APPLICANT RESOURCES

Clear Admit Interview Guides
Be as prepared as possible for your MBA interviews this season with the Clear Admit Interview Guides! School-specific sample questions and in-depth strategy, campus visit details and places to stay.

Clear Admit School Guides
Seventeen titles available! Understand how the leading programs compare and learn more about the MBA experience in and beyond the classroom through Clear Admit School Guides. As featured in the Economist.

Essay Topic Analysis
Below are links to our comments on some of the top programs' essay topics for the 2007-2008 admissions season.
The Career Goals Essay
Berkeley / Haas
Chicago GSB
CMU / Tepper *
Columbia
Cornell / Johnson
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Harvard
IESE *
INSEAD
London Business School
MIT / Sloan
Michigan / Ross
Northwestern / Kellogg
NYU / Stern
Oxford / Said *
Penn / Wharton
Stanford GSB
UCLA / Anderson
UNC / Kenan-Flagler
UT Austin / McCombs *
UVA / Darden
Yale SOM
* denotes last year's commentary

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• School: Berkeley / Haas
• School: Cambridge
• School: Chicago
• School: CMU / Tepper
• School: Columbia
• School: Cornell / Johnson
• School: Dartmouth / Tuck
• School: Duke / Fuqua
• School: Emory / Goizueta
• School: ESADE
• School: Georgetown
• School: Harvard
• School: IE
• School: IESE
• School: IMD
• School: INSEAD
• School: ISB
• School: London Business School
• School: Michigan / Ross
• School: MIT / Sloan
• School: Northwestern / Kellogg
• School: NYU Stern
• School: Oxford
• School: Penn / Wharton
• School: Stanford
• School: UCLA / Anderson
• School: UNC / Kenan Flagler
• School: UT Austin / McCombs
• School: Virginia / Darden
• School: Yale
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School Rankings
Rankings are a good way to start your research on various MBA Programs. Keep in mind each uses a different methodology.
Business Week
Economist
Financial Times
Forbes
USNews
Wall Street Journal

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• knowledge@ W. P. Carey

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ARCHIVE FOR FEBRUARY 2007

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

MBA News: Fortune MBA Ranking Disputed, Retracted

The Fortune/CNNMoney.com 2007 MBA ranking has been the subject of some controversy since its release last week, when it became apparent that UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School had been omitted from the list of “Top 50 Business Schools for Getting Hired.” After outcry from students and administrators, who argued that the statistics and methodology should have put their program twelfth on this list, the CNNMoney site has pulled its listing and issued a correction.

This incident underscores the fact that while rankings can be a useful tool in identifying potential programs of interest and understanding how schools might compare on various levels, there is really no substitute for in-depth research on a school and evaluation of one’s own personal criteria.

Wiki Wednesdays

Welcome back to another edition of Wiki Wednesdays, our roundup of the latest on Clear Admit’s Wiki. With interview season in full swing we had a handful of great contributions this week from applicants who recently interviewed with Chicago, Kellogg and Wharton. We also received a few reports on Ross’s telephone interviews, postings describing interviews with Fuqua and Columbia, and a typically tough interview with HBS. Below are a few particularly noteworthy points in these entries.

In addition to the usual questions about the details of an applicant’s goals, it’s not uncommon for interviewers to ask what will happen if all doesn’t go to plan. For example, interviewers sometimes ask applicants what they’ll do if they don’t get into any of the programs to which they applied this year. Another version of this type of question came up in a recent Chicago interview:

“Then he threw the zinger at me – ‘what’s your Plan B if you don’t get the job profile you want to?’ I wasn’t really prepared for this one and hadn’t thought about it myself, so I said I didn’t have a plan B except for starting something up on my own…. He said the cost of this education is really very high and an alternative plan is important for the many graduates who have loans to pay off.”

This is a good question to think about prior to an interview, as it could afford the chance to demonstrate your maturity and knowledge of your target industry. It might be worthwhile to give some thought to an alternative short-term goal that is feasible yet ambitious, and that will lead to the same long-term goal you have stated elsewhere.

Meanwhile, blogger Juggler contributed a post offering interview advice and suggesting that applicants should give careful thought to which anecdotes they might use during the interview:

“If you have important stuff that you could not mention in the essays due to lack of space, the interview is a good place to bring it up. An advantage of having examples different from the essays is that they will supplement what you have already mentioned and give a fuller picture of you to the adcom. Promotions, salary hikes and other recognition which came by after you submitted your application can also be stated during the interview.”

This comment is also related to the tip that concrete examples are the best way to make your point during an interview. When the interviewer asks you to discuss a strength or weakness, it’s ideal to give both a “high level” answer and also provide a detailed story to back it up. In other words, a thorough answer to a question about, say, your leadership style would include a subjective statement (i.e. “The most effective leadership tactic I’ve learned is to listen carefully to my team members.”). Then follow this statement with one or two concise stories from the workplace or an activity.

That’s all for this week. For those of you who still have interview reports to file, remember that until March 1^st every fifth contributor to the Wiki will win a $15 iTunes gift certificate - 1 day left!

Of course, best of luck to all you applicants who have interviews scheduled for the upcoming week! To learn more about school specific interview information, feel free to send your CV to info@clearadmit.com for information on our mock interview services.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Trivia Tuesday: MIT Sloan’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Certificate

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday! This week we’ll take a look at a special program offered at MIT Sloan that may be of interest to many of our entrepreneurial minded readers.

Sloan’s newest entrepreneurial offering, the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program, or E&I, began as a pilot for the Class of 2008 and is now a regular feature of the Sloan curriculum. Students who successfully complete the E&I requirements receive a Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation in addition to their MBA degree, indicating that they have pursued an extensive course of studies and activities covering the breadth of managerial skills and other knowledge necessary to start a successful company.

The requirements of the E&I program include a weekly dinner seminar in the first semester, which provides students with an opportunity to meet other E&I participants, cultivate relationships with professors and entrepreneurs in residence, and to begin building their base of knowledge. During the January break, the first-year E&I class takes a one-week networking trip to Silicon Valley, meeting with venture capitalists and leaders of successful start-ups, with a special focus on enterprises in the fields of advanced materials, life sciences, medical technology, new energy, software and information technology (highlighting the “innovation” aspect of the E&I certificate).

In the three following semesters, E&I students dedicate many of their elective credits to fulfilling the course requirements of the certificate program. Through these requirements, the program seeks to develop a strong network of graduates capable of leading emerging technology companies. Applicants interested in participating in the E&I program may apply by checking the appropriate box on the Sloan MBA application and responding to an additional essay question.

Students interested in Sloan’s E&I Certificate Program should check out the program’s website as well as the “Entrepreneurship” section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Sloan!

Monday, February 26, 2007

Campus Chronicles: Admit Weekend at the Chicago GSB

We’d like to take a moment today to highlight a special issue of the Chibus, the Chicago GSB’s student newspaper. This is the first issue produced by the new editorial staff and it came out just in time for Chicago’s Admit Weekend. Although many of the articles are specifically geared towards the admitted students visiting campus, the issue is jam-packed with articles on all aspects of the GSB, including financial aid for international students, club profiles, studying abroad, the experience of being a partner at Chicago, how the admissions process works, the school’s “random walks” and many, many other topics. Whether you are a future applicant considering schools, an R2 applicant preparing for an interview, or an R1 admit deciding whether to attend, this is an issue of the Chibus that you don’t want to miss!

MBA News: Haas and Wharton videos, Balancing the MBA and Motherhood at Chicago

Welcome to the new week! Let’s check in on the latest in MBA news, which this week includes several interesting video shorts.

First, the Haas School at UC-Berkeley is the subject of a video clip now up on YouTube. The piece is an overview of Haas and was filmed as part of an introduction to the PBS CEO Exchange earlier this year. The PBS special featured a discussion between Intel CEO Paul Otellini, a Berkeley MBA alumnus, and two fellow technology CEOs. The piece on Haas is hosted by a current student, so be sure to check out the video to get a sense of some of the highlights of Haas’s program.

In other multimedia news, Wharton Follies videos are now up on the web, making it possible for anyone who didn’t get a chance to see the sold out shows to join in on the fun. Highlights include sketches reminiscent of the Mac/PC commercials, in which a first-year student and a second-year student discuss grade non-disclosure, learning teams, and social life. Viewers can find other sketches by searching for Wharton Follies 2007.

Finally, and on a different note, the Chicago GSB Dean’s Student Committee blog recently posted a great entry on balancing motherhood and the MBA. Although some of the information is specific to the Chicago GSB community, the post is a great read for any parent considering applying to business school. The entry presents current students’ views on issues of child care, student activities involvement, recruiting, and whether the return to school is a good step for both parent and child - obviously issues of significant concern to both mothers and fathers thinking about pursuing an MBA.

Be sure to check back throughout the week for more news and stories from the MBA world!

Friday, February 23, 2007

Reminder: Wiki Call for Content

As R2 applicants continue to prepare for interviews, we would like to remind our readers that March 1st is the last chance to win a $15 iTunes gift certificate for submitting content to the Clear Admit Wiki.

If you’ve already completed your admissions interview, took a trip to campus, or made a difficult decision between offers of admission, please consider sharing your experience with other readers. These first-hand accounts of the admissions process are invaluable in helping applicants get to know programs, feel prepared for interviews, and decide where to enroll.

Help us continue to enrich the wiki by emailing your submission to wiki@clearadmit.com. As an added incentive, every fifth entry emailed between now and March 1 will receive a $15 iTunes gift certificate. We’ll post the submissions to the wiki and notify the winners by email.

Thanks in advance for your entries!

Fridays from the Frontline

Welcome to another edition of FFF! Let’s take a look at the latest news from the MBA blogosphere.

Checking in with the MBA applicant crowd, we find Peter eagerly anticipating his Columbia interview and his trip to New York, while HairTwirler celebrates her Fellowship offer from Maryland. Those preparing for interviews should be sure to read Juggler’s analysis of the Wharton interview and AGirlsMBA report on no less than five interviews. Also helpful would be Asiangal’s post, which shares the lessons she’s learned from interviewing job applicants at her company over the years. Aside from posts about interviewing, mba_salsera ponders the transitional months before school starts, and Bschool Diva wonders aloud if she’ll be going to school this year at all. Necromonger decries the poor English on web forums, while Inblue takes a more reflective look back at her epic application process.

On the MBA-student end of the spectrum, there are lots of great posts from folks at LBS this week. FM describes the study group experience there and Angie describes the extra-curricular activities that are keeping her busy. Meanwhile, Karlitos celebrates one internship offer and Ed Starr compares his two offers as well.

Numerous MBA students posted travel-themed entries this week. Continuing with our LBS theme, first-year student Patxi has posted a great analysis of the Ryan Air customer experience. In other travels, ESADE student Jacek deliberates between the many options for his MBA exchange, though South Africa, Brazil, and China seem to be his front runners. Wrapping up his time in Israel, Chicago student Le Voyageur posts a nice reflection on his experience there.

Back in the States, Benny reports on snow and sustainability at Tuck. There is also a description of Ross’s Management Accounting course posted by Fromcali and another of Columbia’s Strategy Formulation course provided by J-Term Johnny. Last but not least, Tom describes a visit from Paul Levy, president and CEO of Beth Israel, to the Practicing Management class at Sloan.

That does it for this week’s FFF. Have a great weekend everybody!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Fortune MBA Ranking 2007

CNNMoney.com recently published Fortune magazine’s ranking of the “50 Best Business Schools for Getting Hired.” The list was compiled based on schools’ reputations with polled recruiters and career placement track records. To arrive at the job placement score, Fortune examined the percentage of students who secure jobs within 3 months of graduation (20% weighting), the average number of job offers per student (also weighted 20%) and average salary in a student’s first post-MBA position (accounting for the remaining 60%). In this way, Fortune’s methodology resembles a blend of the Wall Street Journal’s approach of surveying corporate recruiters and Forbes’s focus on post-graduation salary as a measure of return on investment.

The full list is available on the website; here are the top 20 (with an interesting four-way tie for 12th):

1. Wharton
2. Harvard Business School
3. MIT Sloan
4. Stanford GSB
5. Kellogg
6. Columbia Business School
7. Chicago GSB
8. Duke/Fuqua
9. Dartmouth/Tuck
10. NYU/Stern
11. Michigan/Ross
12. Berkeley/Haas
12. Cornell/Johnson
12. UVA/Darden
12. Yale SOM
16. Georgetown/McDonough
17. UCLA/Anderson
17. Thunderbird School of Global Management
19. UT Austin/McCombs
20. CMU/Tepper

Those interested can also peruse school-by-school information and profiles on the site.

NOTE:  Since the time we posted this news, the data and methodology used in this ranking have been questioned, and CNNMoney.com has removed the entire feature from its site and issued an official apology.

Admissions Tip: Scholarships

In addition to the immediate concerns of admissions interview and deciding which program to attend, now is an important time of year for applicants and admitted students to think about how they’ll finance their MBAs. While loans are by far the most common route, many students receive scholarship funding to cover all or part of tuition. These awards are often conferred by the schools, but there are also a number of outside organizations that allocate funds to distribute to business school students whose goals or backgrounds are aligned with their missions.

Eligibility is usually determined by work experience, GPA, and in some cases, community involvement and organization membership. Most scholarship applications require a professional or academic recommendation as well as a personal essay about qualifications or career plans. While some scholarships are offered before entering business school, many are also granted during the first year of attendance.

The Committee of 200 (C200) presents Scholar Awards to outstanding women MBA students. Candidates are chosen from the MBA programs participating in C200’s Outreach Seminars, such as HBS, Duke, Columbia, Ross, Stanford and Wharton. Female applicants may also consider the Possible Woman Foundation International, an organization dedicated to providing women with personal and professional advancement opportunities. For minority students planning a career in financial services, the Toigo Foundation offers a merit award of $5,000 to those entering accredited, 2-year full-time MBA programs or pursuing a joint degree with direct ties to the field of finance. Second-year minority students are also eligible for the Toigo Fellowship. Other organizations offer scholarships based on students’ areas of study, such as the Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF), which features the Richard Metzler Scholarship for a dedicated interest in management consulting.

Check out the links below (sorted by application deadline) for more information on the scholarship application processes and qualifications:

February 23: Possible Woman Foundation International
March 15: Hispanic College Fund
March 15 (priority consideration): National Society of Hispanic MBA Scholarship Program
April 1: American Institute for CPAs Scholarship Program
April 2 (first-year students): Robert Toigo Foundation
April 16: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
April 23 (second-year students): Robert Toigo Foundation
April 30 (final deadline): National Society of Hispanic MBA Scholarship Program
April 30: National Black MBA Association Graduate Scholarship Program
June 30: AMCF Richard Metzler Scholarship

Many business schools offer scholarships based on merit or through organizations like the Consortium or the Forte Foundation, so admitted applicants can also contact their particular school’s financial aid office for scholarship and fellowship information. These scholarship options are often heavily advertised, so don’t hesitate to contact the financial aid office – and the sooner the better, as these are often doled out on a first come, first served basis. Finally, scholarship seekers might also consider fastweb.com, a search engine with detailed criteria to match applicants with appropriate scholarships.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

MBA News: An Unusual Scholarship at Darden

While a combination of hard work and careful planning is a good recipe for business school success, a recent news item shows that there’s also something to be said for a little bit of luck.  When an anonymous donor endowed a scholarship worth one semester’s tuition at the Darden School of Business as a “random act of kindness,” the program took measures to select a recipient as randomly as possible.  After making it through a series of pure-chance elimination rounds, one first year student emerged and will try her luck at the prize tomorrow in a “deal or no deal” style finale.

Those who are as curious as we are can watch the event live tomorrow morning.  Meanwhile, stay tuned to this blog tomorrow for some information on scholarships for the less lucky but still deserving MBA applicants and students.

Wiki Wednesdays: The Wharton Interview

Welcome to this week’s edition of Wiki Wednesdays, our roundup of recent activity on the Clear Admit Wiki. This week we’ve received new contributions from applicants to Cornell, Kellogg, and a nicely detailed account of an INSEAD interview, and were especially pleased to receive four new Wharton interview reports! Because the last of the school’s Round 2 interview invitations went out last week and a number of applicants are still preparing for the big event, we thought it would be a good time to take a closer look at the Wharton interview experience.

At this point, applicants who have been invited to interview have committed to either an on-campus, off-campus or hub interview. Those whose interviews are scheduled at Wharton will most likely be meeting with a second-year student, though occasionally admissions representatives conduct on-campus interviews. Applicants who can’t make the trip to Wharton can meet with an admissions representative at a handful of cities around the world or schedule an interview with a Wharton alum closer to home.

All Wharton interviews are blind and resume-based, with the interviewer having no knowledge of the applicant’s profile and application. Though the majority of discussions are fairly straightforward, there is still some room for variability, especially where alumni are concerned. These questions from one account that was added to the wiki this week really illustrate this point:

“If you were to build a mall, how would you design it? If you had to build this mall on 2 floors what stores would you put on the first vs second floor? Why?

What do you think of the airline industry? Do you think it is profitable? (Again very strange….I don’t have a business background and only know a little bit about the airline industry’s business model) He then proceeded to explain that airline business is a loss-making one. Can you tell me three things that cause these losses?”

While Wharton interview questions vary depending on the interviewer, the purpose is ultimately to gauge the applicant’s personal qualities and professional trajectory. These items from two of this week’s other additions feature more traditional questions and illustrate the importance of thoughtful and tailored responses that showcase your and build on the ideas already in your essays:

“Whenever, I told [my interviewer] about some experience whether community or professional, he asked about how xyz behaved or tell me about one person I really liked in that community engagement. I think he was trying to gauge the depth and honesty of the experiences.”

“Why do you think Wharton is the ideal place to help you realize your long-term goals. I mentioned about several programs at Wharton which would help me and the diverse student body, alumni etc. So he said I know these programs are good but why do you think Wharton is the right place. I mentioned several other points. We then moved to another questions.”

Thanks again to all who posted to the Clear Admit Wiki this week! Your contributions make this a great resource for anyone who is preparing for interviews in the coming weeks. We’re offering a $15 iTunes gift certificate to every fifth Wiki contributor until March 1, so keep those interview reports coming!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Conversations from Stanford’s Entrepreneurship Conference

The Stanford students behind the iinnovate podcast recently sat down with Dr. Ed Catmull, co-founder and President of Pixar Animation, to discuss “managing creative talent and maintaining an innovative edge.” Dr. Catmull was visiting the Stanford GSB as the keynote speaker for the 2007 Entrepreneurship Conference when he spoke with iinnovate.

This interview is a great example of the kinds of connections and conversations available on business school campuses, and of the opportunities made possible through student-organized conferences. Be sure to check out the full video interview with Ed Catmull, available here.

Trivia Tuesday: Public Management at Stanford

It’s time again for another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading business schools. A few weeks ago we discussed some of the financial support available for internships and careers in the public and non-profit sectors. This week let’s take a look at an academic program that prepares students to enter these fields.

Stanford’s Public Management Program (PMP) was founded in 1971 to promote communication and collaboration between leaders of government and business and to address misunderstandings between politicians and those in the private sector. The program became part of the Center for Social Innovation in 2000, and today has the broader mission of preparing students to address social problems.

The PMP offers students the option of obtaining a Certificate in Public Management as a sign of their commitment to and preparedness for a career in the sector. About 15% of each GSB class obtains this certificate, the first and only of its kind. To qualify, students take 16 relevant course units drawn from approximately 30 electives, including an independent study option. This independent study can be academic, analyzing a specific sector or organization, or can be an internship, consulting engagement or strategy planning role at a sponsor organization.

Within the Certificate program, students who are especially focused can pursue an optional specialization in Government, Nonprofit Management or Socially Responsible Business.

This program is a great way for students interested in public management or socially responsible business careers to develop an understanding of issues in these fields and to differentiate themselves in the recruitment process.

For more on Stanford’s public management program or other options for tailoring your studies, visit the school’s website or check out the Special Programs section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Stanford!

Monday, February 19, 2007

MBA News: Tuck Introduces New Program

The Tuck School of Business announced last week that it will be adding a societal leadership program to its MBA curriculum, beginning in the 2007-2008 academic year.  Complementing the school’s Allwin Initiative for Corporate Citizenship and the Cohen Leadership Development Program, the year-long elective course will focus on a specific business issue with social relevance; the emphasis for the pilot year will be the implications of microfinance for alleviating global poverty.  With classroom work in the fall and early winter and project-based learning in the late winter and spring, Tuck explains that the program will give students a chance to approach the topic from various angles and in multiple contexts, and will also promote interaction between the business school and undergraduate students.

For more information, see the school’s recent press release on the new program.

Campus Chronicles: Chicago, Wharton, Columbia

Welcome to another week in the MBA blogosphere! Since student newspapers are a great way to get a sense of the culture and the issues at a business school, today we’ll check in on the campus news at Chicago, Wharton and Columbia.

The latest issues of the Chibus at the Chicago GSB features an interview with two GSB alumni discussing the impact Chicago has had on their careers. The issue also includes a profile of Professor Howard Haas, retired Sealy CEO and lauded GSB leadership professor. Both articles are interesting reads for applicants looking to learn more about the people of the GSB. On a more social note, readers should check out “Why You Too Should Go To the Winter Formal,” an explanation of the benefits of Chicago’s big winter bash, as well as a follow-up column on first-year engagement and a second year’s humorous perspective on summer internship recruiting.

The lead story in the latest Wharton Journal is the wrap-up of the 31st annual Wharton Follies, a three-hour extravaganza of music, dance, inside jokes and “unedited satire.” A Wharton tradition, it sounds like this year’s Follies was a show to remember. In other Wharton news, the Marketing Club offers a run down of the Super Bowl advertisments, while the Journal itself is the subject of an article concerning a dispute with the WGA Executive Council over club charters and locked doors.

This week’s Bottom Line at Columbia highlights some interesting campus issues. First, in line with recent Campus Chronicles and Trivia Tuesday entries, the cover story features an overview of CBS students’ non-profit summer internships made possible by the CORPS fellowship fund. Last year’s fundraising supported 17 MBA students in their work with both foreign and domestic non-profit organizations. Also featured this week is a summary of the issues students would like to see the GBA, Columbia’s student government, address this school year, as well as an article on page 3 about possible revisions to the core curriculum. These pieces are must-reads for any applicant interested in staying up-to-date on the hot topics at Columbia.

That’s the news for this week! Stay tuned to this space for more on the issues and events making waves on business school campuses!

Friday, February 16, 2007

MBA News: MIT Sloan begins podcasting

MIT Sloan recently announced the addition of a regular podcast to its web offerings. The podcast series seeks to illustrate “what it’s really like” at MIT Sloan through features on student activities, guest speakers, and program opportunities. The first three podcasts include a discussion with the student organizers of the Sports Business Conference, a Sloan alumna reflecting on her growth as a leader, and Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser talking about his philosophy of arts management.

To listen to individual episodes or to begin your free subscription to the series, visit MIT Sloan’s podcasting home page or search for “MIT Sloan” in the iTunes music store.

Fridays from the Frontline

Welcome to another edition of FFF, our weekly recap of the recent happenings in the MBA blogosphere. It’s been a relatively quiet week, with applicants and students alike distracted by the winter weather and Valentine’s Day events, but let’s take a look at what the folks who have been blogging have been up to.

On the applicant front, we’ve seen nearly the full range of admissions-related activities and emotions this week, running from inblue’s Wharton invite anxiety and Suser’s disheartening transcript snafu to Anand’s jubilation over his Darden admit and AsianGal’s excitement over her upcoming Columbia interview. As for stages of the process, mba_salsera is thinking of retaking the GMAT while waiting for word from various schools and AAMBA2009 is planning a trip to New York to visit Stern for an interview, while Rohit has admission and fellowship offers from ISB and Rochester and Juggler has not only her school selection but also her Wharton housing situation settled (and some great things to say about the helpfulness of the school community). Speaking of helpful, a number of applicants are also focused on sharing information and acting as a resource for others. Admitted applicant necromonger shared the story of his second INSEAD interview, Rungee runs through an interesting recap of her Wharton Winter Welcome Weekend experience, and, inspired by an old entry of Marina’s, Iday has pledged to document each milestone of his path to Chicago for the reference of future applicants.

Similarly, the student population is facing a spectrum of concerns and reactions. Between a calculator malfunction in corporate finance and an up-in-the-air phone interview, it sounds like Jacek had a trying week at ESADE, whereas Chicago student Le Voyageur seems to be adjusting well to the very different semester schedule in Jerusalem and FM checks in to report that he’s had a great few weeks at LBS in terms of both classes and recruiting. A post by Paxti covering a week in the life of a London MBA student demonstrates the range of one person’s experience, while LL’s account (and photo documentation) of the Wharton Follies show earlier this month and John Galt’s comments on a different sort of folly demonstrate the potential disparity of the experiences of students at the same program.

As for the typical elements of the MBA experience, there’s naturally been talk of recruiting; MBA Gladiator finds comfort in the fact that job-seekers at Yale SOM still outnumber those with job offers, but is unfortunately frustrated about the mixed signals he’s been getting from nonprofit employers. Meanwhile, Angel Angie has two job offers in hand, and shares some of the more interesting elements of her hedge fund and i-banking interviews. On the academic side, Zanat0s looks toward his P4 classes at INSEAD, Ashwyn looks back at a school ski trip and midterms at IESE and Hallonman takes an inventory of things he is experiencing much of at the moment, both pleasant (diversity in his class groups) and otherwise (a rather heavy courseload). Finally, looking at activities outside of class, both Nate and FromCali report on the annual Ross Follies show and profess a desire to be involved next time around. J-term Johnny offers a great account of his experience at Columbia’s Media and Entertainment Conference, and Angel Angie explains what she took away from a “Building Business Leadership in Africa” event at LBS.

That concludes this week’s installment. We hope that our MBA blogging friends will keep the great content coming, and that everyone has a great weekend!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Wharton Round Two Interview Invitations

As the Wharton Adcom reminded readers in their blog yesterday, the last of the school’s Round 2 interview invitations will go out by 5pm today. We’re glad to see that applicants on the Wharton s2s boards and the BW discussion forum are supporting each other and remaining hopeful, as the school has been known to issue a fair number of invites on the last day of each round.

Best of luck to all those hoping to hear today!

Oxford Essay Topic Analysis 2006-2007

Adding to our extensive list of essay topic analyses for the leading MBA programs in the U.S. and abroad, we wanted to take some time today to comment on the two essay questions for this year’s Oxford application. With its next deadline more than a month away (March 23rd), this school could be a great option for those who want to work in London and might have just begun thinking about pursuing an MBA next fall.

With a total of 3000 words between two essay topics, Oxford presents a unique challenge in terms of sharing important and relevant information about one’s candidacy while staying on topic. For this reason, careful reflection and outlining is even more important when approaching this sort of application than one with a long series of shorter answers.

Essay 1: Explain why you chose your current job. How do you hope to see your career developing over the next five years? How will an MBA assist you in the development of these ambitions? (1000 word maximum)
This is a very standard career goals/why MBA essay. Note the explicit five-year goals timeline; while it’s certainly fine to look beyond this is in your essay and cover longer-term objectives, it will be important to develop the five year plan in depth to tailor your response to the question. As is the case with any essay of this sort, you’ll also want to comment on the specific merits of the Said Business School even though the question doesn’t mention this directly.

Essay 2: Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why? (2000 word maximum)
This question, which covers the range of world geography and topics factual and fictional, is about as broad as they come. The rather high word limit makes responding to the question all the more challenging, as many applicants find it difficult to sustain a coherent and relevant discussion over 2000 words. In selecting a topic, think carefully about what your event or book selection will tell the reader about your concerns and priorities, ideally selecting a subject that is in keeping with the positioning established in the first response. In terms of structuring the discussion, it might be helpful to think about ways that this book, development or event has influenced your actions as well as your thinking; this could provide a way to introduce a fair amount of information about your experiences and candidacy while keeping to the topic.

For more guidance on how best to present yourself to Oxford or other programs with upcoming deadlines, feel free to send your CV to info@clearadmit.com for a free initial assessment.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Event Reminder: Planning Your Next 6 Months

We wanted to remind our NYC-based readers who are just beginning to think about applying to business school next fall about a free informative event being hosted by Manhattan GMAT tomorrow, February 15th, at 7pm.  Join the test prep experts at MGMAT, admissions representatives from NYU’s Stern School of Business and Columbia Business School, and Clear Admit’s own Eliot Ingram for a panel discussion of the steps you can take over the next six months to maximize your chances of admission to a top program.

Register now!

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