Chicago Booth 2013-2014 MBA Application Essays

This post is on the University of Chicago Booth’s MBA application essays for 2013-2014 admission to the Class of 2016. The University of Chicago is a very intellectually serious place.  Booth reflects that culture. Not everyone who goes there is an intellectual, but most are quite smart.  Your objective is to show you understand yourself, understand what you want to do in the future, and understand why Booth is right for the fight school for you now.  You can find testimonials from my clients admitted to Booth here. I would suggest reading the Q&As I conducted with former clients who are members of the Classes of 2013, 2012,  2012, 2011, and 2010 as these interviews will provide you with Booth student perspectives on the program. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, I would especially suggest reading my Q&A with LGBT member of the Class of 2013. I have also written a comparison of Booth and Kellogg in terms of their location and culture, which can be found here.

While Booth does not specifically ask you to answer “Why Booth?” in any of the essays, I do think you should consider this issue and, where appropriate, incorporate into your application. Given that Booth 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 Booth Dean’s Student Admissions Committee (DSAC) blog. To learn more about the GSB’s research, see University of Chicago Booth’s Working Papers and The University of Chicago’s Capital Ideas. I also strongly suggest listening to the Booth podcast series. This a great series of pod casts that should help get you thinking about business at the kind of intellectual level required for success at Chicago. Japanese applicants should most certainly visit the MBA J-Book.   Finally, remember that Booth is not just for finance! Just go explore Booth and you will see that goes way beyond finance. For instance, it is a great school for those with entrepreneurial goals. 

THE QUESTIONS
As is usual, Chicago Booth has again modified its questions.  I have taken the questions from the application form.  While applicants are likely to first notice the absence of a goals essay, something that the Booth Insider which introduced the new questions discussed, there is actually somewhere between 300 and 400 words to do so.  I don’t know why Booth is trying to not make this look like an essay or address it directly unless it is simply to appear to be like some other top schools that have cut back on essay content.  In a subsequent Booth Insider, they wrote:

After reviewing our new essay questions, many of you have asked how to convey your professional goals and aspirations in the application. While the essays do not specifically address your professional trajectory or goals, there are many opportunities to highlight this within the rest of the application. In addition to your resume and letters of recommendation, the application has a section devoted to work experience that covers your past experience as well as your future goals. These are all great ways for us to get a better understanding of your career trajectory, accomplishments, and areas of growth.

Sure, all of this is true, but why not state the real case?  Is there any reason to be confusing and obscure about two 150-200 word goal statements (essays, writing of extended of perhaps up to 5-7 sentences)?

BOOTH’s NON-ESSAY  GOALS ESSAYS IN THE APPLICATION.

If you provide 700 characters each for the long and short term goals in the application, you are asking for essay like content.  Sure 700 characters is only about 150-200 words, but the combined 1400 characters that means 300-400 words. Many schools have or have had essays of said length and called them essays.   If you have write extended statements, clearly you had better have clear goals if you apply to Chicago.  The questions don’t ask for why you want to go to Booth, but I can’t see any reason why you would not want to mention that if it helps to explain why you need an MBA to achieve your goals (something I would surely tell any client to do unless it was so clear from their other essays). I have copied the relevant part of the application form (It includes all the category content from the pulldowns):

Professional Information
Please select the industry that best represents the majority of your work experience to date	AccountingConsultingEnergy/PetroleumEngineeringEntrepreneurship/Social EntrepreneurshipFinance – Commercial Banking/LendingFinance – Investment BankingFinance – Investment Management/ResearchFinance – Private Client ServicesFinance – Sales and TradingFinance – Venture Capital/Private EquityGeneral ManagementGovernment/Non-Profit/EducationHealthcareHospitality- Food Service/LodgingManufacturingMarketingMedia/EntertainmentOtherReal EstateRetail/Luxury Goods/FashionTechnology
Have you ever served in the military?	NoYes
Proposed industry post-MBA	AccountingAdvertising/Marketing ServicesAgribusinessCommercialBankingComputer-Related ServicesConstructionConsultingConsumer ProductsDiversified Financial ServicesEducationEnergy/Petroleum/UtilitiesEntertainment/LeisureFood Service/LodgingGovernmentHealthcareInsuranceInvestment Banking/BrokerageInvestment ManagementLawManufacturingMediaMiscellaneous ServicesNon-ProfitOther Financial ServicesOther IndustryPharmaceutical/BiotechnologyReal EstateRetailSoftware/Printing/PublishingTelecommunicationsTransportation/AerospaceVenture Capital/Private EquityWholesaleWidely Diversified ManufacturingWidely Diversified Services
Proposed job function post-MBA	AccountingAdvertising/CommunicationsBrand/Product ManagementBusiness DevelopmentCommercial Banking/LendingCompany Finance ConsultingCustomer Relations MgmtEducation (Administration)Education (Teaching)EngineeringEntrepreneurial/Self-employed General ManagementHealthcareHuman ResourcesInformation SystemsInsuranceInvestment BankingInvestment Mgmt/ResearchLawMarketingMultipleNon-profit AdministrationOperations/ProductionOtherPrivate Client ServicesProject ManagementReal EstateResearchRisk ManagementSales and TradingStrategic PlanningVenture Capital/Private Equity
What is your short-term post-MBA goal?	700 characters remaining
What is your long-term post-MBA goal?	700 characters remaining

To answer this section effectively you need to know what your goals are and why they will fit with Booth’s mission:
We are the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Since 1898, we have produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Our rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms our students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.
For more about fit, see here.  For more about writing goals that are both ambitious and visionary, see here. If you are having difficulty formulating your goals, please see my analysis of Stanford GSB Essay 2 as it provides a framework for developing goals.

Where to Begin?
Start with non-essay  goals content above, since whatever you write in the essays should connect with your goals either in terms of demonstrated potential.  You need to effectively segment your content because of the very open-ended nature of the Presentation/Essay.  The goals has a clear focus, so it is best to start there. In general, for any application, starting with the goals  always makes sense because what you say in it will impact what you say elsewhere. After all you want to show how other aspects of who you are will support your goals.
Next: This is really up to you, but I suggest really trying to figure out what specific topics you want to focus in on in the two short essays and in the Presentation/Essay. In general, I suggest starting with the two short essays, especially if you have content that you intend repurpose from another school. By outlining what you intend to do in each of these essays, you are less likely to have unnecessary overlapping content between them.
Next: Write the Optional Essay and/or Reapplication Essays if you need to. Keep in mind that unlike most other US schools, Booth has a very open-ended optional essay that can be used for discussing something positive if you have space available to do so.

Finally: After you have written everything, make sure it works as part of your entire  application strategy. Review your entire application and think about whether you have presented all aspects of yourself as clearly as possible. Specifically think about your application meets Chicago Booth’s three central evaluation criteria: curriculum, community, and career.



Short Answer Essays
1.  My favorite part of my work is….  (250 word max)
2.  I started thinking differently when…  (250 word max)
Use these essays to help show admissions your ability to be self-aware and to have impact. In other words, these questions are partially a test of your self-awareness both as a person and a leader.  LEAD (Leadership Effectiveness and Development) is the only required course at Booth and one that involves becoming aware of one's leadership style in an attempt to eventually improve it. You can conceive of this essay as a pre-LEAD exercise.
One great place to read about leadership, and business in general, is Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. The last time I checked there were 360 articles on leadership and management posted there. Find out what kind of leader you are by taking this quiz based on Lewin’s classic leadership style framework. I think leadership is more complicated than Lewin’s framework, but this quiz is a great way to get you started thinking about yourself, a key part of answering any leadership essay question effectively.Third, if you have not done so, I suggest reading relevant essays in 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays: With Analysis by the Staff of the Harbus, The Harvard Business School Newspaper. Reading through the essays on leadership should help you to understand the great diversity of topics that are possible.
By the way, if you have noticed a lack of Booth-specific resources on leadership in the above, it is because there is actually very few such resources. Booth's research has not been focused on leadership studies per se, something reflected in the fact that with the notable exception of the Center for Decision Research, none of Booth's Research and Learning Centers focus on the study of leadership, nor do its three highly specialized journals.  Be that as it may, at least at the stage of admission, Booth cares about your self-awareness as a person and a leader.


1.  My favorite part of my work is….  (250 word max)
This question is great opportunity to show how you have had a positive impact professionally.  We will assume your favorite part of work is not leaving your office or collecting your salary!  Instead focus on some aspect of what you do which you both enjoy and have been successful at. In other words, I would look at this as primarily an accomplishment essay with the limitation that what you accomplished is something you actually like.  I would surely not use this discuss simply the routine part of what you do that can be easily gleamed from your resume, but rather something that really sets you apart.
Some key things to keep in mind when answering this question:
-An Accomplishment can reveal your potential to succeed at Chicago and afterwords.
-An Accomplishment can reveal your potential for contributing to your classmates.
-Everyone has had accomplishments, so the more unique the accomplishment, the harder it will be for you to compared to others.
Brainstorm possible answers: The first thing you need to do is think of the accomplishments and also what you actually enjoy. These will eventually take the form of stories, so that is what I call them.
Here are my criteria for thinking about whether an accomplishment is a good topic for this essay: 
Ask yourself what skill, value, or unique experience is being showcased by your accomplishment: Your accomplishment needs to reveal valuable things about you. Some will call these selling points, but more specifically they consist of skills, values, or unique experiences. One might use a specific accomplishment to emphasize one's leadership skills, another to show one's ethical values, and another to explain a significant barrier that was overcome. The point is that the  accomplishment must at its core reveal something key to understanding who you are.
Ask yourself what potential for success in the MBA program or afterwords is being demonstrated: You may or may not be directly stating this in the essay, but you should think about what the accomplishment reveals in terms of your potential. Booth Adcom will most certainly be considering how your accomplishment demonstrates your potential to succeed in the MBA program and afterwords, 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. Please keep in mind that a core part of your own application strategy should be determining which parts of you to emphasize both overall and for a particular school.
Just as with potential, think about how your favorite part of work demonstrates your ability to add value to other students at Chicago: It is not likely or necessary that you will be explaining how your accomplishment will be contribution, but rather this is a strategic consideration.


2.  I started thinking differently when…  (250 word max)

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the University of Chicago is an intellectually serious place. This question properly reflects the intellectual side of Booth.

This is a great open-ended question.  The problem applicants sometimes encounter with such questions is the right something that is a nice revealing answer, but one of little relevance to what Booth might need to know about you.

THE RELEVANCE TEST: A great answer here will be on something relevant to why Booth should admit you:

- A concept or value that has influenced a major decision(s) you have made in your life

-An important aspect of the way you view an issue critical to your goals

-Your commitment to something greater than your own personal interest

-Your inner intellectual life

-Your ethical values

-Some other aspect of who you are that will compel admissions to want to interview you

The structure for answering this question is likely to be something like the following:
1. Discussion of the thing (person, place, event, book, situation) that changed your thinking.
2. Explanation for why the thing changed your thinking.
3.  Perhaps a specific example of how your thinking was changed in terms of actions you took.

3) Presentation/Essay:
The Chicago Booth experience will take you deeper into issues, force you to challenge assumptions, and broaden your perspective. In a four-slide presentation or an essay of no more than 600 words, broaden our perspective about who you are. Understanding what we currently know about you from the application, what else would you like us to know?  

Question 3 Guidelines
We have set forth the following guidelines:

1. The content is completely up to you. There is no right, or even preferred, approach to this essay. Feel free to use the software with which you are most comfortable. Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint, Word, or PDF. However, we suggest converting your file to a PDF to preserve your intended formatting.
2. There is a strict maximum of four pages (presentation) or 600 words (essay), though you can provide fewer if you choose. All content must fit within four pages (presentation) or 600 words (essay).
3. The file size is limited to 16 MB.
4. The document will be viewed electronically, but we cannot support embedded videos, music, hyperlinks, or motion images.
5. The file will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise.

Based on working with 20 clients admitted to Booth that needed to prepare slide presentations, I am confident about the following.  Each of these client’s presentations was distinct and provided admissions with an interesting set of perspectives on the applicant.  Some of the slides looked really professional, while others were clearly not.  Some were funny, others serious.  Some were high concept, others very simple and direct.  All of these slides worked in their own way. This year, you might not be doing slides, but my core advice, will still hold.


Presentation or an Essay?
PRESENTATION IN ALMOST ALL CASES!
ESSAY ONLY IF IT IS REAL UNIQUE AND WILL NOT BE PERCEIVED AS HAVING BEEN WRITTEN FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL!

When Booth introduced the essay option last year, I said that it does not matter which one you select, but based on talking with admissions at Booth during my visit there in April 2013, I don’t suggest doing the essay unless you are absolutely certain it will not look like it was written for another school. My impression formed by talking with two admissions members and student admissions member was that they too often felt like the essays were being used for other schools.  Given the need to really convince Booth of your interest in attending their school and to simply eliminate their sense that you might be simply cutting and pasting an essay into their application, I would generally recommend doing a presentation. Especially given the totally open ended nature of the HBS essay this year, I would be very careful abou t using an essay.  Still, I am completely open to the essay option if it is something that really will be perceived as written for Booth.
What kind of answers seem to work best? There is no single style of presentation that has worked best in the past. I think this will true even more this year when you can choose an essay or a presentation. Even very simple "show and tell" style presentations can work if they help admissions understand you and why you should be admitted. That said, I think that answers to this question that make choices about what to present and that are unified by a concept or theme tend to work best. I try to always get my clients to provide something that stands out and has a unique perspective, which is best conveyed when one takes a distinct point of view and has a clear focus. Some people try to jam everything in their lives onto 4 slide pages. I think this is a very bad idea.  Better to provide Booth with a set of clear messages, whether in slide or essay format.

General Advice on the Question for Both Slides and Essays
Tell them about you, but don’t focus on what they can find elsewhere in the application. In Question 1, you have already discussed your goals and why you want an MBA from Chicago, so don’t discuss goals and why MBA here.  You will have discussed specific aspects of leadership, accomplishments, and strengths in Question 2, so don't repeat them here. In your resume and in the application form, you will have provided information regarding your past experience, so don't just repeat that information here.


I think they are looking for a meaningful assessment of your personality. I use the word “meaningful” because it does not necessarily require logic or analysis to do so. For example, an image with some kind of description may provide Chicago Booth with great insight into who you are. Since Chicago is specifically being “non-traditional,” you certainly can be also so long as you answer the question. On the other hand, you might find a typical interpretative structure better for you, in which case I suggest you think seriously about writing an essay.

Some Questions to get you brainstorming:
1. What do you want Chicago to know about you that would positively impact your chances for admission?
2. What major positive aspects of your life have not been effectively INTERPRETED to the admissions committee in other parts of the application?
3. If you were going to tell admissions 3-5 things about you that would not be obvious from rest of the application, what would they be? Why should Booth care?
4. If there was one story about yourself that you think would really help admissions understand you and want to admit you, what is it?
5. Do you have a personal interest (painting for example) that would work effectively in a PowerPoint?
6. If you have a sense of humor and/or creativity, how can you express it here?
As you can see, these questions would lead to very different kinds of responses. There is no one way to answer this question, but I believe there are right ways for every applicant to do so. Finally, think big and be creative. To answer this one effectively will take time unless you already have content from an another school that will work here, but if you want to get into Chicago Booth, put in the time.

Some Common Questions I Get Asked About the Presentation
The content below specifically relates to making a slide presentation-based answer.

1. If I make a presentation is this a test of PowerPoint Skills? No. I think it is a test of your ability to prepare a very simple presentation about yourself. Remember that you are preparing slides for a presentation and unlike a presentation that you would deliver, you are not able to take full advantage of what PowerPoint can do. In fact, for anyone who has actually is good at PowerPoint, they may find it necessary to compromise on their aesthetics and technical skills in order to most effectively answer the question. Especially those who believe in providing a minimal amount of content per slide will likely find it necessary to increase the amount of content they include. As someone who previously made the transition from text heavy slides to minimalist ones when delivering sales and marketing presentations, I know that if I had to answer this question, I would have to compromise on what I consider to be my own best practices for making PowerPoint slides. 2) In your opinion, should one use a minimalistic approach involving images to convey one’s ideas? I think this will really depend on you. The important thing is to effectively convey something important about who you are to the admissions committee. If that can be done effectively with more images that is great, if it can be done effectively with minimal or no images that is also great. The important thing is that your reader understands the significance of any images you use. Luckily, you have the notes for that purpose. Just as in “real” PowerPoints, images or any graphic element can be used effectively or badly. Always ask yourself, “Why am I using this image? Does it really help them understand me?” If it does, keep it. If it is mere decoration, think about eliminating it or replacing it with something that will have a positive impact on Chicago’s ability to understand who you are.
3) Would a little bit of humor do good e.g. a cartoon? I think humor can be used effectively. You must practice extremely good judgment when using humor for any application. Don’t make a joke simply to make one. Use humor if it is effective in conveying something that will compel admissions  to want to interview you. That said, I have had a number of clients who successfully used humor in their presentations for Chicago Booth.




4) Re-applicant Essay: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words). “You are considered a reapplicant if you submitted an application for the Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA program for the Fall 2012 and/or Fall 2013 start dates.”

Use this space to specifically explain what has improved about you since you last applied. You can certainly mention improved test scores, but I would not use every much of your word count for that. Typical topics include: development of a new skill, promotions that demonstrate your potential for future success, involvement in an extracurricular activity, learning significantly more about Booth, and why your goals discussed in Essay 1 now are better than the ones you presented last time.

An effective answer here will do the following:

1. Showcase what has changed since your last application that now makes you a better candidate.

2. Refine your goals. I think it is reasonable that they may have altered since your last application, but if the change is extreme, you had better explain why.

3. Make a better case for why Booth is right for you.

For more about reapplication, please see “A guide to my resources for reapplicants.”

Optional Essay (300 Words): If there is any important information that you were unable to address elsewhere in the application, please share that information here. (300 word maximum)

This question is completely open-ended. I highly recommend using it discuss something positive as well as any concerns you may have that cannot be addressed in the application form. Your first priority should be to use it explain any problems or concerns you have. Your second priority should be discuss that one additional story or specific facts  that Booth really needs to know about you. Use this answer to provide admissions with another reason to invite you to a Booth interview. Make sure your answer does not look like it was written for another school, but feel free to use this in any way that you need or want to.

For my post on Booth admissions interviews, see here.

-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.

Wharton MBA Essay Questions for Class of 2016

In this post, I analyze the essay questions for Wharton for Fall 2014 admission. You can find testimonials from my clients admitted to Wharton in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 here.

For my most recent post on Wharton interviews, please see Preparing for Wharton Interviews for the Class of 2016.

Wharton’s essay questions have again changed.  This year’s questions are greatly modified from last year’s.  Weighing in at two 500 word essays, the Wharton set is quite small, but given the nature of the questions, gives applicants a great opportunity to help admissions under the strengths and motivations of the applicant:

1. What do you aspire to achieve, personally and professionally, through the Wharton MBA? (500 words)2. Academic engagement is an important element of the Wharton MBA experience. How do you see yourself contributing to our learning community? (500 words) 

ADAM’S QUICK AND DIRTY SUMMARY OF THE ESSAY SET:

ESSAY 1 IS WHAT YOU WANT FROM WHARTON TO TRANSFORM YOURSELF BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY FOR YOUR FUTURE.

ESSAY  2 IS WHAT YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE TO WHARTON BASED ON WHO YOU ARE NOW AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR. 

I think an effective essay set here will do the following:

1.  Provide both personal and professional content. Personal content can be expressed in academic, personal, extracurricular, and even professional contexts. Personal means giving insight into who you are as person and not just what you know or what you can do.  Professional means providing Wharton with a clear understanding about your capabilities in a professional context, about your ability to work with others, show leadership, overcome challenges, and/or accomplish something.
2.  Be analytical, not merely descriptive. It is very important that you engage in a sufficient amount of interpretation of your actions and not merely a description of what you do. Your objective is help guide your reader’s interpretation of what you write, so that they perceive you in the way that you intend.

3. Think widely about what you want from an MBA and what you can contribute at Wharton.  The point is to give Wharton a sense of the best of who you are so don’t limit yourself too narrowly, but if you try to cover too much, you will end up not covering anything effectively.  Really consider what is best about you and is relevant to answering these two essay questions.
4.  Make sure you are stating things as briefly and effectively as possible.  Don’t waste your words. Use them carefully. Keep your essays within the word count.  I advise all my clients to stay within the word count these days.  A few years ago, 10% over was no big deal, but given the general focus on shorter essay sets, I see no point to giving Wharton more than they want. Of course, if the school says they are loose on word count, no worries.

5.  Think about the rest of the application when writing your essays.  The application form, your resume, and recommendations are other ways that your strengths as an applicant will be conveyed. Where possible, make sure that what admissions reads in your essays is both distinct from and complementary to what they read in the rest of your application. 

Required Question: 1. What do you aspire to achieve, personally and professionally, through the Wharton MBA? (500 words)
If you are having difficulty determining what your goals are and/or why you need an MBA in general, please see my analysis of Stanford Essay 2. In that post I provide a detailed method for thinking about goals and need for an MBA. Here is how I suggest you think about Wharton’s specific essay question:
Make the assumption that an MBA from Wharton will be a transformative experience for you.  If you don’t make this assumption, you will likely find it particularly hard to explain what you want from the experience personally and will also probably come across as rather dull.  Your job is to engage the admissions reader so that they understand what you want from Wharton for your future.

What are your aspirations?  You need to give Wharton admissions a very clear image of personal and professional objectives for attending the MBA program.  You might include a clear post-MBA career goal and a longer term vision/goal, but depending on how you answer the question, you might express what you want from Wharton more in terms of the kind of person and kind of professional you want to become. You might express it in terms of your present situation and how you hope to be transformed by your Wharton experience.  A purely abstract dream or visionary statement could easily come across as unrealistic or ungrounded if not handled carefully, so be careful to connect your aspirations to  your past actions and/or clearly defined goals. Career changers (those planning on  changing industry and/or function after MBA) should explain why they want to change their careers and how Wharton will enable that. Career enhancers should explain how an MBA will enhance their careers to continue along the pathway that thy are already on.

While you should be explaining why you need a Wharton MBA in  particular. You should  learn about the curriculum, clusters / cohorts/ learning teams, Learning @ Wharton, community involvement, clubs, and WGA in order to determine what aspects of Wharton really relate to your professional objectives. You need not mention the names of particular courses as long as it would be clear to your reader that your aspirations align well with Wharton’s offerings. For example, it is really a waste of word count to mention the names of pa rticular finance courses if the main point you are simply trying to make is that you want to enhance your finance skills. Every admissions officer at Wharton is well aware of the programs major offerings.  If you have a particular interest in a more specialized course or studying with a particular professor, it might be worth mentioning it as long as it is an explanation of why you want to study the subject and not based on circular reasoning.
An example of circular (tautological) reasoning:  ”I want to take Advanced Corporate Finance because I am interested in developing advanced corporate finance skills.” This kind of bad circular reasoning is so common in early drafts I see from my clients and in the failed essays of reapplicants that I am asked to review. Usually it takes place within a paragraph consisting of many such sentences. These sentences actually convey nothing about the applicant. The admissions reader wants to learn about you, not about their own program. If you don’t explain what you need and why, you are not actually answering the question, you are just writing something dull, surface level, and without positive impact.

An example of an actual explanation:  ”While I have been exposed to finance through my work at MegaBank, I presently lack the kind of comprehensive understanding of corporate finance that I want to master at Wharton to succeed as a future leader of cross-border M&A.” By focusing on very specific learning needs and explaining those needs in relationship to one’s goals and/or past experience, admissions will be learning about you and really be able to understand what you need from Wharton. Mentioning a course name is not important if the learning need is already something obviously obtainable at Wharton. A more complete explanation would include additional details about the kind of issues that the applicant is interested in learning about and/or specific ways the applicant intended to apply what he or she would learn at Wharton.

Finally remember that you have Essay 2 to discuss what you contribute to Wharton, which is an ideal place for mentioning particular classes, clubs, and events at Wharton.

2. Academic engagement is an important element of the Wharton MBA experience. How do you see yourself contributing to our learning community? (500 words) 

This is above all else a contribution question. In the first essay you explained what you want from Wharton, here explain what you can do for your fellow classmates and the community as a whole. Don’t just limit your contributions to what you can in the classroom. Fully consider how you can contribute to all aspects of learning at Wharton throughout the entire two year experience you will have there.

This essay is above all, an opportunity for you to help Wharton admissions understand how you will add value to others based on your strengths, values, skills and experiences.

Ask yourself how you would really add value to other students and the wider community at Wharton.

One way I like to think about contribution questions is to use a table such as the following:

Contribution	Skill/Strength/Value	Vivid Example that illustrates the Skill/Strength/Value	Impact on Wharton's learning community
1.
2.
3.

I recommend using this kind of table for all types of contribution questions, modifying the categories to fit the question. When it comes to contribution questions, I think it is important to tell vivid examples that highlight specific ways you will add value to your future classmates.

The number of contributions that can be covered in about 500 words will obviously vary greatly based on each applicant’s approach to this question. Consider that some contributions might be fully analyzed and justified in a matter of 20-50 words, while others will require 150-250. I suggest finding something between two and about four contributions to discuss. Just make sure each contribution is meaningful and described effectively enough.

This question is real opportunity to show Wharton that you have really thought about how you become a successful and valuable member of the Class of 2016.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION FOR REAPPLICANTS: All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete the Optional Essay. Please use this space to explain how you have reflected on the previous decision on your application and to discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances. (250 words)
An effective answer here will do the following:

1. Showcase what has changed since your last application that now makes you a better candidate.

2. Refine your goals. I think it is reasonable that they may have altered since your last application, but if the change is extreme, you had better explain why.

3. Make a better case for why Wharton is right for you.

For more about reapplication, please see “A guide to my resources for reapplicants.”
OPTIONAL SECTION FOR ALL APPLICANTS: If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

As with other school’s optional questions, do not put an obvious essay for another school here. If you read the above, it should be clear enough that this is the place to explain anything negative or potentially negative in your background. If you have no explanation for something negative, don’t bother writing about it. For example if your GPA is 2.9 and you have no good explanation for why it is 2.9, don’t bother writing something that looks like a lame excuse. This is more likely to hurt than help you. In the same vein, don’t waste the committee’s time telling them that your GMAT is a much better indicator than your GPA (the opposite is also true). They have heard it before and they will look at both scores and can draw their own conclusions without you stating the obvious. That said, if you have a good explanation for a bad GPA, you should most certainly write about it.

In addition to GMAT/GRE, TOEFL, and GPA problems, other possible topics include issues related to recommendations, serious gaps in your resume, concerns related to a near total lack of extracurricular activities, and  major issues in your personal/professional life that you really think the admissions office needs to know about.You can certainly write on something positive here if you think its omission will be negative for you, but before you do, ask yourself these questions:

1. If they did not ask it, do they really need to know it?

2. Will the topic I want to discuss significantly improve my overall essay set?

3. Is the topic one that would not be covered from looking at other parts of my application?

4. Is the essay likely to be read as being a specific answer for Wharton and not an obvious essay for another school?

If you can answer “Yes!” to all four questions, it might be a good topic to write about.

-Adam Markus

-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.

Haas MBA Class of 2016 Admissions Essays: The Song Remains the Same

This is how I started my Haas essay analysis last year: “Haas always asks weird questions. Years ago, they asked who the applicant would invite to dinner and why. Last year, it was “What brings you the greatest joy? How does this make you distinctive? ” Each year brings some new weirdness. Hence their song remains the same.”
Indeed, I am right, but this time the song really remains the same because the Song question remains., though some essays were dropped and/or modified. So like last year, this post is music video enabled.



I had a dream. Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know, any place I needed to go
Hear my song. People won’t you listen now? Sing along.
You don’t know what you’re missing now.
Any little song that you know
Everything that’s small has to grow.
And it has to grow!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu Starbright – the song remains the same.
Sing out Hare Hare, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are oh so bright, as we go sliding… sliding… sliding through.
-Led Zeppelin, The Song Remains the Same

Well, since Berkeley Haas has again decided to ask applicants about their favorite song, so this blog post will be infused with music.   Set back, relax, I will keep it musical and hopefully valuable to your quest to join the Class of 2016.  I have taken the questions from the Haas website.


BILD: Are you Berkeley enough?
Before discussing BILD (Learn more about Berkeley-Haas’ Defining Principles), I could not ask for a better start to our musical journey than DJDAVE and LeaCharles’ Berkeley Enough (Fog and Smog), which will give those not familiar with town of Berkeley some possible insight.



I have visited Berkeley since I was a child and lived there at various times in the 1990s, so the following remarks reflect that.  If you do not know, Berkeley, also known as the Peoples Republic of Berkeley, is one of my America’s most liberal, alternative, progressive, freaky, eccentric, left-wing, drug infested,  intellectual, health food conscious, and gourmet cities. It is thus a place with very different sides to it. North Berkeley towards the hills is very affluent, while southern Berkeley merges into Oakland, a city with a long and troubled history of poverty and violence. If you are looking to go to school in one of America’s safest cities, Berkeley is not it. Students are regularly victims of crime. This could be true of any urban campus in America, so understand that Berkeley is a highly urban environment a nd not just a relaxed college town filled with happy old hippies drinking gourmet coffee and smoking medical marijuana, Bay Area entrepreneurs working on the next big thing, and hardworking students.

My Interactions with the Haas Community: You can read testimonials and results from clients admitted to Haas here. I experienced the energy of Haas students when I attended the end of the Japan Trek (I was a sponsor) parties  in April 2009 and  March 2012. I saw great diversity and real sense of enthusiasm amongst the participants.  You can find my Q&As with Haas students,  MBA 2010 and MBA/MPH 2009. I also visited Haas in the summer of 2011 when no students were there. It was a really useless visit as part of a conference I attended. Visiting schools when they are not in session is not particularly effective unless you have great face time with the admissions staff. I had face time, but that wasn’t so useful either. My student sources are much more useful to me.

BILD
At Berkeley-Haas, our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles — Question the status quo; Confidence without attitude; Students always; and Beyond yourself. We seek candidates from a broad range of cultures, backgrounds, and industries who demonstrate a strong cultural fit with our program and defining principles.
I think it is worth considering these four values when thinking about your fit for Berkeley.
Question the status quo: Haas values change agents and non-conformists. This fits both within the larger prevailing worldview of UC Berkeley, the Bay Area, and the Silicon Valley.
Confidence without attitude: Haas values humility. It is important that you don't come across as an arrogant person or egotistical leader type person in your essays. That might fly for HBS, but not Haas. Stanford Professor Bob Sutton’s No Asshole Rule surely applies at Haas. It should be reflected in the way you present yourself in your entire essay set.
Students always: Haas like UC Berkeley itself is place that values both a sense of curiosity and a passion for learning. Your intellectual capability matters at Berkeley.
Beyond yourself: Haas values people who are engaged with the world and want to make a difference. Those who have demonstrated a commitment to some issue or activity beyond their own personal concerns will be looked upon favorably. This should be reflected in your goals (Essay 4),  a personal perspective you have,  and/or your  extracurricular activities.


Essay 1: If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 word maximum)
“Pick a song that is meaningful to you — it doesn't have to be popular, in English, or even have lyrics.”

Anytime you are given a question where you are asked to give something symbolic meaning, the first thing to do is think about what you want to express through the song. For example, if your objective was demonstrate your commitment to peace and social justice, you might pick Bob Dylan's Blowin’ In The Wind:

How many roads most a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.



In this case, you might explain when Dylan's first caught your attention. What it means to you and how it relates to actions you have taken in your own life.  This is just one possible way of answering this question.

Your musical selection does not need to have lyrics and does not need to have lyrics in English. Even if the song has lyrics, my suggestion would be only briefly explain the meaning of those lyrics because  you should really using most of your word count to explain what the song means to you.

I think the advantage of a song without lyrics, say a jazz instrumental or a classical composition (Western, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, whatever), is that it allows for easily focusing on what the song means to you. For example, I might use a song by India’s master violinist L. Subramaniam to discuss how the way the music effects me to express who I am. I might discuss 2-3 qualities about myself that are reflected in his music.



Clearly with compositional works, you have great freedom to attach any meaning you want it to it.
For songs with lyrics that are not English, there is no real difference between them and songs that are. You need to provide a brief explanation of what the song means.
I see two very different, but equally viable ways to actually think about this question within the greater context of the overall essay set:
For those who want to use Essay 1 to be the core operating logic for their entire essay set I would picking song whose theme relates to a dominant idea that connects to your professional goals and past actions. This is not easy to do, but if you were, for example, also applying to Stanford, it  might very well be that the answer to what matters most you in Essay 1, could become the theme for this essay.  This requires some real planning and having the time to really make the connections between at least Essay 1 and Essay 5.
For those who simply want to answer this totally twisted question and get on with the rest of their essay set,  I would suggest that unless something occurs to you immediately, work through the rest of the essay set and then figure out what value(s) or quality(ities) about yourself that you have been unable to communicate elsewhere in the essay set.  Assuming you have a list of few such qualities, I would then start to think about music and come up with some options. Link those values/qualities to something specific in your background.
Again, I think both ways are equally viable.  The point is to give Haas admissions insight into what kind of person you are. Whatever kind of person that is, I suggest it be someone who fits at Haas.  On that basis, I can’t recommend picking any music from GWAR:



But hey, maybe someone can make that work.  If you get into Haas using a song by GWAR, let me know. Drinks are on me.


Essay 2: What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 word maximum)




With all your power
What would you do?
-Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeah Song

This is actually a totally standard issue essay topic.   What have you done (with your power) so far?  Where have you had the biggest impact and/or what accomplishment is most meaningful to you?

Some key things to keep in mind when answering this question:

-An Accomplishment can reveal your potential to succeed at Haas and afterwords.

-An Accomplishment can reveal your potential for contributing to your classmates.

-Everyone has had accomplishments, so the more unique the accomplishment, the harder it will be for you to compared to others.

-What you consider to be your greatest accomplishment is a real test of your self-awareness and judgment.

Brainstorm possible answers

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.  Your accomplishments maybe personal, professional, or academic. 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.

Here are my criteria for thinking about whether an accomplishment is a good topic for this essay:

Ask yourself  what skill, value, or unique experience is being showcased by your accomplishment: Your accomplishment needs to reveal valuable things about you. Some will call these selling points, but more specifically they consist of skills, values, or unique experiences. One might use a specific accomplishment to emphasize one’s leadership skills, another to show one’s ethical values, and another to explain a significant barrier that was overcome. The point is that each accomplishment must at its core reveal something key to understanding who you are. Pick the one not covered by other essays and  that you think will have the most impact.

Ask yourself what potential for success in the MBA program or afterwords is being demonstrated: You may or may not be directly stating this in the essay, but you should think about what the accomplishment reveals in terms of your potential. Haas Adcom will most certainly be considering how your accomplishment demonstrates your potential to succeed in the MBA program  and afterwords, 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.  Please keep in mind that a core part of your own application strategy should be determining which parts of you to emphasize both overall and for a particular school. In the case of Haas, consider BILD  above as well as Haas&#8217 ;s general admissions criteria.

Just as with potential, think about whether your accomplishment demonstrates your ability to add value to other students at Haas: It is not likely or necessary that you will be explaining how your accomplishment will be contribution, but rather this is a strategic consideration. Think about whether your accomplishment demonstrates how you will likely add value to other students Haas experience. Not all accomplishments will have this quality, but many will.

If your accomplishment meets at least the first two of the above criteria, you likely have a good topic. That said, I have two simple tests for determining whether an accomplishment really belongs in this essay. The first is whether Haas 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?  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 passed the CPA exam would be rather dull. 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 ap plication.

Finally, as I mentioned above what you include here is a real test of your judgment, so think deeply and come up a unique accomplishment that reveals something something about you that will compel admissions to want to interview you.



ESSAY 3: Describe a time in the last three years when you overcame a failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 word maximum)
In some ways, I think this is the hardest essay in the entire set because you have do so much in very few words. This essay is not just Failure + Learning, but rather Failure + Overcoming Failure + Learning that has Impacted Your Development.  
Regarding the failure, you might very well succeed from the perspective of others, but fail from your own perspective.  In other words, the failure can be as subjective (“I feel like I failed because I did not live up to my own goals.”)  or objective (“My team failed to meet the deadline.”).
Overcoming a failure can take several forms.  For example,  you might find a solution to the problem that the failure creates. Alternatively you might overcome a failure by getting over the financial, psychological, or other pain/negative impact that it creates.  You might also overcome a failure by taking what you learn from it and simply applying it to a new situation  so that you regain your own or someone else’s confidence.
A specific insight means what you learned. You should be able to clearly identify what you learned.  You should then be able to explain how you took that learning and applied subsequently. This is a great opportunity to show you are open to changing your thinking and using it for your own self-development.
The time described might be professional or not.  It might very well be a personal or academic failure. Just keep the time requirement in consideration. Haas is looking for a situation you learned from recently.  This means that want to see a recent situation that highlights your ability to learn through the process of struggling with something.

The basic components of an answer:
1. Clearly state what the situation was.
2. Clearly state your role.
3. Clearly state your failure.
4. Explain how you overcame the failure.
5. Explain how your failure impacted your subsequent development.
This quite a bit to do in limited word count so obviously you need to effectively summarize and analyze here. Keep descriptions brief and to the point.
Finally, cliches are boring, so don’t write stuff like “Rome was not built in a day and neither was I.” Here is a song about that:




ESSAY 4: a. What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals? b. How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (750 word maximum for 5a. and 5b.)



Doing it your way is what any goals essay should be about.  With the exception for the need to discuss your past experience and Berkeley specific content, please refer to my analysis of Stanford Essay 2 for formulating a goals essay.

Regarding 4a., Berkeley asks for you to explain how your professional experiences can be leveraged to support your goals.  Therefore you need to specifically discuss particular aspects of your past professional experience.  For those looking to make a career change, think of this in terms of transferable skills.  For those who will be continuing with their present careers, think of this in terms of showing how what you have done so far will help you reach the next level of your career track.

Regarding 4b., keep your Berkeley specific content focused on explaining how Haas will help you with your goals. Haas provides online resources to help you, but in addition, if possible I suggest you visit, meet alums, and/or communicate with current students to become informed about the program. While it is important to show what steps you have taken, it is equally important to make a clear case for why Haas is the right school for you. See the Berkeley MBA Student Blogs.  Also take a look at the various institutes and centers connected to Haas. Those who read Japanese should most certainly visit the Haas Japanese website and Haas Japanese students/alumni blogs.

Warning: One problem with a question like this is that some applicants will write too much about their past experience at the expense of fully explaining their goals or why they want to go to Haas to achieve those goals.

You have 750 words to answer this question, so make the most of them and convince admissions that Berkeley is really your first choice. Those who have visited Haas and/or networked with students and/or alumni will have a distinct advantage in making that case over anyone who simply cuts and pastes some class names into their essay.


Reapplicant Essay: We strongly recommend that you submit a statement outlining how you have improved your candidacy since your last application, as the Admissions Committee will be looking for substantive change in your qualifications. You can use the optional essay question to provide this information.



The whole point of reapplication is to give Haas another chance to love you. Reapplicants should see my reapplication guide. Use this space to specifically explain what has improved about you since you last applied. You can certainly mention improved test scores, but I would not use very much of your word count for that. Typical topics include: development of a new skill, promotions that demonstrate your potential for future success, involvement in an extracurricular activity, learning significantly more about Haas, and why your goals discussed in Essay 4 now are better than the ones you presented last time. They want to see career growth or at least personal growth. Help them want to give you a chance.


Optional Essays

1. (Optional) Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum) Sorry, no song with this one.While this question is optional, most of my clients write about something here.  Beyond any explanation for any negative issues,  feel free to write about any extracurricular activities, professional experiences, personal experiences, and/or other matters that you can add here to provide another positive perspective about you. This is a completely open question. While you might very well need to tell the admissions something negative, such as an explanation for a low GPA, I would suggest using at least part of it to tell them something positive about you. Feel free to write on any topic that will add another dimension to Admissions’ perception of who you are. I would not treat it as optional unless you truly feel that the rest of your essays have fully expressed everything you want Haas to know about you. I don’t suggest writing about something that would be obvious from reviewing your application, instead tell Haas that one or two additional key points that will give them another reason to admit you.

You need not use all 500 words here.

Warning: Using another school’s essay here would be a bad idea if it is at all obvious.  Think of this as the place to discuss anything about you that you really want admissions to know, but could not discuss elsewhere.  Don’t be boring and don’t repeat stuff they already know about you.

2. (Optional) If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear on your transcript. (250 word maximum)

Sorry, no song with this one either .  If you need to write this, beyond mentioning ways you obtained quantitative skills in your work or in school (when it is not obvious),  I would provide a plan for addressing your weakness in this area.  If you GMAT Quant score is in the 80% range or higher, I don’t think you really need to write anything. If you do need a plan for fixing your problem, I would highly recommend looking at MBA Math.

-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.

Q&A with a Member of the London Business School MBA Class of 2014

My former client, MBA2014 is Japanese. He worked in Tokyo in Investment Banking for four years as a credit trader He received MBA sponsorship from his company and joined the MBA program at London Business School in August 2012.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

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


MBA2014: Flexibility is the key to me. Especially in coming second year, I am going to exchange to China, CEIBS. After coming back to LBS, I focus on finance for my elective choices while some classmates do second internship by using whole terms. You can design your program as you wish here.  The facilities are bit old…


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


MBA2014: The fact LBS located in central London provides students a practical opportunity. Every night, we have guest speakers in various events, such as banker, manager at consulting firms, entrepreneurs or investors. Students even can visit their offices directly and discuss over topics such as job application or business ideas.


Adam: How would you describe the culture of London Business School?


MBA2014: Creativity from collaborative attitude of diversified students. No concept of 'international students' in LBS, and each student accept and enjoy classmates' cultural aspects one another. As a result, students often create something new such as business ideas or cool events to LBS community.


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

MBA2014: I participate in various professional clubs including Finance Club, Investment Management Club or PE & VC Club. I also join Japan Club which mainly organize Japan Trip and BoardGame Club for fun. BoardGame Club is really a fun. Every time you play new games with brief explanation, you should understand rules and set strategy in short period. It could be good practice for assessment of the situation and prompt decision making.


Adam: Are there any common characteristics you find amongst your classmates?


MBA2014: LBS has really diversified students profile, but I can say that most of us have welcome-attitude towards different culture or value, and really enjoy collaborating with those who are different.


Adam: Are there any changes coming to the school?


MBA2014: LBS purchased buildings recently, and will expand its campus. For program, due to increasing demand, LBS offers more opportunity to experience global dynamism. For example, during 2^nd year Global Business Experiences provides students with a unique opportunity to learn about global business through a week-long immersion in five different locations.
See below link for detail:
http://www.london.edu/programmes/mba/programmedetails/globalbusinessexperiences.html

Adam: What are you doing this summer?


MBA2014: Because I got company sponsorship for MBA, I cannot commit any internship. Instead, I take an opportunity to participate in volunteer work at World Heritage site in India. For rest of summer, I am going to be a globe trotter.

Adam: Do you have any specific advice for those considering application to your school?


MBA2014: LBS is truly student-oriented school. LBS really want students who can contribute our community, so you have to write in detail when you apply.

Adam: Are there any specific websites or blogs that you would recommend that applicants look at to learn more about your school?


MBA2014: LBS students share their experiences here: http://blog.students.london.edu/.  For Japanese applicants, LBS's Japan Club shares information in Japanese, here: http://www.lbsjapan.com/.

—————————————————————————————————————————————



I want to thank MBA2014 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.

Q&A with a Member of the HBS Class of 2014

My former client, HBS 2014, provides great insight and strong opinions to this Q&A.  HBS2014 says about himself:  "I am an international student in the HBS Class of 2014. After spending two years in Asia to finish my studies as an engineer, I started working as a consultant in Europe. I decided to apply for an MBA in the United States to bring a new perspective to my career."

————————————————————————————————————————

Adam:  As an international student, I wonder if you could comment on whether you think your HBS education has been "too American" in focus.

HBS 2014: I have to admit, I had quite a culture shock arriving in the United States, even more so in Boston at HBS. Two thirds of the class are American and a third of the remaining third of international students have actually spent a couple of years in the US prior to the MBA.

As a result, a lot of the cases are America-centric. Comments in the classroom are usually quite polished, politically correct and without an ounce of emotional twitch. I think the word that summarizes best the atmosphere I got the first few weeks was "cold"! Then, people opened up a bit.

Adam: How hard has the first year at HBS been for you?

HBS 2014: I wouldn't say the first year was hard, I would rather use the word intense and to a certain extent overwhelming. I think one of the key skills you hone in a MBA is time-management. There is always something going on you would like to participate in. You need to constantly make choices and prioritize what's really important to you.

Academically, the case method is hard on international students who are not used to speaking in public. I have to admit that I really started enjoying talking in class during the second semester. I was relaxed by the grades I had received during the first semester. I did not feel I had to talk for the grades anymore but more so to express my convictions.


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

HBS 2014: In the case method, professors make a big difference on how you perceive the course materials. As a result, the classes I enjoyed the most and least only stemmed from the best and the worst professors teaching it.

Adam: Can you tell us about your Field Program experience?

HBS 2014: The first part of Field is a bit fluffy. It is about how give and receive feedback, how to position yourself in a team. There was one cool workshop organized about storytelling that was quite useful. The second part of Field during which you are actually sent on the field first in the streets of Boston during the equivalent of a "start-up week-end", then in the streets of a developing country of your choice is amazing! The third part of Field during which you are asked to work on a start-up over two to three can be both frustrating and useful.
-        Frustrating because expectations are high to arrive to a decent result over such a short period of time, with such a large team of 6 people
-       Useful because for those students that expect to work in finance or consulting, it is a decent entrepreneurial experience

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

HBS 2014: At the beginning of the year, I was struck by the welcoming speech of Dee Leopold. She was carrying the pile of 900 printed resumes of our class in her arm. She started "Do you know what this is?" pointing at the stack of papers. "This is what you all did in the past? And you know what?… we don't really care what you did !" while she carelessly threw away the papers on the floor. Pause. "What we care about, is that you are Givers than Takers. That is what you have all in common!"

At first, I was impressed by the speech, then I became skeptical and thought "This is all Harvard marketing"… but after the level of dedication of some students in what they believed in and how much effort they were willing to put into the community, I realized I was wrong. I was really surprised how truthful Dee Leopold's speech really was!

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

HBS 2014: No. Clubs are useful at first to meet people. Once you made a couple of friends, you can see them outside the initial club frame.

Adam: Are there any common characteristics you find amongst your classmates?

HBS 2014: Aside from the givers' takers' dimension, another commonality I found is a sense of humility. I will have to caveat it however because it depends on the context. If taken individually, any HBS student is truly humble and open to hear someone's else story. However, put into a group, the humility tends to fade away as type A people like to be first on stage and look overly confident!

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

HBS 2014: Beer pong ? Flip cup? Sorry I still don't understand certain aspects of American culture!

Adam: Are there any changes coming to HBS?

HBS 2014: Yes and a big one for international students. They are launching a new version of the Pre-MBA. Instead of bringing students physically on campus, they will from now on be brought online through a learning platform. I understand that HBS want to expand on the e-learning tools, however, using the Pre-MBA as a guinea pig and thereby international students that needed to build confidence the most.

Adam: What are you doing this summer?

HBS 2014: I am working on a couple of start-ups with HBS colleagues and alumnis ! I love HBS for that !

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

HBS 2014: If you are lost in your thoughts about what to do with your life and if you believe you have a chance, as little as it can be, to get in today, apply now, don't procrastinate. Very few people would have bet a nickel I could get in and here I am writing advice about applying to HBS!

Adam:  Are there any specific websites or blogs that you would recommend that applicants look at to learn more about HBS?

HBS 2014: Adam's website is the best!



Adam: Anything else you would like to tell us?

HBS 2014:  If you are looking for a real international experience, go to INSEAD. If you are looking for hardcore training in finance, go to Wharton. If you are looking for  sunny weather around cool entrepreneurs, go to Stanford. If you want the best MBA brand and to hone your public speaking skills, go to Harvard.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

I want to thank HBS2014 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.