Your MBA Game Plan

This Blog Has Moved!

2009-09-20T11:46:00.001-07:00

Hello!

This blog has permanently moved to mbagameplan.com. All new posts from the MBA Game Plan team will appear there.

Please update your bookmarks accordingly!

Columbia Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-09-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here are Columbia Business School's application essays and deadlines for the September 2010 intake. Everything remains pretty the the same since last year, but we've put everything to make sure our readers have everything they need. Our comments follow in italics:

Columbia Business School Application Deadlines
Early Decision: October 7, 2009
Deadline for International Applicants: March 3, 2010
Deadline for U.S. Citizens & Permanent Residents: April 14, 2010

Columbia Business School Application Essays

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

(This is a fairly standard question that you no doubt have seen on other applications. Where applicants tend to go wrong most often, though, is by failing to explain why specifically Columbia is the best place for them to earn their MBA. The school's big name and proximity to Wall Street are obvious advantages, but what else does Columbia offer that you can't find anywhere else?

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

(This question was new last year, but carries over unchanged this year. Columbia's emphasis on its Master Classes is clear -- the admissions committee seeks applicants who have rolled up their sleeves and made thing happen, rather than pure theorists. They'll also looking for introspection -- ideally you can illustrate what you learned, the impact it had on you, and how it made you a better business manager or leader.)

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?

(This question also carries over unchanged after being new last year. Every year many clients who ask, "Are you sure I should discuss any failures in my application?" Yes, you definitely should, as long as you can show how you grew from the experience. In this way, your answer could end up overlapping with your answer to #2. So, it's best to not use a failure story for #2, and to save your failure story for this question.)

For more advice on applying to Columbia, visit Veritas Prep's Columbia Business School information page. And, to get the most up-to-date information on Columbia and all other top business schools, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

GMAC Questions the GRE Comparison Tool

2009-09-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

After ETS has made some significant inroads into GMAT market share with its own GRE over the past year, GMAC is now hitting back with an article on its site that debunks ETS's GRE Comparison Tool for Business Schools.

"This GRE comparison tool is not as precise at it may appear, and using it is not as straightforward as presented. The comparison tool is about averages. Admission decisions are about individuals," argues GMAC in the article on its site.

GMAC's argument against the tool was primarily a statistical one:

"As a specific example, for a GRE verbal score of 660 and quantitative score of 670, the tool would predict a GMAT Total score of 650. In this case, 1 in 4 people with this predicted score would actually earn 600 or below if they were to take the GMAT exam. In addition to prediction error, there is also measurement error in both the verbal and quantitative GRE scores, so the chance that this individual would actually score something close to 650 is extremely thin."

Going further, GMAC then raises the question of whether comparing students with actual GMAT scores to those with predicted scores is fair: "To use predicted GMAT scores along with actual ones unfairly penalizes both sets of test takers, because applicants with valid GMAT scores could be displaced by applicants with predicted scores that are much too high."

Interestingly, ETS launched the GRE Comparison Tool GRE® Comparison Tool at www.ets.org/gre/comparison about a year ago, but now that web address redirects to a promotion encouraging business schools to start accepting the GRE. Maybe GMAC was able to apply enough pressure to get ETS to remove the tool? Maybe ETS decided it needs to go back to the drawing board?

While we expect that the GRE is here to stay in the graduate management education admissions business, we agree with GMAC that the GMAT is still the most proven measure of the skills an MBA applicant needs to succeed in the classroom. If you're thinking about grad degrees and general and are only somewhat interested in earning an MBA, then perhaps the GRE is the better place to start. If you're sure that a top-tier MBA is what you want, however, the GMAT is your best bet.

And, if you're ready to dig into the GMAT, start with the GMAT preparation tools and services available at Veritas Prep.

Univeristy of Michigan (Ross) MBA Admissions Essays for 2009-2010

2009-09-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today we look at The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business' admissions essays. Ross's essays actually carry over completely unchanged vs. last year, and so our analysis remains pretty much the same.

Note that when a school keeps its essays the same, that suggests that its essays are working well for the admissions office, meaning that they do a good job of helping the admissions team separate out the great applicants from the merely good ones. So, make sure you're sufficiently answering the questions they ask! That's always important advice, but in this case it's even more important (if that's even possible!).

Here are the Ross MBA admissions essays, followed by our comments in italics:

Michigan (Ross) Application Essays
Long Answers:

Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross? (500 words)

Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization. (500 words)

(Note the emphasis on leadership in the second question. Ross not only wants to know what you accomplished, but also wants to understand exactly what you did to make it happen. Also, note that this question also focuses on the impact that your actions had on your organization. More than your role or job title, admissions officers care about what positive impact you truly have on those around you.)

Short answers:

If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (For example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multidisciplinary problems? (300 words)

(This question provides a good opportunity to show another side of you that may not otherwise come out in your application. As long as you can tie it back to one of the core dimensions in your application, don't be afraid to write about something that seems to be off the wall here.)

Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it. (300 words)

(As is the case with all "personal growth" questions, the most important part is the second one -- describing what you learned and how you changed as a result. While many schools ask more job-related failure/challenge questions, Michigan's focus here appears to be a little more on your personal life. If your most compelling story is a job-related one, that's not out of bounds, but make sure you can tie it back to what you learned and how you grew.)

Optional Question:

Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?

(If you really do feel the need to explain something, then address it and move on. In other words, don't dwell on it or provide that weakness with more stage time than it deserves!)

To stay up to date on admissions trends at Ross, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

HBS 2+2 Program Admits 115 Students

2009-09-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

This past week Harvard Business School released its admissions decisions for the HBS 2+2 Program. HBS has admitted 115 students, nine more than last year, according to HBS Director of Admissions Dee Leopold in an interview with the Harvard Crimson.

This year 843 rising college seniors applied to the program, an increase of more than 33% since last year, when 630 students applied. The number of students admitted also increased (from 106 last year), although the overall acceptance rate has dipped to just 13.6% (from 16.8% in 2008) because of all those additional applicants.

The increased number of applicants is at least in part a reflection of how much work the HBS admissions office did to spread the word about the program. The HBS 2+2 staff visited nearly 60 undergraduate colleges and universities, according to the article. As word of mouth grows and HBS continues to market the program, we expect the number of 2+2 applicants to keep growing significantly over the next few years.

Our "older" readers likely won't be pleased to see that HBS has carved out yet another nine seats for 2+2 students. While this trend does not help you if you're already out in the working world, we still believe that HBS will have to add another section to its class by the time the first 2+2 students -- who graduated from college this past spring -- enter HBS in Fall 2010.

To learn more about the HBS 2+2 Program and what they look for in college undergrads, visit Veritas Prep. And, as always, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

HBS Dean of Admissions on Letters of Recommendations

2009-08-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week Harvard Business School Dean of Admissions Dee Leopold wrote a blog post dispensing some good advice to HBS applicants regarding their MBA letters of recommendation. She hits on several key themes that we tell our clients, and that are covered in detail in Your MBA Game Plan, our MBA admissions guide.

These include:

Your recommendation writers MUST know you well. Every year we have clients approach us and say something along the lines of, "Good news. I think I can get my CEO to write a letter of recommendation for me." If your CEO hasn't worked with you extensively, and can't discuss your strengths and potential in great detail, then this isn't very good news. Admissions officers are impressed by what YOU have done, not by what your recommendation writer has done.

Details and specifics are a must. As Dee says, "What we are hoping for are brief recounts of specific situations and how you performed." Any recommendation written in general terms -- "He's a true leader... He exhibits teamwork all the time..." -- will fail to leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.

While your recommendations don't all have to come from your professional experiences, the best ones are usually written by someone who has evaluated your performance. Dee writes, "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." That kind of person is typically best suited to comment on your strengths and development areas.

Simply knowing an HBS student or grad doesn't give you any kind of advantage in the admissions process. See has this to say: "Please don't ask current HBS students to write to us on your behalf outside of the formal recommendation process." Of course, dozens (if not hundreds) will surely ignore her advice this year, but you heard it straight from Dee!

Dee's last point is a critical one. To answer the question of whether or not someone with a tenuous job situation should go to his or her boss for a letter of recommendation, Dee says, "Especially in these unusual times, please don't jeopardize your employment in order to secure a recommendation from a current employer." While we have also shared this advice before, we glad that Dee wrote this. Having it come from the head of admissions at HBS should put some jittery applicants at ease as they grapple with this question.

For more information and advice on applying to Harvard, visit the Veritas Prep HBS information page. Also, call Veritas Prep at 800-925-7737 and find out how they can help you with your recommendations!

MBA Programs That Accept the GRE

2009-08-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Since more and more top business schools have started to accept the GRE in addition to the GMAT, we have compiled a list of the top business schools that accept the GRE General Test. This list is not meant to be exhaustive (ETS's exhaustive list is here). Rather, these are the top business schools that have taken the plunge and started accepting the GRE.

Top Business Schools That Accept the GRE:

Harvard Business School

MIT Sloan School of Management

NYU Stern School of Business

Stanford Graduate School of Business

University of Virginia (Darden)

Yale School of Management

Note that Wharton will accept the GRE starting in Fall 2010.

To stay on top of this and other trends in MBA admissions, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

More Free Trial GMAT Classes from Veritas Prep

2009-08-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

After the amazing success or their first free trial GMAT classes earlier this summer, Veritas Prep has added more to the schedule between now and early October. These trial classes give you a terrific opportunity to meet your Veritas Prep GMAT instructor and get a taste of what makes Veritas Prep's GMAT prep curriculum so much more effective than the other leading companies' offerings.

This is the real first class of our flagship 14-session Full Course, taught by the same rigorously trained instructor who will teach your entire course. There are lot of them here, so we listed them alphabetically. Take a look and find your city!

Veritas Prep Free Trial GMAT Classes

Atlanta - September 8

Boston - September 8

Chicago - September 1

Dallas - September 8

London - September 8

Los Angeles - September 8

New Brunswick - September 8

New Haven - September 8

New York City - September 8

Palo Alto - October 6

Philadelphia - September 8

St. Louis - September 8

San Francisco - September 1

San Jose - September 8

Seattle - September 8

Toronto - September 8

Washington DC - August 31

Registration is limited, and last time Veritas Prep did have to close free trial registrations pretty early, so grab your spot now!

Chicago Booth's Rose Martinelli Gives Reapplication Advice

2009-08-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Last week Chicago Booth's Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions, Rose Martinelli, wrote a followup to her first blog post about how reapplicants can approach the MBA admissions process. While the first post gave very general information that our readers have seen multiple times (e.g., think about what aspects of your application you need to bolster, consider if your goals are the same this year...), Rose's second post contains some more concrete info that provides a good insight into how Chicago Booth reads reapplicants' applications.

About your data forms, Rose writes, "Do not rely on last year's application to provide us with that information since the forms change a little bit each year. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself -– why is this information important for the admissions committee to know about me?" While each school has its own approach for how much of your old application will make it into your new file, Chicago Booth includes your entire old application with your new submission. However, Rose stresses that your new application must present your candidacy fully.

About your resume, Rose says, "Your resume should be one that you would use for any job search, highlighting your role and accomplishments. " While she doesn't say it here, we would add that, although your resume should be complete and assume that the reader has no prior knowledge of your candidacy, you should put extra care into emphasizing what's new in the last year.

About your letters of recommendation, she has this to say: " While we know you may choose to use the same recommenders as in your prior application, ask your recommenders to update the information with your progression. It might also be helpful for you to take the time to meet with them to review your progress during this period and to highlight areas they might use as examples within the recommendation." This is all great advice -- don't assume that your recommendation writers know how to write you a great recommendation, no matter how smart they are or how strongly they support you.

Regarding your essays, Rose says, "Avoid regurgitating information you used last year -– whether essays or elements of your presentation. Be bold and start from scratch." One question is specifically meant for reapplicants: Essay question 1B asks what has changed since you last applied. Rose says, "This could be anything from work experience, new goals or a greater self awareness. Here's your chance to help us understand your growth from last year."

This is consistent with what we always tell our clients: You are absolutely welcome to reapply to any top business school, but you really need to highlight what's new since last year. While we appreciate Rose's comment about greater self awareness, ideally you will have concrete achievements that you can point to as new and different since the last time you applied. Our reapplicant clients are most successful when they're able to do just that.

For more advice on applying to Chicago Booth, visit Veritas Prep's Chicago Booth information page. And, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

UCLA Anderson Holds Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans

2009-08-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

This past weekend UCLA's Anderson School of Management ran its Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), a terrific program that offers training in entrepreneurship and small business management to U.S. military veterans who were disabled as a result of their service supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The EBV was first introduced by Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management in 2007. In 2008, the EBV Consortium of Schools was launched, a national partnership with UCLA Anderson School of Management, Florida State University's College of Business, and Mays Business School at Texas A&M.

The program was created to provide focused, practical training in the tools and skills of new venture creation and growth, reflecting issues unique to disability and public benefits programs. Veterans who complete the course also benefit from a support structure that they can call upon as they enter the business world, giving them years of ongoing value.

According to UCLA Anderson's EBV web site:

"The EBV program represents a unique opportunity for men and women who have sacrificed for America's freedom to take an important step toward realizing their own freedom - economic freedom - through entrepreneurship. EBV is a selective, rigorous, and intense educational initiative that has been created to make a difference. Accordingly, the application process itself is rigorous and selective."

Most impressively, EBV is entirely free for military veterans. All costs -- including travel, lodging, and meals -- are covered for delegates accepted to the EBV thanks to the participating universities as well as generous donations from corporations and individuals.

We applaud the work the EBV schools have done to advance such a terrific program for those who have been injured while serving their country.

If you are interested in applying to the EBV program, click here. If you're interested in learning more about UCLA Anderson's MBA program, visit the Veritas Prep UCLA Anderson information page.

NYU Stern Names New Dean

2009-08-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

The NYU Stern School of Business has just named Peter Blair Henry, currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Economics at Stanford University, its new dean effective January 15, 2010.

A Rhodes Scholar, Henry recently received some notoriety as the leader of the Obama Transition Team's review of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and other international lending agencies. He has also served as an economic advisor to governments from the Caribbean to Africa, Dean-designate Henry's scholarship focuses on the impact of economic reform on emerging economies.

NYU President John Sexton said, "After some time, one can read the 'body language' of a dean's search committee. Seldom –- if ever –- have I seen greater certainty or more enthusiasm for a candidate for a deanship. And when I met with him, it was immediately apparent why: a superb and highly productive economics scholar, a natural leader, a community-builder, and a manifestly good person, Peter Blair Henry has just the attributes to lead NYU's business school.

Henry is currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of International Economics, the John and Cynthia Fry Gunn Faculty Scholar, and Associate Director of the Center for Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was first appointed an assistant professor of economics in 1997.

He is also a Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and the Stanford Center for International Development, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Henry is President of the National Economic Association and received the Association's dissertation prize for his doctoral thesis.

For advice on applying to NYU Stern, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

UCLA Anderson Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-08-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

UCLA's Anderson School of Management has released its admissions essays and deadlines for the 2009-2010 application season. Here they are, followed by our comments:

UCLA Anderson Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 14, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2010
Round 3: March 17, 2010

(Note that, unlike most top business schools, Anderson actually moved its Round 1 deadline back vs. last year, although only by five days. Also, note that Anderson has moved its Round 3 deadline up by about two weeks.)

UCLA Anderson Admissions Essays

For first-time applicants:

Describe the ways in which your family and/or community have helped shape your development. (750 words)

(This question has been reworded this year, but is substantially the same as last year's first question. What's interesting to us is that it's been reworded to include less in the way of specifics than last year's question. Actually, in some ways, it's a combination of the first two questions from last year's application. While we don't know the Anderson admissions committee's motivations for certain, it seems as though they wanted to "open up" the question to give applicants enough room to talk about whatever they want, instead of limiting them too much with specific requests for details. Consider answering this question on with your personal development in mind. Your tendency will be to tie it right back to your career and why you're pursuing an MBA, but a more powerful and insightful response will usually deal with your personal beliefs and development.)

Describe the biggest risk you have ever taken, the outcome, and what you learned in the process. (500 words)

(This question is new this year, and it's a classic opportunity to employee the "SAR" method: Situation, Action, Result. The admissions committee lays out exactly what they're looking for -- not just what happened, but what you learned as a result. Be sure to spend enough time discussing this last point. Your best story may come from your professional life or your personal life; use the one that gives you the best chance to demonstrate growth and introspection.)

Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now and how will UCLA Anderson help you to achieve your goals? (750 words)

(This question remains the same since last year, and should be approached the same as most other "Career Goals" / "Why an MBA?" essays.)

Select and respond to one of the two following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio or video response, 1-2 minutes long (up to 5 MB maximum), for upload in the online application. If you are unable to submit your response via audio or video, then please prepare a written response instead. (250 words)

a. Entrepreneurship is a mindset that embraces innovation and risk-taking within both established and new organizations. Describe an instance in which you exhibited this mindset.

b. What is something people will find surprising about you?

(Now you can do video, too! While Anderson made waves by introducing an audio response last year, it's possible that, in the age if YouTube, a video response may one day become the norm. We're not surprised that Anderson dropped one of the audio essay options from last year, which asked, "What global issue matters most to you and why," which probably prompted a lot of "hot air" answers from applicants who were more concerned about sounding impressive than they were about giving authentic answers that revealed more about themselves. We think the Anderson admissions committee is interested in seeing and hearing how you communicate as much as they want to hear your specific answer. As we recommended last year, we think you should prepare well and make sure you deliver your answer smoothly, but a more impromptu-sounding response will sound warmer and more authentic than an overly scripted response. Lastly, have fun with this! Your response doesn't need to be funny or wacky, but brightening the admissions committee's day always helps.)

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

(Our advice for this type of question is always the same: Only use this question as necessary. No need to harp on a minor weakness and sound like you're making excuses when you don't need any.)

Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2008 or 2009 class have a different set of requirements than first-time applicants. Instead of submitting two letters of recommendation and the four regular essays, reapplicants are required to submit precisely one new letter of recommendation and the two essays below:

Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words)

(The admissions committee's goal here is clear: to be able to quickly judge how much stronger your candidacy is this year. Like all top schools, UCLA Anderson IS very receptive to receiving applications from reapplicants, but you need to show up with a a noticeably stronger application than what you submitted a year ago. What's changed? Have you been promoted at work? Achieved a higher score on the GMAT? Taken on a leadership role in your community? This is your chance to showcase it all in a single essay.)

Describe the biggest risk you have ever taken, the outcome, and what you learned in the process. (500 words)

(Since this essay didn't exist last year, it makes sense that the admissions committee also wants to see reapplicants' responses to this question.)

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

For more advice on applying to UCLA Anderson, visit the Veritas Prep UCLA Anderson information page. And, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Duke (Fuqua) Admissions Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-07-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Duke University's Fuqua School of Business won't release its new application for another few weeks, but the school did recently release its application deadlines for 2009-2010.

Here are the deadlines, followed by our comments in italics:

Duke (Fuqua) Application Deadlines
Early Action Round: October 6, 2009
Round 1: November 12, 2009
Round 2: January 7, 2010
Round 3: March 9, 2010

(Note that, unlike most other schools' Early Action rounds, Fuqua's is binding; schools normally call it "Early Decision" when it is binding. We only recommend applying via Early Action if your heart is set on Duke. If you are admitted, you must submit a non-refundable $3,000 deposit by December 10, 2009.)

For more advice on applying to Fuqua, visit Veritas Prep's Duke (Fuqua) information page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Dartmouth (Tuck) Application Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-07-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business won't release its full 2009-2010 application until mid-August, but the school has already announced its application deadlines for the coming year, and has also spread the word that its admissions essays remain the same since last year.

Our comments follow in italics:

Tuck Application Deadlines
Early Action Round: 10/14/09
November Round: 11/11/09
January Round: 1/6/10
April Round: 4/2/10

(Tuck is one of the few top business schools to offer an Early Action admissions option. "Early Action" means that the decision is non-binding, although if you are admitted you will need to send in a deposit by mid-January, or else you will give up your seat. If Tuck is your top choice, or at least a very close 2nd or 3rd choice, Early Action is a great way to signal your enthusiasm for the school.)

Tuck Application Essays

(There are no hard word limits for Tuck's essays, but Tuck does provide some guidance. According to the school's web site, "Although there is no restriction on the length of your response, most applicants use, on average, 500 words for each essay.")

Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you?

(This is the fairly standard "Why an MBA? Why this school?" question that most schools ask. Tuck takes the concept of "fit" very seriously when evaluating candidates, so be sure that you can present a compelling argument for why Tuck in particular is the right place for you to earn your MBA.)

Tuck defines leadership as "inspiring others to strive and enabling them to accomplish great things." We believe great things and great leadership can be accomplished in pursuit of business and societal goals. Describe a time when you exercised such leadership. Discuss the challenges you faced and the results you achieved. What characteristics helped you to be effective, and what areas do you feel you need to develop in order to be a better leader?

(Here you will keep your response focused on one single situation, what action you took, and what the results were. The last part, about areas that you need to develop, could make for a whole separate essay by itself, but you will need to succinctly respond to this. Your response here may or may not tie into the situation you describe earlier in the essay, although ideally you won't introduce an entirely new theme with only 100 words to go in your essay.

Discuss the most difficult constructive criticism or feedback you have received. How did you address it? What have you learned from it?

(We tend to like this question better than "What is your biggest weakness," because it starts with an actual experience -- the feedback you received -- and asks you to reflect upon it. As with all "weakness" responses, you want to give an honest, real response, but you also don't want to give an answer that could ruin your entire candidacy. The best answer will address a true weakness, but will be backed up by progress you have made in overcoming it.)

Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

(This is a good chance to highlight any strengths or themes that may need more emphasis in your application. Everything in your background is fair game here: your work experience, your personal life, and your hobbies all make you unique!)

For more advice on applying to Tuck, talk to the MBA admissions experts at Veritas Prep, and be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

Berkeley (Haas) Application Essays for 2009-2010

2009-07-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we posted the Haas School of Business' application deadlines for 2009-2010. The Haas admissions team has since posted the school's admissions essays for the coming year. Here they are, followed by our comments in italics:

Haas Application Essays

(Note that we present these essays in a different order than what you will see on the Haas web site.)

Required Essays:

Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 words)

(Right out of the gate, Haas wants you to show how you are a leader, which should give you a clear idea of how important this trait is to the Haas admissions office when evaluating applicants. You don't need to have a big job title or have a team of ten people reporting to you. Think about any time when you showed leadership -- maybe by overcoming an obstacle, or by helping a colleague or was struggling -- regardless of your role or the circumstances.)

What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? How will an MBA from Berkeley help you achieve these specific career goals? (1000 words)

(Pretty standard question here: Where do you see yourself in a few years (and beyond that), and why do you need an MBA to get there? Specifically, why do you need a Haas MBA to get there?)

Short answer:

What are you most passionate about? Why? (250 words)

(This is new this year. This question reminds us a little bit of Stanford's "What matters most to you, and why?" question. The key here is to write about something that you really, really care about. A good litmus test is this: How knowledgeable are you about the subject? Many applicants will be tempted to go bold and say something like "Fighting hunger is what I'm most passionate about," because they feel like that's just what one is supposed to say here, but then can't back it up with facts... and passion. Admissions officers will see right through this!)

Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 words)

(This question carries over from last year. All things being equal, a story from your professional life will serve you best, but don't feel that your significant accomplishment MUST be from the workplace.)

At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe a time when you created positive change in a group or an organization. (250 words)

(This one also carries over from last year, although it's worded a bit differently to take the emphasis off of an "innovative solution" you created and instead emphasize the impact you had on those around you. We consider this type of impact to be one of the real signs of leadership, so it's not surprising that Haas asks for it here. Be mindful of that when you answer this question... What tangible impact did your solution have?)

What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program, and what factors have influenced your decision to apply? (250 words)

(This one also carries over from last year. The Haas admissions team seeks evidence that you've really done your homework on the school.)

Supplemental questions:

If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain; otherwise, enter N/A.

List in order of importance all community & professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, & average number of hours spent per month.

List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies, indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.

Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.

Beyond the courses that appear on your academic transcripts, please discuss other ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities.

If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

(Note the comment following that last supplemental question. If you have a blemish in your past, don't try to hide it. Better to address it directly, explain what you learned and how you've changed, and move on.)

For more advice on applying to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, visit Veritas Prep's Haas information page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Chicago Booth Application Deadlines and Essays for 2009-2010

2009-07-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

Chicago Booth recently released its admissions deadlines and application essays for the coming year. These will help you start planning your Chicago Booth application. Our comments follow in italics:

Chicago Booth Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 14, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2010
Round 3: March 10, 2010

(These deadlines haven't changed much vs. last year's. Note that, like other top MBA programs, Booth is is pushing to get all of its Round 1 decisions out before the holiday season. If Booth is your top choice, this will give you a chance to know your status with the school before you decide whether or not you need to work on Round 2 applications at your backup schools.)

Chicago Booth Application Deadlines

How did you choose your most recent job/internship and how did this experience influence your future goals? What about the Chicago Booth MBA makes you feel it is the next best step in your career at this time? (750-1000 words)

(This is a new question for Booth his year, although, at its core, it's still the same "Why an MBA? Why now?" question that every business schools asks. What's interesting is how much emphasis this question places on your most recent job. This suggests that Booth wants to know more about your career choices to date, rather than just your future goals. If your experiences don't all line up into a perfectly neat, well-thought-out career trajectory, that's okay. But be prepared to communicate credible reasons why a Booth MBA is a logical next step.)

For reapplicants only: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (250 words)

(Again, Booth looks for true introspection. What makes this different than many other schools' reapplicant questions is that it asks what's changed about your thinking, not what new jobs you have taken on or achievements you have earned. A strong answer to this question will still highlight these things, but the school also again wants to see evidence that you're really digging deep to understand why a Booth MBA is right for you.)

Please choose one of the following (500 - 750 words):

Describe a time when you wish you could have retracted something you said or did. When did you realize your mistake and how did you handle the situation?

or

Describe a time when you were surprised by feedback that you received. What was the feedback and why were you surprised?

(Both of these options are new this year. Usually, when a school replaces or changes its essay questions, it's because the old ones weren't giving the school what it needed in terms of really getting to know applicants and distinguishing one from the next. Both of these questions are a little different than the norm, and we even consider the first one a bit risky. However, that's a good thing -- don't shy away from discussing a serious mistake you made and what you learned from it, because such an experience can make for a terrific essay. The key, as always, will be to not only discuss the mistake, but also write about what you learned from it.)

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?

We have set forth the following guidelines for you to consider when creating your presentation.

The content is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong approach to this essay.

Feel free to use the software you are most comfortable with. Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint or PDF.

There is a strict maximum of four slides, though you can provide fewer than four if you choose.

Slides will be printed and added to your file for review, therefore, flash, hyperlinks, embedded videos, music, etc. will not be viewed by the committee. You are limited to text and static images to convey your points. Color may be used.

Slides will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise or presentation.

You are welcome to attach a document containing notes if you feel a deeper explanation of your slides is necessary. However the hope is the slide is able to stand alone and convey your ideas clearly. You will not be penalized for adding notes but you should not construct a slide with the intention of using the notes section as a consistent means of explanation.

(Here the school asks you to present yourself creatively and succinctly. Almost nothing is out of bounds, but you really must ensure that these slides add something new to your application -- don't use it to just show off professional achievements that you already cover elsewhere in your application. Be creative, and show some personality!!)

For more advice on applying to Booth, visit Veritas Prep's Chicago Booth information page. And, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

Haas MBA Application Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-07-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley recently released its application deadlines for the 2009-2010 admissions season. Haas has not yet released its essays for the coming year, although you can review the Haas site to see last year's essays and get a feel for what the school looks for in its applicants. Our comments follow in italics:

Haas Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 20, 2009
Round 2: December 10, 2009
Round 3: February 2, 2010
Round 4: March 10, 2010

(Haas has always been a little different than other top schools in how it manages its deadlines, keeping four main application rounds. Like other top programs, Haas has moved up its Round 1 deadline this year by a couple of weeks, although its deadline falls in late October, rather than earlier in the month. However, note that Round 2 deadline on December 10 -- that gives you a nice opportunity to pace yourself if you want to apply to Haas along with a handful schools that have Round 1 deadlines in October. However, if Haas is your first choice, we still recommend applying in Round 1 if you have all of the pieces in place.)

To plan your application strategy for Haas, visit the Veritas Prep UC Berkeley (Haas) information page, or talk to one of Veritas Prep's MBA admissions consultants.

Yale SOM Admissions Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-07-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

The Yale School of Management has posted it application essays and deadlines for the coming season. It looks like Yale has significantly overhauled its essays for the coming year, going with shorter essays that will require brevity and focus.

Key information is below, followed by our comments, in italics:

Yale SOM Admissions Deadlines
Round 1: October 8, 2009
Round 2: January 7, 2010
Round 3: March 10, 2010

(Note that, like other top MBA programs, Yale will release its Round 1 admissions decisions in December, before the holidays. This is a tremendous help if Yale is your top choice, and you want to know your status with Yale before deciding to dive into a whole batch of Round 2 applications over the holidays. We expect this trend of earlier decision notifications will continue among the top programs.)

Yale SOM Admissions Essays
Please answer each of the four questions below with a short paragraph of no more than 150 words. This is an opportunity to distill your core ideas, values, goals and motivations into a set of snapshots that help tell us who you are, where you are headed, and why. (600 words total)

What are your professional goals immediately after you receive your MBA?

What are your long-term career aspirations?

Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA and why now? (If you plan to use your MBA experience to make a significant change in the field or nature of your career, please tell us what you have done to prepare for this transition.)

What attracts you specifically to the Yale School of Management’s MBA program?

(These "micro-essays" will really challenge you to be succinct and get right to the point in answering the school's questions. But, don't despair. We think this is a good thing. Each of these questions covers a topic that you should be well prepared to answer by now. Career switchers should take special note of the additional instruction in Question #3. In this economic climate, Yale, like all schools, is especially interested to know how well you will do in the post-MBA job market. Career switching is fine, and is even a great reason for pursuing an MBA, but you need to show that you've done your homework and are realistic about your intended career.)

Personal Statement 1

Describe an accomplishment that exhibits your leadership style. The description should include evidence of your leadership skills, the actions you took, and the impact you had on your organization. (500 words)
(This is almost exactly the same as last year's question, with one notable omission: Last year's question asked for a professional accomplishment, but this question asks for any achievement that demonstrates your leadership style. Think broadly about a time when your being there made something happen -- something that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you. Yale especially wants to learn how you did it, and what impact you ultimately had on the group.)

Personal Statement 2

Choose one of the following topics and answer it in essay form. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words)

A central premise of our teaching about leadership at the Yale School of Management is that true leadership—leadership that helps to address a significant problem in a new way—is necessarily personal. It is only when personal passion aligns with meaningful aspirations that individuals are able to inspire others to act in support of an important goal or cause. What are you most passionate about, and how have you demonstrated a commitment to this passion?

What achievement are you most proud of and why?

What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you have perceived in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?

Describe a situation in which you devised and implemented a creative or unique solution to a difficult problem. What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them?

Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

(Along the lines of the removal of "professional" from Personal Statement 1, in Question #2 here the school has changed it from "what personal achievement" to "what achievement are you most proud of." This is another example of the school wanting you to think broadly about your answers here. Of all of the questions, we still really like Question #1: "What are you passionate about?" Giving a standout answer to this -- including concrete examples of your passion -- is a great way for you to stand out vs. other applicants.)

Additional Information (Optional)

If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation, please provide any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (250 words)

(As always, only use this essay if absolutely necessary. If there's a weakness that you feel you must address, then do so succinctly and then move on. Do not make this a catch-all bucket for excuses about holes in your candidacy!)

For more information and advice on applying to Yale, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Stanford GSB Application Now Live

2009-07-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

In a brief note on the school's web site, the Stanford Graduate School of Business announced yesterday that its application is now online for the 2009-2010 admissions season. You can access the application here.

As we previously noted, Stanford has moved up its Round 1 application deadline to October 7th. In yesterday's announcement, Stanford said that it may also extend interviews earlier this year. This is part of the school's push to get out its Round 1 decisions before the end-of-year holiday season.

For more advice on applying to Stanford, take a look at our Stanford essay analysis for 2009-2010. Note the subtle changes in this year's essays vs. last year's... These should provide some clues as to what Stanford GSB looks for in its MBA applicants.

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all Stanford-related admissions news!

NYU Stern MBA Essays for 2009-2010

2009-07-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

Recently NYU's Stern School of Business released its application essays for the the 2009-2010 admissions season. Here are NYU Stern's essays, followed by our comments in italics:

NYU Stern Application Essays

Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following (750 words):

(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from the NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?

(This is the same as last year's Question #1, although the word count grew from 500 to 750 words. What stands out most about this question vs. other schools' similar questions is Stern's emphasis on the choices you've made up until now. Be sure to answer that part of the question -- don't simply write about what you've done up until now, but also explain why you did those things and made those choices.)

We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative, and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions (500 words):

(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.
(b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.
(c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.

(This question is a modification from last year's Essay #2. The Stern admissions team has removed the part of last year's question that asked about the toughest piece of feedback you've ever received, and as a result this question has evolved to hit the question of "Convince us that you're passionate about Stern" more directly. Note the emphasis on specifics -- make your answer as specific and as real as possible. What do you know about NYU Stern that convinces you that it's right right school for you, and that you're the ideal Stern student?)

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

(This question carries over from last year. Like Booth and Anderson, Stern seeks new ways to learn about what makes you unique. As trite as it sounds, the school really does want to get to know the real you. Stern's admissions officers are almost begging you to stand out here, so don't let them down! One other note: Just because this question allows you to use any medium, that doesn't mean that you need to submit something other than the written word. If that's your best medium, use it. Just be creative with how you use those words, and let the Stern admissions committee get a glimpse of the real you.)

To keep updated on all of the latest news at NYU Stern, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

Michigan (Ross) Admissions Essays for 2009-2010

2009-07-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business has released its application deadlines for the coming year. The school's deadlines look the same as last year's deadlines.

Michigan (Ross) Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 10, 2009
Round 2: January 2, 2010
Round 3: March 1, 2010

Like many other top MBA program's Round 1 deadlines, Michigan's first deadline is in early October. However, unlike some of those programs, Ross will still notify Round 1 applicants of their decision after the holidays (and after nearly every schools' Round 2 deadline). So, you should assume that your other schools' Round 2 deadlines will pass before you know your final application status with Ross.

For more advice on applying to Ross, talk to one of Veritas Prep's expert MBA admissions consultants.

Wharton Application Essays for 2009-2010

2009-06-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Recently Wharton released its application deadlines for the coming admissions season. Now, the school has released its admissions essays for the coming year.

Wharton's essays are below, and our comments follow in italics.

Wharton Application Essays

As a leader in global business, Wharton is committed to sustaining "a truly global presence through its engagement in the world." What goals are you committed to and why? How do you envision the Wharton MBA contributing to the attainment of those goals? (750 - 100 words)

(This is a new question for Wharton this year, although, at its core, it's still looking for you to to describe why you want an MBA, and why a Wharton MBA specifically will help you in your career. In this way, it's very similar to other schools' "Why MBA? Why this school?" questions. However, note the emphasis that the school has placed on "global business" and "engagement in the world." This isn't a sign that you need to have international or multi-cultural experience in order to be a fit with Wharton, but the school is clearly looking for applicants that can frame their experiences and goals in a global context, and who plan on engaging in the communities around them.)

Tell us about a time when you had to adapt by accepting/understanding the perspective of people different from yourself. (750 - 100 words)

(This is also a new question this year. It is another hint that the school seeks a great deal of diversity in its applicant pool, and wants students who will thrive in this environment. Don't let this question intimidate you if you feel that your global experiences are minimal -- any situation where you accomplished something by working with someone who has a different background or outlook than you is fair game. That can include someone's personal beliefs, cultural background, professional experience, or academic background. An applicant's tendency here will be to automatically go for the most obvious case of a cultural or language barrier, but it's more important that you can make clear why the situation was challenging, what you did to overcome it, and -- hopefully -- how you were successful.)

Describe a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

(This question carries over from last year. As with all failure-related questions, the key is to put enough emphasis on what you learned. This sort of self-awareness is what admissions officers typically look for when they ask a "failure" question. Also, ideally you will be able to describe a later time when you applied what you learned to a new situation to avoid a similar failure.)

Choose one of the following: (500 words)

- Give us a specific example of a time when you solved a complex problem.

- Tell us about something significant that you have done to improve yourself, in either your professional and/or personal endeavors.

(Both of these essay choices are new this year. The first question gives you the opportunity to take the reader through how you broke down the problem at hand, whether it was an analytical problem or an organizational challenge. The word "complex" will often take people down the path of a story that shows off their analytical abilities, but think broadly about the definition of this word. A story about how you overcame multiple organizational or cultural challenges to achieve something is also fair game. The second question gives you another opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness and a commitment to self-improvement. One example of a good essay here is a story of how you overcame tremendous odds to better yourself at a particular task or skill.)

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)
(It ca be tempting to use this type of question as an opportunity to pour out a list of excuses for weaknesses in one's background. Avoid this temptation, and only use it if you must address a glaring weakness in your application. Address it, explain what happened, and move on.)

For more advice on applying to Wharton, visit the Veritas Prep Wharton information page. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Learn to Think Like MBA Admissions Officers

2009-06-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Veritas Prep has released a white paper examining the results of its first annual survey of admissions officers at the top 30 business schools in the United States.

The white paper, titled "Trends in MBA Admissions: Perceptions of Admissions Officers at Top 30 Business Schools," highlights notable findings from the Veritas Prep Survey of MBA admissions officers, an eight-week online survey conducted among the top 30 U.S. business schools, according to BusinessWeek's rankings. Responses from admissions officers on topics ranging from student selection criteria to the future of the MBA application revealed a series of considerations that any b-school applicant should heed, including:

Almost half of respondents report that the number of admits straight out of college has increased compared to five years ago, partly reflecting a push by many top MBA programs to attract younger applicants.

Among desired changes that admissions officers would like to see in their applicant pool, diversity ranks number one.

Among applicant traits and characteristics, analytical skills rank as the most important, far ahead of any other characteristic such as leadership and community service.

Despite the increased demand for graduate business education stemming from the current economic slowdown and other contributing factors, the savvy business school applicant is in a unique position to secure a coveted seat in a leading MBA program through some additional due diligence. Knowing what wows and irritates admissions officers at top MBA programs can propel one’s candidacy from unlikely to competitive.

You can access the white paper here. If you're ready to apply, contact Veritas Prep for MBA admissions help.

Kellogg Admissions Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-06-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Recently Kellogg released its admissions essays for the coming year. Now, the admissions office has published its application deadlines for the 2009-2010 season.

The Kellogg deadlines work a little differently than those of most other schools, and it can be a little confusing for an applicant. For each round, the first deadline is the date by which you should contact the admissions office to set up an interview. At Kellogg, the applicant initiates the interview process, rather than the school inviting candidates to interview.

For the coming year, the off-campus interview request deadline is October 2, while the on-campus interview request deadline is October 15. This is known as "Part 1" of Round 1, and it is critical that you meet this deadline in order to get things rolling for Round 1. Then, the next deadline to note is for "Part 2," which is your actual application, including your essays and recommendations.

Kellogg Application Deadlines for Part 1
Round 1: October 2, 2009 (Oct. 15 for on-campus interviews)
Round 2: December 18, 2009 (Jan. 14 for on-campus interviews)
Round 3: February 19, 2010 (Mar. 4 for on-campus interviews)

Kellogg Application Deadlines for Part 2
Round 1: October 15, 2009
Round 2: January 14, 2010
Round 3: March 4, 2010

Note that you get a couple of extra weeks for Part 1 of your application if you request an on-campus interview (no doubt because of the logistics the admissions office has to go through with off-campus interviews to match so many applicants with alumni interviewers around the world).

For more advice on applying to Kellogg, visit the Veritas Prep Kellogg School of Management information page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

What Does the MBA Oath Accomplish?

2009-06-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

Last week a recent Harvard Business School graduate spoke out about the Class of 2009's collective effort to create and endorse a new "MBA Oath" in response to the public beating that the Master of Business Administration degree has taken in the public eye. In an article posted on harvardbusiness.org, Max Anderson explained he and his classmates' reasons for signing the oath.

"The oath began as a voluntary, opt-in grassroots initiative among our classmates to get 100 HBS students to sign by graduation," Anderson wrote. "We based our oath language largely on a draft of an oath completed by Professors Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana in the Harvard Business Review last October, with a few edits of our own. We thought 100, or more than 10% of the class, would have symbolic power. As of June 8, 2009, more than 50% of Harvard's graduating MBA class has signed the oath."

But what exactly is the oath supposed to accomplish? Anderson explains, "We hope the Oath will accomplish three things: a) make a difference in the lives of the students who take the oath, b) challenge other classmates to work with a higher professional standard, whether they sign the oath or not and c) create a public conversation in the press about professionalizing and improving management."

While many people in the press have expressed skepticism that such an oath will in any way impact these graduates' future behavior, Anderson cites some behavioral science research that suggests that such public commitments do in fact impact one's actions. So, even if the oath is somewhat hollow, is it possible that it still might steer some grads towards a more responsible path?

Others have referred to the wave of new ethics courses in business schools in the wake of the Enron and Worldcom scandals of a few years ago, and the impact that these courses have had (or haven't had) so far. However, these courses are still so new that, even if they are effective, it's too soon to see their impact.

The net takeaway is that none of these changes is likely to single-handedly solve any widespread cultural problems among MBAs (if you believe there are any) that could drive them towards reckless or irresponsible behavior. Taken together, though, over time they may start to positively impact MBA grads.

However, as much as we believe in the power of HBS or any other business school to transform someone into stronger business leader, we also believe that how likely someone is to be a responsible manager (and a responsible community member overall) depends more on who they are when they enter business school than on the lessons they learn -- and the oaths they take -- while in school. And that will never change.

MBA Admissions Panel Discussion at Microsoft

2009-06-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, Scott Shrum, Veritas Prep's Director of MBA Admissions Research and the co-author of Your MBA Game Plan, will appear in a panel discussion at Microsoft, as part of the Africans at Microsoft Club's second annual Business School Panel: "Standing Out Among the Outstanding: Recession, Competition, and Business School Admissions."

In addition to Scott, the panel will include Cassandra Pittman, Assistant Director of Marketing at INSEAD and responsible for MBA recruitment in North and South America; and Barbara Thomas, President and CEO National Black MBA Association, the world's leading organization for black professionals. Also in attendance will be two "experts in the audience" to add to the discussion: Bryan Tomlinson and Edward Gali, both representing the University of Washington's Michael G. Foster School of Business.

Our friends at MBA Podcaster will attend the event, and will and bring your questions to the panelists. If you have any questions that you would like to hear answered, send them to info@mbapodcaster.com.

For everyone in Redmond, we hope to see you at the event!

Kellogg Releases Admissions Essays for 2009-2010

2009-06-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management has released its application essays for the coming year. While the school has not yet released its application deadlines, Kellogg applicants can start working on their essays now. As usual, our comments follow in italics.

Note that there are some changes to Kellogg's essays this year, although the application still features three required essays and two shorter "Choose your own question" short answers.

Kellogg Admissions Essays

a) MBA Program applicants - Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. (600 words)

b) MMM Program applicants - Briefly assess your career progress to date. How does the MMM Program meet your educational needs and career goals? (600 words)

(These questions are the same as last year's, and are the standard "Why and MBA? Why now?" questions that you will see on many MBA applications. One challenge that applicants face is BRIEFLY describing their career progress until now, and then devoting enough space to why an MBA is right for them, why now is the right time, and why specifically Kellogg is the right MBA program for them.)

Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences (600 words)

(This question remains from last year. Be as specific as possible here, rather than discussing leadership in broad terms or with vague generalities. When discussing what areas you want to develop, be realistic about what you will learn in the classroom -- Kellogg knows that you won't emerge from a classroom lecture as a completely finished leader. Discuss what you want to learn at Kellogg, but also tie it back to the "real world" and your post-MBA career.)

Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would your peers select you to become a member of the Kellogg community? (600 words)

(This question is new since last year, although it's similar to a question that Kellogg used to use, which encouraged applicants to evaluate their applications as if they were admissions officers. This is a terrific opportunity to highlight the two or three core themes that you want to make sure jump out from your application. And, while Kellogg looks for some humility in every one of its students, it's also a chance to brag about yourself a little!)

Complete one of the following three questions or statements. Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required. (400 words)

a) Describe a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.

b) People may be surprised to learn that I...

c) I wish the admissions committee had asked me...

(Questions A and B are new since last year, although A is a slightly different take on a previous question that asked about motivating a reluctant individual or group. This gives you a chance to discuss an experience that shows off leadership abilities, ethics, and/or analytical abilities. Question B gives you a chance to have some fun and discuss some less obviously MBA-related interests or experiences. Don't underestimate how important these traits are to admissions officers. Question C can be used in much the same way.)

Required essay for re-applicants only: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 words)

(This last question says it all when it comes to describing what every top MBA program looks for in reapplicants. Ideally you will have at least one or two significant achievements or experiences that will bolster a weakness that may have kept you out of Kellogg last year. The most obvious example is a promotion at work or a vastly improved GMAT score, but any type of experience that demonstrates leadership, teamwork, maturity, or innovation -- if one of these was a weakness in admissions officers' eyes last year -- can help your candidacy.)

For advice on getting into Kellogg, please visit Veritas Prep's Kellogg information page.

GMAC Partners With Historically Black Colleges

2009-06-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

Late last week the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) announced a new partnership with the nation's Historically Black College and University (HBCU) business schools to attract more African Americans to MBA programs nationwide. The partnership will include more recruiting efforts by schools, more marketing of the value of an MBA to black students, and fee or significantly discounted GMAT preparation services for those students.

GMAC President David A. Wilson, in his keynote address at the annual HBCU Deans Roundtable Summit, noted significant increases in African American students taking the GMAT exam. According to GMAC, the number of African American test takers has doubled in the past decade, with a 26 percent increase in just the past four years.

As part of this partnership, GMAC will offer GMAT fee waivers (currently worth $250) for each of the HBCU business schools to use at its discretion to make sure that no student is denied access to the exam for financial reasons. In addition, GMAC will provide each school packages of test preparation materials, including copies of the new 12th edition Official GMAT Guide and GMAC's own GMAT Prep software on CD.

If you are just starting to prepare for the GMAT, see what GMAT prep options that Veritas Prep offers, and try a free practice GMAT exam.

MIT Sloan Application Essays for 2009-2010

2009-06-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

MIT Sloan has just posted its application deadlines and admissions essays for the coming year. Note that, aside from MIT Sloan's cover letter, all of the essays are new this year. Our comments follow in italics:

MIT Sloan Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 27, 2009
Round 2: January 13, 2010

(As is normally the case, MIT Sloan has just two application rounds this year. MIT Sloan has bucked the trend of top business schools moving their Round 1 deadline to the beginning of October. These deadlines are virtually identical to last year's.)

MIT Sloan Admissions Essays

Prepare a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions. (500 words)

(While this isn't traditional MBA essay, MIT Sloan's cover letter is a consistent part of its application. Last year the question changed to place more emphasis on your "impact on an organization." This year the question remains the same, so the Sloan admissions office must think that this phrasing helps them more effectively get at what they're looking for in MBA applicants.)

Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words)

(This is a new question for Sloan this year, and the change suggests that Sloan is really looking closely for evidence of how you have gone beyond your regular job description to make a positive impact on those around you. We consider this as one of the key ingredients of leadership, and we expect that Sloan wants to see more of it in its applicants.)

Please describe a time when you coached, trained, or mentored a person or group. (500 words)

(This questions is new, and it also gets at another trait of leadership -- putting aside one's own problems and tasks to help someone else better themselves or overcome an obstacle. As is the case with similar questions, you should use the "Situation-Action-Result" format for your essay. Don't just say what happened, but rather put a good deal of emphasis on what YOU specifically did to help the person who needed your mentorship.)

Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words)

(Again, this is a question that gets at signs of leadership. In this case, it's a willingness to take on the burden of achieving a goal. Once again, the "SAR" technique will be critical to demonstrating not just what you accomplished, but also HOW you accomplished it, which is what the admissions committee really wants to see. While this is not a "failure" question, the right story here can show how you maybe stumbled a few times in achieving your goal.)

LGO applicants only:

Why do you wish to pursue the LGO program? What are the goals that you hope to accomplish both as a student and as a graduate of the program? Be sure to include a description of your post-LGO career plans. (250 words or less, limited to one page) You are welcome to copy and paste text directly from your cover letter.

Why do you wish to pursue the engineering field and specialty area you have selected? (250 words or less, limited to one page) You are welcome to copy and paste text directly from your cover letter.

(While MIT Sloan's LFM program has evolved into the new Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program, the essays for the program remain pretty much the same. Here the admissions office is looking for signs that you really understand what the LGO program is about, and that you have what it takes to get more out of the LGO program than from the traditional two-year MBA program.)

For more information about application strategies for MIT Sloan, visit our MIT Sloan information page. To stay up to date on the admissions process, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Wharton Admissions Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-06-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

While the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School has not yet released its admissions essays for the coming year, last week the school released its application deadlines for the coming year:

Wharton Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 1, 2009
Round 2: January 5, 2010
Round 3: March 9, 2010

It's interesting that, like HBS and Stanford, Wharton's Round 1 deadlines, Wharton's is now at the beginning of October (it's been moved up by one week vs. last year). We expect that more top schools will soon follow. However, Wharton did not move its Round 3 application deadline to April, leaving just Stanford and Harvard as the schools with April deadlines, so far.

For more advice on applying to Wharton, take a look at Veritas Prep's Wharton page. If you are ready to start working on your Wharton candidacy now, see how Veritas Prep's MBA admissions consultants can help you succeed.

Kellogg Dean Dipak Jain to Step Down

2009-06-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

After serving as the Kellogg School of Management's dean for the past eight years, Dipak Jain will step down from his post on September 1, and will return to the Kellogg faculty following a year’s leave of absence. The school will soon appoint an interim dean, and Northwestern University will begin a national search for Jain's replacement.

"I have been both honored and fortunate to have been able to serve as dean of this wonderful school," Jain said in an announcement to the Kellogg community. "Over the past eight years as dean, it has been my pleasure to work alongside wonderful colleagues whose dedication to Kellogg has made my job a joy. I truly appreciate the support, guidance and assistance that I have received from Kellogg faculty, staff, students and alumni during my tenure as dean."

Jain, 51, first came to Kellogg in 1986 as an assistant professor. Since 1994 he has been the Sandy and Morton Goldman Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies and professor of marketing. This move will allow him to return to what he loves most -- conducting research and teaching Kellogg's students.

For more information on Kellogg and advice for getting in, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Garth Saloner Named New Dean of Stanford GSB

2009-06-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Stanford Graduate School of Business announced that Garth Saloner will be its next dean, effective September 1st. He will succeed Robert Joss, who has served as dean for the past 10 years.

Saloner joined the Stanford faculty in 1990, and is currently the Jeffrey S. Skoll Professor of Electronic Commerce, Strategic Management and Economics. He also serves at director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Graduate School of Business. Saloner led the overhaul of Stanford's MBA curriculum, making this a natural transition as the school seeks to maintain leadership continuity.

"Over nearly two decades at Stanford, Garth Saloner has demonstrated that he is not only a top-notch scholar, but also a respected leader among his peers and distinguished teacher highly-praised by his students," President John Hennessy said in the school's official announcement.

Saloner discussed some of the challenges that he will face in his new role:

"The Stanford GSB has the opportunity to prepare future generations of principled critical analytical thinkers whose actions can change the world. Through our research, we will continue to develop the intellectual underpinnings of management and we will embody that knowledge in our teaching. From our sustainable new management center on the Stanford campus we will promote the free-flow of students, faculty, and ideas across disciplines and schools as we develop management knowledge and business leaders for the 21st century."

To learn more about Stanford, visit Veritas Prep's Stanford GSB information page. And, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

Stanford GSB Application Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

2009-05-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

Last week the Stanford Graduate School of Business released its admissions essay topics and deadlines for the 2009-2010 application season. Just like the upcoming HBS Round 1 deadline, Stanford's Round 1 deadline is now in the first week of October, and the school will now notify Round 1 applicants before the holidays at the end of the year.

Here are Stanford's essays and deadlines, followed by our comments in italics:

Stanford GSB Application Deadlines

Round 1: October 7, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2010
Round 3: April 7, 2010

(Interesting... Harvard matched Stanford by moving its Round 3 deadline back to April. Now, like HBS, Stanford has moved its Round 1 deadline forward, to early October. For these schools, there's now six months between the Round 1 and Round 3 deadlines! Perhaps one reason for this move is to make admissions officers' lives easier during the peak season, by spreading it out a bit.)

Stanford GSB Application Essays

What matters most to you, and why? (750 words recommended, out of 1,800 total)

(Ahh, Stanford's tried-and-true essay question. Old timers will remember when this question had no word limit. Now, the essay's 750-word limit forces applicants to be a little more economical with their words, which is a good thing. This question requires a great deal of introspection, after which you should create an essay that truly answers the question asked, whether or not you feel that it's directly applicable to your candidacy. Obviously, the more relevant to the topic at hand, the better, but where applicants often go wrong is by offering grand ideas and big words, rather than a real glimpse into who they are as a person.)

What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them? (450 words recommended)

(This is the "Why do you want an MBA, and why this school?" question that nearly every school asks. Here you can feel more comfortable writing about the topics that business schools more often look for in their applications. Remember to keep it realistic and to demonstrate that you understand what the Stanford MBA experience will -- and won't -- do for you as a growing professional.)

Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years. (300 words recommended for each)

Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

Option C: Tell us about a time when you motivated others to support your vision or initiative.

Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected.

(Some small but key differences here vs. last year. For Option A, they have added the "whose performance exceeded expectations" clause, indicating that last year's applicants may not have put enough focus on results in their answers. Option B has changed from "Tell us about a time when you felt most effective as a leader." The change to "the lasting impact" question also suggests that the school is looking for more results in its essay answers. Option C has evolved from a question about overcoming an obstacle or failure to a question that gets at one version of leadership -- motivating others to support your ideas. Stanford considers this type of persuasiveness a key ingredient in the future leaders that it wants to produce. Option D remains from last year; this is another results-oriented question that also gets at a core component of leadership)

For more guidance on your Stanford business school application, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page. To get a feel for how strong your chances of getting into Stanford are, try Veritas Prep's Business School Selector.

Business School Waitlist Advice from Forbes

2009-05-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

When Forbes reporter Tara Weiss wrote a piece about how applicants can navigate the business school waitlist, she turned to Your MBA Game Plan co-author Scott Shrum for advice on what applicants can do to maximize their chances of success.

As the article states, being on the waitlist is not a comfortable experience. The lack of knowing a firm outcome can be very unsettling, especially when you're waiting on making big decisions such as leaving your current job, moving to a new place, and selling your home. However, you can take solace in the fact that the school must want you if it's waitlisted you -- the admissions office just can't find room for you in the class, at least not yet.

Your time on the waitlist also gives you an opportunity to address an weaknesses in your application. Writes Weiss:

There are several reasons candidates get relegated to the wait list. If you can find out which reason applies to you, you can try to address the problem. Among the most common: a low score on the Graduate Management Admission Test; insufficient community service or leadership experience; low grades in college math classes; unclear career goals. However, "They won't wait list anybody unless they're willing to admit them," says Scott Shrum, director of M.B.A. admissions research at Veritas Prep, an M.B.A. application consulting firm in Los Angeles.

The article also makes an important point about demonstrating enthusiasm for the program in question: It helps your chances, but only so much. If the school that has waitlisted you is your #1 choice, then you're missing an opportunity to improve your chances if you don't let the school know. After all, what school wants to admit a waitlisted candidate who only might attend? However, that is only one piece of the puzzle:

"Some people believe that convincing us they're really, really interested will get them off the wait list. That's just not true," says Peter Johnson, executive director of admissions for the full-time M.B.A. program at the Haas School. "What gets them off the wait list is strengthening one of these weaknesses."

At the end of the day, to some extent you can control how attractive you are as a waitlisted candidate. What you can't control, however, if how many applicants the school will take from the waitlist. You might do everything right, but if the school doesn't need anyone from the waitlist (or, doesn't need anyone from your particular background), then unfortunately you won't get in. Being smart about how to approach the waitlist and maximize your candidacy is all you can do, but it's better than being rejected!

For more help on getting off of a business school's waitlist, take a look at Veritas Prep's Waitlist Assistance package. And, be sure to follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter!

Harvard Business School Application Essays and Deadline for 2009-2010

2009-05-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

This week Harvard Business School released its application deadlines and admissions essays for the 2008-2009 season. Here they are, taken from Harvard's site. Our comments are in italics:

HBS Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 1, 2009
Round 2: January 19, 2010
Round 3: April 8, 2010

(Harvard's Round 1 deadline is two weeks earlier than it was last year. However, its Round 2 deadline is nearly two weeks later than last year's, and its Round 3 deadline is nearly a month later. The Round 3 move is especially interesting since this past year Stanford GSB's Round 3 deadline was also on April 8. This was almost certainly a move made to match Stanford in trying to grab any last-minute, high-potential applicants.)

HBS Application Essays

What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600 words)

(This is the same question that HBS has asked for years now, and is a great opportunity for you to spell out three main themes that you want to emphasize in your application. This being HBS, at least one of your examples should highlight leadership, but don't discount stories that also demonstrate other three dimensions that admissions officers look for: teamwork, innovation, and maturity. As we always tell our clients, the "why" is even more important than the "what," so be sure to spell out why these accomplishments are so critical to describing you as an emerging leader. Also, ideally you can draw upon multiple types of experiences -- not only on the job, but also from your community involvement, your hobbies, and even, in some cases, your personal life.)

What have you learned from a mistake? (400 words)

(This question is also a repeat from last year. The key here is to not only describe what happened and what you learned, but also to show how you put that lesson to work in a later situation. That last point allows you to evolve the essay answer from being purely hypothetical to being an opportunity to discuss another achievement.)

Please respond to two of the following (400 words each):
1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
2. Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
3. Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision.
4. Write a cover letter to your application introducing yourself to the Admissions Board.
5. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?
(Of the above questions, the "difficult decision" and "cover letter" questions are new since last year. They replace a question that asked, "What area of the world are you most curious about and why?" which only lasted for one year, probably because it didn't help the HBS admissions committee learn much new valuable information about its applicants. For the new questions, we like how the "difficult decision" question gives you an opportunity to really show off their maturity. The "cover letter" question is similar to MIT Sloan's, and provides another good opportunity to sketch out the main themes of your application.)

If you would like more information about applying to HBS, visit the Harvard Business School information page. And for more information on business school application deadlines, and be sure to follow us on Twitter!

HBS to Accept the GRE Starting This Fall

2009-05-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Harvard Business School joined Stanford GSB and MIT Sloan when it announced that its general two-year MBA program will starting accepting the GRE from applicants this fall. This move comes after the HBS 2+2 Program announced in March that it would accept both the GRE and the GMAT this year.

In an HBS press release put out this morning, director of admissions Dee Leopold said, "We are pleased to widen our requirements to give all MBA candidates the option of submitting results from either the GRE or GMAT exams. Since many HBS applicants are also considering graduate programs besides the MBA, there is now no need for them to take the GMAT if they have already taken the GRE. We believe that both the GMAT and the GRE meet our expectations of what a standardized test can tell us about a candidate's ability to thrive in our MBA Program."

This is consistent with Harvard Business School's push to find more business leaders outside of the traditional MBA program feeders, such as business-oriented college programs, investment banks, and consulting firms. It also marks another win for ETS in its push to position the GRE as a credible competitor to the GMAT in assessing MBA applicants' abilities. With a handful of top-ten business schools already accepting the GRE, we expect more schools will soon follow suit.

With ETS making steady progress in winning over the top business schools, it's no wonder that the Graduate Management Admission Council has started to make noise about producing a next-generation GMAT exam, due to reach the market by 2013.

Columbia 2010 J-Term Admissions Essays

2009-05-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

Recently Columbia started accepting applications for the January 2010 intake of its accelerated MBA program. There is just a single deadline -- October 7, 2009 -- on a rolling admissions basis. Below are the Columbia J-Term's admissions essays, with our comments in italics:

Columbia January Term Admissions Essays

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

(This is pretty much the standard "Why an MBA? / Why this school?" question, but your answer will need to be a little more focused than the answer that an applicant would submit to a typical two-year program. The J-Term is especially designed for young professionals who plan to return to their current employers or otherwise don't need the benefit of a summer internship to transition to a new career, and Columbia will closely look for evidence that you understand the what you will gain and what you will give up by attending its accelerated program.)

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

(The key takeaway for you as an applicant is that Columbia prides itself on its Master Classes, so make sure you understand what they are and why they are important to the Columbia academic experience. Columbia, like many other top schools, has made a push to better connect the theory covered in its core classes with the practical challenges that its graduates will face, and Master Classes are the school's way of doing that. For your response, while this question doesn't specifically ask about a professional failure, such an example might provide you with rich material for a response. Just be sure to emphasize what you learned as a result, and, ideally, how you applied this lesson later on.)

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? (500 words)

(The admissions office is most interested in what you learned from such a failure. Although the second part of this question asks a theoretical question -- What would you do? -- ideally you can describe a time when you applied what you learned to another real-life situation, thus preventing the same problem from happening again.)

(Optional essay) 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.)

(Use this space wisely. Do not dwell on your weaknesses, go on and on with excuses about something that happened ten years ago, or unduly draw attention to a minor weakness!)

For more advice on applying to Columbia, visit the Veritas Prep Columbia Business School information page.

New iPhone App for GMAT Prep

2009-05-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

Veritas Prep is making some waves in the mobile application space! We are proud to introduce the Veritas Prep GMAT Practice Quiz app for the iPhone and iPod Touch! This new app gives you extensive practice on all five question types you will encounter on the GMAT: Data Sufficiency, Problem Solving, Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

It also allows you to:

Practice with more than 180 realistic GMAT practice questions

Take timed practice exams or practice for a subject without worrying about time

Use the complete diagnostics provided to better understand your strengths and weaknesses

The Veritas Prep iPhone GMAT app is 100% free... All you need is an iPhone or an iPod touch and an iTunes account. (Sorry Blackberry and Android users, this is an Apple-only app for the time being!)

The first reviews on iTunes look very positive. Check it out!

Now Who's to Blame for This Mess?

2009-05-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Forbes recently raised the question of whether we should blame the business schools, the graduates themselves, or the companies that hire the graduates.

Much of the article is the normal chatter about how the typical business school curriculum places too much emphasis on shareholder value and not enough on improving the community around the enterprise. While we don't disagree, it's hard to argue that this trend in management education alone contributed to the problems our economy now faces. It is one ingredient of the problem, for certain, but we're wary of anyone who believes that the few hundred hours a young professional spends in some some finance courses in business are enough to steer that person towards world-class leadership or financial self-destruction.

We like what Michael Ervolini stated, which nicely sums up a point that we've made previously:

B-schools serve a purpose to provide talented employees that have received some minimum training for their career. You can not expect too much from a two-year stint, however, even at the most prestigious of programs. This is particularly the case with an average of only 18 months actually on campus.

While business schools certainly need to take responsibility for the quality of the business leaders they're putting out in the market, the hiring companies' jobs have only just begun once they hire these grads. That's why companies such as General Electric and Procter & Gamble are so successful so consistently -- because of the value that they place on training and personal development in their future leaders -- will continue to be the case for years to come.

If you're just now thinking about getting an MBA, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

UCLA Anderson Reflects on Its First Year With Audio Questions

2009-04-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Last year, UCLA Anderson became the first MBA program to ask students to submit an audio response to an essay question. Now that the 2008-2009 admissions season is over, Anderson told the Financial Times that 70% of its applicants elected to submit an audio answer (whether to submit an audio or written response was optional).

Mae Jennifer Shores, UCLA Anderson's director of admissions, says that the the submissions were "ethnic, gender and country neutral," with international applicants just as eager to submit audio clips as domestic applicants. Not surprisingly, Shores says that Anderson may choose to make the audio clips mandatory next year, and is also considering using video clips in next years' application.

We do take issue with the article's suggestion that Anderson's use of an audio question is a desperate attempt to thwart admissions consulting and essay editing services. As we wrote earlier this week, the reality is that the standard essay questions are simply not as useful for admissions officers as they used to be, in terms of helping them distinguish one applicant from the next. As a result, schools such as UCLA Anderson and Chicago Booth are -- to their credit -- inventing more creative questions that to give them another way to separate out the great candidates from the rest of the pack.

The savvy applicant won't run from this opportunity, but instead will embrace it as one more way to make one's application more memorable and to show how that applicant fits with the program. These are the application strategy principles that we lay out in our book, Your MBA Game Plan, and they apply to any essay, whether it is a written, audio, or visual response.

Admissions Officer Survey Featured in Hispanic Outlook for Higher Education

2009-04-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education featured an in-depth look at Veritas Prep's first annual admissions officer survey. In the article, reporter A. Francesca Jenkins dug into the results and interviewed Scott Shrum about the implications of the study.

One important finding that the survey focuses on is the fact that MBA admissions officers were almost evenly split on whether the admissions process will become more or less complicated over time. This reflects the challenges that admissions officers face in managing an ever-growing pool of applicants, while also dealing with an increasingly competitive applicant pool. The former pushes the admissions process in the direction of more simplicity -- the more streamlined the process is, the easier it theoretically is to sort through applications -- while the latter pushes the process in the direction of more complication -- as applicants become savvier and savvier, admissions officers need more creative ways to separate the great applicants from the merely good ones.

We believe that whether a school keeps or drops an essay question is a terrific indicator of how well that question works for them. By "works" we mean how well it helps admissions officers tell one applicant from the next. The fact that some school have moved away from the traditional essay questions suggests that those questions have lost some of their effectiveness, as applicants have perhaps become savvier about answering them well.

If you are faced with answering a PowerPoint or audio question in your business school applications, the same rules still apply: Make sure that your real voice comes through, be sure to answer the question asked, and by all means, make sure that your answer is consistent with the overall themes you've built into your business school application.

You can read more about Veritas Prep's first annual admissions officer study here. To stay abreast of admissions news and trends, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

2010 U.S. News Business School Rankings Leaked Early?

2009-04-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

(UPDATE: U.S. news released the official rankings on April 23, and the rankings below were correct.)

U.S. News won't release its 2010 business school rankings until later this week, online communities have been buzzing with the possibility that the magazine accidentally leaked its rankings in a short online video. U.S. News released a short video giving an overview of grad school trends, and in the video you can see the magazines business school rankings. While the image was small, it only took hours for eagle-eyed MBA applicants to analyze the image and spread the word about the soon-to-be-released 2010 rankings.

This list isn't official and has not yet been confirmed by U.S. News, but here are what are believed to be the top 20 business school in the U.S. this year, according to U.S. News:

Current rank [Previous rank] School Name (Rating) [Previous Rating]
1 [1] Harvard (100) [100]
2 [1] Stanford (99) [100]
3 [4] Northwestern (93) [93]
3 [3] Penn (93) [95]
5 [4] MIT (92) [93]
6 [4] Chicago (91) [93]
7 [7] Berkeley (88) [89]
8 [7] Dartmouth (87) [89]
9 [9] Columbia (86) [88]
10 [13] Yale (85) [80]
11 [10] NYU (83) [84]
12 [14] Duke (82) [79]
13 [12] Michigan (81) [82]
14 [11] UCLA (80) [83]
15 [17] Carnegie Mellon (79) [77]
15 [14] UVA (79) [79]
17 [14] Cornell (76) [79]
18 [18] Texas-Austin (74) [74]
19 [22] Georgetown (73) [69]
20 [19] UNC (70) [72]
20 [21] USC (70) [70]

If you want to see for yourself, you can see the full video here. It will be interesting to see if these turn out to be the real rankings, but if so, then the online community deserves some kudos for some good detective work!

For more information about applying to top business schools, take a look at Veritas Prep's MBA admissions consultants, and follow us on Twitter.

Why a Recession May Be a Great Time to Start a Business

2009-04-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

While it might not seem intuitive, a recession may actually be the best time to start a business. According to a blog post on the City University of New York's web site, a recession often directly and indirectly creates a set of circumstances in which it's easier to get a new venture off the ground.

First, a soft economy will often spur local and state officials to eliminate or reduce red tape in an effort to stimulate growth and get back some lost tax dollars. The result can mean getting a license just days or weeks after applying, rather than months. Second, vendors and suppliers, who are often struggling to maintain their own businesses, often are much more willing to accommodate an entrepreneur with lower prices or better service. Need something delivered to your new storefront today? No problem... The vendor's truck is empty and available whenever you need it. And anyone who has seen all of the "For Lease" signs posted all over the U.S. shouldn't be surprised to hear that commercials rents are quickly dropping in most markets.

According to data published by Columbia University's Entrepreneurship Center, the number of small businesses that shut down actually declines during a recession, in part because of the factors mentioned above. And, as a recession drags on, the number of business started each year tends to grow, perhaps as an early sign of a pending turnaround.

If you're interested in starting a business, should you dive right in, or perhaps earn an MBA first and then try your hand at entrepreneurship? That largely depends on your own personal situation and how much experience you have, but one thing is clear: Don't worry too much about timing the market, since even a recession may be a great time to start a business.

New International Loan Program at Chicago Booth

2009-04-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

International business school applicants received more good news last week, when the University of Chicago Booth School of Business announced a new loan program for international students. Launched in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, the program will give these students access to private educational loans without requiring a co-signer.

Under the terms of the new deal, JPMorgan Chase will provide financing to qualified international students for amounts up to the total cost of attendance, minus any financial aid received. Exact terms will be announced later this spring, when students will receive more information on the program.

"Almost 20 percent of our students are from abroad, and they add a great deal of intellectual vibrancy and cultural richness throughout the University and our community," said Kimberly Goff-Crews, Vice-President for Campus Life and Dean of Students, in a release on the school's site. "We have focused our attention on finding loan programs that will meet the needs of this important segment of our student body."

For more advice on applying to Chicago Booth, visit the Veritas Prep Chicago Booth information page, or follow us on Twitter!.

Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Business School

2009-04-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Last week the Bay Area's Contra Costa Times turned to Veritas Prep for insights on what the value of an MBA is in the current economic climate. In the article, we provided some advice for applicants as they choose which business schools they want to attend. As we always do, we stressed that an applicant must look at so many things beyond just rankings when choosing an MBA program.

Adapted from the article, here are five questions you should ask when evaluating how well you fit a certain business school, and how well that school fits you:

What employers recruit from the school? If you want to switch careers and get a job in banking, but no investment firms recruit at the school, then don't expect your post-MBA job search to be easy.

How far do the school's reputation and alumni network reach? Many schools provide an excellent education, but only have a regionally strong brand. If you want to get a new job in another part of the world after school, this may make it harder to do.

What type of programs does it offer? Most business schools offer a full-time, two-year program. If this may not fit your schedule or you don't want to quit your job, see if they offer part-time programs that allow you to work and study at the same time.

What are its academic specialties? Is the school strongest in one specialty, such as finance or marketing? Or is it a more general management-oriented program? Make sure this strength matches what you want to focus on in school.

How much will the school cost you? Obviously, half of the return on investment equation is the size of investment itself. If a school offers you a significant grant or your employer will cover the cost of the program, that may tip the scales in that school's favor.

These are only a handful of things to consider, but they are all important questions you need to be able to answer for every school to which you plan to apply.

For more advice on choosing a business school, talk to Veritas Prep's MBA admissions experts, and follow us on Twitter!

Planning Ahead for a 2009-2010 HBS Application

2009-04-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Harvard Business School's Dee Leopold posted a brief update on the HBS blog, providing some news for waitlisted applicants as well as some advice for those who may apply in 2009-2010. While the waitlist update was surely welcomed by 2008-2009 applicants, what she said about next year's Round 1 deadline was perhaps most interesting of all.

Dee wrote:

Our Round 1 deadline for the next application season will be earlier in October, BEFORE fall class visits are open. We encourage those of you who are thinking of applying in Round 1 to consider a class visit this spring -- class visits are available until May 8. Visiting an HBS class has absolutely no impact on the application process - we just want everyone to know that you are welcome.

We will be making more offers from the waitlist this year, and we hope to make the majority of these decisions as soon as we can - definitely before the end of May.

International students will have access to loans without needing a U.S. co-signer. We will release details/terms on specific programs as they are finalized.

Note her first point. If you apply in Round 1 this coming fall, you won't have a chance to sit in on an HBS class before you submit your application. Therefore, even if you're not certain that you'll apply to HBS, if you can get to Boston this spring, it's a good idea to schedule your visit now. Doing so -- and being able to write about it in your HBS admissions essays -- may give you an important leg up vs. other applicants next year.

New Wharton Loans for International Students

2009-04-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Wharton announced a new student loan program for international students that will not require borrowers to have U.S. co-signers. The program, launched in partnership with Digital Federal Credit Union, is the long-awaited replacement that the school has been searching for since Citi canceled its student loan program last October.

This program will cover tuition and living expenses for international students at Wharton. The loan terms are quite attractive given the current lending climate: an interest rate of Prime plus 3% (reduced by 25 basis points if the borrower signs up for an automatic payment plan), plus no origination fee. Wharton will share some of the risk of default with the credit union, which indicates how badly Wharton wanted to make this new loan program happen.

The school's Student Financial Services Office is in the process of reviewing several proposals for new loan programs for domestic students and for international students with U.S.-based co-signers. The school expects to have a list of approved lenders for both federal and private loan programs within the next few weeks.

For more information on applying to and attending Wharton, visit the Veritas Prep Wharton information page at Veritas Prep. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

The Value of an MBA in Today's Market

2009-04-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

Last week the Bay Area's Contra Costa Times featured an article titled "Value of an MBA Put to the Test," focusing on the evolving return-on-investment equation for prospective business school students. In it, David Morrill turned to Veritas Prep for advice to give to prospective business school applicants in this economy.

The interview gave us the chance to emphasize some of what we always tell our applicants about how important fit is when selecting an MBA program.

Taken from the article:

Scott Shrum, director of MBA admissions research at Veritas Prep, advises and prepares students for the process. He says that if a student goes into a graduate school without a plan and the right mindset, they could have a rude awakening.

"If you measure the value of an MBA as a ticket to a six-figure job, then a lot of those people might be disappointed when they graduate," Shrum said. "It's those that realize an MBA is a transformative experience and much more than the paycheck who is going to reap the benefits."

Morrill's article also explored the importance of investing in one's own education, especially when the job market is tight:

"In good times it matters less because there are more are more jobs to be had," Shrum said. "But in a down economy you need to be much choosier, because now companies tend to retreat to the schools they are familiar with and give them good talent."

However, the lesser-known schools shouldn't be entirely thrown aside in consideration. Some offer more flexible hours, online options, and niche affiliations such as the hotel and recreation industry.

Also, if a person doesn't really want to work for a big firm, and is a self-starter that just needs to learn how to read an income statement and pick up the business basics to be an entrepreneur, then there's no reason to spend a bunch of money on a branded school, Shrum said.

The most important point is what we've always said: There's no one-size-fits-all MBA program, and there's rarely a single answer when someone asks, "What's the perfect business school for me?" There are a lot of variables to consider, way beyond the rankings, and you owe it to yourself to consider all of them before you make one of the biggest decisions of your young professional career.

For more advice on MBA admissions, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

HBS Round 3 Interview Update

2009-04-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

This past Friday Dee Leopold posted an update on the HBS blog about interview invitations for Round Three applicants:

I'll make this short and sweet - today we sent out about 100 interview invitations to Round 3 candidates. There will be some more, but I don't know when, to whom, or exactly how many.

Her comment about there being more invitations coming is consistent with what she has previously posted on the blog. Based on Rounds 1 and 2, we estimate that maybe another 5-15 invitations will come out over the next several weeks.

For more new and analysis of HBS and other top MBA programs, you can follow MBA Game Plan on Twitter.

New GMAT Coming in 2013

2009-04-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Perhaps motivated by ETS's push into the MBA admissions market with the GRE, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) recently announced that a new GMAT exam will launch in 2013. Dubbed the "Next Generation GMAT," the new exam will be designed to overcome the business school community's largest objections to the current exam.

One of those criticisms has been that the current GMAT has a strong bias in favor of Western culture, in part because it is only offered in English. While this does create some built-in unnatural advantages and disadvantages based on a student's native language, one strength of this approach is that it makes it easier to compare GMAT scores of students from anywhere in the world. If, with the new exam, Student A scores a 700 in English and Student B scores a 700 in French, will an MBA admissions officer really be able to treat these two scores as the same? It will be interesting to see how GMAC tackles problems such as these.

The GMAT has also recently been plagued other problems, such as last year's Scoretop scandal and issues with professional test takers that prompted GMAC to introduce pal-scanning technology to its GMAT test centers. While it's not clear how a new exam by itself will overcome these issues, one solution could end up involving more face-to-face evaluation (which would be time-consuming and expensive).

GMAC has promised to include business schools in its discussions for what the next generation GMAT should look like. As the world's fastest-growing GMAT prep and admissions consulting provider, we think we also have something to add to the discussion. How about you? What do you think would make the GMAT a fairer and more effective measurement tool for business school applicants?

Stanford GSB Wants More Round 3 Applicants!

2009-03-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is a little surprising... Or is it?

Last week Stanford GSB's Derrick Bolton posted a message on Stanford's blog encouraging anyone who's on the fence to pull the trigger and apply to Stanford in this year's Round Three. Could it be that the slow economy has hurt Stanford's numbers? Could Stanford really need applicants this year?

Probably not. It's doubtful that an MBA program such as Stanford needs more applicants, or that the school's yield has dropped much vs. previous years. What is true, though, is that this year Stanford's Round 3 admissions deadline (April 8) is nearly three weeks later than last year's, and no top MBA program has a Round 3 deadline nearly as late as Stanford's. We're not sure of Stanford's reasons for this change, but it could be that Stanford made this move to snag a few extra top-tier candidates that HBS and Wharton, etc., may miss out on because of their earlier R3 deadlines. Now that Stanford is the last top school with its doors still open for 2008-2009 applicants, perhaps Bolton has so far been underwhelmed by the number (and quality?) of applicants that this strategy has brought in this year.

He writes:

The media hype says that business school applications soar when the economy is bad and, as such, there won't be any spots left for third round applicants. This simply isn't true. And we worry that some great people may delay applying because of these misperceptions. Historically, we've found that applications follow demographic cycles more than economic cycles.

We assure you that we admit outstanding individuals in all three rounds--this year is no exception. While it is true that the final round typically is smaller than the first two, we do admit excellent candidates in Round 3--including our current Director of MBA Admissions.

Odds are that you long ago already decided to apply this year, or know that you definitely won't apply any sooner than this coming fall. It's good to see messages like this coming out of a top-tier MBA program, because it suggests that your chances this year may be a little better than some expected, but our advice remains the same: Only apply when you're ready, and only when you have a competitive GMAT score, can get outstanding letters of recommendation, and have enough time to create strong admissions essays. Don't apply in Round 3 just on a lark!

For more advice on applying to Stanford, visit our Stanford information page, or follow us on Twitter.

Harvard and Wharton Admissions News

2009-03-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

This week HBS and Wharton provided important updates for applicants on their blogs. For anyone who is currently waiting to hear back from HBS or Wharton, the next couple of weeks figure to be an important time. And, if you're on the waitlist at HBS, you may have some good news coming soon.

On the HBS admissions blog, Dee Leopold provided an update for applicants in all three admissions rounds. She wrote:

Round One Waitlist - We will be extending offers of admission to about 40 round one waitlisters shortly after April 2. We will continue to maintain a waitlist and Eileen Chang will send out an update in early April.

Round Two Notification - April 2 is the notification date. All decisions will be released online - you will receive an email instructing you to check your status. We won't be making any congratulatory phone calls in advance of April 2!

Round Three Interview Invitations - Many, but not all, will go out on April 3.

Meanwhile, over at the Wharton blog, the admissions team posted an update specifically for the school's Round 2 applicants:

All Round 2 applicants who were invited for interviews: you will receive your admissions decision tomorrow. You may check your decision status at that time through your online application. We will also make every effort to contact all new admits via telephone or e-mail.

Return here tomorrow for an announcement that decisions have been released and for more details...

Good luck to everyone!

Note that the Wharton blog post was written yesterday, meaning that by now many of you should have heard from Wharton... Hopefully you got good news!

For more regular updates on Harvard Business School, Wharton, and other top business schools, be sure to follow us on Twitter.

New Duke Nine-Month Master's Program

2009-03-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University has just announced a new master's program designed to provide basic entry-level business skills to recent college graduates and advanced degree holders with no prior full-time work experience.

The new Master of Management Studies in Foundations of Business (MMS) program includes 12 business courses taught over four six-week terms. The program's curriculum will cover all of the basic areas of business training: finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, operations, decision analysis and management. All courses will be taught by the same Fuqua faculty that teaches in the core MBA program. The first MMS class will enter Fuqua this fall.

The MMS program requires no previous business studies, although a basic knowledge of calculus, statistics and computer skills is required. For those who enter the program with no training in these areas, "boot camps" in statistics and computer skills are available. It's noteworthy that, while the majority of the MMS program's students will be recent college grads, it is actually designed for anyone with little or no work experience, including Master's degree and PhD holders.

While there is no single rule that can be applied to everyone, we usually tell our MBA admissions clients that they will get the most out of their business training if they have at least a couple of years of full-time work experience under their belts. However, there may very well be a place for programs such as MMS in the education market.

If you are just graduating from college and think you will one day want to earn an MBA, then we recommend getting two to five years of work experience before applying to business school. However, if you don't plan on pursuing an MBA and want a basic level of business training in order to get your professional career started, then the Master of Management Studies program may be a good fit for you.

European MBA Programs Attract More Americans

2009-03-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Given the turmoil on Wall Street and the overall soft job market in the U.S., it's not surprising that many international applicants have decided not to come to the U.S. to pursue an MBA this year. Even more interesting, however, is that apparently many Americans also also now considering earning their MBAs abroad.

An article in last week's Wall Street Journal describes the trend of more and more Americans deciding to go abroad for their MBA programs. Not only do schools such as INSEAD and IMD provide Americans with an opportunity to broaden their international exposure, but they also offer a nice sort of career diversification in that they tend to attract a more diverse array of corporate recruiters than do most American programs.

According to the WSJ article, at some top European schools, only about 20% of the graduating class lands in finance, compared with up to 60% at some U.S. schools. While this has traditionally been a weakness for European schools in attracting top talent that wants to pursue high-paying jobs, in today's climate it's one reason why more American than ever have sought out these programs.

Another advantage that many European schools offer is that their programs are shorter than most American schools' programs, which, among other things, means that they can be significantly less expensive. While we tend to discourage applicants from choosing based on costs alone, this often significant difference can be hard for someone to ignore when they're still paying off old student loans and are about to leave their job to take on even more debt.

The European business schools aren't content to just let Americans beat a path to their doors -- they've made a point of aggressively reaching out to U.S. students in order to capitalize on this trend. As a result of the macro trend and these recruiting efforts, schools such as Oxford's Saïd Business School have interviewed 60% more American applicants this year than in 2007-2008.

The MBA pendulum has swung towards the rest of the world... Will it one day swing back towards American MBA programs? Tell us what you think!

New Podcast from the HBS 2+2 Program

2009-03-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

In a new podcast on the HBS web site, Assistant Director of MBA Admissions Kerry McLaughlin, interviewed Andrea Kimmel from HBS 2+2 Program admissions, and Mark Michaelman, a recent 2+2 Program admit. The podcast provides a nice overview of Harvard's rationale for launching the program last year, as well as gives some advice for college undergrads who are starting their applications now.

Kimmel explained that the impetus for creating the HBS 2+2 Program was when the admissions office realized who wasn't applying to HBS. Explained Kimmel, "We realized there was a real opportunity to start to talk to younger people who maybe would never have business or an MBA degree on their radar screen." The admissions officers especially had scientists, engineers, liberal arts majors in mind when they created the program. Their question: How to turn them on to the idea of a graduate business education before they go too far down another professional path?

Even though the program attracted more than 630 applicants in its first admissions cycle (and admitted 106 of them), the school is aggressively promoting it to attract an even more diverse applicant pool in the coming year. "Since launching it, we have been on over 80 college campuses, and that number continues to grow," said Kimmel. "We're looking forward to having an even higher number of applications in the second year."

New admit Mark Michaelman then went on to describe the application process. Not surprisingly, the real challenge for a rising college senior is to balance schoolwork and the application process. "As long as you keep track of it and organize your schedule, it tends to be pretty straightforward."

Kerry made a point of emphasizing that the HBS 2+2 Program will accept the GRE this coming year, which is consistent with the program's mission to attract more applicants who may not have considered an MBA until now.

Read more about the program's admissions essays and deadlines on our blog, and see how Veritas Prep can help you apply to the HBS 2+2 program this year.

An End to MBA Bashing?

2009-03-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Financial Times ran an interesting piece titled Why MBA Bashing is Unfair. In it author Stefan Stern argues that, while graduate business programs aren't perfect and need to evolve, they are not churning out the sharp-elbowed, non-consequence-caring sharks that some in the media have accused them of producing. If anything, they are guilty of producing leaders who only manage by the numbers, and, because of their lack of true management experience, are unable to step back at times and think about an organization as more than just a pile of balance sheets and income statements.

The stereotype of the cocky MBA is surely somewhat deserved, but to say that "arrogance and greed" are solely responsible for our current economic troubles misses the larger point about the value that an MBA can provide.

Stern goes on to say:

The content of the course, while not exactly incidental, is really not the most important thing. It is the process itself: applying for a place, being admitted, meeting and working with faculty and contemporaries, and forming a new network, that matters.

This is what you find when you talk to sceptical MBA graduates who may not remember a great deal about the different modules they studied. Even they will describe their time at business school as a transformative experience. They went in one end as a fairly ordinary, apprentice businessperson. They came out the other ready to operate at a higher level.

This is what we at Veritas Prep always tell our admissions consulting and GMAT prep clients: The hardest part of business school may seem to be getting in, but once you're in, what value you get out of the program is entirely up to you. There's at least as much value in the chance to make new friends, get exposed to new viewpoints, and build an incredible new network, as there is in learning about the capital asset pricing model.

And, as McGill University professor Henry Mintzberg argues in the FT article, the real learning about how to manage still needs to occur on the job, after you graduate. That inevitably means that at some point a fresh MBA will be promoted into a role that he's not yet fulled qualified for, but management must be learned in context. Today's business leaders are at least as responsible for educating tomorrow's leaders as any MBA program is. This kind of mentorship has always been how people and organizations grow, and this will never change.

Business School and Law School Application Trends

2009-03-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Last week's Economix blog on the New York Times web site featured the latest growth trends for the LSAT, GMAT, and GRE. Not surprisingly, the number of LSAT exams taken in 2008-2009 increased more than 5%, which coincides with the National Law Journal's report that applications were up 4% vs. last year.

While the Graduate Management Admission Council hasn't yet released its numbers for 2008-2009, it is expected to show steady growth vs. the previous year. It will be interesting to see if the overall number of MBA applicants grows much this year, given the uneven preliminary numbers we have heard from some of the nation's top programs.

Note that not all of the numbers reported by the National Law Journal point to strong growth. Interestingly, the actual number of law school applicants increased by less than 1%. So, not many more people applied to law school vs. last year, although those who did apply seemed to apply to more schools. Also, the number of GRE exams taken in 2008 actually was actually lower than the number taken in 2007, although that may have more to do with a change to the exam, which may have spiked the number of people who took the exam in 2007.

The whole story is still unfolding, but it will be interesting to see where the numbers end up at the end of this application season. Will a surge actually come next year, or will this recession prove to be different than others? Only time will tell.

If you decide to take the plunge and apply now, see what Veritas Prep's admissions consulting services can do for you.

Wharton Round 3 Admissions Update

2009-03-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Wharton's admissions office posted an update on its blog for everyone who just applied in Wharton's third admissions round. Since they understand that waiting on one's application status can put an applicant on pins and needles, Wharton admissions officers are deliberately over-communicating about what Round 3 applicants can expect in the coming weeks.

First, know that if your status currently reads "Received" or "Complete for Round Three," then you are in good shape. "Received" just means that the office needs to match up your hard copy submissions with your electronic files, and within a week or so you should see your status change. "Therefore," says the admissions committee, "please allow the Operations Team until Thursday, March 12 before inquiring about the completeness of your application."

Wharton will start releasing interview invitations on March 30, and will continue to release them until April 9. So, once your application status is "Complete," there's no need to even check it again until the end of this month. Also on April 9, Wharton will notify all Round 3 candidates who have been denied admission.

Finally, if you are invited to interview, you must complete the interview by April 23. All interviewed applicants will receive their final admissions decision by May 14.

If you are invited to interview with Wharton and would like some professional assistance in preparing for the big day, Veritas Prep offers MBA admissions interview preparation services. Good luck to all Round 3 Wharton applicants!

HBS 2+2 Program and the GRE

2009-03-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

A handful of top MBA programs, including Stanford and MIT Sloan, have started to accepted the GRE in the admissions process. Now, one more big name plans to start accepting the exam: Harvard has announced that it will accept the GRE for HBS 2+2 Program applicants starting this year.

This is consistent with the strategic aim of the HBS 2+2 Program -- to attract more applicants who may otherwise not have considered pursuing an MBA. While many top business schools compete with HBS for high-potential applicants, HBS sees other top grad programs as their main competition for top young talent. Accepting the GRE allows HBS to attract more high-caliber applicants who may not have originally planned on pursuing a business education.

Note that, although the Forbes article makes it sound as thought HBS will only accept the GRE for the 2+2 Program, it will actually accept both. (See the HBS admissions FAQ.) If you already have a strong GMAT score, then don't even worry about the GRE. Also, this change only applies to the HBS 2+2 Program; right now Harvard's traditional MBA program still only accepts the GMAT.

If you are a college undergrad and may eventually want to pursue a Harvard MBA, read about the HBS 2+2 Program's admissions essays and deadlines on our blog.

Job Data for Stanford GSB Class of 2008

2009-03-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Last month Stanford GSB published its final job placement statistics for the Class of 2008.

Consistent with prior years, consulting was the most popular single industry for Stanford MBAs, with 27% of the class opting for a median starting salary of $1250,000 and a median signing bonus of $20,000. Private equity came next, at 14% of the class, with the median starting salary being $150,000 and the median signing bonus clocking in at $32,500.

Slicing it by function, consulting was still the most popular, at 29% of the class, with private equity (16%) and investment management (8%) coming next.

The most popular careers for the Stanford GSB Class of 2008 were:

Industry	Percentage of Class	Median Base Salary	Median Signing Bonus
Consulting	27	$125,000	$20,000
Private Equity/LBO	14	$150,000	$32,500
Hedge Funds	8	$150,000	$25,000
Internet Services/E-Commerce	6	$115,000	$22,500
Investment Banking/Brokerage	5	$ 95,500	$40,000
Nonprofit	5	$ 80,000	n/a
Venture Capital	5	$155,000	n/a
Investment Management	4	$127,500	$19,125
Real Estate	4	$112,500	$15,000
Consumer Products	3	$100,000	$20,000
Pharma/Biotech/Healthcare	3	$103,750	$20,000

Source: Stanford GSB Blog

Note that the non-profit sector accounted for 5% of Stanford grads' post-MBA careers. While this is consistent with other top business schools' statistics, we wonder if this number will increase this year and next as the rough economy encourages more grads to pursue non-profit and social enterprise careers in place of high-paying consulting and banking jobs, which may not be plentiful in the near term.

If you are applying to Stanford this year or next, take a look at our Stanford admissions essay analysis.

International MBA Application Numbers Decline

2009-02-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

An article in last week's Cornell Daily Sun described what may initially seem like a surprising trend, but one that more than one top business school has described. Despite the sagging economy, the overall number of applications to some top MBA programs have actually dropped this year as the financial crisis has discouraged international applicants from applying because of the difficulty they will likely face in getting student loans.

According to the article, while Cornell has seen a 10-15% in domestic applications vs. last year, that has been more than offset by a 30% decrease in applications from international applicants, resulting in an overall 14% decrease in the number of applications that the Johnson School has seen so far this year. The school's academic dean, Joseph Thomas, attributes this decline in international applicants to the tightening credit situation for international students at U.S. schools.

Domestically, not surprisingly, the school has seen a surge in applications from the financial sector. According to Randall Sawyer, director of admissions and financial aid at Johnson, the school has seen more laid-off applicants than it has seen in many years. This trend is consistent with what all of the other top business schools have described.

On the flip side, while Johnson's overall numbers are down, the school's yield (the percentage of admitted students who matriculate) from the first round is near 70%, which is pretty strong. It seems that those who are lucky enough to get into a top MBA program this year aren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Wharton Round 2 Interview Invitations

2009-02-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

If you applied to Wharton in Round 2 but still haven't heard from the school about an admissions interview, there's still hope! Yesterday the Wharton admissions office posted an update on its blog to let applicants know that the school will release all Round 2 interview invitations by tomorrow (Feb. 19).

The Wharton admissions office writes:

The Admissions Committee has already begun releasing interview invitations and will continue to do so daily until 5:00pm EST on Thursday, 19 February 09. Due to the nature and complexity of the admissions process, there is no particular order in which invitations are released. Complete details on how, when, and where to schedule an interview will be provided at the time of invitation. Candidates who are not invited to interview and are no longer being considered for admission will receive a “Deny” decision on 19 February 09.

For help in preparing for your Wharton interview (or your interview for any other top business school), read our blog entry titled MBA Admissions Interview Tips. Good luck!

HBS Employment Update

2009-02-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

On Friday Dee Leopold posted an update on Harvard Business School students' job prospects for this year. This update is especially interesting for anyone who is preparing to leave a steady job this year to enter a full-time MBA program.

According to Leopold, 77% of the HBS Class of 2009's job seekers (this excludes anyone who will continue academic work or who will return to a previous employer) have found full-time jobs. She writes:

I don't have any more details to offer at this point, but we are proud of both our students and our Career Services team who have helped many of our students discover and pursue their dreams and find new opportunities in the midst of great uncertainty in the market. It is still months from graduation and companies and organizations continue to be a big presence on campus - spring will be lively here at HBS. We will provide updates as the season progresses.

Hopefully for those HBS students -- and for students at all business schools this year -- spring will indeed prove to be a lively recruiting period.

To get a feel for your chances of getting into Harvard Business School, try Veritas Prep's Business School Selector.

Job Recruiting Down for MBA Grads

2009-02-12T22:24:00.000-08:00

Not surprisingly, this week the Wall Street Journal ran a story about how business schools have seen a record drop-off in recruitment for internships and for full-time jobs.

According to a survey that the Journal conducted in January, 56% of career services offices said that on-campus recruiting was down more than 10% this winter. While that's not surprising, the trend seems to be accelerating: last fall only 12% estimated that recruiting was down vs. year ago. And activity on the schools' jobs boards is sluggish, with 50% of career offices reporting that activity was down more than 10%, and 20% saying that job-posting activity was down more than 20%.

If you're applying to business school now, or are getting ready to apply soon, the obvious questions are: What does this mean for you? Should you apply to business school now? As we always tell our admissions consulting clients at Veritas Prep, going back to the school (or NOT going back to school) just because of the economy doesn't make sense. And, if you have a good job right now, the thought of leaving it for an uncertain future can be intimidating. However, know that these downturns typically last no more than 2-3 years, meaning that, by the time you would graduate in 2011 or 2012, the odds are pretty good that the job market will once again return to form.

I have personally walked in these shoes. I applied to business school in 2001/2002, right as the coming recession was compounded by the shock of 9/11 to create headlines about worsening job prospects and rescinded job offers for MBAs. By the time I graduated from Kellogg in 2004, the job market was once again pretty robust, and we battle-hardened second-year students regaled jaded first-years with tales about how rough we had it back in the day. Fast-forward three years, and the Kellogg Management Center again had to enforce rules to keep recruiters from not overdoing it on campus.

My point? The job market is always cyclical. While this is a particularly rough cycle, especially for someone who will graduate this spring, the job market will bounce back. It may take a while, but it will bounce back.

MBA Admissions Online Seminar with the Toigo Foundation

2009-02-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

On February 25 Veritas Prep and the Robert A. Toigo foundation will host an online seminar for anyone who is considering an MBA and a career in finance.

The Robert A. Toigo Foundation was created to build a greater minority presence at senior levels across all areas of finance. Consistent with this mission, the Foundation recruits the best, the brightest, and the most committed minority students pursuing finance-related careers.

Minority MBA applicants may apply to become Toigo Fellows who receive tuition assistance, but the grants are really just one part of the Fellowship. The Foundation prides itself on the providing mentors and coaches to advise, support and guide up-and-coming MBAs in finance. The organization also provides career counseling, continuing education programs, leadership training, and a host of formal and informal networking opportunities for its members.

In the webinar on February 25, Veritas Prep will provide an overview of the MBA admissions process. This is an ideal way for a new applicant to get a broad strategic overview of what it takes to get into a top business school. Then, a representative from the Toigo Foundation will provide an introduction to the Foundation's mission, its specific programs, and the benefits it provides to its members.

This event is open to anyone who would like to learn more about the MBA admissions process and what the Robert A. Toigo Foundation has to offer. Register now to reserve your spot!

Info for Disabled GMAT Test Takers

2009-02-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

As the world's fastest-growing GMAT prep company, Veritas Prep often receives questions from test takers who want to know how they can take the GMAT with a disability. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the organization that runs the GMAT, is committed to providing access to the exam to test takers with a variety of disabilities. Fortunately, GMAC has a page on its web site that contains most of what you need to know in case you have a disability and are considering taking the GMAT.

GMAC's site provides a general overview of how to register for the exam and request specific accomodations if you have a disability. Also, be sure to read this document: Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities. GMAC will accomodate you if any of these disabilities apply to you:

Learning Disabilities

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Physical or Systemic Disabilities

Psychiatric Disabilities

Deafness or Hard-of-Hearing Disabilities

Blindness or Low-Vision Disabilities

If you fall into one of the above camps, GMAC and Pearson VUE (the company that runs the test centers where you will take the GMAT) can make a variety of accommodations. including giving you more time on the exam, extended rest breaks during the exam, a reader who can read test questions aloud to you, or enlarged fonts on the computer screen. Overall, GMAC wants the GMAT to measure your true ability, and does not want it to be clouded by a disability that you may have.

If you are preparing for the GMAT now, Veritas Prep offers a variety of flexible GMAT tutoring options in dozens of cities around the world.

GMAC Appealing to Army Reserve Vets

2009-02-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

The Graduate Management Admission Council recently announced that it has partnered with the Army Reserve to attract Army Reserve officers and senior enlisted soldiers to business school. With the war in Iraq possibly winding down soon, thousands of military vets may soon apply to business school, so the timing of this announcement is perfect.

"We are excited and honored to join with the U.S. Army Reserve in this effort," said GMAC president David Wilson in a press release. "Education can change someone's life. No one deserves that opportunity more than those who serve our country. Moreover, officers and other leaders are among the very best candidates for business school. Their experience in managing resources and developing strategy enrich the dialogue in the classroom, a cornerstone of the MBA program. Their discipline prepares them well for the rigors of the program and for management upon graduation."

The program, which has been referred to as "Operation MBA," will give soldiers access to unique information and tools to help them prepare for the GMAT and the MBA admissions process. They will also have access to a list of schools that have agreed to waive the admissions fee for military personnel, make financial aid available, or grant deferments based on soldier's service commitments.

If you are in the military and are considering business school, know that schools love the kind of experience and leadership you can bring to the classroom. As we write in Your MBA Game Plan, business schools are hungry for applicants with this kind of background!

Waitlist Advice from Dartmouth (Tuck)

2009-02-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

Recently Karen Marks, Tuck's Associate of Recruiting and Enrollment, wrote a post on Tuck's blog about the school's upcoming decisions for their November round. (Tuck's admissions deadlines aren't called Round 1 and Round 2, etc. Instead, they have an Early Round, a November Round, January Round, and an April Round.) This Friday Tuck's November Round applicants will learn their fates: accepted, denied, or waitlisted.

Most of Karen's post is devoted to answering questions that Tuck's waitlisted applicants will likely have:

First, let me explain how we decide to waitlist someone. Candidates are placed on the waitlist for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we need more information about an applicant, but see many positive qualities and are interested enough to seek additional data. Sometimes we have questions about English or quantitative proficiency, so we will encourage the candidate to retake their GMAT or Toefl or to complete additional coursework. In other cases there are no particular areas of concern but we are unable to offer admission at that point in our cycle.

Tuck is one of the better schools in terms of communicating with waitlisted candidates. If you are waitlisted by Tuck, you will be assigned a single point of contact, and that person will give you feedback on any outstanding questions that the admissions committee has. However, if they tell you that there isn't any other information that they need, you should believe them -- they have no incentive not to keep you fully informed of how they view your candidacy.

If there's big news in your life, though, this is always a good reason to reach out to your Tuck point of contact and let them know -- such as if you just got a promotion on your job, took a new job, or have recently achieved something else significant.

In terms of your chances of being admitted off of the waitlist and expected timing, Karen says:

Historically, we have admitted people from the waitlist every year - but the number varies, as does the profile of those admitted off the waitlist. Most of the time we do not admit waitlisted candidates until later in the cycle - usually not until the Spring.

So, be patient, follow the rules, take all the feedback you can get, and good luck!

If you need help in navigating Tuck's or any other school's waitlist, Veritas Prep's MBA admissions experts can help!

Harvard Business School Admissions Interviews

2009-02-02T22:12:00.000-08:00

Last week Dee Leopold, Harvard Business School's Director of Admissions, posted a short message on the HBS Director's Blog about the timing for Round 2 admissions interview invites:

On February 9 we will send out invitations to interview. The invitation will come in an email from HBS MBA Admissions and will contain detailed instructions about how to sign up for interviews both on campus and in hub cities. Please be assured that if we see you haven't signed up for an interview by the end of the week, we will contact you by phone...thus there's no reason to be anxious about lost emails, etc.

Shortly afterward, I'll update you here as to how many invitations have been issued and how many we expect will go out between February 10 and the April 2 notification date.

Note the second part of what Dee says. While a majority of interview invites will likely go out on Feb. 9, don't worry if you don't hear anything on that day. The HBS admissions office will be working through thousands of applications, and they may not get to yours for another few weeks or more.

Visit Veritas Prep for more advice on applying to HBS and how to ace your MBA admissions interviews.

MBA Admissions Interview Tips from Haas

2009-01-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

Peter Johnson, the Director of Admissions at the Haas School of Business, recently posted a message on the Haas blog to answer some questions and soothe some nerves regarding Haas's admissions interview policies.

On the blog, Peter writes:

Contrary to popular belief, there is no fixed percentage of applicants who are interviewed, and chances of admission for those who do interview are based on the strength of the entire application package and the interview. In the past few years, between 25% and 30% of all applicants have been selected to interview--but keep in mind that this percentage has varied each year. It's simply a reflection of the strength of the candidates in a specific round.

Although it's a positive sign to be invited to interview, it doesn't mean you'll get an offer--but it does mean that the Admissions Committee saw enough strengths in your application to be seriously considering your candidacy, so it's always a good sign!

Note that those percentages are just historical norms. You can consider them rough guidelines in terms of trying to determine your chances this year, but the number will always bounce around. So, spare yourself the insanity and just focus on nailing your admissions interview, rather than trying to calculate your chances! To that end, be sure to listen to the school's admissions interview tips podcast.

If you would like more assistance in preparing for your MBA admissions interview at Haas or at any other top business school, take a look at Veritas Prep's MBA admissions interview assistance package.

2009 Financial Times MBA Rankings

2009-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

The Financial Times has just released its 2009 business school rankings, with Wharton and London Business School sharing the top spot.

There were a couple of notable milestones in this year's FT rankings. LBS reached the #1 slot for the first time, breaking Wharton and Harvard Business School's joint stranglehold on the #1 slot. Also notable was that for the first time an Asian business school cracked the top ten -- Shanghai-based China European International Business School (CEIBS) came in at #8. Joining CEIBS in the top twenty were two other schools from Asia: The Indian School of Business ranked at #15, and the Hong Kong UST Business School was ranked #16.

You can see the full Financial Times rankings here. To learn what it takes to get into the world's top business schools, visit Veritas Prep's MBA Application Resources page.

Wharton Names New Director of MBA Admissions

2009-01-26T22:18:00.000-08:00

The Wharton School, which had been operating without a full-time director of admissions since Thomas Caleel stepped down last summer, has just named Jonathan "J.J." Cutler its new director of MBA admissions and financial aid.

Cutler, a Wharton alum (Class of 1997), doesn't appear to have much of a background in the education space, but has strong ties to Penn and has an impressive background in marketing and general management. Most recently, he had served as President and COO of Lindi Skin, a start-up offering skin care products specifically designed for people with cancer. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Aramark Healthcare's North American group. Before that he spent seven years in a variety of roles at Johnson & Johnson, where he was heavily involved at MBA recruiting at Wharton.

Since it took more than six months for Wharton to find J.J. Cutler, we can only assume that they took their time to find just the right candidate to fill Thomas Caleel's shoes. We are actually quite impressed that the administration clearly "thought outside the box" and went for someone outside of the traditional education and admissions spaces. We wish J.J. the best of luck in managing Wharton's hectic admissions process.

For more information on Wharton, visit the Veritas Prep Wharton information page and take a look at the Wharton admissions essays and deadlines for the 2008-2009 application season.

Waitlist Advice for MBA Applicants

2009-01-22T19:47:00.000-08:00

Being waitlisted by your target business school can feel a lot like flipping a coin and seeing it end up on its edge; this lack of a final answer after months of anticipation can almost feel more frustrating than receiving a firm "yes" or "no." But take heart in the fact that you're still in the MBA admissions game, and there may be more that you can do to ultimately get accepted.

First of all, know that a waitlist decision is much more similar to an acceptance than a rejection. The admissions office clearly saw something in your application that it liked, but for some reason -- perhaps you have a weaker undergrad transcript than they'd like to see, or there are simply too many other applicants who look just like you -- just couldn't pull the trigger and offer you a seat. While this can be very frustrating, in many cases (depending on the school) you have at least one more chance to show that you have what your target school looks for in its candidates.

Before you do anything, you will need to determine your school's policy for handling waitlisted candidates. Some schools readily welcome updates and additional correspondence, while others will allow only certain kinds of contact, such as messages sent to a specific email address. Some business schools, however, explicitly forbid you from contacting the admissions office under any circumstances. If this describes your target school, do yourself a favor and obey this policy -- not doing so makes admissions officers' jobs easy (i.e., it's easy for them to remove you from further consideration). It's frustrating, we know, but you won't help your cause by ignoring the rules.

Assuming that your target MBA program does allow you to contact the admissions office, then think about what potential weaknesses in your candidacy you may be able to bolster. Ask yourself:

Did I clearly define my career goals?

Was it clear how earning an MBA will help me achieve these goals?

In what ways did I demonstrate fit with my target school?

How did I showcase my leadership, intellect, maturity, and teamwork abilities?

Did my GMAT score, undergraduate transcript, and professional experience prove my ability to succeed in the business school classroom?

What about my application made me stand out vs. applicants with a similar profile?

Did I do enough to demonstrate my enthusiasm for the school, including visiting the school and speaking with current students?

Once you have identified some potential weaknesses, draft a letter (paper is better, although email may be required) highlighting new information that offsets these weaknesses. Outside of these weaknesses, any big news in your life -- such as a job promotion, a significant achievement at work, or a notable new contribution to your community -- also makes for a good reason to contact the admissions office.

Once you do this, your job is not done. Assuming the MBA admissions office welcomes this contact, plan on making contact with a short and professional note every few weeks to remind them that you still exist and to reiterate your interest. If you can manage a trip to campus, great, but don't expect an admissions officer to officially meet with you. Still, short and relevant notes like these can be the difference between getting lost in the waitlist and getting into your target business school.

Visit Veritas Prep for more information on navigating the waitlist and for help in crafting your own waitlist letter.

HBS 2+2 Program Application Essays and Deadlines Now Available

2009-01-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

Harvard Business School has posted the admissions essays and deadlines for 2009. Here they are, taken from Harvard's site. Our comments are in italics:

HBS 2+2 Program Application Deadline
There is just one application round for the HBS 2+2 Program. Applications must be received by July 1, 2009, at 5:00 PM Eastern time. Applicants will be notified of their admissions decisions by September 15, 2009.

HBS 2+2 Program Application Essays

What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600 words)

This is exactly the same question on the regular HBS application. While you are obviously younger than the typical applicant, still expects to see several separate, concrete examples of how you made a positive impact on the organization, community, or people around you.

What would you like us to know about your undergraduate academic experience? (400 words)

This question is unique to the 2+2 Program application. Being that you probably don't yet have any full-time work experience, the admissions office is willing to dig deeper into your undergraduate experience to learn more about you. Don't simply recount your transcript here. Why did you choose your major in college? What motivated you to choose certain course? What were some things that you learned that you never expected to learn? Focus on just one or two themes here, ideally showing how you have grown academically over the past three years.

What have you learned from a mistake? (400 words)

This is also taken directly from the standard HBS application. Just like with all mistake essays, you want to show introspection (What did you learn?) and a motivation for self-improvement (How did you use what you learned to better yourself and avoid that mistake again?). While you won't have the same experiences as a twenty-five-year-old applicant to draw upon here, look for experiences in all aspects of your life where you learned a valuable lesson.

Optional Essays (choose one)

- Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization. (400 words)

- What area of the world are you most curious about and why? (400 words)

- What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you? (400 words)

All three of these are also taken from the standard HBS application. We always recommend that applicants err on the side of discussing themselves, the decisions they've made, and the impact they've made on those around them. These specific examples of your initiative and leadership are extremely valuable, especially if you are relatively inexperienced. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't answer one of the other questions, but be careful to avoid discussing big-picture generalities that don't let the admissions committee get to know the real you.

For more advice and information on Veritas Prep's specialized admissions assistance for applicants who apply to the HBS 2+2 Program, visit our HBS 2+2 Program page.

New Facility Opens at Michigan's Ross School of Business

2009-01-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business will welcome back its students from the winter break with its new 270,000-square-foot facility.

First announced in late 2004 after the school received a record-setting gift from real estate developer Stephen M. Ross, the building incorporates state-of-the art technology everywhere. Every classroom in the new building features three mounted video cameras and instant lecture-capture technology. Each study room has its own plasma screen Plasma screens hang in each group study room, and students can print, copy, and fax documents from anywhere in the building.

The new Ross building also features many leading-edge green technologies, including the use of recycled building materials, high-efficiency lighting and and heating/cooling systems, and water conservation technologies.

Despite its large size, the building has apparently held on to the close-knit, collaborative nature that the school's students appreciate. Plenty of natural light and impromptu meeting spaces mean that Ross students will always be able to grab a seat for a quick huddle on a team assignment.

For more advice on applying to Ross, visit Veritas Prep's University of Michigan Ross School of Business information page.

New Study Highlights the Growing Challenge of College Affordability

2009-01-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

The Delta Project on Postsecondary Education Costs, Productivity, and Accountability has released a new study that reveals how college students and their families are picking up more and more of the costs as schools reduce the percentage of their budgets devoted
to instruction.

The Delta Project -- a nonprofit organization that aims to shed light on the challenge of affordability in higher education -- created the study to "follow the money" in higher education and try to determine why college tuition costs keep rising dramatically while the quality of instruction seems to get no better (and in some cases, get worse). The study paints a rather bleak picture: The schools where the most students are -- state institutions and community colleges -- spend the least on instruction per student. Where they have made spending cuts or diverted money away from programs that directly improve student instruction, it's the students themselves that frequently make up the gap with their own dollars.

In 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available, students are public schools paid for about half the cost of their education, up from approximately 40% just four years earlier. Students actually pay even more of their share at private schools: Their share rose from about 58% in 2002 to more than 63% in 2006.

The report paints the picture of growing administrative overhead gobbling up schools' budgets, with the percentage of budgets growing at all types of schools from the mid-1990s to 2006. Meanwhile, in all cases at all schools, students' tuition fees rose faster than spending, with some of this difference going toward increasing overhead.

Compounding the problem for public universities and community colleges, these schools are also the ones that are most likely to feel the brunt of budget cuts at the state and federal level. Assuming government spending on education faces more cuts in the coming year, The Delta Project predicts that these trends may even accelerate. While the U.S. higher education system is still the class of the world, the growing affordability gap threatens to undo this strength in the near future unless something changes soon.

MBA Admissions Tips for Minority Applicants

2009-01-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

Every year we receive countless inquiries from minority applicants who want to know if an MBA program is right for them, and what their minority background means for them in the MBA admissions process. The following are seven tips that we often share with our clients who come from these backgrounds:

You Do Fit In! – Many underrepresented minority applicants have a vision of business school that includes a sea of similar-looking people, all with very similar professional and cultural backgrounds. This is definitely not the case, and admissions officers at top MBA programs constantly work to dispel this myth. Don't fool yourself into thinking, "They'd never want me. I don't fit the mold of a Harvard MBA." The very things that make you different could be what get you into a top business school. Embrace these things, and resist the urge to bury them in your admissions essays.

But Don't Expect "Diversity" Alone to Get You In – Every year business schools are challenged to fill their classes with a diverse mix of students, and that diversity applies to so much more than your sex or ethnicity. What about your professional background makes you unique? What about your upbringing gives you a different perspective that you will bring to the classroom? What career ambitions do you have that might catch the admissions committee's attention? Make sure you know yourself and can articulate how you would enrich a business school classroom discussion.

Know What You'll Do With an MBA – It's okay if you still don't know exactly what you want to do when you graduate from business school, much less what you want to do twenty years from now. But business school admissions officers will expect that you understand what an MBA will do for you and – maybe more importantly – what it won't. Even if you're not sure whether you want to do investment banking or private equity, you'll need to show admissions officers that you have realistic career expectations and that you'll be marketable to prospective employers when you graduate.

Reach Out to Students and Alumni Like You – Many top business schools have clubs that serve the needs of minority students and alumni. These people can help you really get to know an MBA program before you apply, as well as help you with the job search once you're in school. It's pretty easy to find these clubs on a school's web site, and their members are usually very happy to help someone in your shoes. Don't hesitate to reach out and ask for their advice.

And Mentor Those Who Come After You – In business school and in the business world in general, many minorities benefit from strong networks of experienced mentors looking out for more junior people. Hopefully you have been (or will soon be) on the receiving end of some of this mentorship. If so, "pay it forward" and help a young professional or soon-to-be graduate who might benefit from your experience. While you may still feel young and inexperienced, you have a great deal to teach someone in college who is still deciding what they want to do when they grow up.

Get Involved With MBA-Related Organizations Now – The National Society of Hispanic MBAs, The National Black MBA Association, and The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management are just three of the organizations that exist to help minorities discover the value of an MBA and thrive in top business schools. While many minority MBA students only discover and take advantage of them after they get to business school, these groups have plenty to offer even if you're only casually considering an MBA. Sign up for their newsletters and attend their events to develop a deeper understanding of the value of a business education.

Take Enough Time to Ace the GMAT – While a strong GMAT score alone won't get you into a top business school, a low score can keep you out. But how do you get a high score? None other than the Graduate Management Admission Council (the organization that runs the GMAT) conducted a study in 2005 that showed a clear correlation between time spent preparing for the GMAT and an applicant's score – those who scored over 700 on the exam averaged well over 100 hours of preparation. So, get your hands on as many resources as you can digest, hire a tutor or enroll in a GMAT prep course if you need more help, and give yourself at least a couple of months to prepare for the exam properly.

If you are a minority applicant, keep these principles in mind as you begin to prepare your MBA applications. If you would like more help in the process, the MBA admissions experts at Veritas Prep can help you define your target business schools, clarify your career goals, and perfect your MBA admissions essays.

UC Irvine Law School to Offer Free Tuition

2009-01-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

This story broke during the holidays, but is worth examining after the fact, because UC Irvine's new law school is planning to offer free tuition to students entering in the Fall of 2009 -- which will be its inaugural class.

This is a bold and smart move for a program with ambitious goals. The dean of the law school, Erwin Chemerinsky, has stated that the school's goal is to be "a top-20 law school from the first time we are ranked." This is part of a multi-pronged attack to hit the ground running and instantly be part of the country's elite programs.

Part A was to bring in Chemerinsky, a noted constitutional law scholar famous for his BarBri lectures and advanced work done at the law schools of both USC and Duke. This step hit a few rough patches when Chemerinsky was fired and then re-hired. All of the gritty speculation over the original firing can be found here. Now that he is back in the fold, however, it seems that Irvine has tapped the right person to usher in the rest of their far-reaching strategy.

Part B focused on faculty, which is obviously a key in driving student interest, peer evaluations, and, ultimately, rankings (and, presumably, educational quality, although no one ever seems to mention this part). This blog has spent countless posts dissecting the faculty migration patterns and how they have affected schools like Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and Chicago. Suffice to say, luring top professors is paramount when piecing together an aggressive launch or expansion. Irvine has been able to snag a variety of well-respected academics such as Rachel Moran from Berkeley and Carrie Menkel-Meadow from Georgetown.

Finally, there is Part C. This is where the law school has to make a big splash to win the hearts and minds of top applicants and sure enough, that is what Irvine has done by offering free tuition (for all three years) for the approximately 60 members of its first class. This financial incentive -- coupled with big name faculty members and talk of top-20 rankings -- should be enough to convince at least that many top tier applicants to eschew the traditional powers and give the new guy a shot. And with the inevitable rankings win that would follow such a haul, Irvine is positioned to pull a rabbit out of its hat and actually meet the goal of being ranked in the top 20 from the very first time it is ranked.

At the very least, Irvine offers another interesting option for law school candidates, who are surely tired of hearing about increased applicant numbers and talk of waitlists and rejection letters.

For those interested in learning more about law school admissions trends, please visit our law school events page for information on upcoming events, and see what law school admissions resources Veritas Prep offers.

GMAT Prep Courses Start This Week

2009-01-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

If you're now in the process of preparing for the GMAT, this is the perfect time to enroll in a GMAT prep course. This week Veritas Prep has GMAT courses starting in dozens of cities around the world.

Veritas Prep offers multiple options to suit a variety of learning styles:

Full Course
The Veritas Prep Full Course is 42 hours long over seven weeks -- nearly twice the length of those of our largest competitor. Armed with over 1,400 pages of materials, students learn a deconstructive approach to confidently attack the GMAT. Students then apply these techniques to actual GMAT questions on 15 computer-adaptive practice tests -- the most in the industry -- and can also access an online recorded version of the class for six months. The Full Course is ideal for anyone looking for the most complete GMAT prep available.

Intensive Course
The Veritas Prep Intensive Course covers the exact same 42 hour syllabus as the Full Course, but runs on a compressed schedule. It meets for seven straight days in some of our more interesting locations, including New York, Honolulu, Napa Valley, London, and Dubai. Students receive the same course materials and GMAT practice tests that come with the Full Course. We designed the Intensive Course for those applicants who prefer a compressed schedule, and for those have a hard time clearing their weeknights or weekends.

Weekend Course
We also offer a more concentrated GMAT course that meets over two weekends. The Veritas Prep Weekend Course addresses all of the same topics as the Full Course, devoting 36 hours to those topics over two weekends. Students spend less time on covering homework problems in class than in the Full Course, but everything else is identical. The Weekend Course is best suited for those on an accelerated timeline.

Online GMAT Courses
Veritas Prep offers two online GMAT course options: a live online course and a pre-recorded version. Virtual Veritas Prep classes are conducted live at specifically scheduled times, via an online interface that allows students to interact directly with their instructor. Veritas Prep on Demand gives students online access to the entire Veritas Prep GMAT course, pre-recorded by a top member of our faculty, and is accessible anytime, anywhere. Our online courses are ideal for anyone who wants more flexibility, or who does not live near any of the 70+ locations where Veritas Prep offers its in-person classes.

Get started now to find a GMAT course near you!

MBA Admissions Interviews - What to Expect

2009-01-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

At this time of year we tend to get a lot of questions about the MBA admissions interview process. If you have been invited to interview with one of your target business schools (congratulations!), then here are the main types of questions you can expect to hear:

High-level questions about you

Questions about why you want to go to business school and your career goals

Questions about specific experiences in your background

Your MBA Game Plan

Good luck in your interview! If you want more hands-on help, take a look at Veritas Prep's MBA interview preparation services. Also, Your MBA Game Plan contains dozens of sample MBA interview questions to help you get ready.

Job Advice for New MBA Students

2009-01-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

A first-year Tuck student recently posted a message on the Tuck School of Business admissions blog giving career advice to new Tuck (and all MBA) admits.

The student, Natasha V., writes:

When I was admitted to Tuck (a happy day!), I started asking more-detailed questions about the curriculum, community, housing… the list goes on. But one area I overlooked was finding out real information about what my job search would like for my desired career. Truthfully, I put these questions off, since I had some idea of what I wanted to do, and I told myself that I had two years to find a job.

The reality is, first-years are already in full-swing of applying for internships, which should (hopefully) lead to full-time jobs next year. So, my two-year deadline turned out to be more like four months... two very different timelines! Looking back, I wish that I had asked more questions about what my job search would look like at Tuck. It would have helped me get grounded before coming to school, and better understand how and when to apply for internships.

Natasha then goes on to share a few key questions that a newly admitted business school students should ask the school's career office:

For your desired career, which companies recruit on-campus for internships and full-time positions?

For your desired career, how many students find internships or jobs through on-campus recruiting?

For your desired career, how many students interned or accepted full-time jobs in that area?

It often surprises us how often students DON'T ask these questions until they are deep into the summer internship search in their first year. By all means, it is your responsibility to know what your job prospects will be in your chosen field at a given school. Make sure to take this into consideration when you choose a business school to attend, and even when you're deciding the MBA programs to which you want to apply.

HBS Round Two Admissions Update

2009-01-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

Dee Leopold posted another update on the Harvard Business School admissions blog last week, this one for Round Two applicants. Consider this a mini FAQ for all of the questions that Round Two applicants will invariably ask 1,000 times over the next couple of weeks.

Most importantly for those who are racing to get the GMAT in before January 6, Leopold explained that reporting an unofficial exam on your application is enough. If GMAC's official score report doesn't get to HBS until after January 6, that's okay. However, if you haven't yet taken the TOEFL, then you're too late. In the case of the TOEFL, you do need to include an official score report with your application.

You DON'T need to wait for all of your recommendations to be sent in before you submit your HBS application, but your recommenders DO need to get their letters in before the Jan. 6 deadline (at 5 PM EST).

Good luck, everyone! For more information on HBS, visit the Veritas Prep Harvard Business School information page.

Update from the HBS Admissions Office

2009-01-02T10:02:00.000-08:00

Last week Dee Leopold posted a Round One update on the HBS blog.

Leopold and her team are now in the process of reviewing applicants who have already interviewed for Round One, and they expect to continue doing so up until the school's Jan. 21 notification deadline. They are also putting some applicants onto the Round One waitlist, and Leopold says that she expects to waitlist around 100 Round One applicants.

If you're waitlisted, don't despair -- you may be invited to interview along with Round Two applicants. "Thus, you could say that a Round One waitlist decision is essentially a 'further consideration' message," says Leopold.

Given the anticipated surge in applications this year, especially in Round Two, we expect HBS and other top business schools to make heavy use of waitlists this year. They may like the looks of your candidacy, but if they're not sure just how big the Round Two wave will be, they may decide to wait until February before making a decision on your candidacy.

If you're racing to finish your HBS application before the Jan. 6 Round Two deadline, take a look at our MBA essay editing services, which offer a 72-hour turnaround time. Good luck!

GMAT Prep and MBA Admissions: The Best of 2008

2008-12-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

There goes another year! As 2008 winds down, we thought we'd share some of our most popular posts and most interesting topics from the past 12 months:

Financial Times MBA Rankings 2008

Ace That Interview!

Introducing the Veritas Prep Business School Selector

GMAC Addresses GMAT Cheating Scandal

The HBS 2+2 Program

Lowest Price on the Official Guide for GMAT Review

And So It Continues...

Free Sample GMAT Exam Now Available

Veritas Prep Provides MBA Admissions Tips for Forbes

Veritas Prep Quoted in U.S. News Article

Announcing Law School Admissions Consulting Services

MBA Admissions Tips from Haas

Last-Minute MBA Admissions Essay Tips

BusinessWeek MBA Rankings for 2008

Our First Annual MBA Admissions Officer Survey Results

Veritas Prep Featured in BusinessWeek

Announcing the 2008 Veritas Prep GMAT Instructors of the Year

Thanks for reading, everyone! Best wishes for a terrific 2009!

HBS Admissions Podcast

2008-12-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

Recently the Harvard Business School admissions office posted a podcast interview with Dee Leopold, Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid.

The interview started off with the question that Leopold hears most often: "What are you looking for in an applicant?" Leopold broke it down into "qualities" and "experiences," and explained that they look for common qualities but diverse experiences in the incoming class.

For qualities, Leopold highlighted the following:

Solid values and integrity -- No surprise here. HBS and all other programs won't even consider someone who may seem unethical.

Ability to thrive in an analytical environment and academic setting -- As described in Your MBA Game Plan, this is one the key dimensions that you must show in your application. We at Veritas Prep refer to this as "Innovation."

Initiative -- How can you show you how you go above and beyond what's normally expected of you?

Curiosity -- Another part of what we call "Innovation." Show that you want to learn more about what makes the world tick.

Maturity -- This is another one of the four important dimensions that we describe in Your MBA Game Plan.

Perspective -- Do you have self-awareness? How have your experiences shaped your outlook on the world?

Sense of humor -- Yes, even HBS wants to see applicants who don't take themselves too seriously. We believe this a sense of humor is a clear sign of maturity, humility, and self-confidence.

Note that Leopold didn't mention "leadership." She went on to explain that, "We're looking for leaders who have these qualities (above). We don't think that 'leadership' as a one-size fits all or something that is a list of things on your resume. We think that leadership, and the way you lead, is as exciting a dimension of diversity as any of the other things I mentioned."

There's a lot of great information in the podcast, and this is just a sample. Go here to listen to the entire podcast.

One other note: Leopold mentioned that HBS is visiting a lot of college campuses this year, to open more undergrads' eyes to HBS and the value of an MBA. This is just one more sign of HBS' effort to attract and accept more candidates with very little job experience. Take note of this if you've been out of college for a couple of years and are wondering whether you should apply now or in a couple of years. "We are encouraging people to think about business school earlier in their lives," Leopold said.

While she also went on to say that this is not bad news for more experienced applicants, we believe that HBS' vision of the typical first-year student has permanently changed vs. ten years ago (i.e., it has become younger). If you apply later in your career, expect that HBS will have a lot of questions about why you waited.

Visit Veritas Prep for more information on Harvard Business School and the HBS 2+2 Program.

MBA Admissions Tips from Yale

2008-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Recently the Yale School of Management admissions office posted some admissions tips for those applicant who are working on their Round Two deadlines. Among the tips that they offered:

Review Your Essays -- Before you submit your application, it's important to review your essays to be sure your goals are well articulated and you've covered all the points you want to convey. You may also want to have a friend or family member proofread them because it's always helpful to have a second pair of eyes to catch things you may have missed. Just remember essays should be entirely your own work.

Send Your Official Test Score Reports -- If you haven't already, designate Yale SOM to receive your score reports electronically. If we don't receive your report close to the admissions deadline, the review of your application may be delayed.

Make Your Resume Stand Out -- Instead of just listing your job responsibilities, be sure you've highlighted special projects and new initiatives that have contributed to the success of your office.

Also, the Yale admissions office reports that they have sent out about two-thirds of the total candidates whom they plan on interviewing from Round One. So, if you haven't yet heard anything from Yale about an admissions interview yet, don't worry -- they may just not have reviewed you application yet. And, they may keep sending out interview invitations right up until the decision deadline, so there's still plenty of time to hear from Yale!

Just a reminder that Yale SOM's Round Two deadline is January 7, 2009. If you would like some last-minute help on your Yale essays, take a look at Veritas Prep's MBA essay editing services.

Happy Holidays from Veritas Prep!

2008-12-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

All of us at Veritas Prep want to with you a wonderful holiday season. For those of you who are rushing to get your business school applications done before the second-round deadlines take a look at our sample MBA essays for some inspiration and an idea of what works and what doesn't.

Beyond that, take a breather, relax, and treat yourself to some R&R before the deadlines come!

Best wishes,
The Veritas Prep Team

NYU Stern Searches for a New Dean

2008-12-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

Thomas Cooley, NYU Stern's dean, has announced that he is stepping down from the post that he has held since 2002. The school has started its search for Cooley's replacement. While Cooley's announcement may seem somewhat abrupt, it sounds as though he simply wants to get back to more research and teaching.

It will surely take a lot of work for Stern to replace Cooley with someone just as capable. Under his leadership, the school hired more than 90 new faculty members and raised $190 million in its most recent fund-raising effort. Cooley also significantly increased NYU Stern's international footprint, setting up join programs with schools in Asia and Europe.

If you're applying this year, take a look at this year's NYU Stern application essays, and visit the Veritas Prep Business School Selector to see what your chances of getting into Stern are.

Kellogg Mistakenly Sends Acceptance Letters to 50 Rejected Applicants

2008-12-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

We wouldn't wish this twist of fortune on anyone: This week about 50 applicants to the Kellogg School of Management received an acceptance letter from the school, only to find out later that it was the result of a computer glitch, and that they in fact had been rejected.

The applicants each received an email message with an attached acceptance letter. Kellogg official blamed the mistake on a "technical glitch" that occurred in an automated mail-merge process. The Kellogg web site always had the correct information, which applicants could see when they logged onto the site to check their status.

Understandably, some applicants prematurely started to celebrate. The Chicago Tribune quoted one applicant who excitedly called his parents and enjoyed a celebratory dinner before learning the bad news on the web site. Kellogg is going to refund his and everyone else's $235 application fee, but of course that's small consolation.

Something tells us that Kellogg won't be doing any more mail merges any time soon...

For more information on applying to Kellogg, read about the 2008-2009 Kellogg admissions essays and application deadlines.

Our First Annual MBA Admissions Officer Survey Results

2008-12-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

Last week we released the results of Veritas Prep's first annual survey of MBA admissions officers, to uncover what's happening in the field today and to help business school applicants anticipate future trends.

We enlisted the help of an independent third party to survey admissions officers at the top 30 business schools in the U.S. (as defined by BusinessWeek's ranking system). The survey ran in October and November, and covered more than half of the admissions officers at these MBA programs.

Some findings were surprising, while others confirmed what we have been telling our clients for years. Among the most interesting results:

The biggest challenges institutions face are attracting more, better-qualified candidates, and supporting cultural diversity in their student bodies. Among desired changes that admissions officers would like to see in their applicant pool, diversity ranks first (87%), while 57 percent of respondents would like to see a larger applicant pool at their institutions.

The number of international applicants to leading U.S. business schools has increased over the past five years. Ninety-four percent of responding admissions officers report a moderate to significant increase in international applicants during the last five admissions cycles.

The number of admits straight out of undergraduate studies is on the rise. Despite the fact that 63 percent of respondents say professional experience is the most important factor in student selection, almost half (47%) report that the number of admits straight out of college has significantly or moderately increased compared to five years ago.

Careless errors ranked as the top faux pas committed by students during the application process. Inconsistency between institutional choice and students' educational objectives and ambitions ranked second, and the inclusion of unrequested items and inappropriate interview conduct tie for the third most commonly witnessed application blunder.

Admissions officers view students that enlist the assistance of admissions consultants neutrally. While seven percent of respondents said that they view applicants who use admissions consultants positively, 80 percent view such students neutrally. In general, most admissions officers feel that admissions consultants help students identify the programs with which they fit best and clarify their career goals.

Admissions officers anticipate changes in the student application process in coming years. Most respondents believe the student application process will include more face-to-face or telephone interviews in the next five years (60%). While over half of admissions officers foresee the application process becoming less complex (53%), another forty percent predict the application process will become increasingly intricate in the coming years.

We especially found the learnings around diversity and the trend toward younger applicants to be most interesting. And while we were glad to see that nearly all MBA admissions officers view applicants who use admissions consultants neutrally or positively, we will continue to work to ensure that our clients get a great deal of value from their relationship with us -- but only in a 100% ethical way. As always, we will never write our applicants' essays or tell them what to say.

Visit Veritas Prep to learn more about how we can help you in the MBA admissions process.

Dartmouth (Tuck) on MBA Admissions Interviews

2008-12-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

Today Tuck's Associate Admissions Director, Karen Marks, wrote a post on the Tuck blog about how the admissions office handles MBA admissions interviews. Her post says a lot about how the schools views applicants and how interviews fit into the overall Tuck admissions process.

Unlike many other top business schools, the Tuck School of Business has an open interview policy, meaning that any applicant can schedule an interview rather than waiting for an invitation from the admissions office. Tuck really looks at whether or not you schedule an interview (and make the trip to New Hampshire) as a strong indicator of your interest in the school. Marks explains that you are by no means ruining your chances of admissions by not scheduling an interview and visiting the campus, especially if you face circumstances that would make the trip difficult (e.g., you live far away, have tight finances, or have other obligations that prevent you from traveling). However, if you're serious about Tuck, know that the most powerful way to show this is by visiting the campus and conducting an on-campus interview.

Regarding interview format, there's a good chance you will be interviewed by a second-year student. Marks makes a point of emphasizing that these interviews carry just as much weight as those conducted by Tuck admissions officers. And meeting a second-year student gives you a great chance to further get a feel for how well you'll fit with the Tuck culture.

Finally, Marks attempts to put an end to anxiety that domestic applicants feel over whether or not they get invited to interview by the Tuck admissions office. She sums up it all up by saying:

The bottom line is that it is definitely a positive sign if we invite you interview, in that it indicates our desire to learn more about you, but don't read too much into it if we don't extend an invitation. Most domestic candidates schedule their own visits, and we are unlikely to prompt you to do so.

So, don't stress over whether or not you're invited to interview with Tuck. But, if you follow their (and our) advice and schedule your own interview with the school, then this should be a moot point!

If you're preparing for your interview with Tuck or any other top business school, Veritas Prep's MBA admissions interview preparation service can help you maximize your chances of success.

Free Law School Admissions Webinar - Dec. 15

2008-12-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

This Monday, Dec. 15, Adam Hoff will host an online law school admissions seminar for those who are considering applying to law school this year.

Adam, who is Veritas Prep's Director of Law School Admissions Consulting, is a law school admissions expert, former admissions officer, and University of Chicago Law School graduate. He will discuss:

Admissions trends for the 2008-2009 application season

What law school admissions officers look for in an application

The increasingly popular JD/MBA dual degree program

Strategies for dealing with rising applicant numbers

What to do if you're waitlisted by your dream school

Q&A and general discussion

This free online event will run this coming Monday, Dec. 15., from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM PST. All you need to need to access it is a PC or Mac with an Internet connection and sound capabilities.

Register for our online law school admissions seminar here!

Top Ten Common MBA Application Mistakes from Stanford GSB

2008-12-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Last week LaNeika Ward, Acting Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at Stanford GSB, posted the top ten most common mistakes that the admissions committee finds in applications.

Some of them are pretty amazing (e.g., "Enter your name correctly"), but smart people do indeed make mistakes! Other mistakes are very important things that can be easily forgotten while cramming to complete your applications, such as failing to provide a good reason for leaving any of your previous jobs.

Other than these standout mistakes, several interesting things emerge from this list:

When discussing experiences, Stanford wants you to only focus on the past three years. In other words, it's great if you were president of your fraternity in college, but the Stanford admissions committee puts much more emphasis on what you've done more recently.

The admissions committee asks that you explain any period of four months or more when you were not in school or working. I actually find it interesting that they're not interested in ALL such periods. Perhaps they understand that some fresh college graduates may take some time to land on their feet and get their first job.

Ward makes a point of making sure that your letter of recommendation from a peer truly comes from a peer, not a supervisor whom you consider to be a friend.

Note the reference to the "application verification process over the summer," which should serve as a clear warning against pulling any shenanigans in your application. Stick to the truth!

All in all, some good advice that applies to any MBA application. But the above points are interesting because they especially shed light on what Stanford GSB looks for in its business school applicants.

For more advice on applying to business school, read about the MBA application process at Veritas Prep.

Yale SOM Applications Rise 4% in Round One

2008-12-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

Take Yale Daily news reported on Thursday that Round One applications to Yale SOM increased by 4% vs. Round One last year.

According to Yale SOM Director of Admissions Bruce DelMonico, the school received 928 applications by its October deadline, compared to 894 received in October, 2007. That puts Yale on pace to pace to receive more than 3,000 applications in the 2008-2009 MBA admissions season.

On top of the growing numbers, DelMonino also reports that the admissions office is "seeing not only greater numbers, but also greater quality." As one indicator of this quality, the average GMAT score of Yale's Round One applicants was 698, two points higher than last year's average.

Yale SOM's Round 1 pool also included 78 applicants from The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, reflecting the results of a push by the school to attarct more minority candidates. And while Yale has actually been shrinking its class size recently, the school has publicly stated that it may take on a few more students to increase tuition revenues to offset declining returns from Yale's endowment. DelMonico expects next year's class to have up to 200 students, up from 193 students this year.

For more information on applying to Yale, visit the Veritas Prep Yale SOM information page. And if you're working Yale essays now, see Veritas Prep's sample MBA essays.

Try Sample AWA Essays and Get Paid

2008-12-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

For a limited time, the Graduate Management Admission Council will pay you $30 to try out new sample Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) questions.

According to an announcement to registered users of MBA.com:

Participation requires approximately 60 minutes during which you will write two essays online. You may complete these two essays when you register online or at any time within seven (7) days of registration. You can participate from any computer with Internet access and a Web browser comparable to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to U.S. citizens.

You can register to take the sample AWA exam here. The test makers are only looking for a limited number of participants, so registrations may close quickly!

If you want more practice with sample GMAT questions, try our free sample GMAT exam.

Only Three Days Left to Register for MBA Admissions Blueprint!

2008-12-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

Just a quick heads up to everyone to let you know that there are only three days left to register for MBA Admissions Blueprint and meet one-on-one with a Veritas Prep admissions expert this weekend in New York!

Chad Troutwine, one of Veritas Prep's co-founders, will be at NYU to meet with you and discuss the two questions that we most often hear these days: how the current economic client has affected the MBA admissions process this year, and what you can do to get into a top business school in what is shaping up to be the most competitive year yet.

On Saturday Chad will discuss Veritas Prep's MBA admissions philosophy and what you can do now to significantly improve your chances of success, no matter where you are in the application process. He will review in detail our proven MBA Game Plan methodology and how you can use it to your advantage even if you feel you are facing an uphill battle.

Then, on Sunday you will meet one-on-one for an hour with one of Veritas Prep's best admissions experts. You can use this time however you like: to get a candid assessment of your candidacy, to formulate an overall application strategy, or to get some professional help in polishing your essays. And don't worry if you don't know how to use this hour -- you will be in good hands with your admissions expert, who will coach you from start to finish.

Registration costs only $250 -- that's what it normally costs to work with a Veritas Prep admissions consultant for one hour -- and includes the session with Chad Troutwine as well as your one-on-one meeting with an admissions expert.

Hurry... Registration ends Friday!

Stanford GSB Announces Social Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program

2008-12-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Last week the Stanford GSB's Center for Social Innovation announced the Social Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program to support social entrepreneurs.

The Fellowship was created for graduating Stanford MBAs who are ready to spend their first year after business school building a nonprofit venture. Starting this coming spring, a handful of second-year students will be selected to receive a stipend for the following year as well as access to the Center's wide range of resources.

All second-year Stanford MBA students in good academic standing are eligible, and teams of two led by a Stanford MBA are also eligible (i.e,. teams can include non-Stanford members).

If you're interested, learn more in this Q&A on the Stanford GSB admissions blog. And for more advice on applying to Stanford, visit the Veritas Prep Stanford GSB information page.

Veritas Prep Featured in BusinessWeek

2008-11-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

The folks at BusinessWeek are working on an interesting and valuable series: If someone could start planning their business school application five years in advance, what should they plan and do each year leading up to submitting their application? For the first story in this series, called Five Years to B-School: The First Year, she turned to Veritas Prep's own Scott Shrum for advice for future MBA applicants.

While there's no one-size-fits all plan for a future applicant, and not many people necessarily know five years out that they'll one day apply to business school, Francesca Di Meglio nicely sums up what a future business school applicant should have done by the end of year one. According to the article, by this time you should have:

Begun developing your skill set

Found a few mentors who have given you a better idea about the jobs you might like to do in the future

Found a way to translate your passions into a couple of activities in which you'd really liked to get involved

Decided how you can make an impact at the office and in those extracurricular activities and start implementing a plan of action to do just that

Kept your mind on business by reading relevant books and articles

Made a decision about when you'd like to take the GMAT

Started building a satisfying, well-rounded life and career

You can read the entire article at BusinessWeek. If you would like more advice on the MBA application process and you live in the New York area, there's just one week left to register for MBA Admissions Blueprint and meet one-on-one with a Veritas Prep admissions expert on Dec. 6 and 7!

Announcing MBA Admissions Blueprint 2009

2008-11-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Due to overwhelming demand for our admissions consulting services in the New York area, next month Veritas Prep will run its first annual MBA Admissions Blueprint event, on December 6 and 7, at NYU's Kimmel Center in New York City. This event will bring together some of Veritas Prep's most experienced admissions experts to help you quickly improve your business school applications.

If you plan on applying to business school this year, MBA Admissions Blueprint 2009 will help you jump start your application and significantly boost your chances of success. This year's economic news means that this is shaping up to be the most competitive year in MBA admissions yet, especially for people coming from the financial services sector. This event will help you quickly get up to speed on what admissions officers look for in the perfect applicant -- and how to stand out from a crowded field of applicants who all have a background similar to yours.

Especially if you only recently have decided to apply -- and we know that's the case for many of our clients, who have unfortunately lost their jobs or seen their job prospects deteriorate because of the economy -- this event will help you get up to speed on your application in just one weekend.

MBA Admissions Blueprint 2009 will also give you a chance to meet one-on-one with a Veritas Prep admissions expert. You can use this hour however you'd like -- to get a feel for your chances, formulate an application strategy, give your essays a thorough review, or prepare for an upcoming MBA admissions interview.

For $250 you will attend the Saturday admissions workshop as well as an hour with a Veritas Prep admissions expert on Sunday -- all for the price of what applicants normally to work with one of our consultants for just one hour.

Enrollment is limited to the first 50 people who respond. Register here!

MBA Admissions Interview Tips

2008-11-20T10:10:00.000-08:00

Since many top MBA programs have started to release interview invitations for Round One, we thought it would be a good time to review some basic principles for how to effectively approach your MBA admissions interview:

In your interview, you want to come across as personable, confident, interested, interesting, and sincere. For everyone one of these descriptors, think of the opposite. No one would want to be surrounded by arrogant, tentative, indifferent, dull, or phony people. In short, you want to convey that you are who you said you are in your application, and you want to show the interviewer that you're someone who would make a great classmate in business school. Yes, this may seem daunting, given the application themes that you already want to communicate. Most of these personality traits, though, should come through if you can relax and simply be yourself.

For the most part, your interviewer will set the tone of the discussion. As described earlier, some will be laid back and interested in getting to know you personally, while others will want to drill down on specific parts of your resume or application. Obviously, how serious or informal you are will largely depend on the person across from you. Your job is to make adjustments accordingly, and to answer the questions that they ask. But you must make sure that by the end of the interview you have covered the main themes that you came in with. For instance, you may have a laid-back, "get to know you" kind of interviewer who doesn't ask you the kinds of pointed questions that would allow you to talk about your strengths. If this is the case, it's perfectly appropriate to say, "By the way, there are a couple of things that I think make me a good fit for this school. I'd like to talk about them and hear your thoughts," before the interview is over. You don't want to be too transparent, but all but the most inept interviewers will appreciate the fact that there are certain ideas that you’re trying to get across before the discussion is over.

If you have a stone-faced interviewer who won't laugh at your jokes, don't press the matter. Act professionally, answer the questions that are asked, and make sure to hit your main themes. In a way, these interviews can sometimes be easier because the interviewer's business-like questions will more likely give you a chance to strut your stuff. If you have a downright hostile interviewer (which happens from time to time), don't let yourself get flustered or goaded into an argument. Relax, think of it as the interviewer's half-baked way of testing your mettle, and answer the questions as they come. Don't be argumentative, but don't be afraid to be assertive, either. A hostile interviewer may be looking for poise and confidence more than anything else, so make sure to demonstrate these.

These tips have been adapted with permission from Your MBA Game Plan, the leading guide on MBA admissions strategy. For more hands-on help with your interviews, take a a look at Veritas Prep's business school admissions interview preparation services.