Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What was your most recent pre-MBA job?

Enrique: I was born in the South of Spain, in small city by the coast called San Fernando. I studied Computer Science in Madrid, after studying High School in Maryland.

Right before starting my MBA I was working at a software company in Austria as a Project Manager.

As you can see, I like to move around the world!

Accepted: Why did you choose to pursue your MBA at Duke? How are you the right “fit” for that program?

Enrique: I chose Fuqua for several reasons: its culture, its location, and its support to international students.

Fuqua’s emphasis on team work is a perfect fit for such an outgoing person as myself. I enjoy working in teams and wanted to be in a collaborative environment.

While applying to business schools, I reached out to several Duke students to learn about their experiences and get a better idea of what kind of people go to Fuqua. I felt a great connection with each and every one of the students I met. I knew that I wanted to be around such people.

Fuqua is located in a small city in North Carolina: Durham. Durham is really affordable, compared to other cities with top MBA programs. I live really close to campus at a brand-new, spacious apartment. There are no traffic jams in Durham! People are extremely nice and, being a small city, I can interact much more with my classmates and other Duke students. Durham is also well known for its food; there are great restaurants in the area from all sorts of cuisines.

Finally, Fuqua is very international. Around 40% of the class are internationals. There are all sorts of activities to help our community get to know and understand other cultures. Each Friday we celebrate what we call Fuqua Friday: first and second years, families, and faculty get together to eat and drink. Each Fuqua Friday is organized by a different club. For instance, one of the Fuqua Fridays was organized by LASA [Latin American Student Association] and they brought Mariachis to play in the school. Another fact that shows how supportive is Fuqua towards internationals is its financial aid program.

Accepted: What’s your favorite class so far?

Enrique: Is difficult to say, as I am enjoying most of them! Fuqua has a set of core classes and allows us to choose electives in January of our first year. I’m finding extremely useful all the classes that relate to finance and accounting, as I come from a technical background. The concepts that we are learning are key for every MBA.

Accepted: Is there anything you wish you’d known going into b-school that you can share with incoming first year students and applicants?

Enrique: I did a lot of research and talked with many people before coming to business school, so I had a clear picture of where I was getting into. I would encourage to incoming students not to stress about recruiting and networking, and always be yourself. Companies want smart people, but also some that are fun to work with.

Accepted: What do you plan on doing once you receive your MBA? Do you plan on staying in the States or returning to Spain — or heading off to some new, exotic destination?

Enrique: One of the best things about an MBA is that it allows you to face an ever more global economy. With Duke’s MBA, I could go work almost anywhere I wanted. I have always chosen where to work or study based on the culture and the people I met in each place. When considering what to do after the MBA, I will follow a similar approach: analyze each option and understand how my family and I fit in. That option might be here in the States, Spain, or elsewhere.

Accepted: As someone who successfully applied to a top business school, you must have some good advice for our readers! Can you share your top three tips on b-school admissions?

Enrique: About essays, try to be unique and show personality. Read your stories and ask yourself “how are these essays different from the rest of the applicants?” Regarding the interviews, be yourself and smile, don’t be a robot who memorized all the stories. And finally, about the GMAT, remember that is just one more part of your application. Don’t bring yourself down in case you don’t get a 750 and keep being positive!

Accepted: Can you recommend a nice coffee shop on or near campus that’s good for studying or hanging out with friends?

Enrique: Personally, I believe the best place is Fuqua’s Fox Center! You’ll get the chance to meet many different people, hang out with your section and teammates, enjoy a Starbucks coffee, study, do cases with other students, play ping pong, and many other things. The Fox Center is the heart of Fuqua.

If you really feel like leaving campus, there are several places to hang around with other students or family next to Fuqua. I rather have a beer than a coffee, so I would recommend Six Plates, a quiet place where you can enjoy an Estrella Galicia, an awesome Spanish beer!

Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? Who is your target audience? How have you benefited from the blogging experience?

Enrique: I started reachingthethirties.wordpress.com  when began applying to business school. I wanted to practice writing English, as well as to share everything I was learning about business schools and the recruiting process. I also have a lot of friends and family scattered around the world, so it also was a great way of keeping all of them updated about my progress. Once I got accepted to Fuqua, my mission was to tell the world about this awesome place and the great MBA program that we have. Fuqua is a very young school and is not well known in some parts of the world, such as in Spain. It is my goal to spread the word about Fuqua.

A lot of people have reached out to me through my blog, asking questions about the recruiting process or Fuqua. It is great to be able to help them, and even more when you hear back from them telling you that they reached their goals.

You can read more about Enrique’s b-school journey by checking out his blog, Reaching the Thirties. Thank you Enrique for sharing your story with us!  

For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. For specific advice on how to create the best application for Fuqua see:

•  Duke Fuqua 2014 MBA Essay Questions & Tips
•  Duke Fuqua MBA Interview with Niladri Sannigrahi
•  Sheryle Dirks on the Masters in Management Science Program

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The essay, which is now required, will become optional.

The College Board announced this week that it would be taking measures to restructure the SAT so that it becomes more connected to high school work. Here are some highlights outlined in the New York Times article on the subject:

According to College Board president David Coleman, the exam should reinforce the skills that students are learning and using in high school, and shouldn’t simply be used to test test-taking tricks.

Many observers view these changes as steps that will make the SAT more like its competitor, the ACT, which has gained market share in recent years.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Work on putting together that “superstar” profile.

If you have been rejected from an Executive MBA program, it often comes down to one of three reasons (or combination thereof):

1) Your academic record was not strong enough to convince the admissions committee you could handle the rigor of an EMBA program,

2) Your work experience was not sufficient/relevant enough yet to be considered a solid addition to the program, or,

3) You did not show adequate interest in the program to warrant an offer of admission.

All of these reasons can be mitigated, with time or effort on your part. At the end of the day, there is no guarantee of admission, but by taking a hard look and assessing your situation, you can make yourself a much stronger candidate by addressing the pertinent issues.

Academic Record

A low GPA in and of itself is not a reason to ding an applicant. What tends to concern schools is when a transcript shows consistently low grades in subjects that are important to have competence in to do well in an MBA program – quantitative subjects in particular. If you do have quantitative weakness, enroll in an Algebra or Statistics course (or both) at a local college – a “real” class as opposed to online would be preferred. Get strong grades, and submit that transcript with your new application. In the optional essay, express how you recognize the admissions committee might have been concerned about your quantitative abilities, but the new grades should allay any concerns. Also lay out any additional plans you may have prior to joining the program to bolster your skills – MBA Math, for example.

Work Experience

In this situation, time and more leadership experience are probably the two best ways to enhance your application. The average years of work experience in an EMBA program is typically 10-15. Some schools specifically state the minimum years of experience necessary to apply. While I was at Cornell, we never seriously considered anyone with less than five years of experience, and when we did admit someone on that lower end of the scale, there was a clear indication the individual was a superstar at his or her organization. So, if you are in the lower range of experience, seek out more high-profile leadership opportunities, and work on putting together that “superstar” profile.

Program Interest

Admissions committees realize most applicants consider multiple options, as they should, and most have a clear first choice school. What tends to bother admissions folks is when it’s obvious an applicant is only applying to a school because it’s a brand name and would be an “ok” fallback.

How can they tell an applicant’s lack of interest? It’s pretty easy – never came to an information session, never visited the campus, never reached out to anyone on the admissions committee, and/or put reasons like “location” and “reputation” in their essay as to why he/she would like to come to the school. With EMBA classes quite small compared to fulltime programs, it is a distinct possibility an applicant with stellar qualifications could be dinged – why offer a spot to someone who clearly has no real interest in attending? If you feel this might be why you were rejected, this reason can be mitigated or eliminated as well. Reach out to admissions committee members and ask questions that show you’ve both done your homework and are thinking seriously about their school. Start sending signals indicating your sincere interest.

Not sure where your application might be lacking? The good news about most Executive MBA programs is that with smaller applicant pools, admissions officers typically have more time to devote to individual applicants. Therefore, make a call and see if you can receive feedback on your application.

Furthermore we here at Accepted are always available to provide a critical analysis of your EMBA application and help you develop a game plan for the future.

Jen Weld worked as an admissions consultant and Former Asst. Dir. of Admissions at Cornell’s EMBA program (4 years) prior to joining Accepted.com. She has an additional 10 years of experience in higher ed and corporate marketing.

Listen to the recording of our conversation with Pejay Belland, Director of Marketing, Admissions & Financial Aid at INSEAD, for great insights into the program and tips that applicants to any MBA program should know.

00:01:42 – Singapore, Fontainebleau, and the USA in 10 months?

00:03:25 – Does the exchange program come at the expense of community?

00:05:04 – Why INSEAD likes consultants and consultants like INSEAD.

00:07:33 – Entrepreneurship at INSEAD (50% of grads start their own company at some time in their career!).

00:09:52 – Changes to the INSEAD application: Really getting to know candidates as people.

00:16:25 – The new dean and his initiatives.

00:18:51 – The video essay: in the cards.

00:20:38 – INSEAD’s admissions process and what it means for applicants.

00:24:32 – Can you demonstrate “international outlook” if you’ve never left your home country?

00:25:42 – What Pejay wishes she could tell all applicants.

 Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss  a single show!

*Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com.

Relevant Links:

•  INSEAD
•  INSEAD Admissions Video
•  INSEAD Application Essay Tips
•  MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Terrific Tips
•  2014 Virtual Panel: Exploring European B-Schools

Related Shows:

•  Leadership is King: Interview with IMD’s Lisa Piguet
•  Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute
•  The Stanford MSx Program for Experienced Leaders
•  Case Interview Secrets and More with Victor Cheng

Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:

Respect Boundaries: Your children are adults now.

It can be nerve-wracking to know how to help your son or daughter during their application process to medical school.  It’s time-intensive and expensive to apply.  Reading or citing statistics about the competitiveness of the application process doesn’t help.  Frequenting pre-med forums can foment phobia. With the right guidance and a little perspective, however, you and your pre-med can survive—even thrive.

Here are a few ideas to help your child thrive while applying:

•  Use all resources available.

Encourage your children to visit their pre-med advisor on a regular basis, especially while they are applying.  Most college campuses also have a writing center or learning skills center that provides free assistance with academic or application essays, though they have a time limit per student.  For further or more personalized assistance, working with consultants like those of us at Accepted.com can provide an additional edge.  Talk with your son or daughter about what resources and support they will need while applying.

• Network with other parents or professionals in the health sciences.

Attending pre-med fairs or conferences can provide valuable information to students and parents.  Most of these events are geared towards pre-med students, but parents are often welcome.  Connect with other parents of pre-meds so that you can support each other through the process.  Reach out to anyone you know who is a medical student, doctor or any other kind of healthcare professional.  They may even be willing to allow your son or daughter to shadow them or their colleagues.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help or reach out to other people for support.

•  Maintain your routine

While the application process can increase anxiety, it’s important to stick to your routine.  By setting this example, your pre-med will find it easier to maintain balance, even while applying.  Exercise regularly.  Keep the weekends fun and light.  Decide on a time every day to check personal emails, and don’t babysit your mailbox.  Focusing on what is important in your life at the present moment will help you avoid worrying about what is going to happen in the future.  There will be time to respond when you know what to respond to.

•  Respect boundaries.

As the application season progresses and anxiety is rising, avoid bringing up the topic of medical school admissions or calling medical schools on your son or daughter’s behalf.  Most children are thrilled to share good news with their parents—once they get it.  To prevent unnecessary stress, allow your son or daughter to be the person who gives you regular progress updates. (Rejoice! No need to nag.) Your children are adults now. And giving them the space that adults deserve will enhance their sense of self-responsibility and independence, not to mention your relationship with them.   Applications can become a painful topic for them and bringing it up before exams or while they are focused on other goals can derail their progress in those other activities.  You can even have an open and honest conversation with them early in the application process about how they would like to manage the topic.  Whatever you agree to do, honor your word.

•  Stay positive.

Simply being available to your son or daughter when they need to talk will be important.  By staying positive about their options and chances, you will be able to help decrease their stress levels.  There may be times in the application process that students need this additional level of overwhelmingly upbeat self-affirmation.

• Put it in Perspective

In my experience as a post-bac program director, I have known so many students who have applied to medical school unsuccessfully but who used that experience to help mold themselves into stronger applicants who later earned an acceptance.

Allow your son or daughter time to process the experience, independently.  When  appropriate, help them to put the process and the outcome in perspective.  Applying to medical school demonstrates a high level of commitment to others and the pursuit of academic achievement.  There are harder things to do than apply to medical school! And there are even worse events in life than rejection from medical school. Don’t allow them to lose sight of what is truly important .

Using these suggestions can help you navigate the stress of your pre-med’s application process.  As you demonstrate your coping skills and strategies, they will follow your example and learn how to deal effectively with the stresses and challenges of life.  Ultimately, these skills will help them get into medical school as well as to excel.

However, if despite these suggestions, your child is struggling with the process or has been rejected, and you want to help your child but aren’t quite sure how to do so, please feel free to review our services and contact us. The other Accepted consultants and I are happy to guide your child through the medical school admission process. In addition to accessing the expertise of med school admission professionals, turning to us can reduce the tension between you and your adult child. We’re here to help.

Alicia Nimonkar is an Accepted.com advisor and editor specializing in healthcare admissions. Prior to joining Accepted, Alicia worked for five years as Student Advisor at UC Davis’ postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and related programs.

If you would like Michelle to evaluate your profile at no charge and as part of this series, please provide the information requested at http://reports.accepted.com/what_are_my_chances. 

Profile #5 “Kyle” African-American politico, turned energy guy

Convince the adcom you’re the next big thing in clean energy.

-Background & Work Experience: 26-year-old African-American male graduate of top-tier Texas public university. Ran winning campaign of student body president. Worked on campaign of high-profile gubernatorial candidate (1 year), then transitioned to a Fortune 500 working in sales for energy saving performance contracts for cities and corporations (3 years).

What was that line from the latest season of House of Cards? “Power is better than money, until you’re out of power.” Looks like you were a savvy political operator, but lost the taste for it after losing a state race, or you’re facing some steep student loans and decided to take a high paying energy sector job? I could be wrong about both scenarios. If your hand was forced, by either a losing candidate or financial reasons, take heart – these can be good stories for overcoming an obstacle. Whatever the case, your leadership success undergrad and your current job in a trendy “green” slice of the energy sector make you stand out.

-Short-term goal: Energy consulting

Right on track. This goal makes sense with your past experience, and sounds plausible for your future. Do your research to find consulting companies who want people with your energy expertise. Make sure your b-school choices have good recruiting relationships with these firms.

-Long-term goal: Start-up in clean tech

Again, strong goal. Makes sense. After some time as a consultant, you could absolutely go on to work with, or finance clean tech start ups. The top schools, ie. H/S will want to see a sense of social impact with your goals. Keep that in mind if those schools are on your radar.

-GMAT: 710 GMAT (49Q/39V)

This is a good score – putting you in the top 10% of test takers. It’s a bit below average for the top echelon of schools, but with your experience – and if you interview well – it’s not worth retaking in my opinion.

-GPA: 2.5 (Double-major in Communications and Business Economics)

Yikes. This GPA is what I’m worried about for you. Looks like you were way more absorbed in your extracurricular achievements than in academics. This could cause some concern with the adcom. As a member of an under-represented minority, who has great leadership and a competitive GMAT, the schools may be willing to discount the GPA if you can provide context for your performance as an undergrad and evidence that it is not representative of your academic abilities. Your GMAT definitely helps, but a few recent A’s plus an optional essay about why your GPA is low are also necessary. Were there extenuating circumstances that caused you to miss classes, or did you just slack off? If so, what have you done since to show you have the intellectual bona fides to keep up with other b-school students?

-Extracurriculars: Last two years for Habitat for Humanity, including project with local green building architects to incorporate green design into homes; During college, heavily involved in campus politics and served as inter-fraternity Council President.

Your current extracurriculars line up nicely with your work interests and goals, creating a tidy package. It seems like you are a true leader, a people person. Talk that up in your essays – how you’ve been able to motivate others, create change, move organizations in positive directions. Make sure you communicate how your impact was vital.

-Schools:

Stretch matches: Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley

On-par matches: Yale, Michigan, NYU, UT, Duke

Safety matches: Rice, Texas A&M

Bottom Line: Check out some of the joint degrees offered by the schools above. Bonus if you can get it paid for (ie. scholarships). It never hurts to ask. You know how to get votes. Now convince the adcom/financial aid office you’re the next big thing in clean energy.

Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant.

We’d like to introduce you to Emma Schlager who will be beginning med school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in the fall. Thank you Emma for offering valuable med school application advice and for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck! 

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What is your favorite flavor ice cream?

Emma: Hi there! I was born and raised in the metropolitan Detroit area. In college, I studied psychology at Michigan State University. I graduated from Michigan State in 2013 with a Bachelors of Science degree.

I really love ice cream and I don’t discriminate against any ice cream flavors, except for maybe butter pecan (what the heck is up with that stuff anyway?). For all intents and purposes, I will go with vanilla as my favorite flavor.

Accepted: Congrats on your med school acceptance! Where will you be starting med school in the fall? What do you think makes you a good fit for that program?

Emma: Thank you very much! It is a dream come true. I will be starting med school at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU CHM) in the fall. I knew I was a good fit for MSU CHM because the values and mission of the school parallel my own personal values and goals as a future physician.

MSU CHM prides themselves on being a community-based medical school that serves primarily underserved areas. My decision to pursue a medical career was brought about by a feeling of ethical responsibility, so I love that I will be trained in communities that really need the medical attention.

Like MSU CHM, my service orientation is my main motivator. In college, I spent many hours volunteering at the local hospice residence. I’ve always enjoyed serving my communities as a volunteer.

On the other hand, I also hope to get involved with research in med school, and MSU CHM is a fantastic school for allowing me to do that because of their abundant research opportunities. I have no doubt that MSU CHM will mold me into the compassionate, respectable, and competent physician that I aspire to be.

Accepted: How would you describe your med school application experience?

Emma: Reflecting on the journey now is almost surreal to me because I still can’t believe that I got off that roller coaster of emotion unscathed and with a successful story to tell. It was the highest and lowest I have ever been in my life. The words that I think best describes my experience are long, strenuous, messy, and exhilarating.

First, I started studying for the MCAT in January 2013 and was not done studying for that beast of an exam until September 2013, as I had to take it twice to reach the score that I needed. I studied for the MCAT while also working for a 4.0 GPA in my last two semesters of college, so I spent roughly 9-12 hours a day studying for 8 continuous months. This is what I meant by long and strenuous.

Next, nothing will make you feel more inadequate than applying to med school. After hearing from many different sources over the years that only a small percentage of total applicants get accepted, it is very hard for any pre-med to feel certain that they will get accepted. For somebody like me, with above-average but not exceptional grades and test scores, I was very unsure about my chances of getting in. I was constantly thinking about how the extra classes I took, the time spent studying, and the ridiculous amount of money spent could all be for nothing. My self-confidence was at an all-time low. There were a few instances where I felt completely defeated, exhausted, and depressed. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was messy.

Once I was done with the application, the test, and the essays, all I could do was wait. To my complete joy, the interviews began rolling in. This was the most accomplished I had ever felt in my life. I enjoyed traveling around the state for various interviews. The most memorable interview was at the MSU CHM campus in Grand Rapids. My mother took the trip with me and we stayed at the Holiday Inn downtown. I knew I would love to spend the next 4 years of my life studying medicine in a city so vibrant and electrifying. When I received my acceptance letter, I sat and sobbed. Then, I danced. Exhilarating, indeed.

Accepted: Can you tell us about the Pre-Psychiatry Association you started in college?

Emma: When I first started college at MSU, I wanted to get involved on campus as much as possible in order to meet others with the same interests as myself. I noticed that although there were many clubs for pre-med students and many clubs for psychology majors, there were none that were specifically geared towards psychology majors interested in the medical field. I decided to start my own student organization and I named it the Pre-Psychiatry Association (PPA).

The PPA was very successful. We did a lot of volunteering for the community and also fun activities such as tailgates and holiday parties. We even took a group trip together for spring break one year! Founding a student-run organization was so valuable to me. Not only did I learn about leadership and professionalism, but I also gained relationships through the PPA that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The faculty adviser for the club, Dr. Shafer, became my mentor, who helped me navigate through the pre-med journey and wrote me a very valuable recommendation. Also, if I hadn’t formed the group, I would have never met some of my best friends from college. For example, I will be watching the Event Planner of the inaugural executive board of the PPA, Angela, get married in Punta Cana in June. I will be taking that trip with the initial Treasurer of the PPA, Mark (love you guys!). The club was definitely the coolest thing I did in college and I am so proud of it.

Accepted: How important would you say it is to visit your target med school?

Emma: In my opinion, it is extremely important to have a target med school in mind as early as possible in the pre-med journey. Medical school applicants should have an idea of what medical school they want to attend before applying, because medical schools are always looking for a certain type of “fit” for their school.

Visiting the school, having extensive background knowledge about the school’s history, and doing activities that makes you the perfect applicant for that school makes you stand out to the admissions directors and shows them that you are serious about attending their school.

Like I have said already, I had MSU CHM in mind from the beginning of my pre-med journey. I attended many events at CHM, such as touring the school with my club, meeting the admissions directors, and having panels of medical students do Q&A sessions with my club at meetings.

I certainly believe that visiting your target school gives you an advantage when it comes to applying. If the admissions directors know your name when they see your application, they are more likely to pay close attention to it. The last thing any med school applicant should do is ‘shoot in the dark’ when it comes to picking what schools to apply to. It is better to apply to 5 schools that you are a good fit for, then 25 schools that you really don’t stand out to.

Accepted: What are your top 3 med school admissions tips?

Emma: First, I think the most important tip for anyone applying to medical school is to get your application in as early as possible. This really does make a difference! Everything on your application should be completed by the first day that AMCAS applications are allowed to be submitted. Start drafting your personal statement months before you apply, even if you just sit in front of your computer and ramble about your experiences for a few days. Your chances of getting accepted decrease exponentially the longer you wait to submit your application.

Next, I think it is important to stay as positive as possible while applying to med school, despite the daunting statistics and the odds seeming to be against you. If I could go back and tell myself to calm down and believe in myself, I would. I was so worried about getting into medical school that my quality of life decreased. Just remember, a couple bad grades will not keep you from being accepted. Also, do not worry about what other people say! I was told by many people who had never even applied to med school that I would not get in because I hadn’t done any shadowing or because I didn’t major in biology. Do not believe everything you hear! Major in what you want, fill your activities section with whatever extracurriculars interest you, and just focus on what makes you a unique and qualified candidate for med school.

Lastly, before applying to medical school, be sure that you truly want to spend the rest of your life as a doctor. Some of the best advice I ever got was to consider whether I would be happy being any kind of doctor and not just a psychiatrist. Since then I’ve realized that I actually have many different interests in the field of medicine besides psychiatry, and now I really love the idea of specializing in pathology, specifically dermatopathology. In sum, my last tip is that if you’re going into medicine for a specific specialty (such as surgery), make sure you wouldn’t mind doing something other than that, too (such as family medicine). Your interests will change completely from the day you begin college to the day you finish med school and this is too big of an investment to end up in a profession that you are unhappy with.

Accepted: How do you plan on spending your summer before med school starts?

Emma: Right now, I am currently in the midst of a gap year which has consisted of finishing up the pre-med requirements at a local college while also working full-time at a restaurant to pay down some of my smaller debts from undergrad.

In the summer, I plan to do some shadowing at a dermatologist’s office in the metro Detroit area, continue working full-time, and also take some time for vacation.

The pre-med journey and med school application process were only my first steps on the long road to becoming a doctor, but I am so excited and ready for the challenges ahead. Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you, and wish me luck!

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

A skeleton does not a human make.

A common mistake students make on the SAT essay is thinking that if they stick to a formulaic approach, they will get a good SAT score essay-wise. The thing is using a “cookie cutter” approach to the essay can often result in a dull, predictable—and not at all convincing—essay.

What is this approach, I speak of? Well, many students have the following formula in mind: intro with a thesis, three body examples (topic sentence and final sentence that ties back to the thesis), and a conclusion. They plod their way through the essay with about as much enthusiasm as someone about to go the dentist’s to get his wisdom teeth pulled.  That is not to say you don’t want to follow a general outline. Indeed, that quick formula is about as good as any other. However, a skeleton does not a human make. In other words, you got to make your essay interesting, by keeping your examples fresh and your writing lively.

Below are two excerpts from the SAT essay prompt: Do we need adversity to help us realize our true potential?

Example #1

We need to struggle to improve. Last year, I got a bad score on my history test. It was the first ‘F’ I got. I was very disappointed with myself. Moving on from that time, I studied every day history because I wanted to score well. This time was very hard for me. But I studied all night for the final and I got an ‘A’. Therefore, we need adversity to help us improve.

Example #2

In the sophomore year, the Napoleonic Wars held about as much fascination for me as paint drying on a wall—and it showed: I failed the first history midterm. I had always been at least a ‘B’ student, something I could pull off without too much effort. But history, with all those facts, dates, and names, made my head throb in pain, and attaining a ‘C’ seemed like a feat that would require more than one all night study session. At first, it was worse than I thought. After hours of studying I could only remember a few main themes (okay, the Austrian Empire lost the war); but Mr. Thompson would want to know the exact date and the names of the losers and winners. After weeks of struggle, I came up with a system of memorizing facts that actually worked. For someone with a memory of a sea sponge, this was an incredible accomplishment. I didn’t end up falling in love with history, but through the adversity of actually failing a test, I learned to become a better learner. Oh, and that World History class? I actually ended up getting an A-.

Besides some questionable grammar, what is the major difference between these two essays? The second one actually tells an interesting story. Not one with generic facts (“bad score”, “studied all night”), but with specific and engaging details (“my head throb in pain”, “the Austrian Empire lost the war”, “ended up getting an A-“). Notice the second essay also has some comical phrases (“paint drying on a wall”, “memory of a sea sponge”). That is not to say that you have to write exactly like this student. But learn to inject colorful details and clever turns of phrases to your writing. If you do so, your essay will be more persuasive.

I should note that the second example is not perfect; there isn’t too much analysis on how adversity shapes us. Also, it is a little vague on this pivotal “system of memorizing facts”. I would have liked a bit more on how the process was very difficult and the student felt like giving up, but that he/she stuck with the “memory system”, making them a better student. That said, the second example keeps our attention riveted throughout with its turns of phrases, and would probably be a part of an essay that went on to score a ‘10’ (SAT essay scores are based out of ‘12’ points).

The moral of this story: Don’t get so fixated on structure that you forget to tell an interesting—but relevant—story. And to tell an interesting story, don’t be afraid to use a colorful phrase (or two!).

This post was written by Chris Lele, resident SAT expert at Magoosh. For more advice on taking the SAT, check out Magoosh’s SAT blog.

We’d like to introduce you to

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Favorite non-school book?

Jenn: I am a local girl, born and raised in Los Angeles. I went to UCLA for undergrad and double majored in Economics and Psychology.

Ice cream is not something to be taken lightly. I’d say my favorite flavor right now is anything with Heath Bar, but really when someone is going to give you fresh ice cream on a waffle cone, who am I to complain.

I am, and have always been, a total bookworm. Choosing my favorite book is a tough task, but I would have to say either Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut or The World According to Garp by John Irving.

Accepted: How did you choose UCLA Anderson? Why would you say you’re a good fit with the program?

Jenn: Having gone to UCLA for undergrad, I actually was not sure I would return for grad school. I was focused in on CPG brand management and was looking for programs that would align with this career goal. After some soul-searching, I realized that long term I wanted to settle on the West Coast. So when it came down to it, I was deciding between UCLA Anderson and Kellogg and realized that my opportunities for developing a network on the West Coast were simply greater going to Anderson.

Additionally, a huge factor for me was the people. I spent a lot of time getting to know students, staff and alumni at each school I was applying to, and those from UCLA Anderson just felt like my kind of people. I always say, go to a school where you believe that the person sitting next to you is going to be as successful as you want to be. That is what I felt from those at Anderson, driven individuals who I had faith would soar to great heights, but would excel in their lives the way I wanted to: through hard work and humility.

My fit with Anderson comes from this collaborative environment. I know it sounds unbelievable, but truly, my best friends at Anderson are those I recruited with. We would be competing for the same jobs but would spend hours the night before prepping each other to assure that we each put our best foot forward.

Brilliance comes in many forms, but at Anderson, brilliance is understated, it is a cost of admission and success is defined by collaboration, friendship, hard work and humility. I have never met colleagues who I respect more or who am more honored to call my friends.

Accepted: If you could change anything about the program, what would it be?

Jenn: One of the greatest challenges of coming to Anderson is the fact that it is a quarter system school which means we start later than other programs. This means that you need to hit the ground running in fall of your first year because in early October, recruiting is in full swing. My improvement to the program would be more prep work over the summer to assure preparedness for this recruiting effort once it commences.

Accepted: What have been some of your highlights so far during your 1+ years at Anderson?

Jenn: Oh I could talk about this for days! Where to start? I will try to highlight some of my favorite memories:

1) International Travel

Spring Break of my first year, I went on the UCLA Anderson Japan trip which was organized by our Japanese students. This annual trip is a cornerstone of our program where over 100 MBA will take over Japan. We arrived just as the Cherry Blossoms were blooming and spent our entire break immersing ourselves in Japanese culture through Sumo Tournaments, Japanese Baths, Temples, celebrating with locals, touring local companies including behind the scenes at Toyota, eating sushi at 4am at the fish market and many more such memories.

My second year, I traveled with a study course to Chile where we spent a week in country listening and learning from top Chilean leadership in every industry from mining to hospitality to investment banking. The goal was to understand the socio-economic conditions that have contributed to Chile’s stability and success in recent years. The access we were granted was unparalleled. The conversations were fascinating and provided a launchpad for our future international business operations. And don’t forget the opportunity to wine-taste on horseback in the Andes!

2) Classes

I have had some of the most incredible classes I could have imagined upon entering business school. Because we are located in Los Angeles, our access to CEOs and top leadership is unparalleled. It is simply quite easy for these individuals to teach courses or guest lecture in any number of classes in our curriculum.

I took a Crisis Management Course with Bob Eckert, the former CEO of both Kraft and Mattel, in which much of the course was him bringing in guest speakers, like the former CEO of Hershey, CMO of Proctor and Gamble, etc., to teach us how to handle the inevitable crisis that would hit our future career. Currently, I am taking an Entertainment Business Models course taught by CEO of MGM, Harry Sloan, with a similar cadre of high status and well-respected industry personal teaching us about the changing dynamic of Entertainment.

When your classes are taught by the literal experts in the field, your work is all the more relevant and impactful. Often, in many of my classes, our final project will be a real life business issue and our solution will be presented to the clients like the Dodgers, Fandango, Netflix, etc.

3) Social Events

UCLA Anderson has a rich history of social events that keep our students deeply woven into a community. From an annual bike ride from Santa Monica 14 miles south that attracts 200+ students and alumni who stop every few miles to party, to our Casino Night which raised thousands of dollars for charity, to Ander-Prom which is exactly what it sounds like, we have some of the best parties around that speak to everyone’s interest.

I am actually President of the Wine Club and we host bi-weekly events that range from learning about the business of wine, to exploring food pairings or new varietals, to social outings, to weekend trips to local wine regions.

There is nothing better than spending time outside the classroom with new friends. Plus, we have weekly happy hour sponsored by Anderson where every Thursday, we celebrate the end of our week (there is no class on Fridays) with food and a drink on an outdoor lawn. Not many places where outdoor happy hour can exist year round!

Accepted: You landed your dream job at Nestle – congrats! What is your position there? How did you go about securing that job? What role did UCLA play in that process?

Jenn: Thanks! I am super excited! I will be an Associate Brand Manager at Nestle USA. UCLA Anderson is truly the reason I was able to obtain this job. There are a couple reasons for this:

1) Career Center

We have an award-winning career center. From everything behind the scenes with us – getting our resumes ready, interview prep, counseling – to the front end where connections with companies are made, Parker Career Management Center is just incredible. We have relationships with the nation’s top companies that are secured and maintained by Parker to the benefit of our students. They bring so many companies to campus, it sometimes feel like you are able to take your pick.

2) Advising Career Teams (ACT)

Anderson has a unique program whereby second year students coach first year students about how to get their dream job in their various industries. These advising sessions are led by successful second year students in a given industry to help coach first years about what kinds of preparation to be doing, how to start thinking like a professional in a given industry, what companies are looking for, etc. These teams help make our students the most prepared possible walking into any recruiting environment.

3) Professional Clubs and Events

Our professional clubs take over where our career center leaves off and does training, interview preparation and countless recruiting events for students. They provide access to companies through on-campus events, days on the job (where students attend recruiting events at the host company) and treks to various cities to meet different companies.

Through all these three avenues, I was able to become the best marketer I could be. I also was able to meet Nestle and fall in love with the company. The preparation and access all I could have hoped for and secured my success in my future career.

Accepted: Looking back, what would you say was the hardest stage of the b-school application process for you? How did you go about overcoming that challenge?

Jenn: I found the whole thing quite challenging. However, the most challenging part was truly understanding why I wanted to get my MBA. I wanted to understand for myself why the investment was worth it for my career. What was I actually planning on doing? Was that the right career path for me?

To answer this question, it was really 1 part talking to a whole lot of people and 2 parts soul searching. I talked to anyone who I thought was tangentially related to what I wanted to do and peppered them with questions about their day-to-day, aspirations, etc. Then I spent a lot of time thinking about what about my last position fulfilled me and what more I was looking for. Was my dream job at the end of a b-school application? What did I want to do in 5 years? 10? In some ways, I am still answering that question and had to take a leap of faith to complete my application. However, in many ways, the soul-searching I did when completing my application made my essays more honest, passionate and heartfelt. Not to mention, it gave be focus and direction upon starting my MBA. So as hard as it was, it was truly all worth it in the end.

For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. For specific advice on how to create the best application for UCLA see our UCLA Anderson 2014 MBA Application Questions, Tips.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

• MCAT, if you haven’t already taken it
• Primary application, fee per school
• Secondary applications, price varies according to school
• Funds needed to travel to interviews (flights, taxi or bus services, hotels and meals)

It can cost thousands of dollars to cover one application cycle, not to mention your time and energy throughout this yearlong process. If you qualify, you may want to consider applying to the Fee Assistance Program (FAP) that is offered through the AAMC to assist students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by offering a reduced price for the MCAT and waiving the application fees to 15 medical schools. Most of the schools will also waive the secondary application fee, if you apply with FAP. In the past, some medical schools also provided financial assistance to students for travel to their school, but this has become less common. It would require students to ask for this assistance, if they would otherwise be unable to attend the interview.

After determining the number of schools that you will apply to, give yourself some time to research schools. I recommend taking the following criteria into consideration:

1. Where would you like to practice medicine?

Some medical schools offer special programs to students who want to practice in specific regions or work with a particular patient population. If you can narrow your options using these two criteria, this winnowing process may help you locate programs that offer special training or specialties connected to these choices. If you don’t yet have a specific focus within medicine, being aware of your flexibility can help you choose programs with a broader spectrum of training. Also, having a personal connection to a location can help your application.

2. Where can you claim residency?

Using the MSAR, you can identify how many in-state and out-of-state residents any given medical school will accept. When selecting schools, it is important to take this calculation into consideration. Depending on the state where you are from, you may have a higher chance of gaining acceptance at a local medical school.

3. What are your areas of interest?

If you have lots of research experience and want to continue to conduct research during medical school, there are some medical schools with more opportunities in this area than others. On the other hand, if you have little to no research experience, there are also programs out there that do not consider research a requirement. Knowing which schools place importance on certain activities can help you decide, based on your personal background, where to apply. Often, reading the school’s website, talking to outreach officers, current students and your pre-health advisor can help you identify what is important to their program.

The advantages of talking with your pre-med advisor or consultant, like those of us at Accepted.com, include accessing our knowledge of the schools and years of experience in assisting students in gaining admission to programs across the country. Helping you select the schools that will match your interests and value your background and experience is our area of expertise. The more time that you spend now in selecting the right schools will improve your application strategy and help you achieve your professional goals.

In my next blog post for this series on selecting medical schools, I will cover how your academic statistics should influence your school choices.

Alicia Nimonkar is an Accepted.com adviser and editor specializing in healthcare admissions. Prior to joining Accepted, Alicia worked for five years as Student Advisor at UC Davis’ postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and related programs.

So, you’ve been waitlisted and you’re not sure whether to laugh or cry. You can choose to do either, neither or both, but then it is time to figure out what to do next.

Listen to the recording of our latest podcast episode to hear Linda Abraham’s six tips for waitlisted applicants. Make sure you know what to do (and what not to do!) to ensure that you are the candidate on the very top of that waitlist.

00:01:28 – Devastated about your waitlisted status? Don’t give up!

00:02:16 – Don’t be an independent thinker please.

00:03:43 – Self-evaluate and take action.

00:04:24 – Spread the good word (even if it doesn’t relate to your weaknesses).

00:05:44 – Schools like applicants who are interested in attending their program!

00:06:13 – Don’t spam the adcom.

00:06:48 – How a waitlist letter should begin and what it should include.

00:07:33 – Addressing your weaknesses without sounding weak.

 Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss a single show!

*Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com.

Relevant Links:

•  MBA Waitlist Advice 101
•  Med School Waitlist Advice 101
•  Grad School Waitlist Advice 101
•  College Waitlist Advice 101 
•  The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist, an ebook
•  The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on a Med School Waitlist, an ebook
•  The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on a Law School Waitlist, an ebook

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The key to GRE success?

Many of us have gotten through school with decent grades by relying on one method: cramming. We’ll likely order a jumbo-sized coffee, deposit ourselves in the far corner of a café, and condense three-months of material into a six-hour, red-eyed, caffeine-fueled study session.

If you pull those shenanigans test day, you’ll definitely end up with those red eyes—which you’ll want to close as soon as you see your score.

The GRE is a massive test that, for many, requires months of intense preparation: vocabulary lists, math fundamentals, mock tests, and dense reading passages are just the tip of the GRE iceberg. To do your best, you will simply need a lot of time.

But of course things are a little more complicated than that. You can’t just hole yourself away in some attic, and live and breathe GRE prep. Sure, you’ll probably improve a little, but really maxing out your potential comes down to the following:

What you study

The GRE universe contains books and resources vital to your success; it also contains materials that are out-of-date or not really representative of what you’ll see on the test.

How you study

Many labor under the delusion that all they need to do to improve is one problem after another.  First off, you have to make sure that you are using the proper strategies. That’s why learning the strategies from the best resources is really important. If your approach is off, you are only reinforcing it by doing problem after problem.

You’ll also want to understand why you are missing certain questions. That is, don’t just understand why the right answer was right, but why the wrong one you chose was wrong.

You’ll also want to take practice tests to chart your progress. It helps to have a goal in mind so make sure you know the average GRE scores of the programs you’re looking to get into.

When you study

If possible, don’t rely on once a week study binges, hoping that 6 hours in one day will make up for six days you didn’t crack open a single book. Spread out your study sessions throughout the week. Even 20 minutes here and there will make a big difference and keep the material fresher than were you do GRE prep just once a week.

What about those last 24 hours?

Believe it or not, if you’ve been studying properly for about six weeks leading up to the test, those last 24 hours should be relatively stress-free.

Of course that doesn’t mean I’m not going to share some last minute GRE tips. First off, don’t cram. You should review words you already know, but don’t undertake new words or anything demanding—don’t try to knock out a set of three essays, washing them down with back-to-back verbal sections. The key is keeping your stress low and your confidence up. There is no need to upset your equilibrium for the sake of one problem set.

At the same time, keep the engine oiled those last 24 hours by doing some review. Make sure to get a good night’s rest; don’t go into the test center starving (nor gorge yourself on some decadent meal an hour before your appointment); and don’t down 20-oz of coffee the night before.

This post was written by Chris Lele, resident GRE expert at Magoosh. For more advice on taking the GRE, check out Magoosh’s GRE blog.

*Image courtesy of amenic181 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Duke

The MBA flies by fast. I’m currently a first year student and about one-third into my MBA. While only spanning 7 months, so much has happened. I’ve finished all of my core MBA courses, learned a lot about health care, started and finished recruiting for the summer internship, and got to know many of my classmates and faculty. However, just last year I was an anxious prospective MBA student and was unsure of what to expect. Here are some things that I wish I knew last year prior to the MBA.

Understanding the short term benefits of the MBA

The MBA has both short term and long term benefits. The one I’ve mainly focused on thus far has been long term ones – building strong relationships with classmates, focusing on leadership development, and getting hands on experience in biotech startups. However, I would’ve benefited from understanding the exact functions companies recruit MBAs for – earlier. For corporate positions, these would be marketing, operations, finance, and strategy. I would suggest new MBA recruits or applicants to understand what these roles are and which ones to explore further. By clarifying this early on, it will make informational interviews with alumni, company visits, and recruiting events much more effective.

Start early on long term development

As mentioned earlier, the MBA has significant long term benefits. One would also not want to focus solely on short term goals and ignore long term career development. The tip I got early on was to picture the role you want to have much later (for example, the CEO of a public company) – then determine the best opportunities to pursue that can get you there. There are so many events to get involved with during the MBA so choosing the right ones requires this clarity. More specifically, this will help with class choices, club leadership decisions and so on. My tip would be to start working toward long term goals even before starting the MBA. Leadership development is life long and I would suggest doing some reading, attending conferences/seminars and getting involved through volunteer or internship opportunities while still working. I review books on my blog and you can find the list here (more relevant for health care folks).

Learn to read efficiently

A critical skill for business leaders is to extract the most relevant information from a variety of sources quickly. This is especially important for MBA students as time is extremely limited and is split among three aspects – academic, recruiting, and leadership. One thing I learned to do during the fall terms at Duke was how to effectively focus on the most important things in class. It’s a totally different mindset from undergraduate studies when one had time to fully learn everything. In the MBA, it’s important to understand the 20-80 rule and focus 20% of your energy on getting 80% of the result. Learning to read quickly would help. I recommend taking a look at some books on speed reading. In addition, I would urge prospective students to practice reading their news stories or journal articles at a higher pace and try to summarize key take-aways in the end. This is something I’m currently doing with my outside reading on business and health care, but is something I could’ve taught myself before beginning the program.

Learn to listen

The MBA can feel competitive, especially since you will be surrounded by very intelligent and high performing individuals. In class and on teams, I found that it can be easy to get stuck in trying to contribute and not doing that great of a job on listening. One thing I now do well is to focus my energy on listening to fully comprehend others. It’s not easy to do, and we are taught to avoid this – for example by not falling in the trap of thinking of responses when others are speaking. I would suggest practicing this before the MBA. Learn to be mindful (Google “mindfulness”) and learn how to listen. In conversations, reflect if you’re actively engaged and listening to the other person. This is an extremely important skill to have and is something that the most successfully leaders are known for. Having an extra few months to practice would help a lot.

Steven Ma is an MBA student at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business (’15). He has a background in the life sciences and is passionate about innovation in health care. The Duke MBA and its Health Sector Management Program has been a critical part in Steven’s transition into business and he enjoys sharing his experiences. Visit his blog, From Bench to Board.

10 ways an SMP can help you become a more competitive med school applicant

In researching the topic of Special Masters Programs (SMP’s), I was able to locate over 75 different programs across the nation.  These programs are broken down into two main categories, one-year and two-year programs.  The one-year programs offer a strong science foundation while the two-year programs include a research project and thesis and/or a literature review.  Some of the programs are located on graduate school campuses while others are offered through medical schools.  At programs affiliated with medical schools, students take classes with the medical students.  The advantage of this arrangement is that the credit you earn towards your Master’s Degree may also be used to satisfy your medical school requirements.

Any coursework that you complete as part of a SMP will be calculated separately on your AMCAS application, as part of your graduate coursework GPA.  If it is your undergraduate GPA that needs improvement, additional postbaccalaureate coursework may be a better option for you than a SMP.  For students with strong undergraduate science GPA’s, SMP’s can be a fantastic way to set your application apart for the following reasons.

Overall, SMP’s allow you to:

• Gain additional science coursework.

•  Access valuable resources and mentors.

•  Demonstrate that you can excel at the graduate level.

•  Allow you to gain expertise in the area of your interest that may inform and guide your long-term career goals.

•  Provide you with a Master’s Degree, an additional credential.

•  Help you network with other students, medical students, researchers, professors, and other experts in their field.  A strong professional network can lead to limitless opportunities.

•  Give you the opportunity to request current letters of recommendation from graduate or medical school faculty.

•  May assist you in learning to conduct an independent research project at a university, hospital, or medical center.

•  May let you demonstrate and establish your expertise through poster presentations, abstracts and journal publications.

•  Provide valuable life experience and confidence that will directly enhance your ability to guide patients towards the best resources and most current information available.

An SMP can help you become a more competitive applicant to medical school on a number of levels.  It can set your application apart through GPA and the guidance and endorsement of a mentor. Furthermore, it  informs the direction of your career and provides resources and learning opportunities that will result in a year or two of intense professional and self-development.

Alicia Nimonkar is an Accepted.com advisor and editor specializing in healthcare admissions. Prior to joining Accepted, Alicia worked for five years as Student Advisor at UC Davis’ postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and related programs.

Infosys to conduct largest ever global MBA recruitment by an Indian company.

According to an article in The Economic Times, Infosys hasn’t hired MBA talent for four years now, but currently plans on changing that by hiring at least 200 MBAs from top b-schools around the world, in an effort to beef up its business consulting practice. This will be the largest ever global MBA recruitment by an Indian company.

According to Pascal Matzke, VP of Forrester Research, “Infosys realises it has a lot of great technical skills, but not business skills. This (hiring global MBAs) is to beef up business capabilities and skills so that they really can compete with the likes of Accenture.”

Business schools that Infosys is targeting include: HBS, Wharton, NYU Stern, Chicago Booth, UCLA, and Kellogg in the United States; London Business School, INSEAD, ESADE, Oxford Said, International Institute for Management Development (Switzerland), and Rotterdam School of Management in Europe; and NUS, Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Australian Graduate School of Management, Melbourne Business School, and China Europe International Business School in Asia-Pacific.

Infosys will also be hiring from the IIMs in India.

With new hiring strategies and improved employee engagement, Infosys plans on lowering its attrition rate which is one of the highest among top-tier firms (at 18%).

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

For more tips on revealing leadership in your applications, check out:

•  Leadership in Admissions, a free special report.

•  4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

•  What Should I Write About? Making a Difference

•  MBA Admissions A-Z: L is for Leadership

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Get ready to read about Otto Shill, a student at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) who is passionate about medicine (obviously), marketing, volunteering, and spending time with his wife and kids. Read on to hear about Otto’s med school adventure and for details about an upcoming pre-med conference he’s running through AZCOM’s Student Osteopathic Medical Association. Thanks Otto for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck!

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What is your favorite non-school book?

Otto: I grew up in Mesa, AZ, but I applied to medical school from Salt Lake City, UT. I studied Management at Brigham Young University with an emphasis in Marketing.

My favorite non-school book is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. His lecture helped inspire me to reach for my dreams and pursue a second career in medicine. Clayton Christensen’s series of books on disruptive innovation come in a close second.

Accepted: What is your favorite thing about the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM)? Least favorite thing?

Otto: I am nearing the end of my second year in medical school. I love learning about the human body, and how it works. I think AZCOM does an amazing job of helping us learn important concepts and integrate them across disciplines. With rotations only a few months away, I am confident that I will be prepared to contribute as a member of the health care team. Plus, my classmates are all out to help each other. Everyone is “gunning” to get ahead, but we’re all trying to take our classmates with us. We share study aides, notes from meetings with professors, and tutor each other.

Least favorite? I spend time with my family every day, but I wish I had more time with my sweet wife and two beautiful children.

Accepted: As a second year med student, can you share some advice to incoming med students? What are some things you wish you would have known before you began your medical studies?

Otto: This is the hardest thing you will ever do, and that’s a good thing. Before coming to medical school, I had stalled in my personal growth. The challenges of medical school have pushed me beyond my self-imposed limits and opened a world of possibility. Freeing yourself from the limits that tell you what you are capable of positions you to impact the world beyond the exam room. Today’s healthcare environment yearns for leaders who can go far beyond what we have already tried in search of disruptive innovation.

The end of each semester signifies the point in time where you should be able to integrate the concepts covered in class into an overall approach to problem solving (not a time to purge everything you crammed in). Medical students are critical thinkers, and doctors even more so (no, the patients don’t read the textbook to know what their symptoms are supposed to be!).

So many exams on our way to medical school (I’m looking at you MCAT) were about understanding the mechanics and strategy of the test or professor. Now, exams are an important way to measure your progress toward saving lives. Everything you learn, even if it isn’t directly related to your specialty of choice, prepares you to take decisive action to the benefit of your patients.

Accepted: Can you talk about the connection between your interest in marketing and your passion for medicine? How do you see these two areas coming together in your future?

Otto: Of course, every patient encounter leans on my marketing background since patient compliance holds equal importance to an effective treatment plan.

I am an entrepreneur at heart. After graduating from the Marriott School of Management, I joined a technology startup company to gain first-hand experience with building a company from the ground up. Though I worked for the marketing department, I gained broad experience with and exposure to market research, product development, management strategy, and many other core components of a successful business. I collaborated with and spent time learning from our engineers, sales team, and senior management.

As I grow in medicine, I am constantly evaluating processes, delivery models, tools, and other components of healthcare to determine how to use my experience to deliver disruptive approaches and technology to the industry. In my opinion, the time is right for the birth of a new approach to healthcare. In combination with my medical degree, I hope to leverage my professional experience to develop solutions that will define the healthcare environment for my children and grandchildren.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your role as president of the AZCOM chapter of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association? What sorts of activities do you do?

Otto: The Student Osteopathic Medical Association plays a key role in the professional development and community involvement of student physicians. SOMA activities complement the classroom experience by exposing students to the less-scientific side of medicine.

For example, SOMA AZCOM is sponsoring a Pre-Med conference March 7-8, 2014, in conjunction with Midwestern University, AT Still University, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine to help pre-med students from across the country learn why they should become a physician and how to do it. We have planned two days packed with opportunities for prospective students to interact with practicing physicians, medical school deans, and admissions officers representing 15 Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Adrienne White-Faines, MPH, Executive Director and CEO of the American Osteopathic Association will be our keynote speaker at the event. Her remarks will be complemented by Robert Orenstein, DO, Editor in Chief for the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association and Division Chair of Infectious Disease at Mayo Clinic Arizona; and by Connie Mariano, MD, President of the Center for Executive Medicine and former physician to 3 sitting US Presidents. The deans from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and the AT Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona will offer additional perspective on choosing Osteopathic Medicine as a career.

One unique thing about our event is that high school students, parents, significant others, and spouses are invited to attend. Pursuing a career in medicine isn’t something you can do alone. You need a strong support network when you embark on this journey. The more they know, the better they can support you!

The MWU/ATSU Pre-Med Conference Presented by SOMA is the premiere opportunity for prospective students to understand Osteopathic Medicine and get excited about a future career as physicians. Students have registered to attend from all over the country: New York, Michigan, Utah, California and more. We hope you will be able to join us too. Visit www.midwestern.edu/azpremed  for more information or to register or see the conference program flier here: http://www.midwestern.edu/Documents/MWU_ATSU%20Pre-Med%20Conference%202014%20Final.pdf.

Accepted: What are some highlights of your volunteer history? What role does volunteering play in your life?

Otto: Every dream I have realized is an achievement I share with friends, family, mentors and others who have supported me along the way. Giving my time to improve opportunities for others is an important component of true success.

Volunteering as a medical interpreter gave me a chance to get directly involved in healthcare before medical school. Working with people who didn’t speak the same language as their physician showed me the importance of clear and effective communication between patient and doctor.

Living in Mexico as a missionary for two years also helped me develop a lot of respect for people with different cultures and empathy for people from abroad living in the US. We have much to learn from others if we will look past the artificial and cultural barriers.

Accepted: Can you share your top 3 medical school application tips?

Otto: (1) Be yourself. Everyone says it. Everyone means it. No one believes it. Admissions committees don’t want to admit the perfect student, they really do want to get to know and admit you.

(2) Write a lot. Between personal statements and responses to different secondary application questions I wrote more than one hundred essays while applying to medical school. Working through so many different versions helped me understand myself and refine my reasons for applying to medical school.

(3) Start early, but don’t give up even if you’re behind. I applied late in the cycle and was accepted on my first try. The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

“Will I ever be able to solve GMAT problems that fast?”

I responded like any good politician might: “Yes and no.” (Why take a stand when you can equivocate, right?)

All kidding aside, the reality is that some of us may never develop a true “math brain” that enables us to solve seemingly complex GMAT word problems in mere seconds. And even if we could, it probably won’t happen in the few weeks or months that we’ll be studying for the GMAT.

But here’s the good news: You don’t have to become a math (or verbal) savant to score high on the GMAT.

There are a handful of key GMAT content areas and test-taking strategies that, once learned and mastered, will enable even the most average of test takers to get more right answers on the GMAT in less time.

In fact, that’s exactly what I’m going to be teaching in my live online GMAT Bootcamp beginning March 1st. I’ll be tackling the most essential question types, strategies, and time management considerations that will enable you to dramatically boost your GMAT score after just a few hours of instruction. If you’re interested in accelerating your GMAT prep, click here to get all the details.

The GMAT in many ways is a balancing act, learning to weigh your desire to solve every problem you think you’re capable of solving with the very real time constraints placed on you by the test itself. For this reason, many of the questions I receive from my students concern time management on the GMAT — specifically, how to get more right answers in less time.

This video (below) addresses just those questions and also gives you a step-by-step study plan for preparing for the GMAT. As you’ll see, there are four parts of the progression toward learning to solve GMAT questions more efficiently. Again, it’s not about how smart you are. Rather, it’s a matter of adopting these four mindsets and practicing them until they’re second-nature when you go to apply them on test day. Enjoy!

Note: The deadline for registering for our GMAT Score Booster Bootcamp is midnight on Thursday, February 27th. For more details, visit http://offers.dominatethegmat.com/GMAT-Bootcamp-Live-Online.

Brett Ethridge is the founder of Dominate the GMAT, a leading provider of GMAT courses online and topic-specific GMAT video lessons. He has taught the GMAT for 10 years and loves working with students to help them achieve their highest potential. Brett is an entrepreneur, a triathlete, and an avid Duke basketball fan.

We’d like to introduce you to Jyll Saskin, a graduate of Harvard Business School’s inaugural 2+2 Program. Read our interview to learn about some of Jyll’s favorite things about HBS, as well as advice for incoming and future b-school students. Thank you Jyll for sharing your story with us!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application.

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? What and where did you study as an undergrad? What is your favorite non-school book?

Jyll: I was born and raised in Toronto – I’m a very proud Canadian! I studied Psychology and Child Development at Tufts, Class of 2009, and was really involved in student media. I wrote for the Tufts Daily, and served as both Chief Copy Editor and Chief Op-Ed Editor during my tenure there. I also wrote for the Tufts Observer and co-founded a fashion magazine.

While in college, I worked as a Fashion Editor for TheCampusWord.com, a now-defunct start-up that was this great news source by and for college students; the founders pivoted the site into what is now BostInno.com, a great website about all things innovation in Boston. When I entered college, I thought I’d graduate and become a psychologist, but I quickly learned that, while I love studying psychology, I wasn’t interested in the lifestyle and work culture that came with practicing it.

The inaugural year of the 2+2 Program was announced right at the time I was debating the whole, “What do I want to do with my life?” thing, so I applied and, much to my amazement, was accepted.

As for my favorite non-school book, it’s definitely got to be the Harry Potter trilogy. Book Three, if I had to pick just one. I re-read the series every summer; I was relieved when they were finally released in e-book format!

Accepted: Congrats on your recent MBA! What was your favorite thing about Harvard Business School?

Jyll: What a hard question! I’d have to go with the clichéd answer and say “the people.” There are all of these stereotypes about how b-school students are either really high strung, competitive and backstabbing, or fratty d-bags, and it’s just not true. I’m actually so in awe of the work that admissions does, because they put together a class of people who are obviously smart, but more than that, really driven and interesting and interested in so many different things.

I really miss having case discussions every day, getting the opportunity to learn from and (politely) debate with this wildly diverse group of fascinating people. You can’t replicate that elsewhere. It’s once-in-a-lifetime.

Accepted: If you could change one thing about HBS, what would it be?

Jyll: Well, if I could change anything, then I would make the program three years instead of two. This is purely for selfish reasons. The first year is entirely required curriculum, and the second year is elective curriculum. I spent my second year at HBS taking all of those courses that interested me most, generally in strategy. I wish I’d had another year so I could have delved farther outside my comfort zone and taken courses like Entrepreneurial Finance and Real Estate Development.

Yes, that’s a copout answer. It’s all I’ve got! #sorrynotsorry

Accepted: Where did you work before starting HBS? How did the 2+2 Program help you prepare and transition to HBS’s regular program? As a 2+2 participant, did you feel “different”? Finally, are you glad you participated in 2+2?

Jyll: I held two jobs before starting at HBS. First, I was an Editorial Assistant in the teen division at Bauer Publishing, a magazine company.

Unfortunately, the magazine that I worked for folded after I’d been there for a year, so I moved home to Toronto and landed a job in corporate strategy at McCain Foods, a global frozen foods company.

They were two very different experiences, but I was grateful for both perspectives before starting my MBA.

I loved being a part of the 2+2 Program. I was part of the inaugural class, and we had these wonderful summer programs where we got to meet each other and take special classes with HBS professors.

Unfortunately, that part of the program has been phased out, so now the 2+2 Program is really just the grad school equivalent of Early Admission. Once we enrolled, we were just like everybody else in the MBA program – same classes, same activities, same everything.

The only different was that the 2+2 participants all knew each other from the summer programs, and we were the youngest students in the class. I think that there was a bit of stigma attached to the 2+2 label because of that, but honestly, it had more to do with people’s own insecurities in the first few months than anything else. Once we got into the groove with our sections, you pretty much forgot who was the youngest or the oldest because it ceased to be the most salient thing.

Accepted: What is your current job? What role did HBS play in helping you secure that position?

Jyll: I’m currently a Manager in Project Leadership at Scratch, a division of Viacom. If a strategy consulting firm and an advertising agency got together and became experts in all things Millennial, you’d get Scratch. It’s this great mix of left-brain and right-brain problem solving for clients as diverse as General Motors, Hilton and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

HBS definitely played a part in helping me secure this position. I was networking my butt off the summer before last, trying to meet as many HBS alums working in digital/strategy/media as I could. One connected me to someone else, who then connected me to Scratch. Also, two of our most senior people at Scratch are HBS alums, so having that common ground made me feel much more confident going into those interviews.

And now the cycle continues, as I connect current HBS students who are interested in working in this industry.

Accepted: Can you talk more about how you plan on transforming the media/entertainment industry?

Jyll: It’s a lofty goal, isn’t it? The media industry is transforming, with or without me. What really interests me is how you teach old dogs new tricks, how you take legacy media companies and help them transition their business models to not just survive, but thrive.

Throughout my second year at HBS, I worked on an independent project solving that exact problem, but on a much smaller scale: for The Harbus, HBS’ student newspaper. I worked with the staff, my professor and industry experts to put together an analysis and business plan for The Harbus, diversifying its revenue and exploring new audiences and channels and products. It had been so focused on cutting costs, that it wasn’t investing for future growth.

I’m still in close touch with the General Manager at The Harbus, and they’ve started implementing many of my suggestions, often making them better by putting their own twist on things.

So, that’s been very rewarding for me to see, and I know that a lot of the things I did and am doing with The Harbus would be highly transferable to larger news and/or entertainment organizations. It’s an ongoing interest and passion of mine.

Accepted: What are some things you wish you would’ve known before starting b-school? Can you share some advice on this topic with our readers?

Jyll: I wish I had taken some time off before starting business school. It’s a crazy two years, and I went straight from my job into school; my brain could have used some rejuvenation!

At b-school, for the first few months, I kept having to tell myself that I was not some sort of admissions mistake. It’s challenging, you’re in a new environment, learning new things, meeting new people, and everyone goes through that mindset of, “Why am I here? I don’t belong here!” Just know that you’re not alone, everyone feels that way, you do belong and by second semester, you’ll be smooth sailing.

Lastly, I’ve alluded to this earlier, but I do have a twinge of regret that I didn’t push myself harder academically while I was at HBS. I stuck with classes that I loved, which was great because I loved them, but I do feel as if I wasted an opportunity to try some new things.

I would encourage people to keep their electives as broad as the required curriculum, so you can take advantage of everything your MBA program has to offer.

For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages.For specific advice on how to create the best application for Harvard see:

• Harvard Business School 2014 MBA Essay Questions & Tips
• HBS Post-Interview Reflections, a video
• The Accepted Guide to Getting into Harvard Business School, a free webinar.
• What HBS is Looking for: Engaged Community Citizenship
• What HBS is Looking for: The Habit of Leadership

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Nearly 1400 pre-law students were surveyed in Kaplan Test Prep’s recent survey, with the following findings:

•  58% students prefer a two-year law school program (instead of the current three).
•  97% would like additional clinical experience built into the law school curriculum. Meanwhile, 71% of JD programs are taking this almost unanimous preference to heart and are integrating more practical training and clinical courses into their curricula.
•  Law school goals: 58% of pre-law students will be entering law school because of their desire to practice law; 11% are career changers; 7% want to improve their salaries; and 7% are pursuing a career in politics.

See the Kaplan Test Prep press release for more details, and check out Accepted.com law school admissions resources for advice on gaining admission to your top choice law school.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

If you would like Michelle to evaluate your profile at no charge and as part of this series, please provide the information requested at http://reports.accepted.com/what_are_my_chances. 

Profile 4: “Matt” the do-gooder Midwestern sales guy, with start up ambition

Don’t forget your hometown advantage.

-Background: 28-year-old white male from Midwest. Business major with 3.7 GPA from state university in Indiana. Scholarship cross-country runner and team captain.

Matt, you’re like a lot of biz grads in the U.S., perhaps a bit bored after a few years in the workforce. You see a long, slow road ahead if you settle for climbing the corporate ladder. You seem to want to test yourself and follow your dreams. What you’ll need to prove to the admissions committee is your unique worth—what you have to offer to the rest of the student body in terms of skill, knowledge, and drive.

What does set apart your undergrad experience is your strong extra-curricular as a scholarship cross-country runner while managing a very decent GPA. I’m sure your tenure as a team captain gives you several stories of leadership and teamwork. But college was a long time ago. Keep your application as much in the present as possible.

-Work Experience: Four years as account manager at rapidly-expanding B2B technology firm
 in Chicago. Managed a sales team of 20 people.

CFA level II candidate.

You’ve got solid work experience on an upward trajectory at a, likely, regional firm that’s respected within the industry, but not a Blue Chip brand on the national or international stage. It’s fantastic that you’ve managed a sales team of so many people—shows you’ve got to know how to motivate and delegate. Can you quantify the impact of your leadership?

On the other hand, I do wonder why you are pursuing your CFA. It doesn’t seem to mesh with your career path in sales, and I’m not sure a sales background would qualify you to become a charterholder. Perhaps it’s a side interest?

-Short-term goal: Found a tech startup in the software industry.

As an ad comm. member, I would have lots of questions about this goal. What is your idea, exactly? What kind of research have you done to show demand? As a sales guy, do you have the technical expertise needed, or do you already have partners in mind? Do you have any prior experience in start ups, or fundraising? You would need to connect the dots in the application.

-Long-term goal: Eventually move into private equity investing.

Ah, this is where the interest in the CFA likely comes in. If I were you, I would not reach so far with your long-term goal. If you’ve got a reasonable story to support entrepreneurship, stick with the long-term goal of growing your start up into a larger firm. Delving beyond that into private equity investing could be confusing to the ad comm.

-GMAT: 700 45 Q/40 V.

This is a pretty good GMAT, but the quant is a little low for the top echelon of schools. You may want to consider retaking if that’s your first try. A higher score would increase your competitiveness.

-Extracurriculars: 5x volunteer for Christian summer service group building schools and water projects in Ghana. Run twice-weekly youth program at church.

Wow, you’re a busy, faithful guy. These activities show long-term dedication and international reach. The ad comm. will want to see that you’ve moved up into leadership positions, and perhaps introduced some innovations to the projects.

 It’s important to show you have values, but don’t get too preachy. The ad comm. may hold a different belief system from you. Focus on how you may have helped communities, and even better, individuals to improve not so much by the transformative force of a higher power, but by smart, innovative leadership on your part.

-Schools:

Stretch matches: Kellogg, Booth

On-par matches: Michigan, CMU Tepper, Emory Goizueta, UT McCombs

Safety matches: Notre Dame Mendoza, Indiana Kelley

Final Note: Don’t forget your hometown advantage. You’ve done well in the Midwest, likely building up lots of respect and connections locally. You’d do well to tap into those by staying in the Midwest for b-school, and then through the connections you make, build out.

Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant.

This week Kellogg announced the launch of its new EMBA program in collaboration with the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University in Beijing and Shanghai.

The new program will join the ranks of other Kellogg’s EMBA global network partnerships (including HKUST in Hong Kong, York University in Toronto, Tel Aviv University in Israel, and programs in Miami and Chicago).

The Guanghua-Kellogg program is a 22-month program commencing in September 2014, and is designed for executives with 8-10 years of experience.

The curriculum will cover topics on the following themes:

• Megatrends and opportunities
• Analytical skills and decision-making
• Strategic leadership
• Globalization
• Understanding stakeholders

Dean Sally Blount says about the new partnership:

We’re thrilled to partner with the Guanghua School of Management to provide executive-level management education in China. Through our unique global EMBA network, which will now include Guanghua, we offer students a distinctive learning experience, preparing them to lead in the complex global economy.

See the Kellogg press release for more details.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The North American Access MBA Tour is appearing soon in:

New York City
March 6

Toronto
March 8

Montreal
March 10

Vancouver
March 13

A unique and customised event format that helps you select the right MBA program:  

•  One-to-One meetings and workshops with Admissions Directors

• Personalized MBA Orientation

• Interactive MBA conferences

• GMAT advising

• Scholarship opportunities

Among the 100 business schools participating in the Access MBA Spring Tour:

University of Victoria Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, Simon Fraser University Beedie School of Business, Western University Ivey Business School, HEC Montréal, McGill University, Queens, Rotman School of Management, HEC Paris, London Business School, INSEAD, University of Chicago Booth, IESE Business School, IE Business School, Northwestern University Kellogg, University of Cambridge, Duke University Fuqua, ESADE Business School, IMD, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ashridge Business School, Manchester Business School, Rotterdam School of Management, SDA Bocconi, HULT International Business School, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Maastricht School of Management, Henley, EDHEC Business School, Bentley University…

Register here for free in the city near you http://bit.ly/AccessMBATourNorthAmerica!

Places are limited for One-to-One meetings and early registration is recommended.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

After you sign in and choose your test (see list below), you’ll then choose your target test date. The program then generates a study plan of week-by-week tasks that you’ll need to complete to achieve your optimal preparedness for your chosen exam. Each task has a timeframe next to it, indicating the expected amount of time the exercise should take – a nice touch.

As you move through the little icons on the left side of the screen, you’ll encounter some nice features – games (mainly flashcard games – pretty simple and straightforward), practice tests, discussion boards, study groups, and others. Another organizational feature is the table of contents icon which, when you click on it, gives you a very clear outline of your study plan with links to other parts of the site.

There is also a BenchPrep mobile app (Android and iPhone), making this program excellent for test-preppers on-the-go!

One thing I’d like to see more of on this site are videos. There is certainly no shortage of written prep resources here – there are loads of practice tests and explanations and tips, which of course are extremely important. For some people, this may be exactly what they’re looking for, but others – those auditory/visual types – the absence of video will be noticed.

Tests (a sampling):

Features:

• Ask-a-tutor, and receive an answer within 24 hours
•  Bookmarking and highlighting features
•  Ratings/tracking of your confidence level (so you can go back to review those weak areas)
•  Games
•  Practice tests
•  Discussion boards
•  Study groups

Head to BenchPrep now to check out these features on your own!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Listen to the interview to get the details about IMD’s unique program, the admissions process, and some excellent advice for applicants.

00:02:05 – The (intense!) structure of the IMD MBA program.

00:06:41 – Work experience a must.

00:08:53 – Innovations of the new program director.

00:13:47 – Why the serious changes to the IMD application?

00:19:01 – The Day Long Assessment: what it is and why it’s here to stay.

00:21:35 – Career Placement at IMD: are the rumors true?

00:23:52 – Advice for IMD applicants.

 Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss any a single show!

*Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com.

Relevant Links:

•  IMD
•  MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools 
•  2014 Virtual Panel: Exploring European B-Schools

Related Shows:

•  Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC
•  The Stanford MSx Program for Experienced Leaders
•  NUS: A Small but Mighty Academic Powerhouse in Asia
•  Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute
•  Jeff Reid on Entrepreneurship

Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:

Next up in our MBA Admissions A-Z series is E for Essay, a topic on which we could very easily write an entire book. (Hey – we DID write an entire book. Scroll down for details.)

Here we are going to focus on 4 critical MBA admission essay mistakes. Make sure that your essays DON’T include any of these:

1. Buzzwords

Try this on for size: “I plan on penetrating the B2C e-commerce bubble by starting my own synergistic company. Additionally, I want to lead empowering seminars about diversity awareness in the workplace for the human resources space.”

Unfortunately, creating an MBA application essay isn’t as simple as piecing together a string of keywords. Many applicants think that if they include industry buzzwords in their essays, then they’ll come off sounding like experts in the field. Recipe for success? More like recipe for disaster. Buzzwords don’t make you look smart; they make you look unoriginal. (Of course, you can use a few buzzwords when absolutely necessary. Just make sure they clarify and inform as opposed to confuse and obscure.)

2. Grandiose Statements

Don’t merely discuss a value or belief; illustrate it. “I want to give back to my community.” Okay, thanks for the info…now tell me something else: HOW? Or WHY? When have you lived this value in the past? How do you plan on focusing your energy on helping your community in the future? Furthermore, why do you feel a calling to contribute to your community? Give me some details here!

Maybe this is what you meant: “When I was suddenly orphaned at 16 years old, my local church bent over backwards to help revive me and my twin brother after the paralyzing tragedy. The community members went beyond simply feeding and clothing us, by caring for us and loving us in the absence of our parents. Their boundless kindness inspired me to found my not-for-profit organization; it helps teenage orphans keep their heads above water after tragedy strikes by supplying material as well as emotional support.”

3. Whining

Complaining about your application blemishes only draws attention to them. If you aren’t happy with your GPA, then take responsibility for your low grades, and if relevant, provide context that explains why you did poorly…and then move on. If possible, portray your liabilities as assets by discussing the ways in which you’ve grown from your experiences, or  point to times when you excelled in similar circumstances. But please, keep the tone mature. Nobody likes a crybaby.

4. Typos

This is one of the most common MBA essay mistakes, and yet is also one of the easiest errors to fix. Rule of thumb: Don’t hit “Submit” until you’ve edited and proofread your application essays. For the best results, read your essay aloud so you can identify errors with your eyes, as well as your ears. And remember, the only thing better than one set of eyes and ears, are multiple sets. Have your mom, best friend, neighbor, co-worker, or Accepted.com editor help you identify and then fix all spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and stylistic blunders.

The Book of All Books, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, will lead you through the MBA admissions process beginning to end and includes lots of advice on how to approach the MBA essay writing process with examples. The book, written by Accepted.com founder and CEO, Linda Abraham, is succinct, but more in-depth than our short tips can ever be. Available on Kindle and in paperback.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

• Substantive self-reflection.

• Use of specifics, examples, and anecdotes.

• Willingness to reveal your thought processes and feelings.

So start your writing process with self-knowledge. You don’t have to search the internet or a large library. Start with your experiences and your dreams. Search your head and your heart. That is where the substance of a good personal statement is stored.

Then use anecdotes, specifics, and examples to reveal what’s in your heart and show that your dreams are grounded in experience. Good examples can bring your essays to life and engage the reader.

At the same time, recognize that essays with only examples and anecdotes don’t reveal your thought processes and consequently are also superficial. Make sure you balance your stories with insight and analysis.

Avoid Fatal Flaw #1: Bring your essays to life with self-reflection and astute use of examples balanced by analysis.

This tip is an excerpt from Five Fatal Flaws: Eliminate the 5 Most Common Flaws in your Application Essays and Personal Statements. To view the entire free special report, please click here.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Thou shalt not be late to this important engagement! Reserve thy spot for The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews now.

If you have any questions, just leave us a question in the comment box below.

Go ahead and rock those interviews!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Get ready to read about “A Hopeful Doc,” an anonymous second-year med student who shares her med school adventure, as well as tidbits about her love of French, physical activity, and moving her “fidgety fingers.” Enjoy our interview below, as well as A HopeFul Doc’s fun blog, HopefulDoc.com. Thanks A Hopeful Doc for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck!

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite non-school book?

A Hopeful Doc: I hail from the Midwest and studied biology pre-med at a small private college. As for favorites, Count of Monte Cristo would be my lazy summer pick. A Moveable Feast by Hemingway appeared on my “Must Read” list before studying abroad in France. His short stories are about his days in Paris and remind me a bit of modern day blog posts. I also think every med student would benefit from reading some Atul Gwande.

Accepted: Where are you in med school? What year? What is your favorite thing about your program? Least favorite thing?

A Hopeful Doc: My medical school happens to be in the Midwest as well. I am a lucky second year – lucky because I don’t have any clinical responsibilities beyond studying and second because I passed the first year, that awkward pseudo-adolescent adjustment year.

I ended up at an allopathic program. During my application process, I filled out forms for DO and MD programs. At the time, my dream school was Feinberg because they had this community garden research project at the time…but other schools called back, some even offered seats. I freaked out, in a good way, and ended up choosing an in-state school.

Despite how cheesy this sounds, the people are my favorite part. We have one of the largest class sizes compared to other medical schools yet exist within a smaller city. I get to rub shoulders with a diverse group while sharing the Midwest love.

Since most of our professors have taught for ten/twenty years, they contribute to the sense of community as well. They invest inside and outside school. They genuinely concern themselves with our health and future plans as much as they do our minds.

My least favorite part would be the lack of video lectures. I work as an AV tech loading the audio lectures online. How nice would it be to hear and see that talk on thoracic anatomy!?

Accepted: In your “About Me” section on your blog, you say you’re passionate about a million things – can you give us some examples?

A Hopeful Doc: Anything that requires my legs to run or bike or swim or dance. I recently started training for triathlons. Inspiring others to move also makes me really happy. So I volunteer at a pediatric exercise and nutrition program as well as do research on patient perspectives. My fidgety fingers play piano, garden, cook, bake healthy, bead earrings, knit, thrift.

Accepted: Looking back on the med school application process (if you can remember that long ago!), what would you say was your greatest challenge? What did you do to overcome that challenge?

A Hopeful Doc: Quite ironic for a blogger, writing my personal statement was my biggest challenge. I needed to stand out but not too rudely, to look like I saved the world but have so much more growing up to do, and to make myself sound like the first person to have thought of doctorly attributes like compassion and resilience. Sprinkle in my shadowing experience. Add my years of work as a surgical orderly.

I was frustrated – shouldn’t I want medical school enough to know why?

So I figured if God had brought me through physics and calculus and the MCAT, He might help me with my essay. I asked for guidance. And pretty soon, lots of helpful books and websites came my way. But my family and hospital family served as my greatest assets. Draft by draft, I made something comprehendible, genuine, hopeful.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? When and why did you start blogging?

A Hopeful Doc: My blog serves as half-encouragement for readers and the other half for myself. School is hard – to gloss over that would trivialize our efforts. Dwelling on the difficulties gets plain discouraging. And to not process anything is detrimental. So I reflect via writing. From the feedback of other bloggers, tweeters, and classmates, I’ve realized I’m not the only one riding the struggle bus. In fact, some days, we push that bus uphill then drive back down.

I began this blog back in the fall of 2011. I was leaving the country to realize my childhood dream of learning French in France…and I thought my mom might want to know that her daughter was still alive. So I wrote about getting lost and finding pretty places. You can still find those posts buried under med school ones!

Accepted: Can you recommend a nice coffee shop on or around campus that you recommend for studying or meeting up with friends?

A Hopeful Doc: Confession: I live with coffee addicts but drink tea. Lots of med students, myself and my quizzing study buddy included, camp out in an adorable, organic coffee shop. So I guess I recommend supporting local businesses!

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500

AIGAC, the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, is conducting a survey and would like YOUR participation! This is your chance to share your opinions of the MBA admissions experience with top MBA admissions committees.

In May, AIGAC will hold its annual conference in New York City where they will present anonymous data about MBA applicants to the top MBA programs. That data will come from these surveys, so the more responses, the better. You can read more about the survey here.

The survey closes at the end of February, so please respond ASAP!

What about the $500?

We saved the best part for last – survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win $500 (via PayPal). Your email address would be used only for prize notifications.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The webinar will take place Thursday (Feb. 20th) at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. Learn how to ace your MBA interview – sign up for The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews now!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

• What problem is your business going to solve?

•  Why is it different than a solution that exists today?

• Is there a market for the goods or services you plan to sell?

•  How big is that market?

•  Who is your competition?

•  Can you patent your solution?

•  What will your margins be?

•  How will you finance this business?

•  What is your expected return on investment?

•  What is the exit strategy?

You can’t just say, “I want to be an entrepreneur” and leave it at that.  You also can’t just have an idea or concept.  You need to have the skeleton of an actual business plan if you want to credibly declare yourself an entrepreneur in your MBA application.

By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey.

We’d like to introduce you to Sarah, an Irish b-school applicant (now living in London) applying to top b-schools in the U.S. and Europe. Sarah offers loads of advice on taking the GMAT, analyzing one’s b-school profile, and dealing with dyslexia here in our interview and on her blog, sarah’s mba journey. Thank you Sarah for sharing your story with us – we look forward to hearing great things from you!

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite movie?

Sarah: I’m originally from Scotland and now live in London working for the public sector. I studied at Dundee University for my undergrad and York for my Masters. My favourite movie is Inception.

Accepted: What is your current job? Do you plan on continuing in this industry after you receive your MBA or switching to something new?

Sarah: I currently work in the UK public sector and lead research projects on public policy. I’m hoping that an MBA will allow me to move from research to a more active general management role within the same sector.

Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school?

Sarah: I have a three strand MBA strategy application just in case I don’t succeed in first strand. First strand was applying to Harvard and Duke in America. Second strand is applying for one or two European business schools, while the third strand is applying for a part time MBA in the UK. I haven’t finalised the schools for prong two and three, that’s my next task.

Accepted: You’ve already submitted applications to HBS and Duke — how did it go? Which application essay approach did you prefer? Why?

Sarah: I’m really pleased I was able to submit both my Duke and Harvard application on time as they were due the same day. I really liked the Harvard essay as it really allowed me to put across my best case, though having such an open ended question was really daunting at first. But the admissions director on his blog post on the 10th September 2013 gives some good advice; go with your gut.

Accepted: What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of the application process so far, and how did you work (or are you working) to overcome those challenges?

Sarah: Out of the whole application process, it was the GMAT I found most challenging for a couple of reasons. The main reasons is that this is the first time ever I’ve sat a standardised test and it’s a very different test format from what I’m use to. Secondly as someone who needs accommodations as I’m dyslexic, not sitting a similar test before puts me at a real disadvantage in being able to identify what accommodations are the right. Thirdly what I still find real difficult as my brain doesn’t think in the GMAT way and I’ve really struggled to get my good quantitative ability to be reflected in the GMAT score. So I’ve really struggled with my GMAT score and to be honest probably not really overcome the challenges.

Accepted: How many times did you take your GMAT? Can you share a few GMAT tips with us?

Sarah: I’ve sat the GMAT three times so far (I suspect I might need to take it a fourth time). I have no tips for the 700 plus crowd but I do have a couple of tips for those new to standardised testing.

1. Take the time to find out how the test works and the main three/four strategies needed to answer the different questions. This will be very beneficial later on when you are taking practice tests and trying to improve your score.

2. Work on the basics – adding, multiplication and handling percentages – until you can do these operations quickly and accurately. You don’t need to pay for expensive GMAT courses for the basics; get material suitable for young children it’s cheaper! There are also a couple of really good apps for your mobile phone that can help as well.

3. Figure out how you learn. Be honest with yourself. I would have saved a lot of time by ditching the books sooner and going onto an online GMAT course quicker as I’m an audio visual learner I don’t learn through just reading text books. Once you know how you learn find a GMAT course that suits.

4. Before you spend money on text books, do your research as not all GMAT text books are created equal and check out the second hand market to get them cheaper.

Accepted: Can you talk about your Fulbright experience?

Sarah: I submitted an application to Fulbright in November and will hear if I progress to an interview this month. The Fulbright process meant I had to identify early each schools I would apply for and why. It also forced me to think about why business school and put that down in a succinct way.

Sarah sent us an update here: I got an update on my Fulbright application yesterday. I haven’t progressed to the interview stage. Disappointed but I also know I put my best case forwards.

Accepted: I see on your blog you offer a nice, organized approach to analyzing your profile. Can you explain the steps you took and offer suggestions for our readers on how to break down the elements of their application profiles?

Sarah: For my post on the strength of my profile I considered the following elements: academics, GMAT, work, and community involvement, each on a five point scale from Excellent to Weak. Here are a couple of suggestions to help your readers come up with their own assessment.

1. On the academic side consider your country or universities scoring system. How do you compare? Did you go to a top university in your country, a good one, or your local one? Then use those to form a judgment. In the UK context I assumed a 1st from Oxbridge would be ranked Excellent. For the GMAT I considered the GMAT average and then the score ranges for the schools I applied to and then how I compared. I would say rank 700+ as excellent and go from there.

2. For the work criteria it really comes down to your knowledge of your industry and firm. I work for a fairly flat organisation and I don’t get bonuses so I have to measure success in other ways. So be honest with yourself, how good is your CV? Are head hunters knocking down your door?

3. Community involvement is tough; it is not how much you do, but your impact as well. I think the simple stuff can count as well like being involved in your church or sports club.

Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the experience?

Sarah: My blog is about my MBA experience from applying to completing one. At first the blog was mainly a place where I could tell my story. Over time the remit has expanded a little to include my thoughts on the wider challenges I face in the work environment in relation to stress and dyslexia.

One aspect of the blogging experience I have really appreciated is the readers’ comments. I can safely say my applications to business school are better due to the comments that have been made on my blog.

My audience is anyone wanting to study for an MBA but I also hope there is some useful advice to those that are under pressure at work or have dyslexia and work in high performing organisations.

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth.

Scenario: You get accepted to an excellent MBA program. You’re happy…but…you can’t help thinking that maybe you could’ve done “better.” Should you turn down your acceptance (whether it’s an early decision acceptance or regular) in hopes that the school that waitlisted you ends up accepting you, or in hopes that a school that rejected you this year accepts you next year?

When to Accept an Offer of Admission

Here are two reasons why I think you should probably count your lucky stars and say “yes” (enthusiastically) to the program that accepted you:

1. As I’m sure you noticed, I put “greener” and “better” in quote marks above. You need to think about whether your alternate options are truly better for you than the amazing school that accepted you. Maybe HBS is a better school than, say, Yale SOM, according to most ranking reports, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best program for you. And in fact, if you’re thinking about heading into non-profit management, it may not be better than Yale. If the accepting top school supports your goals and provides an educational environment that suits you (and you shouldn’t have applied if it didn’t), then a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Don’t look for greener pastures when you’re most likely in the pasture that’s optimized for your individual growth.

2. Acceptance at one elite school does not at all imply that you’ll get accepted at another elite school. Acceptance decisions are independent events – Wharton doesn’t consult with Booth, which in turn couldn’t care less that you were accepted to Stanford. Be happy about the outstanding school that accepted you and attend!

Legitimate Reasons for Deferring or Rejecting an Admissions Offer:

There are some situations in which I’d recommend deferring or rejecting an admissions offer and reapplying next year:

1. Personal circumstances unrelated to education, like an illness in the family compel you to defer or reject an offer.

2. A geographical/relationship issue, like your significant other got into a one-year program across the country from the program that accepted you, and you don’t want to be apart for a year. (You should try to defer for a year in this case, obviously, and not reject the acceptance, if you plan on then pursuing your educational goals next year.)

3. Your post-MBA goals have changed since you applied, and the school that accepted you is no longer the best school for you. (This doesn’t happen very often.)

Some of you may be thinking, “Can I ask for a deferral?” Schools are reluctant to give a deferral. It binds them, and doesn’t bind the applicants. Furthermore many applicants requesting the deferral use the additional year to reapply at other programs. This bit of shopping around and gamesmanship has given deferrals a bad name in admissions offices. And they frequently don’t want to play.

Here’s a tip if you want to defer and are serious about attending the accepting school a year later: Offer to put down a large deposit that will be applied to your tuition when you matriculate and lost if you don’t matriculate.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

1. GMAT: Take the GMAT if at least one of the b-schools you’re applying to doesn’t accept the GRE.

2.  GMAT: If you plan on a post-MBA career in investment banking or management consulting, then you should take the GMAT since such recruiters sometimes use GMAT scores as a screening tool.

3. GMAT: If the wording on the school’s website indicates that the GRE is accepted but clearly a lower-class citizen, than take the GMAT. We’re seeing this less frequently.

4. GRE: If you’re fresh out of college and aren’t sure exactly what to do next, but feel prepared to take the GRE, then you may as well go ahead and take it – the scores remain usable for up to five years. Maybe you’ll use your scores for a future b-school application, or maybe for some other grad program.

5. GRE: If you score higher on practice GRE tests than on practice GMAT tests AND if your target schools accept the GRE, then you should definitely take the GRE.

6. GMAT: The same is true (as #4) if you score higher on the GMAT – in short, take whichever test you score higher on!

7. GRE: If you want to save money (about $100) and/or will have trouble getting to a GMAT testing center, then you should take the GRE (obviously provided that your target schools accept the GRE). The GRE is cheaper and there are more testing centers throughout the world.

For top GMAT advice, please check out the following FREE Accepted.com resources:

•  Top 5 GMAT Test-Taking Strategies
•  3 Tips to Reduce GMAT Test Anxiety
•  The GMAT in MBA Admissions: Fact and Fiction
•  Should You Retake the GMAT?

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

For more resources to help you get into HBS, check out:

• Harvard Business School 2014 MBA Essay Questions & Tips
• HBS Post-Interview Reflections, a video
• The Accepted Guide to Getting into Harvard Business School, a free webinar
• What HBS is Looking for: Engaged Community Citizenship
• What HBS is Looking for: The Habit of Leadership

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The more practice tests you finish, the better.

The GMAT – shudder. The majority of business school hopefuls concur that sitting for the GMAT is one of the most dreaded components of the business school application process. If the mere thought of completing the GMAT (or re-taking the GMAT) torments you at night, read on.  Much emphasis is placed on this exam, but it’s not as horrible as you may think.

1. The GMAT is not the be-all, end-all in business school admissions

Yes, the GMAT may be one of the most discussed factors in business school admissions, but it is not the only item admissions committees consider. Business schools seek well-rounded classes, and this detail cannot be stressed enough. Business schools are interested in your work experience, your goals, your personality, and your community involvement. If your GMAT score is not as high as you’d like it to be, you can compensate with other parts of your application. Institutions are particularly interested in the GMAT in order to evaluate your quantitative abilities. Demonstrate these skills in other ways, perhaps through your essays or recommendation letters, or even by enrolling in a calculus course at a local community college.

2. You can train in order to achieve a higher GMAT score

In all honesty, the GMAT will not tell admissions how well you’ll do in business school. It doesn’t measure your business acumen. It simply tests your ability to successfully complete standardized tests. This may not be fair, but you can use it to your advantage: with appropriate practice, you can improve your performance on the GMAT. You can strengthen both by reviewing the key concepts and acclimating to the test itself. The more practice tests you finish, the better. A wealth of information is available; you just need to develop a study plan to boost your score accordingly.

3. There are a limited number of concepts examined on the GMAT

As difficult as some individuals find the GMAT to be, it does not test too wide a range of subjects. The Quantitative section, for instance, includes mainly arithmetic, algebra, and geometry – no trigonometry or calculus will be found here. Granted, the test is not simple, because it will combine several concepts in one problem. But if you can master the basic fundamentals of the mathematics, you are prepared to succeed. Similarly, the sentence correction questions usually test less than 10 grammar concepts.

4. You can sit for the GMAT more than once

Few students find themselves satisfied with their score after taking the test the first time. You can, however, sit for it again. All marks within the past five years will be included in your official score report, but that shouldn’t deter you. Admissions committees will appreciate the determination required to continually strive for improvement. It may be wise to incorporate enough time into your business school plan to allow yourself to take the GMAT more than once.

5. The GMAT is not the only test that business schools acknowledge

A number of institutions accept a GRE score in lieu of the GMAT. If you’ve already taken the GRE or you strongly suspect that you will perform better on this exam, you may want to consider submitting this score instead. Peruse the full list of universities that accept the GRE on ETS’ website. The GRE, while a different format than the GMAT, tests many of the same skillsets – critical reasoning, quantitative skills, and analytical writing. Yes, the GMAT can seem daunting at first, but perhaps you now understand why it’s not something that should frighten you!

Maureen Spain is a professional GMAT tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and received her MBA from Duke University.

Natalie Grinblatt Epstein has held positions of Director of MBA Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Michigan Ross and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Johnson School of Cornell University. She is currently a highly sought after admissions consultant at Accepted.

Listen to the recording of our highly informative conversation with Natalie and benefit from her years of experience and great insight into the MBA admissions process. While she covered a lot of different topics, MBA interviews dominated.

00:04:10 – How a research paper converted a brand manager to an admissions officer.

00:07:25 – Three things applicants really need to know but they often just don’t get. (Take if from a former adcom member!)

00:12:17 – MBA essay word limits are shrinking: Don’t cram! Be strategic.

00:18:37 – Tips for preparing for your blind MBA interview.

00:21:28 – Non-blind interview tips. Tune in HBS & MIT applicants!

00:23:35 – The Team Based Discussion.

00:29:18 – ‘Go for it!’ and other advice for late round applicants.

00:34:17 – Addressing weaknesses in your application profile and what do if you don’t have any volunteering in your background.

00:37:25 – Applying for an MBA? Get to know yourself ASAP.

 Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk in iTunes so you don’t miss any segments! Stay in the admissions know.

*Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com.

Relevant Links:

•  MBA Admissions A-Z: 26 Great Tips
•  Upcoming Webinar: The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews
•  Natalie’s Bio Page
•  Natalie’s client feedback page
•  MBA Admissions 101

Related Shows:

•  How to Edit Your Application Essays
•  MBA Video Essays: A Conversation with Rotman’s Niki da Silva
•  Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute
•  Dr. Douglas Stayman Shares the Scoop on Cornell Tech NYC
•  Global Business Leadership at Wharton’s Lauder Institute 

Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:

Journeys with Joshua: Joshua Wienczkowski walks us through med school at East Tennessee’s College of Medicine with his monthly blog updates. Get an inside look into med school down South through the eyes of a former professional songwriter with a whole lot of clinical experience — thanks Joshua for sharing this journey with us!

Update: Congrats to Joshua on his new position as student adcom member at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine — we know that with his admissions insight, he’ll be a great addition to the team!

“Dear Incredibly Hard Working Pre-Med and Hopeful Doctor,

Our admissions committee has met, and we regret to inform you that you were not selected as a student for our entering class. There were many qualified blah blah blah…”

Ouch.

I worked hard

I shadowed.

I volunteered.

My GPA was great!

I gave everything I had for that stupid MCAT.

What do I tell my parents?

What do I do now?

How you handle rejection says a great deal about your character, but getting turned down from your dream of becoming a doctor can hit hard to even the sturdiest of leaders. So, what should you do in the event of getting a rejection letter from all the schools you applied to? Aside from drinking the beer(s) I hope you have open, keep reading, and I’ll walk you through my plans B, C, D, and everything I laid out in the event I didn’t get accepted to medical school.

VERY first thing to-do is contact admissions at every school that turned you down, and see if an admissions counselor will walk you through their decision to not select you. Tell them you want honesty, so you can work hard at becoming competitive for their institution. Take notes, cross-reference, and find common holes in your application. Was it GPA? MCAT? Shadowing? Letters? Just not ready? Maybe they wanted to see more upper division sciences? Personal statement? Interview? You really need to dig, and have a few mentors go through your application with you to find the weak points that hindered you.

What I’ll do next is walk through scenarios, and offer solutions that I had planned out in the event they were the weak areas. Also, to clarify, I only applied to MD schools.

Shaky Numbers

MCAT and GPA are baselines that every school uses for initial cuts. The hard numbers are that an MCAT below 24 (at least 8 in every section) generally won’t be looked at for MD schools. I know everyone says get a 30, but realistically, you can get accepted with less. If MCAT was the issue, I’m inclined to tell you to reassess why you didn’t achieve the numbers you are capable of attaining. Taking a prep course does not guarantee a certain score, just like simply going to medical school doesn’t make a good doctor. Why did you not achieve your potential? Skim through new study materials. Research all of the available resources. Find the best fit for your learning style, and stick to it. If you’re a black and white, quick and simple person (like me), Exam Krackers is perfect. If you like longer explanations and want to know the “why” behind things, Kaplan or Princeton Review are killer for you.

A GPA less than 3.2 will not get you into medical school. So you blew your GPA in the first few years of college? No one can blame you for this, but if you couldn’t show an upward trend, I think it’s time to consider a Post-Bacc. or a 1 year Master’s to show you can handle the course load. If the admissions counselor at your top choice strongly urges you to think about a Post-Bacc. or 1 year Master’s at their institution, take that as a great omen they like you, and want to see you reach your full potential. It can sometimes be akin to a “conditional acceptance,” but make sure you’ve communicated with the program extensively.

Not so Shadowy Shadowing

A common issue I’ve seen is lack of shadowing, because shadowing shows your interest in medicine, and ensures you understand what you’re dedicating the rest of your life to. The only solution here is to cold call, network, and find an opportunity to shadow more. Many hospitals offer summer programs for Pre-Meds to essentially shadow/intern at their hospital for a summer or extended period of time. If you can’t obtain long-standing shadowing, working at a hospital where you have patient contact and care is often a great way to increase exposure to the field.

Anything that contributes to your exposure to medicine is perfect. An admissions counselor at my school that helped me a great deal once said to me, “if you love fishing, why aren’t you out on the lake right now? If you love patient care, why aren’t you in a hospital every chance you get?”

Interview Blues

There are often times that the person represented in an application doesn’t quite shine through as the person a medical school meets on interview day. It’s a stressful day, and can often hinder your ability to truly represent yourself and the incredibly qualified individual you’ve worked to become. If the interview is what made an admissions committee say no, there are three reasons for this:

1. They just didn’t feel like you were a fit for their school and community. Don’t take it personal in any way. Just like a first date, sometimes the fit isn’t quite right.

2. Maybe you choked. It happens to even the greatest of athletes in the final seconds of a game when everything relies on one last play at the very last inches. Pick yourself back up, practice harder, and find out why you weren’t able to be yourself on the big day.

3. The person in the application was not who they met on interview day. If someone else
writes your application (yes, I’ve seen this happen, and been offered interesting things to pen med school applications), it’s no wonder the application and you were two different people!

Regardless, find out why your interview was the reason, address the reasons, get back on that damn horse, and try again.

So, what if I haven’t addressed an issue for why you didn’t get into medical school?

Sometimes admissions are vague. Sometimes there is no concrete answer. This is frustrating. I implore you to take the feedback you’ve been given, and consider why you chose to pursue medical school. Was it to help people? That’s cool, but you can help people in so many facets.WHY do you want to help people? And WHY as a physician? Why not as a Physician Assistant? What about Physical Therapy? Why not Pharmacy? Don’t give up, by any means, but this timeframe should be a solid gut check that allows you to stand firmly on your statement, beliefs, and reasons for why you absolutely believe you should become a physician.

My backup plans were to call every school that said no, find out exactly why they said no, cross-reference the results, and find common themes. In the meantime, I was going to study even harder for the MCAT, and retake it to blow it out of the water. I was going to apply to every hospital around town and work in any position they would give me, which would allow access to physicians that I could shadow and gain more knowledge from as well as letters. My plan was to call every professional admissions company, like Accepted, and find someone there I felt could empower me, and help me craft my application and interview skills into something unstoppable. I even researched every admissions company, their success rates, and budgeted accordingly (ironically, look who I’m writing for).

Be ruthless.

Be dedicated.

You WILL get into medical school.

If you have specific questions, or just want to chat through your application in hopes of gaining some insight as to what the next step might be, feel free to reach out to me or anyone else at Accepted.

Good luck! You’ll make a damn good doctor, I’m sure of it.

Joshua

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Please feel free to share the timeline on your blog or web site! The code you need is below. Please hover over the code, click on the COPY icon, and then paste into the HTML window of your blog or website:

<a href=”http://www.accepted.com/mba/round-one-timeline-2015.pdf”><img alt=”MBA 2015 Admissions Timeline” src=”http://blog.accepted.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2015_Smart_MBA_TImeline.png” width=”594″ height=”365″ /></a>

If you have questions, please let me know.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Acing an MBA interview is no easy feat! You need to simultaneously:

• exude confidence without boasting;
• find the balance between being too terse and talking your interviewer’s ear off;
• stay positive even when a curveball is thrown at you; and
• be honest and quick thinking at ALL times.

Worried you may not be able to keep it together on the big day?

Stop worrying (because that really won’t help) and instead take a step in the direction of interview success by signing up for our upcoming webinar, The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews.

The webinar will be presented by Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, former admissions director and current Accepted.com consultant, who will walk you through 10 interview musts!

The webinar will take place next Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET.

Make sure to be present at the revelation of  

The 10 Commandments of MBA Interviews!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Not long ago, in the tips post for INSEAD, I wrote that INSEAD was “bucking the trend” of fewer and shorter essays.  Well, scratch that.  Mid-application-cycle, INSEAD has decided to hew to the trend and changed its essays starting now.  The result is a shorter, more condensed set of essays.  For the next deadline (March 5), recognizing that many applicants will already have started preparing the previous set of essays, they will also accept those. 

In the new set, the essays are divided into two categories: Job Description Essays (the same as before), and Motivation Essays.  The use of the word “motivation” should be forefront in your mind as you draft those essays; the concept should appear directly or indirectly in each.  It means that the adcom wants to know what drives you, what propels your choices, decisions, and actions.

Job Description Essays:

Essay 1. Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved.

The key to strong job descriptions is “results achieved.” Definitely provide the other requested elements, but the distinguishing factor will be those results. Quantifying impact usually shines a spotlight on your impact and contribution. The second most important element is “major responsibilities.” Don’t list the mundane or the aspects of your job that everyone with your title will share. Where did you shoulder “major responsibility”? Be specific in these descriptions to differentiate yourself, especially if you are from a common professional group in the applicant pool.   

Essay 2. Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position?

Don’t confuse “full description” with “complete history.” How would you characterize your career since college? You also have to answer the second pat of the question and you only have 250 words. Choose the most important elements — those elements that show contribution, leadership, and since this is INSEAD, a multi-cultural and global perspective. 

Essay 3. If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme if applicable? (250 words maximum)

State the facts straightforwardly.  Note not just what you’re doing but why you’re doing it.  If you have room and if it’s relevant, consider addressing why you are unemployed at the moment.

Motivation Essays:

Essay 1. Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words max.)

For a question like this I recommend two strengths and one weakness. If you can choose one anecdote that reveals both the strengths and the weakness, it’s efficient with space and can strengthen the essay. Don’t forget to discuss how these qualities influenced your personal development. For more on INSEAD 1 and writing about weaknesses, please see this video:

A word on weaknesses. Be honest without going overboard. Don’t make up a phony weakness. I attended an HBS info session a few years ago. One of the alumni said that he discussed a “phony weakness” in his essays (required for HBS that year), and his interviewer focused right on it, and basically said, “Come on. What’s a real weakness?” The applicant had to get real in a hurry. Take advantage of the essay: Give it some thought and respond with the benefit of that reflection. For more information, please see “Flaws Make You Real.”

At a recent AIGAC conference one of the adcom members remembered that an applicant in response to a similar question had listed his weakness as “pitching new ideas in a meeting.” The adcom member felt that the applicant was specific, real, and showed self-awareness by revealing this flaw. In fact, by demonstrating these qualities in addition to the requested weakness that he was working on, the applicant actually enhanced his chances of acceptance with his response.

Don’t write about “weakness in pitching new ideas in meetings” as your flaw just because you saw it here. It will become the lame, stale example everyone uses. However, you all have weakness. Just be thoughtful enough and honest enough to reveal yours.

(NOTE: There is potential for some overlap in this essay with Essay 2, so look at both questions together and organize content before writing them.)

Essay 2. Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned. (400 words max.)

With only 400 words to describe 2 significant experiences, and the specified discussion points, you need to use stories that can be told without a lot of background information.  And keep in mind Essay 1 – don’t use stories that reflect exactly the same messages.  “Achievement of which you are most proud” is a high bar, and it can be from either work or outside of work. It also should be something that reveals qualities or attributes about you that are positive and relevant. I suggest using something from the last two to three years.  Luckily you don’t have to write about the failure about which you are most ashamed… ;-)   Discuss a failure that is specific, fairly recent, and meaty enough to have rattled you a bit.  Again, work or non-work topic is fine. 

In discussing what you learned from the experiences and how they impacted your relationships, identify one specific thing for each point for each story – there isn’t room for more.  And there isn’t need for more, because one can be very powerful if it’s insightful.

Essay 3. Tell us about an experience where you were significantly impacted by cultural diversity, in a positive or negative way.  (300 words max.)

In choosing your topic story, think about “impact” – often people describe being surprised or emotionally challenged by encountering new or different cultures, but that’s not enough to make this a good essay.  Impact is what happens after the initial response: how did the experience change your behavior, or change your perception, or inspire you to learn something, or cause you to reconsider beliefs/ideas – these are impacts. 

Narrate the story succinctly, vividly portraying the impact on you.  The adcom wants to see that you are thoughtful, resourceful, and responsive in encountering cultural diversity, because it is a key attribute of their program.

Essay 4. Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, politics, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (300 words max.)

Simply discuss the range of activities you participate (or have participated) in – those that are major passions, and those that are “just fun” – clarifying their relative role and importance in your life.  Be straightforward in how they enriched you – no need to strive for something “different” that no one has ever felt or experienced before….  Imagine you are meeting with clients or superiors – between the business dealings (and perhaps over a drink); you and they might chat about non-work interests – approach this essay like such a conversation.  Not quite as casual as with a peer, but still conversational, straightforward, and intended to connect on a person-to-person level.

Optional Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the admissions committee?  (300 words max.)

Use the optional essay to explain anything that needs explaining and/or to give them one more reason to accept you. DON’T use it for a superficial summary, a restatement of your other essays, or anything similarly boring and trite. If you choose to write it, produce a tight, focused essay revealing something you haven’t yet discussed.

INSEAD Application Deadlines:

September 2014 intake:

March 5, 2014

January 2015 intake:

Round 1 March 21, 2014; Round 2 May 28, 2014; Round 3 July 25, 2014

By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The Finance Professional’s Guide to MBA Admissions Success, and author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her last fifteen years with Accepted.com.

Show the adcom that you belong at Wharton.

Acing a team based discussion/interview isn’t easy, but with the right prep, you’ll be able to clearly show the adcom that you are an intelligent candidate who knows how to contribute to group discussions with confidence and poise. Use the free resources listed below to help you prepare for your upcoming group interview:

• Handling Wharton’s Team-Based Discussion

• Tips For Tackling Team Interviews

• Four Tips for the Wharton Interview

For guided interview prep with an experienced admissions consultant, please consider using our Mock Wharton Team-Based Discussion service. The interview package includes one-on-one interview coaching, as well as an interview simulation with two Accepted facilitators and 3-7 other Wharton applicants. You will receive written feedback on your performance, as well as a consultation to discuss feedback on your team and individual interview.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

We’d like to introduce you to Emily Fleming, an emergency medicine resident at Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium. Learn all about Emily’s fascinating med school adventure by reading our interview below, as well as Emily’s blog,

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What’s your favorite flavor ice cream?

Emily: My family moved around a lot growing up, so I don’t really have a hometown, per se, but the state we spent the most time in was Florida. I went to Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL for undergrad, and took a painfully predictable path to medical school by studying Biology and Chemistry.

Fortunately, I got to be a part of an Honors program and was able to use a Great Books curriculum to study liberal arts. This allowed me to stretch the right side of my brain in a way that the sciences didn’t really permit, which made up for me not majoring in something more creatively stimulating like Philosophy or Communications.

Somehow through it all, I managed to get into medical school, despite my university being a half mile from the beach.

And I’d have to say my favorite ice cream flavor is either rainbow sherbet or cookie dough, depending on how rich I want my dessert to be.

Accepted: Where did you go to med school? What was your favorite thing about that program? Least favorite thing?

Emily: I went to Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. I loved that the program was affiliated with so many different hospitals in the Chicago metropolitan area. It allowed me to experience so many different patient populations and practice environments.

My least favorite thing about the program was the weekly exams, though in hindsight, it was nice to constantly be tested on the topics presented, and it gave you a really good idea of how well you were performing as the semester progressed.

Accepted: Where are you doing your residency?

Emily: I’m currently in my third and final year of Emergency Medicine Residency at the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in San Antonio, Texas.

Accepted: Do you plan on staying in San Antonio when you’re done with this phase of your practice?

Emily: Hopefully the Air Force will let me continue on as a Staff Physician here at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. My husband is a resident in a 4-year Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program here in San Antonio, and has one more year of training. With a baby on the way, we’re really hoping to be able to stay together in the same town.

Accepted: Can you talk about your career path – choosing to go into emergency medicine and serving in the armed forces?

Emily: Emergency Medicine has always been the reason I went to medical school. I tried hard to follow all the advice I got heading into medical school and keep an open mind about choosing a specialty, but in the end, it was always Emergency Medicine that captivated my interest.

I’m well-suited for the field, as an adrenaline junkie with a short attention span and a modicum of interest in every field of medicine. Choosing to go into the military was a bit more uncharacteristic for me. I was initially motivated to pursue the Health Professions Scholarship Program more as a means to pay for medical school than out of a vested interest in serving my country. But the sacrifice of military service seemed like a price I was willing to pay for the financial freedom the scholarship provided.

I still feel that way to a large degree, but there are aspects of military service that I wish I had more carefully considered prior to joining up. I am honored to wear the uniform and feel privileged to be able to provide excellent medical care to our country’s heroes. That said, it is undeniably challenging to be faced with the certainty that I will deploy to a war zone, leaving behind a baby and a husband that need me.

Accepted: Congratulations on your future baby! With that and working in the ER, you must be exhausted! How do you manage?

Emily: Thank you! We’re very excited about our babe on the way. I have been incredibly fortunate with this pregnancy so far, and only felt exhausted for a few weeks in the first trimester. Now, with the exception of my ever-expanding waistline, I feel pretty much like myself. Though I do have to be more conscientious about stopping to eat and drink while on shift; if I don’t, I pay for it miserably. My body isn’t quite as resilient these days, given the extra baby body it is having to support.

All in all, I anticipate that residency will have prepared me well for the sleep deprivation that comes with having a newborn. Check back with me in a few months. (;

Accepted: Looking back on the med school application process (if you can remember that long ago!), what would you say was your  greatest challenge? What did you do to overcome that challenge?

Emily: My biggest challenge in applying for medical school was failing to get in. I had known since I was 16 years old that I wanted to be a doctor, and I believed wholeheartedly that it was my calling. I took the MCAT late in the year (it was only offered in April and August at that point – no idea how they do it now), and sent off my applications without knowing my score.

Much to my embarrassment, I had grossly overestimated my ability to do well on that exam, and had sent my applications in to schools that I didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into. So I watched painfully as the seventeen rejection letters rolled in, doubting myself and whether I was truly cut out for this. But anyone who knows me knows I am not easily deterred.

I took a prep course and took the MCAT again the following April, then sent out my applications again – this time knowing my score, and choosing schools that were more realistic. It was painful to experience rejection and failure, but the involuntary year “off” I took ended up being one of the best years I’ve had yet. I got a job as a Tech in an Emergency Department, learned a ton and gained great exposure to medicine and trauma. I built incredible friendships and mentor relationships at work that I still maintain, and got to live with some of my best friends in the meantime.

The second time around, I sent out thirteen applications and got two interview requests…and a single acceptance. But one is all it takes. Now I’m a licensed – and almost Board Eligible – Emergency Physician, who was selected as Chief Resident in my program. There was a time I wondered if I’d ever get here, but traveling this journey has made me thankful for the struggles and challenges I’ve overcome.

Accepted: Can you share some residency application tips with our readers?

Emily: Applying for residency is a lot more like a job interview than applying for medical school. Programs look for personalities that are going to be a good fit with their existing residents and attendings; it’s important to like the people that you’re slaving away next to at 2:00 in the morning. The sentiment goes both ways. Pay attention to the residents at the programs you’re applying to: would you want to hang out with them? Can you see yourself working well with them? It’s of the utmost importance to be yourself. If you’re a good fit, everyone in the room will know.

By this stage of the game, senior residents and Attending Physicians have very finely tuned abilities to detect bullshit; if you’re pretending to be someone you’re not, they’ll be able to tell.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? When and why did you start blogging?

Emily: Oh the blog. I started blogging during a string of not-particularly-time-intensive rotations during my third year of med school as a way for me to keep in touch with my friends back home, who all had blogs as well. Call it an extension of Facebook, social media, etc, if you will. Now blogging has become more of a form of catharsis. It’s been helpful to go through the process of filtering my thoughts and emotions about my life – experiences, travels, patient encounters, having a baby, losing my dad – in a way that is palatable to the internet at large. The writing has become a creative outlet for me.

Arguably, I could gain the same benefit from the writing by confining it to a journal, but the relationships I’ve built through blogging – both on the internet and in real life – have made the sharing worthwhile. Blogging is not for everyone, to be sure. There is an element of narcissism that one must come to terms with when willfully displaying their lives on the internet. But when strangers email me about how something I’ve written has helped them or encouraged them in some way, it makes the world feel a little more small and cozy. And I like that.

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

If the candidate looks like thousands of other candidates, the adcom will accept the candidates with the highest GMAT.

A client recently asked me the following questions: In several articles, I have read about the holistic approach of admission directors to evaluate applications. I want to know how much weight they put on different aspects of application during evaluation? If the approach is so holistic, then why do so many applicants with low GMAT scores get dinged compared to applicants with high GMAT scores?

I thought this was a great question and referred this client to a webinar I conducted last year entitled Reality Check. This webinar may make admissions more transparent for you. However, the answer is really quite simple:  Admissions committees do review entire applications in order to admit the best candidates and create classes that are diverse. So while an admissions committee’s approach may be holistic, the applicants themselves offer competitive application indicators.

The GMAT is one indicator that helps an admissions director determine if the candidate will succeed in the program academically.  It is also an indicator that they must report to the media for rankings.  And the higher the ranking, the more candidates want to attend that specific program.

If my client planned to look at schools whose average GMAT is 650, we wouldn’t have had the discussion. He was looking at programs whose average GMAT is over 700. What are these schools’ incentive to admit candidates with a 650 or lower?

Perhaps, the adcom is certain the candidate can succeed in the program academically, but more importantly the candidate offers something else in his or her background that is so amazing that they are willing to overlook a GMAT score well below their average.

If, however, the candidate looks like thousands of other candidates, the adcom will accept the candidates with the highest GMAT.  The consumers (students) demand it, the suppliers (faculty) demand it, and the ultimate customers (hiring companies) demand it.

So while you can’t guarantee admission to your dream school regardless of GMAT score, just as you can’t guarantee anything in life, you can position yourself strategically to stand out in the best way to the admissions committee. That is where my colleagues and I here at Accepted can help you.

By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey.

We’d like to introduce you to Hugo, a pharmacist from Spain who will be applying to top MBA programs in the U.S. in the fall of 2014. Read our interview with Hugo below, as well as his blog,

Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What is your favorite non-school book?

Hugo: I am from Bilbao, a mid-sized city in northern Spain, but I’ve lived in Madrid since I was 18. I moved in order to study Pharmacy at Complutense University, and remained here ever since.

It would be difficult for me to just name one favourite book. One of them would definitely be The Lord of The Rings, I am a big fan since I was 11. The others could be The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas-LLosa and 1984 by George Orwell.

Accepted: What is your current job (industry/function)? Do you plan on continuing in that field after you receive your MBA?

Hugo: I am a third year Resident Pharmaceutical Intern at one of the major hospitals in Spain, specializing in Hospital Pharmacy. After the MBA, I do want my career to remain related to the Healthcare field, because it has always been my passion, but I would like to have the opportunity to work one of the big pharmaceutical or biotechnological companies. Many of them have great Leadership Development Programs in which I am definitely interested.

Nevertheless, I cannot deny that, at some point, I would also like to start my own company. Although the latter is more of a long-term goal.

Accepted: What stage of the MBA application process are you up to at this point? What would you say has been your greatest challenge so far? How did you work to overcome that challenge?

Hugo: I am on a quite early stage of the process. I have already taken the GMAT and, currently I am preparing to take my TOEFL exam within the next month, and also doing some research about the schools. So I would say GMAT has been the hardest part so far.

In any case, I am aware that the biggest challenges are still ahead of me; first and foremost, writing the different sets of essays corresponding to each one of the schools I end up applying to. Therefore, I will start to prepare and write them as soon as I can, so I don’t end up being rushed by a time constraint, and I am able to take my time and do a good job.

Accepted: Looks like you did great on your GMAT – 710 – congrats! Can you share a few tips with our readers?

Hugo: Thank you! I did very well and I am very happy with it, although I always have the feeling I could have done even better.

In my opinion, the first thing any potential test taker has to be clear about is the fact that you have to take it seriously and that it is an exam that will take a great amount of your free time to prepare, and even a bigger one if you want to get to 700. Besides, I believe that it helps when you like it, because it becomes easier for you to commit time to study and it requires a not-so-big effort on your part. I did like the exam, for me every question was a little challenge, and that motivated me to find the logic behind each one of them and always look for better way to solve them and do it faster.

I would also recommend rest properly. It is an exam that will definitely penalize the test taker if he shows up unprepared. In order to solve the questions, particularly when considering a high-difficulty level, you have to take into account very small details that are very easy to overlook if you are not focused. It is very obvious when you are tired, because you start rushing the answers and thus failing a far greater percentage of the questions you take than you usually do.

Accepted: Where are you applying? Why would you say you’re drawn to the U.S. schools as opposed to ones closer to home?

Hugo: I am still deciding to which schools I am going to apply, although I am almost certain there are a few of them, such as Tuck, Stanford or Fuqua, that will make the final cut. In any case, I do know that location will not be a critical factor and that I prefer smaller classes and close communities.

My interest in attending a business school located in the US is based on several factors. First of all, most top European schools only offer one-year MBAs (I think IESE and LBS are the only ones to offer a two-year degree), and I believe a two-year program, summer-internship-opportunity included, better suits my career-changing plans. Besides, I have always been very attracted to the American culture, and since the MBA offers an opportunity for a unique and, in some aspects, potentially life-changing experience, I think I would make the most of it if I step out of my comfort-zone, and move to another continent, into a very different culture. If I stayed “at home”, so to speak, I would have the feeling that I am missing something.

Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? Who is your target audience? What have you gained from the blogging experience?

Hugo: I have always had the idea to create a blog, maybe about music or cinema, two of my biggest passions, but never really tried, until I discovered a blog by a recent MBA graduate where he shares his two year experience at Chicago Booth. That blogger provided a glimpse of what those two years could mean and while reading I realized that, in fact, this could be a great topic to write about: a Spanish pharmacist who wants to enter a top MBA program in the US.

At first, I had the intention for my blog to cover more diverse topics, but it has ended being an MBA-centric blog, at least for the time being. Nevertheless, now that I have started with the blogging, I plan to create another one, when I have the time, to write about my other interests.

What I have gained from it that I value the most is that it has helped me get in touch with other applicants, some of them also bloggers,  who are in the same situation I am in: preparing to apply or just applied. This has allowed us to share our experiences, our thoughts on the application process or the schools, and to support each other through a very daunting process like this is. Most of them are in a more advanced stage of their way to get into a top MBA program, and thus I have been able to learn a lot from their personal stories that will help me when I apply next fall.

And that is what I want to achieve with my blog: to share my story and the information I gather with those considering the same path or who are in an earlier stage of the application process. Although, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to enter and read what I write, interested in doing an MBA himself or just curious.

I would also say that since, in order to being able to write and blog about every event I attend or every school I am considering, I have to do a little bit of deep thinking and soul searching, it will help me when I have to start with my essays.

Do you want to be featured in Accepted.com’s blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your MBA/EMBA journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at mbabloggers@accepted.com.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Culture dictates the way we approach everything, even the STAR format of interviewing

This is a guest post by Grayson Leverenz of MBA in the USA.

It was late in the spring, and the international student sitting across from me was nervous because she didn’t have an internship yet. She had solid skills, a flawless resume, and she prepared for her interviews. What was the problem?

We started her session with a behavioral question. I asked, “Tell me about a time when you worked on a virtual team project.” She launched into her answer using the MBA STAR framework: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

About two minutes later, I recognized the issue. The student was still explaining the Situation.

Americans communicate directly. We value clear, concise messages, and don’t require a lot of background (or context) before the main point.

This student was from a highly indirect culture. She was taught the value of nuances in word choice, tone, and non-verbals. Her culture also required significant background in communicating messages. The Situation and Task were important to her because they provided the context.

I explained the cultural dimension of Communication to her, and gave details about the range from direct to indirect. “Americans prefer a direct communication style and are highly results-oriented. What that means for STAR is that you spend very little time, no more than 45 seconds, on the Situation and Task. You focus the majority of your answer on the Action and Results.”

Her eyes brightened. She understood. We practiced again, and she integrated the new information perfectly. The student ended the season with multiple internship offers, and used her new cultural communication skills to succeed on the job.

Culture dictates the way we approach everything, even the STAR format of interviewing. As you’re preparing to be Accepted, communicate with the receiver in mind, both in interviewing and in writing.

Grayson Leverenz founded MBA in the USA® to help international students build networks, find jobs, and have fun in the USA. Hundreds of global professionals have benefited from Grayson’s intercultural workshops, and she has worked with people from Brazil, China, India, South Africa, South Korea, the UK, and the USA to build effective virtual teams and craft brilliant careers.

View Round 3 vs. Next Year: The MBA Admissions Debate for free now!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best