The Aspen Institute published last week its biannual ranking of MBA programs, "Beyond Grey Pinstripes." This ranking ignores admissions criteria and abandons ROI. Through surveys of 149 participating schools, it attempts to rank the programs according to their "social impact management" or addressing of social, environmental or ethical topics. The goal: "spotlight innovative full-time MBA programs that are integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into curricula and research."

The Top 10 per Aspen:

1. York (Schulich)
2. Michigan Ross
3. Yale SOM
4. Stanford GSB
5. Notre Dame (Mendoza)
6. UC Berkeley (Haas)
7. RSM Erasmus
8. NYU Stern
9. IE Business School
10. Columbia

If you are not the least bit interested in the topics Aspen is highlighting, then this ranking is irrelevant to you. However, if you are interested in sustainable development or social entrepreneurship, then you will want to review the profiles contained in Beyond Grey Pinstripes.

We have two great MBA admissions chats next week:

• Cornell Chatter, an Accepted.com online Q&A session, on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT when Randall Sawyer, Director of Admissions, along with other staff members will answer your important questions. Use this outstanding opportunity to ask questions about Cornell’s close-knit student life, admission policies, and programs. Join us on October 12th!
• NYU Stern Admissions Directors' Online Chat On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM GMT, Stern’s impressive adcom team, including Anika Pratt, Assistant Dean, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid; Isser Gallogly, Executive Director, MBA Admissions; and Paula Goldfarb, Senior Director, MBA Admissions and Financial Aid will be available to answer your questions. From NYU's flexible core curriculum, to its exclusive NYC connections, this is your opportunity to find out everything you wanted to know about the NYU Stern MBA.

Both chats will take place in Accepted's chat room.

We also posted last week's Columbia Admissions Q&A with Linda Meehan, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Columbia Business School. Here is an excerpt:

jonathan (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:16 PM)
Is there any chance Columbia will have a no co-signer loan program for Fall 2010? And is this affecting the volume of non-U.S. applicants?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:08:56 PM)
Columbia continues to explore opportunities for an international non-cosigned loan. Our applications last year increased 15% overall, with an increase both domestically and internationally. Columbia Business School continues to be among the top most international schools, both in terms of its educational offerings and its international diversity. No, this is not affecting the volume of non-U.S applicants. Given that our acceptance rate is exceptionally low, making it one of the most selective schools in the world, we are unable to admit everyone whom we'd like to welcome to our program.

GS (Oct 1, 2009 12:26:02 PM)
Linda: If you are switching careers, then how do you convince the admission committee that you are a strong candidate for MBA? Since you have no relevant experience, and your current field is no where near the business field. What exactly does the Columbia admission committee look for in an application?

LindaMeehanCOLUMBIA (Oct 1, 2009 12:27:47 PM)
GS, most students will probably switch careers. In the evaluation process, we are evaluating how well you know yourself and how your skills and talents will apply to your future goals. Also, we look to determine how Columbia Business School will help you to achieve them. We are evaluating how well you know yourself and how realistic you are about what may be achievable. Also, your job is not to 'convince' us, your job is to 'inform' us.

If you are interested in Columbia, take a few minutes to review the transcript.

We also have posted the transcript from the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Q&A with Brian Lohr, Director of MBA Admissions, and other members of the Notre Dame staff:

Ghouse (Sep 24, 2009 12:09:30 PM)
John: Hello - I am looking to specialize in Entrepreneurship and VC. What prospects or career lines do student, with these concentrations, get into after graduations? Do you know off-hand any companies that visited campus looking for these concentrations?

JohnRooneyNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:13:34 PM)
Ghouse - Entrepreneurship students go into three main areas: 1)Companies that value entrepreneurship (P&G, J&J, IBM are a few that come to campus. 2) They start their own ventures/businesses. 3) They work with start-ups (this is the smallest segment since start-ups look for more functional support vs. MBA graduates. The Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship is the center of this activity and the recently opened ND Innovation Park is an area of growth--be sure to check out the Gigot Center and ND Innovation Park on the web.

phoenix27 (Sep 24, 2009 12:15:48 PM)
Brian: Has your school had an increase in applications or decrease of applications since the recession?

BrianLohrNOTREDAME (Sep 24, 2009 12:16:31 PM)
Phoenix, we had a 33% increase in our domestic applications last year.

You can review the full Notre Dame Mendoza Q&A transcript by clicking on the link.

There is so much happening at this time of year! It's time for a round-up:

• Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Chat: Join Accepted.com for a chance to get insights into Notre Dame’s dynamic MBA program, on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT. Brian Lohr, Notre Dame's Director of Admissions and other members of the Notre Dame community, will participate in this chat devoted to Notre Dame's program, admissions policies and student life. The chat will take place in the Accepted chat room.
• Chat transcript from the London Business School Chat. Here's an excerpt:
  

Aspirant (Sep 16, 2009 12:06:25 PM)
Phillipa, the LBS website mentions that the program is targeted at people who are at a relatively early stage in their career. Can you please elaborate on this? What would typically be viewed as "early"?

PhillipaHainLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:09:00 PM)
Hi Aspirant, typically MBA students have between 2-14 years work experience and on average 5.6 years. By early, we mean that students will typically be in their first leadership role or looking to move onto a leadership role post MBA. But we do offer programs which are tailored to business professionals who are already in those leadership roles.

vivek (Sep 16, 2009 12:26:54 PM)
Vlad: Can you please elaborate on how LBS helps students who are interested in Entrepreneurship?

DavidMorrisLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:27:32 PM)
Vivek: The school has a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and very strong faculty working in this area. From a career services perspective, we work with a lot of entrepreneurship companies and the VCs behind them. Our faculty also runs a summer entrepreneurship school assisting students who are looking to launch or develop their own enterprise. We also have a very strong entrepreneurship club who run a range of events from their annual conference through to networking sessions.

Linda Abraham (Sep 16, 2009 12:31:04 PM)
David, Louise, and Hannah: Does Career Services play a role in application evaluation? If yes, what is it?

LouiseWeirLONDON (Sep 16, 2009 12:33:57 PM) Hi
Linda - Career Services is indeed involved as early as the application process and we work closely with the program office throughout the student's time at the School - members of our team sit on the application committee to ensure that student career aspirations are appropriate to the support that we offer, ultimately enabling us to offer a fantastic service to the new class of students.

• GMAC releases a report on MBA application volume trends.The report showed that 66% of full-time MBA programs reported an increase in applications for the class entering in 2009, compared to 77% in 2008. One-year full-time MBA programs had the sharpest application growth of any MBA program type in the survey, with 69 percent reporting an increase in 2009 and 70% in 2008. In contrast EMBA programs suffered a drop in MBA application volume: Only 37% reported in an increase in application volume in 2009 as opposed to 60% in 2008.
• "Steering a New Course" (The Economist). The Economist presents a thoughtful article on the counter balancing forces pressing on business schools to modify their curricula in light of the credit melt-down last year. On one hand, there are definitely lessons to be learned. On the other, they don't want to make changes they will regret in calmer times. Having observed the silliness that accompanied the dot-com boom in the late-90's and some other academic fads in my years as an admissions consultant, I think a little caution is in order.
• WSJ Rankings of "Accelerated" MBA Programs. More important than the rankings is the discussion of the pros and cons of the different less-than-fifteen-month programs. I also recommend " Schools Expand 'Pre-Experience' Offerings" if you are a college senior who wants to study business. 
• MBA Interview Feedback Database. We have started receiving reports from 2009 MBA interviews, including Columbia. When you want to prepare for your MBA interviews, please check them out. Also, get tips for preparing for you interviews with the FREE MBA Interview Prep Mini Course .
• MBA Expectations and Realities. On the AIGAC blog Maxx Duffy explores the gaps and intersections between applicant expectations and b-school realities.

Notre Dame Mendoza 2010 MBA Essay Questions

My comments are below in red.

Your responses to the essay questions are extremely important in the selection process. Please use separate sheets of paper for each essay question and include your name on each sheet. Your essays should be typed and double-spaced. Each essay should be no longer than 2 pages each.

Please complete the following essay.

I. What are your career plans immediately after graduation? Explain how your past experiences prepare you for your desired position. What are your long-term career aspirations?

Translation: What are you short-term and long-term goals? How have your past experiences prepared you for your short-term goal?

Note: This question does not ask "Why Notre Dame?" You do not need to explicitly answer that question, but the excellent response to this question will reflect Notre Dame's four dimensions of leadership: An integrated mind, broad perspective, heart (a guiding set of core values), and tenacity (the role of communication, motivation and mobilization). In addition, the long-term objective will be much more plausible if it flows organically from the short-term one.

II. Additionally, please complete any one of the following six essay questions.

This year, Mendoza provides more options from which to choose, but only let's you submit one. Think carefully and choose the one that will allow you to best present yourself as a multi-dimensional human being who shares Notre Dame's focus on ethical general management.

1. The MBA Values Statement is an important guide for our students and the bedrock of our shared community values. Please review the MBA Values Statement and then choose the one value you believe has had the most impact on your professional career to date. Be sure to give a specific example of how you have lived out that value in your professional experience.

The key part of this question is the last sentence. Choose the value in the statement that allows you to demonstrate that you not only believe in this principle but live and breathe it. Ideally it will also complement -- not duplicate -- experiences discussed elsewhere in your application.

2. What do you view as your greatest professional failure to this point? How do you feel that a Notre Dame MBA would change the outcome of a similar situation in the future? 

New Question - Write about a real failure or disappointment. You can use this essay to bring out another side of you, perhaps a teamwork experience or something that happened a few years ago.  Your response to the situation is probably the most important part of the question. Please see:

• Flaws Make Your Real
  

• Admissions Tip from Dr. Pausch's Last Lecture (Part 2)

The last part of this question is an interesting twist on a fairly common type of MBA essay question. In order to answer it well, you will have to know Mendoza's program inside and out.  The solid response will reveal that inside knowledge.

3. How has trust played a role in your professional experience? Give a specific example of how trust, or a lack of trust, has impacted your professional experience.

New and unusual Question. It reflects Notre Dame's focus on values and ethics. Think about one experience probably professional where trust or the lack of it played a role. Did lack of trust prevent a deal? Did you see two people working comfortably and with tremendous efficiency because they trusted each other? Either type of example, and countless others, could work.

4. Describe a time when you were given a project or assignment in an area that was not well defined or where you had little expertise. Please explain exactly what you did and what the result or outcome was.

New Question.  If your example shows the kind of leadership and integrity that Notre Dame is interested in, so much the better. If you demonstrate measurable impact, again, your essay and application will be that much stronger.

5. What brand would you most like to manage? Why? How would you improve it?

New Question, and another challenging one. Write about a brand you are familiar with. Then discuss what you would do to increase sales, customer satisfaction, price, time to market or other aspects of the brand that are of interest to you. You don't have to discuss them all. Don't forget to explain why you are interested in this brand. 

6. Walter B. Wriston, the storied late CEO of Citibank, wrote a book titled “Risk and Other Four Letter Words” in which he postulated that society's greatness is commensurate with its ability to take risk and, thus, to reward risk takers. Given the financial crisis of 2008-2009, do you feel that banks took on an acceptable or unacceptable level of risk? Why or why not? In either case, has the financial crisis changed your view of careers in finance? If so, how?

New Question. It's fairly clear and straight-forward, if you follow the financial markets. In fact I recommend that only applicants interested in pursuing a career in investment a and finance respond to this question.

If you would like help with your Notre Dame MBA application, please consider Accepted.com's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or one of our Notre Dame Mendoza Comprehensive Packages.

Slide Presentation
Effective business communication is a central skill for managers and visual presentations are an important and frequent method of communication.
I. Demonstrate your ability to clearly, concisely and persuasively communicate important information by telling us about yourself using a short slide presentation.

• Please consider the following guidelines when creating your presentation. You are free to cover any material about yourself that you think would be of value to the Admissions Committee. Please use whatever software programs you like to develop your presentation but note that the only acceptable format for upload in the online application system is Adobe PDF.
• There is a strict maximum of four slides, though you can provide fewer than four if you choose.
• The slides that you submit will be printed and added to your application file for review by the Admissions Committee. As a result, only text and static images will be seen. Videos, music, hyperlinks, etc will not be conveyed and should not be included. Color may be used.
• Your goal is to clearly, concisely and persuasively convey key information. Slides will be evaluated on these dimensions and not on graphic or presentation elements.
• Notes pages will not be accepted. You should plan to convey your entire message on the actual slides themselves.
• To assist MBA Applicants with the development of their slide presentation, please consult this PowerPoint Guide.

Notre Dame Mendoza 2010 MBA Deadlines

Deadlines are noted below. Decisions will be announced on a rolling basis with an average response time of less than four weeks depending on volume. Applications received after the final deadline will be reviewed pending available space. Applications are considered complete and ready for review when all materials (including GMAT/TOEFL scores) are on file in the MBA Admissions Office.

* The April 5 deadline is for One-Year Program applicants only. Applications received or completed after this date will be evaluated for the One-Year class on a space available basis.
**The May 17 deadline is for Two-Year Program applicants only. Applications received or completed after this date will be evaluated for the Two-Year class on a space available basis.

Please feel free to join Accepted.com for a chance to get insights into Notre Dame’s dynamic MBA program, on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT. Brian Lohr, Notre Dame's Director of Admissions and other members of the Notre Dame community, will participate in this chat devoted to Notre Dame's program, admissions policies and student life. The chat will take place in Accepted's chat room.

We'd like to hear from you!

As a member of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), we are conducting a survey to help us better understand MBA applicants’ goals and needs.  If you are or will be an MBA applicant, we invite you to share your priorities and views on the MBA application process. 

This online survey should take just 10 minutes to complete.  We would love to receive as many responses as possible before the closing date of Friday, March 20, 2009 - and AIGAC will be giving away an iPod Touch and two iPod Shuffles as a token of our gratitude! 

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Simply click here to begin.