Applying to a European MBA program isn’t quite the same as applying to an American program. The programs themselves often have a different focus than U.S. schools, and adcoms therefore look out for different skills and qualifications. I’d like to direct you to the following resources on our website – blog posts that focus specifically on how to answer specific questions on specific European b-school applications. Please check them out and be in touch if you have any questions!

School-Specific Tips for European B-Schools:

• Cambridge Judge MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• ESADE MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• HEC Paris MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• IMD MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• INSEAD MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• London Business School MBA Essay Tips
  
  
• London Business School MiF Essay Questions and Tips
  
  
• London Business School MiM Essay Questions and Tips
  
  
• Oxford Said MBA Essay Tips

For more advice, I recommend you check out these podcasts that feature interviews with adcom members from top European b-schools – it’s always good to get advice from the source itself!

• How to Get Into HEC Paris MBA Program
  
  
• How an MBA Can Help Entrepreneurs, an interview with Inge Kerkloh-Devif, Senior Executive Director and Senior Vice President of the HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center
  
  
• How to Get Accepted to Oxford Said Business School
  
  
• Why Is This Successful Leader Investing In an Oxford Said Executive MBA?
  
  
• What Prospective MBAs Need to Know About Applying to INSEAD
  
  
• What to Expect From the MBA Experience at Cambridge Judge Business School
  
  
• This London Business School MBA’s Startup Is Protecting Your Online Privacy
  
  
• How the ESADE MBA Program Aspires to Make a Positive Impact
  
  
• Early Career Management and European MBA Programs with Jamie Wright
  
  
• All About the Grenoble DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration)

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA-WBR-INSEAD”]

The post Tips for Applying to European Business Schools appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

If you are looking for a one-year, full-time MBA program, then IMD may be the perfect fit for you. The typical age of IMD MBA students is 25-32 with 7 years of work experience, but IMD recently announced that it wants more younger applicants too. 

The program begins in January every year and runs through the following December, with the opportunity for students to take on summer internships in July and immerse in international consulting projects for 8 weeks from August to November. Students have executed 600+ projects in 400 global companies!

To become one of these select students, applicants must prove their academic ability, career progression, leadership potential and international outlook. Academic ability is gauged by your previous grades (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate studies) and GMAT/GRE score. Career progression (and in some ways your international outlook) are evidenced in your one-page resume, which must adhere to IMD’s template. And you can demonstrate your leadership potential through the two required recommendation letters and your essays.

IMD MBA 2022-23 application essays

IMD MBA application “source of information section”

What other programs are you applying to? Of the programs you are applying to, what can IMD bring to you as a differentiator? (Word limit 100)

What they really want to know here is whether you realize what makes IMD special. The best way to answer this question after listing the other school names is to share some of the details you revealed through conversations with alumni and students about how IMD best fits your unique needs and ambitions.

Career development

IMD asks for details about your career goals (drop-down menus about your target industry, function, and geography). Then, you are asked to elaborate on those goals.

What specific companies do you want to target? What kind of responsibilities are you looking for? Do you already have a network in place? (Text box word limit 50)

Applicants must demonstrate that their post-MBA goals are achievable and appropriate. While 73% of IMD graduates change industries, 84% change function and 73% change geographies (source: IMD website), you must do your research to make sure that you are targeting roles that fit with your background and the education you will receive at IMD, not an unachievable fantasy. If your ambitions are too great, IMD will worry that you will be dissatisfied when graduation brings you in touch with reality.

What skills and experience do you think you already possess that will help you with your post MBA career plans and will make you stand out in front of potential employers? (Text Box word limit 100)

Here is your opportunity to prove that you have done your research. One-hundred words is brief, but we recommend that you use this space to share a short example that demonstrates two or three of the transferable skills that will make you an asset in your target role. Sure, you could spend 100 words just listing those transferable skills but a story that ties them together will prove that you possess them rather than just claim that you do. 

What is your plan B if you are not able to secure your ideal job post MBA? (Text box word limit 50)

The Admissions Committee uses this question to set applicant expectations appropriately. Do you recognize the work that will be involved in securing your target roles? What steps will you take and what alternate path might you pursue to move forward toward your longer-term goals if you hit a wall in your initial job search?

IMD MBA essay

Describe a situation in which you failed as a leader. What did you learn from it? (Text box word limit 300)

Here you have an opportunity to highlight a few important qualities: tenacity, humility, and of course leadership. While 300 words is brief, the best use of that space is a brief summary of the initial failure followed by a longer discussion of your growth and how you integrated those lessons thereafter

Optional essay

Is there any additional information that is critical for the Admissions Committee which has not been covered elsewhere in this application? (i.e. re-application, health, grades, etc.) (Text box word limit 50)

This question does not offer enough space for a lengthy story, but it does give you the opportunity to clarify questions that did not fit elsewhere in IMD’s compact application. It does not make sense to use this space, for example, to declare that the adcom should ignore your previous GPA or GMAT score, but rather to share details to prove that you will be a strong addition to the international and driven class.

IMD at a glance

IMD MBA average GMAT score: 680

Average years of work experience: 7

IMD MBA acceptance rate: 30%

Check out the Business School Selectivity Index for more stats about top b-schools.

IMD MBA 2022-2023 application deadlines

IMD has one of the fastest response times of all top global MBA programs: applicants are notified within 2 weeks of the deadline whether they have been invited to an immersive Assessment Day, which includes an interview, an elevator pitch, a team experience, class observation (if you attend the event on campus) and networking events. 

These tips are for the application for the Jan 12, 2023 – Dec 15, 2023 MBA in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Source: IMD website

For expert guidance with your IMD MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA—SR—Top-MBA-Essay-Tips”]

By Jennifer Bloom, admissions consultant at Accepted for 20 years and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She is an expert at guiding you to produce application materials that truly differentiate you from the rest of the driven applicant pool. If you would like help with your application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget. Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Why MBA?, a free guide to writing about your MBA Goals
• 4 Sure-Fire Ways to Ace Essays Showing Resilience in the Face of Failure
• Short and Sweet: Tips for Writing “Mini” MBA Essays

The post IMD MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2022-2023] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The Financial Times has released its global rankings of the best MBA programs and has considerably shuffled the deck. Several top-ranked programs fell several notches, while others rose considerably. For the first time since 2011, Wharton has returned to its status as #1 in FT’s list. 

Other programs that made giant strides in the rankings include Columbia Business School (ranked 8th in 2020), and Kellogg (Northwestern), now #5 (11th place in 2020). One reason for such huge fluctuations was that five of the top U.S. programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, and Columbia) were not listed at all last year at all, skewing that year’s results. 

Other highly rated programs that suffered serious tumbles in the rankings include London Business School, Tuck (Dartmouth), and UVA Darden. In fact, 69 of the 91 schools ranked fell in the rankings, many of them by double digits.  

Compared with last year, many of these schools’ rankings looked like riders on a roller coaster, with some plunging far below and others rising by as much as 20 points to unprecedented heights. 

As we have cautioned before, it’s vital to keep these rankings in perspective. They are based on many variables that have little or nothing to do with the quality of the curricula per se.

Do you see yourself in one of these top programs? Find out how working one-on-one with one of our Admissions Consultants can help get you ACCEPTED!

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA—SR—Guide-to-selecting-right-one”]

Related Resources:

• Top 10 or Bust: Dispelling 2 MBA Myths
• Top MBA Programs Get STEM-Certified to Attract Int’l Students
• B-School Selectivity Index: Discover the Schools Where You are a Competitive Applicant

The post Financial Times Ranks Wharton as #1 in 2022 Rankings appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

IMD Executive MBA application essays

IMD EMBA essay #1

Please briefly state your career objectives. (160 words) 

This length equates to one long or two short paragraphs. Be specific: note intended roles/positions, industry, possibly geography. Give an example of companies that interest you. State not just what you want to do, but, most important, WHY. What motivates you to pursue these career objectives? What would you like to accomplish? What impact would you like to have in the long term — your “vision”? There is enough room to provide some context, so consider adding in a point or two relevant to your situation; that could include a variety of topics, such as market trends that affect or that drive your goals, whether your goals are part of a formal development plan, a “Plan B” if needed, etc. Click here to download a free copy of our guide to writing about MBA goals, Why MBA? >>

IMD EMBA essay #2

Please describe three situations, business or otherwise, in which you were involved and which were of importance to you. Explain why you view them as such. (200 words)

Selecting three interesting, different, and in some way significant situations is the key to using this essay to maximum effect. It gives the adcom YOUR lens onto your life and career –and it gives you a chance to present a multifaceted self-portrait. Ideally, at least one of the three situations will not be work-related. In terms of time frame, generally, the longer ago something happened, the “bigger” its meaning and impact should be to make it a viable essay topic. For example, you should generally steer clear of discussing something as far back as high school – unless, for example, you escaped with your family from a region at war. Most likely, you’ll discuss situations that occurred within the last five years or so. Try to have at least one fairly recent work-related story, and also discuss experiences that are different. I suggest three paragraphs, each devoted to one situation. In each, describe the situation, and then discuss why it was important to you – and if it was so for multiple reasons, focus on one or two. Be thoughtful and insightful, don’t just state the obvious. 

How to Get Accepted to a Top EMBA Program: The Experts Speak [Episode 348]

IMD EMBA essay #3

Please comment on a situation where you failed to reach an objective and what you learned from it. (200 words)

Here you have a chance to go more in depth on a specific experience. It often works best to use an experience from work, not too far in the past, as this allows the adcom to see you performing at a high level and dealing with big stakes. First, narrate the situation, giving specifics such as where, who, when, etc. Don’t shrink from the part where you failed to reach the objective – this is the pivot point of the story. Explain what happened and be frank about where you fell short. Describe your learning from it – and then add a sentence or two noting how you have since applied that learning.

IMD EMBA essay #4

In what ways do you believe you can contribute to the IMD Executive MBA program? (200 words)

Identify 2-3 key ways in which you stand out among IMD Executive MBA applicants and elaborate on how these factors will enable you to contribute. There is no formula here; it will differ for each applicant. Some examples of factors to present are a unique industry perspective or niche, an unusual or powerful experience at work, in-depth experience in an under-represented developing region, work that deals with critical or evolving social issues, significant and high-impact volunteer work. And/or, you may have compelling aspects of your personal story that reflect a unique perspective to share. These are just examples. For the top 2-3 factors you mention, describe each briefly and how/why it will enable you to contribute. After this substantive discussion, if you wish and have room, you can add a couple more points in a concluding sentence or two – but there is no need to do so. 

International exposure

Please list significant experience living, working and studying outside your own country. Include the activity time, time period (year/s), and country or region.

The question says “list,” so no need to elaborate beyond the facts requested. However, “significant” is open to interpretation. Note “living, working and studying” – do not try to contort vacations into this section in order to increase the international exposure or show off an exotic experience. DO detail the relevant specifics, e.g., don’t just say “semester studying in Mexico” – note what you studied, the name of the university, and any additional important elements such as leading a club or writing a thesis in Spanish.

For expert guidance with your IMD Executive MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to IMD’s EMBA program and look forward to helping you too!

IMD Executive MBA application deadlines for 2022

“The IMD Executive MBA program has several starting dates each year. As competition is high for places in the program, we recommend that you start the application process as soon as you and your company are sure of your decision.

As soon as we receive applications, we review them and make acceptance decisions. This means that the class can fill up even several months in advance of the date it actually starts. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early. Typically, we respond to all applicants within 3 weeks.”

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA—SR—Ace-the-EMBA”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Signature-Code—Cindy-MBA”]

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your MBA Application Essays, a free guide
• School-Specific Executive MBA Application Essay Tips
• EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants

The post IMD Executive MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [2021 – 2022] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Harvard Business School has taken the top spot away from Stanford Graduate School of Business in the Financial Times 2020 global MBA ranking. 

Although the Financial Times ranking is designed to favor non-U.S. programs, 15 of the top 25 MBA programs are based in the U.S. This result comes despite the decline in applications to U.S. MBA programs – now in its sixth straight year.

The 2020 top 5 schools have not changed since last year, although their rankings have. Following Harvard are: #2 – University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School (up 2 spots); #3 – Stanford Graduate School of Business (down 2 spots); #4 – INSEAD (down 1 spot); and #5 CEIBs in Shanghai, China (unchanged). 

Volatile rankings

Financial Times global ranking methodology is based on 20 different metrics, including some that are inclined to favor non-U.S. schools. Some metrics that add to a school’s position include the percentage of students, faculty, and trustees who possess passports from a country where the school is not located, whether students and alumni worked in foreign countries, whether students had international class experience, and whether the school has a requirement to learn an additional language before graduation. 

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Selectivity-Index—MBA-CTA”]

A new metric was added this year – Corporate Social Responsibility. This metric has a weight of 3%, and is based on the percentage of teaching hours from core courses devoted to CSR, ethics, social, and environmental issues.  

The FT’s most heavily weighted metric is salary data (40%). its use of “purchasing power parity”, or PPP  favor schools whose grads go to work in countries with lower cost of living. This hurts U.S. schools since most grads of U.S. MBA programs want to live and work in the U.S. 

The ranking does not take incoming student quality into account. GMAT and GRE scores, as well as undergraduate GPA’s, are ignored. 

<< Watch: Linda Abraham and Marco De Novellis of BusinessBecause discuss the value of MBA rankings >>

FT’s ranking is known to be volatile, which reduces its credibility because there are few year-to-year changes at schools that explain big changes in the rankings. This means that there were big winners and big losers again this year. 

Twenty-seven of the 91 returning b-schools had double-digit increases or decreases in their standings. Fully half of the MBA programs ranked by FT five years ago (39 of 78) have felt double-digit changes, and 23 of those changes have been adjustments in 20 or more spots.

Top 25 International MBA Programs

2020 Rank	School	2019 Rank	Y-O-Y Change
1	Harvard	2	+1
2	UPenn Wharton	4	+2
3	Stanford GSB	1	-2
4	INSEAD	3	-1
5	CEIBS	5	---
6	MIT Sloan	8	+2
7	London	6	-1
8	Columbia	9	+1
9	HEC Paris	19	+10
10	Chicago Booth	7	-3
11	Northwestern Kellogg	14	+3
12	UC-Berkeley Haas	10	-2
13	IESE	12	-1
14	Yale SOM	11	-3
15	Nat’l Univ. of Singapore	17	+2
16	Dartmouth Tuck	15	-1
17	Duke Fuqua	19	+3
18	Virginia Darden	23	+5
19	Cambridge Judge	16	-3
19	Hong Kong UST	18	-1
21	Oxford Said	13	-8
22	New York Stern	25	+3
23	Cornell Johnson	27	+4
24	ESADE	21	-3
25	IMD	22	-3
25	UCLA Anderson	26	+1

Do you see yourself in one of these top international programs? Find out how working one-on-one with one of our Admissions Consultants can help get you ACCEPTED!

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA—SR—Guide-to-selecting-right-one”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Accepted-Sig-Code—MBA”]

Related Resources:

• Navigate the MBA Application Maze: 9 Tips to Acceptance, a free guide
• Top MBA Programs Get STEM-Certified to Attract Int’l Students
• B-School Selectivity Index: Discover the Schools Where You are a Competitive Applicant

The post Financial Times Ranks Harvard as #1 in 2020 Global MBA Ranking appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Forbes has released its 2019 rankings of full-time MBA programs in the U.S. and one-year programs internationally. These rankings are based on responses from more than 100 schools and 17,500 alumni around the world. Graduates’ earnings in their first five years after graduation from business school were compared to their opportunity cost, which gave Forbes a five-year MBA gain – the basis for the final rank.

The alumni survey reveals that an MBA from one of the top schools continues to be very valuable, and pays for itself in approximately four years. Alumni from the class of 2014 at the top 25 U.S. programs boosted their salaries from an average of $73,000 before their MBA to $193,000 last year. Salaries have gone up on average 10% each year since graduation.

Top 10 U.S. business schools

Rank	School	Location	5-Year MBA Gain	Years to Payback	Pre-MBA Salary	2018 Salary	Tuition	GMAT
1	Chicago Booth	Chicago, IL	$94.4K	3.9	$83K	$245K	$149K	730
2	Stanford	Palo Alto, C	$90.8K	4.2	$86K	$250K	$144K	732
3	Northwestern Kellogg	Evanston, IL	$89.6K	3.9	$76K	$215K	$150K	740
4	Harvard Business School	Boston, MA	$86.5K	4.1	$88K	$230K	$161K	730
5	Pennsylvania Wharton	Philadelphia, PA	$84.7K	4.1	$92K	$230K	$158K	732
6	Dartmouth Tuck	Hanover, NH	$82.7K	4	$84K	$233K	$153K	720
7	Columbia Business School	New York, NY	$80.9K	4.1	$82K	$230K	$160K	740
8	MIT Sloan	Cambridge, MA	$80.9K	4.1	$80K	$215K	$154K	730
9	Cornell Johnson	Ithaca, NY	$78.3K	4	$68K	$195K	$142K	700
10	Michigan Ross	Ann Arbor, MI	$78K	3.9	$72K	$180K	$140K	720

Top 10 one-year international programs

Rank	School	Location	5-Year MBA Gain	Years to Payback	Pre-MBA Salary	2018 Salary	Tuition	GMAT
1	IMD	Lausanne, Switzerland	$168.9K	2.7	$82K	$200K	$85K	680
2	INSEAD	Fountainebleau, France; Singapore	$154.7K	2.6	$79K	$195K	$90K	710
3	Cambridge Judge	Cambridge, United Kingdom	$153K	2.4	$67K	$183K	$65K	700
4	SDA Bocconi	Milan, Italy	$135.5K	2.5	$60K	$165K	$57K	665
5	Oxford Said	Oxford, United Kingdom	$127.3K	2.8	$76K	$177K	$71K	690
6	IE Business School	Madrid, Spain	$104.3K	3.2	$58K	$149K	$79K	686
7	Indian School of Business	Hyderabad, India	$90.5K	2.4	$15K	$62K	$37K	710
8	Warwick	Coventry, United Kingdom	$83.8K	2.9	$53K	$139K	$48K	660
9	Mannheim	Mannheim, Germany	$83K	3	$51K	$125K	$42K	680
10	ESMT Berlin	Berlin, Germany	$86.2K	3.4	$49K	$118K	$49K	650

Do you need help choosing the best business school for you? Get matched with an Accepted advisor today who will guide you through the process of finding, applying to, and getting accepted to the ideal MBA program for you. Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting for more information.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Selectivity-Index—MBA-CTA”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Signature—LINDA”]

Related Resources:

• Navigate the MBA Application Maze: 9 Tips to Acceptance, a free guide
• A Conversation About Today’s MBA Marketplace, a podcast episode
• Do MBA Rankings Matter?

The post Forbes 2019 Best Business Schools: Booth Tops the List appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

While the recipe for instant rejection may vary slightly from school to school, the common ingredients are ethical lapses and poor behavior. These are broad categories that each admissions director elaborates on below, but one sentiment provides the dominant seasoning – dishonesty and rudeness are simply not tolerated. For example, Sara Neher, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions at UVA Darden, writes, “Treating others with respect is something of paramount importance to Darden. Sometimes rudeness is an indicator of bad character and sometimes it means that the applicant is not really that interested in Darden. In either case, I do not want to admit that person, no matter the quality of their work experience or GMAT.”

A clear lack of fit or improper motivation for choosing a particular program frequently peppers the responses. For example, Sherry Wallace, Director of Admissions at UNC Kenan-Flagler explains: “Regardless of whether we are the top choice or the third choice, we want to see some passion and enthusiasm in the candidate.”

For the full recipe, read the admissions directors’ responses in full to the question: “What behavior or information would cause you to reject an MBA applicant who otherwise is a strong candidate?”

—

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Liz Riley Hargrove, Associate Dean for Admissions

Behavior: Off the bat, candidates who falsify or plagiarize any component of their application would be denied. We also deny candidates whom we feel would not represent the school well or would not be positive contributors in the classroom and Fuqua/Duke communities.

Information: We collect a lot of information on our applicants and this information is used to determine the academic ability as well as overall fit with our culture and community. If we determined that a candidate did not have the necessary background to be successful academically, we would not admit them to our programs.

—

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA-Rejection-Review-Service”]

Georgetown McDonough, Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions

• Rude or offensive behavior towards any staff member throughout the application process.

• Finding out that the applicant lied on their application (i.e., not being truthful about a position, title, transcript etc., or not disclosing a lay-off, being fired, etc.) or did not disclose a criminal conviction.

• Finding out that the applicant misrepresented him or herself in taking an exam (TOEFL, GMAT/GRE) or in an interview (i.e., sent someone else in their place to conduct the interview. We can usually guard against this since we ask for IDs from each interviewee, even those we conduct via Skype).

—

HEC Paris MBA, Philippe Oster, Communication, Development & Admissions Director

When discussing the characteristics and behaviours that turn us off a candidate, the same things always spring to mind: a lack of respect for both the admissions process and the interviewers, telling lies on the application, poor letters of recommendation….But there are few other habits that will put us off a seemingly strong candidate.

Whilst it is important to sell yourself on your application, it is important to remain true to yourself and your achievements. When a candidate goes overboard trying to sell themselves, it raises a few eyebrows. We double check our applications, and if we find out that a candidate has been less than honest about the scale of his or her achievements – even if it was all in the name of making themselves sound a more appealing candidate – we will not be best impressed. We are fully aware that the top MBA courses are competitive but we also know at the same time that the perfect candidate doesn’t exist; when a candidate seems almost too good to be true, they usually are!

Another key factor in a candidate’s application is coherence. We want to attract the best, most driven candidates, and so their motivation in applying for HEC Paris MBA has to be clear. It is completely normal for a candidate to apply for more than one business school, but when someone just blindly applies to the top 25 without thinking about whether that school offers the best experience for them and their professional aspirations, it doesn’t motivate us to accept them. Eclectic choices with little consideration are not an indicator of the strong-decision making and foresight that is so important when studying for an MBA.

Each business school is different, and so it is important for the candidate to carefully consider their choices and only apply for the ones that cater to both their professional goals and personality. We wouldn’t expect a candidate to find that more than four of the top MBAs complement them perfectly, and so their application should reflect this.

—

IE Business School, Jean Marie Winikates, Director of North America at IE Business School

1. Information that doesn’t add up on the application and is still unclear after the interview.

2. Behavior that exhibits poor judgment.

3. Someone who exhibits goals that do not align with the program outcomes.

—

IMD, Lisa Piguet, Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing

As far as behaviour goes – as you know, our interview process is the most unique in the industry so we get to witness all kinds of behaviours. For me, I do not tolerate people who do not give space to others in a discussion. IMD is 95% international so English is the second language to most of our class (if not the third, fourth or fifth language). Therefore it is really important to me that people give each other the respect and courtesy to express themselves in the best way they know how. If someone in a group discussion does not allow this, I do not tolerate it.

The second part to the question – rejecting someone. We reject people when we see that they have written their own letters of recommendation or if they’ve lied on their application. We also do background checks at IMD (only after someone has been accepted) so if anyone has lied in the application we will find it out here as well and this is automatic grounds for dismissal (obviously we give them a chance to explain or clear things up before dismissing them).

—

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA-free-discovery-call”]

London Business School, Oliver Ashby, Senior Manager, Recruitment & Admissions, MBA Programme

Every communication and information point is a valuable addition to our assessment of a candidate. We have a set of values that define us as a learning community and we look for evidence that candidates are aligned with those when assessing their fit for our school. We do not seek out behaviour to exclude applicants but instead actively seek to champion evidence that a candidate has the right ‘cultural fit’ for LBS. That is to say they demonstrate they are communal, open and engaged. We also look for candidates who we feel are likely to play an enduring role in the schools future.

—

Michigan Ross, Soojin Kwon, Director of Admissions

Here are some things that would cause us to reject a seemingly strong MBA applicant:

• Evidence of plagiarism

• Falsification of background

• Poor judgment – could be demonstrated through an essay, a recommendation letter, an interview, a formal or informal interactions

• Lack of cultural awareness and openness to diversity

• Inability to work well with others

—

Notre Dame Mendoza, Debby Herczeg, Assistant Director, Graduate Business Programs Admissions

Our focus is in ethics and values, so something that may cause us to reject an otherwise strong candidate, would be behavior or information that has shown the candidate to be unethical. There are many situations where a person can fall into this category, so of course, we would review the entire case to see if there would be need for concern.

The additional consideration is values. Does the candidate have any example of not having similar values as the University? Ethics and values are an important part of our curriculum and we hope that all of our graduates represent the program and University based on what they learn here at Notre Dame.

—

Toronto Rotman, Niki da Silva, Director, Recruitment & Admissions, Full Time MBA

The behaviour that would cause our admissions committee to reject an otherwise strong candidate would be arrogance. The culture at Rotman is a program of equals where individuality is a core value at the School, so a candidate who comes across as arrogant simply won’t be a good fit with others in the program, despite having otherwise impressive qualifications.

We are looking for people who value the contribution and unique skills/experiences others can bring and admitting candidates who believe they are superior to others is far too damaging to the culture to be considered. This arrogance can come across in an admissions interview, sometimes in an essay, and also in reference letters.

—

The Lauder Institute, (Joint-Degree MA International Studies & Wharton MBA/Penn Law JD), Meghan Ellis, Associate Director of Lauder Admissions

As a program that focuses on international business and management issues, global and regional studies, and cross-cultural proficiency, the Lauder Institute has a strong emphasis on foreign language skills. A successful Lauder applicant must have at least an advanced level of proficiency in one of our non-native language programs (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish).

The only exceptions are that native-level Spanish, French, and Italian speakers can enter our Portuguese program without prior knowledge of the language, and for our new Global program we ask that applicants have strong proficiency in two languages other than English.

The above comments refer specifically to the Lauder Institute – not the Wharton MBA.

—

UVA Darden, Sara E. Neher, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions

I’m continually amazed by how some applicants every year are rude, either directly to me, or to members of the Admissions team. Examples are things like signing up for events and not attending, short, terse emails, or canceling a class visit or interview at the last minute and expecting the admissions team to be able to accommodate you at your convenience (amazingly – expecting a class visit when there are not classes, like Fridays).

Treating others with respect is something of paramount importance to Darden. Sometimes rudeness is an indicator of bad character and sometimes it means that the applicant is not really that interested in Darden. In either case, I do not want to admit that person, no matter the quality of their work experience or GMAT.

—

UNC Kenan-Flagler, Sherry Wallace, Director of Admissions

Some of the reasons we would avoid admitting applicants that might appear to be strong candidates, include:

• Candidate perceived to be a mismatch with our school. Maybe the candidate’s values (expressed or witnessed) don’t match Kenan-Flagler values. Maybe the candidate seeks a particular curriculum that we don’t offer or a career outcome that we don’t think we are best suited to help them achieve.

• Candidate has been excessive in contacting the admissions office and requesting individual attention. Too many inquiries, too many requests for one-on-one meetings or phone calls – beyond that which is appropriate. Note that we encourage candidates to engage with us. I’m referring here only to those people whose demands for individual attention are unreasonable.

• Candidate received negative feedback from staff or students. Perhaps the candidate came to campus and was rude or inappropriate with the staff or students they met.

• Candidate doesn’t display sincere interest in being a student at our school. We expect that most applicants will consider multiple schools. Regardless of whether we the top choice or the third choice, we want to see some passion and enthusiasm in the candidate.

• Candidate presented fraudulent information.

—

Vanderbilt Owen, Christie St. John, Director of Admissions

What are reasons we would deny an otherwise strong candidate? I can think of three main reasons.

First, if we hear from our students that a candidate has acted inappropriately in a social situation with the students, i.e., having said or done something highly offensive, we would not admit the person. It doesn’t happen a lot, but when our students report such an incident, we know that the person would not be a good fit in our community.

Second, if we feel that the person has career goals that are simply not feasible, whether because of their lack of essential work experience, their interpersonal skills, or maybe because they want something that we don’t feel our program can help them with. We talk very frankly and honestly with applicants whose goals don’t seem to align with their experience. We explain that we want them to get a job and that we will do everything we can to help, but they may need to be flexible and be willing to work very hard to get into something they just don’t have the background for. We feel this is the only ethical way to do business – to set people up for success.

Finally, we occasionally “google” some of the people we are interviewing, just to get an idea of what their interests are. Many times we discover fun facts that help us find the right students to connect with the applicant. But once, a colleague actually discovered some very serious criminal allegations against an applicant which led to his incarceration. No mention of this was made in the application, and had we not done some searching, we would not have known about this. Many schools use background checks for all admitted students to verify credentials and check for criminal offenses. We haven’t done that for a while at Vanderbilt but we are considering it now.

There are probably other things but these are at the top of the list.

—

UCLA Anderson, Jessica Chung, Associate Director, MBA Admissions

Blatant plagiarism in the application essay is something that can make an otherwise strong MBA candidate inadmissible. An applicant can have great academics, work experience and other qualities, but if he/she behaves unethically by copying passages from other sources and passing off as his/her own work, there’s a strong chance that this behavior can continue as a student in the program and that’s not someone we want as a part of our community.

—

Do you need help reapplying to b-school? For personalized assistance, check out our MBA Rejection Review. An experienced admissions consultant will walk you through your dinged applications and advise on how to move forward successfully. 

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA-Rejection-Review-Service”]

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Accepted-Sig-Code—MBA”]

Related Resources:

• Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide
• How to Reapply Successfully to Top MBA Programs [Video]
• Rejected by Business Schools? 5 Steps to Change the Outcome

The post The MBA Admissions Directors’ Recipe for Rejection appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Here’s a talk with Vikas Menon, a soon-to-be graduate of IMD Switzerland. Vikas talks about his b-school experience, and offers some serious insight into the IMD MBA program. If you’re thinking about applying to IMD, then you’ll definitely want to read on! Thank you Vikas for sharing with us!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: First, can you tell us a bit about yourself: Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What other degrees do you hold?

Vikas: I am of Indian heritage but was born and brought up in Dubai, UAE and lived outside India all my life. I moved to the US in 2000 for my undergrad at Michigan State University (Go Green! Go White!!) and studied electrical and computer engineering. Third year into my undergrad, I realized that I didn’t like engineering as much as I liked interacting with people but I also realized that I was passionate about technology. I completed my engineering coursework and my first job in the US was in Sales for a Software company in DC that allowed me to pursue my passion for technology while working with people.

Accepted: Which other schools were you considering? What tipped the scales to favor IMD?

Vikas: IESE, INSEAD, HEC and a few American universities.

1. Once you attend the one day assessment at IMD with 5-6 people from different nationalities, backgrounds, professional experiences, you realize how IMD’s teaching style is truly based on “Real World…Real Learning” – you learn just as much from your classmates as you do from your professors, and your classmates are mid-level to senior level managers from large global MNCs, entrepreneurs, PHDs, scientists and people who have an average work experience of 7-8 years working in 2-3 countries.

2. Leadership at IMD – I had always heard about IMD’s leadership stream being one of the best in the world but I can tell you 6 months into the program, that IMD’s leadership stream is not simply the best but is one of a kind. It challenges you to rethink who you are, your personality, and helps you discover not just the conscious parts of your personality and leadership but also the subconscious and helps you understand how people perceive you. This knowledge can really help you become a better leader, team player, communicator and motivator in a professional environment.

3. Small class size – I meet my 90 classmates every day for almost 75% of the program. We sit in the same classroom, we eat together and we spend long long hours together. The bonds and connections that are formed from that level of interaction and intimacy are incredible. We are a small community of MBAs and alumni (even though our extended network is probably one of the biggest) however, based on my experience so far and during the application process last year, I can guarantee you that every MBA alumni or student would respond to any request of help in less than 48-72 hours…some would even welcome the opportunity to help you and meet you. My mentor and advisor since last year is an alumnus from the class of 2008! He not only helped me with the application process but also continues to be a good friend, mentor and advisor and this is the power of the IMD class size and ‘tight-knit’ MBA community.

Accepted: What do you think are some of the advantages of attending a one-year MBA program? Are there disadvantages?

Vikas: The advantages –

1. Focus on general management.

2. The shorter duration obviously helps you get back to the real world sooner.

3. The intensity really helps you push yourself to the next level and challenges you every day and every minute.

The disadvantages –

1. Lack of specialization – If you are looking for a specific functional role/industry post-MBA that requires expertise in Finance (for instance, VC, investment banking, etc), a one-year program might not help an individual with no background in those areas.

2. Intensity – the intensity is great for some people but can be too much for others.

Accepted: What’s your favorite thing about living in Switzerland? Do you plan on continuing to live and work in Europe after you receive your MBA?

Vikas: Switzerland, specifically Lausanne is a very cool, calm and beautiful place….really facilitates and helps in the learning process. IMD is located on the lake and every day, I get to see the Swiss Alps and the lake on my way to school. Yes, I plan on continuing to work in Europe but probably in a bigger city (only because that’s my personal preference).

Accepted: Can you recommend a nice coffee shop or other place that’s good for hanging out and/or studying in Lausanne?

Vikas: The good thing about IMD is that we are provided a 5-star hotel level lunch every day (included in the fees) throughout the year by a Michelin star chef and team! Coffee, tea, nespresso, hot chocolate, etc are all available whenever we want on campus…..we barely ever use coffee shops because we are in the IMD “dungeons” most of the time :-). The campus is beautiful, dynamic, green and sophisticated-modern, so we barely find the need to find a coffee shop……ask me about a bar and that’s a different story :-).

Accepted: What was the most challenging step for you in the MBA admissions process? How did you approach it and overcome it?

Vikas: The one day assessment can be really challenging because it requires thorough preparation. As part of the one day assessment you have an impromptu case, a prepared case (they send a week before the assessment), admissions interview and lunch with a current student. Additionally, the 11+ essays in the application and the short word count really makes you think about your skills, achievements, weaknesses, personality, etc in very different light.

For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. For specific advice on how to create the best application for IMD, see our IMD 2014 MBA Application Tips.





Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The post IMD MBA Interview with Student Vikas Menon appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

IMD campus in Lausanne, Switzerland

Without a doubt, IMD conducts the most thorough MBA interview.  The interview day is divided into four evaluative sections.  When you arrive on campus, you will be introduced to the adcom and faculty evaluators as well as a group of applicants who will partake in the same experience as you.  Since the adcom will evaluate you on your team interactions and most of your peer-applicants will become your classmates, get to know them, have fun with them, and expand your network.

For the first part of the interview, our website’s interview section will help you.  Review the interview questions and prepare response to them, or contact one of our consultants to help you prepare for the MBA interview.  IMD’s adcom is trying to get to know you, your intentions, and your fit with the school.  The questions are similar to those at other schools.  They will ask you about your background and goals, team skills and leadership, successes and failures.  This part of the interview day will take 45 minutes to one hour and is a great way to help you prepare for the rest of the day.

Next you will be asked to present a topic they give you in the morning.  You will have 30 minutes to prepare the topic and 5 minutes to present the topic.  This is what I call a mini-case.  Take a stand on the topic and offer supporting evidence in a cohesive and dynamic manner.  You can practice by thinking about issues you have at work or that are in today’s business news.  For instance, they may suggest that you present your opinion of the European debt crisis or your opinion of the Euro. Should Germany have to bail out Greece? Can countries that have different political systems successfully use one currency? Give it some thought and present a good argument.  They will evaluate your presentation on analysis and delivery, but not on your opinion itself (every business issue has multiple dimensions).

Then you will have lunch with alumni.  Alumni are trying to get to understand how you will fit in with the culture of the school and they will report what they learn.  Let your personality shine through, but be on guard.  Alumni are evaluating your value-added to the school.

Finally, you will be asked to present the “Case”.  Most applicants don’t know how to tackle a case, but from an adcom’s point of view, I believe offering the case is a stroke of brilliance. Much of your MBA education will be case-based and if you know how to tackle a case from day 1, you will have smooth sailing throughout the program.  I suggest you read Mark Consentino’s book Case In Point  or William Ellet’s The Case Study Handbook well before the interview.  IMD will send you the case two weeks prior to your interview day.  You will need to prepare that case and on the interview day, faculty will observe you and moderate the case discussion as you and your peer group dissect and present the case.  They will be looking for your analysis, teamwork, leadership and presentations skills during the case.  Again, Accepted.com’s consultants are experts in helping you with case interview preparation.

At the end of the day, you will be asked to sit in on a class.  This is not part of the evaluation, but more of a chance for you to see the IMD faculty and students in action. Most applicants just observe and don’t participate in class, however, if they are discussing a topic in which you are familiar, I suggest you raise your hand and add to the discussion.  If you are unfamiliar with the topic, you should just observe the students and how they interact with the faculty.

While IMD’s interviews are intense, you should gain a lot from the day. And if offered admission, you will know if IMD is a good fit for you.

By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”MBA—SR—Ace-Your-MBA-IV”]

The post Preparing for IMD’s Interview appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.