University of Chicago GSB Question 2: Whose shoes?

This is the second post in a four part series. Part 1. Part 3. Part 4.
I really like Chicago GSB MBA Application Question 2 for Fall 2008 admission because it uses a great idiom, “step into someone else's shoes.” The question as a whole reads:

2. If you could step into someone else's shoes for a day, who would it be and why? (500 word maximum).

Now before I start analyzing Essay Question Number Two, I would like to explain a little about how I analyze any essay question. The first thing I do is something that we all learn in elementary school: If you are asked a question, break it down into the component pieces in order to understand it. I guess, we may have all first learned this as a formal way of solving problems in math class:
(20-1) + (1.5+3.5)
In order to solve the above we would most certainly want to solve the component problems first. Hence this will take three steps:
i) 20-1=19
ii) 1.5+3.5=5
iii) 19+5=24

In the same way, when I read any essay question, my first reaction is to take it apart:
i) Whose shoes would you step into for a day?
ii) Why would you want to step into this person’s shoes for a day?

Next, I look at the language and look for any special words or key concepts. I have already mentioned the idiom that is at the heart of this question. We need to look at it closely.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO STEP INTO SOMEONE’S SHOES?

The Cambridge Idioms Dictionary gives the following relevant definition:
step into somebody's shoes, fill somebody's shoes:
to take the job or position that someone else had before you
When his father retires, Victor will be ready to step into his shoes.
It will take a very special person to fill Barbara's shoes.

The Oxford Dictionary gives the following:
be (or put oneself) in another person’s shoes imagine oneself in another’s situation or predicament.

For all readers, and for non-native English speakers in particular, I think the two definitions above help to clarify the linguistic context of the Chicago question. Idioms are highly culturally specific and this one is no exception.

With these definitions in mind, lets consider a couple specific constraints contained within the question:
1. The question contains a specific time limit: for a day. This means that whatever value is be achieved for being in someone else’s shoes, it must be capable of being experienced in a day.
BAD EXAMPLE: Therefore, saying you want to be the novelist Marcel Proust in order to know what it feels like to be completely focused on spending fifteen years to write À la recherche du temps perdu is simply out of scope.
GOOD EXAMPLE: You could, on the other hand, write about being Proust for a day in order to experience his creativity.

(This Proust example and others that will be used are made intentionally odd to hopefully eliminate some fool from copying them.)

2. The question requires us to be very specific about the person: “who would it be.” For example, you can’t just pick any great military leader, but might pick Julius Caesar. Keep in mind that the question does not say the person has to be living now. I think we can assume that it has be a real person, but otherwise it could be anyone at anytime.

Put it all together. Let’s use the Julius Caesar example.

Whose shoes would you step into for a day?
Julius Caesar on the day he crossed the Rubicon with his army. This event led to civil war, the end of the Roman Republic, and his eventual, albeit brief, takeover of the Roman Empire.

Why would you want to step into this person’s shoes for a day?
I think it would be an amazing opportunity to experience one of the most significant political and military decisions made by one of the greatest strategists and tacticians of all times. I believe I would gain great insight into (1) decision making because..., (2) strategy because..., and (3) tactics because... This would benefit me because…

Now hopefully you can see from this example that the first part of the question should require less of your 500 words than the second part of the question. Simply provide sufficient context so that your reader can easily understand. You should not write a biography of the person, instead you need to focus on the second part of the question.

It really is the why part of the question that Chicago cares about, so focus on that. I think why has to relate to what you discuss in Essay 1 in the sense that whatever you get from this unique experience, it should contribute to your goals, strengths, and/or opportunities in your personal and/or professional life. This opportunity to experience someone else's life should be used for some great purpose. What is that purpose? What will you learn from the experience? Whatever it is that you learn, make it important for you.

Finally, I don’t suggest writing that you would like to be in Rose Martinelli 's shoes when she reads your application because while this would be entertaining, it might be a bit too clever. How about being in Manolo Blahnik's shoes? And if the shoe fits, wear it!

Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス

シカゴ、ビジネススクール, MBA留学

University of Chicago GSB Question 1: Why now?

This is the first of a series four posts on the University of Chicago GSB's MBA application essays for Fall 2008 admission. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.

While I know everyone wants to know about Question 3, the PowerPoint (not Power Point or power point) question, I will begin with the basics. As I will explain in the forth post in this series, the other questions are best answered after writing Question One. This first essay topic is a very standard question. It is also a slightly more simplified version of the question that Chicago used for 2006 and 2007 and a variant of a question that Wharton has been using for years.

The question:
1. Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Describe your personal and professional goals and the role an MBA from the University of Chicago GSB plays in your plans to reach these goals. (1500 word maximum).

Before answering this question, please keep the following advice from Rosemaria Martinelli, Associate Dean, Student Recruitment & Admission, University of Chicago GSB, in mind:

1) Self-reflection – Know why you are applying for an MBA. Know your strengths, weaknesses, and why you think an MBA will prepare you for the future. Know your goals and be able to communicate how you think you can achieve them.
2) Understand fit – Every school is different in terms of culture, courses and extra-curricular offerings, so make sure you know what makes an MBA from a specific school so important for you to achieve your goals. If you know yourself and you know how each school can help address your needs, you can make a compelling case in the application. If you do not fully understand or reflect on either of these points and rely solely on your credentials to carry you, chances are you will fall short in a very competitive application process.

Her advice directly relates to answering Essay 1 effectively. It is also great advice that can be applied to other schools.

Regarding goals in general, please see my posts, A Method For Formulating Goals and ARE YOUR GOALS HOT?

Next, let’s take this question apart. Unlike in the last few years, Chicago has simplified this question into less components, but I don’t think that makes it easier. Actually, you need to take these bigger questions and break them down to make a truly effective answer.

Lets begin with the first part of the question: Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Actually this question is one that Ms. Martinelli previously asked when she was the Admissions Director at Wharton. Wharton still includes this same question in its essay set:
1. Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect a Wharton MBA to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program?

Notice something very different between these two questions? Chicago asks At this point? at the very beginning. While both schools clearly expect an answer to Why now? and not next year or last year, Chicago is emphasizing that this is the critical question to answer.However you structure your essay, you had better focus it on answering this critical question. Getting an MBA is not obvious. It is something one does because it fits into an overall plan for one’s career and life.

Why is now the time? Explain both analytically and with examples (stories) why you need an MBA now. To answer this part of question you clearly need to think about the past. After all, if now is the right time, what has led to it?

Here a basic way to structure this part of the question:

1. NOW IS THE RIGHT POINT TO PURSUE AN MBA because
Argument 1: RELATED TO YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT. Discuss your career up to this point. Explain why now is the time. Write about your present, your goals, and the gap between them.
Argument 2: RELATED TO YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. Discuss the intellectual and/or experiential reasons for wanting to do an MBA. Write about your strengths & weaknesses, your intended future. and the gap between them.
Argument 3: RELATED TO THE WIDER WORLD. What opportunities and threats exist in your present and intended future that an MBA can support (opportunities) or mitigate(threats)?

If you use the "GSR Table" that I presented in a prior post, Argument 1 relates to a Gap Analysis and Argument 2 and 3 to a SWOT analysis. If you want a version word of the table, please email me at adammarkus.com.

In the second part of the question- Describe your personal and professional goals and the role an MBA from the University of Chicago GSB plays in your plans to reach these goals.- you need explain your expected ROI from attending Chicago GSB.
We can break this down into two components:
1. Explain how an MBA from Chicago GSB will specifically contribute to your professional goals.
2. Explain how an MBA from Chicago GSB will specifically contribute to personal goals.

For each of these components you could address such topics as
1. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will lead to the next phase in my career based on the skills I acquire.
2. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will enhance my professional knowledge base to find new opportunities.
3. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will allow me to mitigate risk from future threats in my intended career path.
4. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will allow me to overcome my professional weakness in…
5. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will help me develop a network for my professional and/or personal goals.
6. How an MBA from Chicago GSB will enhance my personal life.

Now most applicants may not be able to get all of this into 1500 words. You have to pick and choose carefully what topics you need to address. Just make sure that your show how Chicago GSB will deliver great ROI to you personally and professionally.

To really answer this question you need to know about Chicago GSB. Given that GSB has great online sources available for this purpose, even if you don’t visit, you can learn about it. Start here. In particular take a good look at Chicago GSB Dean's Student Admissions Committee (DSAC) blog.

I also strongly suggest listening to the GSB podcast series. This a great series of podcasts that should help get you thinking about business at the kind of intellectual level required for success at Chicago GSB.

Japanese applicants should most certainly visit the MBA J-Book.

The University of Chicago is one of the most intellectually vibrant places on the planet. Anyone who wants to go there had better figure out how to make full use of the vast financial, economic, and management scholarly resources that it offers.

Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス

シカゴ、ビジネススクール, MBA留学

I am now the first Japan-based member of AIGAC

I am pleased to announce my membership in AIGAC, The Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants. I am now the first admissions consultant in Japan to be accepted as a member of the sole professional organization for graduate admissions consulting. All MBA and other graduate school applicants would benefit from taking a look at the AIGAC blog which provides application advice from AIGAC's members.

Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
MBA留学, LLM留学, 大学院留学

THE MBA, LAW & GRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOOKSTORE

I have launched THE MBA, LAW & GRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOOKSTORE. I have included both books that I can personally recommend, Adam's Picks, and books in categories that are most likely to be useful to readers of this blog. All of Adam's Picks have my mini-reviews.
Frankly, I have no idea whether anyone will use this, but I thought it would be a useful experiment. If you buy anything, I get a 4% cut which could eventually take the form of Amazon Gift Certificates for me. Clearly not my day job. If nothing else, my reviews are worth a look.

Wisconsin MBA Moves Up 15 Spots in Forbes Ranking

Now for a moment of shameless promotion for the MBA program at my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (I can't really help it because both my brother and I studied there. He did his BA and JD and I did my MA there. Plus when an alumni tour came to Tokyo this year, they gave me a great hat.)

Now for the Wisconsin MBA news:

The Wisconsin MBA moved up 15 spots in a just-released national ranking of MBA programs by Forbes magazine. The Wisconsin MBA was ranked 27th, compared to 42nd in 2005, the last time the biennial ranking was conducted.
The Wisconsin MBA has made strides in other recent rankings. U.S. News and World Report most recently ranked the Wisconsin MBA 29th in the nation, up two spots from the previous year. In the most recent Wall Street Journal ranking of MBA programs, the Wisconsin MBA moved up nine spots to 25th in the regional category.

In a sense this should be no surprise because the Business School already has a top ranked undergraduate program:

Wisconsin’s undergraduate business program was ranked 13th in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. Real Estate was ranked second, and Insurance/ Risk Management was ranked third. In all, seven programs were ranked in the top 20.

Keep in mind that Wisconsin undergraduates become CEOs:

According to BusinessWeek, 14 of the CEOs at S&P 500 companies hold undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin, putting UW in a tie with Harvard for first place, ahead of Princeton, Stanford, Yale and the University of Texas, among others.

Additionally, Hopefully, we will see Wisconsin kick another school off the Top 30 Businessweek ranking! On Wisconsin!

-Adam, MA, Class of '93
MBA留学