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In recent years, several admissions offices have launched newsletters, dramatically increasing transparency in the admissions process. The most recent edition of the Chicago GSB’s admissions newsletter offers an article on the Ten Myths and Misperceptions about the Admissions Process.

We find the following statements to be particularly important for aspiring applicants, but certainly suggest that candidates click on the link above and read all ten – a process that will hopefully help calm some frayed nerves.

“Myth 3: It’s impossible to be admitted during Round 3.

While Round 2 sees the greatest number of applications, some students are just not ready to apply until the Round 3 deadline (this year, that’s March 14th, 2007). Round 3 is truly no more or less competitive than Rounds 1 or 2. You should apply when you believe that you can turn in the application that you’re most proud of, and best reflects you and your strengths and talents. We do encourage our international students to consider Round 1 or 2 because of potential difficulties in obtaining a student visa prior to the start of classes in late August.”

“Myth 6: If you submit your application early, you will definitely get an interview invitation early. Otherwise, you are denied.

The process of inviting applicants to interview is entirely random, and the point at which you hear from us is not a reflection on the strength of your application—promise! The interview invitation process lasts a few weeks for each round as our staff continues to read and review applications. If you are not invited to interview, you are denied admission for that particular round.”

This morning, India’s Pagalguy published an interview with Nancy Granada, Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Tuck. While the interview includes a variety of questions tailored to Indian candidates, there is still a wealth of information on the application process in general. Of particular note, Ms. Granada discusses the way that Tuck reviews applications, the need for candidates to identify their unique connection to Tuck (see our Monday Morning Essay Tips on Ensuring that your Essays are Truly Personal, Contextualizing your Academic Objectives and Your Contribution) and Tuck’s treatment of re-applicants. This article should be quite valuable to any aspiring Tuck applicant.

Interested in being a source of anxiety for thousands of aspiring future executives? MIT Sloan’s Admissions Office is seeking to fill the position of Assistant Director of MBA Admissions . We can only imagine how many of you, who have just gone through the application process, are tempted to jump across the table…

Immediately after the rush of January deadlines, we asked candidates a simple question: What Next? We offered a variety of options: relax, look east (apply to European MBA programs) , look North (apply to Canadian MBA programs), the third round and safety schools.

Today, we continue our MBA Essay Analysis series, with a “look north,” exploring the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Business, Business Week’s third-ranked international MBA program. Our series will continue with additional analysis of Canadian and European MBA programs in the coming weeks.

1. Discuss your personal and professional development over the past five years and describe how these changes have led you to choose to do your MBA at this time. What are your career goals and how will a Rotman MBA help you to achieve them? (Please limit your answer to 500 words)

Again, because of significant overlap from school to school, we have produced a document on personal statements and are more than happy to offer it to anyone interested. Please email [email protected] for an electronic copy which will help you approach this essay.

Still, despite some similarities to other schools, it is worth keeping in mind that Rotman’s personal statement has its own nuances. In the question itself, Rotman identifies a five-year span of experiences; you should be mindful not to exceed this limitation. We do not recommend a thorough exploration of each position, but recommend that candidates emphasize their latest and most impressive accomplishments to create a stronger impact. While you may find it tempting to discuss your entire career path in depth, it is important to be selective and not to create an imbalance towards this part of the essay. It is never wise to sacrifice a thorough discussion of the schools merits; a profound “Why Rotman?” is vital.

Also, it is important to note that Rotman opens its essay to a discussion of your personal development, not just your professional development; this will allow you to get beyond the spreadsheets and discuss important transitions (for example, immigrating to a new country) or advanced community leadership, which have has shaped your path. These personal elements can truly bring your essays to life and should not be overlooked.

2. One of the Rotman School’s underlying principles is the value of one; this reflects the belief that each member of the Rotman community has unique needs and talents. What are your greatest talents and/or abilities and how would each enhance the experience of your classmates? (Please limit your answer to 250 words)

Considering the limited word count, it is important that you try not to write about too many different talents/abilities. In this essay, you might explore one or two unique abilities in depth; by trying to list four or five, you undermine the idea that they are unique characteristics and also will not have room to thoroughly develop each idea. A successful essay will not only detail your unique strengths, but also clearly illustrate how they will be in action at Rotman, meaning that you will have an opportunity to show your intimate understanding of and connection to the school.

3. Imagine that ten years from now a colleague is describing you to a new employee. What will s/he say about you that you are not known for now? How will you achieve these new skills? (Please limit your answer to 250 words)

While this question may seem perplexing at first, it is actually relatively straightforward. To paraphrase: “What new skills will you have in ten years and how will you ensure that you will develop them?” In some ways, this question has similarities to Harvard Business School essay four , which discusses how you will develop ethical competencies in the future. Like HBS, Rotman wants to ensure that your learning – in this case professional – will not cease as you complete your MBA; they want to know that you have a plan to continue to grow and push yourself after graduation and it is important that – without being overly technical – you establish that plan.

4. Describe a professional experience when you did not live up to your full potential. What would you do differently if you had to do it again? (Please limit your answer to 250 words)

Instead of asking a typical “failure/setback” question, Rotman offers a twist in which they want to know about a time in which you did not meet your “full potential”. In doing so, Rotman is leaving open the possibility that your endeavor was successful, but that there were still important aspects that were not achieved. Essentially, they make this a “guilt-free” essay, where you can present yourself positively and be certain that you have not harpooned your own candidacy. Still, this essay does not place you above criticism; it is important that you be honest, assess where you went wrong and sincerely consider what you would have done differently.

The Financial Times rankings , generally accepted as the premiere international ranking of MBA programs, came out early this week and there were very few surprises. Cambridge’s Judge program vaulted from 35th place to 15th place and HEC Paris and CEIBS entered the top-twenty, while no school exited the top-twenty, because of various mutually held 19th place positions.

While the Financial Times ranking is remarkably comprehensive, its very comprehensiveness makes it one of the more absurd rankings. For example, Nanyang University (Singapore) ties with George Washington University for 67th place. We surmise that not one candidate would be choosing between the two and that it is impossible to compare the programs at all – rendering the rankings, at this point, irrelevant. Further, the idea that a school can leap twenty places is somewhat absurd as well. Is Cambridge a completely different program than it was last year when it was ranked 35th? If one were to argue that the Financial Times finally reassessed Cambridge after a four year hiatus, wouldn’t this suggest that the ranking itself is flawed and that the time lag is just too long?

At MBA Mission, we take a somewhat detached view of rankings. Rankings have some relevance in that they keep schools sharp and are a general reflection of school’s brand strength, but they also need to be read with a sense of humor, as methodologies can be flawed and the rankings themselves can change quite rapidly.