Harvard / Stanford / Cambridge MBA Alums to Appear at Tokyo MBA Event on September 22 2016

A former client asked me to post a link to an upcoming event for MBA applicants that will feature recent alums from Harvard, Stanford and Cambridge. More information as well as a link to register for the event to be held on September 22, 2016 can be found here.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

MBA Admissions Essays and Deadlines for 2016-17 are slowly rolling out

It may seem to some that this time of year is far removed from any approaching deadlines. And essay topics for the graduating class of 2019? A long ways off..  Well neither is true. Not only that but in particular, this year deadlines and essays are being released quickly. Here's some that are already out:

Harvard deadlines and essays
Columbia deadlines and essays
UNC Kenan-Flagler deadlines and essays

Stanford deadlines
Dartmouth Tuck deadlines
Indiana Kelley deadlines
HEC Paris (1/17 entry) deadlines
INSEAD (9/17, 1/18 entry) deadlines

So now you're caught up as far as I can tell. I source ClearAdmit on the majority of these, but I do also check the admissions websites of major MBA programs this time of year just to make sure I am on top of what is going on. I'd suggest that if you want to stay on top of the deadlines and essay topics for your top choice schools you subscribe to the ClearAdmit blog and/or bookmark the admissions site of your top schools to make sure you are getting the latest news.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford MBA Events in Tokyo on July 27 and 28, 2015

Representatives of the Stanford MBA program will be hosting an Information Session in Tokyo on July 27, 2015. They will also be hosting an Information Session titled Women's Perspectives the next day on July 28, 2015. The latter will feature female graduates of the program, and is for any prospective applicant who wishes to attend.

More information on both events can be found here (search for the Japan events). Registration is available here for the July 27 event and here for the July 28 event.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

2015-16 MBA Admissions Deadlines and Essays: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, MIT, Wharton and Columbia

Thinking of submitting an MBA application later this fall? Top schools are releasing their deadlines and essay prompts earlier than ever, and even though we are only in mid-May, there's a lot of information out there:

MBA admissions deadlines:

Harvard, Stanford, MIT Sloan, Wharton, Columbia J-term, Yale



MBA admissions essay questions:

Harvard, Stanford, MIT Sloan, Columbia

This year, Harvard's deadline is September 9th. Time to get started on that application!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

MBA Application Strategy: Adding 1-2 Schools is Easier than Ever

I have never endorsed the concept of applying to more programs than you might normally do so just for the sake of maximising your overall chances. Applying to 10 programs instead of 7, or to 5 programs instead of 3 has often meant, to me at least, greater risk of shoddy and underdeveloped work as a result of not spending enough time on each application. Rushing to complete a lot of work in a short amount of time never really works out for anyone.

However, today MBA applications are easier to complete than ever as recommendation letter prompts and essay topics are becoming more and more generic. 

Essays - 

More and more top MBA programs have been cutting their number of required essays (Wharton, Michigan, Stanford, Tuck) or eliminating mandatory essays entirely and leaving only one optional essay (Harvard). I don't agree with this trend, as I feel schools should be investing more time into choosing the right candidates for their program rather than cutting application requirements. However, the amount of time spent drafting and completing essays is going to be a bit less now that schools have less essays. What will stay the same though for most is the amount of time spent brainstorming contents. This, brainstorming and deciding essays approaches and strategies, is and will always remain a vital component of the process.

Recommendation letters - 

Recently several top MBA programs announced they’re requiring recommenders to respond to a standardised set of questions. Columbia, Yale, Wharton, Chicago, Virginia, and Kellogg are expected to participate. A Poets&Quants article on the topic can be read here. Stanford even made their famous peer recommender an optional part of this year's application - more on that here.

Overall, I feel the change is again a negative one in that schools are becoming more and more alike and less differentiated at the application level. But there’s no doubt that if you aim for 1-2 extra schools amongst those in this list, your recommenders won’t be greatly affected. 

So, if you have finished one application that is strong, and completed to your liking, and it cannot be improved anymore..  then adding an extra school or two might certainly be within reach. I don’t mean that you SHOULD apply to more programs, just that the OPPORTUNITY COST is lower than ever. 

Remember: application quality is most important, and should never be sacrificed. Don’t cut and paste blindly between applications. Research programs and be ready to show how you feel fit with a given program when asked to do so. These are important things to consider for every school to which you apply. But, at the same time, know that the days of saying “I don’t think I have the time to submit an HBS or Wharton app in R2” are likely gone for those who are well-prepared and keeping to a schedule.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

2014-15 MBA Application Deadlines and Essay Topics

The past week has seen a LOT of releases of 2014-15 application deadlines, essay topics, and other interesting facts. Analysis will follow on this blog later in the spring and into the summer, but for now I wanted to get links out so you can start to reference this information.


Stanford:
application deadlines

essay topics
Stanford has reduced the number of essays they require in their application from 3 to 2. Their signature essay, "What matters most to you, and why?" remains. The link above goes to their admissions website, and it contains excellent advice from the GSB on how to approach the essays. Stanford shares useful advice on their own questions on their site and it is worth a read.

recommendation letter instructions
The peer recommender letter is now just an option as Stanford has dropped the number of required recommenders from 3 to 2.



Harvard:
essay topics and recommendation letter prompts
This link above is to an entry in the HBS "From the Admissions Director" blog, which I highly recommend to those aiming for or thinking of aiming for HBS. The entry also mentions the Round 1 deadline this year will be on 9/9/2014, one week earlier than last year's R1 deadline.)



Wharton:
application deadlines



Columbia:
application deadlines
essay topics
recommendation letters instructions



MIT:
application deadlines


I'll follow up with my analyses throughout the late spring and into the summer. But now is the time to start marking you calendars!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford GSB 2013-14 MBA Essay Analysis

What follows is an analysis of the 2013-14 essay questions in the Stanford MBA application. There are 3 things worth noting as you read this post:

1. These are my opinions based on my experience with successful Stanford GSB admits. They are not suggestions meant for everyone to follow blindly.  A lot of people (most?) have no idea what to do or how to begin the process of approaching essay questions, and for them I have tried to provide some insight here.

2. My approach offers more of a starting point than a finishing point.  You'll find more expansive (and better written) analyses of the Stanford essays online elsewhere.  But as far as initial brainstorming goes, I think this analysis serves its purpose.

3. Be sure to read Stanford's own advice on their essay questions, you can do so here and here. The admissions team at the GSB goes further than most programs in offering information and analysis on their own essays. They will, after all, be reading what you wrote so their advice is therefore worth considering.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

Your answer to this question will serve as your introduction to the reader of your application. As with any good introduction, it should be honest, insightful and memorable. And as with any good application essay, it should help the reader feel you could fit into their school's community, and offer something positive to it.

1. There are two questions here - what and why.

a) What

The answer to the "what" part can be almost anything, so it is important that you not limit yourself when brainstorming or evaluating potential topics with someone who knows you and the application process well.  I've seen people write good essays that are based upon a wide variety of topics, so don't rule anything out as you consider your own options.  When you have narrowed down your list of topics, ask yourself two questions about each in order to narrow the list a bit further.  1) Is writing about this topic going to allow me to help my reader understand one of my key strengths or characteristics well? and 2) Is this topic going to show that I possess some characteristic that could be appealing to admissions at Stanford?  Both are important and I don't think you can fully evaluate your topic choice without considering each of these questions.

b) Why

What matters most to you may be the subject of your essay, but it is the "and why" part of the question that really requires introspection. If what matters most to you is to sell something to people all over the world, great, but WHY does this matter to you?  If what matters most to you is to be the best at something, then again, why? With this question your essay needs to go to a deeper level of introspection. If you are driven to do or value something, where has that drive originated from? Maybe the product you sell is nice, but can that alone explain the drive you have to sell it? Probably not. Introspection means an awareness of yourself - what you're good at and why you do things for instance. People with strong levels of introspection tend to be successful at making big transitions (like attending b-school) and contributing to teams of smart people coming from diverse backgrounds (another common trait to the b-school experience).

2. Balance personal and professional, past and future

A good essay will often include personal and professional elements.  Think about it: is it possible that what matters most to you has absolutely nothing to do with your job? It is possible, although it may cause your reader to wonder how you have shaped your career. The reverse is also true: is it possible that what matters most to you is entirely a work-related topic, that has absolutely nothing to do with your life outside of your job? Again this is possible, though I would think it even much less likely, in that what matters most to you should by definition be something you've devoted yourself to (hence the fact that it matters).

In the same way, what matters most to you should optimally touch upon your past, and also your future.  If what matters most to you is dinner tomorrow, then it may sound like you have not considered the question deeply (unless of course you have a really creative explanation for that dinner tomorrow). If on the other hand what matters most to you started and finished in elementary school, your reader might feel they are not getting to know who you are today through your essay.

3.  Key strategy: show proof

No matter your choice of topic, it is important that your essay be persuasive. In order for the reader to feel like the what and why are genuine reflections of who you are, you need to give examples of actions you have taken that show your topic to be true. These actions should not be token ones, but rather strong ones. Imagine if someone writes that protecting the environment is what matters most to them (I am not necessarily endorsing this as a valid topic choice). It would be necessary to detail something they did to benefit the environment in their essay.  Moreover, it would be extremely helpful if what they had done involved continuous effort, rather than just donating money. How did they get involved? What did they do? This is what people mean when they say "show" your passion. 

Finally, I think that showing proof is especially important if your "what" isn't a thing (like your family) or an activity (like driving change in your organization) but is instead a feeling or emotion (like being competitive or not complacent).  All can possibly work as topics - but especially with the latter case, you want your essay to move beyond your thinking and to shed light on the concrete actions you have taken.

Essay 2: What do you want to do - REALLY - and why Stanford?

This essay has two easily identifiable parts: your goals, and how joining the Stanford MBA will help you position yourself to be able to achieve those goals.

1. Your Goals

You should be able to describe both short-term and long-term goals in this essay. I would define a good short-term goal as the best possible thing you can do with the combination of a Stanford MBA and the experience you will bring to the program. Most good long-term goals I have seen in the past involve a mix of three things: 1) they are big, 2) they are global and 3) they impact on other people or society in a positive way. Every year people ask me what the REALLY part means and why it is so emphasized in the question. I give a two part answer:  

a) If you have big, crazy goals, Stanford wants to hear about them.  Don't hide what you are really and truly interested in impacting in the future.

b) If all you are going to explain is that you want the MBA to transition to a typical post-MBA field, like consulting or banking, you probably need to give a bit more detail in terms of why this goal is attractive to you.

2. Why Stanford

This to me is one of the most straightforward questions a school can ask in their application.  It is important that you demonstrate how you feel a strong fit with the GSB using concrete examples. See my previous post on fit for several possible categories of examples.

Essay 3: Answer one of the three 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.

Consider the balance of your overall essay set when deciding which essay will work best for you. If, for instance, your essay have empathized more personal than professional examples, then perhaps a work-related story here would balance your essay set nicely.  But in each ace - building a team, improving an organization, or going beyond what was defined or established - there is an opportunity to use either a personal or a professional story.

The three year requirement is not new, but nonetheless it is worth emphasizing that a more recent story will help the reader to understand how you think and act now - rather than how you used to think and act.

Option A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Here let me define and elaborate upon two parts of the question: "built or developed a team" and "performance exceeded expectations".  First, note that you do not need to have been the official leader of the team. You should however have contributed to the team, by helping to define or rework the roles of members, bringing members together or otherwise helping the group get from point A to B. Was your contribution training, motivation, or the development of a mission statement that others could rally around? Be clear as to what exactly you contributed, and how this had a concrete impact on the team's ability. 

Next, you should define how exactly this team exceeded expectations. If numbers or dates are involved then this is straightforward, as the team may have beaten a budget or achieved something well in advance of a target date. But what if the expectations were vague to begin with? What if the expected outcome was not clear? In this and other cases, it is important in your essay that you show a) the initial expectations on the team (or project being managed by the team) and b) how the eventual outcome went beyond that. 

Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.

If someone identifies and pursue an opportunity, they are taking initiative. Initiative is when you decide to do something, and you devote your energy to accomplishing it. In some cases the eventual outcome may not be clear, but taking risk is often part of taking initiative. Have you done this before? Note that it does not have to end in success (though a success story may be more effective than a failure story). But it should be an experience that you initiated, through one of your ideas, and then pursued, by involving or convincing others. Don't forget to state clearly the impact of the improvement you made on the organization. How were those around you affected, and is this impact still being felt?

Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

A truly excellent response to this essay is, to me, part creativity and part initiative. Both are involved in the process of going beyond what is established. Have you ever created a new way to solve an existing problem? This could fit here. Otherwise, have you ever created something new, or changed the way something was done? Any of these could work. They key here is to show that you have experience doing more than just taking orders, or fulfilling the responsibilities that have been handed to you. 

Additional Information

Only complete this section if there is any other information that is critical for us to know but is not captured elsewhere (e.g., extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance). Do not include essays. This section is limited to 250 kbs.

As the question shows, you are only meant to use your answers here to explain weaknesses in your application, rather than submitting additional essays about your strengths or accomplishments. 

Overall Comments about the Essay Set

1. Stanford offers a guideline as to how to use your word count (limited to 1,600) across your three essays.  They suggest (only as a starting point they stress): Essay 1 - 750 words, Essay 2 - 450 words, Essay 3 - 400 words.  But this is not hard and fast and as your stories evolve for each question, you may find you have more word count allotted to Essay 1 at the expense (for instance) of Essay 3.  This is natural.  

2. If you are applying to multiple programs, this essay set is not a great one to start with. The questions are unique, and for most Stanford is a top-choice destination.  Given this, it is best to start your essay writing process (and development) on other schools.  Over time your writing will likely improve in both focus and detail, and so only after working through a few other applications should you start in on these questions.

3. This is an essay set.  As with all schools, Stanford will read your essay as a set. Make sure your own voice is consistent and natural throughout the whole thing.  

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford GSB Essays for 2013-14 Application Season

The Stanford GSB has released its essay questions for this year, and they are identical to last year's prompts. Stanford's admissions essay page is here, and I highly recommend everyone considering applying to review all the information they include here. 

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

Essay 2: What do you want to do - REALLY - and why Stanford?

Essay 3: Answer one of the three 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.

Option A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

The answers for all the essay questions cannot exceed 1,600 words in total.  The school offers a guideline as to how to use your space:

Essay 1: 750 words
Essay 2: 450 words
Essay 3: 400 words

Note however that these are only guidelines, not word limits per essay imposed by the school.

There is also an Additional Information section to the application. Please review all information directly at the Stanford GSB admissions website. 

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford GSB 2013-14 MBA Admissions Deadlines

The Stanford GSB has released their deadlines for applying to their MBA program that starts in the fall of 2014.

Round 1
Deadline: October 2, 2013
Notification: December 11, 2013

Round 2
Deadline: January 8, 2014
Notification: March 26, 2014

Round 3
Deadline: April 2, 2014
Notification: May 7, 2014

The applications and recommendation letters are due by 5pm Pacific Time on each deadline.

Please confirm all information directly at Stanford's own admissions website.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

1-year Full-time US-based MBA options (2013 update)

**7/2013 news**  The Cornell Johnson program is considering add a 1-year full-time option based in New York City. Read the Poets&Quants article here. 


While the 2-year full-time MBA remains the standard for a lot of applicants, more and more people are looking for viable 1-year full-time options for their MBA as they place a higher emphasis on the opportunity cost (i.e. foregone salary) of going to b-school. 

Europe has typically been the home of the 1-year MBA, with options such as INSEAD, IMD, Cambridge, Oxford, ESADE, IE, RSM, Cranfield, Warwick, the LBS Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy and many others attracting the majority of applications for 1-year programs. 

There are some options worth looking into in the USA as well, and they are increasing in popularity. Here is a starting point for those interested in researching 1-year US-based MBA options.  Many of these programs are designed to attract older applicants who have more focused interests and less need for career-changing educational experiences. So, I have divided the list into 1-year programs aimed towards more experienced applicants, and 1-year programs aimed towards applicants of the traditional MBA age.

for more experienced applicants:

MIT Sloan Fellows Program

working experience: 10-years is required to apply

class size: about 100

Stanford Sloan Master's Program

(technically an MS in Management rather than an MBA)

working experience: 8 years is required to apply, and the average is 12 years

class size: about 80

USC IBEAR

working experience: the average is 10 years

class size: about 55-60

for MBA-aged applicants:

One thing that is stressed with most of these 1-year programs below is that you need to have clearly defined academic and/or professional goals. 

1-year students also sometimes miss out on key 2-year student experience, such as the summer internship. For instance, at Kellogg, 1-year students spend their summer on campus. 

In addition, Goizueta notes here than the ideal candidate for the 1-year MBA has earned an undergraduate degree in business or economics or has strong quantitative background in majors such as engineering or mathematics.

Cornell Johnson Accelerated (1-year) MBA

According to this blog posting, this program is apparently normally for individuals who already hold an advanced degree. However, with a CPA or CFA, you're eligible for admission even if you don't have an advanced degree.

working experience: 4 years (median)

class size: 45 (here is a link to the class profile)

Northwestern Kellogg One-Year (1Y) Program

working experience: the current class ranges in age from 23 to 35

class size: 80-90 (they expect to double or triple this number, read more at a Poets&Quants article here)

Emory Goizueta 1-Year MBA Program

working experience: an average of 5+ years (compared to an average of 5 years for the 2-year program)

class size: 39

Babson One-Year MBA Program

working experience: average of 5 years (the same for the 2-year MBA)

class size: 78

Boston University 1-Year International MBA

More details on the program can be found here. The program starts with 3 months in China.

Thunderbird 1-Year MBA Option

class size: not given (the MBA GM program overall has 548 students, as per this source)

Hult International Business School 1-year MBA

Admissions information is available here.

More reading:

The Top MBA Programs if You're in a Hurry (WSJ.com)

U.S. Schools Increase One-Year Programs (ClearAdmit.com)

Have you Ever Considered an Accelerated MBA Program? (ClearAdmit.com)

If any readers would like to suggest other programs, email me!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

LLM Deadlines are Slowly Being Released

For LLM applicants anxious to get their schedule updated with this year's deadlines, a few schools - New York University Law School, Harvard Law School, Georgetown Law and Berkeley Law have released their information.  

New York University offers a deadline of 12/17/2012 for international students.

Harvard Law School has a deadline of 12/1/2012, however applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by 11/15/2012. 

Georgetown Law has announced an Early Action deadline of 11/15/2012, and a Regular Action for foreign-trained attorneys of 2/15/2013. 

Berkeley Law has announced that their deadline is 12/15/2012. 

As for other schools, including Columbia Law School, Chicago Law and Stanford Law School, as of this blog posting deadlines hadn't been released.  Be sure to keep checking each program's official admissions pages to get the most accurate and up to date information, rather than relying on other sites such as LSAC.org.  Over the next two weeks or so most schools will probably have released their deadlines.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Evaluating the new GMAT Integrated Reasoning Section

GMAT's new Integrated Reasoning section is now a regular pat of the GMAT test. How will MBA programs evaluate your result?  The consensus seems to be that school admissions officers will continue relying on what they know well - the verbal, quantitative and AWA sections, to determine your academic potential, although by no means is every school disregarding the new section.  Read on through a short series of links to see what exactly schools are saying about the integrated reasoning section.

First, courtesy of ClearAdmit.com, a short refresher on what the test is and how it is scored:

GMAT Tips - Getting Ready for Integrated Reasoning: The Scoring

Now - how will schools be evaluating this new IR section?

The Stanford GSB admissions team wrote pretty directly that they will see the IR score, but will focus on the verbal, quant and AWA sections as they evaluate your candidacy.  After reviewing IR scores throughout this admissions year, they'll consider how to evaluate it for the next year:

Why You Shouldn't Worry about GMAT Integrated Reasoning

Poets&Quants, a portal to MBA applicants that provides high-level interviews, trends, analyses and information, recently offered this article on the Integrated Reasoning Section noting that several other school seems to be echoing Stanford's stance:

School to Ignore New GMAT Section

In the article, INSEAD and Kellogg are mentioned.  Here's what each has to say about the GMAT IR.

In INSEAD's admissions pages, they summarized the changes to the GMAT, and then in a series of FAQs noted that they will not be using IR scores until they are able to benchmark a candidate's score against a meaningful pool of applicants:

INSEAD: Changes to the GMAT Exam

Kellogg notes that while the IR section will provide an additional number, the numbers which provide them with a more consistent evaluation are the other sections of the GMAT:

Kellogg FAQ: How will your school use the Integrated Reasoning Section..

On a counterpoint, at The GMAT Project, they have summarized a GMAC (GMAT maker) twitter chat with admissions staff from both Wharton and the London School of Business.  According to the article, both schools will consider the IR section, though they won't consider it more important that any other part of the application:

Integrated Reasoning Section: Live Twitter Chat with Wharton and London Business School

Summary and Conclusions:

As you may anticipate, do your best on this new section.  Some schools state they will consider the numbers, and others don't, but the one thing we do know is that every school to which you apply will have your IR section score. So, as with anything else in your application, make sure it is as good as possible to help your chances of getting admitted to your top choice program.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford GSB 2012-13 MBA Essay Analysis

What follows is an analysis of the 2012-13 essay questions in the Stanford MBA application. There are 3 things worth noting as you read this post:

1. These are my opinions based on my experience with successful Stanford GSB admits. They are not rules meant for everyone to follow blindly.  If your essay doesn't follow one of more of these ideas below, but it still works and you like it, then great! A lot of people have no idea what to do or how to begin the process of approaching essay questions, and from them I have tried to provide some insight.

2. I consider my ideas to be more of a starting point rather than a finishing point.  You'll find more expansive (and better written) analyses of the Stanford essays online elsewhere.  But for a point in the right direction, I think this does fine.

3. Be sure to read Stanford's own advice on their essay questions, you can do so here and here. The admissions team at the GSB goes further than most programs in offering information and analysis on their own essays online. In addition they, after all, will be reading what you wrote, so their advice is of value and therefore worth considering.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

Your answer to this question will serve as your introduction to the reader of your application. As with any good introduction, it should be honest, insightful and memorable. And as with any good application essay, it should hopefully help its reader feel you could fit into their school's community, and offer something positive to it.

1. There are two questions here - what and why.

a) What

The answer to the "what" part can be almost anything, so it is important that you not limit yourself when brainstorming or evaluating potential topics with someone who knows you and the application process well.  I've seen people write good essays that are based upon a wide variety of topics, so don't rule anything out as you consider your own options.  When you have narrowed down your list of topics, ask yourself two questions about each in order to narrow the list a bit further.  1) Is writing about this topic going to allow me to help my reader understand one of my key strengths or characteristics well? and 2) Is this topic going to show that I possess some characteristic that will help me get accepted to Stanford?  Both are important and I don't think you can fully evaluate your topic choice without considering each of these questions.

b) Why

What matters most to you may be the subject of your essay, but it is the "and why" part of the question that really requires introspection. If what matters most to you is to sell something to people all over the world, great, but WHY does this matter to you?  If what matters most to you is to be the best at something, then again, why? With this question your essay needs to go to a deeper level of introspection. If you are driven to do or value something, where has that drive originated from? Maybe the product you sell is nice, but can that alone explain the drive you have to sell it? Probably not.

2. Balance personal and professional, past and future

A good essay will often include personal and professional elements.  Think about it: is it possible that what matters most to you has nothing to do with your job? It is possible, although it ay cause your reader to wonder how you have shaped your career. The reverse is also true: is it possible that what matters most to you is entirely a work-related topic, that has nothing to do with your life outside of your job? Again this is possible, though I would think it is much less likely. In the same way, what matters most to you should optimally touch upon your past, and also your future.  If what matters most to you is dinner tomorrow, then it may sound like you have not considered the question deeply (unless of course you have a really creative explanation for that dinner tomorrow). If on the other hand what matters most to you started and finished in elementary school, your reader might feel they are not getting to know who you are today through reading this essay.

3.  Key strategy: show proof

No matter your choice of topic, it is important that your essay be persuasive. In order for the reader to feel like they are really getting to know who you are (i.e. in order for the reader to feel like the what and why are genuine reflections of who you are), you need to give examples of actions you have taken that show your topic to be true. These actions should also not be token ones, but rather strong ones. Imagine if someone writes that protecting the environment is what matters most to them (I am not necessarily endorsing this as a valid topic choice). It would be very helpful if they had actually done something to benefit the environment so they could put it in their essay.  Moreover, it would be extremely helpful if what they had done involved effort, rather than just donating money. How did they get involved? What did they do that shows this is what matters most to them? This is what people mean when they say "show" your passion.  Don't just say you want to help the environment, but instead show that you are helping the environment.  

Finally, I think that showing proof is especially important if your "what" isn't a thing (like your family) or an activity (like driving change to an organization) but is instead a feeling or emotion (like being competitive or not complacent).  All can possibly work as topics - but especially with the latter case, you want your essay to move beyond your thinking and to shed light on the concrete actions you have taken.

Essay 2: What do you want to do - REALLY - and why Stanford?

This essay has two easily identifiable parts: your goals, and how joining the Stanford MBA will help you position yourself to be able to achieve those goals.

1. Your Goals

You should be able to describe both short-term and long-term goals in this essay. I would define a good short-term goal as the best possible thing you can do with the combination of a Stanford MBA and the experience you will bring to the program. Most good long-term goals I have seen in the past involve a mix of three things: 1) they are big, 2) they are global and 3) they impact on other people or society in a positive way. Every year people ask me what the REALLY part means and why it is so emphasized in the question. I give a two part answer:  

a) If you have big, crazy goals, Stanford wants to hear about them.  Don't hide what you are really and truly interested in impacting in the future.

b) If all you are going to explain is that you want the MBA to transition to a typical post-MBA field, like consulting or banking, you probably need to give a bit more detail in terms of why this goal is attractive to you.

2. Why Stanford

This to me is one of the most straightforward questions a school can ask in their application.  It is important that you demonstrate how you feel a strong fit with the GSB using concrete examples. See my previous post on fit for several possible categories of examples.

Essay 3: Answer one of the three 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.

Many schools are reducing the overall number or volume of essays required this season, and Stanford is not an exception, as they have eliminated one essay from this section - in the past applicants had to answer two, but now they only need to answer one. This makes the topic choice more important. Consider the balance of your overall essay set when deciding which essay will work best for you. If, for instance, your essay have empathized more personal than professional examples, then perhaps a work-related story here would balance your essay set nicely.  But in each ace - building a team, improving an organization, or going beyond what was defined or established - there is an opportunity to use either a personal or a professional story.

The three year requirement is not new, but this year the school emphasizes this requirement in each question prompt. So don't describe a situation that occurred too far back in the past!  A more recent story will help the reader to understand how you think and act now - rather than how you used to think and act.

Option A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Here let me define and elaborate upon two parts of the question: "built or developed a team" and "performance exceeded expectations".  First, note that you do not need to have been the official leader of the team. You should however have contributed to the team, by helping to define or rework the roles of members, bringing members together or otherwise helping the group get from point A to B. Was your contribution training, motivation, or the development of a mission statement that others could rally around? Be clear as to what exactly you contributed, and how this had a concrete impact on the team's ability. 

Next, you should define how exactly this team exceeded expectations. If numbers or dates are involved then this is straightforward, as the team may have beaten a budget or achieved something well in advance of a target date. But what if the expectations were vague to begin with? What if the expected outcome was not clear? In this and other cases, it is important in your essay that you show a) the initial expectations on the team (or project being managed by the team) and b) how the eventual outcome went beyond that. 

Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.

If someone identifies and pursue an opportunity, they are taking initiative. Initiative is when you decide to do something, and you devote your energy to accomplishing it. In some cases the eventual outcome may not be clear, but taking risk is often part of taking initiative. Have you done this before? Note that it does not have to end in success (though a success story may be more effective than a failure story). But it should be an experience that you initiated, through one of your ideas, and then pursued, by involving or convincing others. Don't forget to state clearly the impact of the improvement you made on the organization. How were those around you affected, and is this impact still being felt?

Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

A truly excellent response to this essay is, to me, part creativity and part initiative. Both are involved in the process of going beyond what is established. Have you ever created a new way to solve an existing problem? This could fit here. Otherwise, have you ever created something new, or changed the way something was done? Any of these could work. They key here is to show that you have experience doing more than just taking orders, or fulfilling the responsibilities that have been handed to you. 

Additional Information

The application offers a section where you may write about other things that you did not have space to include in the application.  Instructions and examples of what may be included are available here. 

Overall Comments about the Essay Set

1. Stanford offers a guideline as to how to use your word count (limited to 1,600) across your three essays.  They suggest (only as a starting point they stress): Essay 1 - 750 words, Essay 2 - 450 words, Essay 3 - 400 words.  But this is not hard and fast and as your stories evolve for each question, you may find you have more word count allotted to Essay 1 at the expense (for instance) of Essay 3.  This is natural.  

2. If you are applying to multiple programs, this is not a great one to start with. The questions are unique, and for most Stanford is a top-choice destination.  Given this, it is best to start your essay writing process (and development) on other schools.  Over time your writing will likely improve in both focus and detail, and so only after working through a few other applications should you start in on these questions.

3. This is an essay set.  As with all schools, Stanford will read your essay as a set. Make sure your own voice is consistent and natural throughout the whole thing.  

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford GSB Releases Deadlines for the 2012-13 Application Season

Stanford GSB has released their deadlines for applying to join the program in the fall of 2013. The deadlines are posted below and can be confirmed within the GSB's official admissions website.

Round 1:
Deadline: 10/3/2012
Result: 12/12/2012

Round 2:
Deadline: 1/9/2013
Result: 3/27/2013

Round 3:
Deadline: 4/3/2013
Result: 5/15/2013

The application and letters of reference are due by 5pm (pacific time) on each application deadline date.

As always, do confirm this information for yourself at Stanford's Application Deadlines page on their MBA admissions website.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

How to Find and Show Fit with an MBA Program

What is fit? Fit, defined simply, is the linkage between what an MBA program has to offer, and what strengths/abilities/experiences you need in order to position yourself to achieve your goals. MBA programs are quite different from each other. Those that feel the experience at ABC school is going to essentially be the same as the experience at XYZ school are not looking at programs deeply enough. Schools differ on many levels, many of which we will explore in this article. One of the most important things an applicant needs to do is figure out which programs really suit their needs, and once they have found such a program, demonstrate this fit in their application and interview. This works on many levels.

1) It will help you find the right program for you.

This should be self-evident.  If you are going to spend 1 or 2 years of your life at an MBA, and develop skills and a network that will last for many years beyond that, you want to be sure you are in the best possible program - for you.  As noted earlier, not all programs are created equally.

2) It will help you craft a strong application demonstrating why it is best for you.

This is important. In your application to an MBA, you need to demonstrate why their school is the best choice for you. This works on many levels.  First, if you can demonstrate in your application that there is good fit between what the school offers and what you are looking for, you give the appearance of being a safe choice.  In other words, if the school offers you a seat, you are likely to take it - because you have shown you value their school.  Schools are protective of their yield (the percentage of offers made that are accepted by applicants), as a high yield can lead to increased prestige and even higher rankings too. In addition, demonstrating fit in your application makes you a safe choice because it shows the chances are high that you will be a happy student once enrolled (because you'll be getting what you wanted), as well as a happy alum once you leave the program. Failing to demonstrate fit in your application makes you a bit of a wild card: if they admit you, will you choose to enroll, will you be happy there? What if it turns out this program is not what you were looking for or what you really need? This would not benefit you, or the school.  

Given the importance of having a strong fit with a program, it is no wonder that one of the most typical and most important questions you need to answer in essays (and definitely in interviews) is: Why do you want to attend this school?

The list that follows below includes some characteristics of MBA programs that demonstrate how programs differ from each other, and can be used for research, or even towards making clear examples of fit in your essays and interview. It is not exhaustive, but it does serve well as a good starting point.

The Courses

Obviously this is a good initial place to look when considering programs. What do you want to learn, and in particular, in which areas do you hope to be able to do deep dives?  Exploring lists of electives is a good way of seeing which programs offer the education you are looking for.  Moreover, how are the courses organized? If you want to go into HR management post-MBA, it might be wise to study organizational behavior before your internship. Is this possible? What for the banker aiming to go into consulting?  Obviously the MBA offers the typical basket of skills, but will one program make you choose between important electives, where another might allow you to take both? As you consider the ideal courses for you, and even their timing or availability, some programs will rise to the top, while others might eliminate themselves from contention.

Other Academic Opportunities

This section is necessarily broad, because there are so many possibilities to consider.  Here are just two: 

a) Capstone (experiential) programs: are they offered, and if so in the industry or even with a company that will add value to your experience?

b) Overseas trips or study experiences: can you build networks in the places you need to? How much choice do you have in choosing where you might study, and what you might do there?

Clubs and Extra-Curricular Opportunities

What personal goals have you established for your MBA experience? Do you want to be in a place where not only you but your entire family can benefit from the international experience? All programs have some variety of Partners Clubs or events for family members, but further research will help you to find the programs that are ideal for you. What else is important to you? If you desire to be in an Asian Marketing Club, a South American Business Club, or to even create a new club, you'll find quickly that not all programs are created equally.

The Professors

Who will be teaching the programs you wish to attend? Some professors offer benefits over others, such as industry or region-specific experience, a network in a certain field or a research interest in a particular and focused area.  As such, this area of your MBA experience should definitely not be overlooked.

The Characteristics of the Program

Do you value teamwork, or hands-on learning? Again, not all programs are created equal.  Are you interested in learning via case studies or lectures from professors? The difference in the experience here is substantial. Are grades given to project teams, or individual members? How is in-class participation graded?  Are courses graded on curves, with only (for instance) a fixed number of As offered to students? This will define, in many ways, the amount of competition or collaboration between yourself and your classmates. 

The School's Reputation

By this I don't just mean "is the program known for its strength in marketing or finance".  This is of course important, but in addition, does the school have a reputation for helping students change careers? Has its graduates been successful gaining employment in certain industries or functions, or in certain parts of the world? What companies come to recruit on campus? Is the brand or name-recognition of the program high in your own country? If so, it may help to open valuable doors for you. 

The School's Mission

What does the program exist to do? What kind of leaders are they aiming to create? Does this agree with what you want to do in the future, how you see the world, or how you aim to change yourself? 

Atmosphere / Culture and Other Students

This is why it is important to a) visit campus and b) talk with alumni of the program. Because without doing both, it is hard for you to truly envision whether this school is where you want to spend the next 1 or 2 years of your life.  How do students interact with each other in class, on campus, and in social events?  All schools attempt to forge bonds amongst members of their student body - but not all bonds are created equal.  In terms of the other students in the program, this is on one hand very obvious, and on the other difficult to figure out.  You may be able to access demographics of previous classes, but you won't know more about your own classmates until you actually choose a program.  

The Location of the Program

This is not about the weather.  Rather, what opportunities does the program have regular access to?  The proximity of a few top Californian MBAs to Silicon Valley is one obvious example, although it should be noted this entrepreneurial region is visited by MBAs from all over the US (let alone other countries too).  What kind of opportunities are you looking for in your MBA, and beyond? If your goal is to land a job in a top Canadian company, than Rotman, Ivey or Schulich might inch closer to the top of your list.  If learning Spanish or French as a third language is of value to you, programs in Spain or France might work better.  If, on the other hand, your goal is to become a specialist in Asian business, a program in China, Singapore, or even Japan might fit best.

Again, this is not an exhaustive list - there are certainly more places to look. The point here is that what you need most might not be the same as others - so find the program that fits you best, and then give specific evidence of this fit in your application essays and during the interview.

More reading (from admissions counselors):

Admissions Tip: Going Beyond School Websites (CleadAdmit.com)

7 Signposts to Differences Among MBA Programs (Accepted.com)

Roadmap to School Selection, Phase 1: Independent Research (Stacy Blackman)

Roadmap to School Selection, Phase 2: Reaching Out (Stacy Blackman)

Roadmap to School Selection, Phase 3: Experiencing it Live (Stacy Blackman)

Wharton is a good fit for you if..  (Veritas Prep)

More reading (from schools):

Finding the Right Program (Chicago Booth Admissions Insider)

Hanover? Yes, Please. (Tuck at Dartmouth blog)

MBA Diary: Why are you here and not somewhere else? (Economist)

What makes Berkeley-Haas the right MBA program for you? (The Full-Time Berkeley MBA Admissions Blog)

A Unique Approach (IMD MBA Blog)

From the Dean (Wharton)

Our Mission (Harvard Business School)

Our Mission (Stanford GSB)

Values define how everything is done (UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA blog)

What Makes UCLA Such a Special Place? (The MBA Insider's BLOG - UCLA Anderson School of Management)

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Stanford MBA Essays for Fall 2013 Entering Class Released

The Stanford Graduate School of Business has released their essay questions for applicants aiming to enter the program in the fall of 2013.  On their admissions essay page, Stanford directs applicants to answer 3 essays, one less than the previous year.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

Essay 2: What do you want to do - REALLY - and why Stanford?

Essay 3: Answer one of the three 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.

Option A: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you identified and pursued an opportunity to improve an organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time in the last three years when you went beyond what was defined or established.

The answers for all the essay questions cannot exceed 1,600 words in total.  The school offers a guideline as to how to use your space:

Essay 1: 750 words
Essay 2: 450 words
Essay 3: 400 words

Note however that these are only guidelines, not word limits per essay imposed by the school.

There is also an Additional Information section to the application. Detailed instruction are posted on Stanford's admissions essay page.

As always, do confirm all application elements directly with the school itself. Here is Stanford's main admissions page and here is their essay page.  Doing so is especially fruitful in the case of Stanford, as the school offers lots of information and commentary about their essay prompts, and how applicants may choose to approach writing them.  So do take the time to read the pages at Stanford's admissions site as you consider what topics and strategies might work best for you.

Quick thoughts:

1) Less word count and one less essay means less space overall to tell your story - so choosing topics will be of utmost importance.
2) In the past, Stanford asked for two different essays in part 3, allotting approximately 300 words to each. Clearly, they prefer one essay that is more developed and deeper as per their essay prompt.
3) By adding the phrase "in the last three years" to each essay question in essay 3, the school probably hopes no one will accidentally give a story that is much older.  Revealing a more recent experience better allows you to reveal who you are now - so don't make the mistake of writing about something that you did well in the past in Essay 3.

I will write a more thorough report later in the season.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Delicious Bookmarks

So far in the short life of this blog, one of the most popular ways in which my readers have found me is through my collection of bookmarks at delicious.com.  

I have been an avid collector of bookmarks since about 2005, and in particular I use delicious (as well as pinboard more recently) to sort my bookmarks and allow for easy retrieval.  As this collection has grown so has its usefulness. Currently, I have over 14,000 bookmarks (!) to a variety of topics that you may find useful, including resume design and preparation, interview questions and preparation, employment, admissions, LLM programs, MBA programs and even undergraduate programs.  In addition to this, I have school-specific bookmarks for many schools including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg and countless others.  

The internet is, as we all know, a great place to research. If you are interested in learning about any of these topics above, or others such as being waitlisted, letters of recommendation, visiting campus, or even determining fit with programs, I'd suggest you start with my delicious bookmarks, scroll through the tags until you find ones interesting to you, and start your search there.

Good luck with your research!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com