Let’s take look at a couple of the newest reports before digging into contest details.  A Round 2 candidate for Northwestern / Kellogg shared the following questions from an interview with an alumna:

1. Tell me about your passion(s) outside of the professional or education realms (e.g., extracurricular pursuit).
2. What was your single greatest professional accomplishment?
3. What do you do for fun?
4. Tell me about a time when your communication with a colleague was a catalyst to achieve a team goal.
5. What are the 3 most important attributes of a successful leader? How do you rate yourself in each of these attributes?
6. Who do you admire as a leader?
7. What is the most challenging part of your job (current or previous)?

A Round 2 applicant to Wharton shared the following questions, as posed by an alumnus:

1. Which other schools have you applied to?
2. Tell me some leadership experience.
3. Tell me a time when things did not work out in a project.
4. Tell me a time when you were not in the leadership role.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their interview experiences this season and helped fellow applicants!  If you’re eager to contribute, we’ll be awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to applicants that submit interview reports for Columbia Business School, Cornell / Johnson, Harvard Business School or Stanford GSB through next Tuesday, March 23rd!  All you have to do is send us your interview field report for the selected schools for inclusion in the Wiki and we’ll send you a $10 Amazon gift certificate.   You must send your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com to be eligible; we’ll post it to the Wiki and notify the winners by e-mail (Limit: one gift card per person).

The most helpful and informative reports usually include the following information:

1. Date/Admissions Round
2. Description of visit and/or interview atmosphere
3. Type of interview (alum vs. adcom, blind vs. application-based)
4. List of interview questions
5. Commentary (What did you think of the interview? What surprised you? What didn’t surprise you? What might you conclude about the school based on this experience?)

Applicants who would like to supplement the information available on the Wiki can check out our Clear Admit Interview Guides, which provide school-specific insight about admissions interviews.  Best of luck to those wrapping up the admissions season with interviews!

The first conference, “Many Voices: Perspectives on Diversity,” will take place on Saturday, May 15th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hosted jointly by the Asian Society (AS), Black Business Students Association (BBSA), Hispanic Business Students Association (HBSA), GSB Pride (LGBT) and the GSB MBA Admissions Office, the Many Voices conference will provide participants with an opportunity to meet Stanford GSB students, alumni, faculty and staff, attend panel discussions on life at Stanford, and take part in an MBA class immersion experience. Participants will also gain valuable insight into the MBA admissions process.

The second conference, “XX Factor: Women Changing the World,” will take place on Sunday, May 16th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This conference, geared toward women who are considering applying to business school, will also provide participants with an opportunity to meet and talk to current students, alumni, faculty and staff as well as participate in an MBA class immersion experience. The XX Factor conference also will feature panel discussions on life at Stanford. This conference is hosted by the MBA Admissions Office, the Women in Management Club and the alumnae Women’s Initiative Network.

Space is limited for both conferences, and interested parties must complete a brief application to be considered for participation. Applications for both conferences are due on Friday, April 9th, by 5 p.m. (Pacific Time), and decisions will be emailed by Friday, April 16th. Any prospective applicant is welcome to apply for either conference.

For the Many Voices application, click here. For the XX Factor application, click here.

Established by students and faculty in 1994, the Global Management Program (GMP) is the student-facing arm of the Center for Global Business and the Economy. Complementing the faculty research that the center facilitates, the GMP offers both academic and experiential opportunities for students interested in global management.

The Global Management Immersion Experience (GMIX) is a month-long internship that takes place at the end of the summer following a student’s first year, usually after a longer traditional internship. Following the international experience itself, students complete a research project and compose a paper on a topic related to their internship, earning two units of credit.  Also worth two units of credit, the Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program (STEP) is less intense but longer-term. Stanford GSB students participating in the program are paired with an MBA student at the Tsinghua University School of Economics. The two work together throughout the academic year on a research project of mutual interest, and each take a week-long trip to the other campus for a visit focused not just on academics, but also on visits to local businesses as well as social and cultural activities.

Students interested in the Global Management Program can also take advantage of Global Study Trips and community-wide events, such as the Global Speaker Series and Conferences.

For more information on Stanford’s specialized academic programs, be sure to check out the Clear Admit School Guide to Stanford!

Before getting into contest details, let’s take peek at a couple of the latest contributions.  A candidate for Michigan / Ross interviewed with an adcom member, who asked the following questions:

1. Can you give me an example of when you worked in a team?  What was your role and how did you contribute?
2. I understand you don’t know what the other applicants are like, but how are you unique?  What can you bring to the table that sets you apart from others?
3. What do you do during your free time?
4. Are there any questions that I haven’t asked that you think I should?

A Round 2 applicant to Berkeley / Haas shared the following questions, as posed by an alumna:

1. What will success look like for you? How do you define success?
2. Tell me about a time when you had an idea and you were swimming against the tide – what did you do to get your idea/plan across?
3. If you were admitted, what’s unique about you that you could contribute to Haas? What about outside the classroom?
4. Tell me something that’s not on your resume.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their interview experiences this season and helped fellow applicants!  If you’re eager to contribute, we’ll be awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to applicants that submit interview reports for INSEAD, London Business School, Stanford GSB or Yale School of Management through next Tuesday, March 9th!  In other words, all you have to do is send us your interview field report for the selected schools for inclusion in the Wiki and we’ll send you a $10 Amazon gift certificate.   You must send your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com to be eligible; we’ll post it to the Wiki and notify the winners by e-mail (Limit: one gift card per person).

The most helpful and informative reports usually include the following information:

1. Date/Admissions Round
2. Description of visit and/or interview atmosphere
3. Type of interview (alum vs. adcom, blind vs. application-based)
4. List of interview questions
5. Commentary (What did you think of the interview? What surprised you? What didn’t surprise you? What might you conclude about the school based on this experience?)

Applicants who would like to supplement the information available on the Wiki can check out our Clear Admit Interview Guides, which provide school-specific insight about admissions interviews.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki and helped fellow applicants prepare for MBA admissions interviews this season!

Before getting into contest details, let’s take look at a couple of the latest contributions.  A candidate for Columbia interviewed with a second-year student, who asked the following questions:

1. Give me an example of a time when you worked in a team or as a leader.
2. Discuss an ethical dilemma you have experienced.
3. Talk about a time when you’ve faced adversity.
4. What will you do if you can’t attend business school this year?

A Round 2 applicant to Wharton  shared the following questions, as posed by an alumnus:

1. What are you most proud of?
2. If you had 1 million dollars, what would you do with it?
3. If you were an alumni interviewer, what would be your two most important questions to the applicant?  ([The interviewer] then asked me to answer these questions.)
4. Give me two strengths and two weaknesses and provide actual examples.
5. How do you imagine yourself 20 years from now?

Thank you to everyone who has shared their interview experiences this season and helped fellow applicants!  If you’re eager to contribute, we’ll be awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to applicants that submit interview reports for MIT / Sloan, Stanford GSB, Wharton or UCLA / Anderson through next Tuesday, March 2nd!  In other words, all you have to do is send us your interview field report for the selected schools for inclusion in the Wiki and we’ll send you a $10 Amazon gift certificate.   You must send your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com to be eligible; we’ll post it to the Wiki and notify the winners by e-mail (Limit: one iTunes or Amazon gift card per person).

The most helpful and informative reports usually include the following information:

1. Date/Admissions Round
2. Description of visit and/or interview atmosphere
3. Type of interview (alum vs. adcom, blind vs. application-based)
4. List of interview questions
5. Commentary (What did you think of the interview? What surprised you? What didn’t surprise you? What might you conclude about the school based on this experience?)

Applicants who would like to supplement the information available on the Wiki can check out our Clear Admit Interview Guides, which provide school-specific insight about admissions interviews.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki and helped fellow applicants prepare for MBA admissions interviews this season!

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 cluster system.

Similar systems are in place at Chicago, which offers two joint MBA/MA programs, at HBS, which offers concurrent degrees with the Kennedy School of Government, and at Stanford, where there are 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 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 Dual Degrees section of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Before getting into contest details, let’s focus on a few snippets from some of the latest contributions!  A Round 2 applicant to Northwestern / Kellogg shared the following questions, as posed by an alumna:

1. What makes a good leader/a bad leader? 
2. Tell me about a time you’ve been on a team that has failed.
3. Tell me about a time you have been humbled.

Talk at Tuck mainly revolved around teamwork, as a Round 2 applicant reported in the Clear Admit Wiki.  An  adcom member asked the following questions:

1. Tell about a time you worked on a team.
2. What are the qualities that make you successful on a team?
3. Tell me about a time you experienced conflict on a team, and how you handled it?

Thank you to everyone who has helped fellow applicants by sharing your interview experience!  If you’re eager to contribute, we’ll be awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to applicants that submit interview reports for Columbia Business School, Duke / Fuqua, Stanford GSB, UVA / Darden or Yale SOM through next Tuesday, February 16th!  In other words, all you have to do is send us your interview field report for the selected schools for inclusion in the Wiki and we’ll send you a $10 Amazon gift certificate.   You must send your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com to be eligible; we’ll post it to the Wiki and notify the winners by e-mail (Limit: one iTunes or Amazon gift card per person).

The most helpful and informative reports usually include the following information:

1. Date/Admissions Round
2. Description of visit and/or interview atmosphere
3. Type of interview (alum vs. adcom, blind vs. application-based)
4. List of interview questions
5. Commentary (What did you think of the interview? What surprised you? What didn’t surprise you? What might you conclude about the school based on this experience?)

Applicants who would like to supplement the information available on the Wiki can check out our Clear Admit Interview Guides, which provide school-specific insight about admissions interviews.  Best of luck to those undergoing Round 2 interviews!

Wharton came in second this year, followed by Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business and INSEAD. To view the full rankings, click here.

LBS’s strong showing was due in great part to the broad educational experience it offers, according to the FT. “One of the best decisions of my life was to go to LBS for a full-time MBA,” one alumnus reported. “[It] has enriched my life, from education to career development, to making new friends and gaining new perspectives.”

Another added: “You not only learn from the school curriculum but from the deep cultural diversity of the student population. There is no place else that can offer this advantage to the extent that London Business School does.”

In a statement announcing its second consecutive top ranking, LBS Dean Sir Andrew Likierman pledged that the school will maintain its international diversity and global reach.

LBS is one of only three schools to have held the number one spot since the rankings were launched in 1999, and it is the only non-U.S. school to do so. According to an FT report accompanying the 2010 rankings, the school’s gradual ascent from eighth place 12 years ago to first today indicates as a broader trend the diminishing dominance of U.S.-based schools over the past decade.

The number of U.S. schools in the FT rankings’ top 25 has decreased over the years, from 21 in 2001 to 11 this year. The remaining 14 schools in the top 25 for 2010 include 11 from Europe and three from Asia.

The FT attributed this shift in great part to the fact that the return on investment for studying toward an MBA – measured in terms of salary increase – has fallen since 2005, and most significantly so in the United States.

But in spite of a weaker showing in the top 25, U.S. schools still make up the majority of the top 100 ranked programs, claiming 56 in this most recent ranking. The United Kingdom, with 17 of the top 100, is the second most represented country, and overall schools from 20 different countries appear, the FT added.

The email went on to provide a few reminders to round-two applicants as the January 6th deadline approaches. Most importantly, all applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Pacific Time on the 6th in order to be considered for round two. Any applications received after that point will be automatically moved to round three.

Between now and the 6th, applicants should upload any supplemental information in the “Additional Information” section of their applications. Do not, however, send official transcripts to Stanford GSB. “We will ask you for them when you are admitted,” the admissions staff advised.

Applicants also should encourage their recommenders to submit letters of recommendation electronically before they themselves submit their applications. “We recommend that they submit by Tuesday, 5 January 2010; however their actual deadline is 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on 6 January 2010,” the admissions staff stated.

Applicants are likewise encouraged to submit their own applications in advance of the actual deadline in order to prevent system slowdown and save time and frustration. In the event that an applicant or a recommender experiences technical difficulties, he or she is advised to click the “Tech Support” tab, which will be located at the top of the online application screen, or to visit http://emt.hobson-us.com.

The Stanford GSB Admissions Office will post round-two decisions online by 5 p.m. Pacific Time on March 31, 2010.

For those interested in adding their experience to the Wiki, we’ll be awarding a $10 iTunes gift certificate to every fifth applicant who contributes an interview report.  Plus, between now and next Tuesday, December 22nd, the first 15 candidates that submit interview reports for Berkeley / Haas, Oxford / Said, Stanford GSB or Yale SOM will receive a $10 gift certificate to iTunes!  To be eligible for the prize, simply send your contribution to wiki@clearadmit.com; we’ll post it to the Wiki and notify the winners by e-mail (Limit: one gift card per person).

The most helpful and informative reports usually include the following information:

1. Date/Admissions Round
2. Description of visit and/or interview atmosphere
3. Type of interview (alum vs. adcom, blind vs. application-based)
4. List of interview questions
5. Commentary (What did you think of the interview? What surprised you? What didn’t surprise you? What might you conclude about the school based on this experience?)

As always, we wish the best of luck to Round 1 applicants undergoing the interview phase of the admissions process!  Applicants who would like to supplement the information available on the Wiki can check out our Clear Admit Interview Guides, which provide school-specific insight and strategic advice to help applicants with their admissions interviews.  Stay tuned to this blog for an array of interview tips in the coming weeks, and be sure to check out the Clear Admit Wiki for firsthand interview accounts.