MBA Essay Consulting Event: Sunday, June 4, 2017

I will be hosting an event in Tokyo at 10am on June 4, 2017 in which I will be discussing the process of brainstorming and writing essays for the Columbia MBA set. If you are in Tokyo, please consider joining us. Details (in Japanese) can be found here.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

MIT Sloan 2015-16 MBA Admission Essays Analysis

What follows is my analysis of the 2015-16 MIT Sloan essay topics.

The school's own instructions: We are interested in learning more about how you work, think, and act. In your response, please describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did. 

Essay 1: Tell us about a recent success you had: How did you accomplish this? Who else was involved? What hurdles did you encounter? What type of impact did this have? (500 words or fewer). 

This question seems to be a typical accomplishment story. However, you need to make sure that your accomplishment story contains the following things:

- the involvement of others

- at least one hurdle (challenge/difficulty/obstacle) faced along the way

- the resulting impact of this accomplishment on something and/or someone

- details about what you thought, felt, said and did

Note that the example can be personal or professional. In terms of selecting a topic, again the story you choose should contain all of these elements. In addition, to that, I’d also encourage you to consider choosing a story where your role was central, and one where the impact on a person or organisation is strong and clear. 

I’d also encourage you to choose a recent episode. In the past the instructions for MIT Sloan essays used to include the direction that you limit your story to one that has occurred within the past 3 years. This requirement is now gone, however I would encourage applicants to still consider a recent story. The reason for this is in the “thought, felt, said, did” details asked for.

The approach MIT takes to outlining their expectations of your essay is different from other schools. No other MBA program asks for the specifics about what you thought, felt, said and did within the context of a particular story. The reason why? I used to attend MIT information sessions, and whenever I did, I always heard that “we can evaluate your potential to contribute as a global leader based on the way you handled a recent episode”. In other words, by offering a detailed (and recent) example of how you dealt with others, how you communicated your ideas, how you reacted to difficulty, and how you managed to make an accomplishment, you are giving your reader a window into how you act, and act with others. They are then evaluating your potential to be successful in the future (and of course fit in well in their program) based on this.

Here’s some tips on organising that initial draft.

Begin by summarising the accomplishment. Not everyone will tell you to do this but I feel it is a good way to kick off your story. So offer a 1-sentence summary of the accomplishment and it’s impact. 

The next steps I would take is the organize your story use MIT’s own STAR model - advice they give / have given on how to tell a story (particularly for behavioral interview questions, but also for storytelling in general):

S - situation

T - task

A - action

R - result

This is a logical way to tell a story, and an easy way to organise your draft. After you have gone through these steps, add one more paragraph emphasising the learning or takeaway of this story for you. How did you develop from this experience? What did you learn? I think that a bit of reflection at the end of a story is a good thing, and shows your capability to grow from your experiences. 

Once you have finished these steps and have arrived at a first draft, read it. It doesn’t matter how long it is. I think that a first draft that is 800-1,200 words is perfectly acceptable. Cutting volume and achieving their word limitation will come later. As you read it, ensure that the details (what did you think, feel, say and do?) are coming through. The reader should be able to observe how you deal with situations and others through these details. 

Finishing this essay will involve making some tough choices about what contents need to stay and what can be cut. I’d encourage you to reach out and get help on this. A third party, objective perspective is crucial to a real understanding of just how successfully you are conveying what you intend to.

Optional: The Admissions Committee invites you to share anything else you would like us to know about you, in any format. 

An essay will likely be the most popular format, but don't let that stop you from trying something a bit more creative as long as it helps you to get across whatever message you are aiming for here.

In terms of that message, start by asking yourself if there are any weaknesses or other such things you feel may need to be explained here, such as a relatively low GPA across the undergraduate degree or during one year of university. If you do this, try to emphasize the positive. You could, for instance, describe what were doing at the time (a leadership role in an extra-curricular? working to pay off tuition? both?) and how the learning from the activity was relevant and important to you.

Other than that, look to your response to the essay above and anything you’ve already decided to put in this optional essay and ask yourself if you've offered a good balance between work and non-work examples. If you haven't, and for instance have emphasized professional experience, then consider introducing your extra-curricular activities here. MIT leans towards recent examples, and that's always good advice to follow, but the question here does offer a lot more freedom, so something from more than three years ago could be considered a topic as long as you detail the takeaway or impact or whatever makes the experience still relevant today.   

Finally, some may use this optional essay as an opportunity to detail the specific reasons they feel MIT offers the best fit for them, given their past and their future. If this is the route you have chosen, read my article on demonstrating fit with an MBA program to ensure your examples are as concise as possible.

If you do go with an essay to answer this question it appears there is no word limit - so use 500 words (their limit on other essays) as your rough guideline maximum here, while noting that shorter may in fact be better. MIT optional essays used to be about 250 words - so obviously conciseness is valued. This is not a hard-and-fast rule - I’ve read great essays that were longer - but is certainly worth considering.

Closing Thoughts: Mind and Hand

In closing, let me remind readers of the MIT slogan "MInd and Hand". In doing so I am not proposing that this theme be digested and then pasted all over your essays, nor am I saying that "because MIT is looking for this kind of thing, you need to write about it no matter what your background is".  In fact I often propose the opposite - rather than writing what you think they're looking for you're always better off representing what makes you exceptional on its own terms. Having said this, the concept of Mind and Hand is the ability to bring practical application to learned things, and to me, this defines what it takes to be successful not only during the MBA, but also in applying the experience to challenges you'll face in the future. Read here for an interesting (if slightly older) take on this, and go here for a deeper reading on this topic.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Research MBA Programs using my Delicious.com Links

MBA applicants need to thoroughly research all programs to which they tend to apply so that they can, in the essay and interview, give specific examples that show the strong fit they feel with each program. Demonstrating fit with a given program is important to getting that all-important offer. You can read more about fit here, but the purpose of this posting is to give you some resources that will kick-start your school research.

I have been collecting articles on MBA programs (as well as LLM and other grad programs) for years, and when I come across a resource I find interesting I bookmark it using Delicious.com. This website has undergone some transformations over the years but remains at its essence a useful social bookmarking resource.

As you begin (or continue) researching schools, I encourage you to put my social bookmarks to good use. They're searchable, and using the right keywords will help you get to what you are looking for quickly.

The starting page of my bookmarks can be found here.
Here is the listing of all sites tagged "MBA".

You can also combine keywords to refine your search. Here are two examples:

A search of my bookmarks for "MBA", Harvard", "admissions" and "interview" is here. Substitute in Harvard for another school and you'll get links related to their interviews as well. Replace interview with essay and you'll get links related to that.

A search for "MBA" "admissions" and "recommendation letters" will take you here.

I encourage you to look around and see what useful information you can dig up on any program to which you are applying.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

MBA Admissions Essay Event: Friday June 26 2015

I will be co-hosting an MBA admissions event with my colleague Eiki Satori at Affinity on Friday, June 26, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. The event is free and you can register here. Please consider it should you have the time and inclination.

The topic will be the Columbia MBA essay set for the 2015-16 admissions season. It's a good one, as applicants need to choose carefully what to write about and (importantly) demonstrate a strong fit with the program. It also features 4 essays, including the optional one, and so is a good essay set for discussing overall balance. You can find the Columbia essays here.

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

Columbia MBA Essays for 2015-16 released

Columbia Business School is first to release their essay prompts for the class of 2018.

With the new questions there is a greater emphasis on the fit you perceive between your objectives and the program. The questions follow below, and they can be found on the CBS admissions website, along with other relevant details on applying to the program.


Essay questions:

Short Answer Question:
What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

Essay 1:
Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals going forward, and how will the Columbia MBA help you achieve them? (Maximum 500 words)

Essay 2:
Columbia Business School’s location enables us to bridge theory and practice in multiple ways: through Master Classes, internships, the New York Immersion Seminars, and, most importantly, through a combination of distinguished research faculty and accomplished practitioners. How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? (Maximum 250 words)

Essay 3:
CBS Matters, a key element of the School’s culture, allows the people in your Cluster to learn more about you on a personal level. What will your Clustermates be pleasantly surprised to learn about you? (Maximum 250 words)

Optional Essay:
An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Balancing Work and Non-Work Contents in your MBA Applications

Most MBA programs ask a series of essay questions (or one essay question as application evolve) that allow you chance to bring out many sides of yourself: what you do for a career, what you do outside of work, and even your academic background. But how should you approach all of the topics in your MBA application if all you do, during the week and even a lot of the weekend, is work?  There is nothing wrong with showing dedication to your organization. However, if you are ready to make a change in your life, such as applying to business school, you need to realize that the one thing about your current life that will not go with you is that job.  The skills you have gained will - and you can show the benefits of those by describing in your essays and interview how they'll help you to make specific contributions to your classmates. But to help the admissions committee of a particular school get a good sense of your potential level of involvement outside of class, it is useful to present both your work and non-work sides in your application. There are several benefits to doing so.

1) Knowing what you choose to do outside of work helps people understand you better.

In the workplace there may be restrictions on what you can and cannot do with your time, based on your job description or level of responsibility. But in your free time, you have a lot more leverage and ability to choose what you get involved in and how you spend your time.  And understanding these decisions about what you choose to do with your free time will help your application reader better understand who you are and what you value. 

Sharing personal interests helps your reader feel that they know you better as a person and makes them feel a bit closer to you. A cold and impersonal description of a mega-merger in which you had only a minor role is not nearly as effective as a story about your determination to complete a marathon - especially when the reader if deciding whether you are an interesting person worthy of attending their school.

2) Balance in your application can make the admissions officer reassured that you will be able to make the transition to their school.  

If all you have is your job - then what will be left once you stop working?  Show that you will not sink at b-school but instead you'll swim - by describing your personal interests and what you want to get involved in while at the program. A lot of MBA graduates would likely say that they benefitted greatly from the education outside the classroom - events, trips, and other such activities with their peers. In some cases these experiences are academic in nature, such as a case competition.  But in others they are more peer-bonding exercises, where you get to know your classmates (and future global network) better. Don't underestimate the importance of a soccer club or baseball team in forming bonds with your classmates during the MBA.

3) Your work accomplishments may already be covered in your reference letters.

If one (or more) of your referees is a supervisor from your job, he/she will likely use a considerable portion of his/her letter describing the contribution you have made to projects, teams, or the organization itself. This doesn't mean you should ignore discussing your work in your essays - but it does show that certain work-related accomplishments will already be covered.

For all of these reasons, it is useful to ensure that your work takes it proper position in your application as a key part of who you are, not the entire definition. Take care to separate yourself as an individual from the work that you do.  When brainstorming potential topics, note the following two things:

1) Characteristics like leadership extend beyond the job.

Some schools (Harvard in particular) look for evidence of leadership in your application.  And it is worth noting that a true leader will exhibit this characteristic across many facets of their life. Do you know anyone who is bright, successful, trustworthy, approachable, fearless and dedicated while at work, but turns into a completely different person, devoid of all of these traits, once they leave the office?  When you are struggling with how to demonstrate your leadership, don't limit yourself to only work-related stories. Instead, show that the leadership you demonstrate at work is truly useful in understanding who you are, by showing how you exhibit that leadership outside of work too.

2) Many characteristics can be demonstrated equally well through work and non-work stories.

When asked for an example of how you have demonstrated the ability to work well in a team, often either a work-related story (your contribution to a team that made a big accomplishment) or a non-work related story (your role as the starting point guard on a community basketball team that won a big match) can work equally well.  Fo this reason, when brainstorming teamwork accomplishments, don't limit yourself to just the work experiences.  Consider what you do outside of work, and how those experiences may also be relevant. 

For those that truly dedicate the vast majority of their time to their organization, there is still one last idea to consider: informal volunteer work in your company. This may or may not be effective, depending on the individual situation.  However, there are options available to you even within the context of your organization that may help you to show balance, such as:

- attendance in a cross-functional or cross-departmental task force you chose to join to accomplish something

- weekend volunteer work done through your organization

- informal and/or extra-curricular training of subordinates

- organizing or participating in company activities such as community events, family events or other such activities

By using a variety of topics that span your work, life outside of work, and academic background, you can paint a picture of yourself that is well-rounded and will show effectively your potential to contribute to an MBA program.

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 achieve your goals. MBA programs are different from each other 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. Here's why:

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.

For More Reading

I'd suggest looking through my delicious links. I have over 18,000 of them (!) and the most popular tag is "MBA". Search for the following set of tags: MBA+fit and I'm sure this will put you in the right direction to kick off your research. Add a school name (for instance Booth+MBA+fit or Stanford+MBA+fit) to specify articles for one particular program. 

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

Interview with Rick Doyle, Global Marketing Manager at ESMT in Berlin, Germany

I am pleased to offer an interview with Rick Doyle, Global Marketing Manager at ESMT, the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin, Germany. ESMT is a well-established business school with graduates in over 40 countries.

Life in the MBA

Your program has only 53 students this year (2013). Why such a small class?

The ESMT MBA remains small by design. In order to maintain a very close working relationship with the students we will restrict our intake to the January 2014 class to no more than 60 students and maintain the near 90% international mix of the class. This intake will be slightly a bit larger than our current class, but we will still be able to maintain a student/ faculty ratio of less than 2:1. The ESMT MBA is a general MBA program with specializations in Innovation and Technology Management and Global Sustainable Business. The smaller classes size allows students to easily work on consulting projects directly with companies during the MBA. 

I saw that at ESMT students each have a dedicated career counselor. What percentage of students are career changers, and can you provide some more information about how ESMT supports students as they find their next position?

In the last graduating class over 80% of the students changed either their field, sector or working-language in their career and over 20% changed all three. Many ESMT graduates tend to move into technology-driven companies which o are growing internationally. These could an be global players such as those represented among in the schools 25 founders (e.g. Siemens, MAN, Daimler, etc.) or emerging high-tech companies that are flocking to the area around Berlin, among others. Next in terms of popularity is consultingConsulting is quite a popular option for graduates, which and is a sector which is also present among the school’s founders - with McKinsey, BCG, and KPMG, and McKinsey. Relatively few ESMT graduates go into banking, although we have had several hires in recent years in the risk management sector in Germany. ESMT students have individual sessions with a Career Coach during the program. Career services are part of the curriculum and regular seminars focusing on career preparation and progress, including soft skills (public speaking, negotiation, leadership, etc.), are built in. Companies visit campus for career days, but most students find their jobs as a result of networking directly in their field. Every year some are offered a few students also jobs as a result of their consulting projects during the program.

Life During the Program

What are some of the benefits of doing an MBA in Germany?

Germany has avoided the recession felt my many other European countries, thus the job prospects are still strong for ESMT graduates. About 60% of graduates each year end up working in Germany and overall about 75% find work in Europe. With this in mind, Germany has some of the most liberal work permit options for graduates. They are able to stay in Germany for 18 months following graduation as a job seeker, if necessary. Upon finding a job, the work permit is granted in all but very exceptional cases. During the MBA program at ESMT students have the opportunity to work directly with companies, many of them based in Germany. This first-hand knowledge with the companies helps them understand what working for a German company is like before they enter the work force. This is also a key step in building their network for their job search. Studying in Berlin also presents the opportunity for students to immerse themselves into the ever-growing start-up culture here in Berlin. Many graduates find themselves taking on challenges and starting up new ventures that they never thought possible.

What's it like for ESMT MBA students living in Berlin?  

Berlin is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe at the moment. Because of the rich start-up culture here there are always new ideas and companies popping up. There are literally thousands of cultural activities going on all around the city throughout the year. English is widely spoken in Berlin so communicating upon arrival is not a problem. Students will study German during the program so they will have the opportunity to practice during their time in Berlin. Residents of Berlin are also fortunate to have one of the lowest costs of living of any major European capital city. We advise students to budget about 1000-1500 Euros per month for living expenses, including food and housing.

Admissions

Is your TOEFL minimum (100) strict? Should someone with a 97 or 99 not bother applying?  

The language of instruction of all of the degree programs at ESMT (MIM, MBA and EMBA) is English. The MBA in particular is an intense program of only 12 months so speaking English well is essential. We do try as much as possible to consider applicants who may have a TOEFL a few points below the 100 score. The GMAT and the application interview are also additional ways that we are able to assess an applicant’s English ability.

How important is it that applicants have some global exposure prior to enrolling? 

99% of our students have international experience prior to starting the program so it is an aspect of an applicant’s profile which we look for. Applicants should, however, keep in mind that there are other ways to gain international experience and exposure than physically working outside of your home country. Working on international teams, or on projects in which you work with a global network of people is one way, for example. Be sure to elaborate on these aspects of your professional experience where appropriate in the application and interview.

Other Programs

I've heard there will be a new MA program at ESMT shortly. Could you tell us a bit about it?

A few weeks ago we did launch our new Master’s in Management (MIM) program. It is a two year program which will target applicants with less than 1 year of work experience following their bachelor’s degree. An ideal candidate will have a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics or a strong quantitative focus. The coursework includes a business management core followed by specializations in areas such as: market analysis, supply chain management and innovation consulting. There is also a required social impact project and a six month internship in a company as part of the program in addition to the master’s thesis internship. The current list of companies which have agreed to host MIM interns during the program includes: Allianz, Axel Springer, Bosch, Deutsche Post DHL, E.on, Gazprom, McKinsey & Company, Siemens and Thyssenkrupp. We expect the list to grow as we near the program start date of September 2014.

Thanks Rick for your time!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Harvard 2013-14 MBA Essay Analysis

Here is my advice on approaching Harvard's essay question for those aiming to enter their MBA program in the fall of 2014. 

First the essay question:

You’re applying to Harvard Business School.  We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you.   What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

And the school's own comments:

There is no word limit for this question.  We think you know what guidance we're going to give here. Don't overthink, overcraft and overwrite. Just answer the question in clear language that those of us who don't know your world can understand.

And here is my own analysis and advice, broken down into 4 sections:

1. You really should write this.

You're applying to spend two years of your life at this program. There must be something you can write that will help their admissions staff understand you a bit better.  

2. Follow their instructions.  

We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you.   What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

I think it is pretty clear that this is not the space for you to give a summary of your accomplishments at work and outside work, as this content will have been covered in other application elements. 

3. Don't give them answers to someone else's questions.

I imagine that 750 words on "what matters most to you and why" would be a pretty bad idea.

4.  The key is to provide some insight into you.

Clearly a persuasive answer will go beyond the other application elements you have provided, and so will involve a stronger degree of self-reflection in order to teach the reader something about who you are. What follows are four options, ordered in a very subjective way: from least appealing to most appealing. 

Option: write about why you need an MBA, how you'll contribute to their program, or why you are choosing to apply to Harvard in particular.

These options fit the question, as they're not in the list of information you've already provided them. However, for most why MBA detail is tied to the goals story, something they'll get information about. Detailing your contribution to the program might only be a simple extrapolation on detail already provided in the resume (my experience doing A will help me to run the A club..). Finally, I don't think Harvard really needs to assess your desire to go to Harvard - this school has a tremendous yield and so isn't overly concerned with weeding out those intent on enrolling in other schools.

Option: connect one or more experiences and show how they follow a particular theme.

You could focus on a personal characteristic you have, how you developed it and how it relates to successful experiences in your working and personal life. You could write about how the choice of your post-undergraduate employer or the choice to change departments or even companies fits a particular theme related to your background or future. Alternatively, you could show how your experiences have prepared you to achieve your goals. Be careful: just lumping together experiences without a lot of thought will seem shallow, especially if the connections are weak or underwhelming to begin with.

Option: tell the story behind an accomplishment or a failure.

Don't write only what you did, but also how you did it, and how you learned from the experience.  Consider the failure option, as failures aren't in the resume and might not be in any other application element. Leaders make bold decisions and take big risks, and so leaders necessarily fail sometimes. Be careful: without self-reflection and a clear sense of how you developed from the experience, this will just be a story and that might not be enough. 

Option: give the "why" behind something you're particularly passionate about, and how you've benefitted from the experience.

Obviously the approach to the HBS essay will vary from one applicant to the next, but of the three options I've listed here this one to me has the most potential to really "draw back the curtain" and reveal something about yourself to HBS admissions. The resume only lists what you've done, not why you've done it, especially for the extra curricular activities. This last option, of the three, has in my opinion the most potential to be interesting and insightful.

Whatever you do, make sure it reveals something about you - your unique characteristics, your passions or interests, or how your experiences have contributed to a direction you're taking that you're passionate about continuing.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Oxford Said MBA Admissions Deadlines and Essays for 2013-14

The Said Business School at the University of Oxford has released deadlines and essay questions for those aiming to enter their MBA program starting in early August 2014.

Deadlines:

Stage 1 -
Deadline: 9/13/2013
Interview Decision by: 9/27/2013
Final Decision by: 10/18/2013

Stage 2 -
Deadline: 10/25/2013
Interview Decision by: 11/8/2013
Final Decision by: 11/29/2013

Stage 3 -
Deadline: 1/10/2014
Interview Decision by: 2/7/2014
Final Decision by: 2/28/2014

Stage 4 -
Deadline: 3/14/2014
Interview Decision by: 3/28/2014
Final Decision by: 4/11/2014

Stage 5 -
Deadline: 4/25/2014
Interview Decision by: 5/9/2014
Final Decision by: 5/23/2014

Stage 6 -
Deadline: 5/30/2014
Interview Decision by: 6/13/2014
Final Decision by: 6/27/2014



Essays:

(1) What should Oxford expect from you? (Maximum 500 words)

(2) How do you hope to see your career developing over the next 5 years?  How will the MBA and Oxford assist you in the development of these ambitions? (Maximum 500 words)

(3) Please choose and answer one of the two essays below:

Sport is pure competition.  What does it teach us about companies, individuals, and markets? (Maximum 500 words)

OR

The business of business is business.  Is this true? (Maximum 500 words)

Re-applicants will need to complete the three essays mentioned above and a fourth essay on the topic:

What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (250 words)

The Said deadlines can be confirmed here, and the essay prompts here.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

How to Organize Essay Writing for MBA Applications

Planning and scheduling is important when it comes to tackling multiple MBA admissions essay sets. Which essay set should you start with? Which one should you save for last? There are numerous ways to order essay sets, and the ideal choice for most will be to consider the best combination of all methods.

1. Start with a school that has relatively "typical" questions, and finish with a school that has more "unique" questions. 

CMU Tepper or UCLA both ask fairly orthodox questions. Harvard and Stanford do not. It makes sense therefore to begin with the school that asks for more basic elements of your overall story. 

2. Start with essays with generous word counts, and finish with shorter essays.

When you write the first version of your goals essay, it makes sense to write it for a school that has a generous word count for it.  It is far easier to write a goals essay in 1,000 words, then 750 words, then 500 words and finally in 250 words.  The reverse order is much, much harder and ore time consuming to do.

3. Start with a "back-up" school and finish with your dream school.

This makes sense, as your writing will improve, and your stories become more clear and detailed, as you go through the process of writing you essays.

4. Start with a school with the earliest deadline, and move on to schools with later deadlines.

This is FAR from ideal, and is usually only considered by those who are writing their essays TOO CLOSE to the deadline. I don't recommend doing this. However, if this is the situation you have put yourself in then there may be little choice but to follow the deadline schedule.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Dartmouth Tuck 2013-14 MBA Essay Analysis

Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. There are no right or wrong answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay. Please double-space your responses.

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA fit for you and your goals and why are you the best fit for Tuck?

This is a standard goals essay, with an extra element: your contribution to the program.  The best way to organize your first draft is to address the following topics in turn: a) a brief introduction of who you are professionally now, b) your short-term goal, c) the long-term goal, d) a quick assessment of skills you have and skills you'll need to reach those goals, e) a few clear and specific examples of how studying at Tuck in particular will help you gain those skills you need and f) 1-2 examples of demonstrating how you will thrive in the particular environment offered by Tuck.  

Note the word "critical" in the essay prompt.  You need to show clearly that you truly need an MBA.  The way to do this is by having a specific post-MBA goal that requires an MBA, as well as clear examples in part d) of what exactly you need to get from an MBA to position you to achieve that goal.  Ensure the post-MBA goal is not something you can attain simply with more experience in your current role.  The post-MBA goal should instead be something you couldn't possibly do without all the benefits and learnings associated with an MBA.

Note as well both references to "fit". This program isn't for everyone. Is it for you? If so, and you feel strongly about this, then aim to demonstrate how this MBA in particular will give you the education you need to be successful, and also provides the right environment in which you can get that education. Read more about how I define and assess fit here. 

Feels like a lot for 500 words? You are correct.  I'd suggest the initial draft simply contain all the elements and details you hope to include.  As you pare it down to something shorter, be ready to retain the core ideas (a to f) mentioned above, and cut out additional elements or repetitious or unnecessary sentences not totally focused on the story you are trying to tell. 

2. Tell us about your most meaningful collaborative leadership experience and what role you played. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

This may be a professional experience, or it may be a personal one. The choice depends highly on what topics you choose for other essays, as you want to ensure that the overall essay set is balanced.  Also, the experience needs to be meaningful - which means that you need to have learned something significant from it, and can demonstrate that you have applied that learning to future experiences.  Given this, it may be best not to choose something you did yesterday or last week - in other words, choose a leadership experience where the significance on you can be clearly shown. 

I think that using the STAR technique (situation, task, action, and result) is a great way to draft a story essay. Use it in organizing the elements of your initial draft.

Start with the situation; for instance - what was the project you were involved in, and why was it important to your company?  The situation could also be the days after your company released a weak earnings report, or it could be the fact that the NPO you volunteer with has just announced that their public funding would be cut off in 6 months. 

Next, detail what in particular you wanted to accomplish and what hurdles might be involved.  Did you decide to get a new product fast tracked or approach a new prospective donor?  In addition, be clear what the problem or difficulty was. It could have been reluctance among peers or members of another department towards your idea.  Whatever the case, be clear as to a) the goal you set and b) any difficulties that presented themselves in accomplishing that goal.  

The action part of your essay is easily the most important, because it shows how you work, act, and communicate with others, and also because it is likely to be the longest part of your essay. Show here what you did.  Include everything in the first draft, and be ready to focus in on just the key elements of your story in later versions.  

Finally, watt was the outcome of this experience? How was this outcome a success, and what did it mean to you, your colleagues, organization or industry? Be clear as to the significance of the accomplishment.  In addition to this, what was the significance of the experience to you - in other words, what did you learn? You may have learned something about yourself, or about how to manage or lead other people.  Be clear as to not only a strength you possess that you could recognize during this experience, but also a weakness. In defining a strength AND weakness, you'll want to show that not everything went smoothly, or that perhaps the outcome was good but could have been greater if there was something else you could have done, or another method you could have employed in getting the result you wanted.

The value in describing such an experience is that the reader can learn more about you, how you make decisions, how you take initiative, how you accept responsibility, how you communicate with others - and how you have impacted those around you, while also being reflective and learning something about yourself. 

This essay questions was modified by Tuck over the last year. The word "collaborative" was added, and "what role you played" was added too. These changes are important I think, and hopefully will encourage you to consider developing a story that shows you are able to work with others in the pursuit of goals. This is an important characteristic of leaders, and is also, to me at least, a determiner of your potential to be successful at Tuck as well.

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

While your reputation may be the result of your accomplishments, your inner strength and character may be a result of your failures.  In this case Tuck is asking for a time when everything wasn't going well for you, what you did as a result, and what you learned from the experience.  Like essay #2, this story may be personal or professional.  In terms of balancing work and non-work topics, you may choose to have one professional and one personal topic between essays 2 and 3, although this is not a hard and fast rule for everyone. 

Most people dislike writing about adversity, failure, or setback experiences for two reasons. 

1) It is hard to come up with a good topic.

Many of my former clients have told me that "they have never experienced failure".  I doubt this to be true, and usually get them to define failure to me to see if they have misinterpreted the word.  In this essay, there is not only failure, but additional options: setbacks and adversity. Let's take a close look at the meaning of each.

Adversity - a situation where someone or something is opposing what you want to do or preventing you from accomplishing what you want to accomplish

Failure - when you are unable to perform to the level others expect of you, and this prevents you from achieving a certain result

Setback - a reversal or check in progress (I took this from here) 

As can be seen clearly from the definition, there are a lot of choices here. You could write about when a great accomplishment was put at risk at one step along the way.  You could write about a failure where the result was truly negative, but the resulting learning allowed you to achieve something better later on.  You could write about a severe difficulty encountered along the road towards a victory.  The point is to consider all options when brainstorming possible topics. In the end, be sure your story fits one element from the question: adversity, failure, or setback.

2) Even if a good topic is chosen, the first draft of the story usually fails to show any hint of adversity, failure, or setback.

When I read a weak first draft of a failure essay, the weakness can usually be traced to one of a few things:  a) the author uses "we" instead of "I", so it doesn't really look like they themselves failed at anything at all (instead it looks like the anonymous group, not the author of the essay, failed) or b) the author presents a terrific, big failure - but then fails to describe a clear learning from it that is applied later on.  Be sure to avoid both mistakes when choosing your story and writing initial drafts.  Be sure as well to write about yourself - it is okay to have a team story, as long as you personalize elements of the failure, setback or adversity, and are clear about what you learned from it.  

Once you're sure you've got a great topic, tell the story and personalize it as best as you can.  What was the situation, and what was your particular role?  What happened that was not desirable and to what extent was this your responsibility?  In other words, did you fail, or did you encounter adversity or a setback? Be clear about the next steps: how did you react, and what did you do?  Maybe you assessed the situation, or maybe you got advice.  In any case, be clear how you were proactive in turning the situation around.  Show what you did to make a positive outcome, and show also in the end that you are able to reflect by describing what you learned about the experience.

4. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

The example topics offered in this optional essay (unusual choice of evaluators, etc) are all examples of negative elements of your application that you feel may need to be explained.  And to be sure, if you feel your application has such a negative element, you should consider explaining it here.  But beyond this, if you can't think of anything bad that warrants explanation, I'd include another element, something positive, that reveals another strength or uniqueness about you.  Be sure though, as the question says, to not use this optional essay to simply repeat something that appears elsewhere in your application.

Many applicants ask me if it is a bad thing if they have to write here that their current supervisor cannot be their referee because they are self-sponsored and have not yet revealed to the co-workers that they are applying for an MBA. I advise that applicants should never be concerned about such a situation, and they should certainly use this space to mention that. The only thing to keep in mind is that the referees they do choose should still be well-positioned and capable of commenting on their performance as well as their professional/personal growth and skill development. 

5. (Reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

The key here is growth, and it is important if you were rejected previously that you be able to demonstrate improvement since that time.  Consider what weaknesses existed in your previous application, and what you have done to address them. Make sure those examples of improvement are clearly shown in this essay. Perhaps you took on a role of more significance or with more individual responsibility at work. Maybe you took a course in a subject that you were not strong at, or maybe you got involved in something outside of your work, where you had previously not done much at all. Whatever the case, demonstrate not only the activity, but also what you have learned, and how you have benefitted and grown, from the experience. I always think that the very best examples will be things you have initiated, or set out to do, rather than things that have happened to you.

Finally, you want to demonstrate not only improvement, but also how this improvement has strengthened your candidacy. How do these changes make you a better prospective MBA student? How will these new experiences help you to better contribute to your peers at Tuck? Be clear as to how the changes you have initiated have allowed you to position yourself as someone who can make a difference at Tuck.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Kellogg 2013-14 MBA Essay Analysis

What follows are my thoughts and tips on this year's version of the Northwestern Kellogg MBA admissions essay prompts.

Essay 1: What’s the greatest obstacle you’ve overcome (personally or professionally)? 

How has overcoming this obstacle prepared you to achieve success now and in the future? (350 word limit)

There are a few very distinct components to this essay question: (1) an accomplishment story in which you overcame a significant obstacle (2) the transferrable skills or strengths you gained from this experience, (3) how you are using these strengths now, (4) your career direction in the future and (5) how you will utilize those strengths to be successful in accomplishing those future goals.

The problem, of course, is that you only have 350 words to do all that.  The solution is to look at the essay set as a whole and realize that the detail on point 4 (your career direction in the future) can be a quick summary as you'll give more details on your goals in essay 3.

Beyond that, don't be intimidated by the small word count here. Write an initial draft that says everything you want to say, and then as you revise it, focus (a) on eliminating the elements that aren't absolutely necessary or impactful and then (b) look for places where your explanation is over wordy or could be more direct.  This will help you get this story down to the limitation, or at least close to it. 

When deciding the best topic to write about, there are three important decisions to be made. One is whether to choose a personal or professional topic. The answer, I think, lies in the approach you take to the entire set. Ensure you have a balanced approach between work stories and personal stories. If you don't, i.e. if the essay set is too skewed towards professional stories, ask yourself where you could substitute in a personal episode. It could be this essay.

The second decision is to figure out which of your experiences have involved a significant obstacle that you were able to overcome to achieve success. Note the importance of having a story in which you (not the team or others) achieved success. The obstacle should be "big" - i.e. the greatest you've ever faced. Be sure to show how/why in your essay.  

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you need to choose a story that allows you to demonstrate the acquisition of meaningful and relevant skills. If your obstacle story doesn't have such an outcome, you either need to brainstorm more effectively/strategically, or consider another topic. 

Essay 2: What have been your most significant leadership experiences?  What challenges did you face, and what impact did you have? This is your opportunity to explain how you Think Bravely. (500 word limit)

Leadership experiences is plural so I recommend writing about more than one experience in this essay. Two is ideal, as it may be difficult to put more than that into a single 500 word essay. Two is also ideal, as those who wish to emphasize that their leadership goes beyond their jobs can use one professional and one personal example in developing their answer to this essay.  

Significant experiences with challenges and impacts have two key factors: a) your could learn from them and b) you could make a difference on the people around you by accomplishing something.  I think it necessary to try and show both in the overall essay, and even in possible in each episode you choose to write about. Choose episodes in which you had an impact as a leader, and for each be clear about what you did, the impact of success, and what you learned (about leadership or about yourself) from each.  The goal is to paint a picture of who you are and how you lead today - as the result of your accumulated experiences and learning. Be careful - if the story contains a significant obstacle, you may choose it for essay 1.

The last part of the question references Kellogg's concept of Think Bravely. This appears to mean being able to envision major changes by thinking outside the box, taking the necessary steps towards implementing these changes, and importantly, encouraging/enabling others to join.  Watch this video here. Additionally, here is a brief analysis from Kellogg Dean Sally Blount here. 

Consider the leadership episodes from this perspective. While it is not advisable to copy the words and feelings from the videos into your leadership experiences in this essay, it is worthwhile to ask yourself if, after reading your stories, you feel that Kellogg would believe that you exemplify these ideals, or are capable of becoming the kind of transformative leader they wish to mould at the school.  Do your experiences help show that you have the potential to make amazing and significant changes in the future? If they don't, you may not be choosing the right ones.

Essay 3:

Part 1: What career/role are you looking to pursue and why?  (250 word limit)

Part 2: Why are Kellogg and the MBA essential to achieving these career goals?  (250 word limit) (Please answer Part 2 in terms of your program choice: One-Year, Two-Year, MMM, JD-MBA).

This - the combination of parts 1 and 2 - forms the standard goals - why MBA - why school essay. In order to prepare to write his essay, or any other goals essay for that matter, you need to deeply consider the following questions:

What are your current strengths and skills?

What are your short-term and long-term goals?

How will those current strengths and skills be useful in achieving those goals?

What additional skills or experiences do you need?

How (with specific examples) can you get these additional skills and experiences at Kellogg?

Your answers to these questions and the alignment that comes as they are put together will become the building blocks of this essay. Note that there is overlap with essay 1. Identifying these points of overlap should help you to develop a consistent message across your essay set and even help you achieve the tight word limit on some essays.

In terms of the goals, be ready to detail clear and specific goals, and why it this a desirable and important move for you. Lastly, to address the why Kellogg part, be specific and give several examples that demonstrate, beyond a doubt, that this school is the ideal destination for you. A strong essay will incorporate examples of classes, extra-curricular activities, and even the "intangibles" such as what you learned from alumni or a school visit.

Additional Information (Optional): If needed, briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (No word limit)

This additional essay is intended to address possibly negative elements of your application.  The content (and decision as to write it or not) should be decided and then developed on an individual basis - but certainly if you have failed a course in university or had a bad term or semester in terms of your GPA, for instance, you'll want to aim to highlight all the great and meaningful things you were doing at that time, or offer up something else as an explanation.

There's no word limit but I doubt most careful writers would exceed the maximum length of the longest essay in the set (500 words) as an absolute maximum limit. 

Many applicants ask me if it is a bad thing if they have to write here that their current supervisor cannot be their referee because they are self-sponsored and have not yet revealed to the co-workers that they are applying for an MBA. I advise that applicants should never be concerned about such a situation, and they should certainly use this space to mention that. The only thing to keep in mind is that the referees they do choose should still be well-positioned and capable of commenting on their performance as well as their professional/personal growth and skill development. 

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

CMU Tepper Deadlines and Essays for 2013-14 MBA Admissions

Carnegie Mellon Tepper has released deadlines and essays for those aiming to apply to enter their MBA program in the fall of 2014.

Deadlines:

Round 1
Deadline: 10/7/2013
Notification: 12/16/2013

Round 2
Deadline: 1/2/2014
Notification: 3/24/2014

Round 3
Deadline: 3/15/2014
Notification: 5/15/2014

Note that "international students are encouraged to apply no later than Round 2 to ensure adequate time for the student visa process".

Essays:

Short Answer 1: What is your professional goal immediately following graduation from the Tepper School? (Maximum 250 words)

Short Answer 2: What are your long-term career goals? (Maximum 250 words)

Essay 1: What transferrable skills have you developed that are related to your professional goals outlined in Short Answer 1? Additionally, identify the skills that you will need to develop or enhance. Specifically, how will the Tepper MBA help you develop these skills? (Maximum 500 words)

Essay 2: Describe a defining moment in your life and explain how it shaped you as a person. (Maximum 300 words)

Essay 3: How will your presence in the Tepper MBA program benefit your fellow students? How will you contribute to the school as a student and as an alumnus? (Maximum 300 words)

Optional Essay: Is there anything else that you think we should know as we evaluate your application? (Maximum 500 words)



(John's quick comment: if you are looking for a good essay set to start on as you walk through your goals-transferrable skills-why MBA-why school story, you've found it here.)


Please do take the time to verify this information at Tepper's official admissions pages. The deadlines can be found here and the essay questions here.


John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Berkeley Haas MBA Admissions Essays for 2013-14

The UC Berkeley Haas School of Business has released their essays questions for those applying to their MBA program starting in the fall of 2014.

Before you set out on brainstorming topics for these essays, it is worth your while to read up on the program's defining principles.



Required Essays:

Essay 1: If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 word maximum)

Essay 2: What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 word maximum)

Essay 3: Describe a time in the last three years when you overcame a failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 word maximum)

Essay 4a: What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals? 4b: How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (750 word maximum for 4a. and 4b.)

Optional Essays:

1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

2. If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear on your transcript. (250 word maximum)

Please confirm this information at the Berkeley admissions website.

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Dartmouth Tuck Deadlines and Essays for the 2013-14 MBA Admissions Season

Dartmouth Tuck has released its deadlines and essays prompts for those aiming to apply to its MBA program starting in the fall of 2014.

Deadlines:

Early Action:
Deadline: 10/9/2013
Interview* completed by: 11/1/2013
Decision: 12/18/2013

November Round:
Deadline: 11/6/2013
Interview* completed by: 11/6/2013
Decision: 2/7/2014

January Round:
Deadline: 1/3/2014
Interview* completed by: 1/31/2014
Decision: 3/14/2014

April Round:
Deadline: 4/2/2014
Interview* completed by: 4/2/2014
Decision: 5/16/2014

* This is an applicant-initiated interview. Details here.

Applications are due by 5pm E.S.T. on the deadline day.



Essays:

Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. There are no right or wrong answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay. Please double-space your responses.

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA fit for you and your goals and why are you the best fit for Tuck?

2. Tell us about your most meaningful collaborative leadership experience and what role you played. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

4. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

5. (Reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

Please do confirm this information directly at the Dartmouth Tuck admissions website. Deadlines can be confirmed here and the essays can be confirmed here at their admissions blog - a site I highly recommend for those aiming to apply to this program!

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com