This is the last post in a 4-part series that examines INSEAD MBA’s admission criteria. What is leadership potential? INSEAD is not unique among MBA programs in desiring leadership potential in applicants. All do. It is unique in how it characterizes leadership and leadership potential. The adcom has a two-pronged view of leadership: factual (what you did, your…
4 Ways to Display Teamwork in Application Essays
Teamwork, and its close cousin, leadership, are highly prized by graduate programs and universities. Haven’t worked in teams on any regular basis? Don’t worry! There are more ways than you may realize to prove your chops in this area. Consider the following 4 options: Remember: No Man is an Island Unless you’ve been living alone…
Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay
“Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay” is excerpted from MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, by Linda Abraham and Judy Gruen. Essays that ask you to write about significant achievements fall under the category of what are known as behavioral or experiential questions. The basic assumption behind these questions is…
What Harvard Business School is Looking For: The Habit Of Leadership
Thank you, Harvard Business School. That’s what applicants should think when they visit the program’s website and find “Habit of leadership” on its “Who are we looking for?” admissions page. It’s common knowledge that HBS values leadership, but with this phrase, the adcom succinctly expresses how they view leadership – dynamic, deep, intrinsic, long-term. It’s…
MBA Admissions: Does Extracurricular Equal Extra Credit?
YES! Don’t underestimate the value of non-academic, non-work activities! These activities that you participate in – hobbies, sports, volunteering, etc. – do tons to liven up your otherwise one-dimensional application. Here are some reasons why you should bulk up your extracurricular quotient: 1. Extracurricular activities add life and texture to your application. MBA applications can…
An Interview with Dartmouth Tuck’s Admissions Director, Luke Pena [Episode 252]
It gives me great pleasure to have for the first time on AST, Luke Pena, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Luke earned his bachelors in PR and business at USC in 2006 and cut his admissions teeth at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. He subsequently…
7 Traits of a Competitive Medical School Applicant
Are you med school material? What traits are the adcoms looking for in their future students? It’s time to do some serious introspection to make sure that you’ve got what it takes to get into med school, and that you know how to show off these top skills to the admissions committee! Here are some examples…
How to Demonstrate Leadership When You Don’t Have Leadership Experience [Short Video]
Most admissions committees are looking for applicants who can demonstrate leadership. If you don’t have any formal leadership positions to discuss in your application essays, that doesn’t mean that all is lost. Watch this short video for Linda Abraham’s definition of “informal leadership” and how to highlight it in your applications. Visit our services section…
Ace Your Summer Internship
This post is aimed at college sophomores and juniors who are thinking about earning an MBA in the future, and who will be working as an intern this coming summer. In my opinion, there isn’t a better way to test out your career interests than by working in your intended field for a few months….
The Schwarzman Scholars Program: Leaders of the Future Unite [Episode 126]
This is the opportunity of a lifetime. When fully set up, 200 students every year will learn how to lead the world into the future at an innovative (and all expenses paid) program. Listen to our conversation with Dr. Rob Garris to learn all about the Schwarzman Scholars Program: what it is, who it’s for,…
Are You A Leader?
Of course you are – but do you know how to present those impressive leadership skills and experiences in your application essay? For many applicants, writing the “leadership essay” is one of the most challenging aspects of the application process, mainly because the concept of leadership is so tough to define. It’s easy to say…
Wearing My Military Uniform in the Business World
Ben Faw, a combat veteran and former Army Captain, shares his thoughts on how prior members of the military can use their unique skill sets to battle the dangerously high young-veteran unemployment rate of 21.4%. Rank never equaled respect in the military, and neither will your title in the private sector Pinning the 2nd Lieutenant…
Where MedEd & Leadership Meet: An Inside Look at AMSA
If you are on the road to med school, you’ve probably heard of AMSA, the American Medical Student Association – the largest independent association of doctors-to-be in the USA. Listen to the recording of our conversation with Britani Kessler, National President of AMSA, for more information about what the organization does, and how you can…
Two Ways to Reveal Leadership in Your Applications
Leadership is one of the of the most valued attributes in admissions. In this short video, Linda Abraham discusses two main ways you can show the adcom that you are a leader. For more tips on revealing leadership in your applications, check out: • Leadership in Admissions, a free special report. • 4 Ways to…
Understanding Stanford GSB’s Take on Demonstrated Leadership Potential
Of course Stanford GSB seeks demonstrated leadership potential – don’t all b-schools? And naturally you’ve got leadership, or you wouldn’t be applying to Stanford. Wait. There are some unique nuances to Stanford’s conception of leadership that are essential to understand in order to portray it effectively in your application. Let’s break the phrase down word…
4 New Ways to Display Teamwork in MBA Essays
Teamwork, and its close cousin, leadership, are highly prized by MBA programs. Haven’t worked in teams on any regular basis? Don’t worry! There are more ways than you may realize to prove your chops in this area. Consider the following 4 options: 1. No Man is an Island Unless you’ve been living alone on an…
4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future
Schools want to see that the applicants will actively participate in and contribute to their student bodies and alumni communities, not to mention the greater community and society. Yet grandiose, declarative statements and promises to be a superlative do-gooder are unpersuasive. So how is an applicant to show what he or she will do in…
3 Elements of Leadership
What does it mean to be a good leader? Here’s a simple definition: A good leader moves people in thought or in action. This definition, however, beckons the question: How? How does a leader urge or encourage people to act or think in a particular manner? Furthermore, what sorts of qualities must a leader possess…
MBA Admissions A-Z: L is for Leadership
What does it mean to be a leader? Can leadership be measured by the number of awards you accumulate? Do you need an official job title (like Head of X or VP of Y) to prove you can lead? Here are some of my thoughts on what it means to be a leader and the…
Wharton MBA Admissions Q&A Tomorrow!
Do you have questions about U Penn Wharton‘s flexible yet rigorous curriculum? Do you want to hear more about the school’s emphasis on “leadership in action,” its collaborative environment, or its strong alumni network? Ask all your pressing MBA admissions questions to Wharton’s Ankur Kumar, Deputy Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, and Anthony…
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