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CATEGORY - SCHOOL: UCLA / ANDERSON

Friday, October 31, 2008

Fed Chair Bernanke to Speak at Haas School of Business Symposium Today

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will speak today as part of a two-day symposium at the Haas School of Business focused on the economy, the mortgage crisis and the government’s rescue plan.

The event, entitled “The Mortgage Meltdown, the Economy, and Public Policy,” is being co-hosted by UC Berkeley and UCLA. Bernanke, who will appear via satellite, will be joined by Janet Yellen, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco; California State Senator Darrell Steinberg; and best-selling economist Robert Shiller, author of the Subprime Solution and Irrational Exuberance.

The symposium also will feature several panel discussions moderated by faculty from Haas, UCLA and Stanford. Panel discussion topics include the crisis in finance markets, the demography and geography of foreclosures and the future of the housing finance system.

Haas is investigating options for making the program available via the Internet. For details, click here.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Admissions Tip: Navigating MBA Admissions Interviews

Now that the first of many schools’ deadlines have come and gone, we’ve reached the point in the admissions season at which many applicants’ thoughts turn to interviews.  As a number of our readers enter into the often agonizing invitation wait period, we thought we’d comment on some simple steps to make sure you’re as prepared as possible when the good news comes.

1. Familiarize yourself with the interview process at your target programs. Will you want to get started making contacts at the school to fill a day on campus (and generate some great interview fodder), or do your programs of choice rely on local alumni to conduct their interviews?  Should you be practicing a walk-through of your background for an interviewer with no knowledge of your candidacy, or brainstorming new examples to share with an adcom member who’s already read your essays?  Building your knowledge of each school’s interview type and style will ensure that the time you spend reflecting and preparing is well spent.  The Clear Admit Interview Guides are a great way to answer the above questions and many others, offering an overview of each school’s interview process, a list of questions commonly asked by that program, a sample account, campus visit information (if applicable) and detailed school-specific strategic guidance.   We’ve just added the Darden School of Business at UVA and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA to our catalog of Clear Admit Interview Guides today, for a total of eighteen titles.

2. Polish your resume. No matter where you’ve applied, there’s one thing that you’ll need for your interview at virtually any school: a one-page resume.  The post-submission weeks are the perfect time to revisit your resume and make sure that it presents a representative overview of your candidacy that a ready of any background could easily understand.  Even if you have uploaded your resume as a part of the application, most schools allow applicants to present a revised version at the interview itself (this is particularly true for blind or alumni-based interviews).  For guidance in tailoring your resume to address the unique interests and backgrounds of MBA admissions committees, check out the Clear Admit Resume Guide.  With illustrative examples and detailed explanations, the Resume Guide will teach you how to present your qualifications and experiences to your best advantage, in terms of both content and presentation.

3. Build upon your understanding of each of the schools you’ve targeted. Of course, as is the case with one’s application essays, it’s not enough to wow the adcom with your professional and personal credentials and accomplishments; it’s also necessary to demonstrate deep knowledge of each school’s offerings and strengths to convince the interviewer that your interest in the school is well informed and that  you are poised to make a valuable contribution to the campus community.  Brushing up on the details of your target programs’ curricula, following breaking news from the schools, and thinking through how you would get involved and make a difference inside and outside of the classroom will certainly be fruitful interview preparation.  The Clear Admit School Guides, available for eighteen leading MBA programs, gather all the information you’ll need to understand the ins and outs of each school’s academic program and determine what sets your target program apart from its peers.

All Clear Admit Guides are available for purchase and immediate download from the Clear Admit shop.  Discounts are available for School Guide/Resume Guide combos, and for three or more of one kind of Guide.

We wish the best of luck to everyone waiting for word from their R1 schools … happy interviewing!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Applied Management Research at UCLA Anderson

It’s time again for another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading MBA programs. This week we turn our attention to UCLA Anderson and an unusual feature of their second-year academic program: the Applied Management Research Project.

As second-years, Anderson students test their business skills in a practical setting by partnering with organizations to address complex internal business problems or evaluate strategic opportunities. Some students opt to put their entrepreneurial abilities to the test, fulfilling the two-quarter Applied Management Research Project (AMR) requirement by establishing their own ventures. Many students cite the AMR as one of their most rewarding and confidence-building experiences at Anderson.

Students choose their own AMR teams, which are comprised of three to five people guided by a faculty advisor. Teams have significant latitude in defining their projects, beginning with a choice between completing a Management Field Study, creating a business or pursuing a special project. In choosing a Management Field Study, as the vast majority of students do, a team either completes a strategic project for a company as arranged by Anderson, or independently secures a partner company, which is subject to program approval. Approaching the partnership like a consulting engagement, Management Field Study teams collaborate with company executives to identify and offer solutions to organizational and competition-based problems. Recent student teams have worked for such companies as Yahoo, Wells Fargo, Kendall Jackson Wineries, Phoenix Realty Group and the L.A. Times. Teams seeking experience in smaller businesses have joined with the online start-up Savings.com, and worked with a local cooking show host to help her launch her own line of cooking products.

In addition to freedom in choosing the industry and function of their partner companies, Management Field Study teams also select partner companies based on location. Those desiring international business exposure are matched with international partners, regularly communicating with these firms via teleconferencing, though some companies may choose to fly their student teams on-site for special meetings and debriefings. Teams who prefer consistent face-to-face meetings select business partners nearby, or opt for regional partners and split the travel obligations amongst team members.

Those students who choose to pursue the AMR over the Fall and Winter quarter may use their on-site experience to make contacts in their company or gain a foothold in the industry that will help them secure a full-time job following graduation. Those who undertake the project during the Winter and Spring quarters instead may already have accepted job offers, thus they select projects that will further prepare them for their future positions.

To learn more about UCLA Anderson’s AMR Projects or other curricular features, visit the school’s website or check out the Academics section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Anderson!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

$2 Million Alumni Gift to Fund Advanced Technology Classroom at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management

Learning could get a whole lot easier at the UCLA Anderson School Business thanks to a new technology-rich classroom, according to a recent announcement by Dean Judy Olian.

The Jim Easton Global Connection Classroom, made possible by a $2 million gift from UCLA Alumnus Jim Easton (B.S. ’59), will connect UCLA students and faculty with other students, partners and executives around the globe.

Eastman, chairman and CEO of Jas. D. Easton, Inc., a privately owned manufacturer, marketer and distributor of archery and other sports equipment, has been a member of the UCLA Board of Visitors since 1988.

“Jim’s continued support of UCLA Anderson both through his philanthropy and his leadership on the Board of Visitors has had a tremendous impact on the school,” Olian said in a release announcing his gift. “The creation of the Jim Easton Global Connection Classroom will expand and upgrade our teaching and broadcast facilities so that they represent learning tools and connectivity for the 21st century.”

The tricked-out new classroom will include enhanced recording and web casting capabilities, wireless microphones in desks and the ceiling, video conferencing, LED screens, a full sound system, a digital touch screen at the front podium and a control room to operate three remote cameras.

In addition to these new features, the Eastman Classroom also will include the standard technology placed in every Anderson classroom: in-room projection, computer and VCR connections and power and data ports at all student seats. 

“Creating this Global Connection Classroom in which students, faculty and business leaders can actively engage in classroom discussions, no matter where they are located in the world, was an important factor in my decision to give,” Easton said in a statement.

A timeline for the Easton Classroom’s construction has not yet been announced.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

UCLA / Anderson Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

While two of the school’s first three essay questions are relatively similar to last year’s, UCLA has mixed things up a bit this season, adding a fourth essay favoring an audio response.

Let’s take a look at each of the questions.

Essay 1: How has your family and/or community helped shape your development? Please include information about where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (750 words)
Anderson has asked about applicants’ family background for several seasons running, though this year’s slightly narrower formulation of the question places the emphasis more squarely on the candidate’s personal growth and early experiences.

While we generally caution applicants against writing at length about their families and upbringing when they could cover other topics in their essays (lest they sound immature or create the impression that they haven’t done anything of note more recently), Anderson makes the unusual move of explicitly requesting information on this subject. The school is likely asking this to get at information that might not otherwise come up in an applicant’s file - such as a childhood spent abroad or difficult socio-economic circumstances overcome - to get a more complete sense of the person as a whole and what an applicant might bring to the community in terms of background and perspective. Another possible motivation might be to identify reflective and self-aware applicants who are able to identify the ways their early experiences have influenced who they are today. No matter what approach you choose to take in framing your comments, remember that in spite of the somewhat unconventional subject, it’s important to speak directly to the question and cover all of the requested points.

Essay 2: What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)
A new question for this year, this prompt continues the reflective theme of the previous inquiry, taking the discussion of the applicant’s evolution as a person beyond his or her formative years and into the present. To avoid overlap, it could be helpful to think of a more recent experience that involved a distinct learning process and gave you a new insight or perspective.  Another avenue for brainstorming might be pinpointing an event or project that sparked a personal passion or professional interest.

It would make sense to spend a fair number of the words in this essay discussing the experience itself, but it will also be important to answer the “why” aspect of the prompt, explaining why this was so influential and reflecting on how it has colored your decisions, thought process or interactions since.  An answer could even conclude by linking the chosen experience to UCLA’s program, exploring the ramifications of the lessons learned or the values that were strengthened for one’s future pursuits.

Essay 3: Discuss your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now at UCLA Anderson? (750 words)
Maintaining its somewhat unusual placement toward the end of the school’s list of questions, this is otherwise a fairly standard career goals essay.  While it’s important to provide a candid account of your professional objectives and interest in Anderson’s program, remember that a truly artful set of essays will introduce common themes that run throughout these first three responses.  Ideally, then, the topic of this essay will not come as a complete surprise to an adcom member who has read the previous essays.

Note that the second part of the question encompasses two parts: the timing of one’s application, and the ways that UCLA’s MBA program will satisfy one’s interest or needs.  In order to tailor your response to Anderson’s unique merits and offerings,  you will need to be able to identify certain programs and courses that are relevant to your goals and stated interests. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities - whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to the Anderson School of Management - will pay dividends here.

Essay 4: Audio or text: Select and respond to ONE of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute). If you are unable to submit your response via audio, then please upload a written response (250 words) instead.
This audio-preferred essay is a first for Anderson, and a unique question type among the top MBA programs.  By favoring a recorded oral response, UCLA may be signaling the value it places on effective communication, looking for applicants who can express themselves articulately through both spoken and written channels. Thus, speaking with clarity and in as engaging a manner as possible will likely be quite beneficial.  The three prompts, meanwhile, seem to be seeking a response that displays passion, commitment, and drive.  Let’s take a closer look at each:

a. What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
This question is a great opportunity to display a sense of vision and innovation - a great option for candidates with a track record of creative problem solving and improvement, as well as those with entrepreneurial experience or goals.  Tying your comments in to UCLA’s entrepreneurial values could be helpful in exhibiting a vision that includes Anderson’s program.

b. What global issue matters most to you and why?
To ensure relevance to your candidacy and application, the subject of this response would ideally relate to your career vision or some pursuit that you have already explored and demonstrated an interest in.  Depth of knowledge and global awareness will prove important here; otherwise, the essay risks sounding superficial and adding little to you case.

c. What is something people will find surprising about you?
This question allows candidates a chance to explore an important aspect of their candidacy not mentioned in data forms, the resume, or other responses. For applicants from oversubscribed groups in the applicant pool, this forum could offer a great chance to truly stand out from the crowd by sharing an interesting detail.  While the door is open to just about anything, from a quirky hobby to an exotic travel experience, it would be ideal for the topic of this essay to have some relevance to your future in the MBA program.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

UCLA Anderson Deadlines and Essay Topics 2008-2009

The UCLA Anderson 2008-2009 deadlines have been announced! The three deadlines are as follows:

Round 1:
Deadline: October 9, 2008
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: September 30, 2008
Decision released: January 8, 2009

Round 2:
Deadline: January 8, 2009
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: December 31, 2008
Decision released: March 26, 2009

Round 3:
Deadline: April 2, 2009
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: March 31, 2009
Decision released: June 4, 2009

Interested applicants should note that all applications much be submitted by 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and that applications in any round will only be evaluated after the previous round’s decisions are completed. The second deadline is the priority deadline for fellowship consideration.

The UCLA Anderson 2008-2009 essay questions have also been released, and can be viewed by logging in to see the recently completed application. This year, there are five questions for applicants interested in the full-time MBA program, one of the essays being an audio response. The questions are as follows:

Essay one: How has your family and/or community helped shape your development? Please include information about where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (750 words)

Essay 2: What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

Essay 3: Discuss your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now at UCLA Anderson? (750 words)

Essay 4: Audio or Text

Select and respond to one of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute). For applicants unable to submit a response via audio, there is an option to submit a written response instead (250 words).
a) What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
b) What global issue matters most to you and why?
c) What is something people will find surprising about you?

Essay 5: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

Reapplicant Essays: Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2007 or 2008 class are required to complete the following three essays.

1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. (750 words)

2. What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

3. Select and respond to one of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute). If you are unable to submit your response via audio, then please upload a written response instead (250 words).
a) What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
b) What global issue matters most to you and why?
c) What is something people will find surprising about you?

For further information regarding UCLA’s deadlines or essays, or to view to completed application for the 2008-2009 season, those interested should visit the school’s admissions site.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Earning a JD/MBA or MD/MBA

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday! Earlier in the year we looked at the options for students to earn Master’s degrees alongside their MBA studies through dual and joint degree arrangements. This week we’ll examine the opportunities for students interested in combining their business education with study in law or medicine. The growing demand for talented, knowledgeable managers in the health care industry makes the combination MD/MBA degree particularly valuable, and graduates who can analyze both the strategic and legal implications of a decision fill an important niche in the business world.

Wharton’s programs are typical of the JD/MBA and MD/MBA programs offered by leading business schools. As with most of the MBA/MA programs, candidates must apply to the two programs separately and admissions decisions are made independently. However, the longer length of JD and MD dual degree programs - typically four years for a JD/MBA and five years for an MD/MBA - mean that students have somewhat more leeway in deciding when to apply to the programs. For instance, students may apply to and begin both degree programs in the same year, or may choose to start the JD or MD first, applying to the MBA program in either their first or second year of study in the other program.

Kellogg’s MBA/JD program is differs slightly, in that the schools have managed to compact the three year law degree and two year MBA into just three years of on-campus study. The program also differs in that students apply through Kellogg only, though they spend their first year in full-time residency at the Law School.

Below is a summary of the JD and MD dual degree options offered by several of the leading MBA programs, along with links to sites offering more information about the dual degree or the law or medical school.

Chicago GSB:

JD with University of Chicago Law School
MD with Pritzker School of Medicine

Columbia Business School:

JD with Columbia Law School
MD with Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
DDS with Columbia University College of Dental Medicine

Cornell/Johnson:

JD with Cornell University Law School
MD with Weill Cornell Medical College

Duke/Fuqua:

JD with the Duke University School of Law
MD with the Duke University School of Medicine

Harvard Business School:

JD with Harvard Law School
MD with Harvard Medical School

Kellogg:

JD with Northwestern’s School of Law
MD with the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern

Michigan/Ross:

JD at the University of Michigan’s Law School
MD at the University of Michigan’s Medical School

MIT Sloan:

No JD or MD dual degree programs

NYU/Stern:

JD at NYU School of Law

Stanford:

JD with the Stanford School of Law
No formal MD dual degree, though students may pursue a medical degree separately from the MBA

Tuck:

No JD program; offers a Master’s of Science in Environmental Law through Vermont Law School
MD with Dartmouth Medical School

UC-Berkeley/Haas:

JD with either UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law or UC Hastings College of the Law

UCLA/Anderson:

JD with UCLA School of Law
MD with David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

UVA/Darden:

JD with the University of Virginia School of Law

Wharton:

JD with Penn Law School
MD with Penn Medicine, DMD with Penn Dental Medicine, VMD with Penn Veterinary Medicine

Yale SOM:

JD at Yale Law School
MD at the Yale School of Medicine

For more information on dual and joint degree options and on graduates’ career paths, be sure to check out the individual schools’ websites, as well as the Dual Degrees and Career Statistics sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

UCLA Anderson, Indian School of Business Partner to Launch New EMBA Program in Finance Engineering

Beginning this July, the UCLA Anderson School of Management, together with the Indian School of Business (ISB), will launch a new executive program built around financial engineering. The six-month program, the first of its kind, is designed to help financial experts who manage large assets for individuals and companies better harness financial engineering skills in their work. 

“The level of financial and technical savvy required by organizations in today’s global financial markets has accelerated the demand for well-trained financial engineers,” UCLA Anderson Dean Judy Olian said in a statement announcing the new program. “The ISB-UCLA Anderson partnership presents a valuable opportunity to maximize the strengths and academic prominence of both schools,” she continued. 

The Indian finance market continues to grow at a very rapid pace, and with it grows the need for managers trained to anticipate and solve the issues they confront in asset management. The new ISB-UCLA Anderson executive program, which will be quantitatively oriented than traditional MBA programs, will be taught by leading experts and world-renowned finance faculty from both schools. The program’s supervisors, including two former American Finance Association presidents, are all leaders in their field.

The program was borne out of a series of meetings with corporate finance leaders, financial experts and policy makers, who together expressed the need for finance professionals to better understand India’s evolution and its impact on the world economy.

It will consist of four one-week teaching modules delivered once a month and will be held at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India, from July through December. The modules are core concepts, quantitative asset management, financial risk management and security research, analysis and valuation.

The first module, which includes understanding the fundamental principles of financial engineering, will be mandatory for all participants. The remaining three modules are options, giving students to choose one or more of the other subjects according to their professional interests. In the last two months of the program, students will work on projects with supervision by ISB and UCLA Anderson faculty members.

“I am delighted with the partnership of the ISB with UCLA Anderson,” said Indian School of Business Dean M Rammohan Rao in a statement. “This program will be extremely beneficial to finance professionals and will equip them with an accurate and precise knowledge of up-to-date financial economics and financial practice,” he added.

To learn more about the new executive program in financial engineering, click here.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Top Bush Education Official Leaves to Lead Business School Consortium

According to a report yesterday in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Education Department’s assistant secretary for postsecondary education plans to leave her post, just one year after her appointment by President Bush, to lead the Washington Campus, a consortium of university business schools.

Diane Auer Jones was appointed the nation’s top higher-education official by Bush in May 2007, replacing Sally Stroup, who stepped down. According to the Chronicle report, Jones had hoped to remain at the Department of Education through the end of the Bush administration in January 2009 but couldn’t pass up the chance to replace the Washington Campus’s president, who is retiring. It was a case of “the perfect job coming at not the perfect time,” she told the Chronicle.

The Washington Campus is a consortium of 16 major university business schools founded in 1978 to help educate business school students and corporate executives on the process of U.S. policy making. Among its member universities are the University of California at Berkeley’s Hass School of Business, UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and Michigan’s Ross School of Business. 

Founded on the principle that “understanding government is indispensable knowledge for all business leaders,” the Washington Campus provided customized executive education programs for corporations and associations, open-enrollment programs for business executives and graduate-level courses for MBA students within the consortium.

According to the Chronicle, Jones feels she is leaving the Education Department at an appropriate time in its calendar even though the Bush administration still has eight months remaining. Several critical regulatory processes have been finished, and all of the department’s major grant competitions have been completed.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wiki Wednesdays: School Choices

Welcome to another edition of Wiki Wednesdays, where we highlight some particularly poignant posts from the Clear Admit Wiki, a repository of MBA applicants’ experiences with the admissions process. While spring is in full swing, some candidates are still undergoing interviews (as can be seen in the recent UCLA / Anderson and INSEAD reports added to the Wiki) while prospective applicants are giving the GMAT a go.

During the fall and winter, however, many applicants dread answering the question “why this school instead of that one?” in their essays and interviews. Now that admissions notifications are out, the question is resurfacing once again. Some admitted applicants are choosing between multiple offers, while others are considering attending a school that they researched only briefly in the fall. And of course, many applicants are now debating the pros and cons of relocating with their significant others.

One applicant, as shared on the School Choices page of the Clear Admit Wiki, approached this debate based on criteria such as geographic location, weather, class size and international opportunities, among several other points.

Another candidate broke down her choice among eight schools according to the individual programs, which can lead to a much more detailed and nuanced argument, not to mention a potentially dizzying list of preferences! This candidate, however, approached the debate head-on with a succinct list of perks and pitfalls. For example, when identifying the pros and cons of a few programs, she wrote:

1. “IESE: I was really excited about the possibility of studying in a dual language MBA program. The IESE program is a two year U.S. style MBA program top ranked globally but with a smaller class size compared with similar U.S. schools.
2. + : international experience, foothold into European job market, Barcelona, case study method, very American friendly program.
3. - : name recognition in US not very strong though increasing, exchange rate makes it a “very expensive language class” to quote one of my bosses.

1. UCLA: I applied to UCLA to give myself a west coast option and to throw in a wild card to see how my profile would be accepted at a slightly larger program with a less specialized program. I was attracted to the international focus and exchange opportunities afforded to students.
2. + : west coast school, international focus
3. - : state school, comparatively limited resources”

For this candidate’s observations on the six other programs, be sure to check out the School Choices page. No matter the approach to trimming one’s short or long list of choices, it can always help to organize one’s thoughts, priorities and data points in writing. The School Choices page can be a great forum for breaking down one’s decisions, so we encourage candidates to share their debates by creating an account or sending their thoughts to wiki@clearadmit.com.

As a final reminder for those still interviewing or interested in sharing interviews from this season, it’s the last day to win a $10 iTunes gift certificate for an interview report for the following schools: Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, MIT / Sloan, Stanford GSB, Dartmouth / Tuck, UCLA / Anderson, Yale SOM, INSEAD and LBS (limit one gift card per applicant). To be eligible for the prize, simply e-mail your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com.

We’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Clear Admit Wiki this season! We look forward to awarding some last minute iTunes gift cards as well as reading some dynamic debates about programs. Happy deliberating!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Wiki Wednesdays: School Choices

Welcome back to Wiki Wednesdays, our weekly look at informative entries in the Clear Admit Wiki! We’ve received a number of great interview reports for Berkeley / Haas, Stanford GSB, UVA / Darden and MIT / Sloan, even though interview season is winding down. At this point, most applicants have received their long-awaited decision notifications, and those who have been accepted at more than one program will likely spend the next few weeks drafting (and redrafting) their lists of pros and cons before ultimately deciding on one school over another. In addition to individual blogs and the BusinessWeek discussion forums, the Clear Admit Wiki’s School Choices page provides a sound place to weigh one’s options.

As one candidate wrote in the Clear Admit Wiki about NYU / Stern vs. UCLA / Anderson,

1. “Both are reputable finance schools, but if you wanna work for IB/on wall street, go to NYU! NYU has the unshakable advantage regarding jobs on wall street, proved by [the fact] that 60% of the students go into financial services sector after graduation. On the other hand, [people] say UCLA has an advantage in PE/VC in Silicon Valley, but you need to compete with Stanford and Haas guys for this handful of job openings.”

It takes quite a bit of effort to make highly-nuanced distinctions like this applicant’s (for more points of her lengthy debate, check out the School Choices page). For this reason, it’s a great idea to take advantage of every resource available when making this difficult decision. Talking to alumni in your target industry and attending events for admitted students, whether a full weekend at the school itself or a dinner hosted in your own city, are great starting points for collecting valuable information.

In the meantime, we encourage our readers to share their thoughts - whether you’re looking for others’ opinions on individual schools or just searching for a good method of breaking down this complicated decision, the School Choices page can be a great help. Simply create an account or send your debates to wiki@clearadmit.com to contribute!

For those still interviewing or interested in sharing interviews from this season, we will be awarding a $10 iTunes gift certificate to each applicant who submits an interview report for the following schools: Berkeley / Haas, Cornell / Johnson, MIT / Sloan, Stanford GSB, Dartmouth / Tuck, UCLA / Anderson, Yale SOM, INSEAD and LBS between now and April 30th (limit one gift card per applicant). To be eligible for the prize, simply e-mail your interview report to wiki@clearadmit.com.

Thanks to all of those who have added their experiences to the Clear Admit Wiki and we look forward to reading more comparative cases on candidates’ school choices! In the meantime, here’s to due diligence and calm consideration!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: UCLA Anderson Elective Emphases

In this week’s Trivia Tuesday column we turn our attention to UCLA Anderson and its academic offerings. Specifically, we’ll take a look at the options Anderson offers for tailoring elective choices to an intended career path. Though if offers no formal majors or concentrations, Anderson recommends sets of elective courses the administration and faculty see as relevant to particular career paths. These Elective Emphases cover 16 popular career paths and are comprised of five to eleven strongly recommended electives.

The suggested electives are designed to create a comprehensive program of preparation for the career path, and some career path listings even include classes in other UCLA degree programs. In contrast to the subject-area specializations most other leading programs offer, these career area specializations further emphasize Anderson’s practical job orientation. Perhaps the closest approximation of career path emphasis among other programs occurs at Kellogg, which offers the analytical consulting major, drawing upon various departments to comprehensively prepare students for consulting careers.

Anderson students frequently note their career path elective emphases on their résumés. Just as students may complete multiple majors at Kellogg or Wharton, it is common for Anderson students to blend elective emphases in order to accommodate a more specialized career or an entrepreneurial career. For instance, a student might combine entrepreneurship electives with those from the industry of a student’s planned venture. Several of Anderson’s career path elective emphases are profiled below.

Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurship Emphasis comprises eight strongly recommended electives such as Managing and Financing the Emerging Enterprise, Global Economy, and Topics in Business Law, as well as nine additional course suggestions, making it one of the most comprehensive elective programs at Anderson. All of the school’s teaching and research in entrepreneurship is overseen by the Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, the first-ever entrepreneurship center at a business school.

Entertainment and Media Management
The Entertainment and Media Management Emphasis is sponsored by Anderson’s Entertainment and Media Management Institute (EMMI), which was founded in 2004. Featuring courses in areas such as entertainment marketing, negotiations, film law and sports management, the EMMI also shares a number of recommended electives with the Masters of Fine Arts Producer’s Program at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

Real Estate
Directed by the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate, which is jointly sponsored by Anderson and the UCLA School of Law, Anderson’s Real Estate Emphasis provides students with comprehensive training in the field of real estate, from finance and investment to entrepreneurship and development. The Center also hosts a range of alumni- and industry-sponsored events, which in 2006-2007 included real estate case studies and a land development case competition between students from UCLA and USC.

For more information on the elective emphases at Anderson or other leading business schools, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or the Academics section of Clear Admit School Guides!

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Wiki Wednesdays: Round 2 Interview Reports

Welcome to this April’s first installment of Wiki Wednesdays, where we take a peek at some of the latest posts to the Clear Admit Wiki, a repository of information learned by applicants as they progress through the MBA admissions process. This week, we’re setting our sights on MIT / Sloan, UCLA / Anderson, Stanford GSB, Wharton and INSEAD.

Recounting a “rigorous and thorough” interview with a member of MIT Sloan’s adcom, a Round 2 applicant shared the following questions he or she was posed:

1. Tell me about a time when you were overwhelmed and asked others for help.
2. Tell me about a time when you butted heads with a co-worker/client/employee.
3. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with someone who wasn’t pulling his/her weight.

A recent admit at UCLA Anderson added his interview with an associate director of MBA admissions, who asked:

1. What companies are you going to look for internships with?
2. What area of your management skills do you feel you could most improve upon?

Sticking with West Coast business schools, a Stanford GSB applicant interviewed with an alumnus and faced a broad range of discussion topics, some of which included:

1. What matters most to you and why?
2. [Identify a] failure.
3. [Tell me about one of your] social activities.
4. [Discuss this] under grad college club activity.

Heading back east, a Wharton alumnus posed the following questions to a Round 2 applicant:

1. What do you do for fun?
2. What will you do if you don’t get into Wharton or business school?
3. Have you considered a joint degree?

Last but not least, we turn to INSEAD for a Round 2 applicant’s firsthand report of an alumni interview. The candidate noted,

1. “[The interviewer] hadn’t read about me (I provided him my resume) so I essentially had to sell myself from scratch, telling him about my most recent work experiences and the things I did at my company, as well as my passions/hobbies in life…He then asked me what other schools I had applied to. It was a good opportunity for me to explain why INSEAD was my top choice (international experience) as well as my desire to be on the Singaporean campus.”

Thanks for joining us for this week’s Wiki Wednesdays! As always, we extend our gratitude to those who have contributed content to the Clear Admit Wiki for the benefit of the MBA applicant community. If you would like to add your experience to the Clear Admit Wiki, simply create an account or send your reports to wiki@clearadmit.com.

In addition to interview reports, we’d also love to see some more detailed accounts of visits to campus and decisions among programs. Thanks in advance for your reports and don’t forget to check out the Clear Admit Interview Guides for extra interview tips! Best of luck to those still interviewing and those making a choice between schools!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008