Admit 1 MBA

NYU Stern Admit - A Reapplicant's Testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

NYU Stern, Class of 2014

I had previously applied to business school, but was not admitted.
This past year, I decided to give it one last shot - Stern or Bust!
Yael helped make this happen. I know that without her guidance,
support, advice and patience, I would not have received my acceptance
letter. Yael held my hand throughout the entire process - from the
application, to the essays, to the interview preparation. She helped
me to strengthen my story and made me feel confident about my
candidacy. I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for
me!

Emerging Markets Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

Happy Year of the Dragon !

If your post-MBA career goals include emerging markets, you should start preparing to intelligently discuss the major economic trends and challenges of the area in your essays, and off-course -during the MBA interview (At Stanford, NYU, or any other school)
It's easy to say that you are going to work in China, Brazil or India, but you need to convince the MBA Admissions Committee that you have spent time and energy researching these topics.

Some interesting articles to read this week:
* Vietnam's dot-com and how coupons are being delivered
* Indonesia credit upgrading, and what it means for investors
* Textile producing are moving outside China, to Cambodia and other countries in South East Asia - why?

If you are early in the MBA application process, consider attending the Economist WhichMBA? online fair, starting on February 5th. Presenting schools include MIT, UCLA, Darden, UNC and more.

Have any questions? email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a free evaluation of your MBA profile and admissions chances.

Wharton Executive MBA - Essays & Upcoming Deadlines

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:25:00 +0000

The next deadline for the Wharton EMBA is in 2 weeks for the Philadelphia location and 2.5 weeks for the San Francisco one.

The average profile for the Wharton EMBA is an individual over 30, with 8 years of experience, including 5 years of managerial experience. However, these numbers are not set in stone, as the Admissions committee for the Wharton Executive MBA evaluates each application individually, taking into consideration the applicant’s performance and career progression. For example, leading a cross-company project or securing large strategic clients and deals will help you meet the admissions criteria for managerial experience. In the end, it is your impact on the organization and proven accomplishments that will make you an attractive candidate. Younger candidates with limited managerial experience may want to consider the Fellows program, which requires full financial sponsorship from their employer, a commitment that ranges from $167K to $174K (including room and board)

You must schedule an interview before February 1 for no later than 3/10 for the San Francisco option and 3/17 for the Philadelphia option.

Seeking an objective review of your Wharton EMBA essays? Need help deciding whether you have a chance getting into the Wharton EMBA program? Email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a working session before the deadline. See a testimonial from another Wharton EMBA admitted student.

Wharton EMBA Essay Questions:

Essay 1
Required; no word limit:
What is your career objective and how will the Wharton MBA Program for Executives contribute to your attainment of these objectives?

Essay 2
Required; 500 word limit. Answer one of the following three questions:
Describe the most significant way, either in or out of your job, that you have demonstrated leadership?

In one of your Wharton MBA courses, you are given a case assignment to be completed in a study group comprised of six students. What is the most significant strength you would bring to the group process?

As 'The Ethicist' in the New York Sunday Times Magazine often demonstrates, many ethical dilemmas are fairly complex with gray areas making the decision path a challenging one. Give an example of one such dilemma and how you handled it.

Essay 3
Required; 500 word limit. Answer this question:
Given your already demanding job and the desire to remain committed to important family and personal obligations, how do you plan to handle this additional demand on you?

Wharton MBA Admissions - Testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:39:00 +0000

There is no doubt that Yael is an experienced and knowledgeable admissions consultant, but it is her caring personality and dedication to your success that sets her apart from the rest.

We spent our first Skype sessions discussing my background, experiences, and goals. Yael was interested in getting to know me as a person so she could help me put together a strong, personalized application package. These introductory sessions served as the foundation for future essay brainstorming and drafting, where Yael challenged me to delve deeper and overcome my fear of revealing more about myself. Her honest, insightful comments helped me learn more about my own strengths and weaknesses, which translated into genuine essays that illustrated my personality and told my unique story to the admissions committee. By the time we arrived at the interview preparation stage, I felt exhausted and insecure, but Yael continued to be my biggest fan and scheduled additional mock interview sessions, even during the weekend, just to make sure I was well prepared.

Yael, I cannot thank you enough for your endless support, patience, and guidance throughout this process. Without your positive energy, I am certain I would not be attending Wharton this fall!

Happy New Year & NYU MBA Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Happy New 20!2! May this be a wonderful year for all of you, with many successes, exciting events and good surprises.

The last few weeks have been extremely busy with CBS, Wharton, Ross, LBS, Cambridge and other deadlines. What's on my plate for the upcoming weeks? preparing for NYU and Columbia interviews, and finalizing 2nd round applications for HBS, Kellogg, Stanford, Berkeley and more.

I have analyzed NYU's 3rd essay before, so here is some input regarding the 2nd essay.

Essay 2. Your Stern Experience

This is the place to show your specific research about Stern, and why you are excited about the NYU MBA. Go beyond generic text such as "close knit community", "flexible curriculum" and such - use your own words and your plans. When writing about making your mark on the Stern community, talk about the things you are passionate about and how the entire Stern community would benefit from your activities.

Need more help with your NYU application? Email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a working session.

Harvard Business School - Testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:28:00 +0000

Harvard Business School, Class of 2014

When I first reached out to Yael, she struck me as very personable and
insightful. There is no doubt that there are many knowledgeable
admission consultants one can choose to work with, but Yael made me
feel that she cared to know me to the extend of a friend. She is a
superb listener; we spent hours of our initial sessions just to know
me well. Her thorough attention to my backgrounds and personalities
were crucial for optimizing my brainstorming and writing. I value
Yael's help throughout very much and truly thank her for speaking her
comments - even when those suggested that I need to completely rewrite
two of my essays and that she has to dedicate considerably more time
to the same client (me). I came to learn that Yael absolutely loves
what she is doing, makes herself available till I am ready, and cares
about my aspirations and success.

Her guidance, support and encouragements were essential for my
applications journey - thank you Yael!

PL, US, Dec 2011

Said MBA Essays

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:33:00 +0000

Writing the Said MBA essays is a daunting task - where do you start?

Said MBA’s notorious 2nd question, "Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why?" which was reduced from 2,000 words to 1,000 words, is still an outlier among MBA essays. Most applicants to Said MBA (and other top programs) write emails and memos on a regular basis, but designing such a long essay requires planning and strong editing skills.
I have analyzed the Said MBA questions before and I would like to offer more insights on how to approach this essay.
Glossary for Said MBA Essays:

Recent development - Said MBA Admissions are looking to see your connection to the world, so talking about a recent political, financial, technological or social change could be a good place to start. Examples: The financial crisis, the Arab Spring, raise in cotton prices or new mobile technologies. I recommend selecting stories that happen in the last 5 years.

World event - if you pick this one, show Said MBA that you are a global citizen. The event could take place in your country or someplace else - it doesn't matter, as long as it has impacted your thinking. When you write your Oxford essays, don't fall into cultural biases and be sensitive to other perspectives and ideas, as the reader might have a completely different opinion from yours.

Book: almost any book could make the cut. The majority of applicants tend to go with non-fiction (think Dreams from my Father or The Tipping Point) and biographies, but selecting a lesser-known book is not going to damage you, as long as you provide a very short summary about it.

Need help with finding the right ideas for this Said MBA essay? I promise to help you find multiple ideas in just 1 hour . Email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule your working session today.

Help Your MBA Recommendation Letters Meet The Deadline

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:55:00 +0000

If you are applying for MBA programs this January, this is the time to call or email your recommenders and make sure they are going to meet the deadlines.

December is a busy month in many countries, with holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa), family vacations, last-minute sales to reach quotas, final budget spending, and more time-sensitive activities.

Contact your MBA references (supervisors, peers, ex-bosses) and check on their status in the MBA recommendation process. Ask whether they need any additional information, remind them of the date, and thank them for the time and efforts.

If you want to help, send them your resume and the list of questions they would be asked for each school so they can prepare. I don't recommend sending your essays along - debrief them on your goals in person or via a short written summary.

By being active and ensuring your recommendations are in the MBA application system before the deadline you can avoid a nerve wracking scenario in which one of your recommenders can not submit their file, and you have to find another person to recommend you in the last minute.

See my list of MBA Admissions feedback regarding late submission of recommendation letters or a summarized version below.

* Columbia MBA: short undefined grace period, but since this CBS has a rolling admissions process this is less critical (excluding scholarships).
* Wharton MBA: No grace period.
* Harvard MBA: 48 hours grace period

Have questions on your recommendation letters? Your boss isn't willing to write you one? Can't decide who should be your recommender? Email your questions to yael@admit1mba.com.

Admit from NYU Stern MBA - Testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:45:00 +0000

I used Yael's services to prepare for MBA Admission Interview for NYU Stern Langone part-time program. She requested my application package to review in advance of our first meeting and provided me with the sample of interview questions which I used as a guide to prepare for the conference and the interview itself. After the first meeting with Yael I was able to gain confidence and learned techniques needed to enhance the responses for the interview questions. What I liked the most is that she provided me with the feedback right away after each question-answer during our Mock interview. She was fair with the pricing and never rushed me during the meeting. Also she is very caring individual who supported me throughout the time before and after the interview and constantly followed up with me while I was waiting on results. If you need an admission consultant who is supportive, caring and honest then Yael is a right individual to go to.

NR, New York, November 2011
NYU Stern Class of 2014

Admit from IESE MBA

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:04:00 +0000

I stumbled upon Yael’s webpage when I was beginning to question my decision to apply to business schools (as an international applicant) at the very far end of the admissions season. Being an individual with an obsessive compulsive disorder for perfection, I was more than intrigues when I read about the personalized approach the Yael follows. In less than 24 hours of having sent an email inquiry I received a response which was more than inspiring. Yael, is not just a counselor, she is every applicant’s best friend.

My greatest take away, apart from the admission to IESE, is the structured approach I have developed in addressing essay writing of business application. Not only has it helped me have a CV that made work with career services a lot more efficient but it is also helping me get those dreaded covering letter crisp and succinct.

J F, Goa/Barcelona

November, 2011

London Business Schools Events - US

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:47:00 +0000

The next deadline for LBS is January 5th,and if you live in the west coast here's an option to meet admissions and alumni from London Business school in person and collect some ideas for LBS MBA application. Don't be worried if you have a below average GMAT - LBS is one of the more flexible schools, with their 80% GMAT range starting at 640 - lower than other top MBA programs focused on finance - Columbia (680), Wharton (650) and Chicago (660).

Event details:

Tuesday 8 November, Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco, 18.30 - 21.00

Thursday 10 November, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Seattle,18.30 - 21.00

Saturday 12 November, Sofitel Hotel, Washington DC, 13:00 - 16:00

Register on London Business School MBA website.

Applying to London Business School and need advice with answering one of the 7 essay questions? Email yael@admit1mba.com for a free evaluation or review of one essay. Coupon code LBS must be included in the email.

MBA Essays and Your Family

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Applicants often talk about their families in their MBA application but often spend too many words sharing these stories. You are the on applying to an MBA not your parents or siblings, and the admissions committee is interested in learning about you and what you have done in your life.

It is true that family often has significant impact on one’s life and character, but applicants in their 20’s and 30’s are expected to have significant life experiences and be independent, and talking too much about your family gives the wrong impression.

You should mention achievements of your family only if they are relevant to your profile. Connect your family to who you are - it's not so interesting to hear about how your mom started a business, it's more interesting to hear about your experience helping her grow and what you have learned from it.

Harvard MBA essays about accomplishments or setbacks are a good place to include a personal story. I would recommend having maximum 1 personal story in each section; remembering that Columbia, Chicago, Wharton and other top MBA programs are looking for professional success and leadership potential. NYU MBA 3rd essay is a perfect place to weave some information about your family into who you are today. Some schools, such as INSEAD - in the first Personal Essay - specifically ask about your background, so use that space.

Finally, if you feel a strong urge to share stories about your family and upbringing consider the additional/optional essay that most business schools include in their application. Just remember that the admissions officers already have thousands of essays to read, so focus on the critical point and make sure the essay contribute to your MBA application.

Need help with your essays? email yael@admit1mba.com to get feedback on your chances or essays. Coupon code FAMILY must be included in the email.

MBA Resume Tips - What Not To Include

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:40:00 +0000

Here is a list of items you should NOT have in your MBA resume:

* GMAT score - it's available on your application

* Your GPA, unless it's really impressive (3.6 or up for most schools, but 3.5 from Harvard, Wharton, Stanford or another top school would be fine as well)

* Computer skills - MBA students are expected to be familiar with Office applications and the Microsoft operating system. There's nothing impressive in this knowledge, even if you are an expert in various short cuts, macros etc.

* High school information

* A laundry list of your community work - pick only your top activities. MBA Admissions officers are cognizant that MBA applicants try to fluff their resume with many short-lived volunteer projects ( a day in a soup kitchen, a week in Africa ), especially in the year prior to their MBA. If that's the only thing you have - include it, but otherwise - focus on the significant items.

Don’t forget - your resume is another way for the admission committee to evaluate your judgment. I once saw a client who said she “prefers to read books and not read on her iPad while riding the subway”. I found this to be condescending and so might Columbia and NYU MBA admissions.

Get an objective opinion on your resume today! Email yael@admit1mba.com for a free evaluation. Coupon code HIGH must be included in the email.

My NYU Stern MBA 5 year reunion

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:58:00 +0000

Last night I attended the 5- year reunion of my NYU MBA Class of 2006. The event was held at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City and was a great opportunity to meet many of my classmates – people that I appreciate, love and am inspired by. NYU Alumni flew in from Europe, Africa and Asia, and I believe there were over 500 attendees at the Gala dinner.
It was impressive to see how so many traders, research analysts and investment bankers from my class were able to survive at the same banks in this difficult economy. Many other alumni are into their 2nd or 3rd jobs - switching industries, roles and locations.
This reminded me how important it is to find a school where you can fit in, enjoy and build strong relationships. Many top MBA programs will provide you with a wonderful education and career opportunities, but only in a place where you enjoy being, and like the people, will you be able to thrive and build a true network.

Miss MBA deadlines if your recommendations are late?

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:18:00 +0000

So you are ready on time to meet the Harvard, Wharton or Columbia MBA deadlines this week. Great job!
But what if your MBA recommenders are late - because they are busy or due to technical problems?

Here is a short summary of the feedback from MBA Admissions office (via phone):

Columbia MBA: Your application is NOT considered "complete" until the recommendations are in. For the Early Decision, there is a small grace period which is undefined - my guess would be that it's only few days.

Wharton MBA: No grace period. All information must be in by the deadline to make the cut-off.

Harvard MBA: 48 hours grace period for the recommendors to get the files into Harvard's systems.

Yale SOM: there is an undefined grace period so you can still make the deadlines, even if your recommenders are a bit late (but don't exagerrate).

LBS: No grace period, you will just be rolled into the next deadline.

Conclusion: you need to manage your MBA recommendation - this is part of the application process, and you are judged about your ability to select and manage the right MBA recommenders - ones that will write excellent letters and will also care enough about your profile to submit their input on time.

Good luck!

Childhood stories for Columbia and NYU MBA Applications?

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:19:00 +0000

I see many MBA applicants talk about their childhood - whether it's in Columbia’s "Describe a life experience that has shaped you", NYU’s Personal Expression essay , Harvard’s “Tell us three setbacks you have faced”, INSEAD’s “Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date”.
It seems that everyone has a great story to tell about their childhood, and how they were able to overcome various challenges – from physical to emotional to academic etc.

There are few problems with childhood stories:

1. They are far in your past – usually at least 10 or even 20 years ago. Are they a good indication of who you are today?

2. If nothing significant happened to you in the last few years, what does it say about you, your life, and your career? I like that MIT MBA limits the scope of their essays to the last 3 years – there are less stories to pick from but at least there’s a focus.

3. These stories are usually one-sided and expected, therefore not strong enough to leave a lasting impression and therefore present a strong profile.

What should you do if you’re planning to use a childhood story?

1. Figure out if this is the best story you have.

2. Make sure it’s not just a sob-story / heroic story that will present you as a superman or something that you are not.

3. Connect this childhood story to other events in your past and presence behavior.

Remember: the focus is not just on the story, but how it shaped you and therefore influenced the way you think and behave.

Want to get an objective opinion on your childhood story? Email yael@admit1mba.com your essay to receive a free evaluation. Coupon code CHILD must be included in the email.

Columbia MBA Application

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:37:00 +0000

If you are answering Columbia MBA 3rd essay about current executive in residence you are not alone. If you are a Media and Entertainment fan, you are likely to pick Jeff Zucker, former CEO and President of NBC Universal, just like many other applicants with career aspiration in the Media and Entertainment. Still, you want your essay to be unique and contribute to the attractiveness of your profile.

What is Columbia MBA testing here?

Your ability to have an intelligent discussion with a senior manager.
Your judgment in preparing the right questions, even if you are not an expert in Media and Entertainment. This is not that far from the informational interviews you will have during the recruiting process at Columbia, NYU or Chicago.
Your interests and intellectual curiosity - if you only ask about “Friends” , “The Apprentice” and “Law and Order” you will come across as an applicant who is just interested in TV, but not the business behind it.

It is difficult to own this essay because you are not the center of it, unlike other Columbia MBA questions. Create an essay that is balanced and highlights your profile while answering the question.

So how can you make your Columbia MBA essay stand out?

Prepare questions that are relevant to your career path and history - whether you are a career switcher, international student, non-traditional candidate etc.
Do you homework - go beyond what Columbia MBA provides you about the residence: read about their profile, history and companies.
Discuss topics that exhibit your business acumen and thinking power – from new media, challenges with typical advertising models and global trends in TV and entertainment.

Improve your Columbia MBA essays in just 1 hour - Email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a live working session in midtown NYC or by phone/email.

Are your MBA essays good enough?

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:06:00 +0000

The majority of MBA applicants are qualified candidates – decent GPA, GMAT, work experience and community work. To stand out from the crowd you need showcase your super-powers, special skills, experience and perspective on the world. The best way of doing so is via the MBA essays, where you can present yourself and discuss the stories that shaped you as a person, leader and makes you believe you are going to impact the world.

The challenge is that there are many candidates with special stories; from immigrants transforming themselves, teens recovering from a medical problem/car accident and discovering the world of healthcare to bankers spending a month volunteering in Africa and saving few whales (or educating orphans).

Even if you have a “wow” story, you can be pretty sure that admissions committees at Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, and Wharton, who read thousands of application annually, have seen something similar.

You need to find the right balance of answering the question, telling the story and focusing on what makes the story special for YOU– why it is important for the admissions committee to read it, what it says about who you are and what kind of student and alumni you will be. The challenge is doing all this without writing a sob story or force feeding the reader, in a way that will generate antagonism.

Some signs that your MBA essays aren’t good enough:

I can replace your name at the top of the essay with another applicant who wants to be an investment banker, a management consultant or an entrepreneur, and the essay would make sense for them.
They are boring – even for you.
You feel that the essays do not reflect your unique experience.
You are using all the word count for the essay (or even going beyond) but still feel that the main message is missing.
You think that the essays are “OK”.
You’re a re-applicant and using the same stories that didn’t work for you last year.

Do you want an objective opinion? Send one of your MBA essays (for HBS, Columbia or any other top MBA program) to yael@admit1mba.com to get a free feedback. Coupon code HURRICANE should be included in the email.

NYU Part-Time MBA now have interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:49:00 +0000

The NYU Part-time MBA admissions process included in the past just an written application, without an interview, unlike the Columbia EMBA program which interviews the entire incoming class. Recently, I have met an NYU part-time applicant that was invited to interview; the session included a group case analysis and presentation. The interaction was observed by members of NYU MBA Admissions committee.

NYU Part-Time MBA Deadlines for Spring 2012:

Application Due on September 15, 2011. Initial Notification by December 1st.

NYU Part-Time MBA Essay Questions:

See my analysis for NYU personal expression essay.

Essay 1. Professional Aspirations

(250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

What are your short and long-term career goals?

Essay 2. Fit with Stern

(250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

(a) Why have you chosen to pursue your MBA on a part-time basis?
(b) Earlier in your application, you indicated your Langone program preferences in rank order from among the choices below. Please explain your preferences.

Essay 3. Personal Expression

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

It's a bit late but you can still make it for the September 15th deadline if you start soon. Email yael@admit1mba.com or call 1-917-300-1066 to complete your application and start studying at NYU MBA this year.

Read testimonials from some of my clients who got into NYU MBA this year: NYU Re-applicant, NYU MBA Exito, NYU Part-time applicant, and Low-GMAT NYU MBA Admit.

MIT Sloan MBA Essay Questions - 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Here are MIT MBA Essays for the Fall 2012 Entry:

Cover Letter

Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.

Analysis: the cover letter requires formal business writing, testing your professional abilities and your judgment to balance significant contact within the limitation of the format. It is a good preparation for your MBA, where you will be sending cover letters to recruiters, but if you have no experience in writing such letters this could be a daunting task. Start by listing your accomplishments and the impact story, just to get the content right. Once you have the ideas, you can work on the format. Since the cover letter’s purpose is to seek a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program, you should address the “Why MIT” here as well.

Essays

We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Please limit the experiences you discuss to those which have occurred in the past three years.

In each of the essays please describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.

Essay 1: Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Analysis: show your courage, creativity, ability to handle conflict and experiment. Make sure that you pick a strong example and not just a project were you worked extremely hard. This could be a story about innovation, building relationship or transforming yourself.

Essay 2: Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Analysis: show your ability to communicate well, influence and motivate others. It’s not about being the one with the right solution, it’s about your ability to socialize the idea, build consensus and drive decision making.

Essay 3: Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Analysis: this question is more sophisticated and harder to answer. One way to make it easier – think about impacting your environment Yes, you can go with professional stories but they should be more than your average project, design or client. If you are applying to HBS, this story would be on your accomplishment essay. If you are writing about a professional story, make sure to have something different from the 1^st and the 2^nd essay.

Sloan School of Business, MIT 2011/2012 MBA Deadlines

October 25, 2011 (1^st round, notification by February 6, 2012)

January 10, 2012 (2^nd round, notification by April 2^nd,2012)

* MIT MBA applications should be received by 12 noon Pacific Standard Time (2000 GMT) .

Need help with your MIT MBA application? Email yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a working session or receive a free evaluation of your profile or an essay. Coupon code MIT12 must be included.

The new GMAT test, NYU's Damodaran on S&P

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0000

An interesting article to read about S&P downgrade of the sovereign rating for the US from AAA to AA+ from NYU's Stern MBA Finance professor Aswath Damodaran. Damodaran is favorite corporate finance professor at NYU Stern, and his classes are usually packed. It's an interesting class visit for everyone who's interested in business and not just finance buffs.

GMAC started releasing videos about the GMAT Integrated Reasoning (IR) section, which will initially only provide schools with an additional score and not impact the current overall GMAT score.
The GMAT new section will include 12 questions that will need to be answered in 30 minutes, and it will not be computer adaptive. Questions types include Table Analysis, Graphic Interpretation, Multi-Source Reasoning and Two-Parts Analysis. Applicants will need to compare series,, analyze cause and result and more. This section will be more interactive than the current GMAT test - you will be able to sort data (as in excel and other applications) and more.

The Analysis of an Issue section which currently takes 30 minutes will be cancelled, leaving candidates with only 1 writing section - Analysis of an argument. The total time of the test will still be 3 hours and 30 minutes. The new GMAT is scheduled to start at June 2012 and the registration for the test is starting on December 2011. To get more information, you can follow GMAC at their official website.

Should MBA applicants plan to take the new or the old GMAT test? Honestly, I don’t think it is going to matter in the next few years. First, the majority of applicants are expected to have the old GMAT score in the next 2 years. Also, It will take MBA programs time to compare the GMAT Integrated Reasoning results to students’ performance academically and professionally.

Chicago Booth MBA Application is live

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:56:00 +0000

After a long wait, the Chicago Booth online application is now live. Here's the Chicago Booth MBA essay questions :

1. What are your short- and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)

1 a) Re-applicants only: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words)

2. At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)

3. Considering what you've already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.

Analysis will be posted in the new few days.

Chicago MBA Application Deadlines:

First round : October 12, 2011; notification by December 14, 2011

Second roundn: January 4, 2012; notification by March 21, 2012

Third round: April 4, 2012; notification by May 16, 2011

Read testimonials from some of my clients who got into Chicago Booth MBA this year: Engineer admitted to Chicago MBA, Finance guy admitted to Chicago, and Consultant admitted to Chicago.

Want help getting into Chicago Booth MBA? email yael@admit1mba.com to start working on your profile and application. For a free profile evaluation, including CHIC12 coupon code in your email.

Cornell MBA Application – Essays Analysis 2011/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:13:00 +0000

The Cornell MBA Application is a great place to start the MBA application process as it covers both personal and professional aspects of your profile that you will need to discuss in other top MBA applications. Also, Cornell MBA Admissions designated a specific question to talk about the part you will play at Johnson. Make sure to spend time researching the school (events, online, and a campus visit if possible) to prepare for the 3rd question and be ready by the Cornell MBA Deadlines.

Q: What career do you plan to pursue upon completion of an MBA degree and why

*Analysis: A classic career goal question – see my analysis for Wharton or Columbia. Just a quick reminder the critical components of a strong career goals essay:

Vision - for your career, for an industry, for a country
Passion - for studying, developing, changing the world
Good flow connecting past, present, the Cornell MBA and your future

You don’t need to discuss the “Why Cornell MBA” in detail here as you can cover the topic in the 3^rdquestions.

Q: You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the table of contents for the book. Note: Approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity and authenticity.

*Analysis: Love, love, love this question! Much like NYU’s Personal expression, this question is intimating at first. Where should you start this story? How personal should it be and what format should you use?
Write an essay that you feel comfortable with, whether it’s a traditional autobiography, a cookbook or a Manga version. The challenge is to balance format and content and let your personality and unique life experience shine.

Q: What legacy would you hope to leave as a Johnson Graduate?

*Analysis: perfect opportunities to show that you’ve done your homework and understand the special characteristic of the Johnson MBA. Start by researching the Cornell MBA Immersion Learning, Cayuga MBA Fund , the Integrative Case Competition and more.

Want to start working on your Cornell MBA application? Email yael@admit1mba.com your resume or one essay for a free evaluation. Coupon code CORNELL must be included.

NYU MBA - 2012 Application and Deadlines

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:31:00 +0000

NYU MBA Application Deadlines and Essay questions for Fall 2012 are now available online.

The NYU MBA Application Essays are the same as last year, and the NYU Deadlines are out as well - again, first round in mid November, 2nd in January and the 3rd in March. The online application itself isn't available yet, but should be up by mid-august.

Quick tips for your NYU's "Personal Expression:Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message".

1. Don't repeat information included in your essays, resume or recommendation letter if you can avoid this. Add new information that will share additional aspects of your personality, life and experience.

2. Format and content are both important so make sure to balance them; You can't submit links but can submit any digital format. NYU MBA Admissions will value the effort, creativity and energy spent on this essay, but don't neglect the other ones.

3. If you decide to write instead of creating something physical/digital, take a creative spin on it.. Go wild and show your personality. Remember - this is downtown New York City, so you can be funny, casual and yourself.

4. Stick to the basics - I've seen many successful applicants who just wrote a basic essay about themselves or submitted a few pictures with descriptions.

Read testimonials from some of my clients who got into NYU MBA this year: NYU Re-applicant, NYU MBA Exito, NYU Part-time applicant, and Low-GMAT NYU MBA Admit.

Need help with your NYU MBA application? Email me at yael@admit1mba.com to schedule a working session or receive a free evaluation for one of your essays. Coupon code NYU12 must be included.

Applied and Admitted to Chicago Booth MBA

noreply@blogger.com (Yael Redelman-Sidi) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:51:00 +0000

My goal was to be admitted to Chicago Booth and with Yael's help, I was able to prepare a well thought out plan to tackle the MBA application process at Chicago and received admission this year.

Yael was there to help me every step of the way and was my biggest fan and my biggest critic. She is a great soundboard for ideas and has the experience and background to provide you feedback which is constructive and insightful. She is very professional and challenged me every step of the way which made my application stronger.

I would strongly recommend to get the complete package (essays, interviews, resume) if you work with Yael because she engaged me throughout the process. Her attention to detail and her personalized feedback is exactly what I needed to strengthen my candidacy to Booth. Thank you Yael!

Chicago Booth, MBA Class of 2013
RV, Michigan
August 2011