This post is on the second of two required questions for the Harvard Business School MBA Application for Fall 2009 Admission. My posts in this series are: Overall Strategy 1 2 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4.
2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
I think the reason HBS, as well as many other schools, ask about mistakes and failures is because they want to see that you have the ability to learn from errors and/or problems. Clearly this is an important skill required for analyzing case studies.
I think it is important that we read what is written here very closely as it will help you see that there are multiple correct ways to answer this question. It is particularly important to differentiate between a failure and a mistake:
FAILURE: 1. The condition or fact of not achieving the desired end or ends: the failure of an experiment. 2. One that fails: a failure at one's career. 3. The condition or fact of being insufficient or falling short: a crop failure. 4. A cessation of proper functioning or performance: a power failure. 5. Nonperformance of what is requested or expected; omission: .failure to report a change of address. 6. The act or fact of failing to pass a course, test, or assignment. 7. A decline in strength or effectiveness.
MISTAKE: 1. An error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness. 2. A misconception or misunderstanding.
A mistake is wider in scope than a failure because not all mistakes necessarily lead to failure, though human failures are certainly the result of mistakes. A mistake may lead to a failure. A mistake may actually lead to a positive unintended outcome.
Notice that HBS does not say "your mistake." It is possible that the mistake you learned from might be one where you were an observer, a victim, and/or the source of the solution. That said, I can't recommend writing about a mistake where you blame someone else. After all, leaders take responsibility and if you are using one of your four essays to show why you are not responsible, I don't think you will be optimizing your chances for an interview invitation from HBS.
It is critical that you learned something meaningful about yourself. And your learning about yourself should be important, otherwise why tell admissions about it? Therefore the key constraint of this question is that whatever the mistake is, you have learned something important from it. While not stated, you may very well find that one way of showing what you learned is to discuss how you applied your lesson to a new situation.
I would, in fact, argue that the heart of any sort of "failure question," whether it is an essay question or an interview is what you learned. Also depending on what your role was, how you reacted is also very important.
The basic components of an answer:
1. Clearly state what the mistake was.
2. Clearly state your role.
3. Explain how you reacted to the situation.
4. Explain what you learned.
Finally, the nice thing about mistakes is that everyone makes them. That said, if your mistake is terribly minor, it is unlikely to really to reveal anything significant. So focus on a big mistake where you really learned something. The word count is limited, but, if you can, show how you applied what you learned to a new situation because the application of abstract learning to a new situation is a key indicator of real learning.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
MBA留学 ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング エッセイ
June 17, 2008
HBS: What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such?
This post is on the first of two required questions for the Harvard Business School MBA Application for Fall 2009 Admission. All my posts in this series: Overall Strategy 1 2 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4.
1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
HBS has asked this question for a very long time. According to 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays, "This is one of those essays that is probably a permanent fixture in the HBS application (p. 121)." So far it has been the only question not to change. HBS has made this one of the mandatory questions because...
-Accomplishments reveal your potential to succeed at HBS and afterwards.
-Accomplishments reveal your potential for contributing to your classmates.
-Everyone has had accomplishments, so it is easy to compare applicants.
-What you consider to be an accomplishment are real tests of your self-awareness and judgment.
The following grid is the kind I have used successfully with applicants preparing this question (and the similar two accomplishment version for INSEAD):
CLICK TO ENLARGE. Email me at adammarkus@gmail.com if you want the original excel version.
How to use this grid for outlining your answer to Question 1:
Row 1: "Stories." The first thing you need to do is think of the accomplishments. These will eventually take the form of stories, so that is what I call them. A few things to keep in mind:
Row 3: "What potential for success in the MBA program or afterwards is demonstrated?" You may or may not be directly stating this in the essay, but you should think about what each accomplishment reveals in terms of your potential. HBS Adcom will most certainly be considering how your accomplishments demonstrate your potential to succeed at HBS and afterwards, so you should as well. One key way of thinking about the MBA application process is to see it as a test of potential. Potential itself can mean different things at different schools and so you must keep in mind differences between schools and, in particular, must pay close attention to what schools say really matters when they assess applicants. Harvard Business School Admissions states:
Genuine business talent cannot be narrowly defined. Instead of looking for an "ideal" candidate, HBS invites MBA applicants who exhibit a variety of skills, accomplishments, and temperaments. The true common characteristics of our students are demonstrated leadership potential and a capacity to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.
Therefore, please keep in mind that a core part of your own application strategy should be determining which parts of yourself to emphasize both overall and for a particular school. For example, at HBS, clearly "demonstrated leadership potential" and a strong academic background are necessary. In fact, the latter is particularly important at HBS, especially because the forced grading curve makes it a uniquely challenging academic environment. For more about academic potential, see 3-1.
Beyond the potential to succeed at HBS, you may want to use one of your accomplishments to show why you will be able to reach your post-MBA goals. In fact, given the structure of the HBS set, you may end up writing about your goals in this essay if your goals relate directly to one or more of the accomplishments you write about.
Row 4: "Will this be a contribution to others in the MBA program? How?" Just as with potential, think about whether your accomplishments demonstrate your ability to add value to other students at HBS. Given space limitations, it is not likely that you will explain how one or more of your accomplishments will be a contribution, but rather this is a strategic consideration. The dynamic nature of case study at HBS is very much based on what each student contributes. Think about whether any of your accomplishments demonstrate how you will likely add value to other students' HBS experience. Not all substantial accomplishments will have this quality, but many will.
Row 5: "Why does Adcom need to know about this?" If your accomplishment has made it this far, chances are it is substantial. That said, I have two simple tests for determining whether an accomplishment really belongs in this essay. The first is whether the Harvard Business School Admissions Committee (Adcom) really needs to know about this accomplishment. After all, you might consider getting the love of your life to marry you to be one of your most substantial accomplishments, but will Adcom care? If an accomplishment does not reveal (whether stated or implied) potential and/or contribution, chances are likely that it is not significant enough.
Row 6: "Is this something Adcom could learn about you elsewhere? (If "YES," find another accomplishment)" The second and final simple test I have for determining whether an accomplishment really belongs in this essay is based on the idea that something that is totally obvious about you to anyone looking at your resume and transcript is probably not worth mentioning. If you were a CPA, having an accomplishment that merely demonstrated you were good at accounting would not be worth writing about. Instead it would be important to show something more specific that reveals something that is not obvious by a mere examination of the basic facts of your application.
Finally, as I mentioned above, what you include here is a real test of your judgment, so don't just write about your obvious accomplishments. Think deeply and come up with a set of unique accomplishments that reveal distinct, interesting, and the most important things about you that will compel admissions to want to interview you.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
カウンセリング コンサルティング エッセイMBA留学 ハーバード
1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
HBS has asked this question for a very long time. According to 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays, "This is one of those essays that is probably a permanent fixture in the HBS application (p. 121)." So far it has been the only question not to change. HBS has made this one of the mandatory questions because...
-Accomplishments reveal your potential to succeed at HBS and afterwards.
-Accomplishments reveal your potential for contributing to your classmates.
-Everyone has had accomplishments, so it is easy to compare applicants.
-What you consider to be an accomplishment are real tests of your self-awareness and judgment.
The following grid is the kind I have used successfully with applicants preparing this question (and the similar two accomplishment version for INSEAD):
CLICK TO ENLARGE. Email me at adammarkus@gmail.com if you want the original excel version.
How to use this grid for outlining your answer to Question 1:
Row 1: "Stories." The first thing you need to do is think of the accomplishments. These will eventually take the form of stories, so that is what I call them. A few things to keep in mind:
- Your accomplishments may be personal, professional, or academic. If academic, make sure the accomplishment does not overlap with 3-1 if you choose to write on that question.
- While it is very important that your accomplishments be distinct so as to reveal different things about you, there is no single formula for what their content must be. Especially given the highly variable nature of this essay set, it is possible that you have three professional accomplishments or one personal/one professional/one academic or two academic/one personal. It really will depend on your background.
- The key consideration is that each accomplishment must be substantial and that you can explain why.
Row 3: "What potential for success in the MBA program or afterwards is demonstrated?" You may or may not be directly stating this in the essay, but you should think about what each accomplishment reveals in terms of your potential. HBS Adcom will most certainly be considering how your accomplishments demonstrate your potential to succeed at HBS and afterwards, so you should as well. One key way of thinking about the MBA application process is to see it as a test of potential. Potential itself can mean different things at different schools and so you must keep in mind differences between schools and, in particular, must pay close attention to what schools say really matters when they assess applicants. Harvard Business School Admissions states:
Genuine business talent cannot be narrowly defined. Instead of looking for an "ideal" candidate, HBS invites MBA applicants who exhibit a variety of skills, accomplishments, and temperaments. The true common characteristics of our students are demonstrated leadership potential and a capacity to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.
Therefore, please keep in mind that a core part of your own application strategy should be determining which parts of yourself to emphasize both overall and for a particular school. For example, at HBS, clearly "demonstrated leadership potential" and a strong academic background are necessary. In fact, the latter is particularly important at HBS, especially because the forced grading curve makes it a uniquely challenging academic environment. For more about academic potential, see 3-1.
Beyond the potential to succeed at HBS, you may want to use one of your accomplishments to show why you will be able to reach your post-MBA goals. In fact, given the structure of the HBS set, you may end up writing about your goals in this essay if your goals relate directly to one or more of the accomplishments you write about.
Row 4: "Will this be a contribution to others in the MBA program? How?" Just as with potential, think about whether your accomplishments demonstrate your ability to add value to other students at HBS. Given space limitations, it is not likely that you will explain how one or more of your accomplishments will be a contribution, but rather this is a strategic consideration. The dynamic nature of case study at HBS is very much based on what each student contributes. Think about whether any of your accomplishments demonstrate how you will likely add value to other students' HBS experience. Not all substantial accomplishments will have this quality, but many will.
Row 5: "Why does Adcom need to know about this?" If your accomplishment has made it this far, chances are it is substantial. That said, I have two simple tests for determining whether an accomplishment really belongs in this essay. The first is whether the Harvard Business School Admissions Committee (Adcom) really needs to know about this accomplishment. After all, you might consider getting the love of your life to marry you to be one of your most substantial accomplishments, but will Adcom care? If an accomplishment does not reveal (whether stated or implied) potential and/or contribution, chances are likely that it is not significant enough.
Row 6: "Is this something Adcom could learn about you elsewhere? (If "YES," find another accomplishment)" The second and final simple test I have for determining whether an accomplishment really belongs in this essay is based on the idea that something that is totally obvious about you to anyone looking at your resume and transcript is probably not worth mentioning. If you were a CPA, having an accomplishment that merely demonstrated you were good at accounting would not be worth writing about. Instead it would be important to show something more specific that reveals something that is not obvious by a mere examination of the basic facts of your application.
Finally, as I mentioned above, what you include here is a real test of your judgment, so don't just write about your obvious accomplishments. Think deeply and come up with a set of unique accomplishments that reveal distinct, interesting, and the most important things about you that will compel admissions to want to interview you.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
カウンセリング コンサルティング エッセイMBA留学 ハーバード
June 16, 2008
Strategy: HBS MBA Questions for Fall 2009 Admission
This post is focused on overall strategy for HBS MBA Questions for Fall 2009 Admission. All the posts in this series are: Overall Strategy 1 2 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4.
THE QUESTIONS
Two Required Questions:
1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
3. Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):
1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
2. Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
3. What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
4. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?
Here I will provide some overall strategic advice regarding applying to HBS. (While I have previously posted my immediate response to the HBS questions, now that I have provided a much more comprehensive analysis in seven blog posts, I don't think it is very useful to read, but I am leaving it up on the site. )
Please keep in mind that additional strategy and tactics are covered in the six other posts in this series. I suggest reading in the entire series of posts, even for the Question 3 options that you do not intend to write on.
CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION:
This year's application is mostly a modification of last year's major alteration of the application. The two required questions are the same and so are two out of the four questions that applicants will get to choose from. The biggest change in structure is that applicants will be writing only four instead of five essays. Last year applicants were asked to select 3 out of 6 questions they had to choose from, this year it is 2 out of 4. HBS dropped four questions and added two. Adding two new questions per year had been a typical pattern at HBS for quite a long time and it is possible they are returning to it after last year's major revisions.
Why I don't think it is generally a good idea to write the HBS essays first:
Given the limited length of the set, 1800 words maximum, applicants must think very seriously about only including their best content. Curiously enough Stanford GSB (my posts on Stanford will be coming soon) also has limited essay word count to 1800. Unless you are only applying to HBS and Stanford, I would generally suggest you write the essays for another school first. There is a learning curve in essay writing and you want your essays for HBS to be very strong. Given that you do have significant choice in the HBS set, having a portfolio of essays from other schools to utilize can be quite helpful. I know my suggestion will be harder for those focused on first round, but I have no particular bias for 1st round application, only a bias for submitting as strong an application as possible. Giving yourself as much time as you can seems critical to me. Additionally, given the limited word count for the HBS essays, you are in many cases likely to have more space to write on some similar topics for another school. I think it is generally easier to go from a longer to shorter text and hence, doing HBS short word count essays after one or more school's 500 or more word count essays is likely to be more efficient.
THE GOALS/WHY MBA/HBS OPTIONAL APPLICATION
The structure of the new application is such that one does not have to write a "Why MBA? What are you Goals? Why HBS?" essay. That said, as I discuss in my analysis of the 3-4, "the Career Vision Question," you really do want to fully account for the above questions in your own head, at least, because it is an important strategic consideration. Furthermore, you can assume that if you have an interview you will be asked about your educational and professional objectives (see my analysis of HBS interviews).
I think it is possible to actually use any of the questions, with the possible exception of 2("Mistake"), to explain why you are applying to HBS and what your career vision is. In my analysis of each question, I have indicated how I think the connection could be made. Clearly each applicant will have to figure out what works best for them.
JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T ASK DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD NOT KNOW: LEARN ABOUT HBS!
I think this is an obvious point, but I will make it anyway: I suggest you take a look at my posts on school selection as they will help you to analyze why HBS is right or wrong for you. I think actually it is not right for everybody, so look at HBS closely to see if it right for you. In addition to what it is stated in this post, I suggest you review the entire series of posts even for questions you are not planning to write on because I have provided links to various things about HBS.
CASE STUDY AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
While Harvard Business School is most known for its use of the case method (80%), other top programs use it typically 30%-50% of the time with the remainder consisting of lecture, experiential learning, simulations, and other methods. 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/.
If you are thinking about applying to HBS, you should learn about the case method/view. 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.
Want to read some case studies?
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 Knowledge, Harvard 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 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.
WHICH TWO OF THE FOUR SHOULD I CHOOSE?
I think it is easy to say that the conservative choice for those with work experience would be 3-2, a leadership question, and 3-4, the career vision question. For some applicants this will be the right decision. The important thing is to select the topics that will best represent you. Focus first on what you really want to say about yourself and then decide which questions will be best to answer. Your objective is to construct the most effective presentation of yourself as possible in order to become part of the Class of 2011. One thing to avoid is an over-marketed set of essays. Instead focus on presenting yourself at your best. See my last post of 2007 on the limits of a marketing based strategy.
LEADERSHIP AT HBS
Please read my analysis of 3-2 in which I discuss leadership at HBS tin detail.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW:
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
MBA留学 ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング エッセイ ハーバード MBA
THE QUESTIONS
Two Required Questions:
1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
3. Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):
1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
2. Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
3. What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
4. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?
Here I will provide some overall strategic advice regarding applying to HBS. (While I have previously posted my immediate response to the HBS questions, now that I have provided a much more comprehensive analysis in seven blog posts, I don't think it is very useful to read, but I am leaving it up on the site. )
Please keep in mind that additional strategy and tactics are covered in the six other posts in this series. I suggest reading in the entire series of posts, even for the Question 3 options that you do not intend to write on.
CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION:
This year's application is mostly a modification of last year's major alteration of the application. The two required questions are the same and so are two out of the four questions that applicants will get to choose from. The biggest change in structure is that applicants will be writing only four instead of five essays. Last year applicants were asked to select 3 out of 6 questions they had to choose from, this year it is 2 out of 4. HBS dropped four questions and added two. Adding two new questions per year had been a typical pattern at HBS for quite a long time and it is possible they are returning to it after last year's major revisions.
Why I don't think it is generally a good idea to write the HBS essays first:
Given the limited length of the set, 1800 words maximum, applicants must think very seriously about only including their best content. Curiously enough Stanford GSB (my posts on Stanford will be coming soon) also has limited essay word count to 1800. Unless you are only applying to HBS and Stanford, I would generally suggest you write the essays for another school first. There is a learning curve in essay writing and you want your essays for HBS to be very strong. Given that you do have significant choice in the HBS set, having a portfolio of essays from other schools to utilize can be quite helpful. I know my suggestion will be harder for those focused on first round, but I have no particular bias for 1st round application, only a bias for submitting as strong an application as possible. Giving yourself as much time as you can seems critical to me. Additionally, given the limited word count for the HBS essays, you are in many cases likely to have more space to write on some similar topics for another school. I think it is generally easier to go from a longer to shorter text and hence, doing HBS short word count essays after one or more school's 500 or more word count essays is likely to be more efficient.
THE GOALS/WHY MBA/HBS OPTIONAL APPLICATION
The structure of the new application is such that one does not have to write a "Why MBA? What are you Goals? Why HBS?" essay. That said, as I discuss in my analysis of the 3-4, "the Career Vision Question," you really do want to fully account for the above questions in your own head, at least, because it is an important strategic consideration. Furthermore, you can assume that if you have an interview you will be asked about your educational and professional objectives (see my analysis of HBS interviews).
I think it is possible to actually use any of the questions, with the possible exception of 2("Mistake"), to explain why you are applying to HBS and what your career vision is. In my analysis of each question, I have indicated how I think the connection could be made. Clearly each applicant will have to figure out what works best for them.
JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T ASK DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD NOT KNOW: LEARN ABOUT HBS!
I think this is an obvious point, but I will make it anyway: I suggest you take a look at my posts on school selection as they will help you to analyze why HBS is right or wrong for you. I think actually it is not right for everybody, so look at HBS closely to see if it right for you. In addition to what it is stated in this post, I suggest you review the entire series of posts even for questions you are not planning to write on because I have provided links to various things about HBS.
CASE STUDY AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
While Harvard Business School is most known for its use of the case method (80%), other top programs use it typically 30%-50% of the time with the remainder consisting of lecture, experiential learning, simulations, and other methods. 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/.
If you are thinking about applying to HBS, you should learn about the case method/view. 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.
Want to read some case studies?
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 Knowledge, Harvard 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 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.
WHICH TWO OF THE FOUR SHOULD I CHOOSE?
I think it is easy to say that the conservative choice for those with work experience would be 3-2, a leadership question, and 3-4, the career vision question. For some applicants this will be the right decision. The important thing is to select the topics that will best represent you. Focus first on what you really want to say about yourself and then decide which questions will be best to answer. Your objective is to construct the most effective presentation of yourself as possible in order to become part of the Class of 2011. One thing to avoid is an over-marketed set of essays. Instead focus on presenting yourself at your best. See my last post of 2007 on the limits of a marketing based strategy.
LEADERSHIP AT HBS
Please read my analysis of 3-2 in which I discuss leadership at HBS tin detail.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW:
- Read my other six posts in this series. Even if you are not planning to write on a specific question, you might very well find something that will help you with the questions you are writing on.
- 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.
- Attend admissions outreach events as these will give you an opportunity to hear from admissions directly and possibly interact with alumni.
- If you find that you need expert consulting on HBS or other MBA applications, consider contacting me. For more about my services, see http://adammarkus.com/.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
MBA留学 ビジネススクール カウンセリング コンサルティング エッセイ ハーバード MBA
June 13, 2008
Attend The MBA Tour and World MBA Tour Events!
The MBA Tour has now posted its Fall 2008 schedule and The World MBA Tour has has posted its Summer 2008 schedule. If you can attend one or both of these MBA fairs I suggest doing so. Depending on your location, early registration may be advisable. These fairs are a great way of getting a huge amount of information quickly, possibly networking with admissions officers and alum, and getting free pens!
While these massive fairs can be helpful, they are an imperfect substitute for attending a school-specific admissions or alumni events or, better yet, visiting a school. Keep in mind that being well informed about where you apply can often be critical, especially for more selective programs. Intensive and extensive networking with admissions officers, alum, and current students is something you should prepare yourself for and these fairs are a good first step.
If you want to do an open invitation interview, now is the time to start getting your resume in order. A number of these schools will likely be doing interviewing, so while you may still be focused on GMAT and or iBT TOEFL right now, you should start to think about preparing for such interviews. For my post on interview strategy, click here. Additionally see here for how to start formulating your goals. Of course, you should also think about whether you really need an MBA.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to.
-Adam Markusアダム マーカス
カウンセリング コンサルティング MBA留学 ビジネススクール
While these massive fairs can be helpful, they are an imperfect substitute for attending a school-specific admissions or alumni events or, better yet, visiting a school. Keep in mind that being well informed about where you apply can often be critical, especially for more selective programs. Intensive and extensive networking with admissions officers, alum, and current students is something you should prepare yourself for and these fairs are a good first step.
If you want to do an open invitation interview, now is the time to start getting your resume in order. A number of these schools will likely be doing interviewing, so while you may still be focused on GMAT and or iBT TOEFL right now, you should start to think about preparing for such interviews. For my post on interview strategy, click here. Additionally see here for how to start formulating your goals. Of course, you should also think about whether you really need an MBA.
Questions? Write comments or contact me directly at adammarkus@gmail.com. Please see my FAQ regarding the types of questions I will respond to.
-Adam Markusアダム マーカス
カウンセリング コンサルティング MBA留学 ビジネススクール
June 02, 2008
Good TOEFL iBT Speaking Section Preparation?
I asked this same question in April, but I will ask again: Does anyone know of any particularly good TOEFL iBT Speaking Section preparation courses? At least here in Japan, I have not received very favorable comments from my clients about the iBT Speaking courses that are available in Tokyo (perhaps, I am unaware of a good one, I hope). I asked this same question to my fellow AIGAC (Association of International Graduate Admission Consultants) members, but without receiving any reply from them, so I am guessing that no one has yet developed a very effective test solution to this section other than the obvious: Study and practice English speaking intensely because the new TOEFL is a test of real ability. Actually that was the conclusion I came to when I analyzed what ETS wrote about their test. Read more about my analysis of the new TOEFL iBT here.
If anyone has had good experiences with any form (live classes, one-to-one sessions, and/or internet-based) of TOEFL iBT Speaking test preparation available in any country, please email me at adammarkus@gmail.com.
Also, in the unlikely event that someone who teaches ibt TOEFL Speaking reads this post and thinks that they have an effective teaching solution to the Speaking test and/or to the other sections of the TOEFL, please contact me at adammarkus@gmail.com. If I find that you have an effective solution, I will be happy to consider promoting it.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
TOEFL ibt スコア スピーキングセクション
If anyone has had good experiences with any form (live classes, one-to-one sessions, and/or internet-based) of TOEFL iBT Speaking test preparation available in any country, please email me at adammarkus@gmail.com.
Also, in the unlikely event that someone who teaches ibt TOEFL Speaking reads this post and thinks that they have an effective teaching solution to the Speaking test and/or to the other sections of the TOEFL, please contact me at adammarkus@gmail.com. If I find that you have an effective solution, I will be happy to consider promoting it.
-Adam Markus
アダム マーカス
TOEFL ibt スコア スピーキングセクション
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