tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46169268675102958662024-03-21T17:41:36.704-07:00Elite Essays BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-72721847708160315532009-05-04T07:13:00.000-07:002009-05-04T07:14:28.664-07:00New WebsiteWe just updated and moved our website/blog. You can find us at:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.elite-essays.com">www.elite-essays.com</a><br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />BryanUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-80444334364775282242009-04-07T23:27:00.001-07:002009-04-07T23:32:49.648-07:00New Website Coming<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXbB3DERPAjObbhD7l-jJ39kZccmIR3qTetL-K-QZ-vuPMlj9qp5tGFOTJIrbOyyroQCJ3hjGFbNVFELrzA1PtU4O7Hs39CTlzK-xdu97hoXyRUNnCl7fFHLoaqxpz78Q9SrI3Kgx80nu/s1600-h/178759_logo_final.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXbB3DERPAjObbhD7l-jJ39kZccmIR3qTetL-K-QZ-vuPMlj9qp5tGFOTJIrbOyyroQCJ3hjGFbNVFELrzA1PtU4O7Hs39CTlzK-xdu97hoXyRUNnCl7fFHLoaqxpz78Q9SrI3Kgx80nu/s200/178759_logo_final.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322204488871748066" /></a><br />We're really excited to be re-launching. Should be some time next week. Please check back for all the latest information, including about the new Elite Essays scholarship, re-applicant assessment package, and essay analyses for January 2010 enrollment programs. In the meantime, I hope you like the new logo above.<div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-72182009097278973532009-03-15T13:04:00.000-07:002009-03-15T13:13:52.816-07:002009-10: The New Ethics in B-schoolsThe NY Times published a must-read article for MBA applicants and potential applicants, the implications of which point to some changes in this year’s new application questions. I’ll make some predictions here and we can see how well I do this summer when MBA programs start to release their 2009-10 questions.<br /><br />Here is the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/business/15school.html" target="_blank">link</a>.<br /><br />Also here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/business/15school.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/business/15school.html</a><br /><br />The lead in to the article is that some of the people most heavily criticized recently for their roles/performance/behavior during this global economic crisis of ours came from top MBA programs. In fact, the article names names in the very first paragraph. Interestingly, it doesn’t say where they studied, but that’s easy enough to Google.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">John Thain </span>– final chairman and CEO of Merill Lynch – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">HBS</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Richard Fuld</span> – final chairman and CEO of Lehman Bros. – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">NYU Stern</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Stanley O'Nea</span>l - former President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Merill Lynch – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">HBS</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Vikram Pandit</span> – CEO of Citigroup – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Columbia</span><br /><br />The article also mentions <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">John Paulson</span> (President of Paulson and Co. – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">HBS</span>), but he has actually profited enormously from the downturn.<br /><br />A few years ago, after the accounting scandals at Enron, Worldcom and their cancerous ilk, the role of ethics in business schools came into sharp focus, with the number of schools asking ethics-related questions jumping sharply. Now, those questions are almost nowhere to be found among the applications of top schools, or at least they are not being asked directly. My feeling is that, for obvious reasons, schools realized there was limited value in asking, essentially, whether applicants had ever lied or cheated to get ahead in business.<br /><br />The difference between those scandals, which were largely contained within the US, and the current global economic meltdown, is that this time the perpetrators weren’t just some greedy corporate officers and spineless accountants. Apparently, everyone was complicit – consumers, regulators, and of course business people.<br /><br />My prediction is that we will see a return of ethics-related questions, but they won’t be as simple or direct as they once were. A typical ethics question used to go something like this:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma? If so, how did you handle it?</span></span><br /><br />I believe the “new ethics” questions will be more subtle and more broad. They will inquire not only about taking a stand against the crowd, but also about how applicants have worked to benefit society. Among top schools this year, I think Chicago was the earliest in touching on these topics in what I predict will be a strong trend.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">a) Have you ever made a decision that caused you to go against popular opinion? Please describe that situation and your rationale for your decision. b) Did you feel at any point that people misperceived your motives? Explain. c) In retrospect, how do you think an MBA from Chicago Booth would have affected your decision?</span></span><br /><br />And with MIT’s announcement late last year of a new ethics training program for all incoming students, I would definitely expect an ethics question from them in some form or another. Other schools will almost certainly follow. Not only will such questions help schools address the perceived (fairly or not) lack of ethics among business people, but if asked correctly, such questions will also serve to distinguish truly exceptional candidates from within what will probably be an even more competitive applicant pool.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-4672208564178780302009-03-09T02:33:00.000-07:002009-03-09T03:02:42.218-07:00Looking Back and ForwardWhile everyone is playing the waiting game, I thought I would offer a few thoughts about this past season and what it might mean for future applicants.<br /><br />With the wrecked economy and so many people applying to business school as a result, everyone knew the application process this year would be tough. And it’s been true. Even my clients that would normally walk through the process have struggled. All things considered, perhaps the most important factor this year has been timing; my clients who applied in the first round seemed to enjoy a distinct advantage, with a 100% interview invitation rate for those applying to two-year U.S. programs, even for those with a GMAT score below 700.<br /><br />The number of applicants and re-applicants (who will have the advantage of knowing themselves and the process much more deeply, and who will probably be targeting the first round) will likely remain high or even rise this year, with layoffs expected to increase throughout the U.S. economy and worldwide. For 2009-10 applicants, then, this means applying early has never been more important and that you should start your GMAT and/or TOEFL test preparation now, if you haven’t already begun.<br /><br />You should also be thinking about your applications themselves. Recognizing this more difficult landscape, I’ve begun offering a <a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/special_packages.html">Foundation Package</a> that will begin in May of this year and last for two months. By the end of June, you should have both a highly developed resume and goals essay that will jumpstart your applications and leave you strategically placed for the rest of the application process. You’ll be able to present your resume during school visits, or hand it directly to admissions committee representatives and alumni at MBA fairs and information sessions. You’ll also be able to speak with confidence about your career aspirations, which are the foundation of your entire application and now more difficult to establish given the economic crisis. <br /><br />To learn more about the Foundation Package, please click <a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/special_packages.html" target="_blank">here</a>. For more general information about my services or to arrange a free consultation, please contact me.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-29453947853003755562009-02-22T20:26:00.000-08:002009-02-22T21:04:07.083-08:00Stuck in the Middle: WaitlistsWhen I wrote previously about <a href="http://eliteessays.blogspot.com/2008/10/push-essaysletters.html" target="_blank">push materials for waitlisted applicants</a>, I mentioned that some schools encourage them but others don’t, and that you can’t adopt the same waitlist strategy for every school. To demonstrate my point I’m including parts of waitlist notifications received by some of my clients.<br /><br />NYU encourages additional materials:<br /><br /><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“Below are some of the ways you can strengthen your application...<br /><br />Academic Potential<br /><br />Retake your GMAT. We consider only your highest overall score, so there is no downside to retaking the test if you believe there is room for improvement. The GMAT is a good indicator of future academic performance. An improved score may alleviate concerns in this area. If you intend to retake the GMAT, please email your test date to XXX. Once you take your exam, please fax your unofficial score report to us at YYY. Even if the score does not improve, please send us the new result. It will signal that you put forth additional effort to improve your application (international students also can consider retaking the TOEFL if appropriate).<br /><br />Inform us of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">new, relevant coursework or continuing education classes</span> you are taking. Please provide a transcript when your coursework reaches conclusion.<br /><br />Provide an explanation of your undergraduate performance (if not already provided).<br /><br />Inform us of any <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">new, relevant credentials you have pursued</span> (e.g. CFA, CPA).<br /><br /></span></span></span><div><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">…<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">New information should only be submitted when it provides a different or updated perspective to the Committee.”</span></span></span></span><br /><br />So does Haas:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“There are many things that you can do to enhance your candidacy:<br /><br />1) We strongly encourage you to schedule an interview if you have not<br />already had one as a part of the admissions process. In addition to<br />interviewing on campus, you may also schedule an interview in other cities<br />around the US and the world. To request an interview, please use the<br />Interview Scheduler link available on the Status Report page of your online<br />application. (NOTE: You will not be able to schedule an interview until you<br />first accept a place on our waitlist by following the directions below.)<br /><br />2) If your GMAT or TOEFL scores fall below our averages, you may retake the<br />test and forward an unofficial score (followed by your official score) to<br />the admissions office.<br /><br />…<br /><br />4) You may provide an additional letter of recommendation (or two) to your<br />file, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">if the letter will add information that was not provided in the<br />original letters submitted</span>. New letters may be submitted in hard copy or<br />electronically. To request a new online recommendation, you must enter the<br />Recommendations section of your online application and provide the requested<br />information regarding your new recommender. (NOTE: You will not be able to<br />request a new online recommendation until you first accept a place on our<br />waitlist by following the directions below.)<br /><br />5) You may submit a new statement (via mail, fax, or email) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">updating the<br />Admissions Committee on any relevant changes in your professional or<br />personal life since your application was submitted.</span><br /><br />…”</span></span><br /><br />Columbia, however, does not:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“Please do not send in additional materials. The waitlist manager will contact you if there is any further information that we need.”</span></span><br /><br />A few things I want to point out:<br /><br />You should know your own weaknesses and take steps to address them pro-actively. One of my clients last year had a low GMAT (under 600), particularly in math. I encouraged him to take a pre-calculus class through a university online extension program to demonstrate his recognition of and commitment to improving his weak area. He was outstanding in all other areas and garnered interview invitations from many top programs, during several of which the interviewer mentioned the math class as being a very positive sign. He ended up getting accepted at Chicago, Kellogg and Wharton.<br /><br />Don’t just blindly send in materials. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">As I’ve indicated above</span>, NYU and Haas only want information that is new and significant. It is a safe bet that other schools feel the same, if they want additional materials at all. Being waitlisted is incredibly frustrating and nerve-wracking, but fight the temptation to send in weekly “love letters.” This is business school, not high school.</div><div><br /></div><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-26505736228495888182009-02-15T14:54:00.000-08:002009-02-15T15:57:28.920-08:00Killer Interviews #5 - Asking Good Questions/The Myth of "Killer" QuestionsMost interviewers will give you time at the end of an interview to ask questions. You should. After all, you are the consumer, an MBA is an expensive and life-changing experience, and you have many choices. Not asking questions might make a negative impression. As a guideline, I think 3-5 questions is sufficient.<br /><br />I also like to think of questions as falling into 3 categories:<br /><br />1) Questions about program content to see how well the MBA fits your needs<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example: </span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“Regarding your international study trips, could you explain specifically how they help prepare students for doing business abroad?”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span style=""></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span><br />These kinds of questions are basic and necessary.<br /><br />2) Questions designed to reveal your potential contributions<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example: “I understand you have a soccer club. I love soccer. Is it possible for me to arrange a tournament with another MBA program?”</span></span><br /><br />I personally don’t like these kinds of questions. The answer will obviously be “yes” (MBA programs love this initiative), and the question itself is a transparent effort to reveal a potential contribution. If you feel you can make a contribution, just say so.<br /><br />3) Questions designed to start a conversation<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example: “Why did you choose School X?” or “What was your best/worst experience at school X?”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> (if the interviewer is an alumnus)</span></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example: “Would you describe your program’s culture as more collaborative or more competitive?” or “Are you making any changes to the curriculum, especially in finance, in response to the current global recession? If so, what are they?”</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">(if the interviewer is an adcom rep)</span></span><br /><br />These are my favorite types of questions because they can break through the “question-answer-question-answer” mold that so many interviews take. They can also contribute to not just a good interview, but to a relationship between you and the interviewer that may be helpful later on; for example, if you are placed on a waiting list and need advice from an alum. One of my clients was able to get very helpful feedback from his interviewer after being denied admission because they established good rapport during the interview.<br /><br />Additional interview tips:<br /><br />1) Don’t ask questions you should know the answer to or that you can research by yourself. These are also known as “stupid questions.”<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example: “Do you offer consulting projects?”</span></span><br /><br />2) Don’t over-explain your questions. Just ask them. The best questions are short and to-the-point.<br /><br />3) Ask open-ended questions to get the most thoughtful responses. (An open-ended question cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no.”)<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example (closed-ended): “Are students allowed to assist in the admissions process?”</span></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Example (open-ended): “In what ways can students assist in the admissions process?”</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br />*************************<br /><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">A few thoughts about “Killer” questions:</span></span><br /><br />In a recent interview training, a client told me she had been advised to ask “killer" questions during her upcoming interview. She didn’t know what constituted a killer question and, to be honest, neither did I, though I've heard this mantra many times before. If I had to guess, I would say that a killer question is one designed to show how clever or provocative an applicant is, or even to put the interviewer on the defensive. The hope is to stand out in a crowded information session or interview.<br /><br />With that definition, then, a “killer" question to an adcom rep might look like the following:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“Your ranking fell last year. What did you do wrong?” </span></span><br /><br />or<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“With your renowned financial curriculum and many alumni in the financial industry, do you feel responsible for the current global financial meltdown?”</span></span><br /><br />These are certainly tough questions, and there are good points somewhere behind them. I would imagine that anyone asking them would stand out, but not necessarily in a positive way since the questions are calculated to provoke, not elicit helpful information. Ultimately, asking such a question might backfire.<br /><br />Does this mean you have to lob baby questions in order to ingratiate yourself? Definitely not. An MBA is a life-changing experience that requires a huge investment of time and money, so you should be asking hard questions. My advice, however, is to begin by asking sincere questions about things you are truly interested in. Those are the real killer questions.</div><div><br />If you are interested in learning more or working with me on interview training, please see <a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/interview_training.html">this page</a> or e-mail me directly.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-40270341051303291112009-02-12T17:39:00.000-08:002009-02-12T17:54:14.321-08:00Killer Interviews #4: Mastering Your ResumeIf you’re preparing for an MBA interview, you might be anxious about burning up all your “main” answers and having nothing left by the end of the interview, or about being asked questions you haven’t written an essay for. A good way to reduce your anxiety on both fronts is by mastering the perfect MBA interview training tool – your resume. <br /><br />It’s perfect because:<br /><br />1) It provides an expanded list of topics that go beyond your essay content, i.e., it gives you more weapons for your interview.<br />2) Each topic is already expressed concisely.<br />3) Interviewers frequently receive your resume in advance and develop questions based on things that catch their eye. You might even have a “walk-me-through-your-resume” type interview, which requires strong familiarity with every bullet point.<br />4) It gives you a manageable amount of information to master, as opposed to trying to memorize answers to massive lists of questions found online, an approach that, for most applicants I’ve worked with, increases anxiety and decreases performance. <br /><br />Regarding the last point, of course question lists can be helpful, but I recommend using them to test your ability to adapt and express the information you should already know well from your essays and resume.<br /><br />Now we can start combining some of the techniques I’ve mentioned in prior posts.<br /><br />1) Assuming you read my previous post about “<a href="http://eliteessays.blogspot.com/2009/02/killer-interviews-3-one-sentence-story.html" target="_blank">One-Sentence Stories</a>,” practice explaining each bullet point on your resume in the form of a one-sentence story. Rewrite them if you have to. It’s great practice at being both concise and comprehensive.<br /><br />2) Even in a “walk-me-through-your-resume” interview, don’t forget your <a href="http://eliteessays.blogspot.com/2009/01/killer-interviews.html" target="_blank">overall strategy</a>. As you move from point to point, look for places to make connections and introduce important information. If you have an accomplishment on your resume that relates to your goals, for example, you have a perfect opportunity to explain your career vision. <br /><br />Lastly, mastering your resume is a great way to build confidence, which is often the key difference between a good interview and a great interview.<br /><br />If you are interested in learning more or working with me on interview training, including these techniques, please see <a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/interview_training.html" target="_blank">this page</a> or e-mail me directly.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-72773363867861665422009-02-08T17:09:00.000-08:002009-02-08T17:44:42.812-08:00Killer Interviews #3: The One-Sentence StoryGood essays are structured around detailed examples. The same can be said for good interviews. You can spend five minutes telling your interviewer repeatedly that you are a leader, or you can show it in one minute with a good example. With most interviews limited to about 30 minutes, the best choice is clear.<br /><br />However, one of the biggest problems MBA applicants seem to have is addressing concisely standard interview topics like leadership, teamwork, failures and personal accomplishments. They often resort to word-for-word recitations of their essays, which are guaranteed to be too long and reflect poorly on their real-time communication skills. In journalistic terms, these applicants can’t “kill their babies”, i.e., they can’t imagine telling their beloved stories in a different way. I’m here to tell you that you have to be merciless in shortening your stories in order to have an effective interview.<br /><br />Journalists do this every day, when they write the first sentence in a breaking news story. Done well, that sentence should convey the importance and broad outline of an entire story, to be then filled in with supporting details. Transferring this technique to the world of MBA interviews, one-sentence stories can look like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">“During a recent M&A transaction between two leading snack food companies, I successfully managed my overly-demanding client while fostering my subordinates’ growth by giving them unusual responsibilities, leading to a successful deal worth $100,000,000.”<br /><br />“For ethical reasons, I gave up an enormous deal that could have been worth $1 Bln. because I knew the aircraft could not be delivered to the client on time.”<br /><br />“After our merger, I had to rescue our technology integration talks through strong diplomacy, creative negotiations, and confident decision-making.”<br /><br />“I had always been a lead rower on my college crew team, but after my injury I still wanted to contribute so I became a team manager, which taught me the difficulties and joys of playing a supporting role.” </span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />These one-sentence stories should leave the interviewer hungry to know more. As an interviewee, you can have confidence that you’ve expressed your main points, before adding a few important details to round out your answer. The more you can master this technique, the more prepared you will be for all aspects of the interview. With some practice, you can even apply the one-sentence technique to your self-introduction and to your goals. <br /><br />If you are interested in learning more or working with me on interview training, including developing your one-sentence stories and applying them to a variety of interview situations, please click <a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/interview_training.html" target="_blank">here</a> or e-mail me directly.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-20291378614331839992009-02-03T19:02:00.000-08:002009-02-03T20:13:02.429-08:00Killer Interviews #2: Introducing Yourself – The Verbal ResumeAs I covered in my last post, a good strategy is vital because it allows you to approach the MBA interview pro-actively. If you know the topics you want to cover, you can look for or create opportunities to tell your best stories. Also, a checklist of “must-tell” stories serves as a “scorecard” to judge your performance and make improvements for future interviews.<br /><br />Executing that strategy begins when you introduce yourself, which is often the first thing an interviewer will ask of you. Most applicants don’t take full advantage of the opportunity. They often give a bland recitation of some school, some work, and some hobby that goes little beyond what’s written on their resume. Your interviewers can read that for themselves. What interviewers need is a way to understand how all the bullet points match up and relate to each other. This is the value-added “verbal resume” you should be providing when you introduce yourself.<br /><br />From that perspective, the self-introduction is a chance to create a framework for the entire interview, including your reasons for pursuing an MBA and the major accomplishments/strengths you want the interviewer to know about. Since I stress integration and consistency with my clients, many of them have strong themes that run throughout their essays. The self-introduction is a perfect time to introduce those as well. As one of my clients recently and beautifully expressed it, you need to “seed” the self-introduction as a way to move it in the direction you want it to go.<br /><br />Here is what I consider a strong self-introduction, based on recent interview trainings I’ve conducted.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Me: “Please introduce yourself.”<br /><br />Client: “Thank you. I would love to. The most important thing to understand about my background is how important international experience has been to both my personal and professional development. I’ve always known that I wanted to work internationally, which is why I enrolled at a university with a strong international focus and why I went overseas during college to conduct research for my thesis on manufacturing in the developing world. It was an amazing experience that led me to volunteer with an international NGO, something I would like to talk more about later.<br /><br />After graduation, I joined my company where I started in an engineering role, developing hundreds of programs for my company’s leading software product. I also had the rare opportunity as a young staff to lead many software development teams, during which I was able to refine my interpersonal skills.<br /><br />I experienced a big turning point when I was assigned to lead an implementation project overseas. I managed to solve the inter-cultural issues, as well as bridge the technology and business viewpoints that were necessary for success. After that, I knew I wanted to take a more front line position in my organization so I transferred to a sales department.<br /><br />In the past few years I’ve become our top salesperson, responsible for 25% of our revenues for our leading product. Now my goals are to combine these experiences to help my organization expand sales internationally, which is a brand new challenge for us. This is actually my short-term goal and I’d be happy to provide more details.<br /><br />Honestly speaking, however, I don’t feel ready yet to pursue my goals. I need to develop more team management skills since I often work alone as a salesperson, as well as deepen my international business experience and networks. These are the main reasons I applied to your MBA.”</span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />I read this out loud and it comes in under two minutes. But in under two minutes, this person has shown himself to be thoughtful and intelligent, with a firm grasp of what he wants and why he wants it. He has shown himself to be both realistic and ambitious in his career goals, while identifying specifically how an MBA can help him clear the main hurdles he faces. He has also introduced both personal and professional topics that can be developed more fully throughout the interview. Strategically, he has set himself up perfectly to move in several different directions, including expanding on his goals and reasons for an MBA, which is often the next most natural thing for an interviewer to ask.<br /><br />As with all the techniques I’ll cover, this ambitious approach might not be for everyone or might not fit all interview situations. But I do believe that all applicants can find some benefit from the principles behind it.<br /><br />In my next post, I’ll explain a technique I call “The One-Sentence Story” that can help interviewees deal with the common problem of expressing their stories both completely and concisely.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-70205113490709607822009-01-29T12:24:00.000-08:002009-01-29T12:28:17.031-08:00Killer InterviewsThanks for your patience during my blogging hiatus and for your kind wishes for 2009. Over the next few days, I’ll be providing “Killer Interview” techniques and approaches that I’ve developed over the many years I’ve been coaching MBA applicants. The topics will include (and may expand):<br /><br />1) Developing Your Interview Strategy<br />2) Introducing Yourself: The Verbal Resume<br />3) One-Sentence Stories: The Killer Technique<br />4) Covering Your Resume: The Domain of Your Interview<br />5) Asking Good Questions to Expand the Dialogue<br /><br />First up: Developing Your Interview Strategy<br /><br />It still surprises me how many people sweat and babble through their MBA interviews without a strategy. I consider them victims, at the mercy of the interviewer. However, strategic applicants, those who know their best stories and can deploy them to maximum effect, gain control over the content and direction of the interview. <br /><br />A good strategy is based on good essays; if they are developed properly, then they should already provide a comprehensive profile of you covering the typical interview questions. By “properly” I mean that individual essays are structured and detailed enough to withstand the probing of a dubious interviewer, and that your essays are consistent and integrated as a whole. If your essays do not match this criteria, then prepare to sweat and babble. <br /><br />The first step to developing a strategy then is to review your essays, and to a lesser extent your resume and even your LOR (depending on your access), to identify the 10-15 most important topics you want to cover. I think a good list has to include the following: <br /><br />1) Self-introduction<br />2) Short-term goals<br />3) Long-term goals<br />4) Why MBA?<br />5) Why School X?<br />6) Accomplishments<br />7) Personal life<br />8) Strengths<br />9) Weaknesses<br />10) Contributions<br />11) Questions for the interviewer<br />12-15) Other topics that express your unique experiences/qualities<br /><br />For most of my clients, these topics have been well developed by the time of the interview, so identifying them is easy. The difficulty is presenting a topic both individually and strategically. <br /><br />Doing that starts with Introducing Yourself, which I will cover in my next post. <br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-81290611054956825012008-11-10T21:03:00.001-08:002008-11-10T21:04:58.417-08:00Taking a time outThanks for all your comments and feedback. I'm glad you're finding the blog entries helpful. Unfortunately, I need to suspend blogging for a while to concentrate on my clients. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-12751384840285449912008-10-20T17:43:00.000-07:002008-10-20T17:52:17.305-07:00"Push" Essays/LettersMy last post was about optional essays. Push essays and push letters are similar in that you have to exercise supremely good judgment when using them. For those of you who don’t know, "push" materials are generally additional essays or letters of recommendation that your target school does not require. <br /><br />Now this sounds like a great idea, except for the fact that every applicant gets the same idea and the result for an MBA adcom is a flood of additional materials that they didn’t request and don’t have the resources to review. Some applicants send these materials even before the initial interview decisions have been announced. Complicating matters further, some programs encourage push materials for people on waiting lists. <br /><br />The question is: under what conditions should you send push materials? I recommend asking yourself the following questions:<br /><br />1) Is the information new? Is it a new development or has it not been covered anywhere else in your application? In the case of a push letter, can the writer say something that your other recommenders cannot?<br /><br />2) Is it significant? For example, did you raise your GMAT or TOEFL score significantly? Did you get a raise or promotion? Did you complete a project successfully, especially one you mentioned in your essays or interviews?<br /><br />3) Do you have permission? Did the MBA program OK the additional material or did a personal contact (perhaps an adcom interviewer) recommend it?<br /><br />The more “yes” answers you have, the stronger your case for sending push materials. But like many things in the MBA application process, you will likely be penalized for poor judgment so think carefully before you send.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</aUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-19952842872305278512008-09-27T21:33:00.000-07:002008-09-27T21:40:48.187-07:00Optional EssaysLet me get the first question out of the way.<br /><br />No, you do not need to submit an optional essay. By definition, “optional” means you have a choice. And an adcom would rather read fewer essays than more.<br /><br />Having said that, optional essays can be used strategically to explain a weakness (real or perceived) or include additional positive information that wasn’t included in the other essays. Note that some schools (e.g., Columbia, Wharton and Duke) state specifically that they only want the former. If you ignore their instructions you risk having them think you can't follow directions.<br /><br />When explaining weaknesses, don’t whine or make excuses. If you have a low GMAT score, for example, don’t tell them how difficult the test was or that you were so busy with work that you could not study properly. The test is difficult for everyone and everyone is busy. Stick to the facts and wherever possible point out your strengths that may compensate for your weaknesses. Also, be proactive. If you know you have a weakness, take action to improve and use the optional essay to let the adcom know what steps you are taking. On more than one occasion I’ve recommended clients take a university extension course in calculus, for example, to compensate for a low quantitative score on the GMAT. Impress an MBA adcom with your self-awareness and your commitment to improve yourself.<br /><br />You can also use an optional essay to provide balance. Introducing something personal through an optional essay, for example, is a great way to diversify a portfolio of essays that is heavily weighted towards professional topics.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-60777611945671019282008-09-20T01:42:00.001-07:002008-09-20T01:43:53.199-07:00Recommenders & RecommendationsFor most applicants with several years of professional experience, the best recommenders are past and current supervisors. They are in the best position to judge your professional abilities and answer the questions that most MBA schools ask. Their recommendations serve to confirm and expand on the information included in your essays. It’s really that simple. Ensuring that happens though is not simple since you don’t have control over what your recommenders’ write. My advice is: get control, as much as possible anyways. I’ll come back to this later.<br /><br />The most basic rule when selecting recommenders is also simple: choose the people who know you the best because only they can provide detailed examples to support their claims. Choosing someone who doesn’t know you well simply for their title or position, or for their status as an alum will almost certainly backfire on you because the adcom will see you as more interested in surface than substance. Even worse, they may think you were unable to secure a recommendation from someone who actually knows you. Another good rule is to choose recommenders who can say different things about you, i.e. people who are not going to cover the same topics/accomplishments as each other.<br /><br />Applicants are not always in a position to ask their current supervisors, especially when doing so might put you in an awkward position. Adcoms know this. It should not count against you either as long as you can find someone who knows you well. However, you should find someplace in your application to explain the situation. You could use an optional essay for this or you could even ask one of your recommenders to explain in his or her letter.<br /><br />If you haven’t been working long or are applying directly from university then consider professors, bosses from part-time jobs or internships, volunteer coordinators, etc. The basic rule of using people who know you well still applies.<br /><br />As much as possible, work with your recommenders. Let them know what accomplishments you are describing in your essays and ask them to confirm them. Direct your recommenders to cover different aspects of your career so that they are not duplicating each other, which is a waste of a letter. And while adcoms frown upon it, some recommenders will ask you to draft a letter for them to review and sign. If they give you the option, take it. Not only will you be able to manage the content, you’ll also have more control of the timing and will worry less about your recommenders meeting submission deadlines. Here too, work with your recommenders. Try to “interview” them with a standard set of MBA LOR questions in hand. The more feedback you get, the easier it will be to draft.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-74370293792235294322008-09-18T06:20:00.000-07:002008-09-18T06:26:21.777-07:00Wharton Essay Topic NotesSorry for not posting recently. It's starting to get busy...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words</span>)<br /><br />MBA admissions committees (adcoms) are like venture capitalists – they want to “invest” in the best people with the best ideas. Your goals essay then is your “personal business plan,” expressing your short- and long-term career ambitions, their connection with your past experience, and why they matter to you professionally and personally. The most compelling goals express an opportunity that you will be uniquely qualified to pursue immediately after graduating. Your goals need to be realistic (i.e., possible given your previous personal/professional experience plus an MBA) and ambitious (e.g., a significant jump in your current organization, changing your career, starting your own organization). If not, adcoms will not be persuaded, and they will read the rest of your essays skeptically. The goals essay is the most important you will write during the application process.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Most common mistake</span>: vague short-term goals that don’t reflect a realistic and ambitious opportunity. As is true with all essays, well-chosen details separate good essays from great essays. In the case of the goals essay, the details of your short-term plan will show how much thought and research you’ve done regarding your “business plan” as well as allow you to make direct connections to each MBA program. For example, if you plan to consult high-technology firms, then you should be looking for classes, projects, research centers, clubs, etc. that relate to those fields.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Describe a setback or a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>No one is perfect, and even the most successful professionals have failed or experienced setbacks. These experiences represent learning opportunities that disciplined professionals use to grow. This question requires you to recognize your role in a failure or setback. More importantly, it requires you show how you recovered and learned from your failure to become a more complete professional.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Most common mistake</span>: not choosing a “good” failure. A “good” failure is something not too recent, perhaps from early in your career, so you can demonstrate that you had time to analyze your mistakes and make the right choices the next time you faced a similar situation. (If the school requires you to write a leadership essay as well, one strategy is to pick a failure that occurred before your leadership success. Your leadership success can often serve as proof that you grew through your failure.) A good failure also has to be a direct result of your actions or decisions, or else there is nothing for you to learn from the experience. Lastly, you should pick a failure that is “understandable” or “forgivable,” perhaps due to youth or inexperience.<br /><br /> <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> Where in your background would we find evidence of your leadership capacity and/or potential? (500 words)</span></div><div><br />This is similar to a standard leadership essay, which is your chance to show how you have succeeded in “uncharted territory” through the will and ability to see an opportunity, execute a plan to leverage it, and overcome the obstacles that threaten success. Taking leadership often requires trying something new, which in turn requires winning the support of others. For this reason, this essay also presents a chance to demonstrate your teamwork, interpersonal and persuasive skills as important components of your leadership ability. By using the word “evidence,” Wharton seems to allow for multiple examples. And while they say “potential,” whenever possible you should choose an event that was a clear “win” for you.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Most common mistake</span>: not detailing how you overcame various obstacles and instead relying on generic phrases like “persistent negotiations” or “unyielding efforts” that don’t illustrate core abilities.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Please Complete One of The Following Two Questions:</span></div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> a. Describe an experience you have had innovating or initiating, your lessons learned, the results and impact of your efforts. (500 words)</span></div><div><br />While similar to the leadership question above, this topic focuses more on the creative aspects of your problem solving ability. If you answer the leadership question above, though, choosing this topic might lead to some redundancies in your application.<br /> <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">b. Is there anything about your background or experience that you feel you have not had the opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee in your application? If yes, please explain. (500 words)</span><br /><br />This could be interpreted as an “excuse” essay to explain away weaknesses in your application, but the fact that Wharton offers a separate “optional” essay means this is meant as a personal experience essay. This essay can be approached from many different directions. One strategy is to concentrate on an important turning point(s) in your life to show the experience(s) that lead to your personal growth. This approach can be especially effective if your experience somehow relates to your future goals, e.g., if you spent time overseas in your teens and now you want to work internationally. You could also focus on personal accomplishments, barriers you’ve overcome, or something unexpected about you, such as an unusual hobby. The important thing is to provide insight into your personal experiences that shows your self-awareness, your personal growth, and if possible, how your personal experiences fit in to your professional life.</div><div><br /></div><div>These notes are for general guidance only and might not apply to your particular situation. If you have any questions, please contact me. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-15030603525803403362008-09-10T08:12:00.000-07:002008-09-10T14:47:48.362-07:00Columbia Essay Notes<span style="font-weight:bold;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I've started providing notes to aid with topic choices on selected essays, particularly for new or unusual essays. Last time I covered Stanford's optional essays. This time it's Columbia. I know the early round deadline is just around the corner, but this will be for all the late birds and second rounders out there.</span></div><div><br /></div>(Required) Master Classes are the epitome of bridging the gap between theory and practice at Columbia Business School. View link below. Please provide an example from your own life in which practical experience taught you more than theory alone. (Recommended 500 word li</span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">m</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">it)</span> <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">View with Real Player: <a href="http://merlin.gsb.columbia.edu:8080/ramgen/video1/faculty/MasterClass-promo.rm" target="_blank">http://merlin.gsb.columbia.edu:8080/ramgen/video1/faculty/MasterClass-promo.rm</a> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br />View via Google: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4698876883776961370&hl=en" target="_blank">http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4698876883776961370&hl=en</a></span><br /><br />Last year Columbia asked a different but related question requiring applicants to expound on the value they would receive from an MBA education. They seem to be tackling this more obliquely with this question about theory vs. practice. (One of the criticisms against MBA programs is that they only teach theory. Columbia seems to have developed its Master Classes in direct response.)<br /><br />This question asks you to walk a thin line. You have to describe an experience (in reality, an accomplishment) before which you had certain expectations, thoughts or beliefs. Then you have to describe how reality got in the way, forcing you to adapt, expand or apply the theory in a different way than expected. In other words, show how theory alone was not sufficient to succeed. You cannot discount the value of theory completely, of course, since theory is a mainstay of any MBA curriculum. By the end of the essay, you should have shown that you can appreciate the synergy of a theoretical foundation supplemented by real world experience.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">(Required): Please provide an example of a team failure of which you’ve been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently? (Recommended 500 word limit)</span><br /><br />This is a fairly typical failure essay with the condition that it has to have occurred in a team context. As with all failure essays, you should choose an experience in which you were directly responsible for the failure, either through your actions or inactions, in order to be able to show what you learned and how you grew as a result. Hint: try to choose something that happened a few years ago so you have the chance to show not only what you <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">would</span> do differently but what you <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">did</span> do differently.<br /><br /></div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-84099320526418646122008-09-10T02:53:00.001-07:002008-09-10T02:55:18.085-07:00CMU/Tepper Essay Questions<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html#mellon" target="_blank">Here</a> they are, finally. Please note that it's unclear what the length limitations are. I'll post them as soon as I can find them.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-27939414205670065482008-09-07T00:15:00.000-07:002008-09-07T04:15:01.599-07:00Stanford GSB Optional Essay AnalysisStanford's optional essays deal with multiple dimensions of leadership and teamwork. It is often difficult to separate good leadership from good teamwork, but when it comes to choosing MBA essay topics there is a difference. A leadership story, like Options 2-4, should recount how you, working alone or with a team, confronted and hopefully overcame an external problem.<br /><br />A teamwork topic like Option 1, on the other hand, should demonstrate leadership that improved the team itself. In both cases, you have to play the lead role in your story. Don’t let the word “teamwork” fool you. Your team is not applying for an MBA. A final note when choosing topics: the best ones will be consistent with the theme you choose for Essay A (What matters most to you and why?)<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Option 1: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team.</span><br /><br />If you’ve started a team at work or for a volunteer project, for example, this is a great chance to show how you built a strong team from the ground up, including member recruitment and selection, duty assignment, effective communication, mutual support, and most importantly conflict resolution. A key theme should be pro-activity. Explain what decisions you made and steps you took to avoid common teamwork pitfalls. If you did encounter problems, explain how you solved them.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a “team development” story should showcase how you fixed a broken team. This involves identifying the main problems (which are often the result of poor communication), devising concrete solutions, and gaining the buy-in of your teammates. In both of these approaches, you are the leader, but your leadership is aimed at building or fortifying your team.<br /><br /> <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Option 2: Tell us about a time when you felt most effective as a leader.</span><br /><br />An effective leader gets things done. This topic, then, requires a story in which the outcome is a clear “win”. You can start by outlining the situation, including all the factors that will eventually challenge you and your team, then explaining in detail your responses and results, and ending with the final outcome. Often these stories hinge on persuading a key person or group of persons to take a chance on an innovation that you or your team is promoting.<br /> <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Option 3: Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating.</span><br /><br />Despite your best efforts, not all situations end positively. By including the word “tried" this option accounts for that possibility. Instead of focusing on the final outcome, you can highlight your perseverance and problem solving ability throughout the process, much like you would do for Option 2. If you worked with a team, you can also illustrate how you kept your team motivated throughout. Please note that any good leadership story should show how you deal with challenges, difficulties and frustrations, so the main difference between Option 2 and Option 3 is the final outcome.<br /> <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Option 4: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected</span><br /><br />A leader breaks barriers and takes responsibility in situations when other people might say, “Not my job.” Your topic can accentuate your willingness to act alone and take a chance when you have no clear support. If you have a leadership accomplishment in which there was no teamwork involved, then this might be a good option.<br /><br />This essay also presents the interesting possibility of showing moral leadership, i.e., taking a firm stand on an ethical position that contradicts your superiors or colleagues.<br /><br />As I mentioned, there is a lot of potential overlap between these options. Feel free to ask me about your particular situations. <br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-45978986711233028232008-09-05T16:46:00.001-07:002008-09-05T16:50:11.244-07:00UT Austin/McCombs Questions Posted<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html#ut_austin" target="_blank">Here</a> they are.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-53135154165624465982008-09-03T20:13:00.000-07:002008-09-04T02:15:40.205-07:00Goals Development #2: Realistic and AmbitiousI mentioned in a previous post the goals “sweet spot,” which falls on the spectrum between realistic and ambitious. In the last few days I’ve had several discussions that made me realize I should explain in more depth. <br /><br />Here is a typical exchange I’ve been having, much simplified.<br /><br />Applicant: “My short term goal is to be involved in IT and strategic consulting.”<br /><br />Me: “What do you do now?”<br /><br />Applicant: “IT and strategic consulting.”<br /><br />Stop. This person has certainly provided a realistic goal. It’s so realistic in fact, that she is already doing it. And without any further explanation, an admissions committee (adcom) will likely think that she does not need an MBA. <br /><br />Here are some questions that could help her refine her thinking. Will she be working with bigger clients or international clients? Will she be managing larger project teams or an entire consulting division? Is there a new opportunity in IT/strategic consulting that she can’t capture with her current skill set? In essence, she needs to define her new challenges in such a way that an MBA is clearly necessary. <br /><br />Here is another example:<br /><br />Applicant: “I want to help my company expand its investments overseas.”<br /><br />Me: “Sounds great, but you’ve been doing that for the past few years successfully. How will these future investments differ from the investments you’ve made in the past?”<br /><br />Applicant: “Oh. Well, our investments so far have been in developed countries. But in our business that means the growth potential is not as high. Our future strategy is to invest in developing countries where the potential is greater, but so is the risk.”<br /><br />Perfect. This person just hit the sweet spot. He can show that his goal is realistic by referring to his past success. At the same time, his goal is ambitious because his investment direction is changing and there is more risk involved. Most importantly, an MBA is the perfect vehicle to prepare him for these changes. Finance and accounting classes will help him with due diligence. International strategy and negotiation classes will help him in his face-to-face dealings with potential partners. Study trips and an international network of classmates can provide first-hand, up-to-date information as well as inter-cultural experience that can make a subtle but important difference in closing a deal successfully.<br /><br />It is also possible to be too ambitious, which is usually less of a problem and also easier to detect, especially when it comes to short-term goals. For example, if you have two years of experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, you will not become CEO right after graduation no matter what MBA program you graduate from.<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-60457183210463059982008-09-03T18:53:00.000-07:002008-09-03T19:03:00.056-07:00Cornell Questions<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html#cornell" target="_blank">Here</a> they are.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-10596314036234927472008-08-29T09:48:00.000-07:002008-08-29T09:57:03.291-07:00The Goals Essay: An OverviewMBA admissions committees (adcoms) are like venture capitalists – they want to “invest” in the best people with the best ideas. Your goals essay then is your “personal business plan,” expressing your short- and long-term career ambitions and why they matter to you professionally and personally. You should not discount your personal reasons since those may very well distinguish your career plans from those of other applicants. After all, very few people have unique goals. Unique reasons? Yes. Unique goals? No.<br /><br />The most compelling goals express an opportunity that you will be highly qualified to pursue immediately upon graduating. Your short-term goals in particular need to be both realistic (i.e., possible given your previous personal/professional experience plus an MBA) and ambitious (e.g., a significant jump in your current organization, changing your career, starting your own organization). If not, adcoms will not be persuaded of your need for an MBA and they will read the rest of your essays skeptically. The goals essay is the most important and often the most time-consuming you will write during the application process.<br /><br />The above is excerpted from a 3-page PDF file I provide to my clients. If you would like a copy, please contact me. <br /><br /><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-71835138925782087882008-08-27T02:56:00.000-07:002008-08-27T03:01:30.989-07:00LBS Questions<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html#lbs" target="_blank">Here</a> they are.<div><br /></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-81943115929335092592008-08-21T22:39:00.000-07:002008-08-21T22:42:14.201-07:00UNC/Kenan-Flagler Questions<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html#unc" target="_blank">Here</a> they are.<div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a></div><div><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616926867510295866.post-77809830725623084332008-08-18T23:14:00.000-07:002008-08-18T23:22:13.725-07:00New Essay Questions: Stern & Darden<a href="http://www.elite-essays.com/question_2009.html" target="_blank">Here</a> they are.<a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com"></a><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:bryan@elite-essays.com">bryan@elite-essays.com</a><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0