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You can find a better version of my blog at http://www.adammarkus.com/blog/.

Be sure to read my Key Posts on the admissions process. Topics include essay analysis, resumes, recommendations, rankings, and more.

May 29, 2012

Who Should Apply to HBS?


This is the third in series of eight posts. My analysis of the HBS Application for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) consists of:

My comprehensive service clients have been admitted to the regular HBS MBA for the Classes of 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005 and one 2+2 client admitted to the Class of 2014. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here.  In addition to providing comprehensive application counseling on HBS, I regularly help additional candidates with HBS interview preparation. I have worked with a large number of applicants from Canada, Europe, India, Japan, other parts of Asia, and the United States on HBS application.  I think that this range of experience has helped me understand the many possible ways of making an effective application to HBS. In the posts in this series, I provide insights based on that experience.



WHO SHOULD APPLY TO HBS?
Well, based on what I wrote in the first post in this series, my short answer would be anyone who wants to should give it a try. While obtaining three recommendations might be troublesome for some applicants, the essay set for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) is not a barrier to application.
That said, there are both objective ways (Acceptance rate, Age, GMAT, GPA, TOEFL) and subjective ways (Is the curriculum right for you?  Is the competitive atmosphere of the program right for you? Would you feel comfortable in the HBS Community?) to assess whether you should apply.  We will examine each in turn. By the way, f
or a happy story of HBS rejection, see here.

Objective Considerations when Applying to HBS

At the time of this post (May 29, 2012), the Class of 2014 profile has not be added to the HBS website, so my comments below are based on the Class of 2013 profile and prior years. JUNE 17, 2012 UPDATE: Now that HBS has provided the preliminary Class of 2014 profile, I have altered my comments below. Once the final class profile is provided in September, I will write about it.

Acceptance Rates Went Up 3% Between the Class of 2012 and Class of 2014
Compared to the Class of 2012 (10% acceptance rate), it was 2% easier to get into the Class of 2013, but actually the typical rate in recent years has been 12%. For the Class of 2014, the preliminary profile is that acceptance rate is now 13%. Assuming this does not change, it would indicate that it became somewhat easier to get into HBS as the number of applications has dropped from 10,368 (Class of 2012) to 9331 (Class of 2013) to 8963 (Class of 2014). It is possible that one reason for making the essays much easier to write is to increase the number of applications in order to return to prevent this acceptance rate from increasing further and ideally to decrease the acceptance rate.
1. Percentage of Finance Professionals Trending Slightly Upward After Decrease in Class of 2013. 

It was big news when the percentage of financial professionals dropped from 32% (Class of 2012) to 25% (Class of 2013), but this trend seems to be moving slightly in the other direction with the Class of 2014 having 28% of the class coming from the financial industry.

2.  The percentage of women admitted to HBS continues to increase. For the Class of 2013 it was 39% and for the Class of 2014 it is now 40%.

Age at HBS

From the outset, I want to mention that I will have one client in his or her early 30s in the Class of 2014. I will not be specific about the gender or exact age of this person i print. My point is simply to say that while it is hard for older applicants to get admitted to HBS, it happens every year. Whatever your age, just keep in mind that it is only one factor. As the chart below indicates 2014 was relatively speaking a very good year for older candidates to HBS.

On August 27, 2012, Harvard Business School's Admissions Director posted the following "Undergrad Degree Year-HBS Classes of 2012-2014" chart:




Class of 2012 Undergrad Degree Year

1. The chance for admission to HBS when you are 30 and over at the time of matriculation looks pretty low, but keep in mind that their may be less such applicants actually applying to HBS. Also keep in mind that low does not mean none!
2. There is a chance for admission for those over 30 and the percentage is so small because the entering class at HBS is huge. It is important to consider that while HBS only admits 13% of those that apply, it is a giant and diverse class.
3.  Applying to HBS when you are 30 or older appears risky and hence should be combined with application to other programs except for those applicants with a very high risk tolerance. Of course, applying to HBS is relatively risky for any applicant.
4. Whatever the acceptance rate for older candidates, given that this application is not particularly challenging to complete, it is worth applying if you have the time and desire to do so. 


According to the Class of 2014 statistics, the average age for the class will be 27. Being age 26-28 is clearly the sweet spot for HBS, but it is not the only spot.


GPA
Curiously, HBS does not provide GPA statistics in its class profile.  According to the U.S. News premium edition (I subscribe), the average GPA is 3.66.  That is rather high, but does not show the range of GPAs that HBS accepts. I have had clients admitted with GPAs at and slightly below 3.0.  However if you both a low GPA and a low GMAT (GRE), you will need to find other ways of demonstrating your academic potential (“Analytical Aptitude and Appetite). GPA, like GMAT (or GRE) is just factor. Especially if you attended a particularly challenging undergraduate program and your GPA is low, this is not a reason to abandon applying to HBS.  Assume that your GPA will be seen within the context of your overall academic record.

GMAT
While the median GMAT for the Class of 2014 was 730, it is important to look at the range of scores represented, 570-790 (It was 490-790 for the Class of 2013). While it is generally the case that scores below 650 make it particularly challenging to enter HBS, clearly some people are getting admitted with much lower scores.  I would never use GMAT as the reason to not apply to HBS.  Just keep in mind that academic potential is one of the three core admissions criteria for HBS, so if you can’t demonstrate it in your GMAT, it is best that it be demonstrated elsewhere in your application.

GRE
HBS does not differentiate between taking the GMAT or GRE, but they don’t, as of yet post any data on GRE.  Based on my off the record conversations with admissions officers, they don’t have enough data to fully accept GRE’s GMAT comparison tool, but I think applicants will just have to go with that tool to get a rough idea of comparable scores.  

TOEFL, IELTS, PTE
For those international applicants required to demonstrate their English proficiency, HBS has a stated minimum requirement:
The MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with a TOEFL score lower than 109 on the iBT, an IELTS score lower than 7.5, or a PTE score lower than 75 from applying.
While this seems like a final statement, if your score is close to the minimum required score, but below it, say a TOEFL 107-108, I would not suggest abandoning HBS as I aware of cases where applicants with such scores were interviewed and/or admitted.  However, it is critical to keep in mind that the required English communication level (Ability to listen to native-level speakers and effectively participate in a fast moving class environment) to survive at HBS is higher than at other top US and international programs.  As many have pointed out, the typical international student at HBS is often pretty much indistinguishable from the American students in terms of linguistic ability, but not all are.

Subjective factors when applying to HBS
There are many factors that I am not accounting for here, such as location, but instead I am focusing on some of the more common reasons for deciding whether to apply to HBS.


HBS is Academically Challenging and Competitive
HBS typically “fails” (most can come back after addressing whatever problems they have) 1-2% of first year students every year. This rate is generally considered to be high. I think this is a function of the grading system, the fact that the program is huge, the necessity to perform reasonably well in a section of 90 on a regular basis (class participation really matters, which is HBS requires high level English ability), the work load, and the limited amount of information that is used for assessing some many candidates.  
Not all MBA programs are academically challenging to the extent that HBS is.  I can’t quantify this statement, but given the fact that I keep in touch with many of my former clients and conduct Q&As with some of them for my blog, that I visit MBA programs, and that I try to talk with MBA students about their experiences when I meet them, I quite certain that HBS is particularly challenging in respect to academic demands.  
If you are looking for more time to develop your own business plans or to figure out what you really want to or to relax a bit or really engage in clubs activities, I suggest looking elsewhere.  Most other top US and international MBA programs are likely to give you more breathing room.
On the other hand, if you looking for an intensive leadership and general management focused education, HBS is ideal.  If you are looking to engage with the some of the smartest and highly driven people on the planet, HBS is ideal.
If you are a highly competitive person, HBS is ideal.  If you want a more collaborative environment look elsewhere (Start with HBS’ neighbor, MIT Sloan).

The HBS First-Year Curriculum is Not Flexible
If you want a flexible curriculum for most of your two years in an MBA program, don’t bother with HBS.  Even with recent changes to the curriculum, just look at the Required Curriculum, which consists of 10 set courses and a year-long field course. By contrast, the second-year at HBS is totally flexible. Based on my conversations with HBS students and alumni, I think there are real advantages to the HBS first –year curriculum because it makes students fully engage in courses that they might otherwise try to avoid.  The curriculum forces students to confront areas where they might be weak.  It also makes students develop a common body of knowledge through cases that form a real core general management education focused on leadership. Students and alumni tell me that this process changes and expands the way they think about problems and look for solutions. What it does not do as intensively as some other programs is help someone develop quickly develop high-level expertise in a particular subfield such as entrepreneurship, finance or operations.  The second-year can be used for that purpose. On the other hand, there are many other programs where such expertise can be developed at a greater degree of intensity throughout all or most of the two years of the MBA. It is really question of what kind of education someone is looking for.

HBS: The Best MBA Brand on the Planet
I don’t think this factor can be ignored, but it should not be overstated either.  HBS clearly has the best worldwide brand recognition of any MBA program.  That can be a very powerful thing for someone’s future career.  I am not stating that HBS is the world’s best MBA program as I don’t think that statement has any value. It is certainly the best MBA program for some people, but so are all the other programs! However I do think it is worth keeping the brand in mind when deciding on HBS or any other school.  HBS passes the grandma test (If you told your grandmother that you were going to HBS, would she be impressed?) in a way that no other MBA can.  What applies to grandmothers, also apples more generally.  Being associated with this brand can drive some people to apply to a program that really is not what they are looking for and/or will be admitted to. On the other hand, if you have looked beyond the brand and see fit with HBS, you should certainly apply.

One Last Thing

Whatever objective categories you might fall into, just operate on the assumption that you are more than your statistical breakdown. The admissions process at HBS goes beyond such facts to the individual.  If you think you are right for HBS, the only way to find out is to apply!

In my next post, I  discuss the essays.



-Adam Markus

I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form. Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

HBS MBA: Learn about it first, apply second!

This is the second in series of eight posts. My analysis of the HBS Application for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) consists of:

My comprehensive service clients have been admitted to the regular HBS MBA for the Classes of 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005 and one 2+2 client admitted to the Class of 2014. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here.  In addition to providing comprehensive application counseling on HBS, I regularly help additional candidates with HBS interview preparation. I have worked with a large number of applicants from Canada, Europe, India, Japan, other parts of Asia, and the United States on HBS application.  I think that this range of experience has helped me understand the many possible ways of making an effective application to HBS. In the posts in this series, I provide insights based on that experience.



AN INTRODUCTION TO HBS
While the application has changed at HBS (see first post in this series) and there have been some changes to the curriculum, much remains the same. In this post, I discuss some key aspects of HBS as well as suggest how to learn about the program.  Given that the HBS MBA has some very unique aspects to it, I think it is particularly useful to learn what makes the program distinct. This is true of any program, but given the high brand value of HBS, some applicants just focus on it without consideration as to whether it really suits them.

THINK AND LEARN FIRST, APPLY SECOND
Some applicants begin the process of applying by focusing on the application initially. I don’t suggest doing that for HBS or any school because you really need to determine whether the program is a good fit for you first. You will save yourself considerable time and effort if you learn about HBS (and other schools) first before making the decision to apply.  By learning about programs, you can best determine which ones you really should focus on.

LEARN ABOUT HBS!

  • Learn as much as you can about HBS. If possible, go visit the campus. Visiting HBS, like visiting any business school, is one of the best ways to learn about it. I have clients who travel from Japan, India, other parts of Asia, and Europe to visit HBS and other top US schools.  I am always surprised when my US-based clients, especially my fellow Americans, don’t make such visits. Visiting gives you a better understanding of an MBA program than anything else can!
  • Attend admissions outreach events as these will give you an opportunity to hear from admissions directly and possibly interact with alumni. Alumni can provide you with great insight and possible support.  Make every effort to network with alumni.
  • The HBS curriculum, while focused on case study has included non-case based learning.  For more about that, look at the Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development (FIELD) course http://www.hbs.edu/mba/academics/field.html, Immersion Experience Program (For 2013, set to be in China, Japan, Peru) and  Field-based learning.  
  • HBS is not right for everybody, so look at it closely to see if it right for you. HBS is very open about who they take.  Not everyone should apply or go to HBS.  For a happy story of HBS rejection, see here. I discuss this issue more fully in the third post in this series.

CASE STUDY AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
If you are thinking about applying to HBS, you should learn about the case method. The case method remains at the center of the curriculum. One of the clearest explanations for the case method is, not surprisingly, the HBS website. Every MBA applicant could benefit from watching the case study video which will provide you with a clear 13 minute and 25 second image of what case study is about. You should most certainly look at videos found at the HBS' YouTube channel.

While Harvard Business School is most known for its use of the case method (80%), many other top programs use it typically 30%-50% of the time with the remainder consisting of lecture, experiential learning, simulations, and other methods. In addition to HBS, Darden and IESE are also schools that primarily use the case method. By the way, if you want to know what HBS students read in addition to case studies, see http://www.computersexy.com/blog/2008/02/03/hbs/what-do-hbs-students-read/.

One great resource for cases studies is caseplace.org, where you can read cases written by and for top business schools. Many were published by Harvard Business School through Harvard Working KnowledgeHarvard Business Review, and Harvard Business School Publishing. Sources for other cases include Stanford Social Innovation Review,Knowledge @ Wharton, and MIT Sloan Management Review.

Sponsored by the Aspen Institute"CasePlace.org is a practical and dynamic resource for up-to-date case studies, syllabi and innovative MBA teaching materials on business and sustainability— from corporate governance to sustainable development." Given the sources and purpose of the site, this is a wonderful opportunity to read cases on a diverse range of subjects. If caseplace.org is not enough for you then you can also purchase case studies directly from HBS and other schools.

Please keep in mind that the objective of learning about the case method is to get enough background to make good decisions about your applications, so don't feel obligated to spend so much time reading cases. Just spend enough time to know what the case method is and how it will impact your application decisions and admissions strategy.

THE HBS MISSION
It is important to understand that HBS is about leadership. The case method is used to teach HBS students how to think like leaders, to think about the different ways leaders succeed and fail, and in the process to become aware of their abilities as a leader. The HBS mission statement makes this core focus on leadership  clear: The mission of Harvard Business School is to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. As such HBS places a very high premium on applicants' leadership potential:
A Habit of Leadership
We recognize—and welcome—leadership that may be expressed in many forms, from college extracurricular  activities to academic or business achievements, from personal accomplishments to community commitments. We appreciate leadership on any scale as well, from organizing a classroom to directing a combat squad, from running an independent business to spearheading initiatives at work. In essence, we are looking for evidence of your potential — a portfolio of experiences, initiatives, and accomplishments that reflect a habit of leadership.
I will discuss leadership in more depth in subsequent posts in this series. 

HBS has a very open-ended conception of leadership, but they are rigid in the necessity that applicants demonstrate it and aspire to engage in it. In the next post in this series, I discuss who should apply to HBS.



-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide.  If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on Google Docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング MBA留学

Q&A with a Member of the MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2013

One of my former clients, a member of MIT Sloan’s MBA Class of 2013, was kind enough to answer my questions about his experience.  MIT2013 provided the following description of himself: "I have four years experience of working for a Japanese investment bank."

Adam: What parts of the program have you liked the most?

MIT2013: Sloan has many excellent entrepreneurship programs. I think it is difficult to have entrepreneurship experience in Japan, such as working with real startups or building our own business plan and presenting it to people from VCs. Sloan provides students with tons of such opportunities in its curriculum as well as outside of curriculum. In addition, this entrepreneurial characteristic of Sloan has been attracting many people from all over the countries, which has created a powerful ecosystem for entrepreneurs around Sloan. For me, working with students who are serious about staring business was really valuable experience.

Adam: What has most surprised you about your first year?

MIT2013: The English level of other international students. Of course, I expected my English level would be lower than those of other international students before coming to Sloan. However, the gap between my English level and their English levels was much larger than I had thought. I was also surprised that for most of them the purpose of taking an MBA is career change. To be honest, my biggest goal for MBA is to improve international communication, including language, which I think would be a typical aim for most students sponsored by Japanese companies. However, most of the international students at Sloan have already had sufficient experience in America (or English culture) and they don’t regard international experience in MBA as so important as I do. Realizing these facts, I came to be worried about our country’s English level.

Adam: How would you describe the culture of the business school?

MIT2013: I think Sloan has very mature culture compared to other business schools. This is because the average age of our program is a little bit higher than other schools, such as HBS or Stanford. Furthermore, most of our courses are based on teamwork, which naturally encourages students to enhance their abilities to working with other team members collaboratively.
In Sloan’s leadership courses, students are taught to be not a great leader but a collaborative leader. This is one good example which describes Sloan’s mature culture.

Adam: Do you actually have any time for clubs?  If so, which ones
are you active in?

MIT2013: I think one of the good things of Sloan is the curriculum itself is not so tough for students so that student can spend enough time on extracurricular activities. I’m a co-president of Asia Business Club and currently preparing for Asia Business Conference this November. I think this is a great opportunity that allows me to hone my leadership ability in international community. In addition, I’m a member of Japan Club, a club most of the Japanese students belong to.

Adam: What are hot topics, activities, classes, etc. at your
school right now?

MIT2013: As I mentioned, entrepreneurship is one of the hot topics at school. We have a very famous business competition called “100K”. In this competition, a winning team can earn $100K prize-money. Every year, many groups participate in this competition.
Sustainability and clean-energy is also a trendy topic at Sloan. I think this kind of topic is popular in other business schools as well. Nonetheless, MIT has a strong engineering department and a lot of technologies applicable to clean-energy. So I think MIT can offer a more interesting project than other business schools. In Sloan, you can get Sustainability Certificate, and many classmates try to get this certificate.

Adam: What are you doing this summer?

MIT2013: I’m going to Tanzania. One of my classmates tries to start his own business in Tanzania. So I will go there to help him operate his business. After that, I plan to travel in Europe until the fall semester starts.
However, most of the Japanese students are doing summer internship in Japan or foreign countries, including US.

Adam: What advice do you have for those considering application to
your school?

MIT2013: MIT will ask you a lot of behavioral questions through essays and interview. So you have to prepare many effective episodes for them. Each story has to be consistent and also reflect your character from many perspectives.
I think this is not easy job for you at all. It also require you a lot of preparation. However, if you are a client of Adam, don’t worry about it. You just listen carefully to Adam’s advice. He will let you know everything about MIT’s application.

I want to thank MIT2013 for taking the time to answer my questions.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide.  If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on Google Docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング MBA留学

May 25, 2012

HBS MBA Application Radically Changed for the Class of 2015

This is the first in series of eight posts. My analysis of the HBS Application for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) consists of:

My comprehensive service clients have been admitted to the regular HBS MBA for the Classes of 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005 and one 2+2 client admitted to the Class of 2014. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here.  In addition to providing comprehensive application counseling on HBS, I regularly help additional candidates with HBS interview preparation. I have worked with a large number of applicants from Canada, Europe, India, Japan, other parts of Asia, and the United States on HBS application.  I think that this range of experience has helped me understand the many possible ways of making an effective application to HBS. In the post below and in subsequent ones in this series, I will provide insights based on that experience.



HBS MBA APPLICATION: RADICALLY CHANGED FOR THE CLASS OF 2015
HBS has radically revised its application process this year.  All previous questions have been eliminated. The standard set of 4-6 questions that HBS has been asking for years has been removed.  A new post-interview written assessment has been added. The application process has been reorganized as three-stage process  consisting of the following

1) Introduce Yourself
This is the written application. These are the components:

  • All the demographic data gathering you expect!
  • Resume
  • Transcripts of academic work
  • GMAT/GRE test scores
  • essay questions
  • 3 recommendations
2) Tell Us More
This is the interview process. Interviews are:

  • By invitation only after review of written application
  • On our campus or in TBD hub city locations, or in some cases, Skype
  • 30 minutes
  • Conducted by members of our Admissions Board

3) Have the Last Word
This is new. AFTER the interview, candidates are asked to do a written reflection on the interview experience which will be submitted via the online application system. This is a chance for you to have the "last word," so to speak.“


WHY THE CHANGES?
The official answer for changing is one of improvement, according to the HBS Blog:
Our process is the product of an admissions team that is always in design/development mode. All throughout the year we meet and dream up ways that will make it easier for you to feel "understood" and undertake assessment steps that map to what we do here in the classroom and what you will do in your careers. We're always trying to tweak and improve, and this is what we've come up with for the Class of 2015. Welcome to the starting gate.


WHY I THINK HBS HAS CHANGED ITS PROCESS 
Lets look at each step:


Introduce Yourself
The change to this first stage is the essays.  I will analyze the essays in the third post in this series.  Why the change?
Increase the number of applications to HBS by making it easy to apply.  Reducing the word count and creating essay topics that anyone could answer should certainly help this. Applying to HBS has never been easier.  With only two 400 word essays and a short statement of 500 characters (about 100-125 words) on why you want an MBA to write (Joint degree applicants have to write a third essay), the total word for HBS has been reduced from last year’s 2000 to about 900 words.  Thinking about HBS, but not sure?  Unless getting three recommendations is a problem for you, I would say to go for it!  Even if you are statistical outrider, if you have the time and are doing applications for other schools, completing an HBS application should not be terribly difficult. I will certainly be advising any of my clients who are at all interested in HBS to apply there.
Reduce word count and reduce administrative costs and also simplify application review:  Consider that by reducing the word count down, HBS admissions readers will be able to process applications faster. Also by reducing down from a minimum of 8 stories/episodes/narratives (The previous application consisted of two questions that each required 3 stories plus two other questions that would focus on at least one) to 2 stories (each of the essays will really need to focus primarily on a single story), there are significantly fewer factors to be taken account of when reviewing an applicants essays.
Reduce the overall role of essays in the process: Given the huge focus applicants put on the essays, given the number of applicants who use coaching/editing/ghostwriting (these are all different in my opinion), HBS is clearly sending a message that the essays are but one part of the process.  Also, given the 24-hour turnaround time required for the post-interview Reflection (see below), HBS is clearly trying to minimize the role of external influences (such as myself) on the process.
Increase the importance of applicant background in the initial screening process: It has always been the case that essays were but one factor in the HBS admissions process, but with the changes to what applicants now submit, the role of the applicant background as reflected in the test scores, GPA, application form, resume, and recommendations will be proportionally even greater. The resume and recommendations will take on an even greater role in the process.  I predict that I will spend even more time advising my clients on resumes and reviewing recommendations than I have ever done before.

Tell Us More
The next two stages are for those who are invited for the interview.  The interview stage has not changed.


Have the Last Word
This Post Interview Reflection is totally new for this year and no school has ever introduced a post-interview written response as a formal part of their process.  I think this is a great change for applicants because it gives them the opportunity to address any issues that they either wanted to but could not include in the interview or to expand on any issues that they did not feel were handled well.  


In the next post, I provide an overall introduction to applying to HBS.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide.  If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on Google Docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング MBA留学

May 24, 2012

Q&A with a Member of the Carnegie Mellon Tepper MBA Class of 2013

One of my former clients, a member of Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business MBA class of 2013, was kind enough to answer my questions about his experience.  CMU2013 provided the following description of himself: “I am a government official, sponsored by Japanese government. I selected Tepper School of Business to brush up my analytical skills based on quantitative tools. Now I am really enjoying my MBA journey with lots of great students and quants!”
In addition to the MBA, Tepper is well known for its Master in Computational Finance.  CMU2013 provides great insight into one of the most (if not the most) quantatively rigorous MBA programs.


Adam: To what extent do you think the school’s mission statement has impacted what you learned at the school so far?

CMU2013: Huge impact. Tepper’s mission statement shows several key factors, such as problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork. Based on this concept, Tepper MBA course covers lots of analytical classes, and most classes impose teamwork tasks on students.

Adam: What parts of the program have you liked the most? The least?

CMU2013:
I love abundant analytical classes in this school. There are lots of opportunities to improve problem-solving skills, especially quantitative and data-analytical skills. In addition, several dual degree programs with other schools are possible, including Computational Finance, Public Policy, and Software Engineering. It takes only two years to get these degrees if you spend summer break taking extra classes. And, the school size is small enough (the smallest in the top 20!) to be tight-knit community. Class size itself is also small, so we can talk with professor very closely.
Basically I am really satisfied with this program, but if any, I do not like the small number of qualitative classes available in this program. There is a flip side to everything. This school provides lots of quants classes, so there are relatively not so many qualitative classes.
 
Adam: What has most surprised you about your first year?

CMU2013:
I was surprised to find that this school provides us with great environment to nourish cooperative culture. Almost all MBA applicants, including me, know Tepper as a super hard school. And Tepper is not so famous for cooperative culture as other schools, but I found that School itself plans lots of events every week for students to work together, and of course students also plan many parties almost every day. Event scale itself is small, and thanks to that, almost all participants know each other very well.

Adam: How would you describe the culture of the business school?


CMU2013: I can say Tepper school of business is small, tight-knit, cooperative, and quantitative. Through the first six months, every student is forced to work together with many other students in almost all classes. Tepper is proud of this teamwork-based curriculum, in which we learn how to help each other to optimize the output. In a difficult quantitative class, most students work together to help understand the concept even if they are not supposed to do so.

Adam: Do you actually have any time for clubs?  If so, which ones are you active in?

CMU2013:
Yes, I do have time. I am active in Business and Technology, Biopharma, Volleyball, Asian Business Association, and Net Impact. Tepper is well known for one of the hard school, so club members do not always participating. As for club activity, if you succeeded in joining club board, you would have great opportunity to manage club event. Indeed, I am a vice president of Marketing in Asian Business Association, and enjoy my work with other board members.
 
Adam: Are there any common characteristics you find amongst your classmates?

CMU2013: Friendly, mature, cooperative 

Adam: Are there any changes coming to the school?

CMU2013:
New dean states clearly that he will change policies to improve Tepper MBA ranking. I have no idea about what will he change, but this must have some effects on admission policy. For example, required GMAT score might change.

Adam: What are you doing this summer?

CMU2013:
I  will work at OECD in Paris for two months. As a consultant, I will investigate what’s going on in a global market of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen fuel, bio ethanol, and electric vehicle. This achievement will be public in a workshop this fall. 


Adam: What advice do you have for those considering application to your school?

CMU2013:
I know many MBA applicants who hold great score at TOEFL and GMAT, failed to get even interview offer. Take time to make unique, concise, and concrete essays. Campus visit itself is not sufficient way to get admitted at all, but it can be great opportunity to get lots of knowledge to be used in the essays and interview. For example, I was strongly interested in quantitative analysis in this school, so I asked admission office to show an operation class in my campus visit. Fortunately, I could join a very popular operation class, and I wrote what I saw and how I felt in that class. These vivid essays were much more persuasive to admission office than ones without my campus visit story. But even if you do not have such experience, you do not have to worry. Adam is really great and reliable counselor. He knows what you should next.
 
Adam:  Are there any specific websites or blogs that you would recommend that applicants look at to learn more about your school?


CMU2013: In Japanese only: http://tepperjp.wikispaces.com/
 
Adam: Anything else you would like to tell us?

CMU2013: Good luck!

I want to thank CMU2013 for taking the time to answer my questions.


-Adam Markus

I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form. Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.
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