of getting into top business schools?
2.What should be the minimum GMAT Score I should be targeting?
3.Will my work experience be counted in my MBA applicant profile?

My MBA Admit:

Every application is evaluated from three perspectives - academic, professional and personal.

In your case, the academic scores are a weakness. In order to compensate,the other components of your application should be as strong as possible. Your GMAT score should be as high as you can get it, with a minimum of low 700s. Not only will this help you to compensate for your low undergraduate and graduate GPA but will allow you to stay in the range for your profile (Indian, engineering background), since thetypical Asian engineer scores higher than the average MBA applicant.

Regarding your chances of getting into top schools, I would target the top 25,versus the top 10. You can improve your candidacy by targeting your application to the school that specializes in your career goals. For example, I recently worked with an University of Texas applicant - although this school is not in the top 10, it has a strong entrepreneurship bent which was ideal for his plans to grow his own business while being able to return to his home state of Texas. The more compelling reasons you give for attending a school, the better are your chances.

About your work experience, it does count but you will have to ensure that the examples you give in your essay as well as achievements you relate in your resume are tailored to the MBA program and your future career goals to ease the decision of the Admission Committee.

At My MBA Admit, we specialize in selecting the right MBA programs for the candidate, including only those attributes and experiences that showcase the best fit and critiquing the resume to be a strong component of your application instead of a list of everything that you have done so far.

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com to discuss your application further.

What if I don't like community service and want to apply for a MBA?

2010-01-25T21:57:00Z

Business schools traditionally look for community service in a MBA application for multiple reasons.

One, obviously, ethical practices and giving back have become increasingly important across the business world, and candidates with an innate interest would be a stronger natural fit for taking on extra projects that benefit the community and raise the company profile.

However, community service has a more immediate use for the business school admissions committees - for gauging a MBA applicant's fit for their program through examples outside the rigid structure of the workplace. It is a fair assumption that a candidate who demonstrates leadership, communication, initiative and focus without the incentives of monetary gain or professional advancement can truly practice these attributes and can hit the ground running for academic, personal and professional success in business school.

All this is well and good.

However, what if like the candidate below, you are simply not that interested in community service?

Below is a question series MyMBAAdmit received on one of our partner forums.

Applicant:

I don't have an interest in traditional community service. If I were to do this, it would only be to position myself for the MBA application. What do elite business schools look for in terms of community service in the MBA application?

If I were to do anything extracurricular, I am very interested in becoming an umpire/referee/Track & Field official. Would that help? What skills would I need to emphasize?

My MBA Admit:

There is no set definition for community service. Effective community service is when you can benefit the community by contributing your unique talents.

My clients have had many facets of community in their applications, including one who coached a football team for physically handicapped children. If sports are your interest and you feel you can contribute, go for it. By participating in something you are interested in, you will be more committed to making a meaningful impact rather than community service that you are doing only for the MBA application.

Thank you for your response. Now I have another question:

I just got certified to become a referee and according to league rules, I have to get paid per game (even though I would gladly do it without the compensation). Does this still count as extra-curricular activity, or would I have to list it as a second job?

My MBA Admit:
I would still think of this as an activity, versus a side job.

By participating in these activities, you are demonstrating that you are committed enough to go to the effort of getting certified and regularly putting in your time. Plus, you are building a host of soft skills including leadership, initiative and teamwork that are definitely outside the workplace. In this light, the fact that you are getting a small compensation becomes almost irrelevant. Focus instead on the benefits of this activity - both for you in terms of character-building and for those you are helping in the sports community.

In summary, as we advised this applicant, community service is what you, the applicant, makes out of it. The more time and effort you put in, the stronger is your position to achieve substantial benefits and demonstrate these in your application. However, you will be more inclined to put in the time and effort if you are truly interested. If hammering nails for Habitat for Humanity doesn't interest you, don't do it for the sake of the business school application. A less well-known cause, but one that you are truly committed to, will help both the community and you to a much greater extent.

What should I cover in my MBA essays?

2009-12-19T20:59:00Z

This is a question that comes up for every applicant as she drafts her MBA essays. Which is the right incident to cover? Does it matter that it didn’t have a completely positive outcome? What if the AdCom thinks I didn’t work enough with the team, and too much on my own? And, coming up very often, if I say “We”, would it seem like I didn’t do anything independently?

All of these boil down to one thing – What is the best thing to say in my MBA application essays so I get admitted to my dream business school?

Having worked with many MBA applicants, the common thing I have found in all successful applications is that the honest truth, polished to show the applicant in the best light, works best. Stretching the truth or worse, manufacturing it, does not work. Saying that you were responsible for company-altering decisions when nothing in your background or resume appears to corroborate, is more a red flag than a way to impress. Rather than trying to blow up your contributions by throwing in huge dollar amounts,focus on your individual impact and the results that you personally achieved. An example of the difference between a polished and unpolished essay showing impact

Unpolished: “I was part of a project that brought in $50Million in incremental sales.”

Polished: “I led a team of three to develop a new model that assessed increased sales for product X. This was considered effective enough to be rolled out across five different departments over the next year.”

Another point that applicants frequently miss out on is inserting the appropriate level of detail. We are very close to our own experiences since, obviously, we lived through them. However, the AdCom hasn’t. If something is important enough to you toinclude in your application essay, spend time to make sure the AdCom understands why. Else, it’s a throwaway sentence, just reducing the space available to you to make an impact on your reader. An example of the polished and unpolished versions describing the diversity and international experience of an applicant is:

Unpolished: “I have traveled extensively and studied in three different countries.”

Polished: “I have done homestays in Australia, backpacked in Morocco, explored the former Yugoslavia and most recently, trekked throughout Mexico. To immerse myself deeper in a country’s culture, I studied in Belize and Argentina for six months.”

As an MBA Admissions Consultant, my priority is to find the hidden gems in my client’s experiences and polish them to make the most convincing case for her admission to her dream business school. My advice to all applicants is simple – stay honest, choose the right experience and demonstrate it with the right angle.

Learn more about us at My MBA Admit.com