If you are looking for one of my useful blog posts that will contribute to your MBA admissions success, this is not it. Below I have tried, I hope not without some success, in making a number of modest proposals for ways that future applicants to MBA programs might be evaluated. While Mr. Jonathan Swift, inspired this effort, it would be correct to say that he has no direct responsibility for it. In fact, I never had the chance to meet him. Still, his own Modest Proposal, has been with me all the way.
While this year has seen a significant decrease in the size of essays, nothing truly radical has emerged except for the HBS non-essay from hell, where applicants are given the chance to blow it on paper after doing so in the flesh. This stands to reason, as aside from such minor considerations as length, format, and topic, what else can one do with an essay? The form itself is so literate. Why not go post-literate? That would be more in tune with the kids anyway. And who really has the time to read essays?
Eliminate all subjective considerations from the application process. Fire all the admissions staff and retain the services of a quant who can simply come up with a set of standardized categories that can be employed to select candidates to form the perfect class. Advantages: Applicants could apply quickly and easily to a large number of programs. Applicants who were rejected would simply understand that they did not measure up and that their lives were effectively over. Schools could save on the cost of hiring admissions staff. Disadvantages: Adam would be out of work. The less functional admissions officers would find themselves homeless. The application process while becoming fair in a certain way would become cold and inhuman. Did I mention that Adam would be out of work?
Make applicants dance if they want to get admitted. Alternative forms of expression should be embraced. Why limit ourselves to words, what about the motion of the human body itself? The range of possibilities is endless. Diversity would be easily guaranteed by only accepting so many dancers of a particular type. Advantages: Literacy would no longer have a central place in the admissions process, but both highly disciplined and highly creative behavior would be at the center of the process. Dance instructors would find more work. Dance shoe and outfit companies would be able to serve a new market. Businesses would flourish. Disadvantages: The physically awkward, the shy, and those who were raised in cultures that did not regularly engage in dance would be at a great disadvantage in the application process. Those who had little time to practice because of demanding jobs would find admission to top programs beyond their reach. Adam would be out of work.
Make applicants either sing or speak their application contents in audio files. I know UCLA did this on a limited basis when it employed an audio based essay question, but that was a mere half-measure. In order to allow admissions officers to review applicant files while they drive, run, walk, eat, etc., eliminating the need for reading would be immensely helpful. Of course, any admissions officer who had a hearing disability could be provided with a transcript. Schools might first try out with just speaking, but I think singing an entire application would be of immense value. There might be some controversy over the use of Pro Tools, musical accompaniment, and back-up singers, but I am sure clear and easy to follow procedures could be developed. Advantages: Admissions staff could be engaged in two jobs at once, which would allow the schools to save on the cost of landscaping, janitorial services, security, cafeteria staff, etc. It would be much easier to find and eliminate dull speakers, the completely English challenged, and anyone who likes Euro Pop from the process. Disadvantages: It would necessarily involve a great deal of written work to write-up assessments of applicants files. If singing were mandatory, Adam would be out of work.
Select Applicants Randomly. Since admissions officers say all the time that the vast majority of applicants are actually qualified, why don't we just go on that assumption? A random selection of admits is likely to be somewhat representative. Advantages: All applicants who apply would have the same chance to get admitted. Disadvantages: Certain population groups would be overly represented in the program, while others would rarely if ever appear. Diversity would exist at an abstract level, but not in terms of actual practice. Wait, that last sentence seems to apply to somewhere already. Where is it? Also, Adam would be out of work.
Let applicants select each other. Given the importance of peers, it would seem only natural to allow the applicants to select who they would want to have in their class. All applicants to a particular program would meet all the other applicants and rank them. Kind of think of it as speed dating, but involving a significantly larger number of potential partners. Advantages: The process would be democratic. Adam would have a job helping applicants figure out how to be liked by the other applicants. Disadvantages: The process would be somewhat time intensive and logistically complex.
I hope the above suggestions will get the appropriate level of consideration. I would be happy to further elaborate on any of the above. Alternatively, I would be happy to ignore the above and elaborate on something else. In either case, I elaborate therefore I am.
-Mada Sukram
Showing posts with label rants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rants. Show all posts
July 18, 2012
December 02, 2011
Haas MBA Fall 2012 Online Application's Stupid Word Counter
It has been brought to my attention that the essay word counter on the Haas application for admission to Fall 2012 full-time MBA program is TOTALLY F%C&ED. I suggest ignoring said word counter and letting common sense be your guide.
Unlike schools that allow for simple document upload, Haas has form for pasting in essays.
Unfortunately the word counter in the online essay form does the following:
1. Counts contractions as 2 words, so "I've" is now 2 words.
2. Counts possessives as 2 words, so "Adam's" is now 2 words.
3. Counts hyphenated words as 2 words, so "long-term" is now 2 words.
4. Counts numbers with commas as multiple words, so 10,000 is now 2 words and 156,895,123 is now 3 words.
I don't think applicants need to stress so much about this issue because of the Berkeley FAQ on word count:
Still, this is totally lame.
Clearly their lame ass application causes all sorts of problems for applicants because they have this FAQ as well:
- Type directly. When possible, type a response directly into the application and format using the online tools.
- Strip formatting before pasting. Do not copy and paste directly from a word processor (i.e. Word 2010, Outlook 2010) into the online application. First, copy and paste the response into Notepad (PC) or Textedit (mac) and from there into the Berkeley-Haas application. Your formatting will be removed but your text will all be preserved in the proper order. Rebuild your formatting, adding bullets, bold, etc., using the application tools.
This is the kind of stupid customer-unfriendly thinking that only a quasi-government bureaucrat, an employee of Haas, could think of. Instead of designing a form that is user-friendly and compatible with de facto standards for word processing, all Haas applicants should use some workaround because Haas can't be bothered to make an application form that is easy to use.
Can't such an "innovative" "close to Silicon Valley school" as Haas get a word counter on the application that does not violate the laws of common sense? Of course, the easy workaround would be either to eliminate said word counter or to allow for uploading of files like most other schools. I guess this all part of what makes Haas a special place. Maybe some future member of the Class of 2014 can fix this.
-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.
November 10, 2011
Wharton has insufficient hub interviews for international applicants: WTF!
My analysis of Wharton MBA interviews can be found here. This is my rant about their applicant unfriendly admissions committee.
First, let me state that I generally find MBA admissions offices in the US, especially at schools like HBS, Stanford, Chicago, Kellogg, Tuck, and MIT to work really effectively at handling their interview processes. I guess that is why I find it so amazing that Wharton can't get it together. As reported in GMAT Club (See here), international applicants are finding it impossible to get interviewed in their home countries and are finding the only option is to visit Wharton. This was never a problem for Wharton applicants before because they had plenty of alumni available to interview them, but this year adcom eliminated alumni interviews and replaced it with... well, seemingly NOTHING.
I first heard this was a problem from my own clients, but see that it appears to be a wider problem. While I know that Wharton is not famous for its logistics curriculum, one would assume that the Wharton MBA holder who serves as admission director there would have made some allowance for this. Perhaps making people spend money on last minute international air travel to the US because they were unable to grab a hub interview space in their home country is justifiable in someone's world view, but not in mine.
It is not as though this is an isolated incident. Last year, Wharton adcom screwed up completely with their new approach to interviewing (See here). I wouldn't even bother discussing their earlier scandal before the current adcom crew was in place.
I don't know what these people have against being customer friendly, which is what MBA applicants are, but all I can say is WTF!
Finally, I should add that Wharton Adcom can't get their own story straight because their website says the following:
"All applicants will have the option of interviewing on Wharton’s campus or with an admissions staff member in one of our selected major cities around the world. "
Since obviously all applicants don't have that option, Wharton adcom should alter their interview information to reflect that not all applicants will have the option to interview in selected major cities around the world. Is it so much to expect a school to provide accurate information about its own admissions processes?
Now, back to work.
-Adam
First, let me state that I generally find MBA admissions offices in the US, especially at schools like HBS, Stanford, Chicago, Kellogg, Tuck, and MIT to work really effectively at handling their interview processes. I guess that is why I find it so amazing that Wharton can't get it together. As reported in GMAT Club (See here), international applicants are finding it impossible to get interviewed in their home countries and are finding the only option is to visit Wharton. This was never a problem for Wharton applicants before because they had plenty of alumni available to interview them, but this year adcom eliminated alumni interviews and replaced it with... well, seemingly NOTHING.
I first heard this was a problem from my own clients, but see that it appears to be a wider problem. While I know that Wharton is not famous for its logistics curriculum, one would assume that the Wharton MBA holder who serves as admission director there would have made some allowance for this. Perhaps making people spend money on last minute international air travel to the US because they were unable to grab a hub interview space in their home country is justifiable in someone's world view, but not in mine.
It is not as though this is an isolated incident. Last year, Wharton adcom screwed up completely with their new approach to interviewing (See here). I wouldn't even bother discussing their earlier scandal before the current adcom crew was in place.
I don't know what these people have against being customer friendly, which is what MBA applicants are, but all I can say is WTF!
Finally, I should add that Wharton Adcom can't get their own story straight because their website says the following:
"All applicants will have the option of interviewing on Wharton’s campus or with an admissions staff member in one of our selected major cities around the world. "
Since obviously all applicants don't have that option, Wharton adcom should alter their interview information to reflect that not all applicants will have the option to interview in selected major cities around the world. Is it so much to expect a school to provide accurate information about its own admissions processes?
Now, back to work.
-Adam
November 09, 2011
Comments regarding BW Article on Technology in MBA Applications
I just posted the following comment on the BusinessWeek article "MBA Admissions 2.0: Technology Makes Inroads":
"This article is actually inaccurate regarding the specific questions discussed. It creates the misleading impression that technology is actually required when answering questions for NYU and Booth:
1. Booth's 4 page presentation question is in fact, not a test of Power Point as it does not allow for a dynamic use of Power Point, but simply requires 4 static pages. It is certainly a presentation, but it is as much a technological inroad as using MS Word is to type an essay. It certainly is a creative, but for many years, NYU has allowed applicants to make such presentations. Booth was simply the first school to require one.
2. NYU does not ask "candidates to share something about themselves in a creative way—using a USB drive, DVD, or CD" as this is simply one option. It would have been accurate to state that. It is not helpful to MBA applicants to tell that will asked to do that. Applicants can also write an essay, make a presentation, draw a painting, actually there are many possibilities and NYU is very clear about the options. It is a pity that this article could not convey that the audio/visual recorded option is just one such option.
-Adam Markus, MBA Admissions Consultant and Blogger"
For my analysis of Booth's essays for 2012 admission, see here.
-Adam
"This article is actually inaccurate regarding the specific questions discussed. It creates the misleading impression that technology is actually required when answering questions for NYU and Booth:
1. Booth's 4 page presentation question is in fact, not a test of Power Point as it does not allow for a dynamic use of Power Point, but simply requires 4 static pages. It is certainly a presentation, but it is as much a technological inroad as using MS Word is to type an essay. It certainly is a creative, but for many years, NYU has allowed applicants to make such presentations. Booth was simply the first school to require one.
2. NYU does not ask "candidates to share something about themselves in a creative way—using a USB drive, DVD, or CD" as this is simply one option. It would have been accurate to state that. It is not helpful to MBA applicants to tell that will asked to do that. Applicants can also write an essay, make a presentation, draw a painting, actually there are many possibilities and NYU is very clear about the options. It is a pity that this article could not convey that the audio/visual recorded option is just one such option.
-Adam Markus, MBA Admissions Consultant and Blogger"
For my analysis of Booth's essays for 2012 admission, see here.
-Adam
July 28, 2010
Should an Entrepreneur pursue an MBA?
The following is my response to Chad Troutwine's editorial, "Why You Should Pursue an M.B.A." that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on July 27th. It is a slightly modified version of my comment attached to that editorial.
As an MBA (I don't follow the Wall Street style manual) admissions consultant since 2001, I am personally embarrassed by Chad Troutwine's editorial. Given Troutwine's business interests, It is transparently self serving. There are both pros and cons to any entrepreneur pursuing an MBA. Anyone who begins with the statement "Why You Should Pursue an M.B.A." has already made a critical error by not asking, "Should you pursue an MBA?"
Two years, the typical length of an American full-time MBA program, of time away from an income and full-time focus on one's entrepreneurial activities can be a real risk. Troutwine suggests an MBA "is a low-risk, high-reward proposition." Certainly for some people, that is the case, but for others the two years (plus much of an additional year spent applying to top programs) might result in a someone making a very bad decision. Timing is, often enough, everything and if one actually has a great entrepreneurial idea, getting an MBA might not be the best decision. I think a serious admissions consultant is not someone who begins with the assumption that an MBA is actually necessary for a particular person, but rather that it is that person's responsibility to think critically about why they need an MBA. Going into significant debt for degree is a huge decision for many people. I suppose if you have gone to the right undergraduate school, come from a comfortable background, and don't view the prospects of lost income and/or time as serious, very little risk is involved.
In my experience, I have worked with clients who certainly were making a very low risk choice by pursuing an MBA, but I have worked with many who making a huge life decision by doing so. I need my clients to know why they need an MBA so that they can make the best possible argument both in their admissions essays and interviews. To do so, they can't merely assume the necessity of MBA, they must be able to demonstrate it.
To his credit, Troutwine does point out a number of great entrepreneurial options that MBA programs have available. MBA programs are certainly catering to and trying to cultivate entrepreneurs. I have seen how my former clients have successfully launched businesses both during and immediately after attending HBS and Stanford. In addition, I have worked with a number of clients with substantial entrepreneurial experience who pursued an MBA because they realized that their approach to entrepreneurship was not sufficient. In the last year alone, I worked with two clients who have successful companies, but saw a gap between their own skill sets and the need to grow their businesses. They view the MBA as way to address this gap. On the other hand, every year I work with a couple of clients who go through a process of seriously reflecting on their professional goals and the ROI of MBA and make the decision that the ROI is not there. From my viewpoint, if I help someone reach the right decision for themselves, I have acted professionally responsible.
Finally, MBA programs don't need admissions consultants, test prep entrepreneurs, or the editors of The Wall Street Journal, to advocate for them. Good MBA programs are having no difficulty finding highly qualified applicants, especially in the present economy.
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As an MBA (I don't follow the Wall Street style manual) admissions consultant since 2001, I am personally embarrassed by Chad Troutwine's editorial. Given Troutwine's business interests, It is transparently self serving. There are both pros and cons to any entrepreneur pursuing an MBA. Anyone who begins with the statement "Why You Should Pursue an M.B.A." has already made a critical error by not asking, "Should you pursue an MBA?"
Two years, the typical length of an American full-time MBA program, of time away from an income and full-time focus on one's entrepreneurial activities can be a real risk. Troutwine suggests an MBA "is a low-risk, high-reward proposition." Certainly for some people, that is the case, but for others the two years (plus much of an additional year spent applying to top programs) might result in a someone making a very bad decision. Timing is, often enough, everything and if one actually has a great entrepreneurial idea, getting an MBA might not be the best decision. I think a serious admissions consultant is not someone who begins with the assumption that an MBA is actually necessary for a particular person, but rather that it is that person's responsibility to think critically about why they need an MBA. Going into significant debt for degree is a huge decision for many people. I suppose if you have gone to the right undergraduate school, come from a comfortable background, and don't view the prospects of lost income and/or time as serious, very little risk is involved.
In my experience, I have worked with clients who certainly were making a very low risk choice by pursuing an MBA, but I have worked with many who making a huge life decision by doing so. I need my clients to know why they need an MBA so that they can make the best possible argument both in their admissions essays and interviews. To do so, they can't merely assume the necessity of MBA, they must be able to demonstrate it.
To his credit, Troutwine does point out a number of great entrepreneurial options that MBA programs have available. MBA programs are certainly catering to and trying to cultivate entrepreneurs. I have seen how my former clients have successfully launched businesses both during and immediately after attending HBS and Stanford. In addition, I have worked with a number of clients with substantial entrepreneurial experience who pursued an MBA because they realized that their approach to entrepreneurship was not sufficient. In the last year alone, I worked with two clients who have successful companies, but saw a gap between their own skill sets and the need to grow their businesses. They view the MBA as way to address this gap. On the other hand, every year I work with a couple of clients who go through a process of seriously reflecting on their professional goals and the ROI of MBA and make the decision that the ROI is not there. From my viewpoint, if I help someone reach the right decision for themselves, I have acted professionally responsible.
Finally, MBA programs don't need admissions consultants, test prep entrepreneurs, or the editors of The Wall Street Journal, to advocate for them. Good MBA programs are having no difficulty finding highly qualified applicants, especially in the present economy.
-Adam Markus
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Questions? Contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to. If you are looking for a highly experienced admissions consultant who is passionate about helping his clients succeed, please feel free to contact me at adammarkus@gmail.com to arrange an initial consultation. To learn more about my services, see here. Initial consultations are conducted by Skype or telephone. For clients in Tokyo, a free face-to-face consultation is possible after an initial Skype or telephone consultation. I only work with a limited number of clients per year and believe that an initial consultation is the best way to determine whether there is a good fit. Whether you use my service or another, I suggest making certain that the fit feels right to you.
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