New EMBA Program at Columbia Business School

Following the cancellation of its joint executive M.B.A. program, Columbia Business School is now offering a new program, dubbed EMBA-Americas. This innovative program is “designed for highly accomplished and motivated professionals who are looking to enhance their career with a top executive MBA degree, but whose location or schedule precludes them from attending the traditional alternating weekend format of Columbia’s EMBA New York Program.”

Geared toward students across the U.S., Latin America, and Canada, the program meets for a week about once a month, usually in New York City, and runs for a total of five semesters over 20 months.

The inaugural class will begin the program in January 2013, and applications will be open on July 1, 2012, with rolling admissions until the final deadline of October 31, 2012.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Berkeley-Columbia joint EMBA program to close in 2013

Columbia Business School and Berkeley’s Haas School of Business are closing their joint executive MBA program in 2013, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. While the program was originally “about the East Coast meeting the West Coast and Silicon Valley meeting Wall Street,” things have changed over the last 10 years, and “both schools became full-service programs that offered many of the same things to students.”

Current students in the program will continue their classes until graduation and still receive two MBA degrees, one from each school. Prospective students who have been admitted to the program have three options: either join the Columbia Business School EMBA program, the Evening & Weekend Berkeley MBA Program, or defer until the new Berkeley MBA Program for Executives begins in 2013. Alumni will remain in both schools’ alumni networks, continuing to benefit from the events and opportunities provided.

Create an outstanding application to top Executive MBA programs with Accepted.com’s Ace the EMBA: Expert Advice for Rising Executives, a FREE special report!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

As you can see the changes are somewhere between slight and miniscule.  Larger jumps and changes occurred outside the top 10, but the statistical significance of these changes becomes questionable due to fewer responses farther down the list.

And how “reliable” are these rankings? Wait a bit. We’ll be writing more on that.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

What TSA agent can teach MBA applicants

While going through security at the airport recently, I had a first-ever experience:

A TSA agent examining my ID suddenly said, “I know you. You’re Linda Abraham from Accepted.com!”

Surprised, I replied, “You’re right. How did you know?” Accepted.com is not on my ID.

“I’ve attended your webinars.”

Why should I have cared, or actually been pleased, that someone recognized me for my work as an MBA admissions consultant?

I’m human.  And like most people, I like recognition (of the positive kind) for my work and efforts. So if you recognize me, by all means say “hi.”

On the same trip and since, I’ve had several occasions to meet and talk with admissions committee members from a variety of schools including Columbia Business School, NYU Stern, IE, and Cambridge Judge.  Whether in private meetings or in a reception I attended for applicants, at some point each of the adcom members said, “I’m human. I’m reasonable.”

What was the context and what are the implications of this very basic, obvious piece of information. Why did they feel the need to say it?

All were responding to the occasional lack of authenticity in some applications.  For example applicants who write they want to go into social enterprise with no evidence of interest in social enterprise make admissions readers wonder about sincerity. Highly paid applicants  claiming noble, low-paying MBA goals who don’t seem aware of the pay cut awaiting them if they achieve their goals also are cause for wonder. And skepticism.  When human beings are suspicious, they usually just say “no.”

Another point they all made: they know their programs. They want to admit people who will thrive and be happy at their schools. If you successfully portray yourself as someone you are not and they admit the phony you, they will have an unhappy customer on their hands. And you well spend tens of thousands of dollars and two years in the wrong place.  So be yourself.  Present your best self, but it still needs to be you.

Also, keep in mind that no human being likes to be lied to or wants to do something that will ultimately make him or her look bad. The admissions committee members are no different. If they think you are lying or that you aren’t a fit, your admissions chances just took a deep dive.

In my meetings, I asked about applicants applying with a criminal record or with academic infractions. In both cases the associate directors whom I met paused and thought for a minute. They said that they do not automatically reject people with these kinds of issues. Obviously the applicant has to be otherwise qualified, but in considering the infraction, the committee will look at when it occurred, what it was, and the applicant’s response to the event. Obviously, a misdemeanor eight years ago is very different from a felony last month.  Again, they both said, “We’re human. We’re reasonable. We know people can make a mistake.”

That humanity and that drive to help applicants end up in the right school are shared by admissions committee members and admissions consultants.  Yes, the school representatives’ primary responsibility is to their programs, but to the extent they want you to end up at the right school for you and you want to end up at the right school for you, all our interests overlap.  As an admissions consultant, it’s my job to help you find the right school for you  — and then to help you make your best case for acceptance with a self-aware, reflective, authentic, and articulate application.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com. 

Make your best case for acceptance at the right schools for you after reading MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.”

Poets and Quants

For the second year in a row Harvard Business School was named the top MBA program in the US, with Stanford Graduate School of Business coming in second, University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business coming in third, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School coming in fourth and Columbia Business School claiming the fifth spot.

John Byrne, editor-in-chief of Poets and Quants, explained that each of the rankings has a different level of impact on the P&Q rankings: “BusinessWeek, U.S. News and Forbes each have a weight of 25%. The FT is at 15% and The Economist is at 10%.” Basically, the P&Q ranking is a weighted average of all the rankings. Byrne believes that by combining these rankings in “a system that takes into account each of their strengths as well as their flaws,” P&Q can create the ideal ranking system void of the “anomalies” and “statistical distortions” of the other rankings.

Yet, developing a weighted average of a bunch of flawed stats does not compensate, much less eliminate, those flaws. In the end, P&Q rankings are guilty of the same mistakes as the rankings they criticize. Their one redeeming quality is that Poets and Quants publishes the index scores on which their composite rankings are based, giving readers the ability to decide how meaningful the differences in ranking are to them.

The data provided by P&Q (as well as the individual rankings that constitute P&Q’s) is far more valuable than the actual rankings. Averages frequently hide what’s important – like salaries in a particular region or field, or admissions stats for different test scores, qualifications and groups. But with the index scores applicants can prioritize what they are looking for in schools and then see how high specific schools scored in those categories.

Bottom line: You need to do your own ranking based on your own values, not a weighted average of others’ values.

Here are a few posts, articles, and resources that proved particularly popular:

Top Ten Most Visited Accepted Admissions Blog Posts of 2011

1. Harvard Business School 2012 Essay Questions, Deadlines, Tips
2. INSEAD 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
3. London Business School 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
4. 2011 Rankings: BW’s Best Undergraduate Business Schools
5. NYU Stern 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
6. Kellogg 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
7. Columbia 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
8. 2012 Common Application Essay Tips
9. Stanford GSB 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips
10. Chicago Booth 2012 MBA Application Questions, Deadlines, Tips

5 Most Downloaded Special Reports of 2011

1. 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid
2. From Example to Exemplary
3. Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One
4. Leadership in Admissions
5. MBA Rankings: What You Need to Know

5 Most Popular Articles

1. Writing Your Grad School Personal Statement
2. Go for the Goals in Your Statement of Purpose
3. Tips for Writing Letters of Recommendation
4. MBA Admissions: Low GMAT or GPA
5. The Letters of Rec Too?!?

6 Most Viewed Webinars

1. AMCAS Essays for Acceptance
2. Law School Personal Statements with Pizzazz
3. Highlighting Your Strengths in the Common Application
4. MBA Reality Check: Evaluate Your Profile for Acceptance
5. 4 Essentials in an Executive MBA Application
6. The Art of a Gripping MBA Goals Essay

5 Most Visited Chats Pages:

1. Duke NUS Medical School Admissions Q&A
2. Consortium 2011 MBA Application Strategies (2012 version is here.)
3. 2011 London Business School MBA/MiF Admissions Chat (2012 version is here)
4. 2012 INSEAD MBA Admissions Q&A 
5. 2011 Columbia MBA Admissions Q&A

With the year drawing to a close, I have a request. We moved to a new blogging platform in September, and since then, you folks have really stopped asking us questions. On the old blog, we frequently received profile evaluation requests and “what are my chances?” questions on school tip posts. We welcome them! And miss them in our new abode.  Don’t be shy. If you have a question or would like your profile evaluated, just ask.

And what’s the mostest of the mostest at Accepted? The absolute best? YOU! Our readers, followers, circlers, fans, friends, participants, and most of all, our clients. Thanks for a wonderful 2011.

By Linda Abraham, founder and president of Accepted.com, co-author of MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Applicants, learn the 5 fatal flaws to avoid in your application essay, statement of purpose, personal statement, or secondary essay with our FREE special report, 5 Fatal Flaws.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Look no further – the MBA book of all books is here, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, written by Accepted.com founder, Linda Abraham, and editor Judy Gruen. And now, for a very limited time only (Monday, Dec. 5 – Tuesday, Dec. 6) you can purchase this must-have book for $10 OFF the cover price by using coupon code SMARTIES at checkout. That’s almost 2/3 off the list price!

In MBA Admission for Smarties you will learn how to:

• Determine “fit” with a program.
• Establish your post-MBA goals and present them in a compelling goals essay.
• Write dazzling, memorable application essays.
• Secure winning letters of recommendation.
• Optimize your MBA application resume.

…and much, much more!

So what are you waiting for?

Be smart. Buy MBA Admission for Smarties now!

(Non-U.S. residents should buy MBA Admission for Smarties from Amazon.com where international shipping is available. Sorry – no coupon available to ship outside the U.S.)

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

This set of executive MBA essays requires a range of skills: succinct expression, self-reflection and self-understanding, synthesizing threads of your experience and knowledge, and organizational understanding. The questions are not only on different topics, as would be expected, but also different types – it’s as if each question had its own mini-culture, which you must read and respond to. Be prepared to write with sensitivity to the nuance of each question – an opportunity to let different qualities, skills, and talents shine – while creating a coherent holistic portrait with the essays overall.

Columbia Executive MBA Essay Questions and Tips

Short Answer Question

What is your post-MBA professional goal? (200 characters maximum)

No frills here, give the facts straight. But in that short space include specifics, e.g., function, industry and company, and try to weave in a phrase reflecting your vision for these goals.

Essay 1

Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (750 words maximum)

First, answer the question. I’ve seen drafts of this essay that have discussed goals and why-MBA without actually addressing “why now.” This question allows you to present a nice, logical story with “at this point” as the pivot point. A simple, straightforward structure that should work for many: brief intro; then succinct discussion of career focusing selectively on aspects or experiences relevant to development of your goals (skills gained, markets explored, impacts seen, etc.); then the present—why this is the right time for your MBA; then elaboration of goals; and finally why Columbia is a good fit in light of those goals.

Essay 2

Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (500 words maximum)

This essay lets the adcom get to know you as a person beyond your resume and career interests. With only 500 words, I suggest a straightforward approach. Describe a key formative experience in your life and show –by example and anecdote – how it has shaped you subsequently. In selecting topics, don’t worry that your experience might not be unique – it’s a worry I often hear, and I answer by saying there’s not much new under the sun. Not writing about a move to a new country, or a family crisis, or something else commonly experienced is like a novelist not writing a love story because, well, it’s already been done. It has, and it will be done successfully again, and again. The key to making this essay work is to personalize your story as much as possible with detail, anecdote, and your own perceptions, responses.

Essay Three

For the third essay, please choose one of the following three options:

This short essay essentially is about your understanding of the Columbia program and how you will fit in it, contribute, and/or productively use its resources. Review and sketch out possible ideas for each option – mostly likely which question is the best “fit” for you will emerge by this exercise. That will be the question that you have an engaging reply to and for which your answer strategically enhances your application in some way.

Option A:  The annual A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Competition is a student initiative managed and run by the Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO). The competition encourages Columbia MBA students to explore creative, entrepreneurial ideas that are sufficiently ambitious in scope and scale to be considered “outrageous.” Students explore these ideas while learning firsthand what goes into the development and presentation of a solid business proposal.

Develop your own outrageous business idea. In essay form, compose your elevator pitch. (250 words maximum)

Option B: Columbia deeply values its vibrant student community, the building of which begins at orientation when admitted students are assigned to clusters of 65 to 70 fellow students who take most of the first-year core classes together. During the first weeks of school, each cluster selects a cluster chair. Further strengthening the student community are the more than 100 active student organizations at Columbia Business School, ranging from cultural to professional to community service–oriented. Leadership positions within clusters and clubs offer hands-on management and networking opportunities for students as they interact with fellow students, administrators, faculty members, alumni, and practitioners.

You are running for either cluster chair or a club leadership position of your choosing. Compose your campaign speech. (250 words maximum)

Option C: Founded nearly three decades ago, the Executives in Residence Program at Columbia Business School integrates senior executives into the life of the School. Current executives in residence include more than a dozen experts in areas ranging from media and investment banking to private equity and management. A hallmark of the program is one-on-one counseling sessions in which executives advise students about their prospective career choices.

Select one of the current executives in residence with whom you would like to meet during your time at Columbia. Explain your selection and tell us how you would best utilize your half hour one-on-one session. (250 words maximum)

Optional essay

An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays.

This question invites you to present new material that will enhance your application, as well as to explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender if not using a direct supervisor, etc.). As far as non-necessary points, keep in mind that if you are making the adcom read more than is required, there should be a clear value to the information you’re sharing. Finally, keep it short.

Did you like these tips? Click on the link to see more 2012 Executive MBA essay tips.

Deadlines:

Friday/Saturday Core Option: January 2012 entry
Regular Decision: November 9, 2011

Saturday-Only Core Option: May 2012 entry
Regular Decision: February 8, 2012

If you would like help with Columbia’s executive MBA essays, please consider Accepted.com’s Columbia Executive MBA packages or our other MBA admissions consulting and MBA essay editing services.

By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, “Ace the EMBA.”

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

This video, in addition to simply being fun, showcases the many different reasons students can have for attending a top MBA program — from the serious and substantive to the more whimsical and perhaps trivial.

While this video clearly focuses on the specific advantages of Columbia, the operative words in the preceding clause are “focuses” and “specific.” If you find the specific strengths of any school and focus on those in your MBA essays and MBA interviews, you will have the nucleus of a strong response to any “Why School X?” question.

The one crucial element lacking from these tweets and the video is the connection between the applicant’s past, their WhyCBS, and their MBA goals. That’s OK for this video (or any PR piece from a school and its representatives). It’s not OK for applicants.

As Michigan Ross Admissions Director Soojin Kwon Koh wrote so clearly in her recent blog post:

“We’re not looking for you to tell us about us, the essays are your chance to tell us about you. We know we have a MAP program, we know we’re a student-driven community. We want to know why you think that these and other aspects of our program resonate with you.”

If you are asked “Why this School?” don’t just spit back the school’s brochure  or web site or this video. Why are these characteristics attractive given your MBA goal and your past? A persuasive MBA goals essay connects a program’s strengths to the applicant’s goals given his or her past.

That connection is magic.

By Linda Abraham, Accepted’s founder and president.