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

Interview with a current Cambridge Judge MBA student

I am pleased to offer this interview with a current Cambridge Judge MBA student!

1. After you were admitted, looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA in the spring and summer, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

If I had more time to spend before going to the MBA, I would have read many more books about MBA classes written in my native language (Japanese). For instance, I did not know a lot about Strategy and Marketing, so I have sometimes had difficulty in understanding those classes. However, I could have gotten a lot of foundational knowledge by reading textbooks or website advance in Japanese. I therefore think that with getting pre-information about areas that were unfamiliar to me, my understanding could have been deepened. 

2. What's a typical day in the life of an MBA student in your program?

This is not my case, but if you are a job seeker during the program, you should spend at least four days like the case below.

730am Wake-up and breakfast

830am Leave home for campus by bicycle

900am-1230pm Core/ Elective Class 

1230pm-200pm Lunch at college close to campus

200pm-530pm Core/ Elective Class

530pm-700pm Career Session

730pm Formal Dinner

930pm Arrive home

A fifth day can be off if you want, but you can also choose to work on projects outside the program. If you have a chance, you can participate club activities or social communities after classes, too.

3. Can you write a bit about a course that you would recommend future students take?

I would like to recommend Strategic Human Resource as an elective. This is a course about management HR, and we can get a lot of insight for managing an organization from it. The highlight of this class was when we visited one of the biggest finance groups in London. It is like a real case study, but we can feel how a big finance company struggles in terms of management where different cultures exist. I would say the class is sort of mix between practicality and theory of management, but it would be useful for post MBA.

4. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what are you doing in them?

I was involved in one of the university’s sport club activities. This is really important because attending an Oxford match, a Varsity match, is one of the most honorable activities in Oxbridge (Cambridge/Oxford). I actually represented the Cambridge karate first team this February, and won one match. After participating in the match, the people who represented the first team can receive the title of “blue”. This title is the highest honor and enables you to join some societies among blues. I also got the title of blue after competing in the Varsity.

5. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

One is management of people who have different culture and backgrounds. The other thing is to get in touch with new business areas I have never known. We can experience at least three projects during the course, so I deeply worked with more than 10 people during the program so far. There are many nationalities within teams and different ideas that we worked on during the projects. At first, I found it difficult to work with people from cultures that embrace aggressiveness more than my own, but gradually understood what I should do to manage the team. In addition, I belonged to an agri-tech project and a DNA sequencing project during the programs. Both areas were not familiar to me before coming to Cambridge, but each experience proved to be really valuable. For example, when working for the DNA project, I stayed in Mountain View, California for a month and got in touch with people in Silicon Valley. We succeeded to propose recommendations to the CEO of the company and I felt this was a breakthrough experience for myself.

6. Can you share your plans for the summer?

I am not going to find a job since my company is sponsoring me. I therefore will try to source a summer project. The one I am considering is aiming for French company’s business development since this company would like to expand its network in Japan. It would take one month to finish this project and now I am having conversations with the potential client about the project scope.

7. Looking back, what has been most surprising to you about your MBA life, compared to your original expectations before you enrolled?

I cannot imagine the extent to which Japanese people, including myself, are not able to express their opinions during classes. Even if Japanese students say their opinions, they have difficulty in managing discussions. I think this is because of their lack of training. I would like to encourage people from Japan to speak without hesitation. No risks, no gains.

I'd like to close here with a big thank you to the interviewee for taking time out of his busy schedule to communicate with me.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Choosing an MBA Program

Your MBA experience might very well be the single most important investment you make in yourself as a professional. Given this, it is important that you spend those 1 or 2 years in the best possible program for you. This means you need to research, compare, and choose the program that offers the best fit for what you need. 

This process is important on two levels:
1) You want to place yourself in the best possible environment.
2) Knowing yourself why your target program is best for you will actually make it a bit easier to get an offer, as you can demonstrate with specific details exactly why it is best for you, and why you will thrive there. Admissions officers like candidates that have obviously done their research, will obviously be happy in their program, and will therefore be happy alumni after they're done.

Selecting the right program means comparing what an MBA program has to offer with the strengths/abilities/experiences you need in order to achieve your goals. There are many resources you can draw upon to help you do this, sand you want to explore them as thoroughly as possible (and as soon as possible - don't wait until the interview when asked 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 to start your own research. 

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 visit campus and 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 almost 20,000 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

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

Interview with Russell Davis, Duke Fuqua's Assistant Director of Admissions

I am pleased to offer this interview with Russell Davis, Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. 

Can you tell us a little about your background?

Moving into higher education was a career switch for me back in 2001, and one that I have found to be very gratifying. I started working at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 2005 and joined the Office of Admissions in 2008. Prior to joining Admissions I was the Director of one of Duke’s Executive MBA Programs. In my first career I was a serial entrepreneur involved in three start-ups in the US. I was born in Houston, Texas. My father was an ex-pat so I was very fortunate and lived in a number of international locations growing up including Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Japan where I attended St. Mary’s International School. I actually lived in Japan the longest growing up, for three years.

Why did you decide to become involved in Admissions?

Two of my start-up experiences were ‘new concept’ start-ups. I spent a lot of time educating the consumer while at the same time creating excitement. When I made the move to higher education I quickly discovered that working in Admissions was where I wanted to be. It gave me the opportunity to leverage my skillset and passions, educating prospective candidates and creating excitement about an MBA Program that I believe is truly special. I enjoy working across cultures, and learning from and engaging with people who have different backgrounds from me. I am quite certain this comes from my international upbringing. My primary area of responsibility is MBA recruitment in Asia. Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than knowing I have helped someone reach their dreams.

What is it that you like about the Duke MBA? What makes it different from other MBA programs?

More than anything, it’s the people – students and colleagues – and the culture. We have a very unique culture at Duke, something we call ‘Team Fuqua’, where our students truly appreciate being part of something special, and they know they are stronger and have a better chance to fulfill their potential because of the people around them. We have a student driven community that provides almost limitless opportunities for a student to develop the soft skills that will ultimately set them apart in their careers. At the Duke MBA we have a general management curriculum that enables students to fill their gaps and specialize in areas that are most important to them. Duke’s Faculty are highly ranked across all areas. When a student goes to a top business school, recruiters and sponsoring companies know their potential hires and employees are going to be smart and are going to learn the hard skills – finance, marketing, accounting, strategic thinking skills, etc. Ultimately, however, it will be the soft skills – their ability to work with others, to work across cultures, to influence, to be a future leader in their organization – that will enable an employee to have the greatest impact on their organization. These are the skills our students develop and hone as a result of the Team Fuqua culture. And to be honest, the thing I hear just as often from recruiters I speak to when discussing our students and why they are so desirable – our students are likable! 

Admissions

When you are reviewing an applicant’s application, what are you looking for, what is the process?

At the Duke MBA we are looking for students who are the right fit more than anything else. When a candidate begins reviewing business schools they are looking at the curriculum, the teaching methods, who the target employers are that are hiring students from the school and the industries in which the  students are entering as well as the geographic locations where students are going. Next, they look at their own profile, their GMAT, their GPA, how many years work experience, and how these data points fits into the different schools’ class profiles. After they make this pass, it typically results in a short list of schools for them to focus on. Then they look at where the school is located, how is the quality of life and what is the student culture like? They are trying to determine which school is the best fit for them. Fit is a two-way street and we are doing the same thing. Of course, we need the applicant to demonstrate they can do the work, and that their professional and personal background brings something to the table. Next, we want to see in the application that the applicant ‘gets’ the Team Fuqua culture and truly wants to be a part of it, be an engaged partner and make the most of the two-year MBA experience, because that is what creates the richest learning environment for everyone. How do they do this? In their application we are going to learn a lot about them. We are going to learn about their past experience – where they’ve come from – and they are going to tell us where they want to go, what their post-MBA goals are. In their application it is their responsibility to tell us how Duke can help them achieve their professional and personal aspirations as well as demonstrate that they truly understand what makes Duke unique and how they are the right fit for our program. They do this by doing their research, by digging into the resources and programs that will help them achieve their goals and then highlighting them in their application. When an applicant does their research, it comes through in their application. And when they are the right fit, passion also comes through!

I know candidates hear this all the time, but we truly do take a holistic approach when reviewing an application. We look at every element closely and weigh all components of the application equally. We dig deep. For example, when we look at an applicant’s GPA, we look at the coursework – was it challenging, we look at trends in grades, we consider the quality of the university and the rigor of the major. We do not have minimum score requirements for GMAT, TOEFL, GPA or minimum or maximum number of year’s work experience. I have heard of schools that will not look at a candidate if they do not have a certain GMAT or TOEFL score. That is definitely not us because we put so much emphasis on bringing in the right students.

We know how important language skills are in an MBA program. What kind of a TOEFL score are you hoping to see? How do you assess an applicant’s English?

Of course, a student must be proficient in their English skills, both speaking and listening, to be successful in an MBA program and the TOEFL score is one of the ways to get a sense of a candidate’s English. However, we also know that test scores don’t always accurately reflect a candidate’s true abilities. So in addition to the TOEFL score we will look at the candidate’s writing abilities in their essays and other areas of the application as well as in any email exchanges we may have with them. We will also get input from a candidate’s interviewer. Lastly, I do my best to engage with as many of our candidates from Japan in person as I can which obviously provides our office with first-hand insight into their English abilities. I meet with all Japanese candidates who make the trip to Durham for a campus visit, or have a colleague meet with them if I am traveling, and I travel to Japan multiple times a year to connect with our potential candidates and applicants in person. I can tell you that we had quite a few applicants who were admitted with a TOEFL score under 100 this past year, this is not uncommon. 

Can a high GMAT offset a low GPA? How about the other way around?

Good question. The GMAT and GPA give the admissions committee a sense of the applicant’s ability to do the work. A top MBA program is very rigorous and requires a solid quantitative aptitude. We do not want anyone who starts our program to not finish the program, nor do we want them to struggle such that they are not able to make the most of the MBA experience. There is so much more to the MBA experience than sitting in the classroom and doing the coursework, and we want the student to be able to take full advantage of everything their two years in Durham has to offer. I do advise candidates to review our class profile and get a sense of where their scores fit in. If they see that they are on the low end on both, I would suggest they put some effort into raising their GMAT, because there is not anything they can do about the GPA at this point. So yes, a higher GMAT can offset a lower GPA, as well as the other way around. Bottom-line, I often tell candidates, it’s ok to have a blemish on your application, they just don’t want to have too many! 

Do you look at an applicant's entire GMAT history, or do you only consider their highest overall score?

When assessing an applicant’s application, we only consider the highest GMAT score they submit. We will look at their test history, but rarely does the history have an impact on their application. I will add, if the applicant has only taken the GMAT once and the score is on the lower end, and especially if their GPA is also lower, the Admissions Committee may wonder why the applicant didn’t take the GMAT a second time in an attempt to improve it and their application. 

Duke seems to emphasize a teamwork approach in the MBA program. How do you look for this in applicants?

As mentioned earlier, we review every element of the application closely. We are able to see many different sides of an applicant and view them through multiple lenses in the application process. We get their recommenders’ insights into them in a working environment, we get the interviewer’s perspective and of course we learn much from the applicant themselves. At the Duke MBA, the vast majority of our interviews are conducted by second year students, if on campus, and alumni if off campus. No one knows better who is a good fit for our program than those who have lived it. We want to see that the applicant values others’ perspective, has an appreciation for diversity and understands how a diverse learning, and team environment makes them better. 

The three words candidates hear most frequently from business schools when promoting their programs are ‘teamwork’, ‘leadership’ and ‘global’. My advice to candidates is to ask ‘how’? In their research, an applicant should be able to understand how the school delivers in these areas.

Can you tell me about your application rounds? When do you see the most applicants?

At the Duke MBA we actually have four rounds. We have what we call our Early Action Round, followed by Rounds 1, 2 and 3. The Early Action Round is for those applicants who know Duke is where they want to be. They have done their research and they know Duke is the best school – for them. There is no advantage to applying in this round, other than the fact that if the applicant is admitted they are done with the MBA application process! They can now focus on preparation. If an applicant is admitted in Early Action they are required to withdraw their applications from other schools and submit their deposit. This round is a smaller round. We get the bulk of our applications in Rounds 1 and 2, split rather evenly. I strongly advise all candidates to not wait until the Round 3, another smaller round, because by that point the bulk of the class has been filled and there are only a few seats left in the class making that round extremely competitive. Also, all applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarship and by the third round we may not have much scholarship money left. For international applicants, they can also run into visa issues if they apply in Round 3 for by the time they receive their decision it does not leave them much time to get their visa, so we really like to see them apply no later than Round 2.

How important is the campus visit in the admissions process?

As I mentioned earlier, after doing their preliminary research a candidate usually has a short list of schools they want to focus on that can help them achieve their goals and provide them with the most fulfilling two-year experience. My advice to MBA applicants is to visit the schools on that short list. That is the best way to see which school is the best fit for them culturally. It also gives them a chance to see first-hand where the school is, and get a sense of the quality of life. In addition, it can really help an applicant put together a stronger application because they learn so much and get tremendous insight on their visit. For example, applicants hear and read about ‘Team Fuqua’, but it is so much easier to understand what it really means by experiencing it. At Duke we have amazing students who are passionate about helping and sharing their insights with prospective applicants. When a Japanese candidate comes to visit Duke they have an amazing experience as our Japanese students take great pride in hosting them and ensuring all of their questions are answered. Another advantage to visiting Duke is if the candidate comes during our open interview period – which lasts about 5 weeks from early September to mid-October – they can choose to have an interview during their visit and then have the interview attached to their application no matter what round they submit it in that year. If they are not able to come to campus during that time then the candidate must be invited to interview upon review of their application. If they are invited to interview, they can come to Durham for their interview where they will be interviewed by a second year student as well as take part in a number of other activities designed to give them a great Duke experience. Or they can be interviewed in Tokyo by an alumnus. In both cases, we have specific dates for the interviews. I travel to Tokyo for our Round 1 and 2 interviews to meet the candidates being interviewed.

However, we understand that visiting Duke from Japan is not always feasible, and we certainly don’t hold it against an applicant if they can’t visit. It just means the applicant will have to do their research and connect with our students and community virtually. Fortunately, as I just mentioned, our students are so helpful, they spend many hours on Skype calls with potential applicants as well answering emails with terrific insight. And our alumni in Japan are also great about sharing their experiences. So applicants can still get great insight into the Duke MBA without visiting.

Do you have any closing comments?

First, I want to thank you for the opportunity to share my insights, John! I often have candidates come up to me and start a sentence by saying, ‘I heard at Duke…..’ and then they tell me something that is news to me, a rumor or simply misinformation. I clear up whatever they heard, and then tell them the best place for them to get their answers is straight from us! So I appreciate this chance to provide what I hope is some useful information to future applicants.

What our office is most proud of is our commitment to getting to know our applicants. In two recent surveys of incoming MBA students last year Duke was ranked #1 and #2 respectively on the question ‘How well did the business school get to know you in the application process?’ I believe this is a reflection of our special culture and community, as well as our commitment to meeting our applicants on the recruiting trail. It may also have something to do with one of our essay questions – Tell us 25 Random Things about Your Self? But that’s a topic for another time! And on that note, I encourage candidates to come join me at my Information Sessions in Tokyo this year, where they can count on my providing more insight into what we are looking for in candidates and their application. Thanks again, John!

Thank you Russell for your time!

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with 1st Year Student in the Michigan Ross MBA Program

I am pleased to offer the following interview with a current 1st year student at the University of Michigan's Ross MBA Program.

1. Looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

I did not spend enough time to meet with current students and alumni of my target schools. I think this is important when applying to schools, so I wish I had done this more. 

I had a plenty of time to think about essay content but began to write them late and so I was submitting my applications close to the due date. I would begin to write essays earlier. 

2. Can you write a bit about a course that you have really enjoyed or benefitted from?

It is called “Leading People and Organizations,” one of the core courses that covers both personal leadership skills and organization management strategies. The key feature is the variety of teaching styles like lecture, case discussion, computer simulation, role playing, movie watching and so on. 

In my favorite class we watched a movie where jury members are discussing whether a defendant is guilty or not and one of them who think that the defendant is not guilty changes the mind of other jury members who initially believe that the defendant is guilty. After watching the movie students discussed what kind of persuasion skills and techniques that man uses, and at the end the professor summarized the discussion and introduced useful persuasion skills and techniques. 

In this course I learned leadership skills and techniques in depth not only through lectures but also from hands-on experience. It shows that Ross is focusing on leadership education and experimental learning (“Action Based Learning”). 

3. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what are you doing in them?

I joined a consulting project in the Community Consulting Club, which is providing free consulting services to NGOs and other organizations by leveraging Ross students’ knowledge and the skills they’re learning in classes. 

My project was to think about solutions to increase the facility rental revenue of a museum. I was responsible for one customer segment together with another member and we considered strategies to increase revenue from that segment by using knowledge and skills learned in marketing and organization management class. 

It was not only a good opportunity to use knowledge and skills learned in class and learn them more in depth but also a good chance to work with other students having different background and learn teamwork and leadership in that situation. 

4. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

Almost all courses at Ross have group assignments or projects, and in addition to that, Ross has a big team learning opportunity called MAP where students engage in consulting projects for companies or NGOs outside Ross by using knowledge and skills learned in class. During this program students basically do not take other courses and focus on their projects. 

Although it is really difficult to discuss with other students in English, Ross students are really collaborative and help me join discussions and show my opinion, so I can contribute to the team to some extent. The key take-away is that it is important to prepare for discussion well and not to hesitate to show my opinion even if it might be wrong. 

5. Can you share your plans for the summer?

I will take an internship in the New York branch of my company to understand how overseas branches operate and provide value to customers. I will also join a volunteer activity for marine conservation which I am interested in. 

6. Can you offer any words of advice for those applying to the MBA program you are enrolled in?

To get admission to Ross your test scores are important factors so you should initially focus on TOEFL and GMAT. Regarding the essay and interview, I think that it is important to put emphasis on your team work experiences and show how you have worked with other team members. 

Thanks very much for your time! 

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Chicago Booth on Extracurricular Activities

I strongly encourage anyone interested in the MBA application process to read this entry called Demonstrating Community Contribution which was posted recently in Booth Insider: the Chicago Booth full-time MBA admissions blog. It's about the value of extracurricular activities to your application to business school.

For more reading on the importance and value of your personal interests when it comes to applying for your MBA, please read my article titled the Role of Balance in your MBA Application.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Interview on London Business School Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy with Linden Selby, Senior Admissions Manager

Linden Selby is a Senior Admissions Manager at London Business School and was kind enough to answer my questions about the London Business School Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy Program. For further questions please email: sloan@london.edu

Applying

1. Some schools place a stronger emphasis than others on establishing relationships with applicants during the application stage. Where does LBS Sloan fit in here? Do you encourage people considering applying to reach out to your admissions staff and introduce themselves?

We encourage this early research, and offer CV reviews at an early stage. People whose career achievements and objectives are a good fit with Sloan and London Business School have the confidence to kickstart the application process. We take each candidate’s experience and objectives very seriously.  If we are not sure about this, we provide detailed feedback on alternative options, or how to plan for Sloan in the future. 

Many people find out about Sloan through their personal network – including alumni of 5, 10 and 20 years back, so it’s a good chance for us to make sure that each candidate is updated on the programme. And we love the engagement. 

2. How important is it to visit campus during the application process?

Not everyone can visit campus, so we are happy to have calls – and make sure candidates know about events in their region so they can get a taster of the LBS spirit without leaving home.  But, if you can get to London, the best time to do this is between January and July when you can integrate a class visit, meet the current Sloan Fellows and – if you apply in the January or May deadlines have your interview! 

3. Do you differentiate in any way between sponsored and non-sponsored applicants?

Our sponsor companies have robust selection processes, and select talented high performing managers who are at exactly the right point in their careers to contribute to the class, and return to add continued value in their organisations. We see them going on to senior strategic and often international roles – and celebrate their success.  Sponsored students complete the same application requirements. As they are chosen sometimes more than a year before the programme starts, we often have the chance to meet them.  

4. Your admissions website notes that "students generally have more than 12 years postgraduate work experience".  Is there a cut-off in terms of the number of years of experience? If not, what do students with less work experience need to show? 

We will review all applications, and the average experience is around 18 years. Typical Sloan Fellows will have achieved a position where they have depth and breadth of knowledge and be in a senior role with decision making responsibilities and often responsible for P&L. We do make exceptions – sometimes for people in Government roles, or professional roles where they will add unusual insights that would add value to the class experience. This is where the CV review can help as Sloan may be a good fit in 2-3 years’ time. 

The Experience

5. Is there anything in particular you recommend all admitted students study or learn prior to enrolling in the program? 

If you have time before the programme starts then Speed-reading is a useful skill! 

Seriously, sit down with your family and identify all the things you want to achieve in London, and share your vision of how the Sloan experience will be the first step towards achieving your future goals. If you are planning a change, start to refresh your networks, start early.  Read the business press more attentively, start to discuss some of the big issues, inspire yourself with great biographies.  All the pre-programme material you need will be provided before you start – and don’t read textbooks. Play golf, cook dinner with your kids, go on a road trip, do a weekend painting class, train for a marathon – enjoy all the things that you are passionate about, as your time will not be your own once the programme starts.

6. How do LBS Sloan Fellows interact with the larger LBS community?

The programme is designed to give Sloan Fellows real breadth of connection across the school learning community. Electives are taught across programmes, and Sloans are part of numerous clubs and societies from Acting to Private Equity. Some activities are designed specifically for our mid to senior career students, such as Career Panels and Executive Search company events. 

Sloan Fellows engage across the community, some will continue to support faculty research and continue the relationship after they have left LBS, some will return to lecture or provide practitioner insights at panels and in classes; others mentor and support less experienced students – such as the Masters in Management students who are new graduates. 

7. Could you identify and extrapolate on 1 or 2 key strengths of the curriculum of LBS Sloan?

Sloan prepares senior executives for global leadership positions, to effectively lead change and to set strategic direction that drives organisational performance. 

The Sloan curriculum is unified by three broad themes essential to leadership: 

1. Strategy – provides students with the tools to set the future direction of their organisation and lead organisational change. 

2. Leadership and change – inspires students to become effective leaders and influence others to help achieve goals. 

3. Global economy – students are provided with skills to analyse and understand major changes in the business world and benefit from global business opportunities. 

Prospective students also need to know that this is one of the most flexible programmes. You can do a full year and use the time for reflection and planning, or you can fast track and start to re-integrate with the workplace, using your new knowledge and skills in 6-7 months. 

8. There are some applicants who need to make the choice between LBS Sloan and a typical 1-year MBA in Europe. What to you would be a factor they should consider in order to help them differentiate between your program and a typical MBA?

Some potential applicants can only fund a one year MBA, but would like to do it at London Business School.  They should remember that our full time MBA can be completed in 15 months, and offers a fantastic additional value in internships, summer consulting projects and an unsurpassed choice of electives and international opportunities.  

Any applicant who requires an MBA qualification, or is anticipating a typical MBA career path should do an MBA. Sloan Fellows have additional experience, and will often have earned their MBA at an earlier career point. Sloan offers a focus on leadership, strategy and understanding the global economic environment. Courses such as Biography are designed for individuals with extensive career experience and achievement. For Sloan Fellows, this is about learning as much as the degree.

After Graduation

9. Given that you have a relatively senior group of students, can you tell us what percentage of your graduates change function after completing the program?

Sloans change function, and many change location. Some change industry, though that is often dependent on the economic situation. The % of Sloans in general management rises, and we see more in C-level roles. Most Sloan Fellows see significant change 2-3 years after graduation, or in their 2^nd post graduation role.  And we are seeing our alumni at the 10 year point now taking up Board and Non-Executive Director level positions. Here's a link to the Sloan Masters Employment Report 2012. 

10. What kind of alumni activities or events occur that help students maintain connections? 

Alumni reunion events, at 3 and 5 year intervals keep connections vibrant, and many stay on for London Business School’s flagship conference – the Global Leadership Summit which is scheduled around it.  The World Alumni Celebration Day (WAC) has 90+ alumni clubs around the world holding events and parties; in Tokyo every November the Beaujolais Nouveau party, started by a 2001 Sloan, has passed into a well-loved tradition of more than 10 years vintage!  

Alumni in London can drop into their own dedicated centre and the Alumni Relations teams organise lectures and events with Faculty whenever they are traveling to different regions. LBS has a global reach, with programmes in Dubai, Hong Kong and New York. 

LBS Sloan vs the EMBA-Global Asia Program

11. Lastly, could you tell us a bit about the EMBA-Global Asia program and how it differs from Sloan?

Some people really want their study experience to be immersive, and take them out of the day to day challenges. Others relish the opportunity to “earn and learn” and use their new knowledge, skills and networks to accelerate their career path. It takes a particular sort of courage to step out of the workplace to do a programme like Sloan, and courage to take on an Executive MBA that blends teaching and attendance across three continents. It runs over 20 months with teaching one week a month in Terms 1-3 and then elective courses, projects and trips in Terms 4 and 5.   

In practical terms EMBA-Global Asia students attend in Hong Kong, with blocks in London and Columbia Business Schools, and are taught by many of our strongest LBS and CBS faculty. They can choose electives across the schools, and have alumni status as well.  It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is already building business in Asia, Europe and the US and provides a powerful network. The program runs for 20 months. 

In terms of experience, Sloan Fellows tend to be on the upper end of the scale.  Executive MBAs will have around 10-11 years of experience, and will be achieving in their business functional role, or may be in an early General Management role. They come from all different sectors, some family businesses and some  entrepreneurs. Most Sloans and EMBA students will have families to consider – so if you are thinking about an EMBA, and negotiating with your boss, remember that you need sign off and support from your family and friends. 

Thanks Linden for your time!

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.

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

Highly Recommended Reading on the MBA Admissions Process

I just finished reading an excellent article on the admissions process at the University of Toronto's Rotman MBA program at Poets&Quants, and I recommend it for anyone out there interested in learning how an admissions committee evaluates applicants.  Topics include GMAT subscores, current unemployment, fit with the school and whether an applicant will eventually enroll there, the potential for scholarships, and a host of other things, not the least of which is their new video essay question.

So take 10 minutes from your interview preparation and enjoy this window into the other side of the admissions process!

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with Yasuhiro Karakawa, Cornell Johnson MBA Alumnus and Admissions Committee Member

This is the first of what I plan to be a semi-regular feature: interviews with people in the world of higher education, with an emphasis on admissions. This first interview features Yasuhiro Karakawa of the Cornell Johnson MBA program and I would very much like to thank Karakawa-san for his generously detailed answers to my questions about Cornell Johnson.

Yasuhiro Karakawa (Cornell ’12) currently has two titles. He is the Representative Program Manager of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, and in addition to this he is an Admissions Officer focused on the Asia region for Johnson’s Full-Time MBA program.  Karakawa-san was kind enough to answer my questions about Cornell Johnson admissions, as well as his own experiences as a student there.  As Karakawa-san notes at the end of this interview, he will be participating in an official Cornell admissions event in Tokyo on September 24, 2012. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about Cornell Johnson and I strongly encourage readers to attend and ask their questions. Details and registration is available here. More info about life at the Cornell MBA is available here. 

The Cornell MBA

Why in the end did you choose to do your MBA at Cornell?

For me, the Three Ps of the Johnson school made me decide to join.

The first P is the Program. I had a strong interest in learning about Sustainability. Sustainability means dealing with social and environmental issues while creating new business opportunities for global enterprises. Johnson had a very strong Sustainability program in that it had opinion leaders such as Professor Stu Hart who contributed to the development of the concept of BOP (Bottom of the Pyramid) and Professor Mark Milstein who directs the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise. Also, at the

Johnson school, we have the Immersion program in the second semester of the first year during which students choose their interest from amongst areas such as Sustainability, Investment Banking, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, or Strategic Operations and get involved with their projects for 4 months. This is a great opportunity for students to apply what they learn at school to real-world issues and this would be extremely helpful for students who want to get meaningful internship opportunities during the summer after their first year with the aim towards changing their careers after graduation.

The second P is the People.  Throughout the process of applying, I found students at Johnson were tight-knit and collaborative. Since we have a relatively small student body of 280 students and also spend our time together in the small community of Ithaca, when I was a student we got to know each other well and build great relationships that will last even after graduation. I could feel this great culture among students when I visited the campus and participated in the class. And this was not limited to the relationships among students. At Johnson, the professors are very approachable. For example, when I visited the campus to learn more about Johnson, I happened to attend Sage Social, a casual get-together held every Thursday. While enjoying casual food and drink provided by the school,  the students, professors, and school staffs mingled and spent time together with lots of smiles. I met Professors Stu Hart and Mark Milstein there and had a short but great conversation with both of them. That was definitely a key moment where I experienced the great culture of Johnson and enhanced my aspiration to join.

The third P is the Place. I have a daughter who was 3 years old when I enrolled. Choosing a great living environment was one of the highest priorities for me when it came to selecting a program. Of course, the definition of ‘great’ depends on the sense of values of each different person.  But for me, Ithaca was an ideal community in that it was safe, friendly, and offered lots of both natural and cultural richness. My two-year stay in Ithaca proved that this was the best community for us. Though away from New York city, Ithaca was not a prototypical rural community. People were open-minded, intelligent and liberal. My family enjoyed gorges and lakes in summer and skiing in the winter. And since I was self-sponsored, the high quality of life regardless of the affordable living cost was amazing.

Your Experience as a Student at Johnson

Can you tell us about one class which had an impact on you, and that you would recommend to future Johnson students?

One of the challenging things at Johnson is that it’s so difficult to prioritize your interests and choose classes among lots of great interesting programs, especially since we are allowed to take classes from other schools at Cornell. But let me dare to pick up one program. My most memorable class was the Immersion Program that took place in the second semester of the first year.

I chose Sustainable Global Enterprise immersion. From January to May, students form up a team of 3 to 4 members and work on real projects to deal with social and environmental issues by collaborating with companies. In my case, since I was interested in learning about how to develop practical solutions for BOP business, I chose a project in which we were asked to develop a solution for a Danish renewable energy company so that they could successfully launch their clean cooking energy in the Mozambique market. They aimed to replace the widespread usage of charcoal there used among 80% of all households.

We worked as a real consulting team. In the initial phase, we clarified the goals and real issues of the project with the client and developed a hypothesis while applying the theory and knowledge we had gained in the classroom. Then, during Spring break, we visited Mozambique to analyze the market (a trip sponsored by the client). This gave us an invaluable opportunity to observe the local consumers lifestyles and the market environment in an ethnographical way, and also allowed us chances to talk with key players including distributors and communication agencies. With those on-hands local insights, we refined the short-term and middle-term marketing strategy to launch and scale out the clients business and made a final presentation to the client executive at the end of the project in May.

The fact that I could go through all the practical process to develop the solution itself was definitely a great experience. But what was more meaningful to me was that this was not a class in which we were ‘taught’ the technical ABC. Instead, this class was definitely challenging and stressful in some phases because what we tried to do was develop a new solution that hadn’t existed in the market until then. In other words, we could not follow successful cases.  Instead, we needed to discuss, create, try, and refine the solution. This experience nurtured in me the mindset that I would not be afraid of creating the new solution with an out-of-the-box approach, and this will be a meaningful basis for my professional career.

What was your life like outside of classes? How much did you get involved in student clubs?

At Johnson, I could see many students enjoy being members of the approximately 100 professional and cultural clubs at the school. This allowed them to get the necessary knowledge and network for the careers they aspired to and helped me enrich their lives through hobbies and sports.

As far as I’m concerned, since I was prioritizing time with my family, I have to confess that I was not so active in student clubs. I belonged to the Sustainable Global Enterprise (SGE) club in which I played a role as a group leader for ‘Sustainable Marketing’. For example, I organized on-campus seminars with professional consultants or marketers who had done great projects in Sustainability. Also, I was the President of the Johnson Japan Club, organizing a donation event for the Tohoku earthquake and also I organized the Japan-Korea trip during the springtime.

Transitioning to Your New Career

Why did you decide to become a member of the admissions team at Cornell?

There has been only 1 -2 Japanese students every year for the last 5 or 6 years while the number of students from Korea, China, and India has been rapidly increasing. And I felt one of the main reasons why we could not secure a certain number of Japanese students was that we could not successfully convey in Japan the differentiated values of Johnson. It’s true that Cornell itself is a very well-known name, but when it comes to the content of the MBA program, it’s not well enough known at all. Since I used to work as a marketing and branding strategist before going to MBA program, I felt that I could contribute to this great community of which I truly enjoyed being a member as a MBA student.

In addition, as I learned from the SGE immersion class, I was interested in creating new value. In this case, what I mean is that I wanted to create a unique professional career that others could not develop. This motivation drove me to make a proposal to the school to establish a new executive education and consulting program named the SGE Asia Program. This program aims to help Asian companies (Japanese and Korean companies in the short term) develop new markets by utilizing the expertise and network of the Johnson school as well as other Cornell schools. That’s why I get to work both as a representative program manager at the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and an admission officer for the Japan market.

How would you describe Cornell's strengths as a business school?

After spending two years here in Ithaca, I have learned that the 3Ps are truly Johnson’s strengths and are relevant to other students who choose Johnson.  So, let me repeat that Program, People, and Place combined make Johnson unique.

Another strength is the wide network of Cornell alumni all over the world. Since Johnson is the business school of Cornell, this means you can reach out to the greater network of faculties and professionals of Cornell as a whole. The solid Cornell network can help students in building a network for their job search, new business planning, and so on. And this will be available as a great resource in both professional and personal contexts even after the graduation.

In addition, if you want to maximize your learning curve during the limited time of MBA program, I recommend you to put yourself in an environment where you are the minority and therefore have to learn how to manage. I found this particularly important to me as a Japanese applicant to the program. Different from the schools where you have a large number of Japanese peers and tend to behave in a group, you can’t depend on other Japanese at Johnson because of the limited number of Japanese there. In classes, for example, you have to expect to get cold calls when the topic is related to Japanese companies and their recent struggles regardless of their great success in the past. This should be challenging. But looking back, I’m sure that this environment gave me the great opportunity to get the survival skills such as being bold in communicating with other students and building strong relationships actively with professors. In this sense, the fact that we don’t have a large Japanese student body is another strength of Johnson, I believe.

What advice would you give to applicants to the program?

Whether it’s a 1-year or 2-year program, you have to sacrifice lots of time and money if you decide to come to a business school. These days we can easily access information. If you want to get just the technical skill and knowledge of MBA, there are lots of books and Japanese-based schools and online classes that are available to you. So, you first need to ask yourself why you’ll dare to go to business schools overseas. What is the ultimate reason why you need to go to business school?  What kind of professional and personal career you want to pursue and how can each program fit to your goals?

Also, I want you to think about how you want to contribute to the global community as a leader in your professional and personal community. I know it’s important to get a well-paying job practically, but at the same time, as a person who will create new values to future generations, I want you to think about what is your raison d'être and how you want to utilize knowledge, experience, and network through your MBA in order to realize it.

Last but not least, I want you to be bold and creative for your own life. It’s true that many MBA students think going to world famous strategic consulting firms or investment banks is a golden path as a professional career of MBA students. That is fine if it’s aligned with your raison d'être. But don’t take the majority voice as yours since the true value of the MBA is to get the mindset, knowledge, and network to realize your own ideas.  This applies to your MBA selection process. Take your time to know about the differentiated values of each MBA program and find the one that truly fits you. I’m sure that you may feel attracted to applying for some programs without knowing so much about them just because you know they’re famous MBA programs many students strive to join. But what’s really important is whether you can envision a clear image that you play a role as an irreplaceable member of that community and create your own meaningful and unique story during and after that MBA program.  How you spend your time during and after that MBA program matters much more than how you get into the program.

With those things in mind, I hope that all of you can enjoy the challenging but rewarding journey to apply for and gain admission to the MBA program that is best for you and also that Johnson can be meaningful to some of you. Feel free to contact me here with your questions. Thank you.

Yasuhiro Karakawa

MBA 12’, Johnson School of Management, Cornell University

Representative Program Manager of Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise / Admissions Officer

Please note:  We will be holding the information session on Sept 24 (2012) in Tokyo and providing the opportunity for you to mingle with alumni in a casual manner. If you want to know more about our program, personality and culture, please register from the URL below. Hope to see you there!

http://tokyo2012.eventbrite.com/

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com