UCLA Anderson Essay Topics 2012-2013

Following up on their earlier announcement of the 2012-2013 application deadlines, UCLA Anderson has announced its essay questions for the 2012-2013 admissions season.

Essay 1: What is your proudest achievement outside the workplace, and how has it impacted you? (700 words maximum)

Essay 2: What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from UCLA Anderson specifically help you achieve these goals? (700 words maximum)

Re-applicant Essay: Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (700 words maximum)

Optional Essay: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)

Source: UCLA Anderson 

INSEAD MBA エッセイTopics 2012-2013

INSEAD has just released its MBA Essay Topics for the 2012-13 season: 

Job Description:

1. Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/ products and results achieved. (250 words maximum)

2. Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words maximum)

3. If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme if applicable? (250 words maximum)

Essays:

1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words maximum)

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date (if possible specify one personal and one professional), explaining why you view them as such. (400 words maximum)

3. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed. Discuss what you learned. (400 words maximum)

4. a) Discuss your short and long term career goals. (300 words maximum) and b) How will studying at INSEAD help you achieve your vision? (250 words maximum)

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics:

a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What insights did you gain? (250 words maximum)

b) Describe the ways in which a foreigner in your country might experience culture shock. (250 words maximum)

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in your application that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (350 words maximum) This section is optional.

7. In case of reapplication, please provide an update on any new aspects of your professional, international, academic or personal profile that would not have been included in your previous application. Please also explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. (400 words maximum)

Source: INSEAD 

MBA IQ Service for Pre-MBA Study.

Poets&Quants has a very interesting article about pre-MBA courses for people anxious about entering an MBA program

The MBA IQ service is an interactive online curriculum designed to give students baseline knowledge in 12 core areas of business before they start their graduate degrees.

For a fee of $195 per person, enrollees receive 60 days' use of MBAIQ.com. There, they can take quizzes to determine their own MBA IQ scores-- quantitative figures demonstrating an overall knowledge of business as well as individual scores for each of the dozen areas, or "modules."

Students can identify their weaknesses and study them, for example learning such things as the difference between static budgets and continuous budgets, the finer points of penetration testing, and how to calculate weighted-average cost of capital.

Students also have access to other self-assessment quizzes, 134 reading assignments, 1,000 E-flashcards, short daily lessons (example: "What is a Type I error?") and a 353-page workbook. 

Many of the best business schools hold pre-MBA summer boot camps for students who need a little extra help but they are often cursory reviews of the most common accounting or finance concepts.

The service already has several hundred customers and some are business schools, which get a bulk rate and offer the online program to their students either for free or at a discount as well as companies that pay a licensing fee and incorporate the program into their corporate universities. 

Ten corporations have subscribed, some of them using MBA IQ as their own "business acumen" programs. And MBA IQ is currently working out an agreement with book-publisher Wiley to sell the program directly to business schools and share the profits.

The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business recently began offering the MBA IQ to newly admitted and returning students for $175 per person. 

Source: CNN Money

Interview Mistakes to Avoid!

BusinessWeek has just published a short and humoros piece on interview mistakes. Some of these seem very obvious

- Don't cry! 

Even if you feel the pressure, anticipate the obvious questions and prepare your answers

- Don't interview the interviewer!

Too much confidence is too much of a good thing. 

- Don't touch!

-Hugging the interviewer is out!

-Don't perform!

Don't bring an easel, don't bring props

-Don't forget your manners

Don't sniff, pick your nose, don't forget to switch your cell phone off.

For more on this article, please see:
 MBA Admissions Interviews Gone Bad—Really Bad

Georgetown McDonough Deadlines 2012-2013

 Georgetown McDonough has released its 2012-13 deadlines

Round 1

Application Deadline: October 15, 2012
Decision Notification: December 15, 2012

Round 2

Application Deadline: January 5, 2013
Decision Notification: March15, 2013

Round 3

Application Deadline: April 1, 2013
Decision Notification: May 15, 2013

For more information, visit McDonough’s admissions website.

Georgetown McDonough MBA エッセイ 2012-13

Georgetown  McDonough has released its essay topics for the 2012-23 season.

Essay 1: Limit  – 1 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

State your short-term career goal immediately following graduation from the Georgetown MBA program. What skills have you developed on which you will build? What skills will you need to develop?

Essay 2: Limit  – 1/2 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

State your long-term career goal. How does the position you describe in Essay One serve as a building block for your long-term career goal?

Essay 3: Limit  – 1  1/2 pages, double spaced, 12 pt font

Describe the essence of who you are both personally and professionally.

Essay 4: Limit  – 1/2 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

Service and community engagement are a way of life at Georgetown, following the University’s tradition of women and men for others. How have you demonstrated service to others?

Optional Essay 1: Limit  – 1/2 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

If you are not currently employed full-time, use this space to provide information about your current activities.

Optional Essay 2: Limit  – 1 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included.

Re-applicant Essay: Limit  – 1 page, double spaced, 12 pt font

How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. In addition, please update the Admissions Committee on your short-term career goals following graduation from the Georgetown MBA program.

Source: Georgetown McDonough admissions website.

Duke Fuqua 締め切りDeadlines 2012-2013

Duke Fuqua has released its 2012-2013 application deadlines as follows:

Early Action
Deadline: September 19, 2012
Interview invitations sent by: October 9, 2012
Notification: October 30, 2012

Round 1
Deadline: October 24, 2012
Interview invitations sent by: November 28, 2012
Notification: January 8, 2013

Round 2
Deadline: January 4, 2012
Interview invitations sent by: February 7, 2013
Notification: March 18, 2013

Round 3
Deadline: March 21, 2013
Interview invitations sent by: April 10, 2013
Notification: May 10, 2013

Source: Duke Fuqua

Duke Fuqua Essay Topics 2012-2013

Duke Fuqua has posted its essay topics for the 2012-2013 admissions season!

Required Short Answer Questions: Answer all 3 questions. Respond in 250 characters only (the equivalent of about 50 words).

1.  What are your short-term goals, post-MBA?

2.  What are your long-term goals?

3.  Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize what alternative directions have you considered?

Required Essays: Answer both essay questions.

1.  The “Team Fuqua” spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions Team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of “25 Random Things About Yourself.” As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire’s professional and academic background, so learning these “25 Random Things” helps us get to know someone’s personality, background, special talents, and more. In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know you – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU.

Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2 pages.

2.  When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what do you tell them? Share the reasons that are most meaningful to you.

Your response to this essay question should be no more than 2 pages in length. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing.

Optional Essay

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them in an optional essay (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, or any significant weakness in your application).

• Do NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area of the application.
• The Optional Essay is intended to provide the Admissions Committee with insight into your extenuating circumstances only.
• Limit your response to two pages.

Fuqua also announced its 2012-2013 application deadlines.  For more information, visit Fuqua’s admissions website.

Northwestern Kellogg Essay Topics 2012-2013

Northwestern　Kellogg essay topics have been announced, following up on the earlier release of its 2012-2013 deadlines. This year’s essays are below:

1. Discuss moments or influences in your personal life that have defined who you are today. (500 word limit)

2. What have been your most significant leadership experiences? What challenges did you face, and what impact did you have? This is your opportunity to explain how you Think Bravely (personally and/or professionally). (500 word limit)

3. Imagine yourself at your Kellogg graduation. What career will you be preparing to enter, and how have the MBA and Kellogg helped you get there? (Please answer in terms of your program choice: One-Year, Two-Year, MMM, JD-MBA) (500 word limit)

4. What one interesting or fun fact would you want your future Kellogg classmates to know about you? (25 words or less)

Re-Applicants Only

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

Please note: re-applicants are required to answer this question in addition to #1-4.

Additional Information (Optional)

If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (No word limit)

Source: Kellogg School of Management

CMU Tepper Deadlines 2012-2013

Carnegie Mellon Tepper has released its 2012-13 essay deadlines:

Round 1
Deadline: October 22, 2012
Notification: December 19, 2012

Round 2
Deadline: January 3, 2013
Notification: March 18, 2013

Round 3
Deadline: March 4, 2013
Notification: April 30, 2013

Round 4
Deadline: April 22, 2013
Notification: May 24, 2013

Source: Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business

UVA Darden Deadlines 2012-2013

UVA Darden has announced its MBA deadlines for the 2012-13 year. 

Round 1

Deadline: October 15, 2012

Notification: December 19, 2012

Round 2

Deadline: January 9, 2013

Notification: March 20, 2013

Round 3

Deadline: March 28, 2013

Notification: May 8, 2013

UVA Darden already announced its essay topic. 

Source: UVA Darden 

UNC Kenan-Flagler Essay Topics 2012-2013

The UNC Kenan-Flagler essay topics for the 2012-2013 have been released

Essay One (Required): What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

Essay Two (Required): Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how: your professional experience has shaped these goals; why this career option appeals to you; and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum)

Essay Three (Required): What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

Essay Four (Optional): If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

Essay Five (Optional): Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum)

Kenan-Flagler’s 2012-2013 application deadlines have already been announced.

For more information, visit the school’s admissions website.

London Business School Essay Topics 2012-2013

The 2012-2013 LBS essay topics for LBS admissions have been announced!

Here are the essay questions 

1. In what role or sector do you see yourself working immediately after graduation?  Why?  How will your past and present experiences help you achieve this?  How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal? (500 Words)

2. Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision? (200 Words)

3. Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and / or team working skills either professionally, or outside of work. What role will you play in your first year study group? (300 Words)

4. Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community events will you be involved with and why? How will you contribute? (300 Words)

5. London Business School offers a truly global and diverse experience. Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country or culture. What did you gain and how will your experience contribute to the School? (150 Words)

6. Give an example of a person who, in your opinion, has made a profound impact on the way the world does business. How will this person influence your contribution to your MBA Programme at London Business School? (300 words)

7. (This question is for re-applicants only) How has your candidacy for the London Business School MBA changed since your last application? (300 words)

8. (This question is optional) Please provide any additional information you believe to be relevant.

The LBS deadlines will be updated later this summer and the LBS application is set to go live in August. 

For more information, visit LBS’s admissions website.

UCLA Anderson Deadlines 2012-2013

UCLA Anderson Deadlines 2012-2013

UCLA Anderson has announced its 2012-2013 deadlines.
The deadlines are as follows:

Round 1
Deadline: October 24, 2012
Notification: January 23, 2013

Round 2
Deadline: January 9, 2013
Notification: April 3, 2013

Round 3
Deadline: April 17, 2013
Notification: June 5, 2013

Completed applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. PST on the day of the deadline to be considered in a particular round. For more information, visit Anderson’s admissions website.

Chicago Booth Deadlines 2012-2013

Chicago Booth deadlines has announced its deadlines for the the 2012-13 application season:

 The deadlines are as follows: 

Round 1

Deadline: October 2, 2012

Notification: December 19, 2012

Round 2

Deadline: January 8, 2013

Notification: March 28, 2013

Round 3

Deadline: April 4, 2013

Notification: May 23, 2013

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. CST on the day of the deadline to be considered for a particular application round.

Source: Chicago Booth Insider

UVA Darden Essay Topics 2012-2013

The 2012-2013 UVADarden essay topic for 2012-13 has been announced:

The Essay Topic:

Share your thought process as you encountered a challenging work situation or complex problem. How did this experience change your perspective? (500 words maximum)

The 2012-2013 Darden deadlines will be updated later this summer. 

Source: UVA Darden

Michigan Ross Essay Topics 2012-2013

Michigan Ross has announced the essay topics for the 2012-2013 admissions season:

1. Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.

2. Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? (300 word maximum)

3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn about yourself from that experience? (500 word maximum)

4. What are you most passionate about and why? How will this passion positively impact Ross (300 word maximum)

5. Optional question: Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (500 word maximum)

Ross posted its 2012-2013 application deadlines earlier this summer.  

Source: Michigan Ross Admissions website

Berkeley Haas Essay Topics 2012-2013

Berkeley Haas has released its essay topics for the 2012-2013 admissions season.  

(Haas also announced its 2012-2013 application deadlines earlier this year)

The essay questions are as follows:

Required Essays (1.-4. all 250 word max)

1. If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why?
2. What is your most significant accomplishment? 
3. Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization. How did your actions create positive change? 
4. Describe a time when you were a student of your own failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? 
5. a. What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals?
   b. How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (750 word maximum for 5a. and 5b.)
   
   

Optional Essays

1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)
2. If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear on your transcript. (250 word maximum)

Supplemental Information

1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain; otherwise, enter N/A.
2. List in order of importance all community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, size of the organization, dates of involvement, offices held, and average number of hours spent per month.
3. List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies, indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.
4. Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.
5. If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

Haas also announced its 2012-2013 application deadlines earlier this year.  For more

Source: Haas admissions website.

Dartmouth Tuck Essay Topics 2012-2013

The 2012-2013 Dartmouth Tuck essay topics have been announced. 

This year’s questions are below with a suggested (i.e. very strongly suggested) word limit of 500 words per essay...

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you, and what will you uniquely contribute to the community? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)

2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

4. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

5. (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

Tuck encourages applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay. The online application will be available in early August.

Source: Dartmouth Tuck 

MIT Sloan Essay Topics 2012-2013

Along with the application deadlines for the 2012-2013 admissions season, MIT Sloan has announced its 2012-2013 essay topics, which are as follows:

Cover Letter (up to 500 words)

Please prepare a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should describe your accomplishments, address any extenuating circumstances that may apply to your application, and conform to standard business correspondence. Your letter should be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Senior Director of Admissions.

Essays

We are interested in learning more about 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 had to convince a person or a group of your idea. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)


Essay 2: Please describe a time when you overcame a personal setback. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Supplemental Information (Optional)

The Admissions Committee invites you to share anything else you would like us or your future classmates to know about you. This may be in written or multimedia format. Please do not use Flash Media Player, and include a URL where it can be accessed online. Written essays should be 300 words or fewer.

For more information, visit MIT Sloan’s admissions website

MIT Sloan Deadlines, 2012-2012

The MIT Sloan 2012-13 MBA application deadlines have been announced.



Round 1
Deadline: October 24, 2012
Notification: January 29, 2013
Round 2
Deadline: December 27, 2012
Notification: April 2, 2013

All application materials must be received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the deadline.  For more information, visit Sloan’s admissions website.

Cornell Johnson 2012-2013 Essay Topics

Cornell/Johnson has also announced its 2012-2013 essay topics, which are as follows:

Part I:  Career Choice Essay (300 word maximum)

How would you characterize your career since college?

This is not your job description or complete history of your work since graduating (we already ask for that in the online portion and can see this on your resume).  You need to choose the most important elements that show your initiative, contribution, leadership and results achieved.

Part II:  Career Goal Essay (400 word maximum)

Tell us about your short and long term career goals.
Please show you have a clear direction for your goal post-MBA.  Good essays will emphasize what an applicant wants to do while at Johnson and how you will use this experience to accomplish your goal.
Part III:  Character Essay (400 word maximum for chosen question), please choose one of the following to write about:
a. 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.
b. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed and tell us what you learned.
c. What does diversity mean to you and how will you contribute to the diversity of our community at Johnson?
The 2012-2013 application will go live at the beginning of July.  The admissions committee will start reading applications as soon as they are submitted. For more information, visit Johnson’s admissions website.

Cornell / Johnson Deadlines 2012-2013

The 2012-2013 Cornell/Johnson deadlines have been announced.

This year’s deadlines are below:

Round 1
Deadline: October 17, 2012
Notification: December 19, 2012

Round 2
Deadline: November 28, 2012
Notification: February 20, 2013

Round 3
Deadline: January 30, 2013
Notification: April 3, 2013

Round 4
Deadline: March 27, 2013
Notification: April 24, 2013

For more information, visit Johnson’s admissions website.