APPLICANT RESOURCES

Admissions Director Q&A (New!) Below are links to Clear Admit's exclusive admissions director Q&A sessions.
Dawna Clarke (Tuck)
Rose Martinelli (Chicago)
Judith Hodara (Wharton)
Sarah 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)

Clear Admit School Guides
Eighteen 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.

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 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*
USC / Marshall*
UT Austin / McCombs*
UVA / Darden*
Yale SOM*
* denotes '08-'09 commentary

• Admissions Director Q&A
• Admissions Tips
• Campus Chronicles
• Deadlines
• Essay Topic Analysis
• Essay Topics
• Events
• Fridays from the Frontline
• General
• GMAT News
• GMAT Tips
• Interview Guides
• Interview Tips
• MBA News
• Part-Time MBA
• Part-Time/Executive MBA
• Poll
• Pre-Matriculation Tips
• Rankings
• School Guides
• 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: Indiana / Kelley
• 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: USC / Marshall
• School: UT Austin / McCombs
• School: Virginia / Darden
• School: Yale
• Strategy Series
• Trivia Tuesday
• Uncategorized
• Waitlist Advice
• Which School Wednesdays
• Wiki Wednesdays
• Workbook Wednesdays

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

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

Blog Archive

• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• December 2007
• November 2007
• October 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005
• November 2005
• October 2005
• September 2005
• August 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005
• May 2005
• April 2005
• March 2005
• February 2005
• January 2005
• December 2004
• November 2004
• October 2004
• September 2004
• August 2004
• July 2004
• June 2004
• May 2004
• April 2004
• March 2004
• February 2004
• January 2004
• December 2003
• November 2003
• October 2003
• September 2003
• August 2003
• July 2003
• June 2003

CATEGORY - CAMPUS CHRONICLES

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Campus Chronicles: A New Year’s Resolution

As we welcome in the year 2009, it is time to make a New Year’s resolution.  What better resolution than to read the newspapers of your top MBA programs?  Here is a list of the MBA programs which are regularly profiled in this section:

Chicago: Chibus
Columbia: The Bottom Line
Harvard: Harbus
Michigan Ross: The Monroe Street Journal
MIT Sloan: Fifteen
NYU Stern: Stern Opportunity
Wharton: Wharton Journal

These campus newspapers are a great way to get a feel for student culture and on-campus events, so whether you’re adding the final polish to your Round 2 applications or preparing for a future interview, it’s worth taking the time to read the student news.

In particular, reading through current and back issues of MBA newspapers can be a great source of information on student-run conferences, ongoing controversies impacting student life, the way in which students interact with each other, and the classes, projects and trips that generate excitement on campus.

Applicants may also want to pay attention to whether a school has a regularly published student newspaper. If the school does not, how do students tend to get news about campus events? How do they express their opinions or concerns about campus issues? Candidates visiting a school without an active newspaper should consider talking with current students to learn how groups at the school publicize events, how students make their voices heard to the administration, and whether there are other outlets for sharing reviews and perspectives on campus life.

Finally, applicants with a talent for writing, photography, or design may want to mention their interest in working on the campus newspaper in their application essays, since schools are usually hoping to maintain (or build) a quality student news publication.

Happy reading!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Campus Chronicles: NYU Stern’s Opportunity

‘Tis the day to be jolly, as it’s time for another edition of Campus Chronicles!  Today we turn our attention back to NYU Stern, checking out what the student newspaper, Opportunity, has to reveal about the latest happenings on campus.

Opportunity sheds light on the efforts of NYU Stern’s ProMotion Pictures Program to create branded content for Cisco’s Digital Cribs Campaign.  This campaign enables students to delve into how individuals employ technology in innovative ways to encourage consumers to adopt these new technologies.  In working on these creative interpretations, both business and film students gain real-world experience in working with a corporate sponsor to generate and market their content.  Eight teams of NYU business and film students have worked over the last couple of months to produce documentaries which explore the intersection of technology and consumers.  NYU Stern students had the opportunity to view and vote on these films at http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/digitalcribs/index.html.

On the social front, over 600 members of the Stern alumni community attended the Eighth Annual Stern Alumni Ball on December 6th at the American Museum of Natural History.  A special tradition, the gala allows alumni, faculty, administrators and friends the opportunity to reunite and celebrate the Stern community over the holidays.  Over the course of evening, alumni enjoyed exclusive access to the exhibits in the Cullman Hall of the Universe, the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, and the Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway, enjoying an breath-taking light show in the Big Bang Theater.  The gala was a great success, strengthening community ties and allowing all to enjoy one terrific evening.

Stayed tuned next week for a new edition of Campus Chronicles!  In the meantime, happy holidays!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Columbia’s Bottom Line

This week in Campus Chronicles we return to Columbia’s MBA student newspaper, The Bottom Line, to uncover the latest happenings on the campus.

Last month the Columbia Japanese Business Association and the Green Business Club, in association with the Center on Japanese Economy and Business, hosted an event to give students insight into a global automobile company’s “green strategy.”  Mr. Steve Sturm, the group vice president of Americas strategic research and planning and corporate communications for Toyota Motor North America, shared Toyota’s mission of developing cars with zero emissions or waste.  In pursuit of this mission, Sturm stated, Toyota bases its work on two principles that comprise the “Toyota Way” - respect for people and kaizen, or continuous improvement – and acts according to three pillars of environmental responsibility.  These pillars include reducing environmental footprints, using energy resources conservatively, and encouraging good corporate citizenship.  Sturm elaborated on how the Toyota Prius derives from the company’s focus on environmental responsibility and the Toyota Way, indicating that Toyota plans to open its first Prius manufacturing facility in the U.S. in 2010.  This facility will only use renewable energy.  Sturm also unveiled Toyota’s current long-term goal: developing a vehicle that can drive from one coast to the other on only one tank of gas.  Now that’s something we can all look forward to.

The Bottom Line also reminds students of those with great influence today who walked the halls of CBS before them.  These leaders include Vikram Pandit (PhD ’86), the CEO of Citigroup; Warren Buffet (MS ’51), CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and ranked the 3rd richest person in the world according to Forbes in 2007; Sallie Krawcheck (MBA ’92), CFO and Head of Strategy of Citigroup and ranked the 7th most powerful woman in the world according to Forbes; Michael Gould (MBA ’68), Chairman and CEO of Bloomingdales; Wolfgang Bernhard (MBA ’88), Former Chairman of Volkswagen; Rochelle Lazarus (MBA ’72), Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; Henry Kravis (MBA ’69), Founder of KKR; Robert Stevens (MBA ’87), Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation; and Lord David Sainsbury (MBA ’71), Former Chairman of Sainsbury and Minister for Science UK.  CBS students thus follow in the stead of great minds and leaders.

On another note, The Bottom Line celebrates the victory of the CBS Football Club at the UCLA soccer tournament.  Though Columbia only brought one team to the tournament, this team solidly defeated UCLA, MIT, and Michigan Ross to win the tournament, proving that the team was one to be reckoned with.

Stay tuned next week for a new edition of Campus Chronicles!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Michigan’s Monroe Street Journal

The MBA schools’ newspapers are a-buzz at this time of year with news regarding conferences, organizations, programs, and networking opportunities.  This week we turn to The Monroe Street Journal to see what’s happening at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

The Monroe Street Journal reports the success of the 18th Annual Ross Marketing Symposium, which took place on November 20th and 21st.  Over 170 MBA registrants and 115 company representatives – of which over 50% were Ross alumni – participated in the event.  These representatives hailed from companies including Johnson and Johnson, the title sponsor, American Express, Walmart, 3M, ConAgra, Frito-Lay, Kellogg Company, MillerCoors, Procter & Gamble, Wrigley Company, Citi, Ecolab, General Mills, Microsoft, Nestle, S.C. Johnson, and Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, to name a few.  Due to the size of the event, the Symposium co-chairs, all MBA Class of 2009, began planning in February 2008.  They recruited 30 volunteers from the first-year Marketing Club members to support and run the planning committees, giving first-years the opportunity to become meaningfully involved in the organizing process.

With the hope that participants would leave with “new marketing concepts, an increased awareness and understanding of the breadth of marketing careers, and at least one new contact,” the Symposium co-chairs encouraged sponsoring companies to present practical marketing cases during breakout sessions.  These presentations allowed participants to delve into real business problems with the companies in which they were interested.  Participants also attended panel presentations that focused on a range of industries but that revolved around issues common to marketers.  The Symposium’s keynote speaker, Jay Moore, VP Commercial Learning for NBC Universal, provided participants with further insight into the “paradigm shift in growth leadership.”  Stating that “sales and marketing people need to lead change and promote cross functional engagement,” Moore touched on the four different personalities that successful cultural change demands: instigators, implementers, innovators, and integrators.  Moore also advised that those seeking cultural change must gain the support of top management to gain buy-in for ideas.

The Symposium concluded with a Career Fair that focused on networking and recruiting.  Students found more to enjoy about the Career Fair as well: the sponsor companies gave out free samples of their brands, allowing participants to feel like children in a toy shop and keeping the legend alive that students leave the conference with “two-month’s worth of groceries.”  Thus, participants not only gained insight into an industry, but also found themselves showered with great gifts.

On the social front, the Ross Soccer Club reached the semifinals of the UCLA MBA Tournament and achieved a solid third place finish.  One team member asserted that the “collaborative style” that they learned at Ross allowed them to “quickly improve as a high performance team” even though they had not previously played together.  One of 16 schools to compete, the Ross team “braved the 93 degree weather” to participate in this “tournament of historic significance” – at least from the perspective of the Ross team.  Congratulations to this determined and spirited team!

Stay tuned next week for a new edition of Campus Chronicles!  The excitement never ends.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Campus Chronicles: MIT Sloan’s Fifteen

It’s another Thursday, meaning that it’s time for another edition of Campus Chronicles!  This week we take a look at what is happening on MIT Sloan’s campus through perusing the student newspaper, Fifteen.

Fifteen announces the success of the 2nd Annual MIT $100K Elevator Pitch Contest, which serves as the first in a series of three annual contests comprising MIT’s Entrepreneurship Contest season.  Over 150 students, hailing from schools that included MIT Sloan, HBS, UVA Darden, and Dartmouth, participated in the competition, which was sponsored by Oxford Biosciences and GM.  The contest included a “Next Big Thing” technology showcase and networking event and concluded with the EPC Finale.  This latter event provided fun and laughs, as participants could try out a boxing ring and thunder-sticks as well as watch comedic videos.  At the start of the event, Ryan Carag (MBA ’09) compared entrepreneurs to Rocky, keeping with the theme of the night, through stating, “They’re scrappy.  No matter the odds, they still fight.  They’re persistent.  They get punched, knocked down, knocked out.  But they get up and keep on pushing.”  Carag’s peer, Freddy Kerrest (MBA ’09), looked at the event from a different perspective, commenting, “USC may have college football.  Duke may have college basketball… but here at MIT, we have the $100K.”  That’s something that all Sloanies can rally around.

In mid-November, 25 members of the Sloan Entertainment, Media & Sports Club (EMS) traveled to New York City as part of the annual EMS New York Trek.  Making stops that included visits to 30 Rock (NBC Universal) and Madison Square Garden (NY Knicks), participants gained insight into how the current economic crisis is affecting the industry, understanding what the downturn means for organizations like NBC or The Economist.  This year, the Trek benefitted from new developments: sports enthusiasts could participate in a Trek devoted exclusively to sports, and students gained exposure to the foreign companies that hope to expand their presence in the Americas.  This year, MIT students also have the opportunity to participate in the LA/Vegas Trek, during which they can meet with, and gain insight into, an array of media companies.

Stay tuned next week for a new edition of Campus Chronicles!  Happy reading!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Wharton’s Journal

Happy Thanksgiving!  There is more to be excited about than just turkey, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes on this special day: it is time for another edition of Campus Chronicles!  Today we turn our attention back to the Wharton campus, checking out the latest through the student publication, The Wharton Journal.

The African American MBA Association hosted the 35th Annual Whitney M. Young Memorial Conference (WMY) at Wharton this past weekend, drawing hundreds of students, alumni, scholars, and business leaders to reflect and discourse on the theme “Charting your course: Navigating through the Winds of Change.”  Celebrating the life of the late statesman and educator Whitney M. Young Jr., the three-day event generated thought leadership around the economic development of the Black community.  Valerie Mosley, Partner at Wellington Management; Raymond J. McGuire, Global Co-Head of Investment Banking at Citi; and James H. Lowry, Senior Advisor at The Boston Consulting Group graced the event as keynote speakers.  More than sixteen panels complemented the keynote lectures, delving into topics such as philanthropy, real estate, and the business surrounding sports.  A great number of alums participated in the event due to the Conference Planning Committee’s effort to engage alumni through an energetic outreach program which included programming, networking functions, and social events.

Due to the current economic situation, the WMY focused on providing new ideas and means of approaching the crisis as well as illuminating opportunities for advancement – a focus that allowed for meaningful interactive discussion.  The Conference’s innovative outlook was further augmented by the new role that employers played in the conference: the traditional Career Fair was replaced by the Dedicated Educational Event in which the recruiter-job seeker relationship transcended a simply conversational form to become educational in an interactive module.  Such a shift reflected the Conference Planning Committee’s “newly revived dedication to career education.”   The WMY was a great success, for as the Wharton Journal staff writers concluded, “Attendees left facing the ‘winds of change’ with unified insight, hope, and fortitude.”

On the social side of things, The Wharton Journal reports the excitement that surrounded the Wharton Wharthogs (the “Hogs”) participation in the 12th Annual Thunderbird Rugby Invitational in early November.  As two-time defending champions, the Hogs had to preserve their strong reputation, and they went at it with great energy, literally barreling down any team that crossed their path.  The Invitational began with a great success for the Hogs, as they solidly defeated Columbia, not letting injuries hinder their game.  However, Kellogg narrowly beat the Wharton B team, yet the Wharton A team reclaimed victory in a game against Northern Arizona.  Nevertheless, the dedicated Hogs found a win slip away from their fingertips when Stanford beat them on the second day of the Invitational, making it so that the Hogs finished in a respectable third place for the tournament.  Though the Hogs did not finish as high as they would have hoped, they look forward to the spring season and a potential World Championship at Duke in April.  We wish them all the best.

Stay tuned next week for another edition of Campus Chronicles!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Harvard’s Harbus

This week we return to Harvard’s Harbus to discover the latest events and initiatives on the HBS campus.

Harbus reports the launch of a student blog titled “Economic Policy Review,” developed by four students in September.  Aiming to offer a non-partisan commentary on issues that currently plague the U.S. economy, the blog (www.econblog.org) delves into economic policy, touching on topics such as domestic energy policy, trade policy, campaign finance laws, and global competitiveness.    One of the blog’s creators, Kyle Sable, stated that the idea for the blog arose in his BGIE section when he recognized the “disjunction between sound economic principles and the polices that are often enacted.”  Hoping to close this gap and use his “HBS education to impact the world immediately,” Sable recruited his section mates to serve on the editorial board.  Each of the board members oversees a different economic policy area, yet each potential post is debated at their weekly meetings.  One of Sable’s fellow board members comments, “Talking about these issues in an open forum, free of partisan debates is an important way to understand the gravity of these issues while maintaining intellectual honesty.”  Another board member, Drew Thomas, recognizes the importance that his HBS education has played in making the blog possible, stating, “I’ve become more open to listening to opposing ideas and better at evaluating those ideas based on their strengths and weaknesses.”  Thus, the blog offers a chance not only to delve into American economic policy, but also to learn life lessons about assessing ideas and reaching consensus.

In other news, the Student Association at HBS is currently in the process of accepting applications for the SA Community Impact Fund.  The Impact Fund provides financial backing for student-led initiatives that have a “direct and tangible impact” on communities outside of HBS.  Fred Smith, the Co-President of the Student Association, stated that the SA is “proud in helping students help others,” going on to comment, “So many students have great ideas for outreach projects, and we want to use the fund to enable these initiatives to become reality.”  SA Senator and Chair of the Community Impact Fund Committee, John Coleman, echoes Smith in stating, “We know there are individuals and groups wanting to start new programs or expand current ones, and the SA wants to support them as much as possible.”  To gain funding for an initiative, at least one of the leaders must be an HBS student, and the SA prefers to see projects in which results will be achieved within six months of receiving funding.  Past funding has gone to transportation costs for the New Orleans Trek and material support for a student-led project in Africa.

Tune in next week for another edition of Campus Chronicles!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Campus Chronicles: NYU Stern’s Opportunity

This week in Campus Chronicles, let’s take a look at what is happening on NYU Stern’s campus through its publication, Opportunity.

The latest edition of Opportunity alerts students to the recent activities of the Community Service @ Stern program and encourages all to get involved.  Aiming to provide numerous opportunities to positively contribute to the community, the program organized a group of students to participate in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk on October 26th and is in the midst of planning the Food Fight this month, which will benefit America’s Second Harvest Food Bank Network.  The annual Charity Poker event is in the works for February, and the organizing committee hopes to hold two to three additional major events as well as offer regular opportunities for students to become engaged with the community.  Not only do these events offer a chance for students to give back, but they also present the opportunity to get to know fellow full-time and part-time students as well as alumni, partners, and friends – a great bonding and networking experience.

Women at Stern found time for both networking and fashion at the annual Stern-J.Crew Cocktails Mixer event, designed to help first-year students navigate the recruiting season in style.  Organized by Stern Women in Business (SWIB), the event took place at the J.Crew store on 5th Avenue, and over one hundred women took part in the festivities, which included hors d’oeuvres, wine, and of course some shopping.  The J.Crew CEO, Millard Drexler, hosted the event and mingled with students as they enjoyed private access to the store, which was closed to the public for this occasion.  Representatives from J. Crew presented their new fall suit line to students while also offering tips for how to make one’s suits more versatile.  Students also had the opportunity to participate in a similar event hosted by Moi-même, a suiting company specializing in custom suits for women.  The founder and CEO of Moi-même, Dawn Verbrigghe, gave SWIB members valuable advice for preparing for corporate presentations and interviews.  NYU women will certainly be stepping out in style during recruitment events!

That wraps up this week’s edition of Campus Chronicles!  Stay tuned for next week’s edition as we turn our eyes to the happenings on yet another leading MBA program campus…

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Columbia’s Bottom Line

Thursday has come upon us again, which means that it is time to check up on the latest happenings on the leading MBA campuses - courtesy of their student newspapers.  This week in our edition of Campus Chronicles, we turn our attention to Columbia’s Bottom Line.

The Bottom Line announces that the Healthcare Industry Association Club (HCIA) will be hosting a conference on November 21st titled “Embracing Change in a Challenged Healthcare Industry.”  Addressing how slow economic growth and the effort to make health care products more affordable present great challenges to the industry, the conference will give students insight into how they may take an active role in leading the industry through these obstacles and subsequently make a difference.  Two keynote addresses, made by Edward Ludwig (’76), the Chairman and CEO of Becton Dickinson, a leading global medical technology company, and Robert Essner, the former Chairman and CEO of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and an Executive-in-Residence at CBS, are included in the schedule of events along with six panels, comprised of over thirty-five speakers hailing from various healthcare backgrounds.  The conference will also include a career fair, a career strategies panel, and great networking opportunities for students interested in careers in global health care organizations, start-up enterprises, healthcare consulting, investment banking, investment management, equity research, private equity, venture capital, and the non-profit sector.  Over 400 participants, including students, alumni, and industry professionals, are expected.

Highlighting the many paths to leadership that CBS students take, the Bottom Line emphasizes the resources that the MBA program offers in preparing students for their particular industries of choice.  Students interested in software companies may participate in the Silicon Valley Study Trip in January while students interested in media may participate in the L.A. Study Trip to gain insights into the process and timing of finding positions in this industry.   Students interested in achieving a social impact through business had the opportunity to participate in the Social Enterprise Club’s recent conference and may also attend the Net Impact Conference in Philadelphia, which will offer CBS students the opportunity to explore organizations focused on having a social impact.  Meanwhile, those inclined towards international development opportunities may join the IDC on its trip to Washington, D.C. in November.  These are only a few of the resources and opportunities available to students at CBS, meaning that whatever industry a student is interested in, he or she will be able to take advantage of an array of events and programs.

Join us next Thursday for a new edition of Campus Chronicles!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Michigan’s Monroe Street Journal

This week in our edition of Campus Chronicles we turn our attention to The Monroe Street Journal at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

The Monroe Street Journal reports the creation of two new electives within Ross’s MBA curriculum.  Designed to give students exposure to global business, these courses offer students another lens through which to consider current issues related to globalization.  The first course, Bridging in the Globalized World – Turkey and the European Union, allows students to consider a country separate from East Asia and India – regions normally considered in the context of globalization.  An array of issues will be considered, ranging from “cross-cultural management, global leadership, brand management in emerging economies, the effect of potential radical shifts in monetary and regulatory policy on local markets and foreign investments, and the diffusion of green technologies.”

The second elective course, Legal Strategies for Intellectual Property Rights Protection in China, considers the intellectual property rights challenges that firms confront in foreign areas.  Teaching students how to “plan their firms’ business activities so as to maximize the protection of their firms’ intellectual property (IP) assets in China,” the course will enable students to examine strategy surrounding a country with an increasing global business presence and legal systems significantly different from those found in Western countries.

On the Admissions side of things, Ross is prepping for the “Discover Ross” Prospective Student Weekend, which will run from October 30th to November 1st.  This recruitment event is the “first event of its kind for students interested in improving the representation of women in business school” and is open to any applicant committed to the advancement of women in management.  Over 60 prospective students will participate in the events, which include panels, workshops, and social events designed to provide information regarding the paths that Ross women have taken in the business world.  The Office of Admissions looks to make this an annual event, and students Ginny Lee and Sarah Klainer state, “We are thrilled to have this opportunity to provide a more intimate window into the programs, collaborative culture and community that make Ross such a special place to be.”

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Chicago’s Chibus and MIT’s Fifteen

Welcome back to Campus Chronicles, our regular review of student newspapers from the leading MBA programs.  This week we turn our attention to Chicago’s Chibus and MIT’s Fifteen to check what is happening on campus as reported in the schools’ newspapers.

Chibus reports the creation of a student investment fund by two GSB students, Jody Goehring and Wyatt Cavalier (’09).  The investment fund, managed under Lakeshore East Partners LLP (LSE), has exceeded initial expectations through seeking “absolute returns via a relative value strategy through a top-down approach that recognizes and exploits systematic trends, inefficiencies, and market conditions,” and initial investments are “identified via a bottom-up, fundamental approach which will identify issues that are trading at a discount of 30 percent or more of their market value.”  Goehring declared that his team wishes to take advantage of the latest market turmoil as well as of some certain secular trends, and so far the fund has met with a great degree of success.  First years will have the opportunity to participate in the fund as well: LSE intends to create one or two internship positions for first-year students.

Chicago GSB’s Random Walks, adventure trips that give incoming students the opportunity to bond with classmates, also got off to a great start.  The latest edition of Chibus explores the adventures of students to Guatemala, Peru, Thailand and Alaska.  Led by second-year students, the trips provide a relaxing and fun way to ease into life at the GSB.

MIT’s Fifteen discusses a recent talk titled “Niche is the New Nation” by Susan Akkad, Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing, Diversity, for the Estée Lauder Companies.  The Retail and Consumer Goods Club, the Marketing Club, and the Minority Business Club co-hosted the popular event, which gave Sloan students insights into the changes in industry over the past several years.  Susan discussed how participating in the US make-up market means “being a player in a multi-ethnic and multicultural market,” and she shed light on how Estée Lauder “believes that catering to a diverse clientele is essential to the continued growth of the company.”

Fifteen also heralds the creation of the first ever International MBA Sales Competition, hosted by the MIT Sloan Sales Club on October 18th and attended by students from many of the top business schools.  Students competed for various prizes, including monetary awards, recognition and on-the-sport recruiting opportunities from sponsors including Microsoft, HP, Google, American Express, and Novell.  In the final round, students needed to tackle two cases.  The first case involved a one-on-one sales pitch on a case provided by American Express while the second case entailed a group sales presentation.

Stay tuned for next week’s edition of Campus Chronicles!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Harvard’s Harbus and Wharton’s Journal

Welcome back to Campus Chronicles, a column we feature during the school year to provide a weekly look at the b-school campus press.  Since student papers offer a great window into student culture, activities and academics, keeping up to date with these publications is a great way to discover insider information into your top schools - information that will come in handy when working on application essays.  Over the course of the school year, we will be covering the breaking news from The Wharton Journal, Harbus (Harvard), Chibus (Chicago), Monroe Street Journal (Michigan/Ross), Fuqua Times, Columbia Bottom Line, Stern Opportunity, Fifteen (MIT Sloan), Stanford Reporter, and Haas Week.

For the first edition of Campus Chronicles ‘08-’09, we turn our focus to Harvard Business School’s Harbus and The Wharton Journal at the University of Pennsylvania.

At Harvard the introduction of a new RC course called Learning at HBS (LHBS) has led to a debate regarding the class’s usefulness and place in the curriculum.  The aim of this mini-course is to establish section norms and guidelines for the year, yet discussions often center on issues of diversity.  While some students assert that the sessions are helpful in sparking meaningful discussion, others feel that the classes are repetitive and could be condensed to cover the material more effectively.  Most students agree that, “while the classes were an excellent vehicle for generating interesting discussion, they did very little to help the sections resolve the issues that were raised.”

However, the fact that no resolutions are reached in LHBS may be a good thing: the discussions extend outside the classroom, allowing for a greater examination of the issues at hand.  Harbus journalist Elana Green states, “The larger goal may be to get each of us to realize in a very personal way that people who we respect and who we know to be intelligent can hold viewpoints on very divisive issues that completely contradict our own.”  This understanding, she goes on to state, allows students to take the first step towards resolving these issues at HBS or after graduating from the program.

On the social side of things, Harbus reports the latest frenzy over the upcoming Priscilla Ball – the dress-up party of the year.  Tickets sold quickly, as some students organized their sections into groups, with one person designated as the ticket buyer, to maximize their chances of snagging tickets.  Other students tried a different approach in planning a mass attack on the online system and allowing whomever got through to work through the list of students.

Besides confronting the challenge of getting tickets, students must also make the difficult decision of what they will wear to the event.  A Java Poll reported that there were over 500 different outfit themes being tossed around, indicating the seriousness with which students plan their costumes.  One student, Ming Yang, indicates that it is overwhelming to plan outfits for 90+ people, stating that the final vote came down to either “The girls next door” or “Field Hockey team.”  In regards to the actual Ball, Ming states, “Everything goes… Basically it is a party where everyone puts their guard down.” Harbus concludes with the point that “this might be the only time where you get to see future presidents and CEOs walking in 80’s aerobics teach outfits!”  Sounds like fun.

Meanwhile, The Wharton Journal sheds light on the latest talk in the Leadership Lecture Series – a talk by Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who serves as an advisor to both the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States and also happens to be the father of Mike Mullen (WG ’09).  The Leadership Lecture Series is designed to provide students with a window into how leaders across a range of organizations approach universal challenges.

Admiral Mullen discussed how taking accountability for one’s actions demonstrates integrity and ensures a means of moving beyond blame towards the success of the overall objective.  Touching on the evolution of technology and international relationships, Admiral Mullen’s statements reminded the audience of the challenges that they will face as leaders in such a connected global community.  The Admiral concluded his talk with a candid discussion of his own failures, indicating the importance of perseverance and the leadership of others in helping him overcome these setbacks.  By the end of the lecture, the audience had gained insight into another effective and inspiring leadership style.

The Wharton Journal also reports the success of the Southeast Asia Global Immersion Program in which 36 Wharton students spent four weeks over the summer learning about global business management and having an unbelievable time.  During the program, the students visited Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, participated in 27 company visits, and networked with alumni at the Global Alumni Forum in Ho Chi Minh City.

Stay tuned for the next edition of Campus Chronicles.

Monday, June 09, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Summer Reading

With the end of the academic year, the student presses have fallen silent and it is time to put our weekly roundup of campus papers on hold until the start of the fall semester. However, for those applicants looking for some fun summer reading that has the added benefit of enhancing your MBA applications, the archives of student newspapers are a wonderful resource that is well worth exploring. As we’ve pointed out in past Campus Chronicles columns, student papers often offer excellent insight into the culture on campus and provide a great window on the events and controversies at each school, making them an important part of the MBA application research process.

Candidates beginning the application process might find it helpful to read through some of the back issues of a school’s paper. Information from the papers can become a valuable addition to MBA essays later this summer - perhaps you would like to help organize one of the conferences or speaker series profiled in the paper? Maybe the summaries of the multi-school case competitions or athletic matches stir your competitive spirit and inspire you to join one of these activities at business school? Alternatively, perhaps you’ve appreciated how helpful the student newspaper is to applicants and would like to contribute to its production as an MBA student? Each of these ideas for involvement can help you tailor your application essays to a school while adding flavor and interest. For applicants’ convenience, we’ve listed below the MBA programs whose student newspapers were regularly profiled in this year’s Campus Chronicles column.

Chicago: Chibus
Columbia: Columbia Bottomline
Duke Fuqua: Fuqua Times
Harvard: Harbus
Michigan Ross: Monroe Street Journal
MIT Sloan: Fifteen
NYU Stern: Stern Opportunity
Wharton: Wharton Journal

Happy Reading!

Monday, June 02, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Chicago GSB and NYU Stern

This week, Campus Chronicles is taking a look at two of the penultimate campus publications of the 2007-2008 school year. Be sure to check back next week check back for an overview of graduations at each campus!

The Chibus reports that the last two weeks of the year have been incredibly busy for everyone on the Chicago GSB campus. The Retail Group showcased some of the most modelesque people attending GSB during the Trunk Show. This was followed shortly with a grand display of this year student’s artistic talents during Follywood 2008. Students also vied last week to claim scarce Spring Fling tickets. The Spring Fling boat cruise lived up to the “Havana Nights” tagging, but those who missed the boat were still able to catch up with friends on land.

On the more business side of business school, the South Asia Business Group hosted the 4th annual Tata India Business Conference. The conference brought together leading Indian business visionaries, faculty and students from Chicago GSB and across the world. Approximately 300 attendees gathered to understand the direction of the Indian economy and learn from the experiences of world-renowned businessmen, politicians and entrepreneurs. Even Warren Buffet was in attendance!

At NYU, the Stern Opportunity shared reflections from students who are leaving, students who have one more year, and even a former student who has been out in the world and now has some words of wisdom.

The outgoing NYU Stern Women in Business (SWIB) team passed the torch of progress on to next year’s leadership with advice about how they created successful events and changed campus culture. Starting with their fall kick-off event, a private shopping event at J Crew in SOHO, the group harnessed the relationship-driven potential of female executives by catering to female interests and networking preferences. From that first shopping experience, the group moved on to bon-bon tasting with investment banks and wine tasting with consulting firms. SWIB leveraged their personal and business relationships to deliver new and creative environments for students to meet the best and brightest, engage in discussions, and come away with a more robust network of resources.

Elsewhere in the issue, a student mourns the loss of all of his 2nd year friends, but takes comfort that traditions and seasons tend to repeat themselves. Each group of MBAs follow the same path over the academic year and often the same jokes too - they are all there in both past and present experiences, providing a connection between current students and alumni. So as one class passes into the real world, everyone can take comfort that there will always be an inside joke to share whenever they meet again in the future.

Last but not least, an alumna offers the perspective that “Stern truly prepares you for the ‘real’ world, even when the economy in that world is not quite as booming as when you left it,” and though, “waking up early and going to work every day is not as exciting as keg parties on Thursday nights, Fridays off, or trekking to exotic countries with 75+ of your classmates under the guise of [doing business]. . . .it certainly isn’t terrible, and it most definitely doesn’t suck.” Take comfort all you future graduates!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Virginia/Darden and Northwestern/Kellogg

Winning ideas have value, especially at business schools. As graduation and summer internships loom ever nearer, we wanted to share a look at the successful ideas and the pots of money being won by student projects at several top schools.

Two students of University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business have been winning accolades and business plan contests this spring using rice husks. So far they have been awarded almost $100,000 in prize money, including $50,000 for winning the Social Innovation Competition at the University of Texas on May 2, $35,000 for taking second place at MIT’s Ignite Clean Energy competition on May 12, and a $10,000 top prize from the University of Virginia on April 7. The two students started a project with an India-based partner to supply electricity to villages in Bihar using rice husks as the source of fuel. So far two pilot rice husk generators are providing power to about 10,000 rural Indians, which will save 200 tonnes of emissions annually compared to diesel or coal power. The business plan of Husk Power Systems calls for a rapid expansion that will put the miniature power plants in hundreds more villages within a few years. Apart from electricity,the ash of the burnt husks can be sold as a high quality ingredient for cement, making even the waste from this project valuable.

The Kellogg School of Business celebrated five Kellogg students who brought home top honors from the 2008 Walter V. Shipley Business Leadership Case Competition. Along with their triumph, these Kellogg students received a prize of $20,000. The case study in this year’s competition focused on the Environmental Defense Fund’s proposed negotiation strategy with two private equity firms who had plans to buy out a large energy company. One winning student credits the team’s success over peers from other schools to Kellogg’s emphasis on collaboration.

Another illustration of successful collaboration in the Northwestern region resulted in a team of Kellogg School and Feinberg School of Medicine students winning first place in the CHEST Foundation Case Competition held on May 8. The event was co-sponsored by the Social Entrepreneurship Lab at Kellogg, the Kellogg Social Impact Club, the Health Industry Management Program, and Healthcare and Biotechnology Club. The winning business plan was a hybrid for-profit and nonprofit business model designed to attack key asthma triggers in the home through an effort to educate patients and help them reduce exposures in their homes.

The for-profit arm of the enterprise would raise revenue through a residential cleaning service that specializes in eliminating indoor asthma triggers, while the not-for-profit organization would use these funds to drive a community-based “train the trainers” asthma education program. The students’ polished presentation and attention to financial details earned them top marks and a $2,000 prize. Hopefully this idea will also help thousands of Chicagoan’s breath easier!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Campus Chronicles: Harvard’s Harbus and Wharton’s Journal

This week, Campus Chronicles checks in with Harvard and Wharton’s student newspapers to help our readers peer inside student life at each program.  With the academic year winding down, many first year MBA students are excitedly looking ahead to next year’s activities, while second year students who are closer to entering the real world are exhibiting more nostalgic feelings.

At the Wharton Journal , a reporter said that a Graduation, like a bar mitzvah or growing a moustache, is a rite of passage. And as with any other rite of passage, this gives people the inalienable right to pause pensively mid-conversation before saying things like, “You know what? It’s bittersweet.”

Some of the pre-graduation memories will be of recent success out on the field. Forty-two Wildebeests, Wharton women’s rugby team, stampeded through Duke for the annual World MBA Rugby Championships. According to participants, they braved thunderstorms, stinky pitches, clueless refs, catty egos, malt liquor, questionable bathroom breaks and excessive beer chugging to take the tournament by storm and win a second place spot, losing to Columbia Business School’s A team.

The Wharthogs, the Wharton men’s rugby team, also had a spectacular 2007