APPLICANT RESOURCES

Have an iPhone or iPod Touch? Research schools on the go and keep your applications organized with Clear Admit's new MBA Planner App!

Admissions Director Q&A
Below are links to Clear Admit's exclusive interviews with MBA admissions directors at leading programs.
Dawna Clarke (Tuck)
Rose Martinelli (Chicago)
Judith Hodara (Wharton)
Sara Neher (Darden)
Soojin Kwon Koh (Michigan)
Randall Sawyer (Cornell)
Beth Flye (Kellogg)
David Simpson (LBS)
Liz Riley Hargrove (Duke)
Linda Meehan (Columbia)
Bruce DelMonico (Yale)
Peter Johnson (Berkeley)
Isser Gallogly (NYU)
Mae Jennifer Shores (UCLA)
J.J. Cutler (Wharton)
Jake Cohen (INSEAD)
Rod Garcia (MIT Sloan)
Mary Miller (Columbia)

Clear Admit School Guides
Become an expert on your target schools overnight! Get the program-specific details you need to craft essays that stand out. See how schools compare head-to-head in key areas like recruiting, curricular structure, elective offerings and more. Available for immediate download. As featured in the Economist.

Clear Admit Career Guides
Understand career-specific offerings at leading MBA programs and identify the schools that will best support your career goals with the Clear Admit Career Guides! Available for Consulting, Investment Banking, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Healthcare.

Clear Admit Strategy Series
Craft a winning application with the Clear Admit Strategy Series! Step-by-Step guidance through the application process. Titles include a Resume Guide, Recommendations Guide, Waitlist Guide and more!

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.

Essay Topic Analysis
Below are links to our comments on some of the top programs' essay topics.
The Career Goals Essay
Berkeley / Haas*
Chicago Booth*
CMU / Tepper*
Columbia*
Cornell / Johnson*
Dartmouth / Tuck*
Duke / Fuqua*
Harvard*
Indian School of Business*
INSEAD*
London Business School*
MIT / Sloan*
Michigan / Ross*
Northwestern / Kellogg*
NYU / Stern*
Oxford / Said*
Penn / Wharton*
Stanford GSB*
UCLA / Anderson*
UNC / Kenan-Flagler*
USC / Marshall*
UT Austin / McCombs*
UVA / Darden*
Yale SOM*
* denotes '09-'10 commentary

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Interview Reports
A selection of interview field reports from fellow applicants posted to the MBA Admissions Wiki. Add your reports when you are finished with your interviews.
Chicago
Columbia
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Harvard
Kellogg
Michigan / Ross
MIT / Sloan
Stanford
UNC / Chapel Hill
Virginia / Darden
Wharton
London Business School

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

Business School Resources
The following are business resources offered by a variety of leading Business Schools. It's useful to subscribe to these resources, especially for the schools to which you are applying.

• knowledge@wharton
• INSEAD Knowledge
• Harvard Working Knowledge
• Knowledge @ Emory
• Columbia Ideas @ Work
• knowledge@ W. P. Carey
• Stanford Knowledgebase
• Ross Thought in Action

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Get a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card! Contribute your MBA interview reports to the Clear Admit Wiki.

Interviewing with b-schools in R2? Download our school by school Interview Guides or send us your CV to learn more about our mock interview services.

ARCHIVE FOR MARCH 2007

Friday, March 30, 2007

U.S. News Full-time MBA Ranking 2008

Earlier today, U.S. News & World Report released its 2008 ranking of the top full-time U.S. MBA programs. Because this particular ranking relies heavily on statistics like GMAT averages, GPAs, starting salaries and peer assessments, there’s generally less variation year-to-year than in rankings based on student and recruiter opinion (the dominant metrics in several other prominent rankings). There are, however, a few interesting changes to note when comparing the list to last year’s ranking.
First, let’s take a look at this year’s top-ranking schools:

1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
5. Northwestern University (Kellogg)
5. University of Chicago
7. Dartmouth College (Tuck)
8. University of California–Berkeley (Haas)
9. Columbia University
10. New York University (Stern)
11. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross)
12. Duke University (Fuqua)
12. University of Virginia (Darden)
14. Cornell University (Johnson)
14. Yale University
16. University of California–Los Angeles (Anderson)
17. Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
18. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
18. University of Texas–Austin (McCombs)
20. Emory University (Goizueta)

The top nine remains virtually unchanged as compared to last year. The most noteworthy is that Tuck leap-frogged over both Haas and Columbia to land in the #7 spot, but it’s also interesting that Kellogg is tied with regional rival Chicago for the #5 spot (last year it had tied MIT for 4th). As is often the case, there was more movement among schools 10-20. UCLA / Anderson was the biggest mover, dropping from 10 to 16, with Stern rising three spaces to take its place. Ross, which shared the #11 spot with Duke last year, now holds that space alone while Fuqua ties Darden for #12.

While it can be interesting and fun to track these slight changes – especially for those associated with the schools in question – the facts that there is so little change from year to year and that these same programs are included so consistently in the top 20 speaks to the consistent quality of these programs. It also underscores the importance of deeper research to really understand a school and its offerings to put these rankings in perspective and identify the school that’s the best personal and professional fit.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 11:14 am in MBA News, Rankings, School: Berkeley / Haas, School: CMU / Tepper, School: Chicago, School: Columbia, School: Cornell / Johnson, School: Dartmouth / Tuck, School: Duke / Fuqua, School: Emory / Goizueta, School: Harvard, School: MIT / Sloan, School: Michigan / Ross, School: NYU Stern, School: Northwestern / Kellogg, School: Penn / Wharton, School: Stanford, School: UCLA / Anderson, School: UNC / Kenan Flagler, School: UT Austin / McCombs, School: Virginia / Darden, School: Yale

Fridays From the Frontline

Welcome back to Fridays from the Frontline, Clear Admit’s run-down of all the MBA blogosphere news that’s fit to blog (or at least all that fits in this week’s installment)! Recounting the thrill of admission, doling out congratulations to fellow admits and offering advice to future prospectives, applicant bloggers are on cloud nine this week, while first and second year students are celebrating a well-deserved spring break from stations around the world. Let’s take a closer look at this virtual era of good feelings.

Hardly able to believe it, AGirlsMBA chronicles the surreal feeling that accompanied her HBS triumph, while Forrest concisely conveys his success at Chicago (way to go Forrest!).  We’d also like to note the sweet congratulations from Bschool Diva and a warm welcome into the class of 2009 from InBlue.  In related news, Juggler had two posts of note: first, she was kind of enough to congratulate Ganja Turtle on rising from the Chicago Waitlist (via a creative WL strategy) and then she weighed in with some solid advice on how to get your money’s worth from the $250 GMAT fee. Similarly eager to be of help to future applicants, Iday offers an extensive essay writing guide, while Rusgirl provides some useful LBS R2 statistics to occupy those still projecting their possible results.

While JatWarrior may not have good news to report from Chicago, he joins the party by celebrating the fact that his future at Tuck has been ascertained. Similarly upholding an honorable attitude, Peter vows to have better luck next time, mapping out a comprehensive plan to advance to a more customer facing role, improve his GMAT, clarify his career goals and boost his extracurricular profile. This sounds like the kind of advice that any prospective applicant (or reapplicant) could do well to take! Speaking of advice, HairTwirler invokes an apt analogy from the movie Mean Girls about the outdated, irrelevant or just plain inaccurate advice that one has to navigate when talking bschool with out-of-the-know bosses and elders. On the other hand, Itobean leads by example, chronicling how her shift from volunteering at the Humane Society to helping out at a local animal rescue organization enabled her to take on the coveted leadership roles and make the demonstrable impact that b-school applicants are always after.

Looking for advice herself, Katrina ponders whether UCLA or NYU will better serve her entrepreneurial ambitions, sending out a call for suggestions. Ipoel is done with equivocation, however, confirming her matriculation at UCLA, although not without noting the opportunity cost, while defiant Necromonger warns that some MBA programs (mainly an undisclosed Indian institution) just aren’t worth it.  [We'd like to direct all of our readers who are struggling with school choices to read and post to the School Choices section of the Clear Admit wiki.]

Some current business school students also felt like sharing their insights with the next wave of applicants, as Fromcali offers these tips for incoming Ross students, while Nagendra posts his views on career management before and during a Said business education. Reflecting on the influence that the b-school-related concerns he harbored as an applicant have had on his actual experiences as a student at LBS, FM suggests a positive outlook for those candidates currently obsessing over school selection, financing and immigration issues.

That said, most first-years were having too much fun living it up over spring break to be offering helpful hints. Check out Ashwyn, elated to be finished with classes, as he and friends karaoke the night away to ring in the third and final term of their first year at IESE. Karaoke is mere child’s play to MJ, though, whose wild spring break was replete with drinks, cigars and getting thrown out of bars. La Lauderia had some fun herself back in San Francisco, which left her wishing the weather in Philadelphia was this nice. Far from the sunny west coast, both in reality and musical taste, Rubeo Boy enjoyed some time off at a Snow Patrol concert in Madison Square garden, while close by, J-Term Johnny was busy presenting his quirky business ideas in Columbia’s Outrageous Business Plan Competition. Similarly hard at work, Zanat0s relays his rigorous life at INSEAD via film.

Not to be outdone, Le Voyageur spent his respite partying around the globe, hitting up such sunny locales as Israel, India and Mexico. Meanwhile, Nate has been celebrating warm weather and good times as his tenure at Ross nears completion. But Mbwana isn’t ready to throw in the (beach) towel yet – as his winter quarter at Stanford draws to a close, he takes time to analyze the coursework he’s completed so far and the potential complications with the job offer he’s accepted from Microsoft, finally noting that he might do well to enjoy life as a student a bit more himself.

Thanks to all our blogging friends for such an upbeat and entertaining week – we hope that the weekend treats our readers just as well!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:23 am in Fridays from the Frontline

Thursday, March 29, 2007

MBA Podcasts at Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Chicago, Tuck, MIT and LBS

Many MBA applicants are already accustomed to getting their news – not to mention Business Week and Economist articles – delivered through their headphones, but some might be unaware that most top business schools also offer podcasts. For the applicants out there with extremely busy schedules, podcasts offer one more valuable way to get a feel for the current research and developments unique to each institution. This helps prospective students identify the programs that best fit their own interests (i.e. healthcare management, hi-tech entrepreneurship, marketing, etc.), enabling them to offer a nuanced answer to the dreaded ‘why School X and not School Y?’ interview question, if the time comes. Let’s take a closer look at a selection of some of the podcasts available:

LBS Podcasts – Free, no subscription required.

The LBS approach to podcasting is somewhat more integrated than that of some other schools. For instance, the majority of the news stories available on the school’s website are also available via podcast. The subject matter touches on faculty research, the application process and campus events.

MIT Sloan Podcasts – Subscription required (free).

As we recently posted on our blog, Sloan’s new podcast series is updated twice a week and includes both audio and video features. Like LBS, this series is more explicitly oriented towards helping prospective applicants get to know the school better. Towards that end, these podcasts include updates on student activities, as well as interviews with guest speakers and accomplished alumni.

Chicago GSB Podcast Series – Subscription required (free).

Chicago began producing this podcast in 2006 and has since posted new episodes approximately twice monthly. Archived episodes include conversations with Nobel Laureates, faculty members, popular authors and current industry leaders.

HBS Working Knowledge Podcast and Harvard Business Review IdeaCast – Free, no subscription required.

Harvard offers two different podcast series. First, the daily newsletter Working Knowledge produces interviews with faculty members on their latest research and publications. Meanwhile, the Harvard Business Review offers short summaries of the latest journal edition, interviews with recently published authors, and reflections on business education with Harvard administrators.

Knowledge@Wharton – Free, no subscription required.

Wharton’s online journal has offered approximately four podcasts per month since February 2006. The journal’s staff interviews experts on hot topics in the news, as opposed to the more campus-focused series that some schools offer. There is a bi-monthly interview with renowned Finance Professor Jeremy Siegel, and several more faculty presentations will soon be on offer as a result of Wharton’s Economic Summit in April.

RadioTuck – Subscription required (free).

Since 2001, Tuck’s Center for Digital Strategies has sponsored about 20 interviews with industry leaders on technology related issues. The interviews are conducted by second-year students and feature prominent Tuck alumni who have capitalized on digital innovations in industries like sports media, personal electronics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, among many others.

iinovate – Free, no subscription required.

This podcast series is produced by Stanford GSB and Design School students, though it is not formally affiliated with either school. This series features in depth interviews an all-star line up of innovators and entrepreneurs, including the presidents and founders of Craigslist, Pixar, the Grameen Foundation, and many other successful and influential ventures.

There are a growing number of podcasts throughout the MBA landscape, and we encourage readers to download a few episodes to get a feel for this exciting new trend. Remember, the key to a strong application – as well as a productive MBA education – is to know about all the available resources at one’s target schools. Happy listening!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:00 am in Admissions Tips, General

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Wiki Wednesdays

Welcome to another installment of Wiki Wednesdays!  For several months now, we’ve been focusing on the fantastic interview reports that our readers have submitted to the Clear Admit Wiki.  Though interview season is nearly over, we’re still receiving some great posts. This week, we saw valuable comments from two applicants to Columbia and Stanford, respectively, who both touched on a similar note.  AsianGal shared this insight:

“I realize now that most alumni conducting MBA interviews are probably very much in love with their schools, so the ‘any questions’ bit at the end is an excellent way to end off on a high and positive note. When many b-school applicants start talking about their school days you can definitely feel a rush of excitement in their voices … It’s a great way to establish rapport.” 

Similarly, this Stanford applicant prepared well and, given the chance to ask the interviewer questions, was able to finish on a strong note:

“I’d read up on what [the interviewer] had done… and was intrigued to hear the details, so I simply asked him to take me through it, pre-, at and post-Stanford. As an accomplished entrepreneur, he was an excellent advertisement for the program… It was the most pleasant and inspiring interview I’ve had.”

Both of these accounts illustrate the fact that when given the chance to ask questions at the end of an alumni interview, applicants should take advantage of the opportunity to glean insight from their interviewers.  Expressing curiosity is a great way to establish rapport and engage the alum in a more relaxed, conversational finish to the interview.  Whether questioned about their MBA days or their subsequent accomplishments, most interviewers will be truly enthusiastic about sharing their experiences with someone who seems genuinely interested.  There is more information on “interviewing the interviewer” in this recent blog entry.

Though the R2 interview season is winding down, it’s not too late to post interview reports for the benefit of those applying for March deadlines and for 2008 entry. As in years past, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback from applicants who used the Clear Admit Wiki to prepare for their own interviews this season, and we hope that those who benefited from this resource will add to it for the benefit of future applicants.

With the majority of the year’s interviews completed and admit decisions now coming out, we’ll soon be shifting the focus of Wiki Wednesdays to content added by applicants who have been admitted to more than one school and are now deliberating over which offer to accept.  It would be wonderful if readers who are in this happy position would share their thought process on our School Choices page; As always, the more applicants who share their thoughts, the more helpful this resource will be!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:30 am in Wiki Wednesdays

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Trivia Tuesday: MBA & Master’s Joint Degree Programs

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday! Today we’ll consider the options available to students interested in complementing their MBA studies with an advanced degree in another academic area. Often referred to as either joint or dual degrees, most business schools partner with other graduate programs at their home universities to offer one or more of these joint study options. Dual degree programs differ from the certificate programs we’ve discussed in earlier Trivia Tuesday columns in that students earn two degrees – often an MBA and a Master’s. Although studying for a dual degree typically takes 3-5 years instead of the normal two years of the MBA, it is almost always faster than completing the degrees separately.

Let’s take a look at a few of the options for students seeking a Master’s degree in conjunction with their MBA, as well as the admissions requirements governing these degrees.

Like most leading MBA programs, Columbia Business School offers dual degree programs through which students earn another degree concurrently with their MBA (e.g., Master’s in International and Public Affairs, Master’s in Social Services). Applicants are required to apply to and receive admission to both programs and may apply to both programs simultaneously or to the second program if they are less than halfway through their studies at the first school.

Students in a dual degree program at Columbia register at one school per term and may take courses in either program in each term, as long as they meet each school’s course, residence and sequencing requirements. CBS recommends that candidates complete the first two terms of the MBA program consecutively to maintain the integrity and full benefits of the first-year core curriculum and cluster system.

Similar systems are in place at Chicago, which offers two joint MBA/MA programs, at HBS, which offers two concurrent degrees with the Kennedy School of Government, and at Stanford, where there are 2-3 joint MBA/MA options. A few business schools offer slightly different options for students interested in joint degree study. For instance, Kellogg does not offer a set list of MBA/MA programs, instead opting to allow students to create their own joint program through application to their two programs of interest. Meanwhile, although Tuck and Wharton offer dual degrees on their own campuses, each also teams up with other universities (including Tufts, the Kennedy School, and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies) to offer a more extensive list of dual degree programs.

While dual degree students still make up a relatively small percentage of the overall MBA population, some admissions officers report that combination degrees are becoming increasingly popular as students seek to customize their educations and take advantage of the opportunity to earn two degrees in less time, and for less money, than if they pursued separate programs. For MBA applicants interested in applying their business education to fields such as public policy, education, social work, the environment, public health, international policy or another specialized field, a joint degree program can offer both the area expertise and business knowledge needed for a successful career.

To learn more about MBA/MA dual degree options, be sure to check out the business schools’ websites or the Dual Degrees section of the Clear Admit School Guides!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 8:29 am in School: Chicago, School: Columbia, School: Dartmouth / Tuck, School: Harvard, School: Northwestern / Kellogg, School: Penn / Wharton, School: Stanford, Trivia Tuesday

Monday, March 26, 2007

Clear Admit Interviews, Chats and Press

After spending some time last week revamping our press page to include a more comprehensive list of Clear Admit’s appearances in the media, we wanted to feature these links in our blog as well to point readers to a number of informative interviews and articles about MBA admissions. Happy reading!

Audio Interviews

The Economist Online MBA Fair, October 10th, 2006
“Creating a Quality Application,” interview by Roger McShane
Download the Audio or View the Feature (subscription only)

MBA Podcaster, August 29th, 2006
“Your Application Essays” with host Charles Lane
Download the Audio or Read the Transcript

MBA Podcaster, January 23rd, 2006
“MBA Admission Consultants” with host Janet Nakano
Download the Audio or Read the Transcript

Q&A and Chat

Manhattan GMAT Blog, February 27th, 2007
Conversation with an Admissions Consultant

BusinessWeek, August 16th, 2005
Applications That Get a “Yes,” moderated by Francesca Di Meglio

BusinessWeek, August 19th, 2003
Tips from an Admissions Whiz, moderated by Mica Schneider

News Items

The Economist
Educating Applicants, 10/30/06 (subscription required)

BusinessWeek
A Smaller B-school Can Be a Big Plus, 1/22/07
How to Survive the Waitlist, 12/4/06
Unfinished Business: Is the Degree Key?, 4/20/06
Testing Times for B-School Hopefuls, 6/6/05
European B-School’s New Allure, 2/11/05
The Year of the MBA Applicant, 6/17/04

GMAC Newsletter July/August 2006
Admissions Consultants: Love ‘em, Hate ‘em, Use ‘em

Wall Street Journal College Journal
Admissions Coaches Become More Popular, 9/04

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:27 pm in Admissions Tips, General, MBA News

Campus Chronicles: Stanford, Wharton

Spring is in the air, but spring breaks have largely come to an end and that means that MBA students are back on campus and diving into the second half of the spring semester. Let’s check in on what they’re up to with a round-up from the student newspapers at Stanford and Wharton.

For many MBA students, spring break meant an opportunity to travel abroad. An article in this week’s Stanford Reporter (back after a lengthy hiatus!) discusses the recent study trip to India, which included 25 students plus several partners and Stanford GSB professors. Participants learned about the companies fueling India’s economy, as well as the living conditions and economic prospects of those currently left out of the country’s rapid economic growth. Another group of Stanford students headed down to Guatemala over spring break as part of a service learning trip, where a day of picking coffee led to some new thoughts on the human value of the coffee value chain. Wharton students also ventured abroad during spring break, with career treks bringing groups to Japan and to Egypt. Both treks focused on exposing students to the history, culture and industry of the host country, which led to some very different trip experiences (riding camels versus riding bullet trains, for instance). These trips are a great reminder of the new experiences available at business school – even during the academic breaks!

With classes now back in session, student life is gearing up again on campus. The latest editions of both the Stanford Reporter and the Wharton Journal feature many stories on student events, campus resources, and general campus life. From the Director of Stanford’s Career Management Center comes a helpful article on off-campus job search tips (sure to be of interest to the sizable percentage of students still seeking internship or full-time offers), while elsewhere in the issue a farewell to a member of the Office of Student Life provides an interesting view into the role administrators play in supporting MBA students. In Philadelphia, Wharton students are working with community members to fix-up local houses as part of Rebuilding Together, and putting the school’s rivalry with Penn Law to good use by organizing “Philly Fight Night,” a benefit boxing exhibition expected to raise over $25,000 for the Boys & Girls Club and a memorial scholarship fund. And of course, with the return of the Stanford Reporter comes the return of the “Dear Savage” advice column – although its inside jokes and personal references make some of the humor inaccessible to a non-GSB audience, the column is still a fun peek inside Stanford’s student culture.

That’s the news from campus for this week. Stay tuned to this space in the coming weeks for more on the academic and social events making waves on business school campuses!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:28 am in Campus Chronicles, School: Penn / Wharton, School: Stanford

Friday, March 23, 2007

Wiki Software Upgrade

As anyone who attempted to post to the Clear Admit Wiki in the past week might have noticed, the site has been frozen while we’ve been upgrading to the latest version of the MediaWiki software.

The wiki is now back up and running, so we hope that those who’ve been applying this year will continue to share their interview reports, campus visit experience, and thought process in deciding which school to attend. We’re especially hopeful that the ongoing wave of admissions notifications will inspire some great new content!

To add material, simply create an account or send an email with your content to wiki@clearadmit.com.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 3:07 pm in General

Fridays from the Frontline

Welcome back to Fridays from the Frontline, our weekly summary of recent activity on MBA student and applicant blogs. This week seems to have been a happy one across the MBA blogosphere. Applicant bloggers shared wise advice with each other, and relayed the lessons they’ve learned this season to next year’s candidates. Moreover, current students had some great things to say about their programs! Let’s take a look:

Checking in with the applicant crowd, we find that while some are still waiting restlessly, others have been notified by schools and are blogging accordingly. Congrats go out this week go to Asian Gal on her Wharton admit and to Inblue, who officially enrolled at Chicago. It also sounds as though MBA Babe had a positive Stanford interview (we’re glad to hear that the Clear Admit Wiki was helpful!).

In addition to sharing their latest news, applicant bloggers also took the time this week to offer some sage advice for readers just beginning the application process, starting with Rungee’s thoughts on the GMAT. Iday (who we might be a bit too fond of mentioning) posted some sharp advice on researching schools to find the best fit. Apropos of his advice, Hair Twirler shared her enthusiasm for Georgetown’s international options and her doubts about Cambridge. The last piece of advice came from Necromonger, who discussed schools’ potential return on investment (and is also looking for any bloggers out there who are joining INSEAD in 2008).

As for current students’ blogs, posts this week were decidedly upbeat! Nate thought back to last year’s MAP experience at Ross fondly, while From Cali is only two weeks into her own project and seems to be loving it. Divine Miss N gushed over the LBS library, while Patxi sang the praises of an LBS entrepreneurship course. MBA Gladiator looked happy on his Yale GSE trip in Brazil; Benny was also in Brazil – and missing the weather at Tuck?! Two LBS bloggers were accepted into their school’s expansive exchange program: as second year students next semester, Karlitos will try out Stern and Angel Angie will head to Chicago GSB.

In addition to enthusiasm about specific experiences, there appears to be plenty of general school pride going around, too. Patxi happily opted for another semester at LBS rather than studying overseas, Zanat0s made some strong statements in favor of INSEAD’s advantage during the recruiting process, and J-Term Johnny told prospective students about the myriad of leadership opportunities at Columbia.

There are just two more posts to mention before signing off of this week’s FFF installment. Wharton student Perpetual Motion has an exciting (and mysterious!) venture planned for the summer, and he is searching for “a rock star programmer” to partner with him on the project, should anyone fit that bill. And lastly, Bschool Diva posted a link to this priceless video of a different kind of rock star! The Clear Admit team encourages everyone to use this helpful resource to brush up on your moves, and then go out there and have a great weekend!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 4:00 am in Fridays from the Frontline, General

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Admissions Tip: Thinking About Financing

Though many business school applicants know exactly what they want to do – and how much they hope to make – after they graduate from an MBA program, a surprising number apply to school without thinking about how they’ll pay for this expensive degree.  While some students do foot the entire bill themselves or receive scholarship support from the school or an outside institution, the vast majority of MBA students borrow funds to cover their tuition and living expenses.  With this in mind, we wanted to cover some very basic information on loans for the benefit of both recent admits entering school this fall and early birds entry just beginning to think about their applications for Fall ’08.

The primary source of funding for U.S.-based applicants will be federal loans or alternative education loans.  The main federal loans, available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, are the Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized), the Federal Perkins Loan and the GradPLUS Loan.  Full-time students, e.g. those enrolled in two or more courses per semester, can borrow as much as $18,500/year through the Federal Stafford loan program.  Perkins Loans are low-interest (5 percent) loans with a maximum annual loan amount of $6,000/year for graduate students.  The Grad PLUS Loan can be used to pay for the total cost of education less any aid you’ve already been awarded. Those interested in applying for federal student aid should check out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). When federal loans are not enough, private loans can help bridge the gap in education costs.  Students might contact their local bank or look into lender programs, such as SallieMae, Access Group or GradLoans, for details on borrowing eligibility.

International students are not eligible for federal loans, but may consider private loans as a financing option.  The International Student Loan Program (ISLP), for instance, offers a credit-based loan of up to $45,000 to international students who are looking to finance their education in the U.S.  However, as with most private loans, this loan requires a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to co-sign.  International students can also visit International Education Financial Aid (IEFA) to search for funds (as can U.S. citizens planning on studying overseas).  Finally, most of the leading MBA programs offer private loans to their students in partnership with a particular financial institution – some of which do not require a co-signer – so this might become an option after one is admitted.

Many need-based loans are classified as subsidized, meaning that interest does not accrue while the borrower is enrolled in a degree program (whereas interest begins to accrue immediately on unsubsidized loans).  Typical timelines of loan repayment can extend from 5 to 30 years, depending on the lender’s conditions of deferral and the amount of funds borrowed.  After graduation, students usually have a 6-month grace period before monthly repayment begins.  While schools’ admittance packages usually include detailed information about financing the MBA, incoming students and applicants should not hesitate contact the school’s financial aid office for further information on available need- or credit-based loans.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 4:20 am in Admissions Tips

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Round Two Decision Round Up

With Wharton’s final decisions going out to Round 2 applicants tomorrow, and notifications from a number of other programs due this week and next, we wanted to take a moment to say good luck to those readers who are still eagerly awaiting news from their target schools!

Here’s a quick rundown of the remaining March and April notification schedule:

March 22: Wharton
March 23: Cornell R3, Darden R3, LBS, Tuck
March 26: Kellogg
March 28: Chicago, HBS
March 29: UCLA/Anderson
March 30: NYU/Stern
April 5: Stanford, Yale SOM
April 20: Haas, Darden R4
April 27: Cornell R4
April 30: CMU/Tepper

Depending on the outcome, here are some links to recent blog entries that might be of interest:
Choosing Between Schools
Understanding Background Checks
Scholarships

Navigating the Waitlist
Waitlists that Discourage Supplemental Materials

Stay tuned to this blog over the next few weeks for further advice on topics like financial aid, dealing with a ding, and reapplication strategies. Again, best of luck to those waiting for decisions in the coming weeks!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:21 pm in School: Berkeley / Haas, School: CMU / Tepper, School: Chicago, School: Cornell / Johnson, School: Dartmouth / Tuck, School: Harvard, School: London Business School, School: NYU Stern, School: Northwestern / Kellogg, School: Penn / Wharton, School: Stanford, School: UCLA / Anderson, School: Virginia / Darden, School: Yale

Admissions Tip: Planning for the GMAT

For all you “early birds” who are planning to apply to business school this fall, we wanted to offer a few tips on managing your time as it relates to the GMAT exam. Because this is an important element for many applicants in determining at which schools they will be competitive, it’s best to prep intensively and get this out of the way early in the process.

You should ideally be finished with the GMAT by mid-summer. The reason for this is that you will want to reserve the months of August, September and October for essay writing, school visits, managing your recommenders and other miscellaneous application-related tasks. The last thing you want to be doing in September is juggling the demands of GMAT prep alongside your MBA applications, your responsibilities at work, extracurricular involvements, etc.

Of course, putting the GMAT to rest by mid-summer is much easier said than done. Given the strength of the test-taking pool and the importance of earning a high score when targeting a top program, in order to be successful, you should ideally budget time for a GMAT prep-course or 8-12 weeks of solid self-study. You should then consider the fact that you may need to take the exam more than once.

Given these considerations, here is a rough schedule to follow:

April, May: Attend a GMAT prep-class, spending as much as 2 hours each weekday doing problems, use the weekends to take full-length tests (under realistic, timed conditions).

June: Take the GMAT early in the month. If you are unsatisfied with your score, work towards taking the exam again. Ideally, you’ll take a short break 1-2 weeks (to clear your mind) and then leave at least 4 weeks to prep for the second sitting of the exam. Consider hiring a tutor to address your specific needs.

July: Take the GMAT again, hopefully achieving a score that is within the range of the MBA programs on your list. If your score doesn’t improve, it may be time to reevaluate your target schools and expand your roster to ensure that your selection is realistic.

In some cases, it may make sense to parallel your work on the GMAT by simultaneously enrolling in a calculus or statistics class at your local university or community college. While this is especially true for applicants who have a weak track record in quantitative subjects and need to build an alternative transcript, in general these classes can often help applicants get the most out of their GMAT preparation.

Good luck! For more information about how the GMAT fits into the application process and on business schools in general, feel free to email info@clearadmit.com to learn about our early bird planning services or set up an initial consultation.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 7:00 am in Admissions Tips, General

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Trivia Tuesday: Lifelong Learning at Chicago and Tuck

It’s Tuesday, so that means it’s time for a look at the programs and possibilities at the leading business schools. Today we’ll examine the opportunities available for MBA graduates at Chicago and Tuck to continue their business education through alumni education programs.

For instance, the Chicago GSB permits alumni to enroll in up to three courses free of tuition at any time after they graduate. Most graduates use the courses to hone or sharpen their skills in a particular area and the grades received in these courses become part of their official Chicago GSB transcript.

In contrast to Chicago’s formal alumni education program, Tuck offers a much more informal continuing education program. In addition to life-long access to the Career Development Office, Tuck alumni may enroll in programs through the Osman Tuck Alumni Lifelong Learning (TALL) Program. TALL’s classes are presented by Tuck faculty in the U.S. and abroad and help keep alumni up-to-date on the newest thinking and trends in business.

It’s important to remember that earning an MBA is about more than just the time spent on campus. Business schools want their graduates to do well not just in their first jobs, but throughout their professional lives, and the leading schools therefore devote significant resources to personal and professional support for alumni.

For more information on the career support, academic opportunities, mentoring programs and other resources available to MBA alumni, be sure to check out the Alumni Network sections of the Clear Admit School Guides or the alumni club websites at each school!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 4:26 am in School: Chicago, School: Dartmouth / Tuck, Trivia Tuesday

Monday, March 19, 2007

Campus Chronicles: Ross, Harvard

With most MBA students off on spring break or studying for mid-terms, it’s been a quiet week for campus newspapers. Today let’s check on the few hardy papers still going to press during the mid-semester lull.

The recent issues of the papers at Ross and Harvard each showcased the academic and social opportunities available to MBA students. Ross’s dean offers a great explanation of the value of the MAP projects, a centerpiece of Ross’s action-based learning model of education (which is an important aspect of Ross’s application essays). At Harvard, several student groups reported on recent career treks to Washington, D.C. and Saudi Arabia, which were attended by approximately 60 and 30 students, respectively. Each trek was an opportunity for current MBA students to learn more about the business options in the region, meet with local leaders and politicians, and enjoy spending time with a great group of classmates and professors.

In addition to articles highlighting exciting academic programs, both papers provide a view into social and extracurricular life on campus. At Ross, one reporter discovers that the MBA women’s ice hockey team is more than just “chicks with sticks,” and another looks into a Ross alum’s $12 Super Bowl commercial that made waves in the advertising industry. In other ice hockey news, the HBS squad returned from Hanover, New Hampshire, claiming victory over Tuck’s team in two out of three events. Meanwhile, some Harvard Business School students joined with sectionmates to overcome a fear of heights at Boston’s Trapeze School, others welcomed the Year of the Pig at a lunar new year celebration, and one made a helpful list of the 50 things students should do before graduating from HBS in order to make the most of the experience.

Regardless of where candidates are in the application process, student papers are a great way to learn about the academic and social opportunities available on campus, and with regular reading they provide a wonderful window into the student culture at each MBA program. Be sure to keep an eye on the Campus Chronicles column in the coming weeks for more on the news from the second half of the school year!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 6:21 am in Campus Chronicles, School: Harvard, School: Michigan / Ross

Friday, March 16, 2007

MBA News: The Ups and Downs of Demand

There was an interesting article on Bloomberg.com earlier this week about the companies recruiting on business school campuses and the prices they’re willing to pay to secure top talent.  While the main point of the feature is that MBAs remain in demand, with the average starting package of graduates from the top programs hovering between $160,000 and $180,000, the article also offers a perspective on the sometimes overwhelming experience of being pursued by a potential employer:

“Wall Street recruiters can be as aggressive as professional football players, says Chris Eitzmann, who will receive his master of business administration degree in May from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.

‘Once given the offer, you are getting anywhere from two or three to four phone calls a day,’ said Eitzmann, 29, who graduated in 2000 from Harvard College and spent three years in the National Football League. ‘They want to know if they can talk to your wife. Can they have their wife talk to your wife?’”

This is an interesting read for current students, who will likely enjoy the good news about their future prospects, as well as for applicants trying to understand this element of the business school experience.  The full text is available here.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 3:32 pm in MBA News

Fridays from the Frontline

Welcome back to Fridays From the Frontline, Clear Admit’s round-up of recent happenings in the MBA blogosphere! It’s been an exciting week out there for MBA bloggers: we see everything from good news to bad, true love to hard drive disasters. Let’s take a closer look!

Applicants’ emotions are running high as more and more of them are hearing back from schools. There are many congratulations to go around this week: Chicago admitted Iday, HairTwirler was accepted at Cambridge, and AGirlsMBA received good news from Fuqua, Ross and Stern! Equally impressive was Bschool Diva’s resolution to get herself off McCombs’ waitlist and into the Class of 2009, and we wish her the best of luck. Finally, RusGirl was pleased to find out she’s been assigned fellow blogger Genie as her LBS mentor for next year.

Applicants who are still waiting for results and need something to do in the meantime might check out TJ’s impressive to-do list for suggestions. Meanwhile, Stress Tensor is focusing on the other March Madness, and Reveur is contemplating the meaning of success and leadership. There was also plenty of talk about Georgetown’s erroneous waitlist email last week; MBA Salsera and Patxi both weighed in on it (as did we).

Student bloggers are having a productive spring, too, it seems. Zanat0s, blogging from INSEAD, celebrated his ten thousandth reader this week, while UCLADawg helped out at Anderson’s Admitted Students Weekend. The Divine Miss N checks in with some comments on the classes she’s enjoying this term at LBS. At IESE, Jacek is keeping very busy with academics, despite serious computer problems, while Ashwyn blogged about the busy social scene there. Applicants who are getting ready to make final school decisions might want to check in with Ed Starr, who is living it up in London, and Nate, who offers a cautionary note about the burrito situation in Ann Arbor.

Last but not least, a big “congrats” goes to MBA Cutie on her engagement! With warmer weather just around the corner, maybe love is in the air – not to mention internship offers and acceptance notices! Have a great weekend everyone, and we’ll see you back here next week for another Fridays From the Frontline.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 8:57 am in Fridays from the Frontline

Thursday, March 15, 2007

INSEAD Essay Topic Analysis 2006-2007

Continuing our series of essay analyses for European schools with upcoming deadlines, we wanted to feature our thoughts in INSEAD’s topics for this year. The approaching March 28th submission date is the last deadline for September 2007 intake, and the first for applicants hoping to start in January 2008.

The program’s essay questions cover a good deal of ground, giving candidates ample opportunity to discuss a range of topics related to their candidacies and highlight various elements of their interests and experiences. Though the first two “job essays” ask for a factual account of one’s current position and overall professional progression, the five other essays invite the sort of reflection and exposition to which MBA applicants are accustomed.

Of course, this poses a challenge as well. INSEAD’s total of seven essays puts it at the high end of the MBA application spectrum in terms of questions posed. As always, careful forethought and planning before beginning to write will be important in ensuring that one is using each essay to one’s best advantage and presenting a balanced picture of a well-rounded individual.

Job Essays

Essay 1: Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved. (250 words)
While the essays for most programs begin by addressing the overall progression of the applicant’s career up to this point, INSEAD’s first question requests a snapshot of one’s career at this moment. Even if you have held a number of positions within the same organization, it’s best to maintain focus on your current position and responsibilities. Keeping in mind that this will be the adcom’s introduction to your materials, you might also provide the context necessary for the reader to understand your place within the organizational structure and the work that occupies your days. While there is some room to talk about “results achieved,” there’s no need to get bogged down in the specifics of certain projects or engagements – a good essay will be composed of fairly general comments that are focused on the present. It is fine to incorporate some more specific information about your career’s “greatest hits” later in response to other questions.

Essay 2: Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)
This is a tall order for a 250 word essay, so brevity and efficient use of language will be key here. The adcom is looking for an applicant who can present her career as a coherent whole, and demonstrate that she has been on an upward trajectory since the outset. While it would be ideal for you to include some comments on lessons learned and skills gained over the course of your career, the primary focus should be touching upon each full time post you’ve held, explaining the reasons behind each move you’ve made and commenting on increases and changes in responsibility.

General Essays

Essay 1: Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (400 words approx.)
When addressing this sort of essay, it’s important to address the question in full, but also in one’s interest to focus as much as possible on the positive. With this in mind, you might lead off with two or three positive qualites (grounded in specific illustrative examples) and then comment on one or two weaknesses – ideally ones that you’ve already taken steps to address. INSEAD’s framework gives applicants free reign to select personal, professional or extracurricular examples, so try to select your examples with an eye to presenting a balanced picture of your interests and experiences.

Essay 2: Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)
This is another fairly straightforward question. Though it’s important to reflect and respond candidly with those achievements that have truly been the most meaningful to you, keep in mind that, given the interests and priorities of the adcom in evaluating one’s business school candidacy, it would be beneficial to feature at least one accomplishment from the professional realm. As always, it will be important to ground your comments in specific details and fully explain why these achievements were significant, both in terms of the results you produced and the lessons you learned.

Essay 3: Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)
This essay has a particularly restrictive word limit, making it all the more important for applicants to summarize and explain the failure as concisely as possible. Keep in mind that the reason a school asks this question is to discern whether a student is able to learn from experience and avoid repeating past mistakes. Ending the essay on a more positive note is always a good idea, but at the very least, a comment on what went wrong and how this might have been prevented is crucial.

Essay 4: Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career. (500 words approx.)
This is the standard career goals essay, with an interesting focus on skills as they relate to INSEAD classes and future goals. The phrasing of this question might indicate that the school is looking for applicants who have really thought through the limitations they face given their current skill sets, and have a clear sense of what they need to learn (and how they will do so through an MBA) in order to be successful in a very specific career path. This just goes to underscore the fact that well-defined goals and school-specific detail are essential to a successful application.

Essay 5: Please choose one of the following two essay topics:
a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.)
b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)
This sort of question is designed to gauge applicant’s cultural sensitivity and ability to conduct business in an international setting. It will come as no surprise to applicants who are familiar with INSEAD’s reputation as a highly international program. The first option asks applicants to recount a trying experience in another country or environment, and to explain the resulting personal growth and process of adjustment. Meanwhile, the second asks candidates to reflect on the unique characteristics of his or her own culture and anticipate the issues that a visitor might encounter. In both responses, one has an opportunity to demonstrate cultural flexibility, offering evidence for his or her ability to operate as a global citizen and work in diverse teams. Of course, many of the best essays will manage to incorporate a healthy dose of lessons learned, indicating that cultural adjustment can be fraught with trial and error rather than sugar-coating a response and failing to outline the struggles or periods of adjustment.

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 1:06 pm in Essay Topic Analysis, School: INSEAD

Best of Blogging Awards 2006-2007

The signs of spring are about here in Philadelphia, a time of year for exciting things like mild weather, baseball season and, of course, our annual Best of Blogging Awards!  For the uninitiated, each year we make an effort to identify exceptional blogs maintained by MBA applicants and students for two important purposes: to recognize the effort and output of the best applicant and student bloggers, and to identify valuable sources of information for the next round of applicants.

Here’s the timeline for this year’s awards, focusing on the 2006-07 admissions/academic cycle:

Nominees Announced – Friday, April 6th
We’ll begin by considering all blogs listed in the Clear Admit Wiki and featured in Fridays from the Frontline (bloggers are encouraged to email wiki@clearadmit.com about adding a link if their sites are not currently included). Using the criteria of relevance and frequency of posts, as well as overall quality of posting and contribution to the space, we’ll pare the list of nominees down to 25 applicants and 25 current students. Once we’ve determined the blogs for consideration, we’ll be sending out BoB ballots to each of the nominated bloggers.

Ballots Due – Friday, April 20th
Using the nominees’ input and that of a handful of celebrity judges, we’ll compile the list of this year’s very best applicant and student blogs, giving 50% weighting to bloggers’ votes, 25% to Clear Admit staff and 25% to our guest judges. In addition to an overall ranking, we’ll ask voters to share their thoughts on the funniest blog and best single post, and to point us to the blogs that they feel feature the best advice in categories such as GMAT preparation, school selection, application essays, admissions and recruiting interviews, as well as the best representation of academics and student life in business school.

Rankings Revealed – Tuesday, April 24th
Once the votes have been tallied, we’ll publish the category winners as well as the top ten listings in the applicant and student categories. As was the case last year, we’ll be handing out six prizes to reward the best of the best for their effort and contribution to the community. The second and third place bloggers in the student-blogger top 10 and applicant-blogger top 10 rankings will receive a one year subscription to Business Week or The Economist (their choice), and the two top-ranked bloggers (one student, one applicant) will be given the option of a 30GB Video iPod or a $250 Amazon.com gift certificate.

That’s all for now – check back on Friday, April 6th for an announcement about this year’s BoB nominees! In the meantime, happy blogging…

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 7:00 am in General

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Wiki Wednesdays

Welcome back to Wiki Wednesdays, where we feature some of the latest contributions to the Clear Admit Wiki! As we approach the end of interview season, we’re still receiving some great interview reports from applicants. In fact, over the last few days we’ve received submissions on interviews at no less than seven schools!

This week, we’d like to highlight a few “curveball” questions that applicants to HBS and Sloan reported this week, and that are actually quite common across the board. A curveball question is one that appears to be straightforward on the surface, but often becomes challenging when one attempts a response.  The first is the much-dreaded question about the other schools the applicant is considering. One Sloan applicant reported an even more explicit version of this question:

“What other schools are you applying to, and how does MIT rank against those schools?”

While it’s best to avoid bringing up other schools during an admissions interview (to keep the focus on the merits of the school in question), when cornered into this position, it’s easiest to be candid. A safe approach is to name a few of your target schools, matching specific elements of one’s profile and goals with these other schools’ distinctive strengths to explain the reasoning behind your application.

Of course, the applicant should always conclude by discussing the school for which he or she is interviewing, offering a handful of compelling reasons why this program is best suited to their goals and criteria. Reasons like location, degree of curriculum flexibility, or style of teaching (i.e. case study method at HBS, hands-on approach at Ross, etc.) are all good options – depending the applicant’s stated strengths and goals. In addition to the academic and extracurricular fit, it’s also fine to introduce personal elements. For instance, an interviewer at Columbia would take note of an applicant whose spouse is already working in New York City, etc.

The second “curveball” this week came at the end of HBS and Sloan interviews:

“Are there any other questions you wish I had asked you?”

This question can be tough because, presumably, the interviewer has already collected the information in which he or she was most interested. That being said, applicants can think of this as an opportunity to assess what has been covered in the interview and work in any other key elements that he or she had hoped to promote to the admissions committee.  This may involve some quick thinking, but many applicants are sucessfully able to describe a recent professional accomplishment (like taking on a new responsibility at work since submitting the application), or bring up a hobby or extracurricular interest that wasn’t covered in the interview – preferably one that ties in with opportunities on campus or in the community. 

Lastly, in the face of a difficult question, it’s perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts and compose a thoughtful and concise answer.  In fact, this is always more effective than blurting out the first thing that comes to mind or stumbling around with filler words like “uh”, “um”, “er”, etc. 

That’s it for this week’s Wiki Wednesdays. Thanks again to all who contributed, and best of luck to those still preparing for upcoming MBA interviews!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 2:00 am in General, School: Harvard, School: MIT / Sloan, Wiki Wednesdays

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Trivia Tuesday: Health Care Majors

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the offerings and opportunities at the leading business schools.

Today we turn our attention to options for studying health care in business school, with a particular emphasis on Wharton’s Health Care Systems Major, one of the oldest and strongest health care programs among U.S. business schools. Drawing its faculty from the business, medical and nursing schools, as well as from practicing health care professionals, the Health Care Systems major is an interdisciplinary approach to the issues in the field.

The Health Care Systems major differs from other majors at Wharton in that students must choose the major in their initial application to the school instead of in their second year. Health Care Systems further differs in that it aggressively integrates professional development and field work into the major.

For instance, all Health Care majors are required to complete a Field Application Project (FAP). In the FAP, teams of students spend a semester working with an industry partner to solve real world problems in the health care field. Given the amount of time these projects can take, students must work carefully to balance classes around the demands of their projects.

Despite the prominence of Wharton’s health care major, it is far from the only option for MBA applicants seeking a career in health care. For instance, Columbia recently unveiled a new Health Care and Pharmaceutical Management major, Kellogg offers a major in Health Industry Management, Duke offers a Health Sector Management program, and HBS hosts the Healthcare Initiative. Those business schools that do not offer formal health care concentrations tend to have a student club and/or a student-organized conference dedicated to supporting interest in the field, so regardless of the program, health care minded applicants should find plenty of resources.

For more on health care options, majors, student clubs or conferences, be sure to check out business schools’ websites and the Clear Admit School Guides!

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# posted by Clear Admit @ 4:13 am in School: Columbia, School: Harvard, School: Northwestern / Kellogg, School: Penn / Wharton, Trivia Tuesday

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MBA Admissions Wiki
The Clear Admit Wiki is designed to allow b-school applicants to share their experiences through the application process. You can learn from others' experiences and contribute your own reports to the community. Below are the five most popular pages in the wiki:
Wharton Interview Field Reports
HBS Interview Field Reports
Kellogg Interview Field Reports
Chicago Interview Field Reports
Columbia Interview Field Reports

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The BusinessWeek Discussion Boards are another way to learn about the issues applicants face. Clear Admit hosts the Ask Clear Admit thread, which should help answer your questions. Here is a link to the original interface (for those of you who didn't like the recent upgrade). Also, here are the five most recent discussions taking place in the forum:

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Clear Admit manages the Applying section of the StudyLink MBA discussion boards.

GMAT Club Forums
Below are the five most recent posts to the GMAT Club message boards.

• GMAT 610:: is it good for MBS or AGSM Aust ?
• When is enough money, enough?
• compound interest
• MGMAT Number properties Chapter 8 & Chapter 9 question
• GRE gets little traction in BSchools

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The student-2-student Discussion Boards are managed by Wharton. Here are the five most recent discussions.

School-Hosted Blogs

Straight from the source: aggregated posts from students and administration. Below are the seven most recent posts in school-hosted blogs.

Individuals' Blogs

A selection of the latest updates to MBA blogs compiled by Hella.
MBA Applicants

MBA Students

Bloggers by School

The following are links to bloggers at each of the schools listed.
Chicago
Columbia
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Harvard
Kellogg
Michigan
MIT / Sloan
New York / Stern
North Carolina / Chapel Hill
Stanford
Virginia / Darden
Wharton
Yale
ESADE
IESE
INSEAD
London Business School

Community Blogs

Bshoolers.com
Community blog with MBA student and alum contributors.

Forté Foundation MBA Diaries
Video blog entries posted by women MBA students.

Owen Bloggers
Independent blog with content by Vanderbilt MBA students.

Best of Blogging

2008-2009 Top Ten:

• Top 10 Applicants:
• Tieny Chesney
• D.G
• Ahembeea
• Mission MBA
• Soni
• PaloAltoForAwhile
• Choc Heaven
• Helen
• Samantha
• OMGParisHilton

Top 10 Students:

MaybeMBA(Chicago Booth)

JulyDream (Darden)

Paragon2Pieces (McCombs)

HairTwirler (McDonough)

Iday (Chicago Booth)

TinyDancer (Wharton)

CS (Harvard)

Andrew (Marshall)

Mandy (Darden)

M@ (Ross)

Best of Blogging

2007-2008 Top Ten:

• Top 10 Applicants:
• July Dream
• Miss Curly Bee
• VidiViciVeni
• B-School Bound
• Tinydancer
• gltnforpnshmnt
• mbabound08
• Achilles
• Eight Schools
• MBA Runner Girl

• Top 10 Students:
• m@ (Ross)
• MaybeMBA (Chicago)
• Hair Twirler (Georgetown)
• Iday (Chicago)
• J-term Johnny (Columbia)
• La Laudiaria (Wharton)
• MBA Gladiator (Yale)
• Angel Angie (LBS)
• Necromonger (INSEAD)
• Chrisof Meyer (Darden)

2006-2007 Top Ten:

• Top 10 Applicants:
• Rungee582
• Iday
• Juggler
• Asiangal
• Forrest Gump
• RusGirl
• Hair Twirler
• JatWarrior
• MBA Babe
• Anand

• Top 10 Students:
• Angel Angie (LBS)
• The Divine Miss N (LBS)
• From Cali (Ross)
• Tim K. (McCombs)
• Noelle (IESE)
• Jerry Blank (Yale)
• Benny (Tuck)
• La Laudiaria (Wharton)
• Karlitos (LBS)
• MBA Gladiator (Yale)

2005-2006 Top Ten:

• Top 10 Applicants:
• MBA Jackass
• Marina
• Forrest Gump
• Pupstar78
• Axechick
• Sorebrek
• Angel Angie
• I_Will_Make_It
• Redwolf056
• Vatsa

• Top 10 Students:
• Marquis (Stanford)
• Poweryogi (Chicago)
• KV (LBS)
• FutureMBAGirl (Wharton)
• The Divine Miss N (LBS)
• Vijay (ISB)
• Wakechick (Chicago)
• NoelleBellie (IESE)
• Jerry Blank (Yale)
• Olivier (INSEAD)

2004-2005 Top Ten:

• PowerYogi
• Brit-Chick
• bskewl
• WakeChick
• Dave
• Iceman07
• iwhoElse
• Atta Girl
• Aregon23
• Classy

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