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Dawna Clarke (Tuck)
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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.

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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.

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Below are links to our comments on some of the top programs' essay topics.
The Career Goals Essay*
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Michigan / Ross*
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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

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ARCHIVE FOR JUNE 2004

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Article: Bringing B-School to the Mideast

INSEAD in Beirut? London Business School in Dubai? UVA/Darden in Bahrain? IESE in Cairo?

The spread of management education is wider than you might think, and BusinessWeek’s Mica Schneider has just penned an interesting article on management course offerings in the Middle East.

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/jun2004/bs20040628_2479_bs001.htm

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Limited Waitlist Movement Expected at the Top

As the summer unfolds, many of the top MBA programs are finding themselves with full (or even oversubscribed) incoming classes. This points to the fact that there is unlikely to be much additional movement on the waitlists in the coming weeks. As such, waitlisters who are hanging on may want to take a step back and develop a back-up/reapplication plan. Reapplication is always an option - and waitlisters typically fare well as second-time applicants.

Here are some excerpts from the Clear Admit Guide to Reapplication:

OVERVIEW
If you are determined to attend only a top MBA program, one of the realities you must face is that you may not get in the first time you apply. As you sit with your collection of rejection letters and perhaps an ‘admit’ packet from your safety school, many people (including your friends and family) will tell you that you would be better off settling on the safety school that accepted you. This is frequently not the case. In fact, if you can afford to wait an extra year, you may find that rejection actually increases your odds of attending your dream program. Believe it or not, reapplicants make up a substantial percentage of the applicant pool to top schools each year. They also have a much higher acceptance rate at top schools (around 20%) than first-time applicants (around 12-14%).

Although you can make reapplication work in your favor, it is very important that you proceed with a clear plan for the second application cycle. During this fast turnaround (in which one admissions season blends into the next), you may become involved in any number of the following activities:

1) Contacting schools for feedback on your candidacy
2) Attending evening classes in quantitative subjects
3) Retaking the GMAT
4) Visiting schools
5) Rethinking/refining your career goals
5) Reworking your essays
6) Identifying and coaching new recommendation writers
7) Increasing your responsibility at work
Taking on new extracurricular challenges
9)…………….
10)……………

Contact Clear Admit to learn more about reapplication strategies. Mention this blog posting and we’ll give you access to discount rate for reapplicants (available until July 1st).

Monday, June 28, 2004

Article: Brighter Job Prospects for MBA Graduates

The Boston Globe is reporting good news for MBAs in the class of 2004. An article published over the weekend offers details on the hiring recovery.

According to one HBS graduate who weighed three different full-time offers earlier this spring: “It’s night and day compared to 2002.”

To back up this claim, the Globe interviewed career services offices at MIT, HBS and other area schools. ”Job postings for 2004 MBA graduates were up 65 percent, and internships were up more than 40 percent,” said Jackie Wilbur, director of MBA career development at the Sloan School of Management at MIT. ”It is a sign that things may be improving.”

For the full text of the article: MBAs Graduate to a Brighter Forecast

Given the increasing demand for MBA graduates and the recent declines in applicant volume, the fall of 2004 is shaping up to be an excellent time to apply to the top business schools.

Friday, June 25, 2004

Admissions Tip: GMAT Help

For those of you constantly in search of more advice on the GMAT, we’d like to call your attention to the ‘GMAT Club’. The GMAT Club is a free web site/online community serving MBA-aspirants who are interested in improving their performance on the GMAT. Although their resources, sample questions and tips will not substitute a formal course, the site can serve as a wonderful supplement, allowing GMAT test takers to come together and share various strategies.

Visit the ‘club’ at: http://www.gmatclub.com/content/courses/index.php

Don’t forget to see our earlier postings in this blog for key information about overall GMAT strategy in the application process (when the test should be taken, how many times, etc.).

Thursday, June 24, 2004

From the Clear Admit Mailbag

This email message came into our ‘inbox’ from an avid reader of the ‘Ask Clear Admit’ discussion thread on BusinessWeek Online.

—– Original Message —–
From:
To: info@clearadmit.com
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 7:58 AM
Subject: IMD - I’m in!

Dear Clear Admit,

I came across your thread on the Business Week discussion board. Despite the presence of several “Ask xxxx consultants” threads, the depth of your answers to posters drew me to read the thread from post 1. I particularly like your insights into essays and how to craft resumes (e.g. - I never knew about “active verbs” before talking to you). I also liked your unique advice on the presentation of extracurricular activities.

After reading your thread and learning about several techniques, I applied to IMD for the Jan 05 start of their full time 10 month MBA. This is a particularly challenging application because one is asked to present a lot of information in highly condensed form across 10-12 short essays (again - active verbs helped a lot). It appears I may have done something right though; I’ve just made it through a lengthy process and have been offered a place in the IMD Class of 2005!

Thanks a million to your thread and the consultants who responded to my queries!

Cheers,

************

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Article: HBS in China?

Harvard Business School Press has agreed to a partnership with China’s oldest publishing house in a deal that will publish HBS Press books in Chinese. This news comes just a few months after the announcement of the Wharton-Pearson publishing deal, signaling that the top MBA programs continue to increase their global reach via their publication arms. In addition, both Wharton and HBS recently held their annual alumni conferences in Shanghai, expressing a desire to build their alumni networks in the region.

Building the HBS brand and sharing business expertise in China is a great move for Harvard. Articles on the subject can be found in the Boston Business Journal and on the China View web site.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Special Offer: Clear Admit ‘Early Bird’ Discount

We are currently offering a special discount to all clients who sign up with Clear Admit prior to July 1st, 2004 (the date that our rates for the 2004-2005 season come online). Clients who sign up before July 1st, 2004 may purchase as many hours as they like at a reduced rate.

Please visit our early bird discount page for details.

Monday, June 21, 2004

Admissions Tip: Preparing for the GMAT

For those of you preparing for the GMAT, here are a few general tips:

1) Get your hands on real test questions by purchasing the Official Guide for GMAT Review (the only publication that contains questions actually used in past exams). Be sure to get the 10th edition. You can purchase the guide at your local bookstore or via Amazon.com (link).

2) Take full-length, computer-based, practice tests on weekends. Because the GMAT is a rather lengthy exam, it makes sense to build up your endurance by taking the test under realistic, timed conditions. Don’t complete sections of the test in between episodes of your favorite sitcom. Try to take the exam at home (or at your test-prep firm’s simulated testing center) at least 3-4 times prior to taking the real thing.

3) Spend 1-2 hours/day working on GMAT problem sets. Devise a study plan based on your performance in the practice tests.

4) Seriously consider a prep course. The course will put you on a schedule and force you to prepare. Taking a course will also give you access to simulated tests, problem sets, personal instruction and a place to take timed exams under realistic conditions.

While a high GMAT score isn’t the only factor in the admissions process at the top schools, it is an important element that should not be taken lightly.

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Article: Clear Admit in BusinessWeek

BusinessWeek Online has just published an article on the 2003-2004 admissions cycle, highlighting the decrease in applicant volume at the top schools and illuminating the strategies that the top programs are using to cope with the decline.

Given our track record and years of experience in the space, the magazine came to us for information about trends in the MBA admissions world, ultimately quoting Clear Admit in the article.

For details, check out BusinessWeek Online: The Year of the MBA Applicant

It goes without saying that the current trend in application volume will provide a great opportunity for those of you applying to the top schools this fall…

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Blog of Blogs

As you may know, we often alert our readers to the presence or creation of new blogs. In the past year, we’ve directed you to several MBA-themed blogs or diaries run by MBA students and applicants. The reason for this is because we feel that there is a lot of great information available about the ‘applicant experience’ and the individual MBA programs. Successful applicants must stay informed!

Today, we would like to highlight a blog that compiles postings from a handful of MBA-themed blogs, allowing ‘early bird’ applicants and other interested parties to quickly absorb the most recent information at once.

http://hella.opencoder.org/mbablognews/

Happy reading!

Monday, June 14, 2004

Article: Career choices may depend on getting that MBA

It’s common knowledge in the MBA admissions world that candidates typically use the degree to accelerate their career. This often involves a jump from one function/industry to another.

Last week’s Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal discusses the number of MBA graduates who are using the degree to elevate their careers via a change of industry or job function. Interestingly enough, it would appear that more than half of the graduates are ‘career changers’ who rely on the MBA to facilitate the leap they are making.

Read the article here: http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2004/06/07/daily38.html

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

Admissions Tip: Approaching the ‘Career Goals’ Essay

Most MBA programs pose an essay question along the following lines:

What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Business School X help you achieve these goals?

This ‘career goals’ essay question can serve as an excellent starting point for those of you who are getting a head start on your Fall 2004 application essays. We’ve included some related excerpts from the Clear Admit Essay Guide below:

Career Goals Essay

Whether 1,000 or 500 words long, the school will be looking for clearly and fully defined long- and short-term career goals; your reasons for pursuing an MBA, and why at this point in time; and your specific interest in School X and your plans to contribute to the School X community, if admitted. This essay can also include a brief but coherent career history that shows progress toward your career goals. A great essay manages to thoroughly and efficiently address each of these elements, with a nice balance between the ‘career progression’ section, the ‘career goals/why MBA’ section and the ‘why School X’ section.

Admissions officers understand that successful students are focused in their ambitions, so they look for applicants with:

-Narrowly defined career goals and
-A coherent career path that shows progress toward those goals.

Beyond presenting coherent and very specific in your career goals essay, it is also important to keep the following concept in mind: any fair trade necessitates mutual benefit. In other words, in addition to showing that School X is the best MBA program for your needs, you should demonstrate to School X that you will enrich its community. Discuss insights and knowledge that you will contribute in class, and skills and interests for getting involved in activities (clubs, organizations, etc.) outside of class.

Contact Clear Admit to learn more about our ‘early bird’ admissions package for the coming season.

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

The Clear Admit Mailbag

Here are two testimonials recently submitted by clients who applied to several top MBA programs using our services:

“Using Clear Admit was like using a personal trainer, they were constantly there pushing me to strive to do more than I thought I was capable of and may have otherwise viewed as a burden. Ultimately, it was this guidance that allowed me to get offers at 3 of 4 Top 15 schools I applied to. Applying to b-school is certainly not easy, but Clear Admit gives you the road map you need to be competitive and achieve your goal of getting accepted.” - Applicant attending Columbia this fall

“I have an Ivy league undergrad education, have family and friends with MBA’s from the top schools (including quite a few from HBS) but feel after working with Clear Admit that even with this background I would have not put my best put forward without CA. I also feel that I turned out excellent essays, choose the right recommenders and performed well in my interviews because my Clear Admit consultant constantly pushed me to focus and improve on what I was writing and saying. Applications are a very stressful time and it was great to be able to have Clear Admit a phone call away with sound advice. I also felt very comfortable working with my consultant because of his professionalism and ethics. He would always turn around things on time (or early) even though I was not getting things to him on the dates agreed! While Clear Admit’s services pushed me and helped to improve my essays and interviewing skills - they did not in any way write my essays. This was very important to me because I worked with Clear Admit so that I could get professional and sound advice - not have my essays outsourced.” - Applicant attending HBS this fall

Monday, June 07, 2004

GMAT Volume

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (makers of the GMAT exam) recently posted the following information on their web site:

Year-to-Date GMAT Volume
The year-to-date GMAT volume through April 30, 2004 - 70,179 worldwide - shows an 8.65% decrease when compared with the number of tests taken during the same time period in 2003.

The number of tests taken so far in 2004 in the United States shows a decline of 3.90% from testing volume during the first four months of 2003. Outside the United States, the decline in testing volume is more pronounced - 17.50%.

This means that the 2004-2005 admissions season could be another great year to apply to the top MBA programs - particularly for international students. Of course, the overall rate of decline in GMAT test-taking volume has actually begun to slow after two years of fairly significant declines, which means that admissions volume is likely to stabilize in the near future.

See the full report/statistics at the GMAC site: http://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTrends/GMATStatistics/CurrentGMATVolume.htm

Friday, June 04, 2004

Admissions Tip: Reapplying to the Top MBA Programs

For those of you reapplying to business school this fall, here are a few basic tips:

1) Look over your applications and general profile and try to identify any deficiencies that may have led to rejection. Did you make the mistake of rationalizing your weaknesses away when you applied the first time (low GMAT, limited work experience, etc.)? Did you spend enough time crafting tailored essays for each school? Did you work closely with your recommendation writers to make sure they understood your positioning strategy?

2) Get feedback from the schools that rejected you (if they provide it). Programs like Wharton and Kellogg actually allow applicants to set up a formal feedback session with an admissions officer. Note: Be sure to take the right approach during your feedback session. Many applicants hurt their chances as a reapplicant by taking the wrong approach during their feedback session. (Contact us to learn more about the Clear Admit Guide to Feedback Sessions.)

3) No matter how frustrated and tired you are when it comes to MBA admissions, do not take the summer months off. It is imperative to use this time to address weaknesses in your profile and increase your chances for admission in the coming admissions cycle.

4) Send your resume, basic stats and admissions results to info@clearadmit.com and get a free initial assessment of your candidacy in order to learn what may have gone wrong. You may also send us your unsuccessful applications and sign up for a Clear Admit Feedback Report (an 8-10 paged review of your candidacy that highlights the trouble spots in your applications from last year and devises an appropriate reapplication strategy).

Overall, it is important to be proactive as a reapplicant. Admissions officers have a strong distaste for reapplicants who show up with more or less the same application package - ignoring weaknesses that were present the first time.

Thursday, June 03, 2004

Stanford Releases Deadlines for 2004-2005 Admissions Cycle

This just in from the Stanford web site:

—Fall 2005 Application Calendar—

Application received by//Interviews//Decision posted:
Round 1: October 28, 2004//Early November to Mid January//January 18, 2005
Round 2 January 6, 2005//Mid January to Late March//March 31, 2005
Round 3 March 17, 2005//Late March to Mid May//May 12, 2005

We have three application deadlines each year. It is important to note that:
-Applications must be submitted online.
-You may apply only once in any application year.
-It is most important that you apply only when you feel your application is as strong as it can be. However, applying in the earlier rounds will allow more time to address some important issues such as financial aid and housing.
-All application materials must be received (not postmarked or faxed) in our office by 5:00 p.m. PST on the deadline date.

As in past years, Stanford’s first round deadline will fall approximately two weeks after the deadlines for Wharton, HBS and Columbia (ED).

Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Article: Columbia’s ‘Outgoing’ Dean

BW Online has published an article that nicely summarizes the career of Dean Meyer Feldberg at Columbia Business School. For those of you who are curious as to where CBS has come from since Feldberg took over in 1989 - and where the program is headed in the future - this is a must read.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_23/b3886123.htm

Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Admissions Tip: ‘Red Flags’

When applying to the top schools, it is important to avoid ‘red flags’ in your application. For the uninitiated, ‘red flags’ are negative items that stand out in your file and may result in rejection from business school. While most applicants understand the basic ‘red flags’, like a 2.4 GPA or a recommendation letter that is unsupportive, there are many less obvious triggers.

A recent Admissions Director Symposium organized by the Graduate Management Admissions Council produced an interesting publication on the subject of admissions policy and ‘red flags’:

Identifying ‘Red Flags’ in the Application Process
The Directors Symposium participants found that many of the markers of less successful students can be identified in the application process but are often overlooked - everything from numerous job changes in a short period of time to strange personal interactions or difficulty communicating. These signals should not be ignored, said participants. It may be useful to discuss any ‘red flags’ with other colleagues, to determine which shortcomings can be mitigated by other qualities and which should be reasons not to offer admission.

One red flag that is often ignored but should be taken seriously, said some symposium participants, is excessive contact with the admissions office. Termed “Hassler Syndrome” by one participant, extreme dependency on the admissions office may signal a lack of self-confidence that manifests itself as neediness. This trait may show up later in the learning environment, when the student is unable to contribute meaningfully to classes and work groups and becomes known as a “net taker”. The same person may be a drain on career services, unable to take initiative in a job search.

The article goes on to discuss additional ‘red flags’ that admissions officers should note. Although aimed at the admissions community, this is recommended reading for applicants to the top schools. At minimum it should make applicants think twice before placing all those phone calls to the admissions office!

DISCUSSIONS / BLOGS / WIKI

• What Does 2009 Have In Store For You?
• Advice for Recently Admitted Students from a Tuck School of Business First-Year
• Trivia Tuesday: Public Management at Stanford
• Recessions Are Good Times to Consider a Return to School, New York Times Says
• Admissions Tip: Essay-Writing Difference Makers

Wiki

Discussion Boards

School-Hosted Blogs

Straight from the source: aggregated posts from students and administration. Below are the seven most recent posts in school-hosted blogs.

Individuals' Blogs

Bloggers by School

Community Blogs

Best of Blogging

• Top 10 Applicants:
• July Dream
• Miss Curly Bee
• VidiViciVeni
• B-School Bound
• Tinydancer
• gltnforpnshmnt
• mbabound08
• Achilles
• Eight Schools
• MBA Runner Girl

• Top 10 Students:
• m@ (Ross)
• MaybeMBA (Chicago)
• Hair Twirler (Georgetown)
• Iday (Chicago)
• J-term Johnny (Columbia)
• La Laudiaria (Wharton)
• MBA Gladiator (Yale)
• Angel Angie (LBS)
• Necromonger (INSEAD)
• Chrisof Meyer (Darden)

• Top 10 Applicants:
• Rungee582
• Iday
• Juggler
• Asiangal
• Forrest Gump
• RusGirl
• Hair Twirler
• JatWarrior
• MBA Babe
• Anand

• Top 10 Students:
• Angel Angie (LBS)
• The Divine Miss N (LBS)
• From Cali (Ross)
• Tim K. (McCombs)
• Noelle (IESE)
• Jerry Blank (Yale)
• Benny (Tuck)
• La Laudiaria (Wharton)
• Karlitos (LBS)
• MBA Gladiator (Yale)

• Top 10 Applicants:
• MBA Jackass
• Marina
• Forrest Gump
• Pupstar78
• Axechick
• Sorebrek
• Angel Angie
• I_Will_Make_It
• Redwolf056
• Vatsa

• Top 10 Students:
• Marquis (Stanford)
• Poweryogi (Chicago)
• KV (LBS)
• FutureMBAGirl (Wharton)
• The Divine Miss N (LBS)
• Vijay (ISB)
• Wakechick (Chicago)
• NoelleBellie (IESE)
• Jerry Blank (Yale)
• Olivier (INSEAD)

• PowerYogi
• Brit-Chick
• bskewl
• WakeChick
• Dave
• Iceman07
• iwhoElse
• Atta Girl
• Aregon23
• Classy

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