Most high school students in the United States are taught to write essays that have a formal introduction, a body that supports that introduction, and a conclusion that reinforces the main point presented in the introduction. Although this approach and structure yield easily comprehensible academic work, business school application essays are constrained by word count—so candidates often must use alternative, less lengthy openings because they do not have the luxury of “wasting” 100 words to introduce their topic.
We recommend sometimes using the “non-introduction” introduction, depending on the context and pace of your story. If you have a gripping opener that places your reader in the middle of a scenario, we suggest you launch right into your story to grab and keep the reader’s attention.
Consider this traditional introduction:
“Throughout my career, I have strived to continuously learn and develop as a manager, frequently taking enrichment courses, seizing mentorship opportunities, and seeking frank feedback from my superiors. When my firm staffed me on its $4.5M Oregon Project (our highest-profile product launch in a decade), I considered it a tremendous opportunity to deliver and never imagined that it would become the greatest test of my managerial abilities. When I arrived in Portland, I discovered a project deemed so important by our firm that it was overstaffed and wallowing in confused directives from headquarters in Chicago. I quickly surveyed the situation and began to create support for changes to…”
With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. In this blog series, Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense.
The GMAT is not a math test. Nor is it a grammar test. Sure, you have to know something (well, a lot of things!) about these topics to get a good score, but this exam is really testing your executive reasoning skills.
The term might be unfamiliar, but you already have—and use—these skills every day. Consider:
You arrive at work in the morning and think about all of the things that you could do that day. You cannot get it all done, so which things will have to wait until this afternoon or tomorrow or next week? Which one thing should you start working on first?
You have a choice between working on Project X or Project Y. Project Y will result in about 5% more revenue to the company, but Project Y will also take 50% longer. Which do you do?
None of those decisions are easy ones (and many would likely require more information than I gave in the little scenario). This complex decision making is exactly what a good executive needs to be able to do well—and this is what the test writers and business schools actually care about.
In this new blog series, our mbaMission Career Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.
We know that requesting informational networking meetings can be intimidating, but we also know that preparation can increase your confidence and, more importantly, your chances for success!
As you prepare to reach out to a potential contact, we advise you to consider the following questions:
What is my personal brand/pitch? How is my experience relevant to my target audience? How can I communicate this in a concise and memorable way?
What information do I need to know about the contact to be prepared to email/call him or her?
What do I want from this contact? What is the goal of my conversation?
What can I offer the contact? (Remember: networking is a two-way street!)
When you are ready to reach out, follow these tips for crafting your email:
Make it short and concise (i.e., fewer than 150 words).
Use a detailed, descriptive, and direct subject line.
Write in a courteous and appreciative tone (and be sure to proofread before hitting Send!).
Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday.
As Round 2 application deadlines approach, many candidates find themselves immersed in stress—busy juggling multiple essays and revising their resume. Often in the midst of all this, an alarming question suddenly springs to mind: “What if my supervisors do not get their letters done by the deadline?”
In our opinion, the easiest way to ensure that your recommenders complete their letters on time is to present them with your own deadline—one that is a bit earlier than the school’s—when you first ask them to provide a recommendation for you. If the application to your school of choice is due on January 15, for example, tell your recommenders that you are submitting on January 8. Incidentally, submitting your application early can be good for your sanity as well. By setting this advanced deadline, you can put some additional pressure on your recommender on the 8th if he/she has not yet finished the letter, so you should still be able to submit by the school’s official deadline.
Most people work to deadlines. Alleviate unnecessary stress by setting your recommenders’ deadlines one week early, and “enjoy” the application process a little bit more.
For more information on properly selecting, communicating with, and managing your recommenders, check out our Letters of Recommendation Guide.
Have you ever wondered what business school admissions committees are looking for in MBA interviews?
Drawing on our experience in preparing countless clients for their MBA interviews, we have updated our series of Interview Primers, which now covers 17 individual top-ranked schools—including our new additions, INSEAD and London Business School (LBS)—for the 2016–2017 admissions season! The primers feature valuable information about the programs’ interview processes, notoriously difficult questions, and past applicants’ experiences.
To help you understand what to expect in an interview with your target school and prepare accordingly, each Interview Primer provides the following useful details:
Insight into what the school is evaluating and hoping to gain from the interview
An explanation of the school’s approach to interviewing (self-scheduled or invite only, blind versus comprehensive, etc.)
Lists of the school’s most common questions and themes
Past applicants’ firsthand accounts of their interview experiences
Tips on preparing for and responding to common question types
Help with formulating compelling questions of your own
Advice on managing the entire interview process, from scheduling to thank you notes
A first-of-its-kind, on-demand MBA application experience that delivers a personalized curriculum for you and leverages interactive tools to guide you through the entire MBA application process.
As you prepare to reach out to a potential contact, we advise you to consider the following questions:
