Waitlisted? Now what?

This is an updated and expanded version of a previous post on what do if you are waitlisted at an MBA program.

As MBA results roll in with  all their joy, pain, and annoyance have more or less emerged, some people will find themselves  admitted, others outright rejected, and others in that netherworld known as waitlist. For some, the wait will actually end relatively quickly, but for others, the wait might very well continue, well, for months and months. For some, the waitlist will ultimately convert into a ding.

While I have no numbers yet, my expectation is that admissions acceptances to top programs like Booth, HBS,  MIT and Wharton will have become lower for fall 2014 entry (Class of 2016) because of  making the essay burden lower (HBS, MIT, Wharton), proactive use of waitlisting to decrease an acceptance rate that is too high given its ranking (Booth)  and increase yield (Booth and Wharton, Haas and others likely), and overall  market effects (If HBS and Wharton become harder to get into, given the large size of their classes, this impacts competition at other schools as well.). Schools waitlist because they actually are uncertain whether their estimated yield- the percentage of admitted applicants who accept an offer of admision, see here for more about it- will be sufficient to fill their class. They waitlist because they don’t want empty seats. They waitlist because they hav e too many qualified applicants for too few slots, but want to reserve the possibility of eventually letting someone in.  They don’t waitlist to make applicants feel better by giving some sort of second prize.  Schools don’t waitlist because their are sadistic fiends, but from a waitlisted applicant’s perspective, it might feel that way.

In the rest of this post, I will provide advice on what do if you are waitlisted by an MBA program.


IF YOU ARE WAITLISTED….

Don’t panic or become depressed. The reason you were waitlisted is because there were too many qualified applicants and adcom likes you, but they don’t know that they love you yet. Now is the time to think clearly and act effectively.

For those waitlisted in the first round, you should, of course, know that adcom likes you, but they really wanted to see the full pool of applicants, before making any decisions. You might be waiting for a quite a while longer, but be patient. Simultaneously, consider other options.

For those waitlisted in the second or third round, adcom also likes you, but they are not yet convinced that it would be right to give you a spot because there were simply too many qualified applicants. Your wait could go on for months. Consider other alternatives, but don’t give up because it is possible to get off the waitlist.

Be proactive, but not aggressively annoying, with admissions. Adcom will let you know what additional materials they will accept and you should most certainly provide them. That said, the worst thing you can do is send a continuous stream of correspondence or otherwise annoy the admissions office. If you turn yourself into an annoying freak, you can assume you will not get admitted.  
Also, keep in mind that some schools, simply do not accept any additional materials.  Wharton, for example, has the following policy:
“Candidates can expect to remain on the waitlist until the following round of decisions are released. There is no rank order to the waitlist. We are unable to offer feedback to candidates while they remain on the list. We are also unable to accept additional materials for inclusion in a waitlisted applicant’s file. This policy is designed to create an admissions process that is fair and equitable for all candidates.”
On their Admisssions Blog, Wharton reiterates this policy.  See here  for example.  If you are waitlisted at Wharton, the only thing to really do is just wait. Basically, they don’t recommendations, essays,  professional updates and it is even unclear whether they consider GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS increases. Still, I would submit test score increases to schools like Wharton that don’t take additional information.


Test scores: GMAT, GRE,  TOEFL and IELTS. If you can take it again, do it, if your score goes up report it. Higher scores are always helpful for any school that will take additional information.

If your GMAT or GRE is below the average for those admitted to the program, an improved test score is, many cases, the single best way to improve your chance of admission. On the other hand if your GMAT or GRE score is at or above the average, improved scores are likely to be of increasingly marginal utility.  That said, if you are from a demographic sub-group where scores are particularly high (Indian males who graduated from one of the IITs for example) then a really higher score could be of greater benefit.

For those required to prove their English ability through TOEFL, IELTS, or the other English exams that some schools will accept (but no one seems to take), an improved score here is always worth reporting. MBA programs want class diversity, but they also want those students who are most effective at communicating in English, so if you can show them better potential for that, do it!

Improving your MBA math skills:  If you have strong and objectively demonstrated quantitative skills based on your academic background, professional certifications (CPA, CFA), and/or GMAT or GRE scores, ignore this topic.
As you may have gathered from filling out applications, a number of schools specifically ask applicants to indicate their highest level of math taken or discuss their quantitative skills if not readily apparent.  If you are not strong in math or have no objective facts that demonstrate it (see examples in previous paragraph), that can really hurt especially at programs know for being quantitatively rigorous.   You can certainly take an online or evening course, but that can take quite a while to complete.  I highly recommend the online course,  MBA Math, because many top schools recommend it as preparation to their students.  It is a self-study program and you receive a certificate completion once you are finished with it, which can then be provided to a school you are waitlisted at.  (By the way, I have no connection at all to MBA Math, and this is in no way a compensated endorsement.)

Additional recommendation: If the school will take one, provide it. It is fine to send more than one recommendation if the school allows it. Think very strategically about your selection(s). You don’t want a recommendation that will not add something substantially different from what your previous recommendations stated. Try to use a recommender (or recommenders) who will do one or more of the following:
(a) A recommender who will provide support  to help you overcome any areas of professional and/or academic weakness in your background.
(b) A recommender who will provide a perspective on different part of your background.
(c) A recommender who will provide support for earlier or more recent period of your life.
(d) If academic recommendations are acceptable and your GPA is not great, consider getting an academic recommendation if you can get a strong one.
(e) If your English ability is maybe the issue, consider getting a recommendation from someone who can speak positively about your English communication skills. This is especially important if your iBT TOEFL or IELTS score is not that high or if you think your interview was not so strong because of your speaking skills.

Additionally, many schools will also take informal recommendations from alums or current students, so if you can get one from someone who knows you, it can’t hurt.

WARNING:  Usually the worst recommendations to send are from high level VIPs you don’t know you well and/or who you have not engaged with in some sort of organized purposeful activity (work, volunteer, mentors, academic, etc.). Sometimes applicants know a senator or a CEO or a former prime minister or someone whose family is a major donor at a university (but not the applicant’s family)  and obtain a recommendation that it more like an abstract character reference or a collection of second-hand reported information. This is not a good thing to do and will not help you unless the recommender has real organizational influence at the school.  If they do have such influence, they probably don’t need to write a formal recommendation to have impact.


Waitlist essay. Write one!

The typical components:

-Additional reasons why you want to attend to show your real commitment and passion for the school. Think classes, school’s culture, or any other reason that would make the school ideal for you.

-Discussion of changes that have taken place in your professional career after your applied. If anything new and great has happened, you should most certainly write about it.
- New content that was not emphasized in your application.

Use some combination of the following possible topics:
(a) Changes since you applied. Any positive professional or personal changes should be communicated. For instance, success on a project,  passing a professional certification exam, a promotion,  election to the board of a non-profit organization, etc.
(b) If you did not sufficiently discuss your leadership or teamwork abilities, you should most certainly do so.
(c) Write about contributions you can make to the school based on your experience, background, personality, and network.
(d) If your academic potential was not obvious, you should try to demonstrate that.
(e) If you have SUBSTANTIAL personal or professional accomplishments that you did not discuss in your initial application, you should do so.
(f) If you did not focus very much on non-professional content in your application, focus on it here, at least to some extent.
(f) If you were waitlisted without an interview, remember to ask for the opportunity to interview.

If the length is not stated, I would try to keep it to between 500 and 1000 words. More is not inherently better, quality is, so don’t write about everything you can think of. This essay is quite important, so make sure that the content is at least as good as that of your original application.

If you have not visited the school and can visit the school, do so. Make a point of letting admissions know this, either in your waitlist essay or through contact with them.  VISITING (or even visiting again) CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

For schools where you can actually meet with admissions, making a personal appeal is worth the effort.  Showing your commitment to a school that is open to such an appeal can result in a positive outcome.  Note:  The personal appeal approach does not work at all schools.  It is especially does not work if admissions has told you that they cannot meet with you.  It also does not work if you are simply not good at selling yourself.  My clients who have succeeded at this, have, in general, been highly charismatic individuals.

Get a fresh perspective on your application by rereading it now. By doing so, you will probably have a good idea about what kind of recommendation to get and waitlist essay to write.  To that end, I suggest analyzing your waitlisted application as though you had dinged already:  In order to figure out what you might need to mitigate in your application, analyze it is as though you had been rejected.  I provide a comprehensive way to do that using resources on this blog.  This will also help you figure out what you need to differently with any subsequent applications that you make. 

If you had an interview, how did it go? While it might not be easy for you to fully remember or assess it, think critically about your interview experience.  If you have done well on other interviews, did this one go as well?  While it is obviously too late to do anything about any interview that was not ideal, thinking about your interview experience might very well help you figure out where the problem was and consider how to approach future interviews.  Unless you are certain that your interview went well, assume the interview was at least part if not the entire problem.  Schools seemingly place a different level of value on interviews.  At HBS and MIT, for example, interviews are conducted by admissions staff who have taken the time to review your application completely, so assume a waitlist there, at least partially reflects the fact that compared to other candidates you were good, but others received an overall higher evaluation.  For schools like Haas or Columbia, where interviews are conducted blind, assume the interview is just one factor.  For schools that put a huge emphasis and have intensive interviews, such as IMD,  HEC, and LBS, assume the interview was certainly the critical factor for why you are now waitlisted.

Consider seeking the advice of an admissions consultant. If you have already worked with one, you can go back to that person if you are otherwise pleased with their work. They know you and they could help you put something together that caught admissions’ eye. On the other hand, you might want to pay for a fresh perspective. I offer waitlist, reapplication, interview, and comprehensive consulting services.

Do you need a PLAN B? If you are waitlisted and/or dinged everywhere you applied, it is now time to start thinking about whether you are going to apply for more schools for 2013, reapply for 2014, or expand your career in some other way. Whatever the case, you need a Plan B in place. If you are thinking about applying to more schools for Fall 2013 or just reconsidering school selection in general, please see here.

Best of luck and may your wait be short and culminate in admission!

-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.

London Business School Fall 2014 MBA Application Essay Questions

In this post I analyze the London Business School’s MBA admissions essay questions for the Class of 2016. Thinking about London Business School reminds me of the strength of the alumni network, the quality of its academic research, its core competencies in finance and international business, the intensity of its campus community, and the emphasis that LBS puts on active student involvement within that community.

For my suggestions on how to prepare for LBS interviews, please see here. 

I have worked with a number of clients admitted to LBS. I had a total of 16 admitted since 2008 as well as prior clients from 2001-2007.  You can find testimonials from some of them here.   I do suggest reviewing the interviews I have conducted with my former clients from the Classes of  2010, 2011,  2012 and 2014. .  They each provide their own unique perspective on LBS.


The Essay Questions
You get the MBA Essays here. LBS has been altering its questions almost every year.
1. What do you want LBS 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 1-3 things about you that would not be obvious from rest of the application, what would they be? Why should LBS care?
4.  What could you discuss about yourself that you think would really help admissions understand you and want to admit you?


Word Count
LBS is very strict about this:
“You are required to add the word count at the end of each question.
 Please do not write more than the specified word limit for each essay. Any extra words or essays may be disregarded. “ 


Learn about London Business School and figure out how you will contribute: The more you know the better, especially when it comes to contribution questions such as LBS Essay Questions 2 and 3, I think it is important to tell specific stories that highlight specific ways you will add value to your future classmates and the LBS community as a whole.  Fully explore the LBS website, get in touch with alums, and even contact students. WATCH MBA TV! The LBS Japanese student website is ideal for Japanese applicants. Do whatever it takes to become sufficiently informed about the school. Attend events if you can and even better, go visit if that is possible. The school has strengths beyond finance, entrepreneurship, and international business, so explore them. Figure out specifically what parts of the program will most effectively assist you in succeeding at your post-MBA plan.


Question 1
What will your future look like after completing your MBA (500 words)?

This question is focused specifically on your career post-MBA.  You should certainly explain why you need MBA  in order to show how LBS will help achieve your post-MBA goal, but the real focus is on discussing that post-MBA future.  In Questions 2 and 3 you have the opportunity to discuss LBS, so don’t feel like you need to do too much of that here.

A good answer to Essay 1 will:
Provide a specific post-MBA short-term plan. What industry, function, and even company do want to work for?  Why? (What motivates you?).  LBS values clarity in terms of career objectives.  Assume the realism of your post-MBA plans will be seriously scrutinized by the admissions office.  While being ambitious is important, it surely needs to be the case that admissions should feel that you are someone they should take a bet on admitting because your post-MBA prospects are well-thought out. They know you may change your plans, but at least show you can put together a viable plan for your post-MBA future. 

Provide a clear longer-term vision. This might be stated in terms of a specific job, but also could be stated in terms of an overall mission. You can be a more vague here than what you discuss in the short-term. Make sure you explain what motivates you.  Since LBS’ question is focused on the future, some applicants may very well find themselves writing in great detail about what they hope their long-term future will look like. 

If you are having difficulty formulating goals. please see see http://www.adammarkus.com/class-of-2016-stanford-gsb-essay-2-what-do-you-want-to-do-really-and-why-stanford/. There I provide detailed advice on to think about and brainstorm post-MBA goals.

Given that LBS is asking you to consider your future, you could write the essay from that future perspective. Here are two examples of what I mean by that:
Practical Future:  In 2016, after finished my MBA, I imagine joining…. There I hope to… LBS helped prepare me for this role by…
Far Future Looking back on career since graduating from LBS thirty years ago…
Comparative (Now versus post-MBA): Another option would be to write this essay in terms of a comparison between your present self and what you hope to become after you obtain your MBA.  

There are other ways of effectively answering this question, just remember to keep your answer focused on the future. Your past experience can be used to help understand what you want to become, but if you find you are writing more about the past than the future, you most likely have a problem.


Why LBS? Why MBA?
While this question does not specifically require to explain why you need an MBA,  I think most applicants will find it helpful to include such an explanation in the essay.  Just keep in mind that the focus of this question is not on the MBA, but on your future.  Whether you are a career changer or a career enhancer or some combination of the two, I think explaining how an MBA from LBS will make your post-MBA future possible is surely worth including.

Especially for those who choose to structure their essay in terms of  the comparative approach (mentioned above) or who are career changers (Now versus post-MBA), you will find it necessary to include a clear explanation of how an MBA from LBS made your post-MBA future possible.  For those seeking to enhance their current career path, I think explaining what sort of impact you expect from LBS can happen here in Question 1 as well as in Question 3.

Question 2
What value will you add to London Business School (300 words)?

I suggest  writing  about 1-3 specific contributions you will make at LBS.
When it comes to contribution questions, I think it is important to tell specific stories that highlight specific ways you will add value to LBS. You might think of the contributions in terms of  specific clubs or activities, your role in class, your relationship to classmates. and/or the LBS community as a whole.  Focus 1-3 specific stories. For each story highlight how it will be value to LBS.

There are many possible ways to contribute.  Here you should focus on a few ways that really highlight what makes you distinct. In Q3 you might also be discussing what you can contribute but it will be in terms of your responsibility and not just in terms of where you can add the most value (Q2).

Keep in mind that this question is not really very hypothetical because students are expected to get leadership experience through clubs and events. While you should certainly writing about fun clubs and events, you should also consider using this as a way of discussing something that can provide you with valuable opportunities for enhancing your ability to reach your professional objectives. It is reasonable to write on 2-3 different topics here.

Some Questions to get you brainstorming:
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. The most important thing is that the reader should have a clear understanding of how you will make a distinct positive impact at LBS. 



Question 3
What is the School's responsibility to you and what is your responsibility to the School (400 words)?

Unlike the previous question, which is focused on what you add to LBS, this question is focused on the mutual obligations that will be established between you and LBS.  Consider that you are entering into what will become a lifetime relationship and that LBS is a school that expects both its students and alumni to be actively engaged.   At the same time, it is very reasonable for you to express what you consider to be the school's obligations to you as someone joining this community for your lifetime.

Some possible responsibilities the school has to you include career services, maintaining the brand value and status of the institution over time, effectively selecting your classmates so that you can have the best possible experience (academic, interpersonal, etc), having faculty worth learning from.

Some possible responsibilities you have to the school include being an honest and ethical member of the community as a student or alumnus, contributing back to the community as a student or alumnus, taking leadership in clubs or other activities, active class participation, and contributing to the positive learning experience of your classmates.

I mention these examples above because I think they are really obvious, so the point is to come up with a unique response to this question based on your own experience/goals.  BOTTOM LINE: YOUR OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO JUST MENTION THESE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE ABSTRACT, BUT TO PERSONALIZE THEM.

The effective answers that I have seen so far for this question have involved the applicant identifying specific responsibilities both for the school and for themselves that become a basis to explain the applicant’s reasons for wanting to attend LBS.

Best of luck with your LBS application.





-

-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.

New MBA Scholarship at Stern for undergraduate applicants

During my visit today with Alison Goggin, Senior Director of MBA Admissions at Stern, she mentioned that Stern has just launched a full-ride scholarship program for undergraduate applicants to the MBA program. This looks like an amazing opportunity for exceptional candidates. If you are a senior in college with an exceptional background, I think the William R. Berkley Scholarship Program is something you should consider:

“The William R. Berkley Scholarship Program offers a scholarship that covers the full two-year tuition and fees, provides a housing stipend of $18,000/year, and includes a $10,000/year stipend for books and other expenses. Berkley Scholars will also receive intensive mentoring from the Stern community.
The first Berkley Scholars will enroll in Stern’s Full-time MBA program in 2014. The School will select a few Berkley Scholars each year based on the combination of stellar academic performance and exceptional potential to contribute to business and society.
To be considered for The William R. Berkley Scholarship Program, interested college seniors must submit a Full-time MBA application to NYU Stern during their senior year by any of the four Stern application deadlines. Interested college seniors must be graduating between December 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014, just prior to the Full-time MBA Fall 2014 start term, to be eligible for the program. ”

If are a senior college considering application to MBA now, I would  take a close look at the scholarship. Those making application to HBS 2+2, Stanford GSB (undergraduate to MBA directly or differed admission), and Yale Silver Scholars might especially want to look at the Berkley Scholarship Program.   As with those programs, an exceptional academic and extracurricular background would be critical.

For my analysis of Stern’s essays for the Class of 2016, please 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.

Preparing for Wharton Interviews for the Class of 2016

In this post, I discuss how to prepare for Wharton Interviews for fall 2014 entry. My post on Wharton's essays for the Class of 2016, can be found here. 

There are two parts to the Wharton interview, the team-based interview and one-to-one interview.  Each part can be prepared for. I am assuming anyone who is reading this post has actually been invited for a Wharton interview and has reviewed the official information regarding it.

TEAM-BASED DISCUSSION
I will not disclose the contents of the specific team-based question that Wharton has Round 1 interviewees to prepare for because it is not available on the web as of the time of this posting. I do know the question, but it is my policy not provide such information unless I have obtained it from a public source. Should it become available in a public forum, I will then discuss it.

Since I don’t have a school and don’t teach classes with multiple applicants at one time, I cannot provide a mock team discussion. However, based on working with clients who did group interviews for Wharton last year and IMD (IMD is the school best known for group interviews),  I do have some suggestions as well as methods to prepare clients.

Here are some basic group interview strategies to keep in mind:

1. Be someone who makes clear and effective points in the conversation, but does not dominate the conversation.

2. Don’t be rude to others. Rude jerks are the easiest people to get rid of when evaluating participants in a team based discussion. Stanford Professor Bob Sutton’s No Asshole Rule surely applies here:  CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE.

3. Listen closely enough to others in order to say something that builds on or reacts against what other people are saying. Refer to what others are saying in order to build consensus.

4. Try to provide constructive communication that moves the discussion forward to a positive conclusion. Make an effort to include others in the conversation.

5. Don’t be afraid to make a less than perfect point. If you do that too much, you will never get enough speaking time and perceived as shy and ineffective in team situations. That will get you dinged.

6. Synthesize and summarize the team’s conversation in order to move the conversation forward.

7.  Use hedging language and other forms of consensus building language. Try to avoid being dismissive of the views of others.

8. If you are having difficulty understanding someone because of their accent or because of your poor English listening skills, still engage in non-verbal demonstrations that you understand what they are saying.  Non-verbal communication will surely be observed, so if you look confused or frustrated that could be used against you.

9. Smile and show eye contact with other people.

10.  Make sure that you don’t slouch in your seat, but are sitting tall and look like a positive and engaged person.

11. Be willing to serve as the group in a functional role: timekeeper, notetaker, or facilitator.  Making a contribution is of bottom line importance.

How I prepare my clients for the team discussion: The main thing I can do is go over the question and make sure my client’s prepared opening comments are effective.  The nice part of the Wharton team discussion is that you do have the question ahead of time.   I would review my client’s opening answers.  I assess each opening answer on the following basis:

1. Does the suggested answer address the topic directly?

2. Is the suggested answer one that other group members and the interviewer can easily understand?

3.  Can the answer be communicated very briefly? Given time limits you will need to communicate it very briefly.

4.  Is the answer interesting/original/creative?

5. Are there any negative aspects to the proposed answer?

I can’t effectively prepare someone for the actual dynamics of a group conversation, but by at least making sure my client’s opening is solid, I know they will at least be well positioned to start strong.

SHORT INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION (ONE-TO-ONE POST TEAM-BASED DISCUSSION INTERVIEW)
Based on what my clients reported to me and the public reports on Clear Admit for the interviews for 2013 entry, the 15-minute one-to-one interview is likely to consist of 4-6 questions, which I have divided  into the following two categories. I will obviously modify this section if the content changes once 2014 entry reports become public.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE  TEAM BASED INTERVIEW
It appears that all applicants were asked both of the questions below.  Be prepared to provide your feedback on the team-based interview.  Assume that this is a test of your self-awareness of group dynamics, an opportunity to explain the role you took in the group, and a chance, hopefully to correct any misperceptions of yourself on the part of the interviewer.
1) How do you think the team-based interview went?
2) Was your behaviour typical of how you work in a team? / Was your behavior in the Team-Based Discussion representative of the way you typically act in group settings?

How I prepare my clients for this part of the interview: I can’t really do that because it is based on what actually happened in the interview.  The only thing I can do is make sure that my client realizes that they will be asked such questions and that they should be mindful of the role that they performed in the group. For example,  if the interviewer perceives you, as say, overly reserved or overly aggressive, you need to be ready to discuss that issue.

TYPICAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (Assume 2-4 such questions)

For a more extensive list of Wharton 1-to-1 interview questions, see this more recent post. 

This is the standard part of the interview. If you are doing more standard interviews, it will be easy to prepare for this part.  For advice on more standard interviews, please see my MBA Application Interview Strategy. I highly recommend reviewing your resume and Wharton essays as part of your preparation.  You should surely be able to explain why Wharton in particular is the ideal place for you to study.  You  should have 1-2 questions available. If you are interviewing off-campus, you should have questions ready for an admissions officer. If you are interviewing on-campus, you had better be prepared to have questions ready for both an admissions offer and a 2nd year student.
Do you want to highlight anything in your application?
Introduce yourself
Discuss your career progress
Tell me about a time when you worked in a group in which everyone did not agree and how did your team resolve the situation?
What is your post-MBA goal?
Why MBA?
Why Wharton?
Do you have any questions for me?
Anything you want to add?

How I prepare my clients for the individual interview: I would typically ask my clients these questions in a mock interview.  It would not be completely realistic because I would go over all the above questions just to make sure that my client was covered for all the above topics. If we were preparing for more standard interviews (Booth, Columbia, Kellogg, Haas, etc.), it might not really be necessary to go over this part of the interview for Wharton.


For more about my interview services, please see http://www.adammarkus.com/services/.

-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.

IMD MBA Admissions Essays for January 2015 Admission

IMD's questions have changed.  Please see this post instead.



IMD (The Institute for Management Development), consistently ranked among the best MBA programs in the world, is a small intensive one-year program that starts in January.  IMD, along with Columbia January Term and INSEAD (INSEAD has both September and January start dates) are three of the best options for those who want to start in January 2015 at a top MBA program.

PLEASE SEE  IMD New Essay Questions for 2015 Admission! Just released on Feb 2, 2014.  My initial analysis of the new IMD questions can be found here.

To learn about IMD, visit the website. You should download three PDFs from the website: “MBA Program Brochure,” “MBA Class Profiles,” and “Class and Placement Overview.” I will refer to these below. In addition, if possible, I suggest either attending an information session or visiting. Getting an alumni perspective would also be particularly helpful. Review the website completely and by all means read the MBA Diary to get IMD students’ perspectives.  To learn about IMD faculty perspectives, please visit Tomorrow’s Challenges.

I high recommend  reading my 2012 interview with Lisa Piguet and also my Q&A with a former client who is a member of the Class of 2009. I think this interview will provide you with some key insights into IMD. My report on my visit to IMD can be found here.

IMD’s small size sets it apart from other top programs, as its brochure states: “90 Exceptional People Who Will Shape The Future of Business.” If you get into IMD, chances are quite high that you will go there.
When you think about IMD, two keywords to focus on are “international” and “leadership.” Based on my experience working with clients admitted there for Class of 2014,  Class of 2013, the Class of 2011, Class of 2010,  and Class of 2009, I can say that IMD is looking for those individuals who both already have and aspire to increased capacity in both being international and being leaders. Visiting the program in 2012 and through conversations with Lisa Piguet and my former clients who attended IMD has only further convinced me that international and leadership are key to  IMD.
In any given year, I work with only a few people applying to IMD because this is most certainly a very unique program.  Almost all of my clients who applied to IMD have been interviewed.  Even for the Class of 2012, when I had no admits, The two clients I worked with on IMD were offered interviews, but one was admitted to his/her first choice school and did not interview and the other, was unfortunately dinged after interview.  Getting dinged after an IMD interview, especially for candidates without solid English ability, effective presentation skills, and/or the perceived potential to work well in a small group is common enough.  In some cases, the candidate is indeed solid, but in the process of building the right class of 90 students simply does not fit. For the Class of 2013, I had two clients who who were offered interview, one was admitted. So far, for Class of 2014, I had two clients apply and both were admitted (one is listed as 2013 result because he/she was a dmitted to another school in 2013).

THE ESSAYS ARE THE EASY PART OF THE IMD APPLICATION PROCESS.
There is no MBA interview that compares to the day of trial that IMD puts potential applicants through.  Reading a report of an IMD interview makes me feel exhausted.  The particular style of group and individual interviewing and observation admissions does, is truly impressive and totally necessary given their class size and reputation.  The IMD interview eliminates those who will not be able to survive in a very intense program. IMD interviews a rather high percentage of those who apply, but again, the program is rather self-selecting so this percentage makes sense. Consider that IMD is trying to fill a class of 90.  They are working with limited numbers and based on my 2010 conversation with the admissions director, I know that they are being highly selective when it comes to making final decisions.  As I mentioned in my school visit post,  I visited on an interview day and saw the candidates “relaxing” at lunch, when in fact they were being observed by the students they were having lunch with.  That is how much IMD cares about fit!  Finding the right 90 who will come together is what this process is about. The application serves as the basis to determine whether you should be considered for their interview, but based on what I understand the application can’t mitigate a bad interview day.

INTERNATIONAL
Like its bigger rival INSEAD, IMD is truly an international program with a very diverse student body and faculty. You can actually view all of the Class of 2009 as well as read a statistical summary of their backgrounds on PDFs found on the IMD site. Doing so will certainly help you understand that IMD students are incredibly diverse and multilingual.  I think it also important to keep in mind that being international is about being open-minded to diversity and to having mental flexibility.  Both through the essays and interview you will be assessed for capacity to be an open-minded person.

LEADERS
The IMD program is focused on making leaders, not just managers or experts in a particular business field. It is therefore not designed for those who primarily want to develop expertise in a business subfield. IMD makes the program’s focus very clear on page 2 of the PDF version of their brochure:
Top executives of leading multinational companies tell us clearly: they need leaders, not managers. Leaders with the insight and ability to address issues and problems that are more complex and changing more quickly than ever before. Leaders who are confident, creating their own solutions to these emerging issues with integrity and high ethics. Leaders who understand themselves and how they interact with others. Leaders who understand the needs of their organizations and their business environments. Leaders who can drive change through innovation. Leaders who can move their businesses forward. The single aim of the IMD MBA program is to develop these leaders.
If you are not looking for an education focused on leadership, do not apply to IMD, but if you are, IMD offers a very intensive one-year leadership education:
The program starts with a foundation in the core business courses, e.g. accounting, finance, marketing and operations. This helps you to understand all of the functional areas of the organization and how they work together. It continues with real-world projects and additional courses that allow you to apply what you have learned in the classroom to real leadership situations
A review of the program structure makes it perfectly clear that it is not a degree for those wanting expertise in a particular business subfield (e.g. finance or marketing) because there is actually only one three-week period of study available for electives.

THE QUESTIONS
The questions were greatly revised for 2014 admission and are unchanged for 2015 admission.  The overall spirit of the questions has been the same for many years.
You have 1500 characters including spaces for each answer, which would be approximately 300-375 words.  With 7 questions, that totals somewhere between approximately 2100 and 2500 words, making IMD longer than most US school applications, but of approximately the same length as INSEAD.

Essay 1: Important achievement
What do you consider to be your single most important achievement and why?

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

-Achievements reveal your potential to succeed at IMD and afterwords.

-Achievements reveal your potential for contributing to your classmates.

-Everyone has had achievements, so make your single most important achievement really stand out.

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

Think about which achievement to use

The first thing you need to do is brainstorm possible achievements to use here. Your achievement may relate to your professional experience, academics, volunteer activities, hobbies, community engagement, personal matters.  The possibilities are quite endless. Whatever it is, you should explain why it is so important.

Next, think about the following issues in determining which achievement to use and how to present it. 

Think about what skill(s), value(s), or unique experience is/are being showcased

Your achievement needs to reveal valuable thing(s) about you. Some will call these selling points, but more specifically they consist of skills, values, or unique experiences. One might use a specific achievement to emphasize one’s leadership skills,  one’s ethical values, and to explain a significant barrier that was overcome. If you breakdown the meaning of an achievement it might easily reveal multiple important things about you.

Think about what potential for success in the MBA program or afterwords is being demonstrated by your achievement

You may or may not be directly stating this in the essay, but you should think about what how your achievement  reveals in terms of your potential. IMD will most certainly be considering how your achievement demonstrates your potential to succeed in their program and afterwords, so you should as well.

Think about how your achievement could become a contribution to others in the MBA program

Just as with potential, think about whether your achievement demonstrates your ability to add value to other students at IMD.  IMD is very focused on understanding your ability to function as part of a group of 90 people. This is very much at the center of the education they offer and how how they differentiate their program.

Think about why does IMD needs to know about this achievement

If your achievement has made it this far, chances are it is substantial. That said, I have three simple tests for determining whether achievement really belongs in this essay:

1. Does IMD really need to know about this achievement? After all, you might consider getting the love of your life to marry you to be one of your greatest achievement, but will Lisa and her colleagues care? If an achievement does not reveal (whether stated or implied) potential and/or contribution, chances are likely that it is not significant enough.

2. Is the story totally obvious from reviewing other parts of your application?

If the story is simply a very cause-effect based one such as “I studied hard to get a 4.0 in university ” that could ber very dull and rather obvious.  On the other hand if you overcome great challenges to get such an academic result, you could have a great story.  Obvious stories are dull.  Reveal something important about yourself that goes beyond the surface level and could not be easily assumed from reviewing other aspects of your application.

3. Is the achievement really your most important one?

It is critical that you explain clearly why it is important. Is the importance because of its significance to you or to an impact you had or to both?   Really make sure the importance is stated clearly.

Finally, as I mentioned above what you include here is a real test of your judgment, so don’t just write about an obvious achievement. Think deeply and come up with a unique achievement that will compel IMD to want to interview you.

Essay 2: Self Development
Please comment on a situation where your leadership skills proved to be inadequate and what you learned.

Beyond being about failure (it  may only be partial failure), this essay is about the development of your leadership skills.  You may not have completely failed because the question simply requires that your leadership skills were not sufficient.  You may have partially succeeded. It is even possible that others perceived you as succeeding, but you did not see it that way.
It is critical that you learned something meaningful about yourself as a leader. And your insights should be important, otherwise why tell admissions about it? Therefore the key constraint of this question is that whatever the leadership failure 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 situation was.
2. Clearly state your role. Especially in a leadership related question, a clear statement about your role in terms of leadership is important.
3. Clearly state how your leadership skills were insufficient.
4. Explain what you learned.

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.

Keep in mind that a core part of the IMD experience is becoming very aware about your strengths and weaknesses as a leader in order to enhance your skills.  Over lunch with one of my former clients,  I heard about just how intense and personal leadership development at IMD can be.  To that extent, this question really tests your openness and self-awareness for an exploration into your personality at IMD.

Essay 3: Global leadership
IMD develops global leaders…what does global leadership mean to you?

Given what I have previously mentioned about both leadership and international in regards to IMD, this question is no surprise. IMD wants your insight into global leadership.  I suggest you provide an answer that both clearly has a global leadership concept and also focuses on how you have demonstrated global leadership or at least the potential for it.  While it is possible to write this essay without reference to your experiences, I think most applicants will find it far more effective to write about some form of global leadership that they have experience. There are a number of ways to write this essay:


You might concentrate on a single concept and one example supporting that concept, which given the word count is the easiest thing to do:

Global Leadership Means to me:	An example of that leadership:	What does your answer reveal about  you?
One Concept	A single example

You might concentrate on  one concept and multiple examples supporting that concept, but this only makes sense if each of the examples is revealing something important about you:

Global Leadership Means to me:	Examples of that leadership:	What does your answer reveal about  you?
One Concept	Example 1 Example 2	EXAMPLE 1: EXAMPLE 2:

You might concentrate on a multiple concepts each backed-up by an example, but getting this into the word count available could prove very challenging.  I think the only way this works is if the examples are actually specific aspects of one leadership story. In other words,  you do two different things in the same situation that relate to  two different global leadership concepts:

Global Leadership Means to me:	Examples of that leadership:	What does your answer reveal about  you?
Concept 1 Concept 2	Example 1 Example 2	Example 1 Example 2

I think each of the above structures can make for a good essay.
Keep in mind that simply providing a description of your actions, is not enough.  Just writing abstractly is not good either. Make sure your reader understands what your concept is by stating it clearly and connecting it to an example(s). If you use multiple concepts


Essay 4: Key Differentiators
Give us four bullet points that clearly differentiate you, that identify your unique contributions to the program.

In a Class of 90, there is no room for letting in someone who can’t function well and does not have something distinct to contribute. I like this question because it forces applicants to really think about their core selling points.  Clearly, there will be significant overlap with other essays. Think of this as more than an executive summary because really it is a your “elevator pitch” to IMD.  What are the key statements that IMD really needs to know about you that will make them want to invite you for their interview?

Some Questions to get you brainstorming:
1. What do you want IMD 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 4 things about you that would not be obvious from rest of the application, what would they be? Why should IMD care?
4.  What could you discuss about yourself that you think would really help admissions understand you and want to admit you?
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.


Essay 5: Reflection
Give an example of the most unexpected thing that you’ve ever learned.

Instead of asking a culture shock question, IMD is making you consider something really valuable that you learned.

THE RELEVANCE TEST: A great answer here will be on something relevant to why IMD 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 unexpected thing (person, place, event, book, situation) that you learned.
2. Explanation of the significance of what you learned
3.  Perhaps a specific example of how your thinking was changed from learning this.

Ultimately, I think this is way for IMD to understand what makes your thinking distinct, get a sense of  your self-reflectivity (Obvious from the question’s title), and your mental flexibility.

Essay 6: Position sought after graduation
Please answer either (A) or (B), depending on your career situation.
A. For people who are planning to consider new jobs and/or organizations after the MBA: Please give us your short term career goal post-MBA. Which function, industry and geography do you see yourself working in? Are these changes for you, and, if so, why? How will you approach your job search?
B. For people who are company-sponsored, confirmed going back to their previous company, entrepreneurs planning to go back to their own firm, and/or members of a family who are planning to work for the family business after graduation: Please let us know your short-term career goals and plans after your MBA.

Whether you are answering A or B,  THIS QUESTION DOES NOT FOCUS ON YOUR LONG TERM GOALS! It is about a post-MBA plan.
In a program with 90 students, making sure that they all actually have clear post-MBA plans is highly rational (and very Swiss!).  The two different variations of the question reflect the different kinds of people who apply to and attend IMD. The B version of this question is new and is especially helpful for applicants who fit within the categories indicated.

Do not freak out about whether you should answer A or B.  It really is a fact-based issue and there is no hidden agenda here.

A. IMD has very intensive career services for its students who need it and career services gives input into applicants who will be seeking employment after their MBA. A. is for such applicants, who are the majority of applicants to IMD.  Don’t forget to answer “how you will approach your job search?” because this is an important part of your plan. IMD is looking for applicants who can take charge of their own careers and drive them, not people who expect a career services office to simply take care of them. Explain what resources you can leverage to launch your post-IMD career.

B. On the other hand, if you don’t need career services because you will be returning to a business or starting your own, just do B.

If you are having trouble formulating your post-MBA plan, you might want to go through a formal analysis of why you need an MBA.
You can use my GAP, SWOT, AND ROI TABLE FOR FORMULATING GRADUATE DEGREE GOALS for this purpose (see below). I think Gap, SWOT, and ROI analysis are great ways for understanding what your goals are, why you want a degree, and how you will use it.
(To best view the following table, click on it.)
How to use this table:
Step 1. Begin by analyzing your ”Present Situation.” What job(s) have you held? What was/is your functional role(s)? What was/are your responsibilities?
Next, analyze your present strengths and weaknesses for succeeding in your present career. REMEMBER:WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS DON’T ONLY THINK ABOUT WORK, THINK ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. In particular, some of your greatest strengths may have been demonstrated outside of work, so make sure you are accounting for them.
Strengths: What are you good at? Where do you add value? What are you praised for? What are you proud of?
Weakness:What are you bad at? What are you criticized for? What do you try to avoid due to your own limitations? What do you fear?
Next, analyze the environment you work in right now. What opportunities exist for your growth and success? What threats could limit your career growth?
Step 2. Now, do the same thing in Step 1 for your ”Post-Degree” future after you have earned your MBA. IF YOU CANNOT COMPLETE STEP 2, YOU HAVE NOT SUFFICIENTLY PLANNED FOR YOUR FUTURE and therefore you need to do more research and need to think more about it.
Step 3. If you could complete step 2, than you should see the ”Gap” between your present and your future. What skills, knowledge, and other resources do you need to close the gap between your present and future responsibilities, strengths, and opportunities?
Step 4. After completing Step 3, you need to determine how an MBA will add value to you. It is possible that an increased salary as a result of job change will be sufficient ”ROI” for the degree to justify itself, but you should show how a degree will allow you to reach your career goals. How will the degree enhance your skills and opportunities and help you overcome your weaknesses and external threats? If you can complete Step 4 than you should be ready to explain what your goals are, why you want a degree, and the relationship between your past and future career, as well as your strengths and weaknesses.
The above table will also help you answer such common interview questions as: Where do you want to work after you finish your degree? Why do you want an MBA (or other degree)? What are you strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your goals? Thinking about these issues now will help you to develop a fully worked-out strategy for how you will best present yourself both in the application and in an interview.
After going through this formal process, review what you know about IMD again. In your answer to the question, please focus on showing how IMD will help make your post-MBA future objectives a reality.  BOTTOM LINE: Conceptualize this as a business plan with IMD as a partner who will help enable that plan.

Essay 7: Additional Information
Is there any additional information that is critical for the Admissions Committee to know which has not been covered elsewhere in this application? (Optional essay).
While I suppose it is possible to answer this question with “No,” in most cases I would not recommend doing so.  I always tell my clients to write at least one positive thing in this essay even if they must deal with a negative subject as well.
For some applicants who have to discuss something negative such as a low GPA, the topic for this essay will be clear enough. Just make sure your answer is a clear and believable explanation and not an excuse.
In terns of writing something positive, think about one or two topics that you believe would help admissions to understand you and support your admission. Be careful that you do not pick a trivial topic or one that really has been handled in another essay.

Finally, best of luck with your IMD application.

-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.